The dim mine tunnel’s usual silence was shattered by a barrage of hurried footsteps echoing through the narrow terrain.
A group of three ran swiftly with their Pet Beasts, countless shadowy hands pursuing them relentlessly. The shadows morphed, first into a Tentacle Monster, then into various flying beasts and creatures, their blood-red eyes glinting with malevolent malice.
"I can’t go on! I really can’t run anymore!" Zhang Wei panted heavily, his speed faltering. As if steeling himself for a decision, he gasped, "Zhao Yan, you go! I’ll hold them off!"
"No way!" Zhao Yan bit her lip, her clothes soaked with sweat, outlining her graceful figure. "We agreed, if we go, we go together!"
"Peach Blossom Drunk!" At her cry, a football-sized Peach Blossom Seed materialized. It was endearing and bounced playfully as countless sparkling peach petals whirled around it, attempting to bewilder the pursuing Thousand-Handed Monster and buy Zhang Wei time to escape.
"You... silly girl!" Zhang Wei’s eyes reddened. Gritting his teeth, he squeezed out the last vestiges of strength from his cells and chased after her.
However, the Thousand-Handed Monster witnessed this. The orifice formed from mouse brain stems writhed, and countless blood-red tendrils shot out in unison. Like long whips, they pierced the swirling peach blossoms and, with lightning speed, impaled the Peach Blossom Seed, skewering it like a kebab.
"SKREEE!" The Peach Blossom Seed shrieked, the entire Extraordinary Life form nearly tearing apart as it exploded!
Against such absolute power, the mid-level elite Peach Blossom Seed was instantly destroyed. With a flick of a tentacle, the monster flung its remains like discarded trash against the blood-polluted flesh wall, splattering a mist of blood.
"Peach Blossom Seed!" Zhao Yan cried out, drenched in sweat as she struggled to endure the painful backlash from her Beast Taming connection. She knew the power gap was enormous, but she’d never imagined her Pet Beast couldn’t even hold it off for a single moment.
How can anyone muster the courage to fight this!
Two burdens, perfect for buying me some time, Chen Heng thought, glancing coldly at them. Riding his Golden Leopard, he abandoned the pair, his eyes fixed on a faint light and the subtle sound of wind ahead in the mine tunnel.
A joyful expression spread across his face. He cared nothing for the lives of his juniors; his only thought was to escape alive.
As for Junior Chu Yi... such a pity, Chen Heng mused, feeling a pang of regret for Chu Yi’s downfall. He had just contracted a Pet Beast. If he had continued to grow, he could have become an important figure in the Federation. But fate is fickle; to fall midway, it’s truly the irony of destiny. If Chu Yi hadn’t contracted a Pet Beast, he might have lived on peacefully.
Just as he stepped towards the perceived exit, a relieved smile about to form on his lips, the scene outside the opening left him dumbfounded.
Outside lay a spacious clearing, yet it was still underground. Bizarrely, the entire area, including the tunnel walls, was composed of living flesh and blood. Countless mangled body parts lay scattered about. Thousands of flayed human faces, old and young, clung to the walls. Their skin was decayed, incomplete, and festering in various stages, with blood gushing forth, thick with potent curses.
As Chen Heng took another step forward, all the faces snapped their eyes open simultaneously. The air grew thick with a cloying, bloody scent. They stared at Chen Heng, their mouths twisting into eerie, wide smiles.
Blood surged and scarlet hues spread. The greedy gazes made Chen Heng feel as if he’d been plunged into an icy abyss, his limbs trembling uncontrollably.
Heavens, what kind of place is this! he wondered in horror. While trying to escape, not only did I fail to find an exit, but I stumbled into some bizarre gateway, delivering myself as a meal?
"What is this place?!" Zhao Yan and Zhang Wei, who had caught up, were also stunned by the horrific scene, rendered speechless.
Could it be... the thousands of miners who perished in the mine collapse years ago? they wondered, horrified.
Yet these miners, dead for over a decade, now seemed eager to feast on the blood and Souls of the living, to turn them into the dead as well.
The scattered body parts on the ground began to reassemble, morphing into more of the familiar Thousand-Handed Monsters. Countless rats swarmed from the soil, corners, and shadows, frantically gnawing on the corpses. In the next moment, however, the rats themselves were infected by the curse, their bodies merging into the gruesome constructs as flesh and blood recombined.
Ahead lay an unholy, ominous Desperate Realm! Behind them, the darkness rustled, concealing countless peering, mocking, and greedy eyes.
