274: Chapter 274 The Hallucinogenic Fog

Leng Wuhen and Gao Wenyu's hearts initially tightened, thinking that even stronger treasure-snatchers had arrived.

But when they clearly saw the Ice Dragon descending from the sky and Chen Yi's group on its back, they breathed a heavy sigh of relief, their tensed nerves instantly relaxing.

The two of them quickly brought their respective Contracted Spirit Beast girls to greet them, their faces filled with the joy of surviving a disaster and sincere gratitude.

"Chen Yi! We really owe it to you this time!"

Gao Wenyu patted Chen Yi's shoulder hard, his voice excited. "If you hadn't arrived in time, we probably would have been finished here!"

Leng Wuhen also nodded solemnly. "Thank you!"

Qi Lianmeng and the other Spirit Beast Girls also thanked Chen Yi and his spirit beasts one after another.

Luo Yuqing ran quickly to her sister Luo Shiyin's side, hugging her arm and saying with lingering fear, "Sister! I was scared to death! It's a good thing you guys came!"

---

After a few simple pleasantries and thanks, Chen Yi cut to the chase and asked, "How did you two end up together? Doesn't the rule for the Frost Zone limit total spiritual power?"

Gao Wenyu explained, "Both of us are only at Rank 5, Stage 10, and we aren't carrying many Contracted Spirit Beasts. Our combined total spiritual power hasn't reached the threshold to trigger a large-scale beast tide yet, so we decided to travel together to look out for each other!"

Chen Yi nodded. "Fair enough. I heard you guys came from the third zone. Do you know how to get there?"

Leng Wuhen and Gao Wenyu both nodded, pointing toward a specific direction deep within the sea of fire. "It's over there. After flying for about half a day, you'll see a patch of distorted space with a clearly different color. That's the entrance to the third zone, the forest area."

Having obtained the precise information, Chen Yi didn't delay any longer.

"Thanks! We'll keep moving then. You guys be careful."

With that, he signaled Lin Mengxue to take off, quickly departing with The girls in the direction Leng Wuhen and the others had pointed.

On the ground, the Dragon Kingdom geniuses like Leng Wuhen, Gao Wenyu, Qi Lianmeng, and Luo Yuqing watched the retreating figure of Chen Yi and the others on the Ice Dragon, their faces showing complex and emotional expressions.

Seven months ago, Chen Yi was just a Rank 1 Beast Tamer who had recently awakened—

Now, he had already broken through to Rank 6, and his strength was unfathomable, able to insta-kill even Rank 7 experts at will—

It really made one sigh; sometimes the gap between humans is even larger than the gap between humans and spirit beasts!

Luo Yuqing let out a long sigh.

While Leng Wuhen was indeed considered a peerless monster, Chen Yi... was simply too broken!

Even though she would never betray Leng Wuhen, her mind couldn't help but wander—

Thinking how great it would be if her Beast Tamer were Chen Yi—

---

As time passed.

The surrounding illusions of burning flames began to gradually thin out.

At some point, a layer of faint white mist began to permeate the air, adding a touch of eeriness to this desolate land.

"Have we arrived at the third zone?"

Chen Yi stood on Lin Mengxue's back, looking at the scene ahead being gradually enveloped by mist, feeling quite surprised. "According to the intel, shouldn't the third zone be a dense forest? Why does it feel like the illusions of the sea of fire below haven't completely disappeared?"

Just as he was wondering.

Beside him, Black Rose suddenly furrowed her delicate brows and reminded him softly, "Chen Yi, be careful! This mist... isn't right. It seems to contain a hallucinogenic energy fluctuation!"

"Hallucinogenic?"

Hearing this, Chen Yi's expression became even more solemn.

Black Rose herself possessed similar abilities to affect the mind, so she was exceptionally sensitive to this type of energy fluctuation.

She wouldn't have misjudged it!

Su Taotao, hearing this, wasn't afraid at all. Instead, she stuck out her little tongue and licked her lips, an eager smile appearing on her face.

"Hallucinogenic? That sounds like fun! Brother Chen Yi, do you need me to swallow it all in one gulp? I feel like this mist... also seems quite delicious!"

Chen Yi was between laughter and tears as he asked, "You can even swallow hallucinogenic mist? You won't get an upset stomach, will you?"

Su Taotao patted her flat chest and replied with full confidence, "No problem! I just secretly tasted a small mouthful, and it tastes pretty good. It's a bit like... well, a bit like cotton candy! Fluffy, with a slightly sweet energy feel!"

Hearing this, Chen Yi could only let out a helpless, long sigh, his heart filled with emotion.

As expected, the bloodline of the ancient fierce beast Taotie was truly as overbearing as the legends said!

Vitality could be swallowed, pure energy could be swallowed, barrier walls could be swallowed, and now even this intangible hallucinogenic mist could be treated as a snack... it truly refreshed his understanding once again.

"Alright then!"

Chen Yi no longer hesitated and decisively ordered, "Since you can handle it, then eat your fill! Don't worry about energy overload, I'm here!"

"Okay! Thanks, Brother Chen Yi!"

Su Taotao responded and then walked to the very front of the group.

Facing the gradually thickening mist, she took a deep breath, and a pitch-black vortex instantly emerged.

Everyone could clearly feel that the surrounding white mist, which had been slowly drifting, seemed to be pulled by some irresistible force and began to converge frantically toward Su Taotao!

A massive amount of mist formed visible white air currents, continuously pouring into her slightly parted cherry-red mouth.

A faint chaotic halo glowed around her body, as if she were a bottomless pit, greedily absorbing this eerie mist.

As the mist was rapidly devoured by Su Taotao, the surrounding scenery began to clear at a speed visible to the naked eye.

However, when the scene before them was completely free from the shroud of mist and fully presented itself to everyone,

Everyone standing on the dragon's back, including Chen Yi, couldn't help but gasp!

Where was there any forest!

Where was there any sea of fire!

What appeared before them was clearly a scene like hell!

It was a canyon with no end in sight!

Inside the canyon, there were white bones everywhere!

Some were humanoid, some were from various giant beasts, layered on top of each other, piled like mountains!

Dark red blood seemed to have soaked every inch of the soil, converging into viscous streams that wound through the skeletons!

The air was thick with the smell of blood and death, and the entire canyon was shrouded in an atmosphere of desperate silence.

"So... the forest scene explored by the vanguard was all an illusion created by this mist?"

Luo Shiyin murmured softly.

The real scene before them was far more shocking to the soul than any illusion.

Just then, an ice-cold and terrifying killing intent instantly submerged everyone!

"Watch out!"

Lin Mengxue reacted extremely fast, her dragon pupils shrinking. Almost purely by instinct, her massive dragon body suddenly dove down to the side!

The very next second after they left their original spot,

Swoosh!

A giant white sword light, seven or eight meters wide and composed purely of mist, swept past fiercely!

Wherever the sword light passed, space itself seemed to be sliced open.

With a terrifying momentum that crushed everything, it instantly swept across half the canyon!