To Bai Ling's explanation, Mo Han was utterly stunned, as what she described completely overturned established magical theory—to wield magic without incantations! If the mages outside ever heard this, even if they didn't beat her to a pulp, they’d certainly dismiss the speaker as an idiot. Yet, Mo Han knew Bai Ling was far from foolish; in fact, when it came to the understanding of magic, perhaps no human on the Dragon Ascent Continent could match her.

Thus, hearing Bai Ling articulate these theories, Mo Han didn't doubt the veracity of her words. Even with his high capacity for acceptance, he couldn't fully digest it immediately, hence his expression of sheer astonishment. Jack’s reaction was even more dramatic—he was utterly dumbstruck. To conjure magic merely by communicating with elemental forces, without uttering a single spell, was simply unbelievable; no wonder Jack looked that way.

Seeing their expressions, Bai Ling smiled gently and spoke, "I know this might be hard for you to accept right now, but everything I’ve said is the truth. These Earth Cloud tribesmen possess this very ability—a talent capable of driving every mage to madness. Legend holds that this mastery, the direct mental control over the magical elements in the air, is something only deities possess. That’s why the Earth Cloud tribesmen are known as the descendants of gods."

"However, these tribesmen are keenly aware of their own value. If humanity were to learn of their true capabilities, it would undoubtedly invite endless trouble. Therefore, they have always operated with extreme secrecy, rarely venturing out. Almost no one knows where they reside, because wherever there is land, it can essentially be considered their home. They can settle anywhere."

"Darn, doesn't that mean the entire continent is their home?" Mo Han interjected.

"Precisely." Bai Ling nodded, continuing her discourse, "As such, very few people have ever known them. My grand-master, however, had the rare fortune of befriending the tribe leader of the Earth Cloud people back then and even spent a period living among them. That is why I know so much about them."

Hearing Bai Ling’s account, Mo Han and the others finally understood the source of her extensive knowledge. Thinking of this, Mo Han exclaimed in surprise, "I never imagined these Earth Cloud tribesmen were so formidable. If they were more numerous, they could probably sweep across the entire continent."

Bai Ling smiled and chimed in, "Actually, besides these abilities, the Earth Cloud tribesmen possess another unique skill that would make the rest of the world incredibly envious."

"This isn't even the end of it? There are more skills?" Mo Han asked, astonished.

Bai Ling nodded. "The other major skill of the Earth Cloud tribesmen is their Earth Evasion technique. However, their method of evading into the earth is on an entirely different level from our earth-elemental magic's Earth Evasion spell; it is vastly superior."

Seeing the perplexed looks on Mo Han and the others, Bai Ling elaborated, "When human mages cast Earth Evasion, we must first recite tedious incantations before sinking into the ground. Moreover, the depth and duration of this evasion are severely limited because it is an extremely taxing spell. Ordinary mages simply cannot cast it, and even Great Archmages would struggle to sustain it for half a day at best."

"But the Earth Cloud tribesmen are completely different. They can burrow underground without reciting any spells whatsoever. Furthermore, both the duration and depth of their evasion exceed that of our human mages by several times. The most powerful Earth Cloud individuals can remain submerged for an entire day without issue. Don't you agree that makes them much more potent than human mages?"

As Bai Ling finished speaking, Mo Han and Jack, both mages, entered a complete system shutdown. To burrow directly into the earth without spells, achieving multiples of the depth and time a human mage could manage—what a concept! Imagine using it in a duel: suddenly vanishing underground only to strike back when least expected. That wasn't just better than human mages; it was a monstrous ability.

"Monstrous, utterly monstrous. Hearing this, I want to become one of the Earth Cloud people, hehe," Mo Han grumbled, recovering first, unable to contain his envy.

At this, Bai Ling sighed heavily. "It’s just that I heard tales that a thousand years ago, their existence was discovered by many humans. The mages went mad trying to capture Earth Cloud individuals, hoping to decipher how they could directly manipulate magical elements to cast spells without incantations."

"And the warriors mobilized as well, all eager to uncover the secret of the Earth Cloud tribesmen's subterranean evasion, descending upon their settlements in droves. Many Earth Cloud members were immediately captured by mages and warriors for study. Naturally, the tribesmen refused to sit still and perish, fighting back fiercely."

"However, the martial and magical prowess of humans back then far surpassed current levels. Thus, although the Earth Cloud people inflicted considerable losses on humanity, their tribe suffered devastating injuries too. By the time my grand-master received word and rushed there, all the Earth Cloud tribesmen had vanished."

"Those Earth Cloud members captured by humans, unwilling to endure the torture and research, chose to commit suicide. In the end, no more Earth Cloud tribesmen ever appeared, and everyone assumed the tribe had been wiped out in that conflict. I never imagined we would find traces of them here."

Hearing Bai Ling's narrative, silence descended upon the group. Such was the inherent flaw in humanity. Even as humans themselves, Mo Han and the others found nothing to say, only offering silent pity for the Earth Cloud people.

