NOVEL NEXT Chapter 549: Chapter 549: A Perilous Environment
Chapter 549: A Perilous Environment
The towering trees of the primeval forest blocked even the sunlight. As soon as they stepped into the forest, the light dimmed instantly, and looking deeper into the forest, it became pitch dark.
Entering it, the scent of decaying vegetation grew stronger, aggressively invading the noses of those who ventured in. The pitch-black environment, coupled with the pervasive scent of decay, made this place seem like a land of death, filled with malice towards those who entered.
Xiao Ze and his companions swiftly maneuvered between the giant trees, flying deeper into the forest. Occasionally, they could see flashes of Dou Qi illuminating the area, piercing through the seemingly eternal darkness.
Though there were only thousands of people, the primeval forest was vast. Unless they deliberately stayed together, these thousands scattered in the forest were like grains of sand thrown into a lake, difficult to encounter again.
However, this did not mean they could not learn of the fates of their fellow travelers. Suddenly, a shrill scream echoed ahead, sounding as though someone had encountered a terrifying creature. Immediately, their life force rapidly declined until it vanished in the blink of an eye.
Those around, who sensed this, shuddered with fear. Some even looked around nervously as if expecting something to emerge from the darkness and attack them.
Crack! Suddenly, a faint sound of thunder rang out. Black lightning turned into a curtain of thunder, sweeping across the area ahead. Suddenly, the empty space, which seemed void of anything, began emitting a series of squeaking noises.
Upon seeing Xiao Ze's action, Xiao Yi and Qing Lin narrowed their eyes slightly but could not spot any enemies. However, they questioned where the squeaking was coming from.
"It seems to be poison gas?" Xiao Yi said uncertainly, her calamity poison body sensing the emergence of a toxic fog around them.
"No, they are poison insects, invisible to the naked eye. These tiny insects, much smaller than dust particles, when gathered, appear just like a cloud of poison gas," Xiao Ze explained.
Hearing this, Xiao Yi and Qing Lin's expressions changed, and they quickly checked their bodies.
"Rest assured, we have just entered the territory of the poison insects," Xiao Ze said, smiling reassuringly. He then conjured three thunder barriers around them.
"Xiao Ze, is this what Xun'er Miss mentioned? The thing that can ignore Dou Qi protective bodies?" Qing Lin asked, her eyes rotating slowly with the help of her Bi Snake Tri-Pupils, making the invisible poison insects apparent.
"It should be," Xiao Ze replied. "I didn't expect to encounter such a dangerous environment just upon entering the Barbaric Ancient Domain."
Xiao Yi shook her head slightly, reflecting on their situation. "Those adventurers hadn't even seen the most dangerous beasts of the Barbaric Ancient Domain and yet fell to these poison insects."
"Life and death are predestined; these were their choices, and they must bear the consequences of those choices," Xiao Ze noted as they continued deeper into the forest. As they entered the domain of the poison insects, the screams became even more frequent.
Such eerie circumstances also caused considerable unrest, with many contemplating retreat. Despite the thin layer of thunder barriers surrounding them, the black demonic thunder within was full of destructive power.
No matter how many poison insects landed on the barriers, they were obliterated by this destructive force, only managing to squeak before dying.
As they ventured deeper, the poison insects seemed to realize the terror of the thunder barriers. Wherever Xiao Ze and his companions went, the insects retreated, clearing a path for them.
Suddenly, Xiao Ze and his companions stopped and descended next to a corpse that was pitch black. The remaining aura on the body displayed that this was a Dou Zun master!
This Dou Zun had fallen victim to the corrosion and toxicity of the poison insects, his face still showing signs of fear and regret.
"To think a Dou Zun has fallen just upon entering the Barbaric Ancient Domain," Xiao Ze remarked.
"The dangers of the Barbaric Ancient Domain are well-known," Xiao Yi and Qing Lin both commented as they collected the Dou Zun's storage ring that had fallen nearby. Encountering the corpse of this Dou Zun was a stroke of luck, gaining them the accumulation of a powerful fighter rather fortuitously.
Soon after, the surrounding fog of poison began to thin, and their spirits lifted, indicating they were nearing the end of this eerie forest.
As they looked back, Xiao Ze noted that of the thousands who entered the ancient forest, likely more than eighty percent had fallen to the bizarre poison insects.
Light suddenly flooded the area as they accelerated and soon left the domain of the poison insects, stopping on a huge rock.
Looking ahead, a vast chasm hundreds of feet wide lay before them. The chasm was incredibly deep, filled with toxic gases emitting dangerously potent vapors.
Beyond the chasm stretched an endless range of ancient mountains. These mountains, rising thousands of feet high, resembled giant dragons lying in wait.
An ancient, savage aura emanated from them, filling the atmosphere.
"This vast mountain range is likely the true Barbaric Ancient Domain," Xiao Yi said with a slight smile, looking back at the primeval forest and then speaking to her companions. "We haven't even entered the Barbaric Ancient Domain yet, and already, out of thousands, not even one in ten has survived. The Barbaric Ancient Domain is indeed terrifying!"
Qing Lin's green pupils slowly rotated, eyeing the endless mountain range ahead, nodding in agreement. Within it hid powerful and ancient presences that even peak Dou Zun masters would not dare to underestimate.
"In there lies the truly notorious beasts of the Barbaric Ancient Domain!" Xiao Ze pointed towards the distant mountains. "These beasts, isolated from the world, are descendants of ancient times with extraordinary strength."
"However, it seems their ferocity and brutality have stunted their intelligence compared to other magical beasts of the same level."
"But what they lack in intelligence, they make up for in explosive power, unmatched even by other magical beasts of their level," Xiao Ze explained, causing Xiao Yi and Qing Lin to look serious.
"However, they pose no great danger to us," Xiao Ze added, closing his eyes to sense the location of Xun'er through the Origin Root he carried.
He could not sense the Bodhi Ancient Tree since he didn't carry any Bodhi seeds, but since Xun'er had already advanced into the Barbaric Ancient Domain, they could simply follow her direction to reach deep within.
"Let's go," Xiao Ze said, having confirmed Xun'er's location. He opened his eyes, and together with Xiao Yi and Qing Lin, they flew towards the vast mountain range.
The toxic chasm, although massive, was just a step away for them. As Xiao Ze and his companions stepped onto the other side of the chasm, a pungent wind greeted them, marking their entry into new dangers.
(End of Chapter 549)
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