The terrified screams of Yang Li and Chen Lin halted the group about to enter the cave, none willing to risk their lives to save the two.
After a moment of silence, the sounds of battle echoed from within, mingled with the desperate cries of the reckless youths.
"Enter together," Lin Hai said in a low voice to the group. Having come this far, they had to explore the cave, even at the cost of their lives.
"Fortune lies in danger," Uncle Ji gritted his teeth. The group nodded, cautiously stepping inside.
Lan An followed closely behind Die Qing and Hong Lian, the only two he truly respected here.
At last, they witnessed the scene within.
The cave stretched endlessly, as if connected to the entire mountain behind it, shrouded in eerie darkness.
The two reckless youths were struggling against five green-skinned figures resembling humans, but with hollow eyes, sharp fangs, and skeletal frames. Lan An's mind flashed to a term from his past life: zombies.
Indeed, the five grotesque figures fighting Yang Li and Chen Lin looked exactly like zombies from his previous world, though these were towering, each at least two meters tall.
"Help us! These monsters won't die!" Yang Li gasped, one arm torn to shreds, looking pitiful. He desperately unleashed Ice-based martial skills, but they failed to harm the five creatures.
Chen Lin fared little better, pale-faced, body covered in claw marks, clothes tattered.
"What's going on here?" Lan An and the group wondered in shock.
"Ma Nian Pills, a fourth-grade low-tier elixir," Kim'er's voice rang in Lan An's mind. Before he could ask, she explained, "Ma Nian Pills control the corpses of the dead through the alchemist's will. These five were Body Cultivators in life, so their physical strength is naturally formidable."
"How sinister. Who is the master of this cave, killing five Body Cultivators and using these pills to turn them into guard dogs?" Lan An mused.
"Based on their corpse strength, they were at least Third-Turn Body Cultivators in life," Kim'er added.
Lan An nodded silently. Body Cultivators were divided into nine turns, from First to Ninth, each split into four stages: Early, Middle, Late, and Perfect. Their strength rivaled Spirit Cultivators, their monstrous defense a headache for many.
"Five Third-Turn Body Cultivators!" Hong Lian, with her vast knowledge, explained to the group as three zombies began approaching them.
"Body Cultivators? Damn, these things are tough!" Uncle Ji and Lin Hai cursed. Body Cultivators were rare, yet here were five, painless undead corpses, incredibly difficult to fight.
But they didn't hesitate. The group unleashed their Spirit Power, joining the fray. Without unity, only death awaited.
Only Lan An and Die Qing stood back, watching the spectacle.
"Ma Nian Pills? Mother said these wicked elixirs are utterly deplorable. Who would refine such things?" Die Qing muttered innocently, causing Lan An's silver-white eyes to narrow. This girl's background was extraordinary. Her dual spirit roots were already shocking, and now her knowledge proved equally impressive, sparking Lan An's curiosity.
He didn't believe someone of her caliber would venture into this dangerous forest without a trump card. Perhaps a hidden expert was protecting her.
Sighing, Lan An recalled his initial plan to overpower the Qing Mao Crew and force them to escort him out of Shan Mu Forest. But to avoid becoming a tyrant, he'd abandoned the idea. Now, he was certain that if he had tried, he'd have been the one to suffer. Besides Die Qing, Hong Lian was not to be underestimated either.
As Lan An pondered, the battle reached its climax.
Against the group's combined strength, even the formidable zombies couldn't hold. Lacking consciousness and fighting on instinct, their defeat was inevitable.
Soon, all five zombies were dismembered, scattered across the ground like broken logs, not a drop of blood spilled.
A few Sha Hai Crew members bore scratches, but only superficial wounds.
The two reckless youths, however, were gravely injured, barely able to continue.
Seeing Uncle Ji and Lin Hai prepare to venture deeper, Yang Li pleaded pitifully, "Wait for us to heal before we continue, please!"
The Sha Hai Crew ignored him.
"Your injuries are too severe. You should leave and escort Lan An out of Shan Mu Forest. Take his 20 Low-Grade Spirit Stones," Uncle Ji said kindly, unwilling to abandon the cave's temptations for temporary allies.
