108: Chapter 108 Black Scale Python

"Look out!" Lin Muer's exclamation pierced through the chaotic battlefield.

Zhao Meng's vision went black in waves; the aftereffects of the Medicinal Pill were receding like the tide, and a tearing pain spread throughout his limbs and bones, leaving him no time to dodge.

He could only watch helplessly as that sky-obscuring bear paw descended, with only one thought left in his mind—it's over.

At this critical moment, a pale cyan figure swept out like a ghost.

The sky-splitting startling thunder spear in Zhang Wen's hand suddenly hummed, its tip wreathed in fine electric sparks.

What appeared to be a slow thrust was, in fact, incredibly precise as it stabbed toward the white fur on the Blood-Stain Bear's chest.

His movements were devoid of any flair, yet carried an irresistible decisiveness, as if every trajectory had been calculated long ago.

"Puchi!"

The spear tip sank into the flesh beneath the white fur, easier than piercing through tofu.

The Blood-Stain Bear's roar came to an abrupt halt, its massive body stiffening suddenly. Its pair of copper-bell eyes, filled with violence, stared in disbelief at the spear tip in its chest, and then it began to convulse violently.

The power of the Tribulation Thunder surged along the spear shaft and exploded within its body.

The massive body of the Blood-Stain Bear crashed to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust. After convulsing a few times, it completely ceased all movement.

The entire hollow fell silent instantly, with only the heavy breathing of the group remaining.

Zhao Meng slumped on the ground, cold sweat soaking his clothes. Looking at the bear corpse inches away, his heart was still pounding wildly.

He turned his head to look at Zhang Wen, his eyes filled with a complex expression, as if a bottle of mixed seasonings had been overturned.

There was shock, unwillingness, and a hint of unspeakable embarrassment.

Lin Muer stepped forward quickly, first checking Zhao Meng's injuries, then looked at Zhang Wen, a trace of surprise flashing in her beautiful eyes: "Zhang Wen, you..."

Zhang Wen put away the sky-splitting startling thunder spear, a look of perfectly feigned lingering fear on his face, and scratched his head with a dry laugh.

"Just good luck, I happened to poke its soft spot. I saw this bear always protecting its chest, so I thought I'd take a gamble..."

He deliberately slowed his speech and rubbed his arm, putting on the appearance of being exhausted.

Old Wang and the others finally reacted and crowded around, clicking their tongues in wonder.

"Xiao Zhang, not bad! That spear thrust was crucial!" "It was terrifying just now; I really thought the Captain was going to lose his life here..."

Zhao Meng struggled to stand up, his chest heaving violently.

He looked at Zhang Wen, his lips moving, and finally squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth: "Thanks."

Zhang Wen waved his hand quickly: "Captain, you're too polite. We're teammates, after all. You rest first; I'll handle the bear corpse. I heard the fur and gall of the Blood-Stain Bear are very valuable."

As he spoke, he turned and walked toward the bear corpse. When his back was turned to the group, the curve of his mouth quietly vanished.

Lin Muer watched his back, lost in thought.

That spear thrust just now seemed like luck, but the precise timing and angle could by no means be explained by just the word "luck."

This seemingly ordinary newcomer seemed to be hiding quite a few secrets.

Zhao Meng leaned against a tree, watching Zhang Wen's actions in processing the bear corpse, his eyes gloomy.

He clenched his fists, his fingernails digging deep into his palms—today's incident would likely become a knot in his heart he would never be able to erase in his lifetime.

After processing the carcass of the Blood-Stain Bear, the group rested briefly for a while.

Zhao Meng took a healing Medicinal Pill, but his face remained pale. The look he gave Zhang Wen always carried an indescribable awkwardness, yet he never initiated conversation again.

Lin Muer handed the bandaged medicine to Zhao Meng, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over Zhang Wen.

He was squatting on the ground, wiping the sky-splitting startling thunder spear in a slow and unhurried manner.

It was as if that spear thrust earlier had truly exhausted his strength, and even the electric patterns on the spear shaft appeared much dimmer.

"This place should not be stayed in for long; the smell of blood will attract other Vicious Beasts."

Lin Muer reminded them softly, the soft sword making a crisp sound as it returned to its sheath.

"According to the original plan, once we pass through the Mist Forest ahead, we will be able to reach the Spiritual Spring at the heart of Black Wind Ridge."

Zhang Wen stood up immediately, carrying his spear and following at the end of the team, his steps somewhat "staggering."

As if he still hadn't recovered from the shock earlier: "Mist Forest? Sounds like it won't be easy to traverse. Will there be miasma poison inside?"

Old Wang was clearing the path in front and laughed when he heard this.

