"Senior Brother Xiao!"

Seeing another companion killed, the two remaining Wanluo School students stared at the bisected corpse still standing in place, their faces deathly pale.

Yuan Kong's face was livid, his eyes bloodshot. A sharp, chilling killing intent radiated from him.

"Die!"

With a cold shout, Yuan Kong made a grabbing motion. A green claw shadow, even larger than before, descended upon the Blackhead Poisonous Python.

The Blackhead Poisonous Python, having already experienced the power of the claw attack, dared not resist. Its body coiled and then suddenly sprang away like an arrow loosed from a bow, attempting to flee into the forest.

Just then, a figure suddenly darted before it.

With a loud BOOM, the Blackhead Poisonous Python's massive body was smashed into the ground.

Luo Feng had been waiting for the perfect moment. The instant the Blackhead Poisonous Python tried to escape, he struck, severely injuring it.

BANG!

Standing on the Blackhead Poisonous Python's enormous head, Luo Feng stomped hard. Its massive skull immediately split open. The Blackhead Poisonous Python let out a miserable shriek, and the light in its triangular eyes instantly vanished.

Luo Feng dusted off his hands and jumped down from the python's head.

"Oh? Your Qinggong is quite good," Yuan Ying said to Luo Feng with a smile, looking at the python's carcass nearby.

The others also breathed a sigh of relief. However, Yuan Kong and the two remaining Wanluo School students looked extremely grim.

In the brief preceding clash, the Blackhead Poisonous Python had killed one of their six-member team, and another two now lay on the ground, their conditions unknown.

Yuan Kong's expression was the ugliest of all. This Blackhead Poisonous Python had killed so many of his people; he had wanted to kill it with his own hands. He never expected Luo Feng to beat him to it and steal all the glory. He had heavily injured the Blackhead Poisonous Python, only for Luo Feng to reap all the credit. This made Yuan Kong utterly furious.

"The Blackhead Poisonous Python's venom has already invaded their lungs. They're beyond saving..." Headmaster Li said, shaking his head after walking over to the two severely injured Wanluo School students and examining them closely.

Hearing this, Yuan Kong's expression faltered. He had brought five Wanluo School students for this mission, but three had already died before they even reached the destination!

One Wanluo School student whirled around and stared daggers at Luo Feng. "If your Qinggong is so good, why didn't you act sooner?! And all of you," his gaze swept over everyone present, "were you just enjoying the show? Trying to make a mockery of us?"

Luo Feng sneered. "You ignored Headmaster Li's warning and insisted on taking the lead. Now that you've been ambushed by a Demon Beast, you have the audacity to blame us for not helping? Do you have any shame at all?"

As he spoke, Luo Feng shot a pointed look at Yuan Kong.

The others stood by, saying nothing, but their expressions clearly showed they agreed with Luo Feng. Yuan Kong's earlier arrogance had thoroughly offended everyone present; no one was willing to speak up for him now.

Rebuked by Luo Feng, the Wanluo School student who had questioned him was rendered speechless. Just as Luo Feng had said, it was they who had ignored the advice and insisted on being at the front.

Yuan Kong's face stiffened. Luo Feng's words undoubtedly placed all the blame on him.

Enjoy your arrogance for a little longer! Once we're in the mine, I'll show you what regret truly means. Yuan Kong stared at Luo Feng, undisguised killing intent gleaming in his eyes, and said coldly, "Let's go!"

With a wave of his hand, Yuan Kong strode forward. The two remaining Wanluo School students, though feeling incredibly resentful, dared not disobey Yuan Kong and could only follow.

"We should get going too," Luo Feng said to Yuan Ying, turning back to her. Having put Yuan Kong in his place, he was in a good mood.

Yuan Ying nodded, her beautiful eyes glancing at the nearby python's corpse. A faint glint of suspicion flickered in them as she suddenly asked, "Luo Feng, why did you suddenly want to see my Cherry Blossom Knife earlier?"

Luo Feng's expression was calm as he smiled lightly. "The Cherry Blossom Knife is the saber of the martial world's renowned beauty, the Saberwoman known as Cherry Blossom Knife. Of course I'd want to take a look."

Yuan Ying pursed her red lips, a lovely smile appearing. "Such a glib tongue!"

Luo Feng turned away, rubbing his nose. That was close. She's a sharp woman, he thought.

Watching Luo Feng's retreating back, Yuan Ying's dark brows furrowed slightly. Her red lips parted as she murmured to herself, "Could it really have been just a coincidence?"

The fact that Luo Feng had suddenly asked to see her saber right before the Blackhead Poisonous Python appeared struck Yuan Ying as incredible. She suspected he might have detected the python's presence in advance.

The Blackhead Poisonous Python excels at concealing its tracks and launching sneak attacks. Even Yuan Kong, with his late-stage Heavenly Court Realm cultivation, didn't detect it. How could *he* have possibly noticed...?

Yuan Ying gently shook her head, concluding she was probably overthinking things.

The group continued onward.

After the Blackhead Poisonous Python's appearance, everyone became extremely cautious. All eyes vigilantly scanned the pitch-black forest around them; Yuan Kong and the two Wanluo School students were no exception.

As they ventured deeper, the terrors of the Chaotic Stone Mountain Range gradually unfolded before them. It was as if they had entered a world ruled by Demon Beasts.

Within just a few dozen miles, the group encountered nearly ten attacks from Demon Beasts. These included three Level Four Demon Beasts, and they even ran into a swarm of Bloodthirsty Stone Rats.

The three Level Four Demon Beasts didn't last long under their combined assault and were quickly slain.

