Fan Debiao slowly organized his backpack, then pulled out a dry ration, bit into it, and mumbled around his mouthful: "Who can even turn back now? Stop the pointless chatter; just fill your bellies and keep moving forward."

Cai Qingchong chuckled, "Right, what Xiaotai said makes sense. I'm hungry too, feeling like we've been running ragged for ages without a proper meal. Young Master, how about we settle the hunger issue right here and take a short rest?"

At that moment, whether it was Young Master Liu or Scholar Jia, everyone suddenly felt a considerable weight lift from their minds.

Scholar Jia smiled softly, "Indeed, I'm hungry as well. Let's rest here briefly. There are still many unknowns ahead of us."

So, everyone sat down right where they were, pulling out their food and water, resolutely silent about the immediate unknown dangers and the unpredictable future. They began a rare, brief respite.

Picking up the dry ration in his hand, Young Master Liu suddenly thought of Yang Weidong, who had sacrificed himself not long ago, and a wave of sorrow washed over him. He wondered how many unknown hardships this mission still held. The closer they got to the truth of the Ninety-Nine Heavens, the more uneasy he felt. Zhang Daoling—what kind of mysterious figure would this man be? Young Master Liu had basically categorized this person as someone from another world. He then recalled the old man's words from the Sun Illusion: "The spacetime I inhabit is also chaotic now, much like what you Earthlings call good and evil. That's why there are now many espers on Earth, some benevolent, some malevolent. You must be cautious when you encounter such people."

The severed limbs in the Buddha statue, the worm-puppets inside the pregnant woman's belly, the sea monster Plesiosaur, the minor ghosts of the Yin Residence, the map trap, the Dread Wolves, the Corpse Wrapping technique, the Gu worms—every single element revealed the viciousness and ruthlessness of the creator of the Ninety-Nine Heavens. Young Master Liu was certain that this Zhang Daoling was one of the wicked ones from another world. Thinking of this, Young Master Liu held the ration but felt it lodge in his throat, impossible to swallow further.

Scholar Jia seemed to have been watching Young Master Liu the entire time, sensing the shift in his mood. He gently patted Young Master Liu's shoulder and whispered, "Kid Liu, such are the ways of the world. Many times, you know a path is one you can abandon, but you are only left with the choice to not abandon it."

Young Master Liu nodded silently, forcefully shoving the dry ration into his mouth. The unknown path ahead was imminent, and he needed sufficient strength to walk the inevitable road he couldn't choose to avoid. Looking at the vibrant, familiar faces before him, Young Master Liu felt his heart settle considerably.

After resting for about half an hour, everyone discussed the strangeness of the 'Wuji Dao Zang,' including the issue of their own supernatural abilities vanishing. Of course, having decided to press on, they had to face descending into the basin and confronting the bizarre flora and fauna that might pose a danger to them.

In Young Master Liu's mind, the strange phenomena here bore some resemblance to the Three Pure Ones Transmission Platform. The world below was an intersection between another spacetime and Earth, not truly a part of Earth itself, meaning danger was certain.

Young Master Liu suggested everyone check their weapons. Ammunition was mostly depleted, and the disappearance of his Daoist magic was a huge loss for the group. After deliberation, they decided to enter the Wuji Dao Zang at the fastest possible speed to minimize exposure to the potential threat from the strange plants and animals.

Once prepared, they set off down the path made of seven-colored crystal stones toward the basin containing the Wuji Dao Zang. The path was extremely winding, meandering through the dense jungle of peculiar plants in the basin. The group moved quickly, the strange creatures and plants flashing past them in blurs.

They couldn't help but feel a sense of relief; it seemed the flora and fauna of this alternate time and space were not as immediately dangerous as they had imagined.

They continued running forward, the dim path occasionally vanishing and reappearing amidst the thick jungle ahead. Just as they felt the Wuji Dao Zang must be close, they rounded a bend and found themselves facing a magical lake enveloped in a seven-colored radiance—a place they hadn't observed from above the basin, hidden deep within the lush foliage.

This lake was unnaturally beautiful, its water a deep sapphire blue, inexplicably covered by a mysterious, shimmering seven-colored glow, ethereal and dreamlike. The Wuji Dao Zang sat directly opposite the lake.

The long, narrow path led straight to the water's edge, stopping abruptly. Everyone halted, exchanging glances, understanding clearly that to reach the Wuji Dao Zang, they would have to cross this mysterious body of water.

However, the lake was vast, yet not a single boat could be seen on its surface. Furthermore, although the water was sapphire blue, standing at the shore, they strangely could not see into the depths at all; it seemed unlike Earthly water—deep blue, but opaque.

