When I first entered high school, the system insisted that I was destined to be an emperor in my lat

at the same time.

As Jiang Feng and the others left the snowy region, a black swamp came into view, and everyone in the group stopped in their tracks.

Black fog.

It wasn't the biting white mist of the snowy plateau, but a black miasma that lingered on the surface of the dark water, slowly moving like a giant python.

In the swamp, withered trees lay fallen, and unknown vines climbed all over the rotten wood. Occasionally, something would swim across the surface of the water, raising a string of bubbles, which would burst with a muffled "glug" sound.

The air was filled with the stench of humus.

"vomit!"

Several girls in the team covered their noses, their faces turning pale at a visible speed.

At this moment, Xiao Xingye also covered his mouth, his face full of resistance.

"I regret it."

"I now declare that the snowy plateau is the best place I have ever been."

"At least there's no poisonous fog, no miasma, and no unknown creatures swimming in the water!"

Jiang Feng stood at the front of the group, his gaze sweeping across the endless depths of the swamp. After a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke: "Xiao Wan Ning, Yan Jin Yao, you stay here with the rest of them."

Why?

Yan Jinyao immediately frowned.

"The situation deep in the swamp is unclear. The miasma suppresses the flow of true energy, and the environment is unfavorable to you."

"Me, Xingye, Li Changsheng, and Ling Yu, the four of us will go in to scout ahead."

"You stay here and hold out until we return."

Jiang Feng's tone left no room for negotiation.

"Why should I?!"

Yan Jinyao stepped forward, somewhat indignantly saying, "Just because my cultivation level is a little lower, does that mean I have to cower here like a coward? I won't stand for that!"

Xiao Wan Ning stood to the side, opening her mouth.

She wanted to say something, but swallowed it back. Her gaze fell on Jiang Feng's face, and in the end, she only uttered two words softly: "Be careful..."

Jiang Feng glanced at her and nodded.

"I support Jiang Feng's decision."

A voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone paused for a moment, then turned their heads in unison.

Ling Yu.

Ling Yu, who had barely uttered a word the entire way, carried a heavy, dark sword on his back and calmly fixed his gaze on Yan Jinyao.

"Yaoyao, be a good girl."

"It's too dangerous inside."

He paused, then added, his voice low but carrying an indescribable emotion: "I don't want you to get hurt."

The scene fell silent for a moment.

Yan Jinyao was stunned.

She looked at Ling Yu, the man who was usually as silent as a block of wood.

His gaze didn't seem like the kind of advice given between companions, but rather...

It's like an emotion that's been suppressed but has finally managed to break through a crack.

Is it...

Yan Jinyao's heart skipped a beat for no reason, her cheeks flushed, and she hurriedly looked away, forgetting to even utter a rebuttal.

Li Changsheng took in the whole scene, leaned lazily against the tree trunk, and smiled knowingly. He then smoothed things over, saying, "Alright, alright, Jiang Feng's arrangement is fine."

"Four strong men went in to work, while several beautiful women stayed behind to oversee things. The division of labor was clear, and no one was cheated, young or old."

Yan Jinyao: "..."

Finally, she gritted her teeth and compromised: "Three days at most. If you don't come back in three days, I'll go in!"

"make a deal."

Jiang Feng stopped talking and stepped into the swamp.

……

The black, muddy water reached above my calves, and was cold and sticky.

The four advanced in a diamond formation, with Jiang Feng leading the way, Ling Yu and Xiao Xingye on the flanks, and Li Changsheng bringing up the rear.

They had only walked less than a hundred steps.

"roar!!"

A roar tore through the miasma!

The water on the left suddenly exploded, and a huge creature burst out of the water.

The group quickly turned to look and saw a giant rhinoceros that was over five meters long, covered in shiny black scales, with a dark red horn and a pair of murky, ferocious eyes.

"Tier 4, 8-Star, Black-Scaled Giant Rhinoceros!"

"You're tough as nails, don't try to ram into me... Hey, why are you all going in?"

Li Changsheng shouted immediately.

Before the words were even finished, the three of them had already moved.

"Just push straight through!"

Jiang Feng was the first to step forward, his fist tearing through the miasma. A straight punch landed on the side of the giant rhinoceros's neck, and the sound of metal clashing rang out. The black-scaled giant rhinoceros was actually knocked back by this punch.