Then, Bai Ling spoke solemnly to Mo Han, "Mo Han, can you grant me one request? If we encounter any of these Earth Cloud tribesmen later, please try your best not to use excessive force or harm them if you can avoid it. Since they were good friends with my grand-master, they hold some connection to me, so..."

Mo Han responded without hesitation, "Alright. As long as it doesn't threaten my companions' lives, I absolutely will not harm them. The condition, however, is that everyone's safety must be guaranteed. If these Earth Cloud tribesmen dare to injure any one of you, I will show absolutely no mercy."

Bai Ling nodded thankfully. Having spent time with Mo Han, she understood his character well. He was generally easygoing, but he had one non-negotiable boundary: harming his friends. Anyone who dared touch them would be met with Mo Han’s life-or-death retaliation. This was precisely why Latin, Rocky, and Jack remained faithfully by his side.

Since Mo Han had agreed to this, he was already making significant concessions out of respect for her. Bai Ling knew this was Mo Han’s limit and said no more, leading the group forward toward the cave ahead. Soon, they arrived at a flat clearing where a small stream cut through the area, dividing the space in two. Though small, the stream provided ample water.

Seeing the spot, Bai Ling suggested a rest. After all, they had been walking for the better part of the day. Moreover, vigilance against Earth Cloud ambushes had kept everyone’s nerves taut. The attacks from these tribesmen seemed to come from nowhere. Mo Han and the others had experienced their methods firsthand; one moment’s lapse could mean injury. Thus, no one dared relax, and the strain showed in the weariness etched on their faces.

Hearing Bai Ling’s proposal, Mo Han and the others nodded in agreement, finding level spots on the ground to sit. After half a day’s exertion, hunger gnawed at them. The moment they settled, Rocky impatiently pulled out rations he always carried. Thanks to Mo Han’s Spatial Ring, which functioned like a modern refrigerator—keeping food perfectly preserved indefinitely—they never had to resort to cold, dry rations but enjoyed rich, exquisite meals comparable to a restaurant.

Seeing Rocky’s ravenous consumption, everyone chuckled, though they too felt the pangs of hunger. Each pulled out their own provisions, and even Bai Ling ate a considerable amount.

Mo Han, however, ate the least, then began to wander idly along the cave walls. At that moment, Mo Han felt a sharp, icy sensation surge up from behind him. Simultaneously, several figures erupted from the rock face directly behind him, brandishing weapons and radiating intense killing intent as they lunged toward Mo Han. Judging by their skill, none of these attackers were weak; in the blink of an eye, their weapons were pressing against Mo Han's back.

Almost instinctively, a fierce white Battle Aura exploded around Mo Han—the unique white aura of a Sword Saint. This was the automatic reaction of a powerful being sensing imminent danger. Instantly, the weapons that had been mere inches from striking Mo Han were halted completely by his Battle Aura. Moreover, the ambushers clearly felt their blades trapped by Mo Han’s aura, unable to move an inch.

The attackers wielding swords decisively tossed their weapons aside and retreated rapidly backward. But Mo Han was not about to let them escape so easily. The previous near-misses had already soured his mood, and now these Earth Cloud tribesmen were at it again. If he had reacted a split second slower, those swords would have pierced him.

Rage boiled within him. With an impossible maneuver, Mo Han spun around, a cold sneer on his lips. "Still trying to run?" The swords previously held by his aura suddenly shot back along the path they came, flying toward the retreating ambushers. This was Mo Han consciously holding back, remembering Bai Ling's plea. He hadn't infused the swords with Battle Aura, intending only to obstruct them so he could capture them. Consequently, the speed of the blades was naturally somewhat reduced.

Yet, the attackers didn't even glance at the returning swords, continuing their retreat. They were only about two meters from the rock wall. Mo Han, still constrained by his reservations, dared not use full force. Furthermore, these ambushers were clearly well-drilled in evasion; their backward movement was incredibly swift, and in a flash, they neared the stone.

Then, a strange yellow light enveloped the attackers, and they dissolved into the rock face. Only two, slightly slower, were struck by the hilts of Mo Han's flying swords just before they vanished completely, letting out muffled groans before disappearing into the wall. Moments later, a series of thuds echoed as the swords struck the rock face and clattered to the ground.

It was only then that Rocky and the others rushed to Mo Han’s side. From the initial attack to their retreat and Mo Han’s counter-strike, the process felt prolonged, but in reality, it took mere seconds. When Rocky and the others arrived, they only heard the sound of swords hitting stone; the ambushers were long gone.

Mo Han’s face was dark with fury. Since entering this cave, he had been ambushed three times inexplicably, each time narrowly escaping, and he hadn't even clearly seen his attackers’ faces. This was unprecedented for Mo Han, fueling an intense, burning anger. When had he ever suffered such slights?

Seeing that Mo Han was unharmed, Rocky and the others breathed a collective sigh of relief. Noticing his grim expression, they dared not speak, standing quietly, waiting for him to break the silence. After a moment, Mo Han let out a bitter laugh. "***, this is infuriating. These Earth Cloud tribesmen are slipperier than eels. I honestly don't understand how they ever allowed themselves to be exterminated."