In response to the Metal Mentor's interrogation, Kabataba said impatiently: "If I were to run for Minister of the Dark Arts, I would immediately expel you lot! Let me tell you, I'm not allied with anyone, nor have I joined the Death Eaters. Next to my cellar, there’s nothing but rats, spiders, and dust! Just now, a group of people came and made my place an absolute mess, and now you lot are here to further disturb my research!"

"Silence, I have reason to believe you are stalling," the Metal Mentor said coldly. "We sensed a Death Eater presence in the fireplace of your cellar. The Ministry has ample grounds to suspect you of engaging in illicit activities. We will enter and use Floo powder to test the exact destination of your fireplace. If there's a problem, you can look forward to Azkaban."

"Damn it! This damned place," the old man began to wail. "Don't threaten me with Azkaban! Fine, fine, you can stay in the cellar as long as you want, the important thing is that you must not wrongly accuse me." The Metal Mentor led his group into the cellar beneath the house. The centerpiece here was an enormous cauldron, and though there was no fire beneath it, the pot contained a black, viscous liquid emitting a strange odor, slowly bubbling. Nearby, items like toads and cicadas were scattered haphazardly. It was likely connected to the Dark Lord. The Metal Mentor didn't spare the cauldron a second glance; instead, he walked to the fireplace at the end of the basement. A certain Contract Holder thoughtfully produced Floo powder and offered it. The Metal Mentor slapped it away and instead examined the area above the fireplace where a painting hung, thick with dust, yet showing several distinct finger marks.

Evidently, as the painting was moved aside, the fireplace rumbled and shifted to the side, revealing a deep passage leading down. Since the Banks Gang had clearly been here first, there was little concern about traps or mechanisms. The Metal Mentor strode in, taking the lead with clear haste, and before the others could follow, the fireplace returned to its original position.

This passage appeared narrow and dark, but the further down they went, the wider it became. A faint light emanated from the walls, which, while casting the surroundings in a gloom, provided a considerable amount of illumination. The ground below was somewhat damp, covered everywhere with lush, grayish-green moss, yet the air lacked the expected stench and foulness; instead, it felt somewhat fresh. If one paid close attention, a light breeze could be felt brushing against their cheeks. Anyone familiar with cave exploration would know that the space below this point was likely immense. Suddenly, Deco, gripping his longbow, signaled a warning:

"Careful! I smell blood!"

Everyone stopped simultaneously, especially the two Contract Holders who had been summarily buried alive earlier; they quickly retreated backward. However, the Metal Mentor and Nu seemed aware that Finley's dying words had significantly affected morale, so the two of them walked at the front. The terrifying Armored Stegosaurus had been recalled; leading the way was a Gray Wolf summoned by Phil.

Fang Senyan had just learned while chatting with Phil that Contract Holders possessing summoning abilities weren't having an easy time of it anymore. The prime example was that one had to first tame a specific creature before gaining the right to summon it, and if that creature died in battle, then, regrettably, it was lost forever. Earlier, Phil had recklessly dispatched three Gray Wolves to attack Das, but Das had killed two of them. The remaining one was now Phil’s last summon, and its loyalty had dropped to a critical point; if it fell any further, it would likely defect.

Furthermore, according to Phil, to tame a powerful creature like that Armored Stegosaurus, one might even have to sign a Life Contract. If that creature died, the summoner would also have a hard time escaping death. Moreover, a Life Contract was almost equivalent to a marriage certificate; once signed, one could not tame any other contract creature! While there were pros and cons, once a Life Contract was signed, the bond between the creature and the master became much closer, and both parties' attributes would see an increase.

The smell of blood ahead gradually intensified, and the tunnel opened into a vast hall. Although the hall was utterly decayed, the magnificent and luxurious draperies that once surrounded them had turned to dust at the slightest touch. Only from the stone carvings nearby could one tell that this was likely a ruin from the era of King Arthur. Several overturned cabinets had mostly crumbled into brown, rotten sawdust.

