He Lan Tianxia

The brief feud between Murong Junlan and Luo Xie ended the moment the giant frog devoured the snake. What they saw next completely shattered their preconceived notions. Strings of snakes coiled around the other side of the giant frog, which, like a general guarding the Chu-Han border, had separated the snakes and the soul-devouring vampire-frogs. The snakes were drooling over the soul-devouring vampire-frogs, yet unable to approach the giant frog; the combination of these two expressions created a somewhat comical scene.

Just moments ago, those people had utterly routed the Soul-Sucking Vampire Frog, and the snakes began to stir. One small snake, unable to contain its excitement, lunged forward, only to be devoured by the frog and meet its demise. Whether stimulated or already under pressure, the snakes surged, circling the large frog with their tongues lolling out in a rustling sound. Suddenly, another small snake flew out from the swarm, followed by three, four, five, six, seven, eight… and so began a fierce battle between frog and snake.

"Your Highness, have you ever heard of the saying 'Many ants can kill a general'?" Luo Xie asked Murong Junlan.

"Chanyu, have you ever heard of the saying 'One man can hold the pass against ten thousand'?"

"How much can a frog do?"

"The capabilities of a frog are immeasurable."

"Then let's wait and see."

"it is good."

So the four of them stood there watching the spectacle. Since someone was helping them clear the obstacles, why not? As they talked, the frog and snake had already fought dozens of rounds. Then, the big frog raised its head, let out a loud "Wah!" and spit out a sticky liquid from its long tongue.

"Here comes the trump card, be careful." Murong Junlan suddenly reached out and pulled everyone back a few steps, only to see a transparent, viscous liquid dripping down just a foot away.

"Don't move." Just as Luo Rina was about to use her whip to investigate, Murong Junlan and Luo Xie stopped her at the same time. Fortunately, they acted quickly. Wherever the viscous liquid touched, the snake's body immediately rotted, leaving only bare white bones. The sight made Luo Rina's heart tremble, and Xiong Bao couldn't help but vomit immediately.

"With such destructive power, no wonder he can hold off the enemy single-handedly. Prince Murong, it seems we won't have an easy time getting through this."

Murong Junlan put away the iron chains and focused intently on the frog-snake battle, ignoring Luo Xie. In life, some things seem simple but are not easy to deal with, like the giant frog; some things seem huge but are not as difficult to deal with as imagined, like the vampire wolf frog. He had to be extremely careful each step of the way. As he spoke, the giant frog turned its head and let out another long croak, spraying a stream of viscous liquid directly towards him.

"Back off!" Murong Junlan shouted, grabbing Xiong Bao with his left hand and pulling the bewildered Luo Rina backward with his right, while Luo Xie also lunged backward.

"Damn it, who exactly are you trying to attack, you lousy frog?" Luo Xie said angrily.

"Brother, be careful." As soon as Luo Rina finished speaking, the giant frog turned its head and spat out another stream of liquid.

Luo Xie hurriedly dodged, thank goodness, he almost got hit. This Luo Xie guy was really reckless; he actually turned around and slapped out with a "whoosh," forcing the giant frog to retract its half-protruding tongue. The giant frog was also angry, abandoning the snakes and suddenly lunging at Luo Xie. This giant frog was no pushover; with a 360-degree turn, a viscous liquid sprayed out in a ring, a sight that terrified onlookers. After all, getting hit by this stuff meant certain death, or at least losing an arm or leg.

At this moment, Murong Junlan's iron chain was also unleashed. Sensing an external force, the giant frog immediately halted its frenzied attack. It seemed to sense the power of the iron chain and resorted to hopping around to disrupt its opponent's vision. Murong Junlan, being the man he was, was well aware of the giant frog's intentions. He decided to fight fire with fire, launching a hidden arrow and then wielding the iron chain in a large, circular motion, ensuring the giant frog couldn't see their exact location. Then, he freed one hand to pull a purple bamboo flute from his robes and began to play it softly. The flute's mournful sound carried a sense of melancholy towards Kuang Yuan. This technique, taught by his master, had never been used before, as it involved internal energy; a slight misstep could lead to a backflow of qi, causing vomiting blood and injury.

