This was unmistakably an altar forged of gold! Nearly ten meters high, it stood there, magnificent and imposing, inlaid with a vast array of multicolored Pandora natural crystals that caught the reflections of the lake’s surface, creating a spectacle of indescribable grandeur and breathtaking beauty!

“My, GD.” Even MD, a colonizer by nature, couldn't help but murmur under his breath.

However, for the Ace Team, this was hardly the time to explore and admire the scenery, nor was it the mood for leisurely sightseeing. They rushed directly toward the altar, with Reef and Mogansa standing guard in full battle readiness. Fang Senyan stepped onto the altar and swiftly produced the large number of hearts he had prepared.

In fact, to guard against any mishaps, Fang Senyan had brought nearly forty hearts. No one could be certain if Sutai had miscounted the required number for the sacrifice—and under the guidance of Old Muerbo, he carefully placed them, one by one, into the golden indentations surrounding the altar! Exactly twenty-three hearts were placed, and then he knelt upon the golden mat carved into the ground and prostrated himself!

The instant his head struck the ground, Fang Senyan felt the golden brick beneath him sink slightly. The depression was minuscule; if his perception hadn't been so high, he might never have noticed. He instantly knew a mechanism had been triggered and was about to pull back when, suddenly, a series of illusions flashed before his eyes!

He seemed transported back to the cryptic, mysterious, powerful, and bloody times of the Mosak tribe. He saw an ancient, cruel priest wearing a menacing golden mask, wielding a scepter upon the altar, while the tribesmen below roared in fervent acclamation.

Then, at the very apex of this altar, Qi’er Ouke’e pinned a strong, naked Na’vi onto the stone slab. The Na’vi’s face bore an uncanny resemblance to Moa, the shaman of the Omatikaya clan. Despite the Na’vi’s desperate struggles and roars, his head was forcefully cleaved off with an axe. Amidst extreme, horrifying bloodshed, blood sprayed out in a mist, saturating the air, followed by the slaughter of war captives and children, their hearts ripped out for a blood sacrifice upon the living...

But Fang Senyan soon snapped back from the illusion. When he stood up again, Reef and Mogansa were already frantically inquiring about the progress of the mission completion. It was understandable—a Golden Branch Quest! Although Fang Senyan was the one completing it, their fortunes were intertwined, and he wasn't one to hoard rewards, naturally fueling their irrepressible anticipation.

Fang Senyan shrugged, finding it quite strange that the mission completion prompt hadn't appeared. He suddenly noticed that in the indentations on the golden altar where the bloody hearts lay, a transparent, oily substance had somehow seeped out, soaking the dozens of dark red hearts placed within, creating an indescribably eerie atmosphere.

However, based on Fang Senyan’s deduction, this substance had most likely been ejected from some hidden aperture when his forehead struck that floating gold brick during his bow, triggering the mechanism—not particularly mysterious once explained.

But mere seconds later, Fang Senyan’s pupils contracted sharply, and he couldn't help but gasp in cold air!

The twenty-three hearts placed on the golden altar were suddenly convulsing and beating simultaneously! Such an absurd sight left Mogansa, Reef, and even MD utterly dumbfounded! Only Old Muerbo and his group managed to keep a semblance of composure, mouths agape.

As the sound of the heartbeats gradually accelerated, a deep rumbling echoed from beneath the altar, as if some immensely heavy subterranean mechanism had been engaged. The ground began to tremble faintly, and then, from the center of the altar, a stone pillar slowly rose. Atop the pillar stood an exquisitely crafted mirror.

The mirror appeared to be made of the same substance as the Pandora crystals but seemed as thin as paper, its method of construction unknown. The reflected light shimmered and rippled, and one could even discern patterns carved onto its surface—the brushstrokes were vigorous, depicting what looked like a bearded fruit.

Once this mirror appeared, it exhibited a focusing effect similar to a convex lens. Furthermore, as it was formed from a high-energy substance, it gathered a beam of bright yet non-blinding light, shooting it into the small lake before them, making the shimmering water look even more breathtakingly beautiful.

It was then Fang Senyan noticed that along the shore of the small lake grew numerous semi-aquatic plants resembling reeds, each stubbornly holding aloft a long, heavy tassel. Even in the dark night, the bright golden luster of these tassels faintly caught the eye. Among the stalks near the ground, many mysterious dark shadows were continuously seen scuttling about, giving the area a rather sinister feel.