"Pah! We scouted this cave! You can't abandon us!" Chen Lin snarled.
"Hmph, your greed blinded you, rushing in recklessly. Don't sugarcoat it," a Sha Hai member sneered.
The youths' faces darkened, unable to retort as the truth stung.
"Fine, we'll leave. But who knows what dangers lie ahead? Good luck!" Chen Lin spat, emphasizing "good luck" venomously.
"And you, kid, keep following them as their sacrificial lamb. We're not dragging you out of Shan Mu Forest," Yang Li sneered at Lan An, inexplicably hating his calm, confident demeanor.
"Thanks for the concern," Lan An replied with a smile, his innocent expression infuriating the youths further.
"Giggle, let's move on!" Hong Lian yawned, her fragrant breath brushing Lan An's nose, stirring a reaction below.
"Lan An, you sure you want to follow us?" Uncle Ji asked, his tone a gentle warning against risking his life.
"I trust Die Qing will protect me. Thanks, Uncle Ji," Lan An said warmly, touched by his concern.
"Hee hee, yup, Ting'er will protect Big Brother Lan An!" Die Qing giggled, her innocence unwavering.
The group shook their heads, thinking these fearless youngsters naive, and said no more.
Hong Lian, however, studied Die Qing, then Lan An, her fiery lips curling into a mysterious smile.
The group pressed deeper. After a while without attacks, they reached two diverging cave entrances.
Beside each entrance stood a small stone pillar, each holding a slightly yellowed parchment inscribed with text.
White Moon Soul-Seizing Eye - Piercing Thousands of Miles.
Lan An, using his eye technique during the journey, had already spotted the parchments. They contained two Yellow-Grade martial skills, likely rewards from the cave's master for defeating the zombies.
Yellow-Grade Mid-Tier Martial Skill - Spirit Fist
Yellow-Grade Mid-Tier Martial Skill - Spirit Bullet
For Lan An, who trained in top-tier Mysterious-Grade skills and had abundant Soul Power, memorizing the parchments' contents took mere moments. He'd mastered both Yellow-Grade skills before the group noticed.
"Two Yellow-Grade Mid-Tier martial skills!" Lin Hai, leader of the Sha Hai Crew, picked up a parchment, his face lighting up. For those without powerful backing, such skills were valuable.
"One for you, one for us. Fair?" Uncle Ji, equally intrigued, proposed.
"We agreed on a 60-40 split. Add 20 Low-Grade Spirit Stones," Lin Hai countered after a moment's thought.
"Deal." Uncle Ji handed over a small pouch, taking the Spirit Fist parchment.
"The cave splits here. Should we divide and take our chances?" Lin Hai suggested.
"Agreed," Hong Lian decided abruptly, striding toward one entrance. Lan An, Die Qing, and Uncle Ji followed reluctantly.
"Boss, why not…?" A Sha Hai member gestured a throat-slitting motion as the Qing Mao Crew departed.
"Old Ji's strength matches mine, and that Hong Lian is formidable. Killing them would cost us dearly," Lin Hai said grimly, tempted but restrained by their power.
"Don't worry. They're dragging two Qi Refining burdens. They're doomed," a Sha Hai member sneered.
"Enough. Let's go." Lin Hai led his crew into the other entrance.
Outside the cave, Yang Li and Chen Lin had recovered enough to move.
"Just let it go?" Yang Li asked, seething.
"Hmph, if we can't have it, we'll ruin it. They won't profit easily," Chen Lin growled.
"Spread news of the cave. The more who know, the better," Yang Li said, eyes venomous.
Chen Lin smirked darkly. More people meant more experts vying for the cave, ensuring Uncle Ji's group's demise.
"Haizzz…"
A mournful sigh startled them. They shouted in unison, "Who's there?"
"Such malice at your age. How can I let you ruin my lady's rare training?" an unseen voice said.
BOOM!
The youths' bodies exploded into nothingness, not a shred remaining. The unseen figure never appeared.