Gu Luo's heart surged with joy. The flags on those two ships belonged to his own family. Now they could steer clear of the fierce beast.
But his relief did not last long. A tremendous roar erupted from the depths of the sea, setting the very waters seething. A channel parted across the ocean, white waves rolling back on either side as a colossal bulk came charging forward on the wind and tide.
The two ships clearly sensed the danger. They hastened toward the shore, but the primeval beast, though far away, moved with terrifying speed. By the time the vessels were only a hundred meters from the beach, it had already closed in.
Boom!
Its gigantic frame slammed into both ships at once. A single sharp horn, a hideous head, blade-like fangs, and a body gleaming with silver scales—like an unstoppable titan, it sheared straight through the two vessels.
Everyone's hearts turned to ice. Gu Luo's face twisted to an iron-gray.
The Eight-Armed Malignant Dragon thrashed up mountainous waves. The two ships quickly shattered, leaving more than a hundred men floundering in the open sea. Gu Luo's family expedition to claim the island was about to be annihilated.
Yet the ancient dragon seemed to scorn such ant-like creatures. After shredding the ships, it did not continue killing the men in the water—it only kept churning up great swells. Many were sucked down into the colossal whirlpools and vanished forever into the depths. Still, forty or fifty managed to struggle to the shore—a narrow escape, a survival against all odds.
At last, forty-three men stumbled onto the beach. Far more had been swallowed by the sea. The loss was catastrophic. Those who lived were the best among them. Gu Luo had already felt despair, but seeing that a remnant had survived, he finally let out a breath of relief.
After allowing enough time for the men to rest and recover their strength, Gu Luo and Zhao Lin'er began their hunt for Xiao Chen.
At first, just as Xiao Chen had predicted, they followed the false clues he had left. When they chased into a stretch of dark, damp rocky ground, a silver centipede—as thick as a bowl and three or four meters long—shot out like lightning. It tore the two men at the front to pieces in an instant, and three more were corroded to white bones by its venom in the blink of an eye.
Swords and blades struck the silver centipede's body, throwing off sparks, but could not injure it in the slightest. Even the light-blade attack scroll that Gu Luo unleashed proved useless. Only when a terrifying scroll wreathed in leaping flames was deployed did the silver centipede retreat, allowing the men to escape.
By then, Zhao Lin'er and Gu Luo knew they had been tricked. They began to calculate Xiao Chen's possible escape routes with greater precision.
The sun blazed overhead, but murderous intent filled the endless primeval forest.
In the Death Swamp, it remained dark and gloomy. Massive trees blocked the sunlight, and a thick Yin aura coiled through the air. When Xiao Chen woke on an ancient tree, he was genuinely startled. Three skeletons hung upside down before him like bats!
What would anyone think, waking from a dream and opening their eyes to three inverted skeletons?
Fortunately, he recovered his wits quickly and did not react rashly. The skeletons' feet were embedded deep within the tree trunk. Sensing that he had woken, faint lights flickered in their eye sockets—as if they, too, had been resting.
Clack, clack, clack! The sound of joints turning. The three skeletons landed on the branch and began stretching their limbs.
Xiao Chen felt a strange, indescribable sensation. Far away, his own kind wanted to kill him, yet here, three skeletons coexisted with him in harmony. How absurd!
He wanted to give them names, and without thinking, he recalled the Ten Yama Kings of the underworld.
“You shall be Qin Guang Wang!” “You shall be Yan Luo Wang!” “You shall be Lun Hui Wang!”
Qin Guang Wang, Yan Luo Wang, and Lun Hui Wang were three of the Ten Yama Kings of the underworld. Now they became the names of three skeletons. Xiao Chen did this deliberately—perhaps he was expecting something.
At noon, the sun was scorching, and Xiao Chen left the swamp. But the three skeletons were unwilling to leave this deathly place so heavy with Yin energy. Still, at his signal, they followed.
The blazing sunlight was blocked by the tall trees. Only in sparse patches did a few beams fall through. The three skeletons loathed the daylight, always staying in the shadows. It seemed to be their nature.
They rarely left the swamp, and everything outside filled them with curiosity. When Xiao Chen charged at a giant leopard more than five meters long, the three skeletons did not hesitate—they followed him. Six indestructible bone claws viciously plunged into the leopard's skull, killing it instantly.
Their combat strength shocked even Xiao Chen.
Ding.
A translucent yellow crystal was dug from the leopard's corpse. Xiao Chen flicked it with his finger, producing a resonant ring. The skeletons' eye sockets immediately lit up. Xiao Chen smiled and handed the crystal to them.
Qin Guang Wang, Yan Luo Wang, and Lun Hui Wang developed an interest in the outside world for the first time—though it was driven by the allure of crystals. Under Xiao Chen's guidance, they ventured into the dense forests around the Death Swamp, tracking beasts they could handle.
But crystals were not easy to come by. In half a day, they had only harvested four or five. Xiao Chen, meanwhile, thoroughly surveyed the surrounding terrain, preparing to use it against his enemies.
Back in the swamp, Xiao Chen cultivated quietly while the three skeletons busied themselves absorbing the crystals' energy.
By sunset, Zhao Lin'er and Gu Luo had finally tracked him here—faster than Xiao Chen had expected.
The brown-haired man, Gu Luo, wore a dark, predatory look. In the fight against the silver centipede, he had lost five good men. Though they had seen through Xiao Chen's trick in time, their large number had inevitably disturbed some ferocious beasts along the way, costing them another eight lives. Now, including Gu Luo and Zhao Lin'er, only thirty-two remained.
Xiao Chen opened his eyes in the swamp. He sensed the killing intent—someone was approaching.
Seeing that he was preparing for battle, the three skeletons gathered around. Their spiritual perception was sharp, and they too detected the encirclement closing in.
Xiao Chen did not want a direct clash. His injuries had not yet healed. He had to delay until nightfall, when the corpse miasma would rise and deal a devastating blow to his enemies. He gestured for the three skeletons to hide.
The skeletons' response surprised him. Qin Guang Wang, Yan Luo Wang, and Lun Hui Wang each lay down among the scattered bones of the swamp, blending into the debris as if they had always been there.
Xiao Chen stared in amazement. These three were far more cunning than he had imagined. He even caught a hint of treachery in their actions.
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