This move wasn't without its risks for Murong Junlan, but the opponent was a giant frog, not a human. Whether it could understand him was an unknown, and the probability of that unknown was practically zero. The giant frog dodged the hidden arrow, hopped around a few times, and then charged uncontrollably towards the swarm of snakes.

The snakes were adjusting their tactics when suddenly a giant frog rolled over, seemingly without regard for its own life. The viscous liquid it spewed out was like an unstoppable sword, utterly overwhelming the snakes. Only when the giant frog crashed into a stone wall with a "thud" did it regain its sense of existence. But this realization came too late; Murong Junlan and Luo Xie had already carried Xiong Bao and the others through the bloody path carved by the giant frog.

The giant frog was furious at being tricked. It puffed up its belly, raised its head and croaked, then opened its mouth and sprayed a viscous liquid at Murong Junlan and the others. The liquid also carried a strong aura. Not only was it bad to get the liquid on you, but the wind it created was enough to make people lose their footing.

Murong Junlan had anticipated the giant frog's furious counterattack, but he hadn't expected it to be so powerful. In desperation, he freed one hand and pulled it back, unleashing a move called "Swish Turtle." Wait, why couldn't he swish it up? Murong Junlan looked down—where were the snakes? He saw the snakes leap up en masse, forming a barrier that blocked the liquid with a crack, then fell down with a thud, instantly shattering into pieces.

Having dodged the giant frog, Murong Junlan and Luo Xie landed in a pipe-shaped cave. Just as they were catching their breath, they heard Xiong Bao scream in terror. Good heavens! Not only Luo Xie, but also Luo Rina and Murong Junlan gasped in shock. A dark mass of snakes coiled up in the cave, layer upon layer, their protruding tongues alone making it hard to breathe.

"It seems we've fallen into a snake's den. What should we do, Your Highness?" Luo Xie's voice seemed to tremble slightly.

"Weren't you having a good time just now? Keep going." Murong Junlan teased Luo Xie with a half-smile.

Enjoy yourself? It's better to bite the bullet and go for it. Heaven knows, if he had been even half a step slower, that murky liquid wouldn't have gotten on his robes, but on his legs. If it had, he might not even know if his legs were still his own. At this point, Luo Xie wasn't afraid of losing face anymore, and shamelessly said, "Your Highness, you're definitely more confident in your ability to deal with frogs and snakes. I, Luo Xie, concede defeat."

“Since the Chanyu is unwilling to take action, let’s sit here and chat for a while.” After saying that, Murong Junlan actually found a rock and sat down.

"Sit down and have a chat? If we do, we might really start talking about the heavens." Luo Xie's eyes widened like saucers as he looked at Murong Junlan with the eyes of someone looking at an idiot.

“I’m not happy at all that you’re looking at me like that. Xiong Baolai, sit down.” Murong Junlan patted the empty seat next to him.

"Prince Murong, why are you doing this?" Although Murong Junlan had been protecting her, Luo Rina couldn't help but ask.

"Wait." Murong Junlan brushed the dust off Xiong Bao.

"Wait? If I wait any longer, my life will be in danger." After saying that, Luo Xie launched an attack on the snake. When Murong Junlan saw this, he quickly exerted his strength in both hands and met Luo Xie's palm wind. He then neutralized half of the power. But Luo Xie was stubborn. He swirled the remaining half of his power and secretly added more force, pushing it towards Murong Junlan.

"Good grief, you're coming for me now, huh?" Murong Junlan didn't say anything and exchanged about ten moves with Luo Xie. Luo Xie seemed not to have had enough and continued to exchange forty or fifty more moves.

"Prince Murong, are you trying to pick a fight with me now?" Luo Xie became increasingly angry as he fought.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Murong Junlan continued unhurriedly.

"Alright, then let's just die together." Luo Xie stopped fighting and plopped down in the spot where Murong Junlan had just been sitting.

"Brothers, look!" Xiong Bao suddenly exclaimed.

Suddenly, the snakes that had been scattered here and there raised their heads one by one and stood up in unison, clearing a path in the middle. On the other side of the path, a slightly larger snake also raised half of its body, as if to welcome them.

"What does this mean?" Luo Xie looked around, then glanced at Murong Junlan. Seeing that Murong Junlan didn't react, he grabbed Xiong Bao next to him and pretended to throw him away. "Kid, it seems this snake is quite familiar with you and welcomes you."