"Brother Feng's punching power is terrifying!"

Xiao Xingye muttered to himself, but his spear moved with unwavering force, striking out like a dragon, a cold glint aimed straight for the giant rhinoceros's eye.

The giant rhinoceros turned its head in pain, and Ling Yu's heavy sword slammed down at that moment.

The heavy sword, carrying the force of splitting a mountain, slammed down on the base of its single horn. With a crisp "crack," the horn split open.

Li Changsheng sighed, and with a flick of his wrist, the cyan longsword at his waist was suddenly drawn.

The sword light flashed like water, disappearing in an instant.

A thin line appeared between the scales on the neck of the black-scaled giant rhinoceros, and then it collapsed to the ground with a thud, stirring up a cloud of mud.

From the attack to the killing, it took no more than ten breaths.

"call……"

Xiao Xingye wiped his sweat and was about to grin out loud.

A sudden change has occurred!

On several seemingly dead black trees around them, countless tree roots suddenly broke through the mud and water, like a dozen thick black pythons, and frantically lashed out at the four of them!

"Oh my god!!"

Xiao Xingye was terrified, half his soul leaving his body. He rolled away in a flustered manner to dodge the blow, "How...how can this tree move?!"

"Ghost-faced Banyan Tree".

"Be careful!"

"This tree can devour humans!"

The moment Li Changsheng's voice rang out, his entire demeanor changed.

The boy, who was laughing and joking just a moment ago, suddenly turned serious.

He shifted his feet and moved through the gaps between the tree roots, his green sword flashing with sharp light.

Cut off.

Cut off.

Cut it off again.

Dark red liquid seeped from the break, resembling thick blood.

A distorted, pained face vaguely appeared on the trunk of the dead tree.

"Splash!!!"

Just as the group was dealing with the attack from the Ghost-Faced Banyan Tree.

The water behind Xiao Xingye suddenly exploded!

A gigantic maw covered in pale white fangs shot out from underwater with lightning speed, a stench assaulting his throat!

It was a fifth-tier swamp crocodile, nearly three meters long. Its bite was fast and venomous. Xiao Xingye had just been forced to his feet by the tree roots and had no time to parry.

Finished!

"clang!!!"

A deafening clang of metal rang out.

A black heavy sword stood between Xiao Xingye and the giant crocodile.

Ling Yu had moved to the side at some point, gripping his sword with both hands, and withstood the deadly bite.

The crocodile's fangs were stuck in the spine of the sword, sparks flew everywhere, and the mud beneath Ling Yu's feet cracked inch by inch, but he remained motionless.

"Burning Heaven Flame Fist!"

The sound of the river wind exploded overhead.

He leaped up, hovering directly above the giant crocodile. Golden flames erupted from his right fist, the intense heat burning a hole in the surrounding miasma.

One punch landed.

"boom!!!"

The golden fist pierced down, smashing into the giant crocodile's skull and exiting from its belly!

Before the ferocious swamp overlord could even let out a scream, its massive body was pierced through, and flames gushed out from the wound, instantly burning its internal organs to charcoal.

"thump!"

The giant crocodile crashed back into the water, and the resulting waves splashed all over the people.

Xiao Xingye slumped in the mud, panting heavily, staring at the scene before him.

Li Changsheng sheathed his sword and was disgustedly shaking the blood off his sleeve.

Ling Yu drew the heavy sword and examined the serrations on the spine of the blade with a blank expression.

Jiang Feng leaped off the crocodile corpse, and the golden flames on his fist slowly subsided.

Xiao Xingye suddenly felt his face burning.

He was the one who was afraid of trees, he was the one who almost got bitten, and he was the one who dragged the whole thing down from beginning to end...

He took a deep breath, wiped the mud off his face, got up from the mud, and gripped the spear tightly with both hands.

"No!"

"Xiao Xingye, wake up!"

"Brother Jiang Feng specifically asked you to come in; that's a sign of respect!"

"The whole team went into the swamp, and you were the only one who came along as a bystander, is that even acceptable?!"

"Absolutely not a burden!"

Xiao Xingye straightened his back, returned to his position, and the panic in his eyes vanished, replaced by a fierce look.

Jiang Feng said nothing, only nodded slightly.

"Walk."