For a moment, they were at a loss. How were they to cross? Setting aside the lack of vessels, who knew what dangers lay hidden beneath that strange water?

Fan Debiao muttered, "What the hell do we do now? The Wuji Dao Zang is right under our noses, but we can't get across. I wonder if there's a ferry service this time."

Scholar Jia remarked, "I think the quality of this lake water is somewhat different from our Earth water. Since we can't find any means to cross it, moving across the surface seems impossible. I don't think the lake is that large; perhaps we can traverse the jungle and circle around the shore. While it carries some risk, it seems to be the only viable option."

Everyone nodded; this was their only recourse. The jungle might hold its own crises, but the lake was an insurmountable obstacle given their current situation.

Just as they prepared to move, the lake surface suddenly stirred with large ripples, and the seven-colored glow enveloping it wavered instantly. Young Master Liu urged, "Everyone back! Something seems to be emerging from the lake!" The group hastily retreated to the edge of the jungle, watching the water's dramatic changes with apprehension.

The ripples grew larger until a massive whirlpool formed in the center. The entire lake seemed to boil, churning violently. They vaguely sensed that whatever lay beneath was enormous, and certainly fiercely predatory.

As they stood there, anxious and filled with a mixture of fear and awe, the water violently burst open in the center with a whoosh, and something erupted from the depths into their view.

Seeing what it was, everyone froze, the feeling that surged through them shifting from terror to sheer, unbelievable astonishment.

The creature hovered in the air, shaking its head and tail, and then let out a roar that sounded like a tidal wave. At first glance, everyone knew its name—a Dragon. A legendary creature that any Chinese person could picture with their eyes closed. It was an entirely azure dragon; its massive scales, glowing like blue gems, exuded a faint purple mist. Its eyes were blood-red, and the horns on its head were a crystalline, jade-like blue.

It was currently thrashing about in the air, but seemed constrained, as if by an invisible force. Several times it tried to soar upward, head pointing down, but each time it seemed to strike an invisible barrier and fall back, slamming its tail against the lake surface with a frustrated, mountainous roar.

Scholar Jia pointed at the lake and said, "Everyone look, that seven-colored glow covering the water is what binds it. I wonder what substance that light is made of; it's truly miraculous!"

Their initial fear and shock had dissipated, replaced by curiosity.

Fan Debiao, face alight with novelty, clicked his tongue repeatedly. "Damn! That's the legendary true Dragon! I never thought we'd actually see one. What do you all think, if we go further down, will we see a Phoenix too?"

Young Master Liu smiled, "It's possible. Seeing this dragon trapped in the lake, our plan to cross has completely vanished—we'd just be dragon snacks. Maybe by taking the detour through the jungle, we might actually run into the Phoenix."

Fan Debiao excitedly nodded in agreement.

Scholar Jia remarked, "The appearance of a legendary true Dragon here is certainly astonishing. Could this dragon be from another spacetime? Regardless, the dragon's appearance suggests this place might harbor more mysterious and dangerous creatures. We shouldn't linger; it’s best we quickly find a path into the Wuji Dao Zang."

Young Master Liu agreed. They all turned to look at the jungle, composed of countless strange plants they had never seen, sensing its secrecy and unpredictability. The dragon’s appearance was captivating, but it also implied that even more unknown dangers might be lurking in this basin.

Without another word, they cast a lingering look at the azure dragon still playing in the lake, and turned to take the path winding through the dense woods bordering the lake shore to the right, hoping to reach the Wuji Dao Zang quickly.

They didn't dare walk right next to the lake; given the presence of a dragon, walking too close might invite danger if something sudden leaped out and dragged one of them into the water.

However, the dense woods and the lake edge were extremely close. Left with no choice, they had to enter the jungle fringe, moving forward away from the bank. As soon as they entered the woods, the conditions frustrated them: the trees were towering, bizarrely shaped, and incredibly dense. The forest floor was overgrown with countless shrubs and vines, leaving almost no discernible path.

With vegetation covering the entire undergrowth, they had to painstakingly probe and push their way forward with whatever they held in their hands, wary of hidden pits or venomous insects.

After struggling forward less than a hundred meters along the jungle's edge, a clear bird cry suddenly reached their ears from nearby.

At first, they paid it no mind, assuming it was just some forest bird. But as the calls continued, they realized this bird's song was utterly unique, unlike any birdcall they had ever heard—incredibly melodious, long, and gracefully varied, instantly making them feel joyful and content.

Everyone instinctively slowed their pace, turning their curious eyes toward the direction of the sound deep within the woods. Just then, another call sounded, different from the first; this one was strikingly resonant, stirring a surge of bold spirit within them.