Xiong Bao was so frightened that he punched and kicked Luo Xie; he was genuinely afraid that the guy would throw him out. Murong Junlan dusted himself off, stood up, and walked forward as if nothing had happened.

"Are we really going?" Luo Xie pulled Xiong Bao ahead to follow Murong Junlan, while he called Luo Rina to follow. The snakes on both sides stuck out their little tongues and made hissing sounds. Apart from Murong Junlan, the other three were so scared in the freezing cold that their feet were sweating.

In truth, Murong Junlan didn't recognize the snake. It wasn't Ling Yi; it was likely one of Ling Yi's trusted confidants. The snakes' actions just now resembled the rituals of the snakes in the Spirit Snake Cave, which instantly reminded Murong Junlan of Ling Yi. That's why he immediately stopped Luo Xie when he made his move. He was thankful that he hadn't fought a single snake since entering the cave, and hadn't managed to swat one just now. Now, realizing that the snakes had collectively saved him, he bowed deeply to them.

After passing through the snake cave, there was a dark expanse ahead. The ground felt uneven underfoot, and as you walked, it felt unreal, as if your feet were moving. What was that?

"Watch your step." Murong Junlan pulled his hands back, and everyone's feet suddenly felt like they were being pulled away from their ground. Then, with a whoosh, he threw a bunch of turtles and tortoises forward. Before everyone could even get their footing, the bunch of turtles and tortoises bounced back.

"Turtle?" Luo Xie finally saw the pile of things clearly. "A turtle-throwing contest, huh? Okay, I like it." But these things are not easy to deal with. They are so small and there are so many of them. Luo Xie had a sudden idea. He took off his outer jacket, grabbed the hem, and spun around 360 degrees like a windmill.

Upon seeing this, Murong Junlan immediately stopped his "Swish the Turtle" move, pulled the two people behind him to follow. Since someone was willing to block the way in front, he would let him show off and take a break for himself.

Despite his somewhat rough appearance, Luo Xie is quite playful. His moves are those of the grassland horse-taming kung fu, his jacket spinning like a windmill. Poor turtles and tortoises, flying around and crashing into each other, immediately fall apart.

"Why does this woman keep so many animals? It's like a zoo." Luo Xie muttered as he hit her. "Your Highness, something's not right. Look."

At this moment, Murong Junlan also saw that the turtles in front of him were all white, as if they had been dyed by snow. With a flick of his hand, Murong Junlan overturned several turtles on the spot. Some were missing arms or legs. Upon closer inspection, there were dented finger marks on the shells of each turtle, and some even had holes in them.

"The Annihilation Frost Palm?" Murong Junlan remembered. So these white-haired turtles were what the white-haired woman used to practice the Annihilation Frost Palm. The animals she had placed along the way, besides defending against enemies, were probably props for practicing some strange skill. Therefore, these animals had accumulated considerable fighting power through long-term combat. Just how deep was this cave? Even with his martial arts skills, it would be difficult for him to enter. His Yan'er was just a weak woman, already injured; how could she withstand such torment? Thinking this, Murong Junlan's deep eyes grew even colder. He pushed the two people beside him to Luo Xie, brooking no refusal, and instructed, "Take care of them. I'll handle it." With that, he used his desert lightness skill and charged forward.

The cave grew larger and larger, and the number of tortoise shells increased, piling up like small mountains on both sides, even forming a thick layer on the path. Tortoise shells flew in continuously, their attack power not very strong; the person who unleashed them seemed to be far away, or perhaps their skill was simply weak.

With a "thud," a colossal creature lunged at Murong Junlan. In desperation, Murong Junlan had no choice but to throw a hidden arrow at the beast. Hidden arrows were precious, and he couldn't bear to use them unless absolutely necessary. The colossal creature was hit in the foot by the arrow, and its body visibly staggered, but it still charged forward with overwhelming force. Its long fingernails would surely tear a bloody gash if they touched anything.

