Five hundred spirit stones?
This idiot must be trying to scam me!
Ye Cangtian muttered to himself. Yang Chen's recent actions had made him understand everything.
Thinking to himself,
Ye Cangtian couldn't be bothered with Bai Jing. He definitely didn't want to be ripped off!
After all, these spirit stones were obtained at the risk of his own life.
…
About half a day passed.
Bai Jing finally collected all the scales.
He then proceeded to butcher the Titan Python, strip its flesh, remove its bones, dig out its eyes, and pull out its teeth. In essence, everything of the Titan Python, except for its flesh, was collected by Bai Jing.
In Bai Jing's words, the Titan Python was a treasure trove, and it would be a waste not to take everything.
Ye Cangtian was also stunned by this thoroughness, truly not a single bit wasted!
Finally, the three of them embarked on their exploration once more. Their formation remained unchanged, with Ye Cangtian still leading the way.
However, Bai Jing and Yang Chen, following behind, maintained a tighter formation.
Perhaps due to the previous incident, Bai Jing had gradually accepted Ye Cangtian's presence in the team, even if he was unwilling to admit it.
…
As they ventured deeper, the number of demonic beasts in the forest increased. However, with the concerted effort of the three, they were transformed into valuable materials.
In less than three days, the trio had explored more than half of the area.
They obtained countless precious materials and a considerable number of small spirit stones, totaling dozens.
As for the task of mapping, the three entrusted it to Yang Chen. Despite Yang Chen's prowess with his twin axes and his seemingly robust build, he possessed a meticulous nature.
"What is that?"
After dispatching three treants, the trio was resting.
Yang Chen spotted a dark cave in the distance. The three treants were positioned in a triangular formation, as if guarding the cave.
Whoosh!
Just then, Jian Wusheng emerged from the shadows, appearing before the three. This was the first time Jian Wusheng had shown himself since entering the forest.
"You are quite lucky."
"From my observation, that should be a secret realm!"
Jian Wusheng said indifferently.
Judging by the three treants, no one had entered this secret realm before; otherwise, these treants would have already been eliminated.
It was precisely for this reason that Jian Wusheng had to reveal himself.
Secret realms were indeed filled with benefits, but they also harbored numerous dangers.
Even though this was in the eastern region, some secret realms posed a fatal risk even to him.
Therefore, he could not remain hidden. In the event of an emergency, he might not be able to provide timely rescue.
"A secret realm, we are indeed lucky!"
Upon hearing the word "secret realm," Bai Jing's lips involuntarily licked his mouth.
His thoughts were not of danger, but of the treasures within the secret realm.
It was known that the eastern region was vast, but secret realms were not commonplace. Many people repeatedly accepted exploration missions specifically for the prospect of discovering secret realms.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go in!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Cangtian's face also broke into a smile, and he was the first to head towards the cave.
Seeing Bai Jing and Yang Chen follow Ye Cangtian without hesitation, Jian Wusheng couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. Truly, the audacity of the fearless young!
Didn't they consider why he had appeared…
Shaking his head in resignation, Jian Wusheng retracted his warning words and then followed them inside.
…
The cave was very deep, but not as cramped as they might have imagined; it was quite spacious.
After walking for over ten minutes, the four of them finally arrived before a stone gate.
The stone gate was colossal, appearing to be at least five to six meters high. On the gate were two crossed axes, exuding an imposing aura.
Furthermore, two stone figures knelt before the stone gate, their hands clasped in a posture of reverence as they faced the gate.
Rumble…
Just as the four were about to push the gate open, the two stone figures also stirred.
Their dead-gray eyes emitted a glow, and their sturdy arms reached towards the ground. With a great tremor, two colossal axes appeared in their hands.
So strong!
Bai Jing's expression shifted slightly, cold sweat unconsciously dripping from his forehead.
The aura emanating from the stone figures, coupled with their ferocious killing intent, instilled fear in him.
After all, these were merely gatekeeping stone figures, likely the weakest of them all.
