The figures in front of them were all skin and bones, their exposed skin covered in black blotches, their bodies reeking with an overwhelming stench.

It was nearly impossible to recognize what they had once looked like.

But Yuan Jiewen recognized one of them at a glance, it was Liu Bo, the very person who had once been in his team.

He had no choice. Not only was the Big Boss’s reason for entering the secret realm to find Liu Bo, but he was also the only teammate to have mysteriously vanished since entering. The impression was far too deep.

“Liu Bo? Where?” Qiao Sang’s eyes lit up as she quickly covered her nose and asked.

Yuan Jiewen pointed at one of the figures drinking the filthy water.

“That’s him.”

So these really were people… Qiao Sang followed his finger and almost cursed aloud.

Their bodies were little more than bones, skin rotting and mottled with black blotches, even more terrifying than the zombies from TV shows. There wasn’t the slightest trace of resemblance to the photos.

So this was what the Slobber Frog had meant about purifying the sewage…

This was too tragic…

Still, tragic or not, at least they were alive. Qiao Sang pressed her nose tightly and cautiously drew a breath as she prepared to step forward.

At that moment, Lin Shi grabbed her.

“What is it?” Qiao Sang stopped, turning to ask.

“Water Conversion. A high-tier water-type skill. It lets creatures absorb pollutants from filthy water and then expel it clean.” Mikayla feigned a look of fear.

“They’re currently undergoing Water Conversion. That means there must be a water-type beast performing the skill nearby.”

She paused, then added: “You can’t just walk up like this. It’s dangerous.”

Indeed, without wild beasts forcing them, no human would willingly drink such revolting water. Qiao Sang nodded.

“I understand.”

Then she turned to Little Treasure.

“Bring them over here.”

If it was dangerous for her to approach, then she would have them come instead.

Them? Yuan Jiewen froze.

Weren’t they only supposed to be finding Liu Bo?

“Xun~”

Little Treasure covered his nose as his eyes glowed blue.

The next second, the figures hunched over the sewage appeared before them.

The humans, who no longer looked human, froze, then lifted their dazed eyes and groaned, “Aaah…”

Only one among them regained clarity. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he let out a trembling, excited cry as he tried to stand.

But the next moment, his frail legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

Yuan Jiewen’s heart clenched, he couldn’t bear to look.

All those who entered a secret realm were Imperial Beast Masters, people of some standing in the outside world. And now they were reduced to this…

“Big Boss, you mean to take them all with us?” Yuan Jiewen asked, his voice heavy.

Qiao Sang nodded.

“Since they’re alive, of course we must bring them all out.”

“But if we bring so many, escaping will be even harder…” Yuan Jiewen said.

“Ah! Ah!”

At his words, the man who had fallen became frantic. He struggled to rise, looking at Qiao Sang with terror and desperate pleading, afraid of being abandoned.

Qiao Sang said calmly, “Once they’re healed, they won’t be a burden.”

Healed… Yuan Jiewen suddenly realized something and fell silent.

Mikayla glanced at Qiao Sang, a flicker of admiration in her eyes.

“Lubao, Healing Light.” Qiao Sang ordered.

Lubao unzipped the backpack without hesitation.

The instant her head poked out, the stench assaulted her like poison.

Her face twisted, and she quickly retreated back inside, zipping it closed to block the foul air.

Qiao Sang: …

“Just endure for a bit. It’ll be quick.” Qiao Sang coaxed helplessly.

“Lu Ai…”

Lubao’s muffled voice carried a note of struggle from inside the backpack.

After two or three seconds, she inhaled deeply, her eyes steeling with resolve. Extending a paw toward the zipper...

Gurgle gurgle…

Suddenly, the foul river boiled, and with a thunderous boom, the water erupted.

Dozens of massive streams of water shot into the air, twisting like water serpents as they whipped violently toward the group.

“Yap!”

“Xun!”

“Gang Zhan!”

Yabao’s body blurred, splitting into hundreds of identical Fire Qilu, each opening its mouth to unleash spiraling torrents of blazing flame.

Little Treasure hurled shadowy orbs, each a meter across, left and right in rapid succession.

Gangbao expanded in size, her feathers darkening to a gleaming iron-black as she shielded her Beast Master.

Boom boom boom…

Each torrent of water took multiple fire vortexes to resist. Some exploded instantly, but others smashed through and lashed at Yabao’s clones, scattering them.

It took two or three Shadow Orbs just to shatter a single torrent. Little Treasure furiously threw more.

One torrent broke through both fire and shadow, striking Gangbao directly.

She gritted her beak in pain, retreating step after step.

Qiao Sang felt the familiar sting of shared damage, Gangbao’s defenses had been pierced.

“Gang Zhan!”

Sure enough, Gangbao cried out, but dug her talons into the ground, refusing to be blown away and risk harming her Beast Master behind her.

“Lu Ai!”

Qiao Sang’s head throbbed as Lubao’s voice rang in her mind.

An instant later, icy energy erupted outward.

The torrent battering Gangbao froze over with a thick layer of ice, then shattered into fragments that rained down.

A Water Carapace Warrior… here?! Qiao Sang’s face paled as she spotted the beast rising from the river.

Water Barriers, like Water Curtains, could conceal energy signatures and spatial coordinates if mastered to a high degree.

This place was clearly important within the secret realm, the Water Carapace Warrior’s mastery had to be stronger than the Water Curtain from earlier.

Her original plan was to find Liu Bo, then break the barrier and leave.

But now… it was clear the Water Carapace Warrior would never let her leave so easily.

“Ah!”

“Shellblade!”

“Li li!”

Her thoughts shattered as she heard Yuan Jiewen, the Shellblade Behemoth, and his avian beast scream in pain.

Qiao Sang turned in time to see them blasted into the air by a torrent, crashing hard against what looked like a tree’s inner wall.

“Armor!”

At that command, the torrents vanished.

The Water Carapace Warrior roared, and dozens of water-type beasts raised their heads from the foul river, glaring at the intruders.

There were so many they filled the entire river as far as the eye could see.

On the ground, the only man still lucid was filled with despair.

It’s over… Qiao Sang’s face turned white.

She recognized more than a dozen General-level beasts among them, including the Weak Boar King from before.

“Yap!”

“Xun!”

“Lu Ai!”

“Gang Zhan…”

Yabao bared his fangs.

Little Treasure’s expression was unusually grim.

Lubao leapt from Qiao Sang’s shoulder, growing larger as she glared warily at the enemy.

Gangbao spread her steel-edged wings wide, shielding her master.

They all stood guard before Qiao Sang.

Let Qiao Sang fight first, then I’ll move… Mikayla flexed her fingers, ready to weave seals at any moment.

Yuan Jiewen struggled to rise.

When he saw the countless beasts emerging from the river, his face went pale. His first thought was: While their attention’s on the Big Boss, maybe I should slip away…

But then his gaze fell on the broken figures on the ground, then shifted to the Big Boss standing firm. He exhaled slowly, his eyes hardening.

The Big Boss’s beasts knew Healing Light and Spatial Shift. Maybe there was hope…

“Big Boss! I’ll help you!” Yuan Jiewen shouted, forcing himself upright.

Then his waist gave out.

Dammit, so much pain…

Every beast was locked in a standoff, one spark away from battle.

The Water Carapace Warrior opened its mouth and growled: “Armor-”

Just then, Qiao Sang raised her hand and shouted: “Wait!”