"Contractor," Chen Nan said to Ning Xuan, prodding at a group of tusked, boar-like creatures they had just killed with his short blade. "The Spiritual Seas of these Exotic Beasts are contaminated. Their flesh and blood don’t look any different, so I can’t tell if they’re safe to eat. In any case, we have plenty of food, so it’s best we avoid them."

"I’ve heard that the Exotic Beasts from the Spirit Medicine Valley are quite delicious. It’d be a shame to let them go to waste. Collect them in the food-storage Space Button and let’s take them with us." A regular Space Button was merely a simple storage space, while one designed for food had been specially modified. It was filled with large blocks of ice, making it equivalent to a large ice chamber.

"Yes." Chen Nan efficiently stowed the dozen or so Exotic Beasts into the Space Button.

The group continued on through the valley. The two men sent by Yan Fuzhen, Zhao Qiu and Su He, had joined them. Due to frequent attacks from Exotic Beasts, they had decided not to split into two groups for the rest of the journey and were now moving as one. Zhao Qiu and Su He walked at the very front to clear the path, while Leng Yue guarded the rear. Lin Mo and Chen Nan stayed near Ning Xuan. As for Ning Xuan, she observed the surrounding plants while they traveled. She had released numerous Spiritual Power Threads to sense the energy fluctuations of the flora. Any area with distinct or intense energy fluctuations was sure to have unusual Exotic Plants growing there.

As they walked, terrified human shouts suddenly came from up ahead. "Help! Help!"

Zhao Qiu’s Thunder Shocking Blade cut through a thicket of thorns. A heavy scent of blood washed over them from within. Ning Xuan and the others followed the smell of blood and the cries for help, moving forward.

The further they went, the stronger the smell of blood became. After passing through a dense forest, they saw a clearing encircled by twelve broken Totem Stone Pillars. In the clearing, seven Exotic Beasts with long tails and covered in Scale Armor were frantically besieging several humans. The bone spurs extending from their tailbones glinted with a blackish-green poisonous light. A casual swing of their tails could smash a half-foot-deep crater into the ground.

Three men in silver-gray combat suits protected a beautiful woman in colorful clothes, keeping her in the center. Two other men, drenched in blood, stood some distance away from them, fighting back-to-back against the seven Exotic Beasts.

"We can’t hold on much longer!" one of the blood-soaked men shouted to the group behind him. "Zhou Yi, you guys need to get the Contractor out of here!"

"No! Zhou Yi, go help them! If we’re leaving, we all leave together!" The woman protected in the middle refused to go.

"Little Snow, we’re already showing signs of mutation. We can’t leave. While we’re still lucid, you all need to get out of here. Zhou Yi, take her and go." As soon as the blood-soaked man finished speaking, his body suddenly expanded with a BAM! His hands turned into sharp claws, thick white fur covered his muscular arms, and a pair of fuzzy wolf ears sprouted where his human ears had been.

Only his eyes remained clear—not turbid and violent, but as limpid as a cold spring.

"No, I won’t go! So many people entered the Secret Realm this time, someone will definitely come to save us! Let me go!" Zhou Yi was pulling Tang Xue away, but she struggled, refusing to leave.

"Forgive my offense, Contractor." Seeing how fiercely Tang Xue was struggling, Zhou Yi grabbed both of her wrists with one hand, scooped up her legs with the other, and with a slight heave, threw her over his shoulder.

"Put me down!" Tang Xue cried out. She tried to struggle but found she was held so tightly by Zhou Yi that she couldn’t move at all.

Just then, Tang Xue spotted Ning Xuan and the others. Her eyes lit up, and she yelled to Ning Xuan, "Sister, help us! Please, have your Contractors lend a hand! If you help us, I, Tang Xue, will reward you generously!"

Ning Xuan waved her hand, and Zhao Qiu and Su He charged forward, weapons in hand. These seven Exotic Beasts were called Golden Scale Beasts. The Scale Armor of a Golden Scale Beast was a top-tier material for refining armor and was very valuable.

"Zhou Yi, stop! Put me down! Didn’t you see reinforcements have arrived?" Tang Xue shouted in frustration, seeing that someone had joined the battle while Zhou Yi was still carrying her and running away.

The man named Zhou Yi didn’t stop. He soon came face-to-face with Ning Xuan’s group. Lin Mo flashed forward, blocking Zhou Yi’s path.

"Everyone, those Golden Scale Beasts are affected by the Miasma Poison. They’re much stronger than usual. You’re no match for them. You should leave here quickly." Blocked by Lin Mo and afraid of wasting time, Zhou Yi could only try to persuade them to leave as well.

Meanwhile, Zhao Qiu and Su He had already joined the battle, and the pressure on the two men who had started mutating was suddenly relieved. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

The Golden Scale Beasts’ Scale Armor had extremely high defense. Powerful attacks sparked against it, but only served to make the Exotic Beasts even more frenzied.

However, the Golden Scale Beasts were not without a weakness. There was an area on their bellies not covered by Scale Armor. Two of the Golden Scale Beasts had been scratched in that very area by claws. Zhao Qiu saw his chance. His Thunder Shock Blade sliced into one of the wounds. Blood gushed out, and the Golden Scale Beast let out a howl of fury and pain. Zhao Qiu’s blade was poisoned; black smoke rose from the beast’s wound.

One of the seven Golden Scale Beasts was dealt with, leaving six.

"AH..." Zhou Yi suddenly screamed in agony. A sharp, needle-like pain shot through his mind—Tang Xue had attacked him through their spiritual connection. The pain caused his grip to loosen, and Tang Xue took the opportunity to break free.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, Tang Xue ran toward the center of the battle. "Little Five, don’t be afraid! I’m here to lower your Mutated Value!" She charged straight for the man who had sprouted wolf ears.

The three men, including Zhou Yi, chased after Tang Xue.

Just as Tang Xue was about to reach Min Wu, Zhou Yi grabbed her. "Contractor, calm down! Min Wu’s mutation has already surpassed 70 percent! He can’t be saved! He could lose his mind at any moment. You can’t go near him."

Tang Xue kicked Zhou Yi’s rock-hard leg. "Get out of my way! How do you know he can’t be saved if we don’t try? I can save him! Don’t stop me."

Zhou Yi let Tang Xue kick and punch him, but he refused to let go. Min Wu opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but was horrified to find he could no longer speak. The coppery-sweet taste of blood filled his mouth as his teeth were slowly replaced by the fangs of a snow wolf.

Min Wu gave Tang Xue a sorrowful look, then resolutely raised his claws and plunged them toward his own neck.

Tang Xue’s eyes widened in despair. "NO...!" she screamed.

Seeing Min Wu about to kill himself, Ning Xuan flung out thirteen flying needles, sealing 13 of his acupoints. With perfect coordination, Lin Mo brought the paralyzed Min Wu over and placed him in front of Tang Xue.

Leng Yue and Chen Nan had already joined the battle to encircle and destroy the Golden Scale Beasts.

Tang Xue gave Ning Xuan a grateful smile, immediately shook off Zhou Yi, and pressed her forehead against Min Wu’s. Tang Xue’s Spiritual Power Level was B-rank, and her Bloodline Talent was Purifying Light. Now, she was using her talent with all her might. A soft, white light enveloped Min Wu.