Chapter 173 - 168: Impending Catastrophe

"Mr. Ding, it's already dark, should we set up camp here?" Seeing that Ding Huan kept running through the jungle, Elder Gu couldn't help but speak up. Walking through the forest in the Great Ravine Canyon during the day was dangerous enough, wandering there at night was simply seeking death. As he sprinted, Ding Huan replied, "Elder Gu, trust me, we can stop in half an hour." Hearing Ding Huan's words, Gu Youchang immediately instructed the other disciples, "Everyone, put in more effort, don't hesitate to use your Speeding Talismans." Elder Gu didn't need to remind them, no one dared to stop at this point, and everyone was desperately following Ding Huan. Qing Yu was the most displeased, if it weren't for Ding Huan, the chef, she wouldn't need to risk her life walking through the jungle of the Great Ravine Canyon late at night. Just then, Ding Huan suddenly drew his long knife from his waist and slashed. Elder Gu was startled, only to find that Ding Huan had split a thick poisonous snake in two. The process not only didn't slow Ding Huan down but seemed to make him even faster. Gu Youchang saw Ding Huan in a new light, this young chef was not simple. Even he hadn't noticed the snake. If it had stayed that way, once any new disciple was bitten by a snake, death was certain. From a certain perspective, Ding Huan did better than both Deacon Qiong and himself. If they really escaped the crisis as Ding Huan predicted, should they consider introducing Ding Huan to the Yanyue Sect? He also felt that Ding Huan was deliberately suppressing his speed, if not for waiting for these disciples, Ding Huan could have disappeared long ago. Seeing how fierce Ding Huan was, everyone felt a sudden surge of confidence. When Ding Huan saw a wide mountain road ahead, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. We survived. Looking back, thankfully, no one was missing. "Should we set up camp here?" Seeing Ding Huan stop, Elder Gu also stopped and asked. Before Ding Huan could respond, he exclaimed, "What's going on? How could there be such a wide road here?" By this time, everyone had arrived on the road, and although night had fallen, the starlight was enough for them to see clearly that it was a very wide mountain road. It was obvious the path was frequently traveled and not a secluded place. Elder Gu even closed his eyes and walked several dozen meters forward, then once again sensed everything around him. After about fifteen minutes, Elder Gu returned and looked at Ding Huan in shock, "Mr. Ding, tell me, did you already know that the path we were on before was fake, all an illusion, and we were truly in the jungle, and this here is the real path?" Idiot, like I would tell you. "Elder Gu, you think too highly of me. If I really had known earlier that we were in the jungle, I would have said so. I was a bit distracted; I trust my feelings a lot, if I didn't rely on them, I wouldn't have survived until today. I didn't know where to stop until I followed my feelings and ended up here. I didn't expect to find a road here. Wait, not really, Elder Gu, you said the path we were on before was fake? Why? Wasn't it clearly a great road?" Ding Huan seemed to realize this only at the very end. Gu Youchang just asked casually; of course, he didn't believe something they all didn't notice, but Ding Huan did. The phrase about being distracted struck right at his heart; it was because he was also feeling uneasy that he believed Ding Huan and followed him here. Otherwise, he certainly wouldn't have entered the jungle of Great Ravine Canyon just because he admired Ding Huan a bit. "Mr. Ding, thank you. If it weren't for you, my life would be hard to preserve, alas ..." Elder Gu's final sigh was for the others. Now that they were safe, it meant the others were in danger. "All disciples, start setting up the camp." With Deacon Qiong not around, Elder Gu had to take over the tasks Deacon Qiong would have done. "Mr. Ding, thank you. If it hadn't been for you, I might not have escaped either." What surprised Ding Huan was that even the usually aloof Guan Pou came over to thank him. In Guan Pou's eyes, Ding Huan was just a chef, although a capable one, still just a skilled chef. This incident broke Guan Pou out in a cold sweat; if she had listened to Qing Yu, she might have perished in the Great Ravine Canyon. Thinking this, Guan Pou coldly glanced at Qing Yu. She knew that Qing Yu didn't dare come over because she was afraid of dying. The old saying really was true; the more you fear death, the faster it comes. Ding Huan immediately began calculating his safety; he didn't want to mysteriously die here. Because of his lower cultivation, the rules here were higher, and Ding Huan's calculations were still unclear. However, he saw a more distant scene. Ding Huan breathed a sigh of relief; blurry calculations didn't matter as long as they weren't absent. With a further scene, it meant he was safe. As the disciples set up camp, Elder Gu took responsibility for setting up a Protecting Array. Seeing Elder Gu skillfully throw out the Array Flag, Ding Huan was very envious. "Brother Ding, I want to buy your Speeding Talisman, is that alright?" A newly initiated disciple of Yanyue Sect approached Ding Huan, sounding somewhat nervous. This was the disciple who had been slower earlier; during their time in the