The members of the "Bearbone Mercenary Group" inside the cavern exchanged looks of utter surprise. They had struggled here for months and had never encountered any other humans—even beasts were a rarity; their most frequent encounters were with the deadly magic insects.

What was that? Did I mishear?

Several of them glanced at each other suspiciously. Just then, a sound like a striking bronze bell suddenly drifted from the cavern entrance: "Ah, I found it!"

Then, utilizing the faint light, the "Bearbone Mercenary Group" saw a hazy silhouette appear at the mouth of the cave. Judging from the overall shape, they could tell it was a rather young girl!

"Hey, why are you hiding in here? Is this your rest stop?" The girl's voice carried in again, laced with curiosity.

"Tia, stop messing around, we won't wait for you!" Keni's voice called out.

Indeed, the girl stationed at the entrance was Tia. Hearing Keni's shout, she stuck out her small tongue in secret and replied, "I'm coming right away!"

"Sorry to have disturbed you." Tia said this to the members of the "Bearbone Mercenary Group" before walking away.

After a three-second silence, one person in the cavern finally reacted, shouting, "Wait! Don't go!"

With that, he bolted out in pursuit, the others following closely behind.

Exiting the cavern, they could just make out Zhong Shenxiu and his group walking ahead, chatting and laughing.

"Please wait a moment!"

The members of the "Bearbone Mercenary Group" shouted and waved frantically. They had finally encountered others of their kind; they couldn't let this opportunity slip away. Perhaps by joining forces, they could escape this little "Eerie Deep Valley"! Moreover, they desperately needed help!

Zhong Shenxiu and his party stopped, casually asking, "What is it?"

At that moment, the "Bearbone Mercenary Group" was scrutinizing Zhong Shenxiu's party. They noticed something truly strange: why were these people’s clothes so immaculate? Not only were they completely undamaged, but they were free of any grime. This was virtually impossible in the "Eerie Deep Valley"—how had they managed it?

"Don't go that way; magic insects just appeared there. It’s very dangerous!" Scout said, walking toward Zhong Shenxiu's group.

"Is there anything else?" Zhong Shenxiu asked again.

"We are all trapped here. If you don't mind, perhaps we could advance together? It would mean we could look out for each other, and our chances of leaving the 'Eerie Deep Valley' would be higher. We are the 'Bearbone Mercenary Group,' and these are my brothers!" As Scout spoke, he gestured toward the team members approaching.

Zhong Shenxiu glanced at them, then surprisingly smiled, countering, "What you're saying sounds strange. We just arrived here; who said we want to leave?"

What?

Every member of the "Bearbone Mercenary Group" widened their eyes. "You—you said you just arrived? How—how did you get here?"

Zhong Shenxiu offered no reply, nor did he need to, because a bizarre rasping sound suddenly drifted over, like the noise made when sawing wood.

"Bad! It’s the magic insects; they’ve found us," Scout’s face changed drastically.

He had been so excited by the sudden appearance of Zhong Shenxiu's group that he had forgotten the nearby magic insects; these creatures were clearly attracted by their shouting!

"Hurry, follow us! Once we get into the cavern, those insects will be helpless against us," Scout said, already rushing toward the cavern entrance, his companions right behind him.

When they reached the cavern's edge, they saw that Zhong Shenxiu's group had not followed. They turned back and were instantly dumbfounded.

Zhong Shenxiu's party wasn't even looking at the cavern; they stood with their backs turned, silently waiting for the insects to appear.

"Heavens, what are they planning? Why aren't they coming over quickly? Do they want to be snacks for the insects?"

In the moment they were distracted, the magic insects finally appeared—a new type that Zhong Shenxiu’s group had never encountered before.

Five massive, thorn-covered insects were waddling toward them, making that strange rasping noise with their bodies. Their mode of locomotion was peculiar: their bodies bent into a character resembling the Chinese radical '' (jǐ), and their entire form was dark gray. From a distance, they could easily be mistaken for caterpillars!

Despite their odd gait, these magic insects were surprisingly fast. In just a few breaths, they were within tens of meters of Zhong Shenxiu's party.

"Run! It's not too late! Those insects are poisonous; don't engage them head-on!" Scout yelled, his voice cracking. Since the insects were already here, he no longer feared being discovered.

However, Zhong Shenxiu's group ignored their warning, continuing to quietly observe the five magic insects.

"They’re mad! They’re completely mad!"

The "Bearbone Mercenary Group" no longer cared about Zhong Shenxiu's party. They had done their duty; if these people wanted to court death, there was nothing they could do!

