After they left Mistwood Forest together with the Mouse Rabbit Family, the Mouse Rabbit Family headed north to search for their kin. Xiao Zhuzi and her two companions continued eastward, as they were not far from Baihua Island. They exchanged heartfelt hugs and farewells, each embarking on their new journey.
After several days of trekking, the Ground Sky Squad finally arrived at an expansive wetland prairie, which was the legendary Baihua Island. Contrary to what Xiao Zhuzi had imagined, there were no vast forests or rolling mountains; instead, they were greeted by an endless expanse of green and large patches of Rainbow Grass. The sunlight danced upon this boundless sea of color, creating shimmering golden ripples, while the air was filled with the fragrance of earth and blooming flowers.
Xiao Zhuzi had never seen Rainbow Grass before. This grass grew close to the ground, appearing from a distance like a colorful mist enveloping the earth. As they approached, they realized that this colorful haze was made up of tiny blades of grass. The leaves of Rainbow Grass were long and soft, seemingly covered in countless tiny scales that reflected a kaleidoscope of colors under the sunlight. As the sun moved across the sky, the colors of the Rainbow Grass shifted as well, resembling fragments of a rainbow scattered across the verdant field.
Xiao Zhuzi reached out to gently examine a blade of grass and exclaimed in wonder, "What kind of grass is this? It's so beautiful!"
"This is Rainbow Grass," Xi Xi replied with a smile. "It's unique to Baihua Island. The leaves contain a special pigment that absorbs different wavelengths of sunlight and transforms them into various colors. Dragonfly Elder even tried to transplant Rainbow Grass to Xian Cao Garden once, but unfortunately, it didn't succeed."
"Wow," Xiao Zhuzi stretched her body and then grabbed Xi Xi's hand. "Baihua Island is truly beautiful! Xi Xi, let's run over to that flowering tree!" With that, she cheered and pulled Xi Xi along as they dashed forward. Both Xi Xi and Fei Bao were caught up in Xiao Zhuzi's excitement, and the three played joyfully until they collapsed onto the Rainbow Grass, panting heavily.
After resting for a bit, the three friends got up and continued deeper into Baihua Island. Along the way, Xiao Zhuzi curiously looked around while Xi Xi and Fei Bao took turns explaining various peculiar plants to her. Baihua Island was indeed a magical world filled with extraordinary plants never seen before—there were Starflowers that twinkled at night, miraculous vines that could heal wounds quickly, and musical fruits that sang.
Among all these wonders, the most astonishing was the fire-spitting Agave! Even Xi Xi and Fei Bao had never seen such a plant before. These Agave grew very tall, their leaves sharp like swords while their flowers resembled flames. When the wind blew through them, they produced a whooshing sound. If anyone dared to touch them, they would receive an immediate "roasting warning," as the three little friends had witnessed several Red-eyed Flies becoming "skewers" upon approaching these Agave. Knowing when to be cautious, the trio skillfully steered clear of these "enthusiastic" plants.
However, as they ventured further into Baihua Island, Xiao Zhuzi's confusion deepened. She looked around and realized there was no sign of the legendary peak—Lonely Cloud Peak—not even a small hill in sight! The more she thought about it, the stranger it felt; she murmured, "This is odd... If it's supposed to be the highest peak, it should be quite noticeable... But we've been walking for so long without seeing even a shadow of a mountain!"
"You're right!" Fei Bao and Xi Xi also sensed something was amiss and stopped to gaze into the distance. "Where did Lonely Cloud Peak go?"
Seeing Xiao Zhuzi's anxious expression, Fei Bao playfully flipped in mid-air and cheerfully said, "Xiao Zhuzi, don't worry! It’s likely that Lonely Cloud Peak is farther away than we thought; that's why we can't see it. When we meet other Chong Chongs later on, we can ask them for directions. Don't worry; we'll definitely find that elusive peak!"
Xiao Zhuzi couldn't help but laugh at Fei Bao's description of the "elusive peak." She shook her head to dispel her worries for now and raised her arms high in excitement. "Alright! Ground Sky Detective Squad charges ahead! We must catch that mischievous 'Loving Hide-and-Seek Lonely Cloud Peak!'"
Just as she took a few steps forward, Xiao Zhuzi suddenly felt something trip her foot. Losing her balance, she fell with a thud onto the ground. Her knees and palms scraped against the earth painfully enough for her to gasp in surprise: "Ouch! That hurt! What tripped me?" She turned back angrily only to find nothing but grass and some unknown small flowers behind her—just a few scattered twigs; there was nothing that could have tripped her...
Wait a minute—those twigs? One twig looked rather peculiar!
The three friends rubbed their eyes and looked again. "Ah—" they all gasped in surprise simultaneously.
That wasn't just any twig; it was clearly a Mantis basking in the sun!
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