Within a forest of stones, an eeriness prevails. The terrain is painfully complex, akin to a maze, and you never quite know what you’ll run into after passing through each stone forest.
Thus, everyone treads carefully.
After what feels like an eternity, Jiang Xiaobai finally ceases to detect the mad dog pack pursuing him. Only then does he breathe a sigh of relief.
“Let’s rest for a while.”
Xiao Yuwei, leading the way, suggests, and the group finds a larger stone forest to sit and rest.
They’ve been in the Mad Demon Valley for two days now. The first day was somewhat orderly, but due to the mad dog pack, they’ve been fleeing for most of the second day.
Physically and mentally exhausted!
Upon sitting, none of them feel like moving. One by one, they take out their spirit stones and begin to restore their spiritual power.
In such unpredictable danger, it’s crucial to maintain their strength at a healthy level, otherwise they’d surely die in a sudden crisis.
After a breather, Xiao Yuwei opens her eyes, fixating them intently on Jiang Xiaobai.
A pair of bright, beautiful eyes seemed to be trying to read him.
“What is it that you can’t mess up?” Xiao Yuwei grits her teeth.
Jiang Xiaobai shrugs noncommittally. He has a knack for getting into all sorts of trouble.
“Where’s the loot?” Xiao Yuwei asks once again.
Jiang Xiaobai nonchalantly drops twenty Frenzy Demon Stones on the ground. Upon seeing this, a glimmer of shock flashes through Xiao Yuwei’s eyes.
“You actually found so many Frenzy Demon Stones?” Xiao Yuwei exclaims in surprise as she quickly gathers all the Frenzy Demon Stones.
According to her estimation, Jiang Xiaobai getting ten Frenzy Demon Stones would have been a godsend. Much to her surprise, he not only met but surpassed this expectation.
The two of them had truly surpassed Xiao Yuwei and her team.
This leaves Xiao Yuwei in a daze.
“Could it be that these two actually fought the mad dog pack and snatched the Frenzy Demon Stones the pack had found?”
“But how is that possible? There are at least a dozen mad dogs in the pack. With just the two of them, there’s no way they could resist. Not being eaten alive would already have been a blessing.”
Despite her disbelief, Xiao Yuwei can only come to this conclusion. Jiang Xiaobai must have used some unknown method to accomplish this.
She can’t help but raise her estimation of Jiang Xiaobai.
However, Xiao Yuwei could never imagine that Jiang Xiaobai wasn’t just confronting the mad dog pack, but had plucked up the courage to raid the mad dog lair, and pilfer the Frenzy Demon Stones from within it.
However, her subconscious didn’t allow her to even entertain this thought.
But regardless, in Xiao Yuwei’s eyes, Jiang Xiaobai had proved his worth.
Although he has an uncanny knack for trouble, he is undoubtedly capable.
“Is there anything special about this place? For instance, any special dangers or resources?” Jiang Xiaobai disregards Xiao Yuwei’s astonished look and instead asks nonchalantly.
“What, are you thinking of stirring up trouble again?” Xiao Yuwei snorts.
Jiang Xiaobai quickly shakes his head. After all, he had already angered the mad dog pack in the miasma area. If he angers another terrifying creature here, it would spell certain doom for them.
Then he would have no choice but to desperately throw AnRan into the Pagoda and use an earth escape skill to flee alone.
“Don’t fret. This stone forest is the safest place. Its complex terrain can keep away predatory beasts pursuing us. Plus, no terrifying creatures inhabit this place – there’s no danger.”
Xiao Yuwei shakes her head calmly: “In the original plan, this place was always a stopover for rest. The resources here are practically nonexistent. Just rest assuredly.”
“Then at least tell me what dangers lie ahead before we reach Mad Demon Secret Land?”
“If I have to keep living in suspense and working for you, I might just drop everything and quit.” Jiang Xiaobai scoffs.
Xiao Yuwei frowns, seemingly in hesitation.
“From the looks of it, you still don’t trust me, ah, it’s such a waste to relentlessly labor here for you.” Jiang Xiaobai feigns a lighthearted tone.
“I don’t mind telling you.” Xiao Yuwei suddenly says: “After this, there’s just one more stretch to go – if any place within the Mad Demon Valley earns the title of the most dangerous, it’s there.”
“It’s called the Death Marsh.”
“Are there many dangerous beasts?” Jiang Xiaobai’s eyes narrow in suspicion.
“So many you wouldn’t believe. But also just as many resources – spirit grass, spirit stones, even certain exotic treasures. Nobody knows when these resources first appeared there. However, even though it’s the most dangerous place, it’s also the most fertile.”
Xiao Yuwei says evenly: “Sometimes, lots of people come here specifically to adventure and look for resources. There’s an extremely valuable special spirit medicine. The entire world only has it here, in the Death Marsh.”
“Therefore, many come here risking their lives. As long as there’s a chance to stumble across that spirit medicine, the wealth they’d gain would be enough for a novice transcendence cultivator to ascend all the way to the Dividing the gods stage.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiaobai nods in agreement.
It seems that the Mad Demon land is not as bad as they make it out to be. Despite the dangers, it does offer a lot in return.
He only wonders what terrifying creatures could exist within the Death Marsh, ones that would cause the experienced Xiao Yuwei to be so serious.
“Oh, right, over there, the Imperial heirs battle in their final showdown.”
Suddenly, Xiao Yuwei starts laughing: “Throughout the Mad Demon Secret Land, the Imperial heirs compete through four trials set by the Empire. The first trial is to search for Frenzy Demon Stones in the miasma area, where more Frenzy Demon Stones equals a higher score.”
“The second trial can be overlooked, we’ve already missed it. The third trial is in the upcoming Death Marsh.”
Jiang Xiaobai is taken aback, a sense of foreboding washes over him: “You’re not going to make me find that damn spirit medicine, are you?”
A faint smile graces Xiao Yuwei’s face.
“Congratulations, you’re wrong.”
“If we could find the spirit medicine, of course, the trial score would be the highest. But the spirit medicine is too hard to find, it’s impossible without substantial luck.”
“When we get there, our Imperial heirs must hunt a specific ferocious beast, and extract the purple gem on its head. The more gems, the higher their score.”
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With that explanation, Jiang Xiaobai finally exhales in relief: “That’s more like it, you do have some conscience.”
However, seeing the knowing smirk on Xiao Yuwei’s face, he becomes apprehensive: “Don’t get too comfortable. When we get there, you’ll know.”
After resting a while, the group sluggishly gets up and heads towards the next area.
Throughout their rest, they didn’t notice any movement from the mad dogs. The mad dogs must have given up the chase.
Everyone thinks this, but the events that follow leave them fuming with frustration.