They listened intently to the two distinct bird calls, finding it deeply strange. Fan Debiao widened his eyes and remarked with curiosity, "I wonder what kind of birds have calls this beautiful."

Before he finished speaking, the two birds sang simultaneously, their notes clear and pure, like music from the heavens. Instantly, everyone felt as if a cool spring had washed over their minds, bringing immense comfort.

Young Master Liu listened closely, then his face lit up with joy. "Could DeBiao be right? Where there's a Dragon, there must be a Phoenix! Are these two calls a pair of Phoenixes?"

As they spoke, the calls abruptly ceased, leaving everyone with a sudden sense of disappointment. They had only heard the sound, not seen the source, and whether it was the mythical auspicious bird Phoenix, they couldn't say, which was a slight regret.

They slowly continued forward. Regardless of whether the calls were the mysterious songs of the Phoenix, or if the birds were the divine creatures, they had no time to investigate further. Fan Debiao walked on, sighing, "It's a real shame we didn't get to see if those birds were Phoenixes."

Young Master Liu chuckled and opened his mouth to respond, when suddenly a gust of cold wind swept over them. On a colossal tree towering above them, something massive seemed to stir up a draft and rush down towards them.

Cai Qingchong, nearest to that tree, roared, "Everyone watch out!" and executed a swift backward somersault, narrowly dodging a sudden strike from above.

The others looked up. Fan Debiao shouted first, "Damn it! What is that thing? A giant python!"

A brilliantly colored, immense python, its tail coiled around a thick branch, hung down directly beneath where Cai Qingchong had just been standing. Its massive head was raised toward them, its long tongue flicking out with a hiss. Its two blood-red, bell-like eyes stared fixedly at the group, clearly enraged by the failed ambush, as it slowly slid down the trunk. Its entire body was covered in what looked like multi-hued scales, layer upon layer, which scraped against the tree bark as it descended, emitting a distinct clang, clang sound.

Fan Debiao, always close with Cai Qingchong, was furious that his friend was nearly snatched as a snack. He raised his gun, aiming for the python's head, ready to fire.

Scholar Jia quickly pushed his hand down. "Kid, don't let your temper get the best of you! Look at its body, covered in scales. The sound of it rubbing against the tree confirms its hide must be incredibly tough. If you fire and fail to kill it, you'll just enrage it, and we’ll all be in trouble. Besides, this jungle is fraught with peril; a gunshot might attract something worse."

As he spoke, the giant python slid almost entirely to the ground beneath the tree. At Scholar Jia’s signal, they slowly backed away a few steps, raising their weapons cautiously to face it. The python seemed to realize they were outnumbered, and once on the ground, it coiled beneath the tree, forming a massive, round ball of muscle, its head facing them, hissing continuously, but not launching an actual attack.

Frankly, everyone was holding their breath, confronting it. In this dense forest, the thick brush and vines completely submerged them up to their knees, making every step difficult, let alone escaping. If this were open ground, they could use speed to evade the python, but in this terrain, they couldn't outrun the creature; it was the master of the jungle, its speed through the undergrowth certainly second to none.

Now, they stood still, and it remained still. What now? Their gazes all turned toward Scholar Jia. Seeing them look, he rolled his strange eyes and whispered in a low voice, "Don't look at me, I'm out of ideas too. These snake-like creatures strike like lightning toward anything that moves. We dare not move."

Everyone froze, none daring to shift. Time dragged on, and anxiety mounted. How long could they maintain this stalemate?

Young Master Liu noticed faint, glistening beads of sweat on Scholar Jia’s forehead, and his small eyes kept blinking rapidly. Suddenly, as if making a momentous decision, Scholar Jia slowly spread his arms, raised the dagger in his right hand, and slowly lifted his right leg, seemingly about to step forward.

Cai Qingchong urgently whispered, "Senior Jia, what are you doing?"

Scholar Jia frowned, slowly lowered his foot, and turned to say something, when the giant python suddenly shot out its massive body with a whoosh, turned, and began rapidly climbing the tree it had descended from.

Everyone blinked in surprise. What was happening? Had the python sensed danger? Young Master Liu’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly scanned his surroundings. But everything was silent; there was no movement. What was going on?

Suddenly, rustling sounds came from the towering tree the python was climbing, followed by bird calls—and the group joyfully recognized the identical, magical calls they had heard just before the python attack.

Before they could fully process this, the main branch of the tree shook violently. The giant python thrust its massive head out and swiftly coiled its body, springing from the branch to lunge toward them.