jungle, he completely exhausted one Speeding Talisman. Ding Huan didn't hesitate at all and directly took out the Speeding Talisman from his body to give to the other party: "Take it, there's no need to buy it, I can't use it anyway." He had studied this Speeding Talisman for several days and found nothing noteworthy about it—it was just some wind patterns combined. When his power reached the right level, he naturally would be able to produce them. As for selling it to this disciple, what could the other give him? Mortal World's true-currency coins were useless to him, he might as well give it to the other party. "Thank you, Brother Ding. I, Shen Guan, will remember this kindness in my heart." The new disciple quickly bowed in thanks. To Ding Huan, it was an insignificant talisman, but for him, it was his very life. ... At the same time, the large team still in the jungle began to camp. Seeing how the elders were protecting their disciples in other groups, Deacon Qiong sighed secretly. Why was it that when it came to Yanyue Sect, the elders were so unreliable? Listening to a cook, alas. And there was Guan Pou. If something happened, how would he explain to the Young Sect Master? "Elder Liu." While Purple Mist Valley's Elder Liu Yinzhu was still contemplating Ding Huan, the strange cook, Elder Qu's voice came from outside the Dual Soul Sect. Liu Yinzhu stepped out of the camp: "Elder Qu, are you here to discuss coordinating defenses for tonight?" Just as Qu Yueshan was about to speak, a huge black mass thundered down from the night sky. In that moment, everything seemed to vanish. A cold, deadly aura enveloped the whole area, and a fear of death swiftly spread. Liu Yinzhu immediately sensed something was wrong and yelled: "Everyone, run quickly..." She was also the first to rush out. Boom! The black mass exploded in the camp, and screams of agony echoed instantly. Everyone frantically fled, but that was not the end—as several more black masses crashed down from the sky. The chilling coldness that penetrated deep into the soul exploded in the middle of the camp, and the new disciples who had not cultivated couldn't even think of escaping, let alone move. Led by Deacon Qiong, the people of Yanyue Sect, lacking an elder, hung back. This trailing position, however, gave him a chance to escape. Before the second wave of chilling black masses crashed down, he was bellowing for everyone to escape while he charged ahead. Han Weicheng could only regret why he had stayed; why didn't he just leave earlier with Ding Huan and Elder Gu? Having experienced such a terrifying death once, he couldn't believe he had put himself in the position to experience it a second time. Compared to Elder Qu of Dual Soul Sect who had disappeared without a trace as soon as trouble started, Purple Mist Valley's Elder Liu, after calming down, immediately began to regroup the Sect Disciples. However, after several more black fogs smashed down, she dared not continue regrouping and scooped up four disciples and dashed out. Deacon Qiong only knew to run forward madly. Although he was the fastest to escape by hanging back, Elder Liu quickly caught up with him. Elder Liu left several disciples behind: "Everyone, follow me." Watching Elder Liu dash off the main road, this time Deacon Qiong dared not assume the main road was safe and led people to follow. Several people who had escaped followed Elder Liu of the Purple Mist Valley in frantic flight. This was not a matter of strength; how could you fight an opponent you couldn't even touch? "Elder Liu, where should we escape?" Deacon Qiong's voice trembled. "Towards the direction Chef Ding went." Liu Yinzhu's expression was not good, but she still replied. After all, that cook was still a member of the Yanyue Sect, and her response was to give Deacon Qiong some face. The harrowing screams continued behind them; now was not the time for anyone to dare look back. ... Ding Huan was constantly pondering, what was that thing? What was the point of faking the scene? After all, everyone had already been baffled, so why set up a fake scene? "Mr. Ding!" Outside, Elder Gu's voice came through. Ding Huan hurriedly opened the tent door: "It's good to see you, Elder Gu." "What are you thinking about, Mr. Ding?" Gu Youchang now didn't dare to treat Ding Huan as just a cook, and after being polite, he asked. Ding Huan scratched his head and candidly said: "I'm wondering what that thing is, so terrifying." Gu Youchang said gravely: "I think I know what it is." "What is it?" Ding Huan eagerly asked. Elder Gu only uttered one word: "Ba." Ba? Just when Ding Huan was thinking of the drought Ba from Earth, a Demon Beast name suddenly appeared in his mind. Cold Ba, capable of concealing its form and absorbing a cultivator's brain essence to level up. It can release Illusion Poison, making one feel as if in an Illusion Array. This Demon Beast was extremely difficult to ascend, with ordinary ones reaching only level seven being considered top-tier Cold Ba. Before advancing to level seven, the area inhabited by a Cold Ba would be incredibly cold, this chill could penetrate the mind and combine with Illusion Poison, making it impossible to dispel. Before advancing to level seven, its main mode of attack was Black Fog Soul Condensation. (Today's update ends here, continuing to seek monthly ticket supports! Good night, friends!)