At that moment, Bai Ling spoke to Mo Han with concern, "Are you injured anywhere?" Mo Han, hearing this, replied with a serious expression, "Of course, I am."

Seeing the concern on Bai Ling's face, Mo Han smiled and pointed to his chest, "Right here. I've never suffered such a loss in my life. I was struck several times, yet couldn't even see the opponent's shadow clearly. Don't you think my heart must be injured?"

Hearing Mo Han's answer, Bai Ling gave him a helpless glance and couldn't help but smile, "You never have a serious moment, but when you do, you're full of nonsense. I won't waste my breath talking to you."

After all that commotion, no one was in the mood to rest anymore; everyone wanted to leave this godforsaken place as soon as possible. Otherwise, assassins might suddenly leap out from the rocks on either side at any moment—it was completely impossible to guard against. Even Mo Han and his group found it incredibly troublesome. As soon as the enemy vanished back into the rock faces, they were helpless against them, which was immensely frustrating.

However, Mo Han had a lingering feeling that since these Earth-Cloud tribesmen had repeatedly attacked them, it was unlikely they would let them leave so easily. But Mo Han didn't voice his thoughts; instead, he remained inwardly vigilant while secretly preparing two Slowing spells in his hands, confident he could trap them if they dared to reappear.

Yet, what surprised Mo Han was that nothing unexpected happened on the subsequent journey. The path ahead was completely smooth, and those Earth-Cloud tribesmen seemed to have vanished without a trace, never reappearing before the group. As everyone finally passed through the cavern, Yan Shi and Latin breathed a collective sigh of relief; at least they wouldn't have to deal with those elusive Earth-Cloud tribesmen anymore.

Mo Han, however, felt a flicker of disappointment. He hadn't expected the Earth-Cloud tribesmen to let them go so easily. Mo Han had intended to capture one or two to question them thoroughly if they showed up again, but since they weren't reappearing, there was nothing he could do, no matter how skilled he was. He had to let it go.

Upon exiting the cavern, they were met with an endless expanse of forest, stretching as far as the eye could see. The strange thing was that the trees in this forest were entirely black—roots, leaves, everything. Looking into the distance, it was a dense, oppressive blackness that inexplicably sent a shiver down one's spine.

Looking at the scene, Mo Han understood this must be the Death Forest of the Land of Death, and within it lay the Gu Lan ruins that had claimed the lives of countless mercenaries.

Seeing the oppressive black forest before him, Mo Han cursed under his breath, "Damn it. That old ghost, the Sacred Dragon Clan Leader, is deliberately messing with me. In a forest this vast, forget about finding something—it would take months just to walk through it. Where am I supposed to find the Gu Lan ruins?"

Jack, standing nearby, spoke up, "Boss, why don't we use the Flight spell and split up to search? This place is huge; if we actually walk, who knows how long it will take. But if we use Flight, we have three mages here. If we split up, I think we could find the Gu Lan ruins in just a few days."

Hearing Jack's suggestion, Mo Han's eyes lit up. Right! He had been foolish, failing to think of such a simple solution. Realizing this, Mo Han smiled at Jack, "Jack, your brain has been growing lately. Not bad, much smarter than before."

Jack looked both amused and distressed, "Boss, I feel like the way you're praising me sounds more like an insult?" Mo Han chuckled, "That's why I said you've gotten smarter recently. Normally, you wouldn't catch that I was insulting you just now. So, I wasn't wrong."

Hearing Mo Han's explanation, even Yan Shi and Bai Ling couldn't help but laugh. Just as Mo Han was about to assign search sectors to everyone, Bai Ling slowly spoke, "If you don't want this to be a wasted effort, or if you don't want Jack to die needlessly, I advise you to drop this idea immediately."

Seeing Mo Han's confused expression, Bai Ling shook her head helplessly, "I sometimes think you are very smart, but at other times, you can be incredibly dense. Think about it: we are not the first mercenary group to pass through the caves of the Severed Mountain Range. Many powerhouses have come here before us, and among them were certainly mages—mages whose strength was astonishing just to reach this place. They certainly haven't overlooked this issue. But have you ever considered why these mages haven't found the Gu Lan ruins by now?"

At Bai Ling's explanation, it felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over everyone's heads. What Bai Ling said was indeed the truth. Many high-level mercenary groups had passed through the Severed Mountain Range caves before, but no one had ever found the Gu Lan ruins. Clearly, those groups wouldn't have failed to consider using mages with Flight spells for a swift search. Yet, there was never any news of a mercenary group succeeding in finding the ruins. There had to be a reason unknown to them.

At this point, Mo Han seemed to grasp something immediately and turned to Bai Ling, "Bai Ling, you've been here before. Do you know the reason why those previous mercenary groups failed to find the Gu Lan ruins?"

"Actually, the reason is very simple." Bai Ling smiled faintly. "Look at the trees in this Death Forest—they are not only densely packed but also incredibly tall. If we walk inside, very little light can penetrate through the canopy to the interior. The same principle applies if we fly; being high in the air, we won't be able to see what's happening in the forest below."

