Trap

The moment they stepped into the Miasma Forest, a thick miasma carrying the damp, rotten stench of vegetation rushed over them.

The white fog was like clumped cotton, leaving only a few paces of visibility ahead.

Occasionally, blurry dark shadows darted through the forest, accompanied by bone-chilling growls.

The surrounding trees seemed to be alive; one second they stood quietly, and in the blink of an eye, they appeared right in front of them, blocking the path ahead.

If they continued like this, they would likely waste a lot of time.

Song Yao stopped in her tracks, reached out to touch the nearest tree, and slowly extended her spiritual energy.

Logically speaking, she was already skilled at controlling plants, and any vegetation that encountered her would only submissively bow down.

But this time, her palm felt a sharp resistance, carrying an undisguised malice and rejection.

The trees here had actually developed sentience.

She pursed her lips and sent her divine sense inside, preparing to take control by force. However, the serpent-patterned seal at her dantian suddenly acted up for some unknown reason, lighting up before abruptly tightening.

Caught completely off guard, Song Yao's vision went black from the pain, and she fell straight forward.

Seriously?

Fine, if she wasn't allowed to use her cultivation.

But even her mental power was completely sealed off?

Is this thing out of its mind?

Chen He shuddered in fright and rushed forward to support her. “Seventh Senior Sister! What's wrong?”

The pain came quickly and went just as fast. Song Yao took a breath, scrambled up, wrapped her cloak more tightly around herself, and sniffled. “I'm fine. Just took a tumble. It doesn't hurt.”

Chen He: “...”

She can trip while just standing there?

Seventh Senior Sister really is physically weak.

He stared at the blood slowly trickling down Song Yao's forehead and the tears shimmering in her eyes, falling silent for a moment.

Then, he couldn't help but speak up, “Seventh Senior Sister, I know you want to bring glory to our sect, but nothing is more important than your own health. Why don't you wait outside instead?”

Song Yao: “It really doesn't hurt. Let's go.”

“...”

Chen He pulled her back, dragging her to sit on a rock, feeling somewhat amused and helpless. “Fine, fine. At least let me bandage you up first.”

Before he could pull anything out of his spatial pouch, a faint, intermittent cry for help suddenly drifted from deep within the fog.

It sounded like Cheng Yue's voice.

Song Yao, who didn't particularly enjoy staying in this sticky, damp environment, suddenly stood back up. “Let's go check it out.”

Chen He hurriedly chased after her. “Seventh Senior Sister, we haven't bandaged it yet!”

“It's fine, it'll stop bleeding in a bit.”

Song Yao carelessly wiped the blood from her face.

The two of them walked one after the other toward the direction of the cry for help.

After only a few steps, the fog in the Miasma Forest grew even thicker, and the rotting leaves squelched damply beneath their feet.

Behind the gnarled branches hanging down from a giant tree, a hazy figure entered their line of sight.

Cheng Yue was leaning against the rough tree trunk. Half of her Daoist robe was blackened with blood, and her right leg was bent awkwardly to the side, seemingly broken.

Several small, green-scaled snakes were coiled nearby, flicking their tongues as they slowly slithered around.

Wrapped in the fog, her face was so pale it was almost translucent, and her forehead was drenched in cold sweat.

Upon seeing them approach, her eyes instantly lit up. Shaking uncontrollably, her tearful cries for help, mingled with groans of pain, drifted over. “Seventh Senior Sister, Junior Brother Chen, save me! It hurts so much! My leg... my leg is broken, and there are snakes biting me...”

“Junior Sister Cheng!”

At the sight of this, Chen He's heart clenched, and he raised his foot to rush over.

But just as he took a step, he sensed something was off and abruptly froze in place.

Junior Sister Cheng had always been extremely calm. Even if she were injured, she probably wouldn't cry out for help like this.

The demons in the secret realm were incredibly cunning. The Junior Sister Cheng before them was highly likely to be a demon in disguise.

