On the other side, the guards drew their weapons and, following Shen Hanshan's instructions, walked step by step into the depths of the dense forest along the shocking drag marks.

As they ventured deeper, the surrounding light was almost completely blocked by the dense canopy of trees, and they could only rely on the occasional rays of sunlight and the torches in the hands of the guards to barely illuminate the way ahead.

An indescribable sense of oppression filled the air, making even breathing feel heavy.

Just as everyone was about to be swallowed up by the oppressive atmosphere, a faint sound of flowing water suddenly came from ahead, breaking the silence.

A thought struck Shen Hanshan, and he quickened his pace, leading the group in the direction of the sound.

After rounding a steep bend, a breathtaking view suddenly appeared before them—a cave hidden deep in the dense forest.

The cave entrance is small, but it is partially hidden by vines and shrubs, making it difficult to find unless you are looking for it.

Shen Hanshan stood at the cave entrance, took a deep breath, and felt a faint fishy smell wafting out of the cave, which further confirmed his judgment.

"Everyone be careful, follow me in," he whispered, before stepping into the cave first.

The cave was deep and dark, and the torchlight flickered in the dim light, illuminating the jagged rocks on the cave walls.

Suddenly, a low and eerie hiss broke the silence in the cave, and everyone stopped in their tracks.

Shen Hanshan lowered his eyes and looked in the direction of the sound. Not far away, he saw a huge snake coiled on a boulder. Its body was so thick that it would take several people to encircle it, and its scales gleamed with a cold, eerie light. Strangely, the snake's eyes seemed unusually empty, and it showed no hostility towards strangers.

Suddenly, at the same instant that Cui Shenghe coughed up blood inside the cave, the giant snake seemed to be jolted awake from its slumber. Its eyes instantly focused with a chilling light, the green glow flashing like ghostly fire, exuding a heart-stopping coldness that sent shivers down one's spine.

"Everyone be careful!" Shen Hanshan shouted in a low voice. The guards reacted quickly, drawing their weapons and protecting Shen Hanshan in the center.

The battle was about to begin. The guards moved swiftly, their swords flashing and clashing in the narrow space, yet they could hardly harm the seemingly sluggish but actually agile giant snake.

The giant snake suddenly swung its tail, creating a gust of wind that nearly extinguished the torch. In the darkness, only the sounds of metal clashing and the snake's roar could be heard, a truly terrifying experience.

One of the guards was accidentally struck by the giant snake's long tail and staggered. In the critical moment, Shen Hanshan reacted quickly and thrust his sword at the snake's vital spot. Although it was not fatal, it caused the snake excruciating pain and slowed its attack.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the guards cooperated seamlessly, and their attack intensified. Finally, after a fierce struggle, the giant serpent's massive body crashed to the ground, and its empty eyes closed forever.

The battle ended, and everyone was drenched in sweat and still panting.

Du Heng patted his chest in lingering fear and said in a deep voice, "No wonder so few people come up to Chaoyu Mountain. On this trip, we encountered tigers and giant snakes. If we were ordinary people, we would have been scared to death twice over!"

"That's right!" the guard, still shaken by the snake's tail, said. "I've never even touched a woman's hand before, and I almost met my end here!"

His words immediately eased the tense atmosphere in the cave.

Shen Hanshan, however, was not in the mood for jokes. He looked around and noticed human skeletons scattered throughout the cave. After a moment's thought, he guessed that the giant snake had probably swept the skeletons away when they fought with it.

Holding the torch, he continued onward, and soon a strange stone gate came into view.