I dominated the game from the start with cards.

In the distorted space, illusory images drifted like ghosts, sometimes transforming into ferocious monsters, sometimes into sharp blades, constantly interfering with Li Xuan and Mu Yang's vision. An eerie atmosphere permeated the air, instilling unease. Li Xuan and Mu Yang's attacks were repeatedly blocked by these images; they seemed trapped in a fog, unable to discern direction. Mu Yang's weapon repeatedly missed, striking the ethereal phantoms and creating ripples, but unable to reach the real enemy. Li Xuan's situation was equally dire; his attempts to approach Wang She and Chen Hu were repeatedly repelled by the illusory images. Seeing this, Wang She revealed a smug smile, her sharp voice echoing in the distorted space: "You think you can defeat us? You're truly overestimating yourselves!" Chen Hu echoed with a laugh: "Just surrender obediently, lest you suffer some physical pain!" Li Xuan frowned; he knew this couldn't continue; he had to find a way to break the spell. He suppressed the lingering numbness in his body, striving to stay conscious. He carefully observed the surrounding images, trying to find a pattern. Although these images were unpredictable, they all seemed to revolve around Wang She and Chen Hu, like a protective shield firmly guarding them. Li Xuan's gaze was fixed on Wang She and Chen Hu; their movements, though concealed, were exceptionally clear in the distorted space. He noticed that whenever the images changed, Wang She and Chen Hu's hand gestures would also change, and they seemed to be chanting some kind of incantation. A thought struck Li Xuan: could the changes in these images be related to their incantation?

"Mu Yang, watch out!" Li Xuan suddenly shouted, pushing Mu Yang aside. Just then, a black shadow darted out from the void, heading straight for Mu Yang. If Li Xuan hadn't acted in time, Mu Yang would probably have been hit. "Thank you!" Mu Yang looked at Li Xuan gratefully, knowing how dangerous the situation had been. "Be careful, these images aren't physical, but the attacks from behind are real," Li Xuan said in a deep voice. The two stood back to back, warily watching the changes around them. Wang She and Chen Hu both showed expressions of surprise; they hadn't expected Li Xuan to see through their tricks. "Hmph, so what if you figured it out?" Wang She sneered, "Do you think you can break our spell?" Chen Hu also sneered, "Don't waste your energy, you're destined to die here today!" Li Xuan ignored their mockery. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down. He knew this wasn't the time to be reckless; he had to think calmly and find a way out. The surrounding images grew denser, almost completely enveloping them. Li Xuan closed his eyes… As Li Xuan closed his eyes, the world seemed to fall silent. The noisy illusions and the jarring mockery gradually faded away. His mental power, like an invisible net, slowly spread outwards, piercing through layers of misty, illusory images. In the world of mental perception, those fleeting images were stripped of their disguise, revealing their hollow essence. And the King Serpent and Chen Hu, hidden behind the illusions, had nowhere to hide. Their breathing, heartbeats, even the slightest muscle tremors, were clearly presented in Li Xuan's mind. The King Serpent was chanting a spell in a low voice, its hands flashing with a ghostly green light, the key to maintaining the illusion. Chen Hu stood guard to the side, her eyes coldly watching her surroundings, ready to attack at any moment. Their positions were completely exposed. Li Xuan suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them. "Mu Yang, left! They're behind that withered tree on the left! You flank them from the right and attack Chen Hu!" Upon hearing this, Mu Yang acted immediately without hesitation. He moved with agility, like a cheetah weaving through the distorted space, bypassing illusions and silently approaching Chen Hu. At the same time, Li Xuan faced Wang She head-on. He knew Wang She's dagger was coated with poison, and he had to be extremely careful. "You actually saw through my illusion!" Wang She's tone was filled with surprise and anger. Her dagger gleamed coldly as she thrust at Li Xuan again. Li Xuan was prepared; a rusty iron plate had appeared in his hand, blocking Wang She's dagger. The ear-piercing sound of metal scraping echoed in the distorted space. "Child's play," Li Xuan sneered, taking advantage of Wang She's momentary lapse in attention to kick her in the abdomen. Wang She grunted and staggered back a few steps. On the other side, Mu Yang had already engaged Chen Hu in combat. Although Chen Hu was skilled at bewitching people, her close-quarters combat abilities were weak. Mu Yang's attacks were sharp and precise, forcing Chen Hu to retreat repeatedly. Seeing the situation was dire, Wang She brandished her dagger again, attacking Li Xuan in an attempt to force him back and then go to support Chen Hu. Li Xuan, however, held her tightly, preventing her from escaping. The battle grew increasingly fierce, the distorted space filled with the flashing of blades and shouts of battle. Li Xuan and Mu Yang cooperated seamlessly, gradually gaining the upper hand. Suddenly, Chen Hu let out a sharp cry. Li Xuan's heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding washing over him. He turned his head sharply, only to see a bloody gash on Chen Hu's hand, and on Mu Yang's face… "Mu Yang!" Li Xuan exclaimed. Chen Hu's sharp cry pierced the chaos of the distorted space, and Li Xuan's heart sank. He saw several bloody gashes on Mu Yang's face, crimson blood slowly flowing down his cheeks, a horrifying sight against his pale skin. The blood seemed to carry a scorching heat, making Li Xuan's breath catch in his throat. "Mu Yang!" Li Xuan's voice trembled slightly with anxiety. He looked at Mu Yang with concern, only to see Mu Yang casually wipe the blood from his face, his eyes still calm and composed, showing no sign of retreat. "I'm fine," Mu Yang's voice was low and firm, as if telling Li Xuan that this injury was not enough to shake his resolve. He gripped his weapon again, his gaze fixed intently on Chen Hu, radiating a chilling fighting spirit. Just then, an old yet resonant voice rang out in the distorted space: "Don't panic, you two little brats, this old man is here to lend you a hand!" A figure appeared on the battlefield like a ghost—it was Old Zhou. The cane in his hand seemed ordinary, but it contained immense power, each swing accompanied by a whistling wind, deflecting Wang She and Chen Hu's attacks one by one. Li Xuan and Mu Yang, along with Old Zhou, formed a pincer movement, trapping Wang She and Chen Hu in the center. Wang She and Chen Hu's previous composure vanished, their attacks became chaotic, and panic showed in their eyes. "Damn old man, how dare you interfere in our affairs!" Wang She roared through gritted teeth, her dagger swinging even more wildly, yet she couldn't break through Old Zhou's defenses. Chen Hu's face also turned pale; she knew the situation was dire for them. She secretly glanced at Wang She, a sinister glint in her eyes. Li Xuan keenly caught Chen Hu's gaze, his alarm bells ringing. He knew Chen Hu was cunning and was definitely plotting something. He observed his surroundings even more vigilantly, not daring to relax for a moment. Wang She's attacks grew increasingly frenzied, like a trapped beast struggling. The dagger in her hand flashed with cold light, weaving a net of death in the air, attempting to engulf Li Xuan and the others. Li Xuan's gaze was fixed on Wang She, his mental energy highly concentrated, sensing every change in his surroundings. He noticed that while Wang She's attacks were fierce, they lacked structure, seemingly deliberately creating chaos. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Li Xuan; he understood Wang She's intention! She was covering for Chen Hu! "Mu Yang, watch out for Chen Hu!" Li Xuan shouted, rushing forward to shield Mu Yang. Just then, Chen Hu vanished from her spot. Li Xuan's heart sank; he knew Chen Hu must have used some kind of concealment spell. "Where is she?" Mu Yang's voice held a hint of anxiety. Li Xuan closed his eyes, expanding his mental energy to its maximum, searching for Chen Hu's trail. Chen Hu's image appeared in his mind; she was lurking in the shadows, a gleaming dagger in her hand, ready to deliver a fatal blow to Mu Yang. Li Xuan suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing within them. Seizing the opportunity, he lunged forward, his iron plate striking Chen Hu's wrist with pinpoint accuracy. "Ah!" Chen Hu screamed, the dagger falling to the ground.

