Lu Zhenghe bluntly declared that he wanted to be the leader of the team of students on the expedition.
Xu Dalong, Ming Cong, and the other students from the Imperial Capital Academy had no objections.
"It's impossible for everyone to listen to you. We follow Song Xia's arrangements on our side, so I think the two of you can work things out together," Zheng Bingxiao said.
"Fine." Lu Zhenghe nodded.
The group had already planned their route. They would follow the abandoned railway tracks.
Soon, they came to the first tunnel along the way.
Song Xia proposed that they climb over the mountains instead of taking the tunnel, where unknown dangers might be lurking.
Lu Zhenghe, on the other hand, proposed that they go straight through it. That would save time and effort.
Naturally, most of the group agreed with Lu Zhenghe's proposal. Following the principle that the minority should defer to the majority, the eighteen of them decided to go through the tunnel.
After assigning people to lead the way and bring up the rear, they entered the tunnel.
The tunnel had been abandoned for over a decade and left unattended, so foul air had naturally accumulated inside, and certain Demon Beasts had taken up residence there.
They hadn't run into any Demon Beasts yet, but every so often, the three Light Element mages in the group cast spells to dispel the foul air and provide illumination.
"How are things up ahead?"
"Nothing."
"Then keep moving."
"..."
"Jiaojiao, stay closer to me. If anything unexpected happens, I can protect you." Mo Fan moved up beside Mu Nujiao, looking like a strapping man spreading his wings over a delicate beauty.
Mu Nujiao couldn't be bothered to entertain someone like him. She very obviously quickened her pace, wanting nothing more than to get away from this clingy nuisance.
Mo Fan took the hint and gave an awkward smile. Then he shifted his target to Mu Ningxue.
"Lan Yu, do you feel like something's watching us?" Mu Nujiao caught up with Lan Yu, who was walking ahead, and asked him.
Before Lan Yu could reply, Liao Mingxuan came over. "Miss Mu, don't worry. In all my years of hunting Demon Beasts as an Intermediate Hunter, I've learned that there's nothing here."
Now that he'd managed to strike up a conversation with Mu Nujiao, Liao Mingxuan figured it was only a matter of time before he won over a beauty with a body as fiery as hers.
"Oh? You can't be sure of that."
"Chirp, chirp, chirp—"
Suddenly, the little silver mouse in Liao Mingxuan's breast pocket let out an alert cry.
Liao Mingxuan's expression froze. His sharp eyes swept across their surroundings, and not a trace of embarrassment showed on his face.
"Zhao Manyan, cast Light Radiance over there." Mo Fan spoke up.
At once, Zhao Manyan sent a sphere of Light Radiance flying toward the spot Mo Fan had indicated.
It flew to where Mu Nujiao had just been standing. Its golden glow lit up the tunnel wall beside them, revealing a dense tangle of black vines.
The black vines covered the tunnel wall like a spiderweb. In the gaps between them appeared pair after pair of eerie blue eyes, as though embedded in the wall.
"Something's here! Everyone, be careful!"
Someone shouted, their voice echoing through that stretch of the tunnel.
"Fire Burst!" A rose-colored flame bloomed in Mo Fan's hand.
He thrust it forward with one hand, and the rose-colored flame landed on the web of black vines, instantly burning a huge swath of them to ash.
The flames also revealed several hunched, monstrous figures hidden behind the vines, each clutching a bone club marked with dried brown blood.
"They're Cave Demon Slaves!" Jingjing recognized the monsters.
Unlike goblins, which loved to breed, Cave Demon Slaves were especially fond of using the bone clubs in their hands to beat their prey into a pulp while they were still alive.
"Who cares what they are? Take this!"
Mo Fan didn't waste time thinking about it. He immediately gathered streak after streak of lightning seals in his left hand and hurled them at the Cave Demon Slaves.
The purple-black lightning seals transformed into writhing pythons. They raced across the ground and walls toward two of the Cave Demon Slaves.
In an instant, purple-black lightning engulfed their bodies, making them perform an impromptu African disco.
"Baaah!!!"
A cry sharper and more piercing than an ordinary sheep's bleat rang out.
The Cave Demon Slaves charged out in a fury, swinging their bone clubs at Mo Fan.
"Light Blessing!"
Lan Yu immediately cast an Intermediate Magic of the Light Element, forming a glittering golden shield in front of Mo Fan.
Thud—
The Cave Demon Slave's bone club slammed into the Light Protection-Holy Shield. The tremendous recoil sent it flying several meters backward.
"Vines—Whip!"
Crack—
Mu Nujiao seized the opportunity to cast Plant Element magic. A vine whipped out like a lash and struck the Cave Demon Slave hard across its hind legs.
The blow swept the Cave Demon Slave off its feet and bound it up. At Mu Nujiao's command, it was left hanging upside down.
"Baaah!!!"
The Cave Demon Slave shrieked in panic, wildly swinging the bone club in its hands.
Several more Thunder Seal-Angry Strikes came flying in right after it, mercilessly pounding into its body.
A strange odor spread through the air. Under Ming Cong's Thunder Seal-Angry Strikes, the Cave Demon Slave was dead as a doornail.
At that moment, Lan Yu summoned the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. It was about the size of an ordinary cat.
Go on. These are all your snacks.
With Lan Yu's permission, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger went on a killing spree.
Who knew how long it had gone without tasting blood since becoming Lan Yu's Summoned Beast?
Today, it could finally enjoy itself.
In a flash, Momo's form blurred into a streak and vanished from Lan Yu's sight.
The Cave Demon Slave hiding in a side tunnel hadn't even had time to call for its companions before Momo tore its heart and guts out.
Momo used its devouring ability to consume the Demon Heart and Demon Core.
"They're just a few weak minion monsters. It's nothing serious. Keep moving," Lu Zhenghe said indifferently, glancing their way.
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's aura seemed to have cowed the Cave Demon Slaves in the tunnel. For the time being, they didn't dare attack again and could only lie like fish on a chopping board, waiting to be slaughtered.
The group continued forward. From time to time, the Cave Demon Slaves' screams came from either side, or from ahead and behind.
Mu Nujiao couldn't help asking quietly, "Lan Yu, your Summoned Beast..."
Lan Yu waved a hand. "It's been pent up for a long time. Let it kill to its heart's content today. Besides, there are plenty of Cave Demon Slaves."
Mu Nujiao nodded and said no more.
Now and then, Cave Demon Slaves attacked the group, but fortunately, each encounter ended without incident.
After successfully making it through the tunnel, they immediately looked for a safe place to rest and recover the magic energy they'd used up.
Bai Tingting began treating everyone's injuries one by one, in case any complications arose.
"Zhao, get some water out. I'll give it a bath." Lan Yu held Momo, its whole body dripping with blood, and asked Zhao Manyan to cast Water Element magic to wash it off.
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