53: You call this a place where you can survive in the early stages of foundation building?

Behind him, the thick refined iron gate, which could serve as a city wall, slammed down with immense force, the deafening crash making his eardrums buzz, completely severing Li Dong's connection with the outside world.

The light was gone.

The sound was also gone, except for the drum-like pounding of his own heart.

Immediately after, an indescribably complex scent brutally assailed his nostrils, washing over his internal organs.

It was chilling, like falling naked into an ice hole in the dead of winter.

It was chaotic, as if the ravings of countless madmen and malicious curses had been stirred into a single pot.

And there was that thick, unyielding smell of death, as heavy as a tomb that hadn't seen ventilation in centuries.

The most critical, however, was that special fragrance, almost condensed into a tangible substance!

"Damn it!" Li Dong cursed inwardly. This scent was more than ten times stronger than Black Wind Ridge or the abandoned mine! It was like being directly steeped in a vat of fragrance!

This place was so oppressive it made it hard to breathe; every breath of air he inhaled felt like it contained countless tiny needles pricking his lungs.

Li Dong tightened his grip on the Mystic Iron Demon Suppressing Ruler; the cold touch of the ruler's body slightly steadied his nerves. Damn it, this start was truly "surprising."

The passage was deep and visibility was nonexistent. He could only rely on the Cultivator's faint senses and the nauseatingly strong fragrance to guide his direction.

He had barely fumbled forward for less than a hundred meters, not even having found his footing yet.

"Rustle, rustle—"

In the shadows, a strange noise suddenly erupted!

It wasn't just one; it was a whole swarm!

Li Dong's scalp instantly prickled, and all the hairs on his body stood on end!

Dozens of dark figures, swift as phantoms, burst forth from the dark corners all around him!

Using the faint Demonic Qi fluctuations emanating from them, Li Dong barely managed to make out the appearance of the attackers.

The ones on the left were massive, with eight legs covered in disgusting suture marks, as if countless spider limbs had been forcibly stitched together to form these Sewn Giant Spiders. The tip of each segmented leg glowed with an eerie green poisonous light.

The ones on the right, however, resembled half-rotted evil dogs, with tattered flesh hanging from their bodies, exposing stark white bones. Two clusters of crimson ghostly flames flickered in their eye sockets; these were Wraith Corpse Dogs!

These creatures had blood-red eyes and exuded a violent aura, catalyzed by that special fragrance. They possessed no rationality whatsoever, acting purely as fearless killing machines!

Moreover, the Demonic Qi fluctuations they emitted each subtly reached the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment!

"I bought a watch last year!" Li Dong almost blurted out a national curse.

What about the promised "mutated demons"? Is this "mutated"? This is clearly a "super-enhanced limited edition"!

Those bastards who registered outside, they call this a place where a Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase Cultivator can survive? Your schemes are denser than a hornet's nest; just looking at it makes me uncomfortable!

The Black Scale Armor instantly activated, black light flowing and protecting his vital areas.

The Mystic Iron Demon Suppressing Ruler danced in his hand, leaving a blur of afterimages. "Whoosh, whoosh" sounds of wind tore through the air as he strenuously fended off the onslaught of blood and gore.

"Clang! Rip!"

A Sewn Giant Spider's poisonous fangs fiercely struck the Black Scale Armor, sparking a shower of fire and leaving a shallow white mark on the armor. Li Dong felt a huge force, shaking his Qi and blood.

Another Wraith Corpse Dog cunningly circled to his side and rear, opening its putrid maw, which reeked of corpse Qi, and bit at his calf.

"Scram!"

Li Dong twisted his waist, narrowly dodging, and swept the ruler across in a backhand strike, hitting the Corpse Dog's waist squarely.

"Awoo!"

The Corpse Dog let out a shrill howl of agony but was merely sent tumbling a few meters. It shook its head and, with red eyes, lunged again!

The attack methods of these modified demons were incredibly bizarre!

Moreover, their coordination displayed a strange synchronicity, completely unlike the previous demons he had encountered, which fought individually. Sometimes they launched frontal assaults, sometimes flank harassment, sometimes upper and lower pincer attacks. The offensive was relentless, almost suffocating Li Dong.

The pressure was immense!

He felt like a small boat in a raging storm, liable to be torn to shreds by these violent monsters at any moment.

Would I, a mere nobody, truly meet my end here today?

After narrowly dodging a spray of dark green venom from a Sewn Giant Spider, Li Dong stumbled, his back hitting the cold rock wall with a heavy thud.

Breathing heavily, his mind raced.

Something was wrong!

Although these demons were fierce, their attack patterns, though violent, seemed inflexible, repeating the same few moves, as if... they were forcibly instilled commands?

Moreover, in the interval between each attack, they would subconsciously twitch their noses towards the direction where the special fragrance in the air was strongest.

Their dependence on the demon-attracting incense was extremely high!

Could it be... A shiver ran through Li Dong's heart, and a terrifying thought surfaced.

