"Damn it, a Rank 5 spirit plant!"
"Didn't they say the outer regions of the Hongtong Secret Realm only had Rank 3 demonic beasts and Rank 3 spirit items?
Starting off with a Rank 5 spirit plant has put me in a dilemma!"
Looking at the fruit tree, twenty feet tall and laden with branches and leaves, Yang Hong felt conflicted.
He really wanted to dig up the entire tree and take it with him.
However, his storage space was limited, and he had many things to carry. If he took this fruit tree, he would have to sacrifice items he planned to collect later.
Moreover, plants stored in storage bags would quickly wither and lose all vitality.
"Forget it, I'll collect the fruits first. If I find suitable storage equipment later, I'll come back for the tree."
Yang Hong quickly made his decision. Combining a Gale Technique and a Wind Control Technique,
with just a gust of wind, all the red fruits on the fruit tree were plucked and sent directly to Yang Hong.
Having magic spells made many things incredibly convenient.
After collecting the fruits, Yang Hong immediately began to look around the cave.
"Whoa, do these Crimson Vipers have a habit of collecting corpses?"
In a corner of the cave, Yang Hong saw a small mountain made of human bones.
"Whoosh~ Whoosh~"
A second-tier Gale Technique, coupled with a first-tier Wind Control Technique.
A strong wind blew up all the decaying bones.
"Twist~"
Under Yang Hong's control, the Gale Technique began to spin slowly, and with the wind's special ability, it transformed into a tornado.
"Crack~ Crackle~"
The bones began to collide with each other and shatter.
"Gentle Breeze Technique."
"Swoosh~ Swoosh~"
The bone powder, acted upon by the Gentle Breeze Technique, was blown outwards and, under Yang Hong's control, flew to another corner of the cave.
In less than fifteen minutes, no more powder flew from the bone mountain.
All the bones had disappeared.
Along with them, the equipment that couldn't withstand the second-tier Gale Technique also vanished.
These human cultivators had been dead for an unknown amount of time. Even if their equipment was magic artifacts, many were destroyed by the erosion of time.
By the time Yang Hong stopped the Gale Technique, little was left before him.
Seven storage bags, one storage ring, its size unknown for now.
Eighteen Rank 3 magic artifacts, all in the form of metallic weapons, and not a single magic artifact clothing, which Yang Hong had hoped for.
"Although it's a bit little, having 8 storage items isn't bad. Given how much time has passed, any storage items that remain should contain good things."
Looking at the remaining items, Yang Hong was quite satisfied.
After all, the previous batch of cultivators had entered 360 years ago, and many items had corroded.
"Let's see if there are any other good things."
Yang Hong didn't rush to examine the storage items but turned to explore the cave.
He actually found several good things.
Two types of Rank 4 ores, but he couldn't take them.
A Rank 3 spirit plant, a small grass, which was very easy to carry. He took it all without hesitation.
While exploring and collecting items he deemed valuable,
Yang Hong made his way towards the exit of the snake den.
"Hiss~ Hiss~"
Just as Yang Hong was immersed in the joy of treasure hunting, a different sound reached his ears.
Yang Hong followed the sound.
"Is this a hatching chamber?"
He saw a vast cave, thousands of feet wide, covered in pale red snake eggs, with small snakes, about half a foot long, constantly breaking out of their shells.
"Heavens, there are too many of these snake eggs! There must be at least eighty million, if not a hundred million!"
Before, Yang Jianhong had mentioned that the demonic beasts in the Hongtong Secret Realm were breeding madly, but he hadn't really felt it.
Now, they were feeling it.
It was a terrifying sensation. This was just one type of demonic beast, and it was from the outer regions of the secret realm.
If all these Crimson Vipers hatched and grew to adulthood, any human who entered in the future would be easy prey.
Including those Golden Core cultivators!
It was important to know that the Hongtong Secret Realm was divided into four layers: the Outer Region, the Trial Circle, the Inner Region, and the Core Circle.
Now he understood the terror of the Hongtong Secret Realm and worried even more about Song Yuzhi and the others.
"I hope they're alright."
Yang Hong could only console himself like this, as the meeting point he had agreed upon with Song Yuzhi and the others was in the Trial Circle.
If they faced a similar number of demonic beasts, it was uncertain whether they could survive to reach that location.
Shaking his head, he put aside his worries for Song Yuzhi and the others, and Yang Hong began to cast his spells.
"Fireball Technique, Fire Snake Technique, Gale Technique!"
After half a year of spell cultivation, Yang Hong could now cast three spells simultaneously.
He could even cast three different spells of different ranks and attributes at the same time.
With the three spells, fire borrowing wind's momentum and wind lending fire's might, a great fire quickly spread throughout the entire cave.
"Hiss, hiss~ Hiss, hiss~"
The screams of the young snakes grew louder, and many snakes that had not yet hatched also broke out of their shells.
Hearing the constant screams, Yang Hong felt a pang of regret.
So...
"Fireball Technique, Fire Snake Technique, Gale Technique!"
"Snakes, to end your suffering, I can only increase my spell output.
There is spiritual energy in this secret realm, and it is quite abundant. Yang Hong's spells are at least ten times more powerful than in the small forest.
Moreover, by continuously circulating the Intermediate Breathing Technique here, he could continuously replenish his true qi.
So, he could unleash his spells with all his might without any reservations.
Yang Hong cast the three spells ceaselessly, as if they were free.
Soon, the temperature in the thousand-foot-wide cave rose to a level that even Yang Hong dared not approach.
The cave became completely silent.
"Snakes, I was still quite fast, wasn't I?"
For some reason, after burning so many snake eggs, Yang Hong's suppressed mood actually eased a little.
"Hiss~ Hiss~ Roar~"
But before Yang Hong could feel happy, an even louder hissing sound came from the entrance of the snake den, and it even contained beast-like roars.
"Damn it, I got carried away and forgot the big snakes hadn't returned."
Yang Hong was startled. He had indeed gotten a bit carried away.
"Hiss, hiss~ Hiss, hiss~"
By the time Yang Hong prepared to rush out, it was too late. The snake swarm had returned and blocked the entire entrance.
The cave, which had sunlight filtering in before, was now completely dark.
Yang Hong looked up at the cave ceiling. It turned out that the Crimson Vipers were also clever and had opened many small holes in the ceiling to let sunlight in.
Now, enraged, the snake swarm rushed in from all passages and entrances.
"Damn it, I think I've overdone it."
Just as Yang Hong was preparing to retreat and find a favorable position to fight, large snakes appeared behind him.
He was surrounded.
Front, back, left, right, and above, he was surrounded from five sides.
Looking at the surroundings and the terrain he was in, Yang Hong's brow furrowed.
He was now not far from the viper hatching chamber. The terrain here was flat, with almost no cover,
fighting in such a place was too disadvantageous and too dangerous.
Let alone the combat strength of the Crimson Vipers, the sheer number of them was enough to give one goosebumps.
Yang Hong observed the terrain while thinking of a solution.
The greatest strength of humans is wisdom!
Soon, Yang Hong came up with a plan.