Warning! A hidden dragon has emerged!

Qin Quan stepped forward, plucked out the snake's heart and gallbladder, and quickly put them into his treasure bag.

"Once we destroy the Gu Poison Cult, we'll give these snake skins and meat to the Hidden Dragon team members so they can replenish their strength."

Qi Refining stage demonic beasts are treasures from head to toe; their snake skin can be used to create magical artifacts, and their flesh and blood can enhance cultivation. For ordinary martial artists, they are invaluable treasures.

These things are of little use to Qin Quan, but they are of great benefit to members of the Hidden Dragon team with low cultivation levels, and even to a ninth-rank grandmaster like Jiang Yao.

"Huh? What's this?"

Just as Qin Quan was about to leave, a fist-sized, golden sphere radiating rich spiritual energy floated out from the snake's body.

He reached out and grabbed it in his hand. The warm touch on his fingertips made his eyes light up, and he exclaimed in surprise.

"Inner alchemy!"

"This monstrous beast has actually condensed an inner core! Hahaha, truly heaven is helping me!"

Qin Quan was overjoyed.

According to ancient records from Yuquan Temple, only demonic beasts that have awakened their intelligence can condense an inner core, which can be used in medicine and alchemy, and can also be directly absorbed to enhance cultivation. It is a rare treasure.

"I never expected that this trip to southern Xinjiang would bring such a pleasant surprise."

Qin Quan hurriedly and carefully put the inner core into his treasure bag, then leaped up, his spiritual energy surging beneath his feet, and headed straight for the direction where Jiang Yao and the others had left.

No sooner had he left than a gaunt, gloomy old man emerged from the dense forest.

It was none other than the Third Elder of the Gu Poison Sect.

The Third Elder stared in the direction Qin Quan had left, trembling with fear, his face turning ashen.

"What... what kind of monster is he? How could he defeat my giant snake in a single move?"

He had raised the giant snake for fifty years, spending countless efforts, thinking he could use it to hold off the Hidden Dragons. Unexpectedly, it was instantly killed by Qin Quan in one move.

"No! I must bring this message back to the Gu Poison Cult immediately!"

The Third Elder came to his senses, his eyes filled with fear.

"With this person here, we are no match for him. We must immediately report to the leader and flee for our lives!"

Muttering to himself, he turned and ran wildly toward the Gu Poison Sect's lair, not even bothering to glance at the corpse of the giant snake he had raised.

On the other side, Qin Quan, wielding the Chunyang Sword, moved swiftly through the mountains and forests like a blur.

The further they went, the more uneasy they felt, and a sense of foreboding welled up in their hearts.

Something's not right!

He stopped abruptly, his brows furrowed.

"Given Yao-jie and Xie Bi'an's speed, I should have caught up with them long ago. How come I've been chasing them for so long and haven't even seen a single person?"

While others travel on foot, he flies close to the ground, their speeds are worlds apart.

In just a few minutes, he had flown dozens of kilometers and was about to get close to the Gu Poison Sect's lair, but he hadn't seen a single person.

Qin Quan immediately took out a map, quickly ran his finger over it, and gave instructions in a deep voice.

"Xiao Yi, dial Jiang Yao's satellite phone."

"The other party is out of service area; the signal is likely being blocked."

Xiao Yi's voice rang out just in time.

"Oh no! They must have wandered into the Misty Ghost Forest!"

Qin Quan's finger suddenly tapped the area marked in red on the map, and his face instantly darkened.

There is only one road leading to the Gu Poison Cult, and the only one that can block satellite signals is the Misty Ghost Forest.

The magnetic field there is chaotic, and miasma permeates the area year-round. Nine out of ten people who go in will lose their way, making it extremely dangerous.

He had deliberately avoided that area while flying, but he hadn't expected Jiang Yao and the others to have wandered in, completely separating them.

Qin Quan immediately turned around and rushed back, his speed increasing as if he wanted to rush into the Misty Ghost Forest and find everyone.

Meanwhile, deep within the Misty Ghost Forest, Jiang Yao and the others' encounter was exactly as Qin Quan had guessed.