This place was not some damn "core area clearance mission" at all!

This place was, damn it, a giant Forbidden Experiment!

These so-called "mutated demons" were all experimental products created by those damned bastards!

The reinforced demonic spiders in the mine, the fragrance on Zhao Zhen's confidant, Elder Wang and Old Sun's evasive "internal experiments," the powder from the abandoned altar... All the clues, at this moment, pointed to this chilling truth!

Within the Demon Suppression Division, there truly existed such a deranged dark force, experimenting on demons, and possibly... even on living people!

This wasn't just decay; it was rot to the core!

These scoundrels are so good at fabricating stories, were their umbilical cords braided into pigtails when they were born?

Just as Li Dong's mind was reeling and his limbs felt cold.

"Beep! High concentrations of spirituality fragments and Alien Energy detected!"

"Beep! The System is autonomously absorbing... Absorption efficiency is extremely high..."

"Beep! The System's core module is about to undergo a major upgrade! Estimated upgrade time: unknown. During the upgrade, some auxiliary functions may be limited, but core combat assistance and scanning functions will be enhanced!"

In his mind, the System's cold prompt tone now sounded like heavenly music!

Holy shit! There's such a good thing?

Li Dong almost laughed aloud.

This Earth Abyss was actually filled with this kind of "nourishment" that could upgrade the System?

Although he didn't know exactly what those "spirituality fragments" and " Alien Energy" were, they sounded incredibly powerful!

In this desperate situation, there was actually such an unexpected surprise!

Was this a turn for the better after reaching rock bottom? Or rather, did these damned bastards indirectly send him a wave of warmth?

Who cares! An upgrade is a good thing!

The desire to survive and the exhilaration brought by the impending System upgrade instantly filled Li Dong with renewed strength.

Damn it, you want me dead? It won't be that easy!

His eyes flashed with brilliance. Relying on his extraordinary perception, far exceeding those of his peers, and his combat instincts honed through countless life-and-death struggles, he managed to seize a fleeting glimmer of hope amidst the encirclement of dozens of modified demons!

Instead of clashing head-on, he began to use the stiffness of these demons' attack patterns, their reliance on the fragrance, and the complex surrounding terrain to dodge and counterattack.

His footwork shifted, and his figure moved like a ghost, weaving through the gaps between spider legs and sharp claws.

A Sewn Giant Spider lunged fiercely, its eight long legs stabbing down like steel spears. Li Dong, instead of retreating, advanced, ducking sharply and sliding almost along the ground. At the same time, the Mystic Iron Demon Suppressing Ruler in his hand swept upwards from below, fiercely striking the relatively vulnerable abdominal joint of the giant spider!

"Pfft!"

Green liquid splattered!

"Roar—!"

The injured giant spider let out a painful shriek, and its attack rhythm instantly became chaotic.

An opportunity!

Li Dong seized this opening, exerted force, and forcefully broke through the pincer attack of two Wraith Corpse Dogs!

Behind him were the piercing roars of dozens of modified demons and the relentless sound of their pursuing footsteps.

The pressure was still immense, but at least he had temporarily escaped the desperate situation of being beaten to death.

Damn it, these guys are truly relentless!

Li Dong sprinted for his life, desperately sensing his surroundings.

This Earth Abyss passage twisted and turned, intricate and complex, like a giant labyrinth.

But the strong fragrance in the air always lingered, like a shadow.

Suddenly, he sensed a relatively weak aura not far to his front left.

It was like a small haven.

He didn't hesitate, immediately turning and rushing towards that direction.

Pushing aside a few scattered, moss-covered rocks on the ground, an inconspicuous, narrow cave entrance, just wide enough for one person, appeared before his eyes.

"This is it!"

Li Dong plunged inside, then quickly moved several large stones to barely block the entrance.

He was temporarily safe.

Li Dong leaned against the cold rock wall, gasping for breath, his clothes already drenched in sweat.

That desperate escape and fierce battle had almost exhausted most of his spiritual energy.

He pulled out a Medicinal Pill for restoring spiritual energy from his in my arms, and without even bothering to taste it, threw it directly into his mouth and swallowed it whole.

However, just as he breathed a slight sigh of relief and prepared to meditate and recover, his nose suddenly twitched a few times.

In this cave... the special "demon-attracting incense" scent had not only not weakened but was even stronger than in the passage outside!

Moreover, amidst this strong fragrance, he also keenly detected a trace of... extremely faint, yet exceptionally pure energy fluctuation!

It was different from the chaotic and violent Demonic Qi outside, and also different from the "spirituality fragments" the System was absorbing.

This energy was purer, more... core?

Li Dong's heart stirred, and his gaze turned towards the depths of the cave.

Was something else hidden in here?

Was it a greater danger, or... a crucial clue to uncovering the truth?

He touched the few life-saving Talismans tucked away in his robes and tightened his grip on the Demon Suppression Ruler.

"Since I'm already here, I can't go back empty-handed, can I?"