Hu Shu left the valley slowly, his heart filled with doubt. Along the way, he kept sorting through the clues he had gathered, yet he could not make sense of them. By the time he returned to the camp, dusk had fallen. The Human Race gathered around him as soon as they saw him return. Looking into their expectant eyes, Hu Shu took a deep breath and said, "Do not worry. We will surely find a way to deal with this." Yet he knew that the road ahead remained full of unknowns and challenges.
Early the next morning, Hu Shu rose and prepared to continue following yesterday's lead. After bidding farewell to the camp, he hurried along a mountain path. He carefully examined every blade of grass and tree along the way, unwilling to overlook even the slightest clue. However, when he reached a mountain hollow, the trail abruptly vanished. The faint presence he had been following completely dissipated there, as though that person had vanished into thin air.
Hu Shu frowned deeply as an ominous premonition rose within him. He searched the surrounding area again and again, even deploying the Invincible Domain to inspect every inch of the vicinity, but he still found nothing. "What exactly is going on? Did the other side notice my pursuit and deliberately cut off the trail?" Hu Shu muttered, his doubts growing heavier.
Just as Hu Shu was at a loss, a Human Race Youth came running over, panting heavily. "My lord, this is bad! News has come from the settlement. Strange phenomena have appeared nearby, and it seems a new danger is approaching!" he said anxiously.
Hu Shu's heart tightened. Without another moment of hesitation, he flashed away and raced toward the Human Race settlement. When he arrived, he saw that the spiritual energy above the settlement was in chaos. The once-clear spiritual energy had become unbearably murky, carrying a faintly pungent stench. As he entered the settlement, Hu Shu saw several members of the Human Race lying in bed, their faces pale, their bodies trembling as pained groans occasionally escaped their lips.
Hu Shu hurried to the side of an elderly sick man from the Human Race and grasped his hand. A stream of spiritual energy slowly flowed into the old man's body. Yet the moment it entered, it vanished like a stone sinking into the sea. Hu Shu was startled. He immediately examined several more sick members of the Human Race, only to find the same result every time.
After a careful investigation, Hu Shu discovered that the spiritual energy within these sick people was in disorder and their meridians were blocked, as though they had been struck by a powerful, evil force. Recalling his previous conflicts with the Chan Sect, Hu Shu suspected that this was very likely a vicious spell cast by the Chan Sect.
"Chan Sect, you have gone too far!" Fury burned in Hu Shu's heart. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms. But he knew anger would accomplish nothing. The urgent task was to find a solution and save these sick members of the Human Race.
Hu Shu returned to the center of the settlement, closed his eyes, and activated the Invincible Domain, attempting to sense the source of the evil power. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he could only feel that force spreading like mist around the entire settlement. He could not find its source.
The surrounding members of the Human Race looked at Hu Shu with eyes full of trust and expectation. "My lord, we believe you will find a way to save us." "That is right, my lord. You are the hope of the Human Race." Their words reached Hu Shu's ears, making the burden on his shoulders feel even heavier.
Hu Shu opened his eyes and looked at them resolutely. "Do not worry. I will find a way to break this spell. I will never let anything happen to you." But he knew this crisis was no small matter. The clues had been cut off, and now they faced a vicious spell of unknown origin. Breaking it would not be easy.
Hu Shu paced back and forth through the settlement, his mind racing. He recalled every spell and countermeasure he knew, trying to find even a shred of inspiration. Suddenly, he thought of the clue related to an ancient great expert that he had discovered in the valley. Could there be some connection between the two?
Hu Shu immediately gathered several elders of the Human Race and told them his thoughts. After hearing him, the elders nodded in agreement. "My lord, perhaps it is as you say. Everything behind this may indeed be related to that clue concerning the ancient great expert. But now that the trail has been cut off, what should we do?" an elderly man with a head full of white hair asked worriedly.
Hu Shu pondered for a moment before saying, "No matter what, we cannot sit and wait for death. We will continue searching around the settlement for clues and see whether we can find a flaw in this vicious spell. At the same time, we will strengthen the settlement's defenses to prevent the Chan Sect from attacking again."
Thus, under Hu Shu's arrangements, the Human Race quickly sprang into action. Some patrolled the area around the settlement, watching for any unusual movement. Others gathered materials to reinforce the settlement's defenses. As for Hu Shu, he returned to the sick members of the Human Race and carefully observed their symptoms, trying to find a cure in the smallest details.
Time slowly passed amid tension and anxiety, but Hu Shu still had no leads. Looking at the suffering members of the Human Race, he was frantic with worry. Is there truly no way? Hu Shu silently blamed himself, feeling that he was still not strong enough to protect his people in time.
At that moment, a cold wind swept past, and Hu Shu could not help shivering. He raised his head and looked at the rolling dark clouds in the sky, a sense of helplessness rising in his heart. The clues had been cut off, and a new crisis had arrived. Faced with such a situation, how could he break the Chan Sect's spell and save the sick members of the Human Race?
Before you continue