Chapter 179: Monsters Beneath the Corpse Mountain

"That's right, call the police." Sai Fa Er startled, immediately had Di Luo Na Ou land.

The three began searching the forest, but the rampaging animals kept disrupting their progress, prompting the impatient Di Luo Na Ou to unleash a breath of dragon flame that turned the surrounding woods into charcoal.

"Found it!" Sai Fa Er, holding a detector, searched along, and when passing a subterranean opening, the detector in his hand emitted the brightest red light ever seen.

Sai Fa Er stared at the narrow opening, somewhat helpless, and said, "Di Luo Na Ou, will you go in with us? Your size probably won't fit."

Hong Long was also in a bind, so he reshaped his body into a half‑dragon form over three meters tall and heavily muscled.

Although the physical quality of this form was still greatly reduced, it was far stronger than his human shape; Di Luo Na Ou, accustomed to relying on dragon breath and flesh, could not accept entering an unknown place using only feeble magic.

"That'll do, let's go." Di Luo Na Ou said contentedly.

The three entered the dim cave, and Xia Nai only felt a wave of damp, chilling humidity hit her. Water droplets on the walls glistened crystal‑clear, yet carried an ominous hint.

The air in the cave seemed to solidify, suffused with the scent of rot and death.

"It's the smell of rotting corpses," Xia Nai whispered, her eyes wary and tinged with fear.

As an academy‑trained Mage who had spent her time researching spells in a laboratory, Xia Nai had almost never experienced adventure, and this gloomy, dark scene was genuinely terrifying to her.

Soon, as they moved deeper, corpse after corpse appeared before their eyes.

The bodies were haphazardly strewn in the cave's passageways; their gazes lingered among them, each twisted in agony, their skulls gone and brains vanished.

Clearly, these beings did not die naturally; they had been captured here by some Monster, which feasted on their brains before discarding the corpses.

The three pressed onward, but Sai Fa Er and Xia Nai, wary, cloaked themselves in various protective spells; Sai Fa Er summoned a Little Devil, ordering it to scout ahead of the trio to guard against any sudden ambush.

Among them, only Di Luo Na Ou remained nonchalant; after all, Hong Long himself is a savage Monster that enjoys eating intelligent beings, so this minor skirmish meant little to him. In his experience, the Dependents of those monsters had done far bloodier deeds.

As they ventured deeper, the density of corpses increased, and after walking for nearly half an hour, a massive underground chamber opened before them.

"Oh my God." Xia Nai shouted.

They finally reached the cave's end, but the sight almost suffocated them—piles of creature corpses stacked like mountains, forming eerie corpse mounds that silently narrated the disaster. Each corpse's face seemed stripped of its soul, leaving only a hollow shell.

And without exception, each of them shared one trait—their brains were gone.

"Silence!" Sai Fa Er barked low, and Xia Nai quickly shut her mouth, but it was too late.

The creature hidden in the cave had already been awakened.

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble, as if something was about to break through the earth.

Accompanied by a harsh tearing sound, soil surged, and a horde of terrifying Tuber‑shaped Monsters surged from beneath the corpse mound like a tide. They bore fangs, eyes flashing green glows, skins sheathed in thick, hard carapaces, and countless painful arthropod legs.

"neh‑thalggu! Nath-sagu!"

Their cries were deafening, echoing through the night sky, full of menace and terror.

They roared unabashedly, brandishing claws, beating wings, treating the three before them as prey, eyes greedily fixed on them. "Nath~~~sagu!!!"

A massive howl rang out, and a gigantic Tuber‑shaped Monster, far larger than the others and standing seven to eight meters tall, crawled out from underground.

Sai Fa Er, upon seeing the newcomer, wore a wary expression and felt his heart sink.

He sensed an immensely massive Mana fluctuation; this monster's rank was likely not low.

Sai Fa Er looked at the leading Tuber‑shaped Monster Leader, their eyes meeting; instantly, an enormous Spiritual Power invaded his mind, attempting to seize control of his brain.

A rhombus‑shaped energy shield suddenly materialized before Sai Fa Er, emitting emerald light, cutting off the invading Spiritual Power.

"Damn, good thing I prepared the Emerald Protective Barrier in advance."

Sai Fa Er felt a wave of dread; had he not pre‑prepared the Five Spell Circle Protection spell to ward off mind‑control, he would have been seized in an instant.

"Don't be fooled by their eyes; they possess extremely strong Mana!" Sai Fa Er shouted, then brandished his staff, preparing to cast.

Xia Nai followed Sai Fa Er's advice, quickly bowed her head, activating the magical Ring bearing the High-level Invisibility Technique, rendering herself completely hidden.

!

Only Hong Long remained carefree, a nonchalant grin on his face, believing no monster could control his mind.

He clenched his fists, eyes excited as he addressed the monsters, "It's been ages since I fought in my half‑dragon form; hope you can take a beating."

But the next moment, his gaze met the Tuber‑shaped Monster Leader's, and terrifying Mana poured out; Hong Long's hands dropped, his eyes glazed, and he crashed.

"Damn, stupid dragon!" Sai Fa Er muttered, watching the foolish Hong Long waste his effort, then hurriedly cast the High-level Mirror Image Technique, turning himself into a dozen phantoms.

Sure enough, the move stunned the Tuber‑shaped Monsters; they let out angry shrieks, massive Spiritual Power rippling through the cave, seeking hidden prey.

"speedyfastay"

Sai Fa Er whispered a chant, a subtle green glow flashing on his body.

Eight Spell Circle Transformation spell—High-level Swift Burst!

The strange magical power instantly coursed through Sai Fa Er's nerves; time around him slowed, and his thoughts and actions became extremely fast!

In this state, Sai Fa Er raced against time, rapidly reciting the next incantation, completing it within two seconds.

Six Spell Circle Evocation spell—Wandering Flame!

"Boom!"

A massive wave of flame surged from Sai Fa Er's staff, a five‑meter‑wide surge engulfing a dozen Tuber‑shaped Monsters, instantly igniting them; the monsters, clearly fearing fire, shrieked and turned to ash within seconds.

But it wasn't over; after the flame traveled a hundred meters, it swooped back to the staff like a swallows' return, looping eight times, killing hundreds of monsters.

However, Sai Fa Er's casting also revealed his position to the leader.

Soon, a massive Mana surge began to warp reality.

(End of Chapter)