A Way Out of Desperation

While the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad was busy tormenting Shi Han, Xiao Yan and the other two encountered no trouble returning to the bottom of the pool.

When Xiao Yan saw the many medicinal herbs at the bottom again, he felt more unease than anything else. Although he had followed the voice in his heart down here, he truly had no idea what to do next. He repeatedly spread out his soul perception and scanned the pool bottom, but found nothing unusual.

Damn it!

He had questioned himself several times, but that vague, ethereal voice never appeared again.

He had never expected to end up in such a hopeless situation. He could not think of any good solution at all.

Seeing Xiao Yan's expression, Chu Qun and Yang Lingyan's gazes also dimmed. The three of them could all be considered exceptional talents, so naturally none of them were willing to die here.

Yang Lingyan slammed a fist into the pool bottom, venting the inexplicable frustration in his chest. No matter how suitable this underwater environment was for him, it had now become his grave.

Xiao Yan looked at the dim pool bottom and the many precious medicinal herbs swaying in the water, then reached out and plucked the most inconspicuous one among them—the Ten Thousand Year Green Spirit Vine.

Xiao Yan had only acted on a whim, but halfway through picking it, he discovered something strange.

Beneath the Ten Thousand Year Green Spirit Vine was no longer the same pitch-black color as the pool bottom. Instead, a milky-white, translucent light screen appeared. Not a trace of Dou Qi emanated from it, but Xiao Yan was overjoyed when he saw it, because he had seen this light screen before! Not just him—everyone in the Ten Thousand Beasts Space recognized it. It was exactly the same as the light screen they had entered through during teleportation! Though they did not know where it would lead, staying alive was the most important thing to Xiao Yan and the other two right now.

Xiao Yan signaled to the other two. When Chu Qun and Yang Lingyan saw the light screen, their faces also filled with wild joy. They had made a great decision when they followed Xiao Yan down here, and Xiao Yan had truly led them from certain death to survival.

The three immediately began gathering the other herbs, but just as Xiao Yan started picking them, he sensed that something was wrong. The terrifying aura of the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad was closing in on them.

Xiao Yan lightly tapped his Storage Ring, and the black, ancient Heavy Profound Ruler appeared in his hand. The Dou Qi in his body surged into the Heavy Profound Ruler as though it cost nothing, turning the black ruler blood-red. Pool water was continuously vaporized by the blood-red Heavy Profound Ruler. Then Xiao Yan swung it behind him. After pouring out his full strength, an unnatural flush appeared on his face.

As Xiao Yan swung his arm, a massive figure emerged from the void ahead. A black shadow struck at a speed too fast for the naked eye to catch. The black shadow collided with the blood-red Heavy Profound Ruler, and terrifying waves of blood-colored fire erupted. Most of those fire waves rushed straight into the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad's mouth, while the rest spread everywhere, continuously scorching the water and even creating a brief vacuum within the pool.

Xiao Yan secretly activated the Crimson Lotus Karma Flame's effect of burning sinful thoughts, but the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad was completely unaffected. As a resurrected magical beast, it had barely any sins for Xiao Yan to ignite.

But at the same time Xiao Yan attacked, gusts of Dou Qi formed from all directions, blocking the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad's path of advance while continuously slicing at it.

After Xiao Yan's first attack, Chu Qun immediately seized the opening and followed up with another attack, but the gusts of Dou Qi had rather limited effect.

Xiao Yan saw that Yang Lingyan was almost done clearing the area and that they would soon be able to teleport away. The blood-colored flames around Xiao Yan vanished, replaced by pale white flames. Two energy palm seals wreathed in pale white fire appeared before him. Xiao Yan knew how precious time was, and Dou Emperor-level Dou Qi continuously poured out from his body.

"Since the Crimson Lotus Karma Flame is useless, beast, try this!"

"Emperor Seal Art, Mountain Opening Seal!"

"Emperor Seal Art, Sea Overturning Seal!"

The two seals overlapped, and even the surrounding space began to shatter. With a thought from Xiao Yan, the energy hand seals charged toward the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad with unstoppable force. Sensing the danger, the creature shot out its long tongue, which was comparable to a divine weapon, and pierced straight through both seals. The pale white flames attached to the hand seals froze the surrounding pool water before surging into the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad's mouth along with it.

The next instant, a thunderous explosion that Xiao Yan had never anticipated rang out. Tangible energy ripples burst from the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad's mouth, striking Xiao Yan and the other two head-on and sending them flying into the light screen.

The Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad was in a miserable state, its entire body covered in burn wounds. Its dark tongue looked utterly grotesque, riddled with injuries.

However, with its intelligence gone, it showed no reaction. After circling the pool several times and discovering that no one remained, it merged with the pool floor once more. Only, the medicinal herbs from before had vanished without a trace.

In a forest somewhere within the Ten Thousand Beasts Space, the Ten Thousand Beasts Space was simply too vast. Thus, even after several days had passed, few people had come to this forest. Suddenly, spatial fluctuations rippled through the tranquil woods, and three bedraggled figures tumbled out from a spatial rift.

The impact was so powerful that several trees in the forest suffered as well, snapped apart by the three of them.

The moment Xiao Yan landed, he immediately spread out his soul perception. Upon discovering that the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad had not followed them out through the light screen, he burst into laughter.

Beside him, Chu Qun and Yang Lingyan, who were equally disheveled, lay on the ground and laughed heartily without any regard for their appearances.

It took a while for their laughter to fade. Chu Qun sighed. "It feels so good to be alive again!"

The rankings displayed in the sky showed that they were still within the Ten Thousand Beasts Space. Though they did not know why there had been a teleportation light screen there, the three had survived safely after all.

Yang Lingyan sat up beside them and said, "Not just that. While you two were holding off the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad, I gathered all the medicinal herbs it was guarding."

As he spoke, he took out nine types of medicinal herbs from his Storage Ring and laid them on the ground.

When Chu Qun and Xiao Yan heard this, a flash of eagerness crossed both their eyes. It would have been a lie to say they were not tempted by so many high-grade medicinal herbs. They were all excellent materials capable of refining seventh-tier medicinal pills!

"The rest can be discussed, but the Ten Thousand Year Green Spirit Vine is of great use to me. I'll take that one. How about it?" Xiao Yan said. After all, he could not give up what was needed for Yao Lao's resurrection.

Chu Qun and Yang Lingyan both agreed. Chu Qun then said, "How about this? If it were not for Brother Xiao Yan, Brother Yang and I might not even have made it out alive. Forget the medicinal herbs. I suggest that the two of us take one herb each, and give all the rest to Brother Xiao Yan. What do you think?"

"No!" Xiao Yan was the first to object.

A flicker passed through Chu Qun's eyes, but he still said, "Then we must thank Brother Xiao Yan all the more. Without your guidance, I'm afraid Chu Qun's insignificant life would have been lost."

Xiao Yan gently shook his head. "For us to escape from the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad, all three of us were indispensable. Let's do this: aside from the Ten Thousand Year Green Spirit Vine, we'll divide the other nine equally."

As soon as Xiao Yan said this, both Chu Qun and Yang Lingyan were greatly surprised. Without Xiao Yan, the two of them would have had virtually no way of escaping, and it had also been Xiao Yan who held off the Green-Eyed Nightmare Toad. Chu Qun did not dare claim that he had contributed much.

"But..." Before Yang Lingyan could finish, Xiao Yan took three of the herbs and gestured for them to stop being so polite.

Yang Lingyan and Chu Qun looked at Xiao Yan, gratitude appearing on their faces. Chu Qun clasped his fist and said, "Brother Xiao Yan, I'm proud to call you my friend!"