Chapter 234: The Injured Xia Liuqing

Chai Yan and Shen Chong were forced to stand back-to-back, joining forces to resist the attack of the ant swarm. However, these ants were not only vast in number, but every single one was highly venomous. Any bite would immediately cause a heart-wrenching pain, as if countless small knives were twisting inside the body.

"We must break through!" Gong Qing shouted while fending them off. "There are too many of them; if this continues, we'll all be finished here!"

Just at this critical moment, Xia Liuqing suddenly noticed Jinfeng Popo being surrounded by several exceptionally large Corpse-Eating Ants. These were clearly the elites of the swarm, and their attacks were even more ferocious. Although the old woman was experienced, she was advanced in age, and her reactions were inevitably not what they once were.

"Jinfeng! Watch out!" Xia Liuqing didn't have time to think, leaping forward to push Jinfeng Popo away. Yet at that very moment, an exceptionally large Corpse-Eating Ant seized the opportunity and bit down hard on his arm.

"Ah!" With a cry of pain, Xia Liuqing felt a potent poison rapidly spreading through his body. His vision began to blur, and his body became increasingly heavy, as if bound by countless invisible ropes.

"Xia Liuqing!" Jinfeng Popo was struck with terror and hurriedly supported the swaying Xia Liuqing. She immediately checked the wound, finding that it had already begun to turn black, and the blackness was spreading at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Seeing this, Gong Qing immediately launched his strongest attack. His Qi transformed into countless sharp blades, carving cold light through the air and shredding the surrounding ants to pieces. The others also unleashed their full strength, and finally, after paying a significant price, they temporarily repelled this wave of the ant swarm.

"This won't do," Jinfeng Popo said after checking Xia Liuqing's injuries, her expression becoming graver than ever. "The toxicity of the Corpse-Eating Ants is too strong; he must be treated immediately. If we drag this out any longer..." She did not finish, but everyone understood what she meant.

"Then what should we do now?" Xia He asked urgently, her eyes filled with worry.

Jinfeng Popo gritted her teeth: "I must take Liuqing back to heal. You all continue forward, but you must be careful; this kind of Corpse-Eating Ant swarm is very likely to appear again. And..." She cast a meaningful glance at the surrounding rock walls, "The mechanisms here have likely only just begun to show their fangs."

Gong Qing nodded: "Alright, Popo, hurry and take Liuqing back. We will be careful." He looked at the now-unconscious Xia Liuqing and sighed inwardly. They had only just entered the secret passage and had already paid such a heavy price; who knew what else was waiting for them ahead?

Watching Jinfeng Popo carry the unconscious Xia Liuqing away, the remaining four could not help but fall into silence. The battle just now had not only consumed a great deal of physical strength but had also left everyone with deep psychological Yinying.

"Let's continue forward," after a long while, Gong Qing took a deep breath and broke the silence. "Since we chose this path, there is no turning back."

Chai Yan, Xia He, and Shen Chong exchanged glances, each seeing determination in the other's eyes. Although the recent battle had left them all with varying degrees of injury, no one suggested giving up. They all wanted to see exactly what kind of collection was hidden within this canyon.

And so, the four continued to advance through the dim secret passage.

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the valley, Zhang Chulan suddenly sneezed.

"What's wrong?" Lu Lin asked with concern.

"Nothing," Zhang Chulan shook his head. "Just suddenly had a bad premonition." He looked up at the pitch-black valley entrance, an inexplicable sense of unease rising in his heart.

Lu Linglong was sharing snacks with Feng Baobao and couldn't help but look up upon hearing this: "Could it be that someone has already found another way?"

"It's possible," Zhang Chulan said thoughtfully.

Heiguan'er paced back and forth restlessly, his boots making faint sounds as they stepped on the gravel. Every step manifested his inner unease and urgency.

"We can't just keep waiting like this," he suddenly stopped and turned to the group. "Even if we wait until dawn, those monkeys won't let us in. We have to think of another way!"

Wang Zhenqiu, who was eating potato chips, looked up at these words, his eyes sparkling with wisdom under the firelight: "Indeed, waiting for a rabbit to hit a tree is not a solution." He stood up and carefully examined the surrounding cliffs. "A canyon this big, with such complex terrain, it's impossible for there to be only one road."

Zhang Chulan's eyes lit up: "You mean..."

"Look for other entrances," Wang Zhenqiu said, already putting away his chips. "Places like this usually have some hidden passages. Wugensheng chose this place to hide things; it's impossible he didn't leave himself a way out."

Lu Lin nodded in agreement: "Makes sense. Shall we split up and look? With our abilities, night vision shouldn't be a problem."

Feng Baobao swallowed her last bite of snack: "I want to go look too!" Her voice carried a rare seriousness.

And so, the group dispersed to search along the edge of the canyon. Everyone paid extra attention to anomalies on the rock walls, not letting any suspicious cracks or depressions go unchecked. Though the night was deep, for these Outsiders gifted with special abilities, the darkness instead became the best cover.

"Everyone, come over!" Not long after, Wang Zhenqiu's voice came from a depression, his tone carrying unconcealable excitement.

The group quickly gathered around. Under the cover of dense vines, an inconspicuous hole was faintly visible. This discovery lifted everyone's spirits.

Wang Zhenqiu took out a Fire Talisman and, after condensing his Qi, threw it into the hole. The firelight extended into the pitch-black cave, illuminating the damp rock walls, yet it never extinguished.

"The air is circulating," Wang Zhenqiu's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "This means there must be an exit on the other side. And..." He took a deep breath, "Have you noticed that the Spirit Qi drifting out from this hole is much denser than outside?"

Zhang Chulan carefully observed the traces around the hole: "Looking at the wear on the rocks, this passage should be used frequently." His voice carried a hint of excitement. "Maybe this is the secret passage Wugensheng used to enter and exit the valley back then!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Heiguan'er was already impatiently checking his equipment.

Lu Linglong also couldn't hide her excitement: "Finally, some progress! Much better than just waiting outside!"

After getting ready, the group cautiously entered the cave. The space inside was more spacious than imagined, but the dim and damp environment still made one feel oppressed. A peculiar fishy smell permeated the air, mixed with some strange, indescribable aura.

Wang Zhenqiu held the flame to lead the way in front; the warm light dispelled some of the darkness, yet it also made the Yinying on the cave walls appear even more eerie. The group followed closely, walking with extreme caution at every step.

However, at this very moment, a sharp whistling sound suddenly came from overhead; the sound wave was so strong it almost shattered their eardrums.

"Watch out above!" Zhang Chulan was the first to notice the anomaly, and when he looked up, his pupils contracted sharply.