Chapter 25: If There's No Path, Cut One Out

The world inside the Otherworld Rift is actually not all that different from Lanxing.

It is as if the Heavenly Dao carved out a region in the other side's world, setting rules that forbid native creatures from entering or leaving; until the native creatures within this Rift are completely wiped out, the Rift will not close and will exist permanently.

And once the Rift's opening time exceeds a certain limit, the rules will weaken, and the Rift will upgrade, allowing stronger beings to pass through it—whether human or Fierce Beast.

Fierce Beasts roamed in packs throughout this region.

A Modu Academy student skilled at concealing her aura darted nimbly through the woods; after gathering a certain amount of fruit, she turned and retraced her path back, finally arriving at a dim cave.

She walked in.

Over a dozen young men and women inside the cave were resting. Startled by the footsteps, they instantly woke and assumed attack stances—only relaxing once they saw it was a companion returning.

Yuan Ying divided the fruit she had gathered among everyone, then walked to the deepest part of the cave.

A delicate-looking young girl lay on a pile of grass, but her face was deathly pale at this moment, her eyes tightly shut, and on her exposed fair hand was a bite wound left by a serpent-type Fierce Beast.

A boy who knew some medicine shook his head and said, "Jiang Hanhan's condition is getting worse. In at most another day, the snake venom will invade her heart and lungs. By then, even if we get out of the Rift, there'll likely be no saving her."

They were all students of Modu Academy who had run into each other while fleeing for their lives and had been traveling together ever since.

Five days ago, the Otherworld Rift had undergone a sudden change. Some Fierce Beasts that had originally been at the peak of Second-order broke through to Third-tier—and it didn't stop there. They discovered that as time went on, these Fierce Beasts' strength was steadily increasing.

Three days ago, most of the Fierce Beasts were still only Second-order, but now, three days later, Second-order Beasts had become rare, and Third-tier Fierce Beasts could be seen everywhere.

They were indeed freshmen at Modu Academy, but they had only just enrolled, and their combat strength was at most on par with Linghai Chuji.

And Jiang Hanhan, who had the highest combat strength among them, had been bitten by a Third-tier Ten-Thousand-Poison Python two days ago while covering their retreat, and the snake venom had entered her body.

It was only because her physique had been strengthened with spirit herbs and spirit fruits since childhood that she was still alive—anyone else would have long since returned to the underworld.

A psychologically fragile girl couldn't help but hug her knees and burst into tears.

"It's been so many days already—why hasn't the Academy sent anyone to rescue us? We haven't been abandoned, have we? Sob…"

"Don't talk nonsense. How could the principal and teachers possibly abandon us? They must be thinking of a way right now."

"Exactly!"

Some were on the verge of breaking down, while others remained calm, but the heavy despair was plain for all to see.

Even if the Academy really did send people to rescue them, without any intelligence on the situation inside, it would probably only add to the casualties.

They themselves would be fine—as long as they didn't run into Fierce Beasts, they could barely survive—but Jiang Hanhan's injuries couldn't wait that long…

Hiss~

At this moment, a rustling sound suddenly came from outside the cave.

This development immediately put everyone on high alert. They drew their weapons and stared tensely at the cave entrance, their heartbeats suddenly accelerating, cold sweat sweeping across their backs.

A long while passed. Nothing happened.

Just as they thought it was the wind and breathed a sigh of relief, a massive python head suddenly thrust into the cave, its tongue snatching away the boy closest to the entrance with lightning speed.

"No! Save me…"

The cry for help cut off abruptly.

The remaining people scrambled in terror toward the deepest part of the cave, and they recognized that python head.

"I-It's the Ten-Thousand-Poison Python from before! This place is over a dozen kilometers from its territory—how did it find us here?!"

"Everyone stay calm! There are so many of us, and the cave is narrow—it won't be able to swallow us all in one go!"

"But… it can spit venom! Once it realizes that, we'll all die here… sob, Mommy…"

"Damn it! We're dead either way—let's just go out and fight it to the death!"

"The strongest among us is only at Yin Ling Qi Chong, and that beast is at least mid Third-tier. What do we have to fight it with?!"

At this life-or-death juncture, human nature was laid bare.

Even at this point, there were still some who thought about hiding and staying put, thinking that if by some chance the beast got full, it would stop attacking them.

The Ten-Thousand-Poison Python was still trying to smash through this cave. Under its battering, the cave was on the verge of collapse, seeming like it could cave in at any moment.

As the students inside the cave prepared to risk their lives—

The Ten-Thousand-Poison Python, which had just thrust its head into the cave, let out a heavy, agonized shriek as if struck by a heavy blow—a piercing, earsplitting cry!

It was sent flying out.

Several Slashes struck its seven-inch wound in succession. With no scales to block them, the Slashes easily severed its body. Blood rained down onto the forest below—there was no chance of survival!

The great trees soaked in beast blood were visibly corroded, until only withered trunks remained.

"That beast… is dead?"

"Could it be reinforcements have arrived!"

While they were guessing, a figure suddenly appeared at the cave entrance—clad in Dragon Pattern Black Clothing, his features sharply defined, his gaze carrying a hint of indifference, as if a deity looking down upon the mortal world.

Jiang Qin looked at these battered students, frowned slightly, and asked:

"Do you know where Jiang Hanhan is?"

He came specifically to find Jiang Hanhan?

Yuan Ying was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly pointed inside the cave. "S-She's inside, but she was bitten by snake venom and isn't in good shape."

Jiang Qin walked into the cave, ignoring the curious gazes of these people, came to the unconscious girl, crouched down, and used his Spirit Power to sense her condition.

The snake venom had entered her body, and it had been some time. If he had arrived any later, he would only have been able to bring back a corpse.

He took out a fifth-grade Detoxification Pill from his Space Ring, fed it into the girl's mouth, and also fed her some Spirit Wine.

The pill dissolved the moment it met the wine, spreading through the girl's body along her esophagus. The medicinal effect kicked in, rapidly clearing out the toxin, and soon every trace of snake venom in her body was purged.

A boy finally couldn't help but ask:

"This… senior, did you come specifically to rescue us out of here?"

Jiang Qin pointed at the girl who was about to wake and answered honestly, "I came to save her. As for you all… you're just along for the ride."

As he spoke, he looked at the girl who had been the first to speak earlier.

"Do you still have the strength?"

Yuan Ying nodded instinctively.

Jiang Qin tossed her a bottle of spirit-energy-restoring pill and instructed:

"This beast's corpse will soon draw every Fierce Beast in the area. You carry her on your back and follow behind me. I'll keep you safe."

"Ah… oh, okay!"

Yuan Ying first took a pill to restore her Spirit Power, then hoisted Jiang Hanhan onto her back, followed behind Jiang Qin, and made sure to signal her companions to hurry and keep up.

The group gathered their things and trailed closely behind Jiang Qin.

When they walked out of the cave and saw the giant python's corpse, fear still gripped their hearts—they had nearly died at the jaws of that beast just moments ago.

Fierce Beasts drawn by the smell of blood had already gathered around them, dozens of them, tightly encircling the entire hillside. They were all at the third tier, and there were even two at the peak of the third tier, comparable to demonic beasts at the peak of Spirit Sea Realm.

They'd barely escaped the wolf's maw only to fall into the tiger's den!

Yuan Ying couldn't help asking, "Senior, what should we do now?"

These Fierce Beasts had already locked onto them; there was no shaking them off in a short time.

Jiang Qin's expression remained calm. "What else can we do? Naturally, fight our way out. If there's no path, then carve one!"