136: The harsh environment of the rotten lake

"It's just a pity that I'm full now, otherwise I'd skin and roast you!" Tang Xiaowei looked at the Purple-Headed Sheep in front of her. She didn't think too much about it, assuming it was just a beast that had run out of the forest.

However, in the eyes of the red alert soldiers, this Purple-Headed Sheep was shifting back and forth between human and sheep states, which indicated that Wei He already knew Tang Xiaowei's location.

Tang Xiaowei, who was grabbing beast meat and gnawing on it bite by bite, suddenly lifted her head sharply. She vigilantly observed the surroundings, and with her mouth stuffed with meat, she slurred, "Are you ever going to stop? How can they find me no matter where I run? This is absolutely haunted!"

Tang Xiaowei tossed away the beast meat in her hand, tapped her toes lightly on the ground, and flew toward Kela City. "The most dangerous place is the safest place. You won't be able to find me this time, will you? You'd never guess it even if you died! Hahahaha!"

Tang Xiaowei would never have guessed that there was such a heaven-defying piece of equipment on this continent as a Spy satellite. Every move she made after arriving in Kela City was under Wei He's watchful eye.

On the surface of Rotten Lake at night, dozens of jet-black Iron-Scaled Crocodiles were surrounding a Giant Sun Bear that had accidentally fallen into the lake, attacking and biting it fiercely. The Giant Sun Bear possessed immense strength; although the Iron-Scaled Crocodiles were only the size of the Giant Sun Bear's arm, no matter how hard the bear swatted, tore, or bit, the Iron-Scaled Crocodiles remained full of vitality, attacking the bear madly. This was because the jet-black scales on the Iron-Scaled Crocodiles were as tough as iron plates, making all attacks unable to harm them.

Before long, under the continuous biting of the Iron-Scaled Crocodiles, the Giant Sun Bear gradually lost its strength and slowly stopped moving. The Iron-Scaled Crocodiles swirled their bodies madly around the Giant Sun Bear, tearing the bear meat off piece by piece, and then swallowed it directly into their stomachs.

All of this was clearly seen by Charlie on the shore under the moonlight. At this moment, riding the Golden Rainbow Flame Divine Beast after months of trekking, his lips cracked and peeling, he had finally arrived at Rotten Lake. Upon arriving, he immediately observed the terrifying nature of the Iron-Scaled Crocodiles.

"Oh my, if I go down there, wouldn't I end up covered in bruises?" Charlie twisted his mouth and snorted disdainfully. A few mindless beasts might be fine for dealing with wild bears, but how could they compare to himself, who possessed magic?

Charlie held his chin high, looking down at the lake surface. Rotten Lake truly lived up to its name; just looking at it felt filthier than death. The lake water was turbid, making it impossible to see the scene at the bottom of the water, let alone search for the mad corpse divine scale.

"Forget it, I'll go find some water to drink first. If I don't drink water soon, I'm going to die of thirst!" Charlie rode the Golden Rainbow Flame Divine Beast and headed into the distance.

Charlie didn't know how far he had traveled, but finally, due to the lack of water, he couldn't hold on and collapsed on the ground. When he woke up again, he was already inside a wooden hut.

An old man, thin and gaunt with every rib clearly visible and arms not even as thick as Charlie's ankles, brought him a bowl of water and said expressionlessly, "Drink."

Seeing the water, Charlie was happier than ever. He took the bowl and drank it in large gulps, finishing the entire bowl in a few mouthfuls.

"Where is this, old man?" Charlie asked the emaciated old man while feeling around his own body.

"This is Oracle Ridge, and right next to it is Rotten Lake. You came here for it, didn't you?" The old man said to Charlie while fiddling with the charcoal fire in the stove.

"Yes, I am here to find the mad corpse divine scale!" Charlie did not hide it and stated firmly.

"How did you know about the mad corpse divine scale? So many people come to Rotten Lake just for the treasures in the lake, yet no one knows about this divine artifact!" The old man's pupils constricted sharply, and he stared at Charlie with wide eyes.

