An Existence Above the Ecosystem?

This chill spread outward at an astonishing speed.

When it reached the crowd, it was as if the cold had touched some kind of explosive catalyst, instantly freezing everyone nearby to death.

Wisps of pale, frigid mist rose from the whitened corpses, casting an eerily horrifying scene under the blazing sun.

After this, the Ice Silkworm completely wilted, lying limp and listless, its plump white body rising and falling faintly—the only sign it was still alive.

Its body had lost its former crystalline luster.

This sudden eruption had frozen the advancing men to death on the spot, turning them into pale corpses still wearing their living expressions.

Perhaps, even in their final moment, they had no idea what had just happened.

The few survivors now exchanged uneasy glances, none daring to step forward, afraid the Ice Silkworm might claim them next.

No one knew whether the silkworm could unleash another attack as terrifying as the one before.

Up in the tree.

Bai Chuan clicked his tongue in amazement at the sight. This little bug was terrifyingly powerful—dozens of people killed in an instant?

Was this something a living creature could do? And how?

Or was the world he was in some kind of high-martial realm?

For a moment, he was itching to scan and analyze the Ice Silkworm's ability model right then and there.

Such a creature might already be above the food chain, right?

"Hahaha~"

Just as the few hesitated, a hearty laugh rang out.

Along with it came a "squelch"—the sound of flesh being torn apart.

At this sudden change, Snake Granny and the others quickly turned to look. They saw a man with a shiny, scarred head pulling his hand back from the chest of a surviving victim.

The most striking thing about this man was the massive golden gauntlet on his left hand.

In his grip was a "thump-thumping" fresh red heart, while before him, a woman weakly clutched at his arm, trying to say something.

"Madman Zhang!" Zhao Yu was the first to speak, his tone cautious as he identified the newcomer.

"Ha~ Madman Zhang? So that's what you call me?" The bald man chuckled, unconcerned.

"Zhao boy." Snake Granny was puzzled. Having stayed out of the world for a long time, keeping company only with venomous creatures, she had only come this time because of a letter from Zhao Yu's father. She asked in a low voice, "Who is this man?"

Zhao Yu turned and whispered back, "Madman Zhang's real name is Zhang Daring. He was once Master Guangshan's senior disciple, but a few years ago, for some reason, he killed Master Guangshan and his junior brother, and took the master's Martial Stone."

Hearing this, Snake Granny connected the dots with the commotion over the Ice Silkworm. Old and shrewd, she pieced it all together.

"Madman Zhang, you were the one who spread the news that the Ice Silkworm was here, weren't you?"

Madman Zhang, aka Zhang Daring, paused, then admitted it openly and casually. He hadn't planned to hide it anyway.

In fact, even if no one asked.

After this was over, he intended to leave one survivor to spread the word. Single-handedly trapping and killing dozens—that alone would make his name known throughout the martial world, even if it was an infamous one.

So he slapped his chest boldly and replied, "That's right, it was me."

Then he looked in a certain direction and called out, "Friend over there, you've been hiding long enough. Time to come out, don't you think?"

This shout caught Bai Chuan off guard. He turned his snake head left and right—had he been found? Had his invisibility been seen through?

No, that wasn't it!

At that moment, he noticed in his thermal vision a humanoid figure with extremely faint heat.

So faint that he had almost overlooked it.

"Clap, clap~"

A crisp applause sounded, and a handsome young man stepped out. The most striking thing about him was his right hand, unnaturally beautiful, like carved white jade—long, slender, and warm.

He walked over leisurely, praising as he came:

"As expected of the Madman Zhang who could scheme against Master Guangshan and his junior brother. You saw through my Turtle Breath Technique. Truly, your reputation precedes you."

But Zhang Daring ignored him, turned back, glanced around, and looked at the Ice Silkworm, now vaguely surrounded by the three of them. He proposed, "Now that it's just us, how about we take the Ice Silkworm first, then fight it out for ownership? What do you say?"

"Oh, you brute may look rough, but your words have some sense. But who goes first?" Snake Granny chuckled lightly.

Now that the Ice Silkworm seemed powerless, who would take it was the real question.

After all, none of them knew what tricks the others had up their sleeves. In the martial world, who didn't have a few aces? Those who didn't were already lying on the ground.

Better safe than sorry—what if someone had a way to grab the silkworm and run?

As for the silkworm resisting? Given its current state and the fact it had already erupted once, anyone with a shred of confidence in their own strength wouldn't worry too much.

Even if they couldn't take it, they could at least retreat safely.

Clearly, the few present had already dismissed the other survivors who had just made it out alive.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Daring laughed heartily, as if he had planned it all along. "Since I made the suggestion, of course I'll go last. Snake Granny, you're the eldest here. Elders first, how about it? If you can't take it, then it's the young master's turn, then mine."

Having said that, he looked toward the handsome young man beside him and asked, "You don't have any objections, do you, young sir?"

The young man gave a faint smile. "Since you've all decided, I'm fine with it."

Hearing this, Snake Granny grew somewhat suspicious. Zhang Daring, based on the rumors, didn't seem like a muddle-headed fool. This proposal struck her as rather odd.

But Snake Granny had confidence in her own strength—after all, those who wield power rarely doubt what they hold in their hands—so she didn't dwell on it and readily agreed.

"In that case, this old woman won't stand on ceremony."

The moment she finished speaking, the faintly visible green Bamboo Green on her shoulder shot out like an arrow, darting toward the Ice Silkworm on the ground.

But unexpectedly, the Ice Silkworm, which had just been listless, sprang up as if provoked, colliding with the Bamboo Green's snake head while radiating a chilling cold.

Before the two could tangle for long, the once lively green snake, Bamboo Green, went limp and collapsed to the ground.

At the same time, Snake Granny let out a muffled grunt, as if she had been injured.

She quickly waved her left hand, sending a large cloud of green powder flying from her sleeve to block the Ice Silkworm, while her right hand hurriedly recalled her pet.

Even so, her face now alternated between pale and flushed, clearly having suffered no small loss.

The Zhao Siblings beside her quickly steadied the old woman.

Bai Chuan understood the situation at a glance. Snakes were naturally afraid of low temperatures; the colder it got, the slower their metabolism, and the stiffer their bodies became.

This old woman had no idea what she was thinking, daring to use a snake against an Ice Silkworm carrying such frigid energy. It was like an old man eating arsenic—tired of living.

"Hahaha, it seems Snake Granny has gotten old, can't even handle a little worm anymore."

Zhang Daring's grating laughter came from the side.

"Next up is the young sir. How about it?"