American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

Beneath the cold-resistant alfalfa, several buds of heat- and moisture-loving fungi, known as hairy cup fungi, have emerged from the ground.

Coupled with the numerous insects and animals coming and going, it is a wonderful scene of all creatures freely competing under the frosty sky.

However, for the people walking through it, the experience wasn't so pleasant.

The towering canopies, like emerald clouds, stretch out to receive all the sun's blessings, while the ground, deprived of sunlight, is forced to accumulate layers of fallen leaves over the years, gradually molding and rotting in the surrounding dampness.

These leaves appear to be a thick, soft, and flat stack, but in reality, apart from the thin layer on the surface, the ground is already rotten and decaying. With just a light step, soft, rotten, and foul-smelling mud will immediately gush out, making it as deep as a swamp, reaching up to your calves.

Hidden within were countless fleshy worms, each as thick as a finger, which stretched out their sharp mouthparts and prowled around, looking greedy as if they had grown tired of the humus and wanted a change of pace, making the group feel nauseous.

Zhu Mingyao alone was fine; with his current cultivation level, his elegant style of leaping across leaves with his true qi far surpassed that of so-called martial arts masters. However, the two little witches did not have this ability. If it weren't for the narrow gaps in the forest, making it difficult to dodge and move, they would have already taken out their flying carpets to sit on.

Seeing his companion's predicament, Zhu Mingyao didn't want to show off his skills. He rummaged in his treasure bag and took out two small deer made of bamboo branches as frames and white thatch as fur, and threw them on the ground.

Amidst billowing white smoke, a robust white deer with short, jade-colored antlers on both heads and a glossy, smooth body leaped out.

In the realm of immortals, techniques for ascending and flying are often called "spirit flying techniques." If we break them down, even within the orthodox Xuanmen (mystical sects), there are distinctions such as Dragon Flying, Tiger Flying, and Deer Flying. As for those extending into unorthodox sects, there are even more techniques like Horse Flying and Eagle Flying.

These two white deer shrouded in mist were magical objects created by Zhu Mingyao using the Deer-Walking Technique. Although they could not fly like the grass dragon created by the Dragon-Walking Technique, they could still lift their four hooves with three inches of white smoke, running as fast as a galloping horse, leaping up and down far better than a argali, and even climbing mountains and wading through water as if walking on flat ground. They could be called all-terrain electric scooters and human-sized hovercrafts.

Zhu Mingyao gesturing for the girls to mount their horses, then whistled and activated his magical artifact, following the Yaksha ghost general [Jiesen] who was clearing the way ahead.

Even with the help of mounts, which spared them the hardship of the journey, the complex environment still caused the three of them a lot of trouble.

A strong, musty smell rose from the ground, like a tattered rag that hadn't been washed for years covering one's mouth and nose, the stale stench penetrating straight into the respiratory tract.

The palm-sized mosquitoes buzzed their wings like thunder, raising their long, metallic-looking proboscis. It was probably the first time in their lives they had encountered prey without fur protection. They were so excited, like old bachelors who had been holding back their lives, rushing forward eager to taste blood and have their fill.

Forced to abandon his original plan to sneak into the village, Zhu Mingyao ordered the Yaksha Ghost to unleash its full power to intimidate these miniature vampires.

The powerful, malevolent aura swept across the land with surprisingly good results. Mosquitoes, flies, and poisonous insects all retreated. Even groups of long-tailed mice that had been hiding underground dug up the withered leaves and soil above their heads and fled to other places with their families. In an instant, the ground was turned upside down and pitted, revealing what it was like underneath.

"Hmm?" Zoe exclaimed softly, and a spider web as tough as steel was released. She grabbed it and scooped it up, turning a large patch of mud, sand, and leaves upside down.

"Look!" she exclaimed, pointing to what had appeared.

Beneath the withered branches and fallen leaves, rows of polished granite slabs lay quietly, paved into a neat road that meandered into the distance.

"The direction extends from near the seaside fortress into the island, and it should be the pilgrimage route leading to the core palace of the gods!"

Zhu Mingyao used his Five Elements Taoist techniques to clear away the debris blocking the road. He walked several dozen meters forward and backward, carefully examined the area, and then said with delight.

With road signs, you don't have to wander around blindly.

With a flourish, he drew his peachwood staff and pointed it. The ghostly soldiers transformed into swirling gusts of wind, rising and falling, blowing away withered branches and soil, and probing the direction of the stone path ahead.

"Let's go! That destination must be the holy city of Teotihuacan!"

