“Let’s move. This place isn’t safe to linger.” Dustin stepped first onto the slick, broken path, his pace steady as ever. Yet Margaret could sense that his aura had grown even more restrained than before— as if he were quietly gathering power, preparing for the unknown challenges ahead. The group followed in silence, tension hanging thick in the air. A’Long and the other two guards gripped their weapons tightly, eyes darting to the sides where the dark red lake water churned restlessly, fearing that another monster might emerge at any moment. Qingzhu supported Old Zhang , whose condition was worsening. The erosion of dragon-blood miasma was draining his life force; his eyes were already losing focus. As they ventured deeper, the surroundings began to change in eerie ways. The once-clear boundary between the azure lake and the blood-polluted waters began to blur. The two colors seeped and twisted together like merging paint, creating a grotesque,...