Just as they prepared to retreat into the cavern again, a casual glance froze them instantly. At the same time, the strange rasping sound vanished.

Looking again at the five magic insects, they were now less than five meters from Zhong Shenxiu's party, but they had stopped moving. It wasn't that they didn't want a meal; it was simply that they lacked the power to act. A thick layer of ice had formed over the bodies of the five insects, effectively turning them into frozen specimens!

"Tch, I thought they were impressive. Turns out one move handles them," Mako Xin commented with slight disappointment.

Zhong Shenxiu, however, frowned deeply. After a long silence, he suddenly asked Rachel beside him, "Qi'er, how much do you know about 'Black Luo'?"

Rachel was momentarily startled, then quickly replied, "I've only seen it twice; I've never truly fought it!"

Everyone looked at Zhong Shenxiu in confusion, not understanding why he suddenly asked that question.

Then, Zhong Shenxiu’s next statement made them all startle: "Do you think these five magic insects might be the juvenile form of 'Black Luo'?"

The moment this question was raised, the scene fell deathly silent!

If Zhong Shenxiu was right, this was no minor issue. If 'Black Luo' truly laid eggs and hatched here, once these larvae matured, this world would face a bloody massacre much sooner than expected! The thought of such an infernal, hellish scene sent shivers down their spines!

"Young Master!" Mako Xin dropped her dismissive attitude, her expression becoming unusually grave.

"Now is not the time to worry about that. Let's first go see that 'access point,'" Zhong Shenxiu said, already taking the lead and walking forward slowly.

As they passed the five frozen insects, the shriveled creatures instantly shattered into icy dust, melting into the earth!

Witnessing this, the "Bearbone Mercenary Group" felt their hearts nearly stop beating; their eyes were nearly bulging out from sheer terror!

What did we just see? Magic insects were... were dispatched so easily? Are these truly the same insects that have been chasing us everywhere?

Such terrifying power!

While they were stunned, Zhong Shenxiu's party was almost swallowed by the mist. Looking from afar, only vague moving figures could be seen!

"Quick! Let's follow them! This might be the chance heaven has given us to escape this place!" Scout suddenly exclaimed, energized.

In his eyes, since Zhong Shenxiu's group could kill the insects without effort, it meant these people could move freely. Following them was the only way!

The others weren't fools; they understood the logic even before Scout pointed it out, so they chased after them with speed that surpassed that of fleeing for their lives.

※

Zhong Shenxiu's party had been traveling for nearly four hours. By the time outside, it should have been nighttime. Normally, the "Eerie Deep Valley" would be plunged into darkness, but the opposite was true—it was brighter than during the day.

This was mainly because the vegetation here was extraordinary; at night, the plants emitted a soft green light, making the area many times brighter than in daylight!

The "Bearbone Mercenary Group" kept closely behind Zhong Shenxiu's group, maintaining a consistent five-meter distance. Even though they were tired and exhausted, they dared not slacken in the least.

Over these four-plus hours, they had gained an even clearer appreciation of the terrifying power of Zhong Shenxiu’s party. No matter how many magic insects they encountered along the way, they were effortlessly dispatched, and often, one couldn't even tell who made the move!

Monstrous. He is absolutely monstrous!

After about another half hour, after turning a corner, Zhong Shenxiu suddenly stopped and announced, "We've arrived!"

"Heavens, what is that?" Mako Xin and the others were stunned by the sight before them, covering their mouths instinctively.

Everyone held their breath at that moment, silently gazing toward the massive luminous sphere hanging fifty meters in the air directly ahead.

"It seems the fruit has mutated," Zhong Shenxiu murmured inwardly, and then he floated toward it.

At a moment like this, the others could not help; they could only wait quietly where they were.

Paying no mind to the wild speculations of the others, Zhong Shenxiu's brow furrowed even deeper as he approached the "access point."

What exactly spurred this mutation? Was it an external force? Besides the lightning strike that occurred once before, what else could have stimulated it? Could it be the chilling yin energy of this place?

Zhong Shenxiu couldn't determine the cause yet and had to continue his detailed observation. The moment his hands touched the "access point," a strange sensation flooded his entire body.

"So that's how it is!" Zhong Shenxiu muttered again, though his frown did not relax.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhong Shenxiu’s body suddenly jolted, and an extraordinarily bold idea formed in his mind.

This idea was so extraordinary that sweat began to bead on Zhong Shenxiu's forehead! If you wish to know what happens next, please log in for more chapters, support the author, and read legitimate copies! D