……

……

"Sir Michael... I'm sorry, I really can't hold on any longer and can no longer accompany you on this adventure."

The blond battle priest crouched down, panting heavily, his nail-headed scepter propped up on a rock by the stream, his forehead covered in a fine layer of cold sweat.

The clear water flowed slowly, then suddenly plunged down a dozen meters ahead, falling into a wide mountain stream.

The massive ravine, seemingly cleaved open by a divine hand, is hundreds of meters wide. The cliffs on both sides, concealed by vines, are as smooth as mirrors, and a strange, dark gray mist floats at its deep bottom, making it impossible to fathom its depths.

He took a breath of the cool mist rising from the stream to catch his breath. He felt that the holy power in his body had been suppressed to only one or two tenths. If he waited any longer, he probably wouldn't even be able to use a trump card to save his life.

The pastor gritted his teeth and weighed the pros and cons. Ultimately, his desire to save his own life outweighed his respect for his "comrade," and he mustered the courage to voice his objection.

The young male sorcerer with black hair and dark eyes peeked out, gazing at the mountain streams flowing into it. He seemed lost in thought for a moment, then slowly turned back and smiled:

"Okay, let's go take a look at the suspension bridge over there, and then your mission will be complete."

Chapter 203 Whose Hunting Ground

Perhaps on ordinary days, a ravine of about 100 meters deep would not be much for a group of extraordinary individuals with considerable foundations, but under the current circumstances where their strength is restricted, it is undoubtedly an insurmountable barrier.

Fortunately, the creators of the secret space had set up relevant pathways in the early stages of the design in order to receive the homage of mortal believers.

A bridge spans north and south, turning a natural barrier into a thoroughfare.

Six thick, dark iron chains, each as thick as a thigh, form a framework, firmly binding the incredibly heavy stone totem pole. They are then linked together with thick planks that are neither metal nor wood, forming a wide suspension bridge connecting the two sides of the mountain stream. The bridge is wide enough for two cars to drive side by side.

Far away, deep within the jungle, man-made structures could be vaguely seen, clearly approaching the core area.

Standing at the entrance of the suspension bridge, Michael waved his cane lightly, and a zombie rhinoceros stepped heavily onto the bridge plank. As it moved forward, specks of pale white phosphorescence, like flying snowflakes, scattered from its body. Before it had even reached halfway, the magical source that powered it was inexplicably consumed by a strange force, and it collapsed into a real corpse.

"Sir Michael, the inhibitory force here has become much stronger. We can no longer go any deeper. Let's go back."

Seeing that even this unfathomable temporary teammate could no longer keep up, the blond priest was secretly delighted and quickly seized the opportunity to offer words of advice.

"Our findings this time have been very fruitful. In addition to the topographical map of the outer area, we have also collected a lot of materials. We have accomplished our mission both publicly and privately."

However, his words, delivered while the iron was hot, did not receive the expected response.

The young sorcerer twirled the large, dark crystal sphere on his staff, squinting as he looked up and down at his eager "companion," his expression shifting as if he were undecided about something.

In the end, he sighed softly.

"This discovery is indeed more abundant than I imagined. The divine realm, having lost its masters, is so weak that even my 'chess pieces' are about to break through the outer defenses. It would be a real shame to give up now!"

Michael shrugged, looking helpless.

"This pawn took over a decade to plant, originally intended to deal with those foolish and cowardly male sorcerers. I really didn't want it to be exposed now..."

There's no other way; people always have to learn to make choices. My friend, please fulfill your mission, contribute yourself, and help me…

"Whoosh..." The wind roared!

He had only spoken halfway when a holy white light flashed, and a pair of illusory wings suddenly sprouted from the back of the blond battle priest, lifting his body three feet off the ground and propelling him backward at high speed!

Although he acted somewhat humbly along the way, it was only out of necessity. Being chosen by the organization to explore the secret realm meant he was a top-notch elite, not a fool.

The other party's behavior was clearly problematic!

With its illusory wings flapping, its movements were unpredictable, creating several afterimages. It was as agile as a fish swimming in water, managing to squeeze through the gaps in the encirclement of dozens of zombie beasts. Clearly, it had been hiding some of its strength earlier.

"Dispel the spirits of the dead!"

The milky-white ripples on the nail-headed scepter swept across, forcing back the last enemy blocking the way. The blond priest rallied his spirits and used his remaining holy power to escape at full speed!

His reaction was undeniably quick, and his movements undeniably swift.

Unfortunately, his fate was sealed the moment he agreed to travel with the company.