"You two hold one off, and I'll handle the other!"
Ye Cangtian immediately made arrangements. Even though Jian Wusheng had appeared, he was merely trailing behind them.
However, Ye Cangtian knew that Jian Wusheng would not intervene against two mere gatekeepers.
Clang! Clang!
Without hesitation, Yang Chen drew his slightly chipped great axe and charged towards a stone figure.
Bai Jing forced himself to swallow, gritted his teeth, and charged forward as well.
Seeing this, Ye Cangtian did not hesitate. He drew his skull dagger and, with a flash, appeared before the other stone figure.
The stone man, sensing Ye Cangtian delivering himself, began to wield its great axe wildly, its attack power formidable.
However, the stone figures were too cumbersome and simple-minded.
Their attacks did not land on Ye Cangtian. Instead, Ye Cangtian closed in and, with a few swift strikes, severed the stone figure's head.
"Hey, hurry up and help!"
While Ye Cangtian was collecting the spirit stones embedded in the stone figure, Bai Jing's urgent voice reached him.
Turning his head, Ye Cangtian's expression was filled with surprise and confusion.
Yang Chen's fighting style was ferocious. He was using a pair of broadaxes, engaging the stone figure in a head-on confrontation.
This was clearly unwise. These stone figures were known for their strength, and a direct clash would undoubtedly result in heavy losses for both sides.
At this moment, Yang Chen was not in a good state.
His lower body was embedded in the ground, while his upper body continued to swing his great axe, resisting the stone figure. With each clash, his body sank further into the ground.
On the other side, with Yang Chen drawing the stone figure's attention, Bai Jing launched a furious assault.
However, the attack's effectiveness was severely limited. The stone figure's defense was incredibly robust. Despite Bai Jing exerting all his might, he could only scratch the surface of the stone figure, leaving faint marks but no significant damage.
Alas! This was a problem with the weapon.
Ye Cangtian sighed inwardly, his gaze falling upon the skull dagger in his hand.
Bai Jing's strength was quite decent, but his weapon was too ordinary. If he had his skull dagger, defeating the stone figure would not be an issue.
With this thought, Ye Cangtian flashed forward and leaped directly onto the stone figure's back.
The stone figure, completely unaware of Ye Cangtian's presence, continued to ferociously attack Yang Chen. It was as if Yang Chen had ignited its boundless rage, determined to settle the score!
In the next moment, Ye Cangtian took several quick steps and arrived at the stone figure's neck. He then unleashed several more strikes.
Boom!
The stone figure's head detached, and it toppled to the ground with a thud.
Yang Chen let out a sigh of relief and then looked at the great axe in his hands with a feeling of wanting to cry but having no tears.
This great axe might look ordinary, but it had been with him for many years, and he had slain countless demonic beasts with it.
However, the great axe was now practically ruined, with numerous nicks and cracks that would be difficult to repair.
"You need to use your brain when fighting."
"The stone figures are inanimate, but you are alive. How long can you last fighting them with brute force?"
Just then, a hand extended into his view.
He glanced at Ye Cangtian, his face showing a hint of embarrassment. Nevertheless, he grasped the offered hand and, with a surge of strength, sprang out of the ground.
"It's not that he likes using brute force; it's just that he only knows how to use brute force."
On the other side, hearing Ye Cangtian's words, Bai Jing pondered for a moment before speaking.
There were indeed many individuals like Yang Chen in the eastern region.
Many people who ventured into ruins never returned, leaving their children orphaned.
Those with a bit of luck were taken in by relatives or certain factions.
The unfortunate ones became wanderers, begging for food and living off the charity of others.
Some even survived in the forests, living like savages.
Yang Chen belonged to the latter category, having survived in the wilderness. Although the demonic beasts in his native forest had been cleared, there were still many wild beasts.
His strength was honed through life-or-death struggles with these beasts, with no formal instruction.
Later, Bai Jing met Yang Chen during an exploration mission…