Compared to the Level Four Demon Beasts, which had been alarming but ultimately not truly dangerous, the Bloodthirsty Stone Rats caused the group considerable trouble.

Individually, Bloodthirsty Stone Rats weren't very strong; a seventh-level Essence Storage Realm Martial Artist could easily kill one in a one-on-one fight.

However, Bloodthirsty Stone Rats preferred to move in swarms and carved tunnels within rocks. When they lurked underground in the darkness of night, even a ninth-level Heavenly Court Realm Martial Artist wouldn't dare underestimate them.

The Bloodthirsty Stone Rats Luo Feng and the others encountered formed a small colony, numbering several dozen.

Because these Bloodthirsty Stone Rats lurked deep within the rocks, even Luo Feng's soul perception hadn't detected them in advance. It wasn't until a student from the Floating Snow School was suddenly dragged underground that everyone realized they had encountered such terrifying creatures.

The attacks of the Bloodthirsty Stone Rats were exceedingly strange. They could carve passages through rock in an instant, attacking enemies from inconceivable angles and dragging them underground.

In the heat of battle, another Wanluo School student was dragged underground by the Bloodthirsty Stone Rats. Their piercing screams echoed for a long time, making everyone's scalps tingle.

Many Bloodthirsty Stone Rats focused their attention on Luo Feng and Yuan Ying. However, before they could even emerge from the ground, Yuan Ying instantly slew them underground with her Cold Pheasant Dual Sabers.

Luo Feng stood beside Yuan Ying, monitoring the movements of the Bloodthirsty Stone Rats underground. If any slipped through, he would immediately use his Yuan Qi to blast them to death.

The intense battle lasted for an hour. More than half of the dozens of Bloodthirsty Stone Rats were casualties, with only a few escaping deep underground.

The group was not in good shape either. Aside from Luo Feng and Yuan Ying, everyone else had sustained injuries to varying degrees. A large chunk of flesh had even been torn from Headmaster Li's right hand by a Bloodthirsty Stone Rat.

Although no one said it aloud, the members of the other groups all harbored some resentment towards Yuan Kong in their hearts. If he hadn't insisted on traveling at night, they wouldn't have encountered so many dangers.

Beyond that, everyone was even more envious of Luo Feng, who was traveling with Yuan Ying. Yuan Ying was at the late-stage Heavenly Court Realm, and the number of Bloodthirsty Stone Rats she had just slain was second only to Yuan Kong.

As far as the others were concerned, Luo Feng would not have remained unharmed if not for Yuan Ying.

Moreover, Yuan Ying was a renowned beautiful Saberwoman in the martial world, possessing a captivating aura.

「...」

After continuing through the pitch-black forest for several more dozens of miles, Luo Feng suddenly felt the surrounding Fire Yuan Qi become more active. Ahead loomed a vast, imposing mountain range.

"That's Black Wind Mountain ahead," Headmaster Li said, looking at the dark silhouette in the distance. A flicker of dread crossed his eyes as he slowly exhaled.

HOWL...

Gusts of eerie wind swept down from the mountain range ahead, carrying an unnatural cold that seeped into their bones. The shadows of the enormous trees on the mountain peaks swayed back and forth like specters, sending an inexplicable chill deep into their hearts.

"We've finally arrived."

Everyone couldn't help but sigh in relief. The Chaotic Stone Mountain Range was indeed as perilous as the rumors claimed. They were all eager to complete the mission and leave this place as soon as possible.

"Let's hurry. I'll take you to the mine entrance." Headmaster Li's expression grew even graver than before. After saying this, his figure flickered and he darted ahead.

WHOOSH!

The others also used their Qinggong, following closely behind Headmaster Li.

A short while later, the group entered Black Wind Mountain.

The trees on the mountain were sparse and scattered. The rocks were an unsettling black, and they could feel a distinct heat rising from the ground beneath their feet.

Luo Feng sensed that the Fire Yuan Qi beneath the ground was incredibly concentrated, likely due to the presence of the Red Flame Crystal Ore.

After traversing the treacherous mountain peaks for an hour, Luo Feng suddenly spotted a massive fissure ahead. It looked as if the entire Black Wind Mountain was about to split apart along it. A crimson, flame-like light flickered faintly from within the fissure, appearing exceptionally eerie in the pitch-black night.

"This is the Red Flame Crystal Ore mine entrance," Headmaster Li said, stopping. He gazed at the fissure ahead and swallowed hard.

Luo Feng noticed that Headmaster Li's expression was now even more grim than when they had faced the Bloodthirsty Stone Rats. With a slight shift of his gaze, he extended his Soul Power to probe the fissure.

A moment later, Luo Feng retracted his Soul Power and took a shallow breath.

The Fire Yuan Qi within this mine is extremely turbulent. Recalling my previous encounter with an Extreme Fire Demon Spirit, there's likely something formidable hidden inside!

Seeing the fissure, the others grew somewhat excited. One of the martial artists said eagerly, "Well then, shall we go in?"

Just as they were about to enter, Headmaster Li reminded them, "This Red Flame Crystal Ore mine has existed for a century, and its tunnels are a complex maze. When you enter, you must memorize your route, or you'll likely get lost inside. I wish you success in your mission and a triumphant return..."

Someone asked in surprise, "Headmaster Li, aren't you coming in?"

Headmaster Li shook his head. "I am only responsible for bringing you this far. As for what comes next, you can only rely on yourselves."

The martial artist who had spoken earlier laughed heartily. "Very well, Headmaster Li! Just wait here for our good news. No matter what kind of monster is in there, we brothers will bring its head out to you!"

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

As his voice faded, two martial artists leaped up, dashed into the fissure, and vanished in the blink of an eye.

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