In order to reach the outer perimeter of the Gu Poison Sect before 4 a.m., Xie Bi'an took the initiative to suggest taking a shortcut and quickly passing through the Misty Ghost Forest.

As they entered the forest, they were enveloped by thick miasma and fog, with visibility less than five meters, and they instantly got lost.

The once orderly group was dispersed by the fog, and the more than one hundred people were scattered in various parts of the forest.

"I told you we shouldn't listen to Xie Bi'an! That good-for-nothing, what kind of path did he lead us down?"

Gu Changming gripped the Dragon Sparrow Blade, his beard bristling and eyes bulging with anger, his tone filled with fury and dissatisfaction.

Jiang Yao and Lin Wanrou, who were standing to the side, were also so angry that their pretty faces turned red and their brows furrowed.

"Now we're in trouble. Not only can we not get to the Gu Poison Cult within the allotted time, but we've also gotten separated from the other team members."

Jiang Yao said in a deep voice, her eyes filled with anxiety.

"This place is even more dangerous than we expected; it's filled with miasma, and the fog is getting thicker."

"I strongly suspect that Xie Bi'an is a spy for the Gu Poison Cult. He's deliberately stalling for time, trying to trap us here to die!"

Gu Changming grew increasingly angry as he spoke, each word ringing with conviction.

He wasn't being unreasonable; Xie Bi'an's actions were highly suspicious.

Qin Quan had previously asked everyone to arrive before midnight, but Xie Bi'an immediately objected and insisted on changing it to 4 a.m.

When passing Camel Peak, the giant snake clearly headed straight for Xie Bi'an, but he easily dodged it, causing one of his team members to sacrifice himself in vain.

He could have arrived on time by taking a detour, but he insisted on taking the shortcut, dragging everyone into the Misty Ghost Forest.

"shut up!"

Jiang Yao reprimanded sternly. As the person in charge of Hidden Dragon Golden City, she understood the importance of unity better than anyone else.

"Don't make unfounded suspicions about your teammates. Every member of Hidden Dragon is a brother you can trust with your back!"

Even though she had some doubts about Xie Bi'an, she knew that she had to stay calm, especially in times of crisis.

Suspicion will only disrupt morale and will not outweigh the benefits.

Lin Wanrou nodded in agreement, "Our immediate goal is to eradicate the Gu Poison Cult. As for Xie Bi'an, we can investigate that after the mission is over. Everyone should be more careful from now on; too much talk leads to mistakes, so don't voice your suspicions."

"Okay, Mr. Lin."

Gu Changming's voice had just fallen.

suddenly……

A piercing scream shattered the fog.

Immediately afterwards, a barrage of gunfire erupted.

Bang bang bang!

The dull sound echoed through the woods, sounding particularly jarring.

"Something's wrong! Someone's in danger!"

Jiang Yao's heart skipped a beat, and her bad premonition grew stronger.

"We must gather everyone and get out of this hellhole as soon as possible!"

Whoosh!

Before she could finish speaking, a piercing sound suddenly came from the thick fog, heading straight for the three of them.

Lin Wanrou reacted quickly, pushing Gu Changming away with a backhand, and at the same time, she and Jiang Yao leaped up and launched their own attacks.

Lin Wanrou's body surged with pure Yin energy, and an icy longsword materialized in front of her.

The chill was biting, reaching straight towards that unknown entity;

Jiang Yao gripped the Dragon Sparrow Blade tightly with both hands, unleashing her full power, and slashed forward fiercely.

The blade's wind was fierce and unstoppable.

With a swift strike of both sword and blade, a cloud of blood burst open in the thick fog two meters away, splattering onto the ground.

Jiang Yao and Lin Wanrou exchanged a glance and immediately went forward to check.

On the misty ground lay a bloody arm and a leg. Judging from the style of the sleeves and trousers, they did not belong to a member of the Hidden Dragons.

"Someone ambushed us in the Ghost Forest!"

Lin Wanrou's pretty face darkened as she instantly realized what was happening.