Qiongqi beat its four wings, hurling its stout body toward Hundun.
Today, it had to teach Hundun a lesson. Its authority as the boss could not be challenged!
“Qiongqi! Don’t think you can be the boss just because you’re older! I’m not afraid of you either!” Hundun charged right back at Qiongqi.
Taowu lifted its head and watched the two fighting fiercely. It decided to follow Feng Qingran instead, looking for some entertainment.
The first eight people Mo Jinghong sent in didn’t seem this weak, did they?
Moreover, Feng Qingran clearly hadn’t realized yet that other places were even more dangerous…
——————
Achoo!—
Feng Qingran sneezed three times in a row.
She didn’t need to think hard to guess that those three vile beasts were talking about her.
One of the sneezes nearly made her lose her breath. She stopped and looked around.
She was surrounded by mountains, the ground covered in broken stones. No bloodstains.
It seemed like a safe place.
Feeling reassured, Feng Qingran looked for a rock to sit on.
Crack!—
A crisp, crushing sound came from under her foot.
Feng Qingran’s briefly relaxed heart leaped into her throat again.
She looked down and saw a small patch of sticky fluid and a tiny bit of yellow.
It looked like a mini egg.
Feng Qingran crouched down for a closer look. It was indeed an egg. An ant egg.
Her expression relaxed. An ant egg? No problem there.
“But there are ants in this place?” A flicker of delight passed through Feng Qingran’s eyes. Ants had extremely strong survival skills. If they could live here, it meant there was food nearby.
Completely unaware that she was about to become the food.
Woof! Woof! Woof!—
Feng Qingran looked at the small black dog in her arms. It was kind of ugly, like a mangy mutt. “What are you barking for? Bark again, and I’ll eat you.”
She hadn’t forgotten how this ugly dog had nearly gotten her killed.
The little black dog kicked its legs, trying to get down.
Feng Qingran tightened her grip, refusing to let go. Having this thing with her made her feel a bit more secure.
The little black dog grew more frantic, kicking even harder.
This little girl had caused major trouble the moment she arrived. It didn’t want to go down with her!
——————
In the air not far away.
Two wyverns watched with amusement. “I heard a tender, delicate little girl entered the Tenfold Domain, so I rushed over immediately. But I still couldn’t get to her before that scoundrel Taotie!”
Another, yellow wyvern, said, “No need to fight over her now. Both Taotie and that girl are done for. This is the territory of the Crimson Yellow Ants. That girl actually dared to crush one of their offspring’s eggs! The murder of one’s child is an unforgivable enmity!”
“The Crimson Yellow Ants only produced one egg in thousands of years, and they didn’t even protect it properly. Who can they blame?” The black wyvern shook its head.
“Blame who? Blame the girl’s terrible luck, daring to trespass in the Crimson Yellow Ants’ territory… The ignorance of youth makes them fearless! I’m genuinely impressed…” The yellow wyvern’s tone was laced with schadenfreude.
Food was already scarce in the Tenfold Domain.
And then the Crimson Yellow Ants, relying on their massive numbers, went and ate everything in the entire Tenfold Domain!
Forcing everyone else to fast!
Although they were all vile beasts and wouldn’t starve without eating, their vile natures made them gluttonous by instinct. Controlling their appetite was naturally difficult…
Sure enough, a rustling, skittering sound rose from below.
Feng Qingran grew alert, scanning her surroundings but finding nothing. She muttered to herself, “Why do I feel like I have targets on my back? Could the rocks be dangerous too?”
“Run! It’s a swarm of—” Taotie finally couldn’t hold back, its voice like that of a five-year-old child.
Thud!—
Before Taotie could finish!
Feng Qingran hurled it away.
Furious, Taotie roared at Feng Qingran, “You wretched girl, seeking death! I’ll—”
Taotie’s voice cut off abruptly—
It looked down and realized Feng Qingran had thrown it right into the encircling swarm of Crimson Yellow Ants.
Lifting its head, it only saw Feng Qingran’s retreating back as she ran far away.
In that instant, Taotie understood everything. It bellowed, “Dammit! They all say humans are treacherous! Now I finally believe it!”
Taotie watched the Crimson Yellow Ants closing in on it, inch by inch, and felt its scalp crawl. What a troublesome bunch!
Even though getting bitten wouldn’t kill it, it would be agonizing!
“The girl who crushed the egg is the one you want, not me! Go find her!” Taotie yelled at the Ant Queen.
The Ant Queen’s body was three feet long. “I set up a protective barrier around this area. If you hadn’t brought her in, how would she have dared to come!?”
“Everyone, attack! Bite it to death! It’s the one who killed our child!”
The Ant Queen shouted indignantly. Countless worker ants surged toward Taotie.
In an instant, Taotie was submerged under the swarm of Crimson Yellow Ants.
——————
Hearing Taotie’s screams in the distance, Feng Qingran clapped her hands with satisfaction. “One dealt with!”
She hadn’t recognized the black dog as Taotie at first. But after she stopped and gathered her thoughts, she realized: if three of the four vile beasts had appeared, how could the last one be missing?
Rumors said Taotie was so gluttonous it ate its own body, leaving only a mouth behind.
But one must not forget: Taotie knew transformation magic and could shapeshift into anything.
It was when the little black dog spoke that she guessed its identity from its voice.
A light glinted in Feng Qingran’s eyes as she recalled the map of the Tenfold Domain. Just ahead lay the swampland.
The swamp was even more dangerous than these areas. Her expression grew more cautious.
But to reach that paradise-like land, she had to pass through the swamp.
Her nerves taut, Feng Qingran pressed forward, unaware of the small tail following behind her.
About an hour later.
Feng Qingran rested her chin on her hand, observing the stretch of withered forest ahead.
A few sparse, barren trees stood listlessly in the grove, devoid of life. The ground was covered in a half-foot-thick layer of dead leaves.
This place seemed to be the swampland.
Feng Qingran tentatively took a step forward. Instantly, everything around her turned pitch black.