Mo Han nodded, agreeing with Bai Ling's reasoning, but he remained puzzled about the life-threatening aspect she had mentioned. Would they really just drop dead while flying? Fortunately, Bai Ling seemed to sense their confusion and quickly continued, "Moreover, this Death Forest is home to many high-level magical beasts, including quite a few flying ones, such as the Highly Venomous Moths and Blood Fiend Bats. Although these beasts might not be as high-level as the ground-dwelling ones, their numbers are staggering, and they usually operate in swarms. If you get tangled up with them, even a Saint Archmage would have no choice but to flee in disarray."

"And a mage with lower strength, like Jack, wouldn't even have a chance to escape. You must understand that the flight speed of these Highly Venomous Moths and Blood Fiend Bats is in no way slower than our Flight spell. Once they lock onto you, it's extremely difficult to shake them off. That's why I said what I said earlier."

Only then did Mo Han and the others fully understand, realizing how fortunate they were to have brought Bai Ling, who happened to know the situation. Had he carelessly sent Jack out to search earlier, Jack might have faced certain doom. If anything had happened to Jack, Mo Han would have regretted it deeply, and a cold sweat broke out on his body just thinking about it.

"Since flying is out, I suppose we have no choice but to search for the Gu Lan ruins on foot," Mo Han said with a wry smile, stating his new plan. Jack and Yan Shi nodded, quietly preparing their gear for entry into the forest.

At that moment, Mo Han noticed Bai Ling standing to the side, appearing hesitant, as if she wanted to speak but couldn't. He felt a bit curious, "Bai Ling, what is it? Do you still have something to say?" Hearing him, everyone focused their attention on Bai Ling.

Bai Ling seemed to hesitate, but finally spoke, "What I am about to say might be difficult for you to accept, but you must understand that what I am saying is the truth, and I hope you can understand."

Everyone listened quietly, waiting to hear what Bai Ling intended to reveal.

"Miss Bai Ling, you have been here before, unlike us who know nothing. Say whatever you think; don't worry about our feelings," Jack said, noticing Bai Ling’s difficulty. Yan Shi and Latin also nodded in agreement. Although they hadn't known Bai Ling long, her demonstrated strength had deeply earned their admiration. In this world, perhaps only their Boss, Mo Han, was held in higher regard than her.

Mo Han seemed to guess what Bai Ling was about to say and remained silent, just watching her, waiting for her next words.

Seeing their expressions, Bai Ling nodded and began, "What I want to say is this: for this entry into the Death Forest, it would be best if only Mo Han and I go in. This Death Forest is far more dangerous than the Severed Mountain Range we just passed. It is overrun with magical beasts, and high-level ones are countless. The danger level far exceeds the previous mountain range, but with Jack and your current strength, you simply cannot contend with those high-level beasts, let alone the legendary Saint Beasts that reside there."

Seeing that Jack and the others didn't look displeased by her assessment, Bai Ling nodded slightly and continued, "Furthermore, if we encounter ordinary high-level beasts, Mo Han and I might be able to protect you. But if we run into those ferocious Saint Beasts, we won't have the spare energy to look after you. I know you are all Mo Han's good brothers, and if any of you were harmed, Mo Han would surely feel terrible."

"So, my idea is this: you all wait for us here. I will cast a protective barrier magic for you. That way, even if we encounter ordinary magical beasts—unless they are those incredibly monstrous Level Ten monsters or Saint Beasts—it should be manageable. I estimate that the outer regions of the Death Forest won't hold the very highest-tier beasts. Only by arranging things this way can Mo Han and I search for the Gu Lan ruins with peace of mind, and our chances of success will be greater. While what I'm saying might be blunt, it is all for your own good, and I hope you understand."

Hearing Bai Ling's explanation, Jack, Yan Shi, and the others felt a measure of reluctance. After all, they had finally reached the Death Forest, and simply waiting felt stifling. However, they understood that Bai Ling was telling the truth. If they insisted on following Mo Han and Bai Ling, they would likely hinder their progress.

With that realization, Yan Shi, Jack, and the others could only nod and agree to Bai Ling's proposal. Afterward, Bai Ling cast an advanced Earth-elemental defensive barrier around the group, once again showcasing her profound comprehension of magic to everyone present.

The magic Bai Ling cast could resist all incoming attacks, but its significant difference from ordinary magical wards was that this barrier, much like the magic formations Bai Ling had set up in the Phantom Magic Temple, automatically absorbed magical elements from the air to sustain its operation. Although this hastily cast magic couldn't last for hundreds or thousands of years like those in the Phantom Magic Temple, maintaining it for several years would certainly not be an issue.

Furthermore, this magic barrier possessed a peculiar feature: it would only react to external intruders. As for Yan Shi and Latin, Bai Ling had placed a specific sensory spell on them, allowing them to move freely in and out of the barrier without being restricted by its power.