Crossing the wilderness to survive, starting with a broken kitchen knife.

Soon, Zhang Shi finally dug a passage large enough for him to pass through. He climbed up carefully, fearing that he would disturb some unknown creatures. After all, he was in a completely unknown environment, so it was right to be cautious.

When he completely climbed out of the cave, he found himself in a spacious space with obvious traces of artificial carving, but it was not new and seemed to have been abandoned for a long time.

Zhang Shi took out his oil lamp and, using the light, suddenly spotted a figure crouching before him. He approached and immediately recognized the golden armor. Just in case, he removed the man's helmet and confirmed it was Zhao Feng. Only then did he feel relieved and began to check on him.

Judging from the situation in this enclosed cave, Zhao Feng must have been staying here ever since he was swallowed by the earth beast and has been in a coma ever since.

Zhang Shi shook his head vigorously, then took out a bottle of purified water and fed it to him, finally waking Zhao Feng up. After waking up, Zhao Feng observed the surroundings and then sighed heavily.

"Shi Tou, we'll see each other in the underworld!"

Zhang Shi's face was filled with gloom. He then recounted his experiences since waking up and inquired about Zhao Feng's condition. He learned that Zhao Feng had indeed been in a coma and was completely oblivious to everything. Helplessly, the two of them ate some food and drank some water, then used this space as their starting point and began digging aimlessly upwards.

The excavation work lasted for several hours, and the two took turns to work to maintain their strength. Zhang Shi and Zhao Feng both knew that they had to find a way to the outside world as soon as possible, otherwise even if they had enough food and water, they would be trapped due to lack of air.

As they dug deeper, they found that the underground space was much more complicated than they had imagined. They had been digging upwards for a long time, but there was nothing but soil above, and they had not made any progress.

Suddenly, Zhang Shi hit something hard. He stopped his shovel and carefully dug away the dirt around it. It was a large, circular stone slab with an eye-like symbol in the center, surrounded by numerous smaller designs that looked like some kind of ritual or sacrificial scene.

"Brother Feng, look at this pattern. Does it look familiar to you?" Zhang Shi pointed at the pattern and said to Zhao Feng.

Zhao Feng leaned in closer, examined it carefully, and said in surprise, "This... isn't this the pattern we've seen in history books? But why is it here?"

Zhang Shi nodded, and an ominous premonition arose in his heart. The history book was vaguely related to the secret of the City of Mist, and it was very likely to be inextricably linked to the earth beasts and the changes in the entire city.

"It seems we are getting closer to the truth." Zhang Shi said in a deep voice, "However, this also means that we may face greater danger."

Zhao Feng took a deep breath and said firmly, "No matter what lies ahead, we'll just have to get through it. We'll eventually find a way out. I'll kill anyone who dares to stop me!"

The two men continued digging, but this time they were even more cautious, fearing any mechanism or trap. As time passed, they finally reached what appeared to be an exit. It was a narrow passage, sealed by a massive stone slab. Zhang Shi noticed the stone's material was identical to the buildings in the City of Mist, so he became extremely cautious.

Zhang Shi and Zhao Feng worked together to push open the stone slab. A burst of fresh air rushed in from the entrance, refreshing them. They knew that this passage might lead to the outside world.

The two men cautiously advanced along the passage, which was lined with a variety of exotic plants and rocks, and the air was filled with a mysterious and ancient atmosphere. Zhang Shi's eyes lit up. The presence of plants meant hope. It seemed that the road ahead was the right one.

After a long walk, they finally saw a glimmer of light ahead. When they emerged from the passage, they found themselves in a vast underground palace. Its roof soared high, seemingly reaching into the sky. The palace was filled with precious artifacts and artwork, each exuding an ancient and mysterious aura.

Zhang Shi and Zhao Feng gazed in amazement. They were surprised to discover that the palace's architectural style and materials were identical to those of the City Lord's Mansion. They decided to search the palace carefully. If their teammates could escape, they would likely find this place as well. They hoped it would hold clues to the mystery.

However, just as they were about to enter the depths of the palace, a low roar came from a corner of the palace. The sound was deafening and made their hearts tighten.

Zhang Shi and Zhao Feng exchanged glances, each sensing tension and vigilance in the other's eyes. A deep growl echoed through the palace, as if some massive creature were lurking in the shadows.

"Be careful, there may be danger." Zhang Shi reminded Zhao Feng in a low voice, while tightening his grip on the Old Duan in his hand, ready to deal with any possible attack at any time.

Zhao Feng nodded, gripping his battle axe tightly, and followed closely behind. The two of them cautiously advanced in the direction of the sound, trying to make as little noise as possible.

As they went deeper, the light inside the palace gradually dimmed. Zhang Shi took out his oil lamp and tried to illuminate the path ahead. However, the light was insignificant in the vast palace, illuminating only a small area below them.

Suddenly, a massive figure leaped out of the darkness and charged towards Zhang Shi. Quick-witted and quick-handed, Zhang Shi quickly rolled to the side, dodging the attack. However, the figure didn't stop and continued to lunge at Zhao Feng.

Zhao Feng reacted quickly, raising his battle axe and charging forward. The massive figure collided with the axe, creating a deafening roar. Zhang Shi then saw clearly that it was a massive, pitch-black snake, far larger than any other snake they had ever encountered.

"Why is it so big? It looks creepy." Zhao Feng said in surprise, with a hint of shock in his voice.

Zhang Shi didn't answer, his gaze fixed intently on the black snake before him. The snake had no eyes, a sign that its long life underground had degraded its organs. However, this also meant that its perceptions in other areas were more acute, and they had to be careful.

The black snake attacked again, and Zhang Shi slashed it with a shadow slash, forcing the snake back, but the sword energy was completely blocked by its scales and did not cause any damage to it.

Zhang Shi frowned, realizing that the black snake was of high rank, so he prepared to find the right time for close combat. With Lao Duan's sharpness, he should be able to cause damage to it.

At that moment, a low chanting sound suddenly emanated from a corner of the palace. The sound seemed to possess some kind of magical power, slowing the black snake's movements. Zhang Shi and Zhao Feng seized the opportunity and quickly launched a counterattack.

Zhang Shi even took the lead and flashed behind the black snake, cutting it into two pieces with one knife.