For a moment, the three were trapped, unable to advance or retreat, with no way out!
"It’s all my fault!" Zhang Wei cried out, furious and riddled with self-reproach. If he hadn’t sought a shortcut to raise their Demon Hunting Team’s level, they wouldn’t have stumbled into this deadly mission.
"That’s right! It’s all because of a useless fool like you!" The next moment, Zhang Wei was caught off guard as the mentally unraveling Chen Heng kicked him to the ground. Chen Heng continued to rain kicks on him, screaming curses, "Trash! Lowly scum! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be in this mess! Useless waste! Parasite! Are you jealous of my talent? Is that why you dragged me here to die with you?!"
The accumulated corruption had long since eroded Chen Heng’s sanity. He assaulted Zhang Wei in a mindless frenzy, venting his terror and anxiety. Even Zhao Yan’s attempts to stop him were futile. Even Chen Heng’s Golden Leopard was so terrified it curled up on the ground, too scared to make a sound, retreating into itself.
The grotesque creatures watched this human drama with amusement. Soon, a stomach growled—perhaps one of their own. Countless Thousand-Handed Monsters closed in on the three, their blood-red tendrils twitching, ready to devour the fresh meat.
Flesh was the best food. Fear, the finest seasoning.
Are we going to die... Zhao Yan thought, sinking to the ground in despair as she watched the two men fight. She was surrounded by innumerable Thousand-Handed Monsters. Their writhing tentacles unfurled like six-petaled flowers, revealing maws that seemed to grind and suck like sharp teeth. They secreted a viscous fluid and emitted a nauseating, putrid stench that made Zhao Yan tremble violently. After all... she still had dreams, so many unfinished tasks. She hadn’t even had a chance to say goodbye to her parents, and now she was going to die here...
Just as she slowly closed her eyes, despairingly awaiting death, a wave of heat brushed her sweat-drenched, flushed face. The warmth of flames, like a spring breeze, caressed her cheeks.
"So, the source of the curse is here. It took me quite a while to find it." A calm voice, tinged with gentle clarity, drifted to her ears.
I’m not dead? she thought. And that voice... it sounds so familiar.
Zhao Yan’s eyelashes fluttered. Her almond-shaped eyes opened slightly, only to be met by a vision of endless flames, prompting her to shut them again immediately.
Six Fire Dragons erupted forth, wreathed in the Nine Heavens Blaze that surged skyward. Imposingly grand and fiercely flamboyant, they trailed billowing smoke as they tore a massive opening in the encirclement of Thousand-Handed Monsters, unleashing a torrent of fire that ignited the creatures’ cursed bodies.
The innumerable Thousand-Handed Monsters, which had seemed so powerful and invincible to the three survivors, now fled like terrified curs, emitting sharp, agonized shrieks.
And those thousands of faces, contorted with the miners’ resentment and hatred, now showed expressions of utter fear under the glare of the inferno.
Fire... Such fierce fire!
The faces writhed within the flames, swaying, crying, and begging for mercy.
So these monsters can be killed... They can feel fear too... Zhao Yan realized.
Zhao Yan stared blankly at the scene, the roaring flames reflected in her almond eyes, washing away her despair and desire for death.
"What?!" Chen Heng exclaimed, shocked by the sudden turn of events. Are these rescue personnel from the Federation? he wondered.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approached from behind them.
Everyone turned towards the sound. A young man with striking eyebrows and bright, star-like eyes was walking slowly towards them. He carried himself like a young master from a noble family.
However, the focus of their attention was drawn to the even more eye-catching Pet Beast at the young man’s side.
Its body was a paradigm of graceful strength, its limbs brimming with robust power. A coat of pure, unblemished orange-gold fur, like a miniature, brilliant sun, radiated waves of flame in all directions.
From its rear, six foxtails swept and danced like wild dragons challenging the heavens. At the very tip of each tail, a thermal vortex swirled, radiating an incredibly terrifying power comparable to high explosives.
A ring of fiery ripples expanded rapidly, carrying heat waves intense enough to melt stone. Everything within a tens-of-meters radius turned crimson. Water vapor instantly evaporated, and white mist surged and roiled like mountain spirits wailing in submission before a newborn king.
Evolution successful: Crown Flame Six-Tailed Fox!
"Wow... what a domineering fox..." Zhao Yan breathed, completely stunned. The fox exuded an aura of elegance, nobility, and inviolability. It gave off the illusion of a supreme ruler, a monarch reigning over its clan.
Just like... an Emperor!