Below the valley, the monstrous body of the Evil Centipede still billowed with wisps of blue smoke, its massive, ruptured form constantly leaking a muddy brown ichor that mixed with pulverized rock dust, creating a vast, swamp-like pit.

The surrounding area was saturated with a nauseating stench of blood, yet no one paid it any mind. Master Jianli and I followed the main contingent as they scrambled down into the valley floor.

I, however, maintained a high degree of vigilance, ever wary that the Evil Centipede might suddenly convulse back to life. Even knowing it was dead, the closer I got, the more my heart hammered against my ribs.

Behind me, the younger disciples of the Yun family were a bundle of nerves. Though the Evil Centipede was utterly slain, the memory of its world-shattering, terrifying might was still vividly imprinted on their minds.

“It’s so huge.” Now standing close enough to see it clearly, and with the Evil Centipede remaining utterly unresponsive, the younger disciples finally relaxed, beginning to truly observe the beast’s colossal frame.

“This… this is the Evil Centipede,” Yun Lei exclaimed with intense excitement. “The Evil Centipede, Supreme Lord of Ten Thousand Demons!”

Legends of the Evil Centipede had circulated throughout the World of the Wandering Heroes for millennia, invariably detailing its overwhelming power, its inherent evil, and its cruelty.

In this world, the Evil Centipede represented absolute terror—the incarnation of all wickedness and death. Yet now, this peerless savage beast, famous across the continent, lay dead by their hands, and they had been part of the fighting force.

What could be more exhilarating for a wandering hero than participating in such a heart-stopping battle? And this one had ended in victory.

Yun Lei and the others spoke in breathless excitement. “Ha! If we make it out of this illusionary realm, we’re definitely going to be famous.”

“Of course. We were participants in this massive battle, after all,” several young mages from the Azure Dragon Gang cheered.

These young heroes were already indulging in fantasies of becoming world-renowned, celebrated champions.

It wasn't just the young heroes who were ecstatic. The accompanying Red Robes, who had joined the expedition, were absolutely beside themselves with joy. “Incredible! We actually killed the Evil Centipede!” Perhaps out of professional habit, the jubilant Red Robes were simultaneously cheering and rapidly scribbling notes in their recording books.

“As a traveling Red Robe, I am truly fortunate, for I have personally witnessed two classic demon-slaying wars worthy of being recorded in history—I saw the Woma Patriarch and the Evil Centipede, two of the Ten Great Demon Lords, struck down by the brave combined army of the Wandering Heroes,” murmured one young Red Robe beside me, penning furiously. “I don't know what the heroes of a thousand years hence will remember, but I believe no one will forget these names—Nalan Qiushui, Dragon Shadow Sword God Luo Xiaohongtian, and countless other brave young heroes. Because in this moment, they made history. They are all heroes.”

“Made history, haha, well said!” Someone immediately cheered. “We are all heroes!” The young heroes flocked around the recording scribe.

“My name is Mado, write mine down too!”

“Me too, Donnie!” Another massive warrior excitedly pointed at the large dents covering the Evil Centipede’s body. “I personally smashed over a hundred huge stones onto the Evil Centipede! Look here, and here—these were all broken by me!”

“Hmph, as if! I smashed more than you did!” Another warrior quickly tackled him to the ground, then rushed forward with excitement toward the recording Red Robe.

The scene dissolved into joyous chaos, vibrant and loud.

These fellows were truly something else.

I instinctively turned to look toward Nalan Qiushui and Master Jianli, only to find them equally moved, gazing upon these young heroes. Yes, in this moment, the Wandering Heroes from the Four Continents had truly forged history by conquering the overwhelmingly powerful Evil Centipede.

Similarly, as the supreme commander of the operation that slew the Evil Centipede, Nalan Qiushui would become the most renowned legion commander in history. At least since the records began in the Holy Word Calendar, no one else had managed to command two earth-shattering demon-slaying wars as he had.

Slaying the Woma Patriarch, coupled with the successful ambush of the Evil Centipede—these achievements alone guaranteed Nalan Qiushui eternal fame.

Perhaps years later, no one would recall the precise methods used by those present to kill the Evil Centipede, but absolutely no one would forget who commanded the battle: Nalan Qiushui.

Watching Nalan Qiushui’s face flush crimson with excitement, Luo Xiaohongtian, Demon Sound, and Jianli wore expressions of profound complexity. It was undeniable: Nalan Qiushui was a natural commander. Under his planning, both the plan to kill the Woma Patriarch and the strategy against the Evil Centipede were masterpieces of execution.

Grandmaster-level experts who had reached their level of cultivation were generally unmoved by common desires for fame and fortune, but the prospect of achieving lasting renown, of being celebrated for ages—this ambition still stirred their hearts deeply. It was simply that Nalan Qiushui had seized all the spotlight.

“Heh heh, looks like our ambush tactic was quite successful,” Hong Tian chuckled.

“Indeed. By fully utilizing the terrain and the powerful long-range capabilities of Mages and Taoists, I believe facing any formidable entity would be manageable for us,” Luo Xiao added.

“Luring the opponent into a death trap, then focusing superior force for the strongest possible attack—it truly is a flawless tactic,” Demon Sound sighed in admiration.

“Haha, exactly right. That’s the application of strategy, and that is the distinction between us and the demon beasts,” the Elder of the Lei Family exclaimed enthusiastically.

“I wonder what great monster awaits us on the next level,” the Elder of the Feng Family mused.

“Perhaps another of the Ten Great Demon Lords,” Yun Peng laughed.

