"Of course, if we can open the passage, then that's naturally the best scenario. But if we can't, we shouldn't be disheartened."

"After all, we can always find a good way to break through from here."

Everyone nodded in agreement, small smiles appearing on their faces.

Soon, everyone was ready, clearly preparing to act together.

Wang Zhan was the first to raise his Deep Fire Blade, smashing it down fiercely onto a specific point before him. Those behind him quickly followed suit, with Han Junxiong close behind.

In the blink of an eye, all their attacks landed on that single point. Instantly, an energy ripple spread out, causing the entire mountain forest to tremble.

Seeing this, Wang Zhan's expression changed. He glanced at the barrier before him and then continued, "Although this barrier is broken, we still need to prepare. Making such a commotion, it seems we've likely disturbed the big guy residing in here."

Everyone exchanged glances, their faces turning considerably more grim.

"Looks like it's time for a desperate battle."

Han Junxiong folded his arms, his face showing little fear. After all, with Wang Zhan by his side, what was there to worry about? Besides, although there was a certain degree of danger, fortune favors the bold. Only by constantly testing the boundaries of life and death could one truly improve their strength.

This was something he had learned from Wang Zhan.

"Since Mr. Wang is with us, there's naturally no need to worry about anything. No matter what we encounter, we'll all fight together. It won't be an easy task for that thing to devour us."

"Exactly, I think so too. We'll all attack together. Even if the sky falls down, we can hold it up."

For a moment, everyone's expressions shifted; they had clearly reached a critical juncture. After all, the reason they had entered Extinct Ridge was to obtain what they desired. Of course, how could that be possible without tribulations? Moreover, they had already steeled themselves for death before coming here. If they could leave this place unscathed, they would naturally become elites among men, but none of that mattered anymore.

Now, all they wanted was to fight alongside Wang Zhan and unleash their full power.

Wang Zhan observed their expressions, then spread his hands and gestured placatingly towards them. Simultaneously, he put away his Deep Fire Blade and said with a smile, "Things haven't reached that point yet. At least, we haven't seen this so-called 'big guy' appear, and the barrier before us is already broken. Everyone has been rushing for a while, so if you're tired, let's just rest here for a bit."

"No need to rest! We want to deal with the big guy hiding in here directly! Let's see just how tough it is!"

Instantly, the crowd was filled with righteous indignation, clearly ready for a major battle. Looking at them, Wang Zhan gave a helpless smile and shook his head. He said, "Everyone seems to have forgotten one thing: we must maintain absolute mental power. Only then can we consistently perform at our best in battle. So, everyone should rest for a bit first. This will be beneficial for all of you. Even when we encounter that big guy, we'll be able to fight with all our might. It wouldn't be good if we end up exhausted with no strength left to even retaliate."

Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances and then burst into laughter. The atmosphere became harmonious, and they stopped clamoring to press onward. Instead, they sat down on the spot, evidently preparing to rest.

Wang Zhan also found a random tree and sat down, listening intently to the surrounding sounds. It had to be said that after the barrier broke, this place had reverted to a scene like an ordinary forest. The sounds were very familiar: the chirping of insects and the calls of birds, endlessly filling the air.

Han Junxiong, who was nearby, walked over to Wang Zhan. He nudged him gently, then Xu Xu asked, "So? What's our plan next?"

Wang Zhan smiled and said, "There's a big guy hidden inside, always lurking there. We naturally need to go in and take a look. After all, if we can eliminate it, I'll probably be able to refine even higher-grade elixirs and also improve my elixir-crafting techniques. Why wouldn't we?"

Of course, there was one thing Wang Zhan hadn't made clear to Han Junxiong: he didn't just want to obtain what he needed from the demonic beasts. More importantly, by defeating those demonic beasts, he could also enhance his own combat effectiveness. After all, the System had undergone an overhaul and was already vastly different from before. He believed that before long, the System would undergo another significant transformation, and at that time, his strength would also continuously advance rapidly. Wang Zhan was very curious about what strength beyond the peak truly felt like; relying solely on his current abilities, progress was still incredibly difficult. On the Star War Battlefield, there were always some extremely formidable individuals, so he had to be thoroughly prepared.

Han Junxiong nodded heavily. He clenched his fists, then, squinting his eyes, Xu Xu said, "That sounds good. But what if it's as strong as the Snow Demon?"

Although Wang Zhan had been able to defeat the Snow Demon previously, it was due to an elemental advantage, so it was somewhat opportunistic. If he had to confront the Snow Demon head-on, dealing with it would not have been an easy task.

Wang Zhan shrugged and said with a smile, "In my opinion, it naturally doesn't matter. After all, I don't care about such things. Besides, I'm well aware that for such a demonic beast to exist here, it must be using this forest to its advantage, which provides it with a certain degree of territorial superiority. But that also proves it has likely long since become one with this forest. However, don't forget, my attribute is related to the fire element. So, even in this forest, I can still completely suppress it."

The fire element's ability to burn everything would naturally provide Wang Zhan with considerable help. Han Junxiong, at his side, nodded heavily again, giving Wang Zhan a thumbs-up, a faint smile playing on his lips. "It seems there are indeed great differences between elements. In the future, I'll also need to make good use of elemental suppression techniques. This fire element is truly remarkable."

Wang Zhan laughed, "What you're thinking is quite simple, but controlling the fire element is no easy task. After all, among the many elements existing between Heaven and Earth, the fire element itself is divided into several types. The fire element I currently control is an extremely volatile type. The slightest carelessness could even cause a certain degree of damage to myself. So, you naturally need to consider it carefully; otherwise, it won't benefit you at all."

Han Junxiong naturally understood this point. Whether it was cultivating any kind of technique or equipping any kind of weapons and defensive gear, everything had to be compatible with one's own factors. Only then could one's potential be maximized.

Wang Zhan, beside him, spoke again, "Alright, you should also rest for a while. It won't be long before we have a tough battle to face. At that time, no one can afford to slack off. Everyone will need to bring out their best. Relying on myself alone to deal with that big guy hidden in the depths, even I don't have the slightest bit of confidence."

Han Junxiong nodded heavily, then Xu Xu closed his eyes, evidently preparing to rest and recuperate.

Wang Zhan, however, couldn't get to sleep. This Extinct Ridge was indeed very peculiar, so he now wanted to understand what kind of place this truly was. Although there were the chirping of insects and birds, he hadn't seen a single beast. They had been inside for so long; could it be that those big guys hadn't detected them at all? Thinking about it this way, things here seemed very unusual.

Wang Zhan squinted, observing his surroundings. It seemed no different from an ordinary forest, but his perception far exceeded that of ordinary people, so he was naturally aware of the big guys existing within.

Time ticked by, second by second. The people around him gradually woke up. Wang Zhan had also just had a short nap. He picked up his Deep Fire Blade, then lazily rose and swept his gaze over the crowd, a faint smile in his eyes. "Has everyone rested well?"

Everyone quickly nodded.

"Rest assured, even if several demonic beasts were to come now, we could easily deal with them."

"Mr. Wang, I noticed you didn't seem to rest well earlier. Are you well-rested now? You're the backbone for all of us; absolutely nothing can happen to you. After all, our very lives depend on you."

Wang Zhan waved his hand with a smile. "Don't worry, my energy has almost fully recovered. Besides, this journey hasn't actually consumed much energy. Everyone, don't worry. I'll get ready, and then we'll continue deeper to see what exactly is inside that makes all the demonic beasts here afraid to show themselves."

Everyone nodded heavily. Then, they proceeded forward.