"Indeed, we will definitely use these liquids in the future, though we don't know when. Such things are rare and hard to come by."
Though Yao cherished his treasured blade, he knew these substances were meant to enhance its performance. The viscous fluid within could prevent oxidation by blocking air, serving as a form of maintenance for his precious weapon.
Furthermore, these things were not as foul-smelling as one might imagine; instead, they possessed an unbelievably pleasant fragrance.
Adding to the good news, the shadow had just plunged into the valley, and it would likely take it some time to climb back up.
Whether it could even catch up was another question.
While Jiang Fan and the others were unsure if they could hit the shadow, it was clearly struck by these tendrils when it emerged from the wall.
This proved it was not an invincible entity.
However, avoiding a direct confrontation was the best course of action. Thus, Jiang Fan did not linger. After collecting the liquid, he dripped a few drops onto his fire axe and continued onward.
Jiang Fan's fire axe now possessed two attributes.
As long as it wasn't ignited, a swing against the flora would not only inflict fire damage but also a poison effect.
Yet, these plants seemed remarkably resilient. Even when Jiang Fan severed the carnivorous plant, he could feel the toughness of its neck ligaments.
Had he hesitated, it might have taken several more blows to sever its neck.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the shadow slowly rose and began to ascend the valley. The affected plants launched a frenzied assault, but their targets were not the shadow; rather, they attacked each other.
It seemed these plants could no longer distinguish friend from foe, having lost all reason beyond the shadow's control.
"What in the world is going on?"
"Why have the plants and animals here become like this?"
After walking for some time, they discovered that the mutated creatures before them were not limited to just plants.
Even the animals had undergone drastic transformations.
The ants nearby, which should have been several times smaller than one's toes, were now taller than humans in this world.
Though unsure of the reason, Jiang Fan knew that if they were targeted, he would be finished. Ants, after all, attacked in swarms, and if they set their sights on the group, they would likely become the ants' next meal.
"Everyone, be careful. These ants seem quite aggressive. If they spot us, they'll likely attack."
Zhou Niannian no longer dared to be careless. A moment of thought convinced her that the ants' attacking power must be considerable, given ants were legendary for carrying hundreds of times their body weight with a single level of strength.
If such a powerful creature were to strike any one of them, it was likely none could withstand the damage.
The only one who might possibly survive would be Gungun, with its robust physique.
Of course, they wouldn't be foolish enough to test this theory.
As Jiang Fan prepared to move from behind one cucumber leaf to the next for cover, he suddenly felt something behind him.
It had a colossal head and eyes as clear as mirrors.
Jiang Fan froze, utterly stunned. Its body was not just several times larger than his; it was powerful enough to crush all of them with its sheer mass.
Instead of shouting for everyone to scatter, Jiang Fan desperately urged them to remain calm. Zhou Niannian almost cried out, but Jiang Fan quickly rushed over, embraced her, and covered her mouth with his hand.
If they had made a sound now, other creatures might have noticed, making survival significantly more difficult.
"It's just a ladybug. Don't panic. Normally, they're herbivores, so it shouldn't attack us. Let's just stay still and see what it does."
As expected, the ladybug, upon reaching Jiang Fan, did not attack. It merely glanced at him before proceeding to nibble on the large leaf behind him.
Seeing this, Jiang Fan slowly relaxed and gently released Zhou Niannian's mouth.
"Whatever you do, don't let other creatures find us here, or these insects will tear us apart. Insects have no humanity; their first instinct upon seeing us will be to treat us as food."
"Let's try to move stealthily towards the next location, sticking to areas frequented by herbivores. Otherwise, we'll likely be killed by these creatures."
Compared to the monsters in the pyramid, the current environment was far more terrifying.
The insects, which normally went unnoticed, had become incredibly formidable.
Imagine a giant centipede, its body longer than a train and as wide as a major bridge.
And its countless legs.
The clattering sound it made as it moved was enough to make one's heart race.
A single nip from its pincers, followed by a bite from its sharp fangs injecting venom, would likely spell instant death for anyone.
After all, centipedes were among the four most venomous creatures.
And the venom of wild centipedes was far more potent than those found at home.
However, Jiang Fan noticed something unexpected about these creatures.
Normally, their sizes would scale proportionally. But Jiang Fan was surprised to find that here, regardless of the animal, their sizes were remarkably similar.
It seemed their sizes were fixed, reaching a peak and ceasing to grow further.
This was because Jiang Fan saw a giant centipede crawling on the ground, and walking towards it was a hen of almost the same size.