The most striking feature was a deep fissure running across the center of the hall, the end of which was nowhere in sight. It was at least ten meters wide and bottomless, naturally dividing the hall into two sections. To reach the other side, one would have to find a way to cross this rift. In the area of the hall closest to Fang Senyan and the others, there was an open space where a dead body lay. This was presumably a plot-related character. The deceased was bound all over, the artery in the neck slit, with blood streaming out to form a large, slightly darkened pool. Scattered around the corpse were numerous black objects the size of a palm; upon closer inspection, they turned out to be furry bats. Though these bats were stiff and dead, one could still see sharp fangs in their mouths and undeveloped claws on their wings.

"Those are Black Fang Vampires," Phil immediately stated. As an aspiring Summoner, memorizing the characteristics of various creatures was certainly a mandatory skill. He glanced at Nu, who merely nodded with his eternally deadpan face.

The Metal Mentor sneered: "This is the habitat of the Black Fang Vampires. To cross this Scar of the Deep Earth, you must first clear out the attacks from these highly territorial bats. Those fools in the Banks Symbiotic Society have saved us a lot of trouble."

Although the rift ahead was wide, Fang Senyan and the others found the rope bridge previously used by the Banks Gang without much effort and crossed safely. After passing through this ancient hall from the Arthurian era, the entrance ahead opened into a cavern. One could see that the stones on the ground were scattered and fragmented, clearly having been forcibly carved out of the original hall wall.

The further inside they walked, the fewer artificial marks remained on the stone walls, until Fang Senyan and the others realized they had entered a natural cave system with a low ceiling. Stalactites interlaced everywhere, with some pillars even connecting the top and bottom. A faint scent of sulfur hung in the air. After walking for about three kilometers, the sound of rushing water could be heard ahead. By the light emanating from the cave walls, they saw two streams, shrouded in white mist, converging ahead. The currents were swift, but the water was clear. Deco’s wilderness survival experience seemed quite rich; he stepped forward first, leaned down to smell the water, and then tasted a bit.

"The water isn't poisoned; it should be a kind of hot spring underground river."

At this point, the Metal Mentor's expression turned grave. He suddenly looked ahead: "Something seems wrong up front."

Where the two streams met, there was a rocky shoal, covering an area of at least a thousand square meters. After converging here, the once clear and swift underground rivers immediately slowed down. In the center of the shoal were several large, flat stones. The anomaly the Metal Mentor had noticed was that several motionless dark shapes seemed to be crouched on top of these boulders. Although these shapes were not enormous, by estimation, they were at least two or three bodies long, immediately giving off a profoundly dangerous aura.

Only when the group got a bit closer did they realize that these dark shapes were none other than crocodiles! The skin of these crocodiles appeared exceptionally rough, possessing a texture like rock. More critically, their skin was profoundly black, seemingly absorbing all surrounding light. If they were to proceed, they would inevitably have to pass within thirty meters of these crocodiles.

After clearly identifying these dark shapes, the Metal Mentor’s expression shifted, and he glanced at Nu. Nu stepped forward and said in that definitive tone: "I have seen these crocodiles before; they are called Black Lizard Crocodiles. Their temperament is relatively mild. But it is crucial not to make any sudden noise that might startle them. Just pass through quickly." He then assigned the passing order: Nu leading, the Metal Mentor covering the rear, and the two Contract Holders with the weakest stamina positioned in the middle to pass quickly. The group waded across without incident. Just as they reached the opposite bank, one Black Lizard Crocodile suddenly raised its head alertly. Its tail rhythmically slapped the air, emitting a sound like a rattlesnake, and then it rapidly twisted its body and slithered towards them! As it moved, the other dark shapes quickly slid off the rocks, wriggling serpentinely in the water, moving without splashing even a single drop of water!

"Go!" the Metal Mentor commanded. "They won't stray too far from their nest. Don't waste time here; we can definitely shake them off." With that, he led the charge, flying forward. Following his lead, the others scrambled to keep up, running wildly. But at this moment, Fang Senyan and Deco certainly had the advantage in speed, while the two Contract Holders and Phil would likely fall behind. The group fled frantically, running for nearly a kilometer, yet the Black Lizard Crocodiles continued to pursue them with distinct pat-pat sounds, closing in on the three Contract Holders lagging at the rear!

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