The light from the mirror seemed to be guiding these mysterious shadows to congregate. At this moment, MD, standing at a higher vantage point, suddenly stated in a deep voice:

“Be careful! The lake water is starting to ripple and change. The temperature near the water-eye in the center has risen by 0.4 degrees. Something seems about to swim out of it!”

At this point, Fang Senyan and the others also noticed the intense change. Soon, the shadows illuminated by the mirror began to tremble with a sense of panic. A dark mass suddenly "rolled" out of the water-eye at extremely high speed. This mass, about the size of an automobile tire, curled up like a rapidly spinning wheel and ferociously pounced upon the dark shadows in the water, consuming them greedily.

The once clear water immediately churned with waves of deep crimson, possessing a uniquely grim and seductive quality. Only then, under the crimson glow, was it clear that the small, dark shadows being slaughtered were in fact fish-like creatures. Strictly speaking, however, they possessed both gills and scales like fish, yet also had six lizard-like legs. They appeared to be an amphibian, akin to mudskippers on Earth, but the sharp fangs in their mouths fully indicated they were far from harmless.

In the blink of an eye, the tire-shaped sphere had slaughtered all the creatures in the water. Then, with a "thud," it rocketed out of the surface. Amidst splashing water, it abruptly extended eight long legs one meter above the ground! It settled silently onto the earth, as if the entire creature had suddenly inflated. Its long legs were covered in long fuzz, showing a black upper body and white underside—it was a monstrously ferocious giant Piscivore Spider!

Its six pairs of compound eyes glowed a fiery crimson, resembling rubies, giving it a vicious appearance. On Earth, a Piscivore Spider can hunt fish three times its own size in the water, but under Pandora’s low gravity, this spider looked even more savage. Its movements, seemingly slow, were actually swift; it scrambled across the ground, reaching Fang Senyan almost instantly. Fang Senyan immediately activated his detector, obtaining only a fragment of information:

Son of Femon Enemy of the Ocean Tier Five Legendary Creature. Weight: 211 kg Strength 41 points Agility 57 points Stamina ?? points Perception ?? points Charisma ?? points Intelligence ?? points Spirit ?? points Base Melee Lv9. Detailed Attributes ??? Tier Five Legendary Creature Ability: Water Bubble Coating Lv3. Owner’s Health Point maximum increased by 30,000. Arachnid Class Special Ability: Poison Silk Volley. This creature, possessing both strength and agility, can secrete a toxic fluid from its bulky abdomen. Upon contact with air, this fluid forms sticky and tough silk, which can bind enemies and inflict severe poison damage. Creature Special Ability: Aquatic Respiration. Relying on the air carried by the cilia on its legs and body, this creature can breathe freely underwater. Creature Special Ability: Stinging Limb Pierce. Effect ???? Creature Special Ability: Roll. Effect ???? Creature Special Ability: ????? Creature Special Ability: ????????

As soon as Fang Senyan saw the words "Tier Five Legendary Creature," he knew he would be instantly cleaved in two, so without hesitation, he turned and ran! The Son of Femon did not pursue him; instead, drooling excessively, it crawled onto the altar and stabbed its stinging limb into the beating heart before it! Fang Senyan immediately received the notifications:

“Warning! Warning! The Sacrifice of Qi’er Ouke’e is being destroyed!” “Warning! Warning! The Sacrifice of Qi’er Ouke’e is being destroyed!” “Warning! You must continue the Sacrifice of Qi’er Ouke’e within ten seconds, or the mission will fail.”

Fang Senyan turned to look at Old Muerbo, his gaze cold, and said only one sentence:

“Go! You and your people.”

Old Muerbo’s facial muscles twitched. The terrain was incredibly constricted; his trusted flying dragon couldn't possibly enter. But seeing the murderous look in Fang Senyan’s eyes, he knew there was no escaping this time. With a wild yell, he drew his scimitar and charged forward. The remaining dozen members of the Taji tribe, unwilling to see him perish, assigned several to push forward while others drew their bows.

Mogansa, in the first instant, drew his Hornet Pistol and opened fire! Three shots burst out in rapid succession; he aimed precisely at the eyes of the fish-eating spider called the "Son of Femon."

The three bullets viciously exploded its compound eyes, ejecting a pale gray bodily fluid. Immediately following, the bullets collided, causing an explosion! The giant fish-eating spider was violently thrown into the air, tumbling end over end before landing on the ground with a "thud."