Chapter 172: 172. Chapter 169: Disaster Approaches

172. Chapter 169: Disaster Approaches

"Comrade Ding, it's already dark. Should we set up camp here?"

Seeing Ding Huan only running through the forest, Elder Gu couldn't help but speak up.

Walking through the Dahu Gorge forest during the day was dangerous enough; if we keep moving through it at night, we're truly seeking death.

Ding Huan shouted as he sprinted:

"Elder Gu, trust me—we can stop in no more than half an hour."

Hearing Ding Huan's words, Gu Youchang immediately told the other disciples:

"Everyone, push harder—don't be stingy with your Speeding Talismans."

Without Elder Gu's reminder, no one dared stop now; everyone was running for their lives, following Ding Huan.

The most annoyed was Qingyu—if not for this cook Ding Huan, why would she need to risk her life walking through the Dahu Gorge forest at night?

At that moment, Ding Huan suddenly drew a long knife from his waist and slashed it out.

Elder Gu's heart jolted, then he realized Ding Huan had split a venomous snake, as thick as a bowl's mouth, cleanly in two.

This act didn't slow Ding Huan down—even accelerated him.

Gu Youchang regarded Ding Huan with new respect; this young cook was no ordinary man.

Even he hadn't spotted the snake just now.

If things continued like this, any new disciple bitten by the snake would die without fail.

In a way, Ding Huan had done better than Qiong Zhishi and himself.

If this turns out as Ding Huan foresaw and we escape this crisis, should we consider recommending him to the Yanyue Sect?

He also felt Ding Huan was deliberately holding back his speed—if not waiting for these disciples, Ding Huan would've vanished long ago.

Seeing Ding Huan so fierce, those behind him gained unexpected confidence.

When Ding Huan saw a broad mountain path ahead, he finally exhaled in relief.

We made it.

He looked back—good, no one was missing.

"Should we set up camp here?"

Seeing Ding Huan stop, Elder Gu also halted and asked.

Before Ding Huan could answer, he cried out in shock:

"What's going on? How could there be such a wide road here?"

At this moment, everyone reached the path; though night had fallen, starlight poured down, and all could clearly see this was an extremely broad mountain trail.

The trail clearly showed frequent use—it was no secluded place.

Elder Gu closed his eyes, walked forward dozens of meters, then sensed everything around him again.

After over ten minutes, Elder Gu returned, staring at Ding Huan in shock:

"Comrade Ding, tell me—did you already know the path we took before was false, an illusion all of us fell for? That we were truly lost in the forest, and this is the real path?"

I'm not telling you, you idiot.

"Elder Gu, you're overestimating me. If I'd truly known we were inside the forest all along, I would've spoken up.

I was mentally unsettled—I trust my instincts. If I didn't rely on them, I wouldn't be alive today.

I didn't know where to stop—I just followed my feeling here, and didn't expect a path to appear."

"Wait, no—Elder Gu, you're saying the path we took before was fake? Why? It clearly looked like a wide road!"

Ding Huan seemed to realize this only as he finished speaking.

Gu Youchang had merely asked casually—he naturally didn't believe Ding Huan had sensed something all the others missed.

Ding Huan's remark about being mentally unsettled struck home; Gu himself had felt uneasy, which was why he'd trusted Ding Huan and followed him here.

Otherwise, he would never have followed Ding Huan into the Dahu Gorge forest just because he somewhat admired him.

"Comrade Ding, thank you—if not for you, I might not have survived… sigh…"

Elder Gu's final sigh was for the others; since they were safe, the rest were in danger.

"All disciples, set up camp."

With Qiong Zhishi absent, Elder Gu had to take over his duties.

"Comrade Ding, thank you—if not for you, I doubt I could've escaped."

What surprised Ding Huan was that Guan Cuan, usually so cold and aloof, also came to thank him.

In Guan Cuan's eyes, Ding Huan was merely a cook—though somewhat capable, still just a capable cook.

This incident left Guan Cuan drenched in sweat; if she'd listened to Qingyu, she might have perished in the Dahu Gorge.

Thinking of this, Guan Cuan coldly glared at Qingyu.

She knew Qingyu hadn't come over because she was afraid to die.

The old saying was right: the more you fear death, the faster you die.

Ding Huan immediately began calculating his safety—he didn't want to die here for no reason.

Due to his low cultivation, the rules here were too high—he couldn't get a clear vision.

But he saw a more distant image.

Ding Huan exhaled; the blurred vision didn't matter—as long as there was one.

A distant image meant he was safe.

The disciples were setting up camp; Elder Gu was busy arranging a protective array.

Watching Elder Gu skillfully toss out array flags, Ding Huan felt deep envy.

"Big Brother Ding, can I buy your Speeding Talisman? Would you sell it?"

A new disciple of the Yanyue Sect came to Ding Huan's side, his tone uneasy.

