Translator: CinderTL
Before the pale yellow corrosive poison liquid could reach her, Mo Yexue was already overwhelmed by a nauseating stench, as if the liquid was the filthiest substance in the world.
A sense of dread washed over Mo Yexue. She could feel an aura of corrosion emanating from the poison, capable of eroding all things.
Not daring to let the poison touch her, Mo Yexue swiftly sidestepped. At the same time, she conjured a Mana Shield.
However, Mo Yexue ultimately failed to avoid the poison. The pale yellow liquid struck the Mana Shield.
She felt a tremendous force hit her, forcing her to retreat several meters.
To her relief, the poison did not penetrate the Mana Shield.
But before she could fully relax, her heart tightened again.
The poison clung to the Mana Shield, its surface churning like boiling pus.
"Sizzle, sizzle..."
The faint sound of corrosion reached Mo Yexue's ears, striking her like a thunderbolt.
The Mana Shield was instantly corroded, forming a large hole before completely shattering.
The poison suddenly exploded, transforming into a pale yellow mist that surged toward Mo Yexue.
Caught off guard, Mo Yexue was slightly touched by the yellow mist on her face.
In an instant, her once beautiful face was reduced to a bloody, skeletal mess, as hideous as a Fierce Ghost.
At this critical moment, a surge of Spiritual Power rushed in like a torrent.
When the Spiritual Power met the toxic yellow mist, it was like a spark igniting oil.
A deafening explosion erupted.
The two forces collided violently in the air, releasing a wave of intense energy.
Mo Yexue, being the closest, bore the brunt of the impact. She felt an irresistible force slam into her, sending her flying like a kite with a broken string until she crashed into the cave wall behind her.
However, this also freed her from the toxic yellow mist.
"Mo Yexue, are you alright?" Lan Chen asked with concern.
She held a Jade Ruyi in her hand, from which a wisp of pink smoke emanated, curling toward the Gold-Eating Ant.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Mo Yexue coughed up large amounts of black blood.
The black blood stained her skeletal jaw, making her appear even more horrifying.
Yet, she seemed completely unfazed by the fact that her once beautiful face now resembled a Fierce Ghost.
She flipped her hand and took out two pills, swallowing them immediately.
"It's not a big deal. Be careful with that beast; its poison is incredibly potent. Even a touch can cause severe damage."
"That's good! Focus on healing. I'll handle them," Lan Chen nodded.
A Red Silk floated out from Lan Chen's body, twisting and turning in the air like a slender, agile snake.
Any low-level Gold-Eating Ants caught by the Red Silk instantly lost their lives.
However, Lan Chen's main focus was not on these low-level ants but on the fourth-tier Gold-Eating Ant.
The pink smoke effortlessly penetrated the ant's body.
The once cold and ferocious ant suddenly became frenzied.
A gust of wind surrounded it, allowing it to float effortlessly in the air, darting around like a lost and isolated ant.
Seeing this, a cold glint flashed in Lan Chen's eyes.
The Red Silk coiled out like a dragon, aiming to ensnare the ant. But just as it was about to catch it, the ant suddenly calmed down, regaining its ferocity.
A fierce wind erupted around it, and its body turned into a blur, evading the incoming Red Silk.
At the same time, it opened its mouth and spat out a stream of Corrosive Poison Liquid, aiming directly at the Red Silk.
Lan Chen, worried about the Red Silk being damaged, dared not let it come into contact with the poison.
With a gentle flick, the Red Silk changed direction, narrowly avoiding the Corrosive Poison Liquid.
Lan Chen's expression was extremely grave, her eyes fixed intently on the fourth-tier Gold-Eating Ant. Her Divine Sense continued to scan the surrounding area.
Just moments ago, when the fourth-tier Gold-Eating Ant broke free from her mental control, Lan Chen distinctly felt a surge of external power emanating from the ant.
It was with the help of this power that the fourth-tier Gold-Eating Ant was able to recover so quickly.
Lan Chen had previously speculated that these Gold-Eating Ants were being secretly controlled by a higher-level entity.
She had thought that the fourth-tier Gold-Eating Ant that had appeared was that higher-level entity.
But now it seemed that it was not; it was merely a pawn in someone else's game.
...
"Xue Mei, in your opinion, what should we do now?" Song Wen asked.
The Gold-Eating Ants were ferocious, and it was definitely not wise to proceed recklessly.
He had no intention of getting involved in the battle between Lan Chen and the two women against the Gold-Eating Ants.
However, the cave had only one path, and the Gold-Eating Ants and Lan Chen were blocking their way, leaving Song Wen and Xue Mei with no room to advance.
Xue Mei said, "Let's retreat the way we came and avoid the conflict for now."
"Agreed!" Song Wen nodded in response.
The two of them slowly retreated, moving all the way to the far edge of the cave.
They each found a protruding rock, concealed their presence, and hid behind it.
However, despite their efforts to avoid the conflict between Lan Chen and the two women against the Gold-Eating Ants, fate had other plans.
Realizing that they could not engage in a direct confrontation with the Gold-Eating Ants, Lan Chen and the other woman decided to use their speed advantage to outrun the ants.
Unfortunately, they were not familiar with the cave's layout, and the direction they chose happened to be the same as where Song Wen and Xue Mei were hiding.
When they found themselves facing a dead end, their expressions turned grim.
Of course, Mo Yexue's face showed no emotion, only the twitching of her flesh.
Although her appearance was terrifying, she had already expelled the toxins from her body, so she was unharmed.
Glancing back at the fourth-tier Gold-Eating Ant that was relentlessly pursuing them, as well as the lower-tier Gold-Eating Ants emerging from the ground, Mo Yexue urged her flying sword to clear the ants while asking,
"Lan Chen, what should we do?"
Lan Chen did not answer Mo Yexue. Instead, she focused her gaze on the chaotic rocks deep within the cave.
"Which fellow cultivator is hiding here? Why not show yourself?"
Before her words had fully faded, she flicked her finger, sending a burst of Spiritual Power shooting out like an arrow from a bow.
The Spiritual Power struck a large rock several miles away, shattering it and revealing Xue Mei's figure.
"Who are you?"
Seeing Xue Mei's face, Lan Chen realized she had never seen this person before and immediately became more vigilant, demanding sharply.
"I am Xue Mei, greetings to Fairy Lan Chen," Xue Mei replied in a calm tone.
"How did you enter the Divine Blood Hall?" Lan Chen pressed further.
Xue Mei said, "It was merely a stroke of luck."
"Then why are you hiding here?" Lan Chen asked.
Xue Mei replied, "My strength is limited, and sensing the abnormal spiritual fluctuations ahead, I naturally chose to keep my distance."
"Hmph! Full of lies. If you won't tell me, I'll search your soul myself."
As soon as Lan Chen finished speaking, her aura surged dramatically. The Red Silk, like a crimson lightning bolt, shot toward Xue Mei with unparalleled ferocity.
Xue Mei's expression turned grave as she glanced toward the spot where Song Wen was hiding.
She was cornered at the edge of the cavern, with no way to escape.
Her only hope now rested with Song Wen.
"Lan Chen, hold your hand!" Song Wen leaped out from the pile of rubble, shouting loudly.
Lan Chen had already begun to act, and there was no way he could remain hidden. The rubble would be easily reduced to dust by the aftermath of the battle.
Forced to reveal himself, it was better to step forward willingly.
(End of the Chapter)
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