After exchanging nearly ten blows, Murong Junlan finally realized that her opponent was a gorilla. Good heavens, who could this white-haired woman possibly have such a deep-seated grudge against with her self-destructive training methods? Good heavens, the moment Murong Junlan lost focus, the ferocious gorilla pounced again, each move more powerful than the last. At this moment, Luo Xie and the others had caught up. Luo Rina's long whip, which had been useless until now, should finally come in handy. For some reason, Xiong Bao became excited upon seeing the gorilla, frightening Luo Xie so much that he held on tightly, knowing that Luo Rina couldn't control the boy when he got stubborn.

The gorilla is actually quite similar to a human. Its moves—leaping, shifting, falling, and swooping—are all comparable to humans, only with a touch of ferocity, especially its diving attack that can tear a person to pieces. Murong Junlan was responsible for fighting at the front, but the gorilla was very cunning. It suddenly pounced down and turned to attack Luo Xie, kicking the little bear cub in the process. Luo Xie reacted quickly, blocking the gorilla's mid-air kick to Luo Rina's shoulder. Just as Luo Rina was about to dodge, the gorilla's other foot came straight at her face. If Luo Rina dropped her whip, she might be able to avoid the attack, but if she let go of the whip, the gorilla would immediately snatch it away. Luo Rina couldn't bear to do that.

"Let go!" Murong Junlan cried out in alarm. He swung his thin rope, but it was too late. Just as the gorilla's long claws were about to tear through Luo Rina's shoulder, Murong Junlan leaped forward to block it. With a hiss, a large piece of Murong Junlan's robe was torn off his arm, and blood splattered from it.

“Your Highness…” Although Murong Junlan had taken good care of Luo Rina and Xiong Bao along the way, everyone was well aware of the danger at this moment. A shiver of heartache ran through Luo Rina’s heart. She had always been the one to bear all the danger herself. Murong Junlan was the first man to shield her from a sword. Looking at Murong Junlan’s bleeding arm, she momentarily forgot about the gorilla’s presence and then reminded him, “Your Highness, you are injured.”

Murong Junlan had no time to spare; the gorilla pounced again, its destructive force leaving everyone breathless. At this moment, Luo Xie was also provoked; as if he'd drunk chicken blood, he roared and charged at the gorilla.

"Be careful, it might be a trap." Murong Junlan swung out his thin rope, but it was too late. The gorilla's outstretched hind leg kicked Luo Xie several times, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Brother, are you alright?" Luo Rina asked with concern as she whipped the gorilla.

"It's alright. Keep an eye on that kid." Luo Xie leaped up and rejoined the battle.

If the tortoise was used to practice the Annihilation Cold Yin Palm, then this gorilla was the white-haired woman's sparring partner. Murong Junlan found it extremely difficult to guess the white-haired woman's skill level and depth of expertise. Most terrifyingly, the gorilla seemed tireless, growing stronger with each battle.

"Your Highness, this gorilla doesn't seem to have any weaknesses." Luo Xie felt helpless and was being led by the nose by the gorilla, which was very unpleasant.

"There must be one." Although Murong Junlan couldn't spot any flaws, he was certain there was. The manual said that no martial art in the world is perfect, and the greatest strength is also the greatest weakness. This gorilla's greatest strength was its fierce leaping ability, so its weak point must be there. He needed to seize this opportunity. Look, the gorilla is leaping again. Murong Junlan pushed the others aside and shouted, "Get out of the way!"

Then, he stood there motionless, gripping the thin rope tightly, and tossed it upwards. The gorilla, which had been dominating and gloating over its attack, suddenly became suspicious upon seeing Murong Junlan's unmoving stance. In that instant, the rope struck directly at its heart—danger! The gorilla sensed it, truly sensed it. It frantically regretted its actions; this guillotine-piercing move was a mutually destructive tactic. What, was he courting death? This human seemed to have something wrong with him, even more so than that crazed woman. The gorilla tried to pull back its momentum, but it was too weak. Its life, its martial arts skills, might end here. It regretted its earlier smugness. Fine, if it was going to die, it would take someone down with it. Since he didn't care about his life, then they would both. Having made up its mind, the gorilla didn't dodge Murong Junlan's iron chain; instead, it stretched out its limbs and lunged at Murong Junlan…

"Why?" A heart-wrenching scream suddenly echoed from inside the cave. "You'd rather die with him than with me?" Then, with a deafening crash, the ground sank, and everyone, including the gorilla, fell in...