John and Zakoff followed the direction Abel pointed, their mouths falling wide open, their eyes reflecting sheer horror. They actually saw an Insectoid, hopping and charging towards them! Good heavens, what kind of demonic insect was this? Zakoff felt his scalp tingle, an inexplicable unease gripping his heart!

It was a demonic insect resembling a grasshopper, its massive steel pincers opening and closing constantly, producing a faint kaka sound if one listened closely.

Judging by the sheer strength required for it to easily crush a sapling, being caught in those steel jaws would undoubtedly result in instantaneous dismemberment!

Despite being flightless, the Insectoid moved with terrifying speed; it had been far in the distance just moments ago, and now it was alarmingly close!

John, just like Abel, was completely paralyzed with fear; the terror this single Insectoid inflicted upon them far surpassed the encounter with the band of brigands earlier! This... this was a true Insectoid?

At this moment, John felt his heart threatening to leap out of his chest; for someone seeing an Insectoid for the first time, the sheer level of dread was understandable! "The Insectoid is charging!" Zakoff shouted toward the carriage interior.

Even facing just this one creature, he had no confidence they could handle it; their only hope now rested on the "Ethereal Mercenary Group" taking action. Given the speed of this thing, turning to flee was likely impossible! "Yes, we are aware," Charlotte's calm voice returned. Then the curtain of the carriage was swept aside, and Rhys stepped out.

"I will take care of this Insectoid. You hurry and prepare to move on. Our Commander predicts a heavy rainstorm will hit within the hour, so be prepared for it!" Rhys stated, and with those words, he strode toward the charging Insectoid.

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Zakoff finally snapped back to reality, staring at Rhys’s retreating back with an odd expression. He couldn't fathom why the Ethereal Mercenary Group would only send one person. Did they not care about his survival? To confront an Insectoid with just one person—wasn't that far too reckless?

The mercenaries of the large caravan behind them had also spotted the charging creature. In their terror, they had braced themselves for a bloody fight, but when they saw Rhys advancing toward the Insectoid, they all froze!

Among those frozen was Wynar. He hadn't expected Rhys to emerge at this critical juncture, much less to walk toward the Insectoid alone. What was he planning? Was he intending to negotiate with the monster or offer himself as a sacrifice? Under Wynar’s gaze of worry and confusion, Rhys drew his longsword!

To the eyes of ordinary people, this Insectoid might be an unbeatable monster, but to Rhys, it differed little from a common grasshopper. After all, under Zhong Shenxiu's training, these people had been forged into monsters among monsters!

Seeing Rhys draw his longsword, Zakoff’s expression grew intensely serious. As a fellow swordsman, he desperately wanted to know the method Rhys would use to slay this creature! He was keenly aware of the Insectoid's incredibly tough outer hide; even with the aid of Sword Saint-level Dou Qi, piercing that exterior was notoriously difficult!

So, what would he do? Would he seek out the creature’s weak point? But where was the Insectoid's weakness?

Wait? Zakoff’s eyes suddenly widened by nearly half. He realized Rhys wasn't channeling any Dou Qi, and even more bizarrely, the sword in Rhys's hand was floating on its own!

What in the world was happening? Zakoff vigorously rubbed his eyes, finally concluding with absolute certainty that he wasn't hallucinating; the sword was unequivocally levitating!

The Insectoid was closing the distance rapidly, and judging by its forward momentum, it clearly intended to test Rhys's mettle first, to sharpen its teeth on him!

Yet, Rhys showed no sign of panic. Instead, he let out a cold snort, then activated a cultivation technique, forming a hand seal as he commanded the longsword to shoot toward the Insectoid like a streak of cold light!

Instantly, in the next second, the longsword flashed back and rested before him. Rhys sheathed his weapon, not even sparing the Insectoid another glance, and began to walk slowly back. The very moment he turned, the previously vigorous Insectoid split cleanly in two and tumbled lifelessly onto the ground! Silence—every single person held their breath in that instant!

Zakoff was the most astonished of the onlookers because he had been intently tracking Rhys’s movements. In that fleeting moment, he only registered that Rhys’s longsword seemed to blur momentarily, and then he saw Rhys sheathing it.

Just as he was wondering why Rhys would put away his weapon without a proper fight, his peripheral vision caught the sight of the Insectoid bisected!

It was too bizarre. Everyone had seen it, yet no one could discern precisely what had transpired! Had the Insectoid been instantly annihilated?

While this should have been a cause for joy, no one cheered. Their minds were still reeling from the spectacle of the creature being cleaved in two! "Alright, the Insectoid is dead. We can continue moving," Rhys announced, then slipped back into the carriage, leaving John and the others standing in stunned disbelief.

