184: Oh no, I used too much force.

Gong Qiuqiu smiled calmly. "No problem, I will protect myself."

"Alright, we leave at four tomorrow morning!"

"As you say! If there's nothing else, I'll head out first. I'll wait for you at the foot of the mountain tomorrow." Gong Qiuqiu had a warm look on his face.

Ai Yue looked at Gong Qiuqiu's back, deeply feeling that this man was like a mystery, making it impossible to see through what he was really thinking.

Gong Qiuqiu always gave people a gentle and elegant impression, handling matters thoughtfully so that no one could find fault with him. He was warm to everyone, but beneath that warmth was a deep-seated aloofness that permeated his very bones; he seemed kind to everyone, but in reality, no one could truly enter his heart.

The next day, Ai Yue appeared at the foot of the mountain on time. By then, Gong Qiuqiu was already waiting there.

Ai Yue didn't say much, simply nodding to him in greeting, and the two of them left Nameless Mountain.

Once they were far enough from Nameless Mountain, Ai Yue focused her mind, touched the ground with both hands, closed her eyes, and carefully sensed the vibrations below.

Gong Qiuqiu followed Ai Yue obediently. Wherever she went, he followed. No matter what Ai Yue did, he stayed quietly to the side.

Ai Yue didn't explain, and he didn't ask, simply watching her work.

Ai Yue led him through countless locations before finally sensing a slight vibration underground.

She wasn't sure if it was the vibration of an Ancient Centipede; she would have to go down to confirm.

"I'm going down to check. Will you wait up here or come with me?" Ai Yue looked up at Gong Qiuqiu, who had been silent, and asked.

"I'll go down with you!" As he spoke, he took two small Oxygen Cylinders out of his backpack, handed one to Ai Yue, and put the other one on himself.

Ai Yue didn't waste any words. She put on the Oxygen Cylinder, took Gong Qiuqiu's hand, and without giving him time to react, pulled him directly underground.

Gong Qiuqiu watched in amazement as the soil on either side slid away like quicksand, leaving a passage for them to pass through. Once they had passed, the soil behind them closed up automatically, as if nothing had happened.

Gong Qiuqiu marveled at the sight.

His eyes were opened a bit wider than usual.

With the Oxygen Cylinder providing him with air, he didn't feel any discomfort, though the sight of nothing but soil made him feel a bit stifled.

Ai Yue was very fast. In a few moments, she and Gong Qiuqiu appeared where the vibrations were coming from.

Sure enough, traces of Ancient Centipedes were left here, proving they hadn't looked in the wrong place.

Ai Yue quickly followed the traces left by the Ancient Centipede.

After a while, Ai Yue sensitively heard a rustling sound coming from ahead.

Gong Qiuqiu heard it too. He tapped Ai Yue, signaling that the Ancient Centipede was just ahead.

Ai Yue nodded and quietly moved closer.

After following for a while, Ai Yue was certain that the centipede ahead was the one they were looking for. She didn't alert it but followed quietly behind.

Ai Yue followed the Ancient Centipede deep into the ground. The further down they went, the more pressure she endured. Gong Qiuqiu also noticed that the Protective Shield Ai Yue projected was becoming smaller and smaller.

"Ai Yue, if you can't hold on, let's go back. Don't push yourself!" Gong Qiuqiu said in a voice that Ai Yue could only just hear.

"It's fine! I can still hold on!"

Seeing that Ai Yue had no intention of retreating, Gong Qiuqiu stopped trying to persuade her.

There wasn't the slightest bit of panic on his face about potentially being left underground.

He still looked as calm and unruffled as ever.

After diving for an unknown number of meters, the Ancient Centipede ahead finally slowed down and eventually disappeared with a flick of its tail.

Ai Yue knew they had successfully reached the vicinity of the Ancient Centipede's nest.

She then changed her route and continued forward, soon discovering the centipede's nest. Ai Yue and Gong Qiuqiu hid quietly to one side.

Seeing the vast underground cave, Ai Yue showed no expression, but Gong Qiuqiu was surprised to see such a large cavern for the first time. He hadn't expected those Ancient Centipedes to dig out such a massive Burrow deep underground.

He said in awe, "It's truly breathtaking."

"Yeah," Ai Yue replied perfunctorily, her eyes fixed on the countless centipedes.

The centipede nest they found this time was much larger than the previous one, and the number of Ancient Centipedes was several times higher.

Ai Yue's expression was not good. This Burrow was too deep, and since she was carrying someone, the pressure she faced was even greater, causing her Superpower to be consumed faster.

Ai Yue constantly used her Healing Superpower secretly to restore her energy, keeping herself in peak condition.

"What do we do? Use your Lightning Superpower to strike them dead?" Gong Qiuqiu asked.

"I'd like to, but where would I get enough energy to strike them all? Besides, there are too many centipedes this time; I can't take them all down." Ai Yue's brow furrowed slightly as she spoke softly.

After hearing her words, Gong Qiuqiu also fell into deep thought.

For a moment, the two of them stayed in place, not daring to act rashly.

Ai Yue felt that waiting like this wasn't an option. Making up her mind, her gaze sharpened, and she said in a low voice, "We can't wait any longer. We have to attack head-on. I'll use lightning to attack; you use the Light Screen to cover us and protect us both."

Gong Qiuqiu didn't have any better ideas underground. Hearing Ai Yue's suggestion, he readily agreed. "Alright! I'll block any that slip through. Don't worry."

Ai Yue nodded at his words and released a Lightning Ball of maximum power. It exploded violently above the swarm of Ancient Centipedes, and countless blue-gold lightning bolts struck the centipedes.

Most of the centipedes were struck directly, paralyzing them on the spot, unable to move.

During this process, many Ancient Centipedes dodged Ai Yue's attack and lunged fiercely at the two of them.

Ai Yue had fired her largest Lightning Superpower light orb; at this moment, her Superpower was exhausted, and she had no strength left to fight.

Seeing the Ancient Centipedes about to pounce, Gong Qiuqiu raised the Light Screen in time, blocking them all outside.

The Ancient Centipedes failed to break the Light Screen on the first try, so they unwillingly gathered their strength again and leaped to crash against it.

In this interval, Ai Yue struggled to cast Healing on herself, restoring her physical strength and Superpower.

"Ai Yue, I'm about to lose my hold!" Behind her, Gong Qiuqiu's face turned red as he spoke with difficulty.

"Hold on just a bit longer!" After Ai Yue finished speaking, she waved her arm, and another massive Lightning Ball appeared above the Ancient Centipedes. As she lowered her hand, the Lightning Ball transformed into thousands of lightning bolts, striking the remaining active Ancient Centipedes.

Instantly, a burnt smell wafted through the air.

"Oops, I overdid it!" Ai Yue said to Gong Qiuqiu with some embarrassment.

"It's alright, the first wave of Ancient Centipedes is still intact!" Gong Qiuqiu said comfortingly.

As he spoke, the centipedes that had been charred suddenly disintegrated, turning into fly ash and vanishing.

"You... are truly amazing!" Looking at the now-empty section of the underground cave, Gong Qiuqiu raised an eyebrow and gave a thumbs up.