A dark, unfathomable shadow suddenly rose from the ground, and with lightning speed, swallowed the blond priest into darkness, disappearing without a trace like a mud ball sinking into the sea.

"...Help me regain some of my strength." Ignoring the battle priest's dying struggle, the wizard "Michael" indifferently stated his request.

The shadow rose and stretched, its body as thick as a water vat with scales clearly visible, and two fist-sized scarlet orbs of light rotated on its top, revealing it to be a giant python made entirely of energy.

The giant serpent slithered and crawled at the feet of the black-haired sorcerer, obsequiously spitting out its long, shadowy tongue. Its docile appearance showed no trace of the ferocious and domineering aura it had displayed when it swallowed the elephant.

With an approving stroke, the snake's body shattered into pieces, turning into dark light that entered "Michael's" body.

Feeling the magic power surge, he looked back at the path he had come from, still wanting more, and murmured to himself:

"Still a bit short. To be absolutely certain of dealing with the restrictions left behind by those earth gods, I need to devour at least a few more. I'd better do it discreetly; preserving this identity is still useful... Hmm?"

He suddenly raised an eyebrow, a meaningful smile appearing on his face.

"Going to make contact with that little bat on my own side, I actually stumbled upon a truly spectacular show, hehe..."

……

……

Two figures, one fat and one thin, were moving swiftly through the dense jungle.

They were covered in a layer of supple, smooth, shimmering water. Any vicious insects or poisonous creatures that came at them would be flung aside and unable to stand on their own two feet at the slightest touch.

"Miss Queenie, where are we going?"

The pretty young woman, wrapped in a sari, brandished her whip blades while maintaining a protective water curtain and raised a question.

"Let's go to a hunting ground...where we can find the perfect 'treasure'!"

The stout witch poisoner replied gently.

"Even though the gods worshipped there have fallen, the core palace area of ​​the secret realm still retains a certain degree of defensive power, which is beyond our current reach..."

One must learn to control one's greed. If one is like a giant python, trying to swallow everything in sight, one will eventually be bloated to death...

A cold smile appeared on her lips as she looked in one direction, her tone seemingly cryptic.

After rounding the foot of a mountain, thick moisture greeted us.

What unfolded before them was a vast expanse of water consisting of shallow beaches, wetlands, swamps, and lakes.

Similar to mangroves but many times thicker, these tall aquatic tree species intertwine in patches, extending long roots that firmly penetrate the silt, fragmenting the water surface.

The two stopped on the muddy shore. Simani looked at the seemingly calm water, cautiously keeping her protective gear on, and tilted her head to cast an inquiring glance.

She didn't have to wait long before Queenie stepped forward and stomped her large, stone-like foot down hard. From the point where she landed, concentric circles of translucent ripples spread out, stirring up the sticky mud that surged and churned like a tide.

The ripples entered the water, as if stirring up a hornet's nest, and the once peaceful lake scene suddenly became boiling.

Cormorant-like waterfowl flapped their wings and flew out of the reeds in a panic.

A large arthropod, resembling a mantis shrimp, emerged from its muddy burrow, its two rows of short legs darting about like a headless fly, attracting several strange eels as thick as telephone poles to wriggle and chase after it.

Before they could even get a chance to feast, two rows of fangs rose up from underwater and snapped shut, revealing a huge mouth the size of a house that burst out of the water and swallowed them whole.

A giant, brownish-red fish, resembling both a catfish and a carp, emerged, flicking its long tail. A crown-shaped cluster of bone spikes on its head shimmered with emerald light as it chased after the other startled prey.

Chapter 204 Stories Inside and Outside the Secret Realm

"Miss Queenie, is this the 'treasure' you were talking about?"

Watching the fish-shaped monster, tens of meters long, stir up trouble in the lake, summoning whirlpools of all sizes to trap various fish, shrimp, birds, and beasts for a hearty feast, Simani was immediately overjoyed.

Having come from a prestigious lineage, she could clearly sense the incredibly dense water spirituality emanating from the fish monster. This extraordinary creature of such caliber was a treasure trove from head to toe, and its attributes perfectly aligned with her cultivation path. It could be used to concoct secret medicines, refine magical artifacts, and even its soul was of great use, making it an invaluable and precious material.

"Well, such a high-quality harvest is worth this 'journey'!"

The large, corporal witch raised her hand with an elegance that belied her appearance, making a gesture of deference.

Simani's azure eyes flickered, and she glanced at her with slight surprise. After a couple of breaths, she lowered her gaze, clasped her hands together in a deep bow, and then turned and left without hesitation, swimming across the water to attack the strange fish.