Furthermore—

He stared at the towering tree that blotted out the sky, and a sudden chill ran down the back of his neck.

The trunk was ridiculously thick, with a massive blind spot hidden in its shadow.

Junior Sister Cheng was positioned right in the center of that blind spot, obscured by the fog. This was clearly an excellent trap designed to lure them forward!

If they really rushed over, wouldn't they be walking straight into a trap?

He was about to warn Song Yao, but when he turned his head, the space beside him was empty.

Where did she go?!!

Turning his head again, he saw her cloak fluttering in the wind. Her figure had already appeared high up in the giant tree.

Chen He: “???”

Wait, what?

Are pill cultivators nowadays all this impulsive?

Aren't they supposed to hide in the back and follow only after the sword cultivators have scouted the path ahead?

He opened his mouth, wanting to call her back.

But before he could utter a word, Song Yao leaped down from the tree without the slightest hesitation, her figure completely vanishing behind the giant tree.

Chen He: “!!!”

At this point, he had no time to think and scrambled to catch up.

Just as he drew near, Cheng Yue's figure suddenly vanished, dispersing into a cloud of black mist.

Song Yao emerged from the shadow of the tree, dragging a giant golden python that was taller and sturdier than a human, and tossed it forward.

Chen He: “!!!”

What in the world was that?!

What on earth had happened in the blink of an eye?!

How did a weak little pill cultivator like her get her hands on such a massive python?!

The giant python's body shuddered, and the scales all over its body erupted in a blinding golden light.

The originally hideous snake head rapidly shrank and transformed, the foul-smelling mucus receding, turning in an instant into a handsome male demon covered in cool golden scales.

The male demon was bare-chested with knotted muscles. Fear filled his eyes as he shivered and crawled backward.

Chen He's heart leaped again, and he subconsciously gripped his sword hilt.

It's actually a Golden Scale Snake Demon!

Before entering the secret realm, their master had specifically warned them that this creature was savage, cruel, and highly venomous.

Among the Nine Saints Hall disciples who entered the secret realm last time, two senior brothers had nearly met their end at its hands.

Yet right now, why... why was it so terrified?

Could it be because of Seventh Senior Sister?

No, this snake demon is incredibly cunning. It's highly likely acting weak to launch a sneak attack on them.

Chen He almost by instinct stepped forward to shield Song Yao, keeping his hand tightly pressed on his sword hilt as he hissed in a low, urgent voice, “Seventh Senior Sister, be careful. Don't let him deceive you.”

Song Yao nodded her head. “Alright.”

But her eyelashes drooped as she casually swept her gaze over the snake demon.

The moment her gaze landed on the Golden Scale Snake Demon, its entire body shuddered.

It scrambled to conjure a snake-shaped herb from its palm, offering it forward with a miserable, tearful face.

Chen He: “?!”

Golden Scale Snake Grass!!

It was said to be nurtured and grown by the Golden Scale Snake Demon using its own body. If taken out for appraisal, it would be at least Heaven-grade. And it was just giving it to them so easily?

Instead of taking the Golden Scale Snake Grass, he thrust his sword forward a bit more, his voice trembling. “W-What are your intentions??”

Tears welled up in the Golden Scale Snake Demon's eyes.

What were its intentions?

It didn't have any intentions!

It had indeed planned to suck these two little cultivators dry of their essence at first, but who could have known this girl would be so terrifying?

It just wants to go home now!

The Golden Scale Snake Demon looked pleadingly at Song Yao, its eyes filled with desperation.

Song Yao paused for a moment, then reached past Chen He to mercifully take the Golden Scale Snake Grass.

Chen He had been highly on guard, but he realized the snake demon truly had no intention of making a move.

Still unable to let his guard down, he shielded Song Yao once more and demanded, “Where is Cheng Yue? The person you just transformed into—what did you do to her?”

Since the Golden Scale Snake Demon could transform into her appearance, it must have seen her.

Since she was nowhere to be seen now, it was highly likely...