“Whatever it is, it dies when it meets us,” chimed in the excited young heroes nearby.

“Haha, that’s the spirit! Whatever it is, it’s finished when it runs into us.” At this moment, everyone radiated absolute confidence. ........................................................................................ Soon, the casualty report was finalized. Thankfully, the ambush on the Evil Centipede resulted in no serious personnel losses; only a few dozen Mages sustained minor injuries from accidental falls while retreating up the valley slope, but they were already recovering.

We cautiously descended into the valley floor beside the massive carcass of the Evil Centipede.

Only now could we finally get a clear look at the true appearance of this peerless savage beast, famous throughout history.

Other than the single word huge, I could find no other way to describe the shock flooding my senses.

Although its body was already blown beyond recognition, its form—resembling a train in size—and its astonishing length of over seventy meters still inspired a suffocating sense of dread and trembling fear.

“This is the Evil Centipede!” a few young Yun family disciples gasped.

“It’s truly enormous,” I murmured, unconsciously glancing at the beast’s grotesque eyes. The Evil Centipede’s basketball-sized, emerald-green eyes were now dull and lifeless, yet the memory of those eyes—filled with bloodlust, slaughter, and the power to destroy everything—remained crystal clear. And the earth-shattering, space-tearing terrifying roar it let out.

The two antennae on its head, one black and one white, had been blasted into unrecognizable shapes, resembling two thick, uneven branches, one long and one short, still oozing blood and drooping diagonally.

Its massive mouth was packed with dense rows of long, sharp fangs, stuffed with the thick, muddy brown slurry it hadn't managed to spit out while tunneling—soil and rock debris.

Its thick, long body, segmented like a series of train carriages, was contorted into bizarre twists, partially buried among the surrounding boulders and rubble. This was clearly evidence of its violent thrashing in its death throes.

It was clear that under the sustained bombardment of over twenty thousand Mages, the Evil Centipede must have suffered excruciating pain before death. Getting closer, the odors assaulted the senses: a foul stench, a burnt smell, the characteristic scorched scent of Lightning Spells, mixed with the pungent, medicinal smell of Red and Green Poisons—a nauseating, indescribable cocktail that seemed to concentrate every disgusting and terrifying smell imaginable.

We could still sense waves of dense magical fluctuation surrounding the creature, mingling with the faint rising blue smoke, creating a bizarre distortion and ripple effect that enveloped the twisted, coiled body of the Evil Centipede in an aura of profound desolation and tragic grandeur.

There it lay, its immense body curled motionlessly. As I stepped nearer, I clearly saw the two rows of thick, long legs running along the sides beneath the centipede’s massive body, tightly gripping the ground.

These two rows of stout legs seemed disproportionately large compared to its body, appearing thicker and longer still. The tips of these legs were sharp as tempered steel blades, many plunged deep into the earth, while the exposed parts curved in an unsettling arc, taut as an overstretched bowstring.

Compared to a normal centipede’s appearance, the Evil Centipede was countless times bulkier and more robust, and the ratio between its legs and body was extremely unbalanced, making it resemble a monstrously enlarged version of a long-legged centipede.

Each segment, like a train car, was covered in a hide as tough as steel. In many places, the surface of this carapace was deformed into large, crater-like depressions—undeniably the impacts from the massive stones dropped from the valley rim. Although those rocks didn’t smash it to death outright, they had certainly inflicted grievous wounds.

The surface of the carapace, like the mangled chassis of two colliding semi-trucks, was weeping streams of thick, brownish-yellow, viscous fluid from the centers and edges of these deformed pits, coating the entire body in a sticky, repulsive sheen.

Everyone stared, dumbfounded, still finding it hard to believe that such a colossal being had been killed by them. Recalling the battle moments ago, many still felt the lingering terror.

“It’s really dead,” Qinglong murmured.

“Dead. We blasted it to death,” the nearby Mages agreed, their voices still shaky.

“If we hadn’t used the terrain of the secluded valley, I truly don’t know how we could have dealt with this behemoth,” Hong Tian admitted with lingering fear.

“Yes,” Demon Sound said instinctively. “More than twenty thousand Mages bombarded it continuously for ten full minutes before it finally died.”

“And all those giant stones,” Luo Xiao added.

“What terrifying defense,” Nalan Qiushui stated grimly. “No wonder it ranks third among the Ten Great Demon Lords.”

“Heh heh, regardless, it still died in our hands,” Jianli reflected.

A strange feeling settled in my stomach. It was undeniable: united, we were overwhelmingly powerful now—so powerful that we could slay the third-ranked Evil Centipede among the Ten Great Demon Lords.

But what about the lowest level of the illusionary realm?

I dared not imagine what that scene would entail. Allies who fought side-by-side might inevitably turn blades against each other, fighting to the death.

The Tome of Sand recorded that the Evil Centipede’s body was a treasure trove. Its carapace was the finest material for crafting armor, and its interior contained numerous magic crystals, prime material for creating magical weaponry. For Taoists, its blood and venom were undoubtedly the best ingredients for concocting poisons and toxins. Faced with such wealth, who wouldn't be tempted?

After a round of discussion, the group reached a distribution agreement. They decided to dismantle the valuable parts from the bodies of the Earthworm God first before proceeding with further allocation, though how that distribution would proceed was beyond my knowledge.

After such a great battle, rest was essential. Nalan Qiushui and the others agreed to hold a brief recuperation period in the open ground at the fork in the road before proceeding to the next level.

Meanwhile, scouting parties were dispatched ahead to scout the path and locate the entrance to the next floor.

Everyone was filled with confidence regarding the next phase of the operation.