"It was the Abyssal Demon who told me that the mad corpse divine scale was here, and I must obtain it!" Charlie's gaze was extremely firm. He had to use the mad corpse divine scale to strengthen his power, defeat Wei He, and avenge Carlos.

"You are of the Demon race? That makes sense; ordinary people wouldn't have those green pupils of yours." The old man said faintly. When he first rescued Charlie, Charlie's eyes had been closed, and the old man had thought he was an ordinary person.

"Yes, I am of the Demon race!" Charlie tore off the cloth strips wrapping his arms, revealing the black scale armor underneath.

"Alright, go to sleep for now. Tomorrow at daybreak, I will send you to Rotten Lake." After saying this, the old man hunched his back and walked out of the room.

From the window of the wooden hut, Charlie saw the old man beside the Golden Rainbow Flame Divine Beast, feeding it. His hand was gently stroking its head, and the Golden Rainbow Flame Divine Beast was rubbing its head against the old man's leg, a feeling as if they had known each other before.

The next morning, Charlie followed the old man to the edge of Rotten Lake. A dozen Iron-Scaled Crocodiles suddenly leaped out of the water, biting toward Charlie and the old man.

"Oh, flame molecules condensing in my hand, obey my command—Dancing Fan Flame!" After Charlie finished chanting, black fan shapes burning with black flames were scattered toward the Iron-Scaled Crocodiles.

These black fan-shaped flames spun and struck the backs of the Iron-Scaled Crocodiles. The toughest back armor was easily sliced open by the fan-shaped flames. Where the flames passed, it was as if the meat had been roasted, emitting waves of meaty aroma. Where the wounds were large, purple blood had already seeped out.

"Not bad, at least you can pass the first stage!" The old man's eyes were filled with approval for Charlie, then he changed the subject and continued, "Every year, many people like you come here, but unfortunately, even if they can pass this stage, they cannot pass the next one."

"What is the next stage? Are there other dangers?" Charlie's heart tightened, and he wiped the sweat from his forehead with his cloth-wrapped hand.

"At the bottom of Rotten Lake grows a type of water grass. They will keep all animals that enter Rotten Lake at the bottom until the animals rot and only a skeleton remains. Except for the Iron-Scaled Crocodiles, no other animals can survive here!" The old man's mouth curled up slightly, his hand continuously stroking the Golden Rainbow Flame Divine Beast beside him.

"Water grass? Isn't that easy? Can't I just take a knife down with me?" Charlie flipped through the corpse of an Iron-Scaled Crocodile, his face relaxed, saying indifferently.

"Hahahaha, this kind of water grass is different from elsewhere. If it were really that easy, why would so many people lose their lives here? The water grass here is extremely tough; ordinary swords cannot cut through it at all. Moreover, the water grass itself grows barbs and mucus. Once you are entangled by it, you won't be able to escape without losing a layer of skin!" The old man took the food prepared in the morning from his bosom, broke it open, handed it to the mouth of the Golden Rainbow Flame Divine Beast, and said with a smile.

"Then how do you know? Have you come out of there alive? Old senior, please tell me, how can I dive to the bottom of the lake? I must obtain the mad corpse divine scale!" Charlie fell to his knees with a thud and looked at the old man with pleading eyes.

"I will ask you a question, and you must answer truthfully?" The old man let out a long sigh and asked slowly, "Jack shouldn't abandon the Golden Rainbow Flame Divine Beast. What is your relationship with Jack? Why is the Golden Rainbow Flame Divine Beast in your hands?"

"You know Jack? He is my friend, and the Golden Rainbow Flame Divine Beast was left by him. It's just a pity that he has been missing for a long time, and his whereabouts have yet to be found. However, I know that all of this was done by that little thief Wei He. I want to find the mad corpse divine scale to avenge him!" Hearing the old man's words, Charlie's eyes brightened instantly, and he clenched his hands tightly, saying excitedly.