"Don't worry, with Miss Muer's Spirit-Clearing Dew, ordinary miasma won't hurt us. It's just that the visibility inside is low, so we must be extremely vigilant."

As soon as they stepped into the Mist Forest, milky white fog surged in like a veil, and visibility instantly shrank to less than thirty feet.

The outlines of trees appeared and disappeared in the fog, and even the sound of the wind became muffled. Occasionally, the roars of unknown beasts could be heard, adding a sense of eeriness.

"Keep up, everyone! Don't get separated!"

Zhao Meng let out a low shout, swinging his machete in front of him to hack through the vines blocking the way, but his pace was noticeably slower; the backlash from the Medicinal Pill made his Qi unstable.

After walking for about half an hour, the fog suddenly churned, and several gray shadows darted out from behind the trees; they were three green-faced, fanged Mist Shadow Leopards.

They used the fog to conceal their forms, their sharp claws gleaming with cold light as they pounced directly at Zhang Wen, who was on the outermost edge of the team.

"Watch your side!"

No sooner had Lin Muer's warning fallen than Zhang Wen, as if scared silly, suddenly shrank backward, his footing "unstable."

He happened to dodge the pounce of one Mist Shadow Leopard, staggering and crashing into a tree trunk, "grimacing" in pain.

"Useless!"

Zhao Meng roared angrily, forcing himself to muster strength to swing his blade at another Mist Shadow Leopard. The crimson blade light carved a short arc in the fog, but only barely forced the opponent back.

Lin Muer's soft sword moved like a spirit snake, points of sword light stabbing precisely at the Mist Shadow Leopard's eyes, momentarily restraining one.

But the remaining one pounced on Zhang Wen again, its sharp claws almost reaching his throat.

Just at this moment, Zhang Wen, as if grabbing a straw for survival in his panic, suddenly thrust the sky-splitting startling thunder spear forward.

The spear tip wobbled, but it happened to stab right into the Mist Shadow Leopard's abdomen.

The Mist Shadow Leopard hissed in pain and was actually forced back several steps by this "accidental" thrust.

"That was close, that was close!"

Zhang Wen patted his chest, looking terrified, "This leopard is too cunning!"

Zhao Meng's eye twitched as he watched. In that instant just now, he clearly felt that there was some kind of rhythm hidden in Zhang Wen's movements.

But upon closer inspection, the other party's panicked appearance didn't look faked.

In the end, Zhao Meng and Lin Muer worked together to finish off the three Mist Shadow Leopards.

Zhao Meng leaned on his blade, panting, his gaze toward Zhang Wen even colder: "Next time you drag us down like this, get yourself back down the mountain!"

"Yes, yes, yes, the Captain is right to reprimand me; I will definitely pull myself together!"

Zhang Wen nodded quickly, his attitude very submissive, but secretly he used the Eye of Thunder Punishment to scan the depths of the fog ahead—there, an aura even more obscure than the Blood-Stain Bear was flowing.

He quietly slowed his pace, deliberately letting himself fall half a step behind, and lightly traced his fingertips over the spear shaft.

This depth of Black Wind Ridge really did hide interesting things.

And all he had to do was continue to play the part of a "newcomer with good luck" and watch slowly.

Lin Muer glanced back at Zhang Wen, seeing him still in that timid and submissive state.

She frowned slightly but didn't say anything more, just gripped her soft sword tighter and quickened her pace.

Passing through the Mist Forest, the view suddenly opened up.

On a bluestone platform about a zhang square, there grew a half-foot-tall Spiritual Plant.

Its leaves were as translucent as jade, and at the top grew three vermilion fruits; it was precisely the "Blood Spirit Fruit," rarely seen in a hundred years.

"It's the Blood Spirit Fruit!"

Old Wang exclaimed, a greedy light flashing in his eyes, "This thing can directly increase spiritual cultivation; it's worth a fortune!"

Zhao Meng's breathing also became rapid. The previous gloom was cast to the back of his mind, and his hand holding the machete tightened slightly.

With this Blood Spirit Fruit, perhaps he could completely stabilize his Realm and even make up for the damage caused by the backlash of the Medicinal Pill.

Lin Muer, however, frowned, her gaze sweeping over the surroundings of the platform.

"Something is wrong. How could such a precious Spiritual Plant not be guarded by a Vicious Beast?"

No sooner had she finished speaking than a harsh grinding sound suddenly came from the pile of rubble below the platform.

The ground trembled violently, even more terrifyingly than the commotion when the Blood-Stain Bear appeared earlier.

A giant python, its entire body covered in blue-black scales, lunged out. Its snake head was as large as a water bucket, and its vertical pupils flashed with cold, vicious light.

It was precisely a Vicious Beast at the Forming Realm Peak—the Black Scaled Python!

"Not good! It's this beast!"