Deep Investigation, Perilous Situations

As Hu Shu watched the sky gradually darken, he knew it was no longer wise to continue his exploration. He turned and walked quickly towards the human settlement. Along the way, he constantly pondered countermeasures. After returning to the settlement, he reassured everyone, but he himself did not sleep all night. The next morning, Hu Shu's eyes were firm; he decided to follow the rune traces to find the source, even if danger lay ahead, he would not retreat.

Stepping out of Shouyang Mountain, Hu Shu became fully focused. The mountain path was rugged and winding, with gloomy trees on both sides, exuding an indescribable eeriness. The ground underfoot was uneven, and occasionally, strange stones could be seen, as if telling the unknown secrets of this forest. Hu Shu cautiously followed the rune traces, taking each step with extreme care.

Not long after, Hu Shu sensed something unusual. On the ground ahead, there were faint spiritual energy fluctuations, as if a trap was hidden. He stopped and crouched down to observe closely. He saw faint rune lines on the ground, very similar to the runes found on Shouyang Mountain. Hu Shu's heart tightened; it seemed this trap was undeniably linked to the force behind those runes.

He slowly stood up and activated the Invincible Domain System, expanding its range to cover a radius of ten zhang. Under the shroud of the invincible domain, he could perceive the trap's layout more clearly. The trap contained immense spiritual power, and once triggered, its destructive force would likely be astonishing. Hu Shu took a deep breath and, relying on his control over the invincible domain, carefully bypassed the trap.

After bypassing the trap, Hu Shu continued forward. Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the woods to his right. Hu Shu immediately became alert, his gaze shooting like lightning towards the source of the sound. A massive "beast" darted out from the woods. It exuded a demonic aura, its eyes glinting with an eerie light, clearly not an ordinary wild beast.

Hu Shu understood that this was likely a disguised demon race scout. The "beast" roared and lunged at Hu Shu with extreme speed, stirring up a gust of wind that made the surrounding trees rustle. Hu Shu remained calm and once again activated the Invincible Domain, engulfing the "beast" within it. Inside the invincible domain, the "beast's" movements instantly became sluggish.

Hu Shu took the opportunity to examine the "beast" closely, discovering its unique demonic aura and its extremely skillful disguise. If not for the invincible domain, it would have been truly difficult to detect. The "beast" sensed Hu Shu's scrutiny and roared in anger, struggling continuously, trying to break free from the invincible domain's restraint.

Hu Shu sneered and said, "Your disguise is clever, but before me, it's nothing. Speak, who sent you?" The "beast" ignored Hu Shu and continued to attack frantically. Hu Shu felt helpless; it seemed this demon race scout was determined to stop him. He hesitated no longer, channeled his spiritual power, condensed a Spiritual Power Sword, and thrust it towards the "beast."

The "beast" sensed the danger and desperately dodged, but under the Invincible Domain's restriction, its evasion appeared somewhat futile. The Spiritual Power Sword accurately struck the "beast." The "beast" let out a painful roar, its form twisting and changing, finally revealing its true form – it was a Demon Wolf. The Demon Wolf lay on the ground, its aura weak, but it still glared fiercely at Hu Shu.

Hu Shu walked up to it and asked again, "Tell me, were you instigated by the Heavenly Origin Sect?" The Demon Wolf suddenly opened its mouth and spat out a cloud of black poisonous mist towards Hu Shu. Hu Shu was prepared and quickly activated a Spiritual Power Shield, blocking the poisonous mist. The poisonous mist hissed upon contact with the Spiritual Power Shield, indicating its potent toxicity.

Hu Shu's heart grew more certain that a powerful force was manipulating things behind the scenes. After dealing with the Demon Wolf, he continued along the rune traces. Along the way, he encountered several more traps and demon race scouts disguised as wild beasts. Each time, he managed to cope with difficulty thanks to the Invincible Domain System.

As he ventured deeper, Hu Shu found the rune traces becoming more apparent, and simultaneously, the surrounding atmosphere grew increasingly bizarre. Suddenly, a patch of mist appeared ahead, within which faint lights flickered. Hu Shu became vigilant but did not retreat, resolutely stepping into the mist.

Upon entering the mist, Hu Shu found himself seemingly in an illusory space, with the surrounding scenery constantly shifting. At times, terrifying demonic beasts appeared, and at other times, familiar human settlements. Hu Shu knew it was an illusion and channeled his spiritual power, attempting to break through it. However, the illusion's power was immense, and his spiritual power was being depleted faster and faster.

Just as Hu Shu began to feel overwhelmed, he suddenly remembered the Invincible Domain System. He focused his mind and unleashed the Invincible Domain with all his might. The domain's light instantly illuminated the entire misty space. Under the effect of the Invincible Domain, the illusion began to dissipate gradually. Hu Shu seized the opportunity to quicken his pace and finally emerged from the mist.

Having finally escaped the attacks, Hu Shu found himself in a strange and dangerous area. The sky here was a peculiar dark red, and a pungent, rotten odor permeated the air, making one nauseous. The ground was covered in cracks, from which black smoke occasionally billowed. In the distance, large dark shapes could be vaguely seen moving, suggesting more powerful enemies awaited him.

Hu Shu gazed at this strange and dangerous region, a trace of worry rising in his heart. Could he escape unscathed and uncover the truth? But he quickly reaffirmed his resolve; for the future of the Human Race, he had to press forward.