John now couldn't be sure if he was dreaming. Weren't the rumors saying Insectoids were incredibly fearsome and monstrous? How could one be dispatched in the blink of an eye? It seemed utterly undeserved!

After a brief rest, the caravan slowly resumed its advance. As they passed the corpse of the Insectoid, Zakoff, out of sheer curiosity, deliberately approached. When he examined the creature's state up close, he couldn't help but draw a sharp intake of breath!

The Insectoid’s massive, hardened body had been cleanly sliced open, the cut perfectly smooth, clearly the result of an attack delivered at incredible speed! What kind of force could achieve such a result?

Staring at Zhong Shenxiu’s carriage, Zakoff’s breathing began to quicken involuntarily. The level of mystery surrounding the "Ethereal Mercenary Group" in his mind had just escalated another notch!

Perhaps influenced by the recent attack, the caravan’s pace had noticeably slowed. Meanwhile, the clouds overhead grew increasingly dense, and the distant rumble of thunder could be heard—an unmistakable prelude to a torrential downpour!

However, John seemed oblivious to this impending weather. His mind was consumed by the events of the journey so far and the mysterious power demonstrated by the Ethereal Mercenary Group!

He wasn't sure if he was lucky or cursed; before meeting the Ethereal Mercenary Group, he had never encountered so much peril. Yet, he knew that without their protection on this trip, his small caravan would never have made it this far!

After everything that had transpired, he was uncertain if he would dare undertake such ventures again, especially since he doubted he could hire the Ethereal Mercenary Group next time! To think that even an Insectoid had appeared—did this mean the road ahead would never be safe again? "Mr. John, please stop!" Just as he was lost in anxious thought, Charlotte emerged from the wagon. John blinked in confusion, looking questioningly at her.

At that moment, Zhong Shenxiu and the others also stepped out of their carriage, which only deepened John’s bewilderment!

What puzzled him even more was that every member of the Ethereal Mercenary Group was gazing with deep significance toward the mountain that was now quite close! "Commander Charlotte, what is happening?" John, already on edge, looked increasingly troubled. "Mr. John, you don't need to worry; it's just a small matter," Charlotte said, trying to soothe him, though her expression was intensely grave.

John, being a seasoned man, could read the meaning in Charlotte’s face immediately, and a sudden feeling of dread rose within him! "Mr. John, instruct the caravan to stop over there!" Charlotte pointed to a clearing nearby.

John dared not ask questions and quickly ordered the coachmen to drive the wagons to that patch of ground. Their unusual actions immediately caught the attention of Zakoff and the others behind them! "Mr. John, why aren't you moving forward? We can cross that mountain if we just press on a little longer!" Zakoff hurried over, asking curiously. John didn't know how to answer and could only look to Charlotte for help. Just then, Zhong Shenxiu’s voice cut through the air! "You are Zakoff, correct? Gather your entire caravan here!"

"Why?" Zakoff was utterly bewildered by the sudden command. With the rain about to break, why halt in an open clearing? Wouldn't they just get soaked? Zhong Shenxiu’s reply was simple, yet it struck Zakoff as if he’d been hit by lightning, leaving him frozen in place! "If you don't wish to die, do as I say!" After delivering this statement, Zhong Shenxiu turned his gaze back toward the distance!

After a moment of stunned realization, Zakoff finally reacted. He sensed something from the expressions of the Ethereal Mercenary Group members and dared not waste time. He spun around and sprinted back, swiftly organizing the caravan to converge on that spot!

Zakoff’s command ability was decent; in less than ten minutes, he had assembled all the caravan's vehicles and personnel in the clearing. "What do we need to do now?" Zakoff asked, his face serious.

He trusted that the Ethereal Mercenary Group wouldn't act without reason; their order to halt must have a profound meaning, though he couldn't grasp what it was! "You don't need to do anything else; just stay here!" As Zhong Shenxiu spoke, he casually waved a hand, deploying a formation around the assembled carriages.

The others merely felt a brief flash of light and noticed nothing unusual; they weren't even aware a formation had been established!

But this state was temporary. As the first raindrops began to fall, they distinctly saw a barrier, like a protective shield, deflecting the rain outside.

Zakoff’s heart grew heavier. They were using a magic array—what on earth was happening?

Finally, he couldn't suppress the rising tide of questions and tentatively asked Zhong Shenxiu and the others, "So, may I ask what is going on?" "Do you truly wish to know?" Zhong Shenxiu’s lips curved into a smile that sharply contrasted with the serious expressions of his companions...