At the same time, Old Zhou seized the opportunity, striking Wang She in the chest with his cane, sending her flying. Wang She and Chen Hu, unable to resist, were subdued by Li Xuan and the others. Those around them looked at Li Xuan and his group with awe. "It seems we've passed the first test..." Old Zhou glanced meaningfully at Li Xuan and slowly said, "The real challenge has only just begun." Chen Hu's dagger was only a hair's breadth from Mu Yang's neck. At the critical moment, Li Xuan saw through the cover behind Wang She's frenzied attacks. Wang She's attacks appeared chaotic, but in reality, they were full of hidden tricks. She used high-speed movement to create afterimages, confusing the viewer, while the real killing move was hidden within these afterimages, intended to cover Chen Hu's fatal blow. Li Xuan's mental energy was highly concentrated, capturing the subtle pauses in Wang She's movements and the fluctuations in Chen Hu's aura. He predicted Chen Hu's attack trajectory. "Mu Yang, to the left!" Li Xuan shouted, his figure flashing like lightning, blocking in front of Mu Yang. The iron plate in his hand was no ordinary metal, but a specially treated alloy with extremely strong defensive capabilities. The plate struck Chen Hu's wrist precisely, producing a crisp metallic clang. Chen Hu cried out in pain as the dagger slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. At the same time, Old Zhou's cane, carrying a sharp gust of wind, struck Wang She hard in the chest. Wang She groaned and flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground. He struggled to get up, but found himself gripped by a sharp pain in his chest, unable to muster any strength. Li Xuan and Mu Yang quickly stepped forward and firmly restrained Wang She and Chen Hu. The surrounding explorers, seeing this, cast awe-inspiring glances. They had initially thought Li Xuan and Mu Yang were merely novice explorers with limited strength, but they hadn't expected them to subdue these two troublesome opponents so quickly. "Good lad, quick reflexes!" Old Zhou stroked his beard, his eyes full of admiration. “However, this is just an appetizer in the Infinite Flow Space; the real challenge is yet to come.” Sister Wu also came over to treat Mu Yang’s facial wounds. “Luckily, it’s just a superficial injury; no bones or tendons are damaged.” As she spoke, she took out some ointment and carefully applied it to Mu Yang’s wounds. Mu Yang nodded in gratitude. His gaze fell on Li Xuan, his eyes filled with gratitude and trust. “Thanks to you, Li Xuan.” Li Xuan smiled slightly and patted Mu Yang’s shoulder. “We are teammates; we should support each other.” Although he had dealt with Wang She and Chen Hu, Li Xuan knew that this was just a small episode in the Infinite Flow Space. They were about to face the first challenge, and he knew that this was only the beginning; the real test was yet to come. He looked at Old Zhou, a question in his eyes, "Old Zhou, what should we do next?" Old Zhou smiled mysteriously, not directly answering Li Xuan's question, but saying meaningfully, "Young man, don't rush, everything will be arranged." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the subdued Wang She and Chen Hu, "Deal with these two first." Li Xuan walked to Wang She and Chen Hu, squatted down, and carefully observed them. Suddenly, his gaze fell on Wang She's collar, an inconspicuous mark catching his attention. It was a pattern resembling a tiger's claw, strikingly similar to Zhao Hu's mark in his memory. Li Xuan's heart sank, a chill running from his feet to his head. He reached out and opened Chen Hu's collar, the same mark appearing on her neck... His eyes suddenly turned icy cold, as if frozen solid.