This is the new disciple who moved slowly before—he used up his entire Speed-Travel Talisman in the forest just now.

Ding Huan didn't hesitate at all; he immediately pulled out his own Speed-Travel Talisman and handed it to the other.

"Take it. Don't buy one—I don't need it either."

He had studied this Speed-Travel Talisman for several days and found nothing worth studying—it was just a combination of Wind-Quickening runes.

When his cultivation reached the right level, he could naturally make one himself.

As for selling it to this disciple, what could the fellow give him? True Ye coins from the Mortal World? Useless to him—he'd rather give it away.

"Thank you, Brother Ding! I, Shen Guan, will never forget this kindness." The new disciple bowed deeply in gratitude.

To Ding Huan, it was just an insignificant talisman; to him, it was his very life.

……

At the same time, the large group still in the forest began setting up camp.

Seeing how other sects had elders guarding their disciples on the perimeter, Master Qiong sighed inwardly—why were the elders of the Yanyue Sect so unreliable? Listening to a cook, sigh.

And then there was Liu Liu Yinzhu—if anything happened, how could he explain it to the Shao Sect?

"Elder Liu." As Elder Liu Liu Yinzhu of the Zixia Valley was still pondering this strange cook, a voice came from outside—the Elder Qu of the Shuanghun Sect.

Liu Liu Yinzhu stepped out of the encampment:

"Elder Qu, are you here to discuss night watch coordination?"

Qu Yueshan was about to speak when a massive black mass crashed down from the night.

In that instant, everything seemed to vanish.

A chilling, icy aura enveloped the entire space; a terror of death spread instantly.

Liu Liu Yinzhu sensed something was wrong at once and shouted:

"Everyone, flee immediately—"

She was also the first to dash out.

Boom! The black mass slammed into the camp and exploded instantly; piercing screams rang out.

Everyone frantically fled outward—but this was not the end; several more black masses crashed down from the sky.

The chilling cold that seeped into the soul's depths exploded at the center of the camp; the untrained new disciples could not move—not even shift a step.

The Yanyue Sect members under Master Qiong, lacking any elder, were left lagging behind.

But this lagging behind gave him a chance to escape.

Before the second chilling black mass crashed down, he screamed at the top of his lungs for everyone to flee while sprinting ahead himself.

Han Weicheng was filled only with regret—why had he stayed behind? Why not just leave with Ding Huan and Elder Gu?

He had endured this terrifying deathly oppression once—and now he was being forced to endure it again.

While Elder Qu of the Shuanghun Sect fled instantly and vanished without a trace, Elder Liu of the Zixia Valley, after regaining her composure, immediately tried to gather her sect disciples.

But after several more black mists crashed down, she dared not continue gathering them—she snatched up four disciples and dashed out.

Master Qiong only knew to run forward wildly—though he lagged behind, he was the fastest to escape—and yet Elder Liu caught up to him quickly.

Elder Liu dropped the four disciples:

"Follow me."

Seeing Elder Liu dash off the main path, Master Qiong no longer believed the path was safe—he led his group to follow after her.

Some who had escaped followed frantically behind Elder Liu of the Zixia Valley.

This wasn't about strength—it was that you couldn't even touch your opponent, how could you fight back?

"Elder Liu, which way should we flee?" Master Qiong's voice trembled.

"Toward the direction the Cook Ding took."

Liu Liu Yinzhu's expression was grim, but she answered anyway.

After all, that cook was still a member of the Yanyue Sect—she answered to give Master Qiong face.

Piercing screams still echoed behind them; no one dared turn back to look.

……

Ding Huan had been thinking about what that thing was.

What was the point of faking a scene? After all, everyone was already confused—why create a fake scene?

"Brother Ding!" Elder Gu's voice came from outside.

Ding Huan quickly opened the tent flap:

"Greetings, Elder Gu."

"What were you thinking about, Brother Ding?" Gu Youchang no longer dared treat Ding Huan as a mere cook—he spoke politely before asking.

Ding Huan rubbed his head, grinning foolishly:

"I was wondering what that thing was—it's so terrifying."

Gu Youchang's tone turned grave:

"I think I know what it is."

"What?" Ding Huan asked urgently.

Elder Gu uttered only one word: "Ba."

Ba?

As Ding Huan had just thought of the Earthly Drought Demon, a name for a beast suddenly appeared in his mind.

Han Ba—can conceal its form, absorbs the brain fluid of cultivators to ascend, and can release illusionary poison, making victims feel as if trapped in an illusion array.

This beast finds it extremely hard to ascend; usually, reaching Level Seven is its peak.

Before advancing to Level Seven, the Han Ba caused the entire region to freeze utterly; this cold could penetrate the mind and soul, merging with illusion poison so that it could not be removed.

Before advancing to Level Seven, the Han Ba's greatest attack method was the Black Mist Condensing Souls.