The smoke of battle hadn't yet dissipated, and the air was thick with the smell of burning and blood. Ning Yu sat down against a boulder, panting heavily, his clothes soaked with sweat. The fierce battle with the mutated giant python had almost exhausted all his strength. He could feel that although the newfound power was immense, it also placed a tremendous strain on his body.

He needs time to recover, even if it's just for a moment.

However, fate did not seem to intend to give him a chance to catch his breath.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

The ground began to tremble violently, as if a herd of giant beasts was charging towards them. Ning Yu suddenly opened his eyes and looked around warily. Dust billowed high in the distance, obscuring the sky and forming a yellow "wall" that was rapidly approaching him.

"Damn it!" Ning Yu cried out inwardly, struggling to stand up. However, the pain from the previous battle made him dizzy, his legs went weak, and he almost fell to the ground.

Through the billowing dust, he could vaguely make out those familiar yet terrifying figures—a pack of mutated hyenas, mutated wild boars, and even several even larger mutated rhinos with a metallic sheen! They had ferocious faces, breathing hot air from their mouths and noses, and charged madly toward Ning Yu.

“There are more of them, and they’re bigger too…” Ning Yu took a deep breath and gripped his weapon tightly. He knew that an even more brutal battle was inevitable.

It was too late! He had to recover as much strength as possible before they got close! Ning Yu closed his eyes, gathering the little energy he had left. However, the previous battle had taken a heavy toll on him, and at this moment, he could only muster less than a third of his peak strength.

"boom!"

The mutated swarm drew ever closer, the earth shook violently, as if it would engulf him at any moment. Ning Yu suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with unwavering resolve.

"Let's give it our all!"

The mutated creatures surged in like a tsunami, their stench almost suffocating. Ning Yu endured the excruciating pain throughout his body, his hands rapidly forming hand seals, and an invisible barrier unfolded before him.

The mutated hyena pack was the first to crash into the barrier, their sharp tusks scraping against it with ear-piercing sounds, yet they couldn't break through even an inch. Immediately following, a mutated wild boar slammed into the barrier, the immense impact causing it to tremble violently, but ultimately it stubbornly withstood its onslaught.

However, this is just the beginning.

A massive mutated rhinoceros, covered in thick metallic scales, with a sharp horn gleaming coldly above its nose, roared and charged towards Ning Yu like a heavy tank.

"not good!"

Alarm bells rang in Ning Yu's mind. He could sense that this mutated rhinoceros's strength far surpassed that of any other mutated creature he had encountered before. He desperately mobilized the remaining power within his body, thrusting his hands forward in an attempt to strengthen the barrier's defenses.

"Click-clack..."

The barrier groaned under the strain, cracking as it teetered on the brink of collapse.

"Stop them!"

Ning Yu roared and poured all his power into the barrier.

With a loud bang, the mutated rhinoceros's horn slammed violently into the barrier.

The barrier shattered instantly, turning into specks of light that dissipated into the air. Ning Yu's body was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto a rock more than ten meters away.

"puff!"

A mouthful of blood spurted from Ning Yu's mouth, staining the rocks beneath him red. He struggled to stand up, but found his body was out of his control, and the intense pain made his vision blur.

"It's not over yet..."

Ning Yu gritted his teeth. He knew he couldn't fall; if he did, death would be his only fate. He tried to concentrate, attempting to muster the remaining strength within him. However, the battle with the mutated giant python had exhausted him. At this moment, he was like a lamp wick that had been drained of oil, ready to go out at any moment.

The mutated rhinoceros let out a deafening roar and charged towards Ning Yu, who lay on the ground. Each step it took felt like an earthquake, filling Ning Yu with despair.

"Am I... going to die?"

Just when Ning Yu thought he was doomed, a figure suddenly blocked his way.

"If you want to hurt him, you'll have to get past me first!"

Mu Xue held a long whip, her eyes sharp and her tone icy. "Xue'er, you..." Ning Yu struggled to get up, but the movement aggravated his injuries, causing another wave of excruciating pain. He knew that Mu Xue's strength was more than enough to deal with ordinary mutated creatures, but against this thick-skinned mutated rhinoceros, it was probably like throwing an egg against a rock.

"Don't speak, conserve your energy!" Mu Xue shouted without turning her head, her long whip dancing like a serpent, whistling through the air as it lashed fiercely at the mutated rhinoceros.

However, the mutated rhinoceros's defenses were astonishing; the whip's lashes merely left white marks on its thick scales, failing to inflict any vital damage. Instead, it was enraged and charged at Mu Xue's defenses even more frantically.

Ning Yu knew he couldn't go on like this. He endured the excruciating pain throughout his body, gritted his teeth, and struggled to his feet. He looked into the distance, at the shelter he had painstakingly built, where people were still waiting for his return.

"I can't fall, my goal hasn't been achieved yet!" Ning Yu shouted in his heart, trying to concentrate and mobilize the little strength left in his body. He knew that brute force alone could not defeat these mutated creatures; he had to find another way.

Ning Yu closed his eyes, recalling the scenes of the previous battle in his mind. The roars, attack methods, and even the smells of the mutated creatures reappeared in his mind. Gradually, he seemed to grasp a glimmer of inspiration.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!