Chapter 49

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Chen Wan was forced to keep retreating backward by the rapidly rising water level. She clutched the white ape beast skin and the bronze longsword given to her by Yuan Ming, her entire body pressed against the stone wall.

By now, the river water had filled the entire cave, and the water level had risen to Chen Wan's waist.

Her heart had shifted from anxiety to despair, and an inevitable thought crept into her mind: "How could I be so foolish? He won't come back..."

After all, he was just a fur beast slave. Even if nothing had gone wrong and he had found a way out, he wouldn't risk coming back to save her. They were not related, just strangers who had met by chance.

Ironically, when he left, leaving behind the beast skin and the longsword, she had felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

Just as Chen Wan was wallowing in self-pity, the water in front of her suddenly churned, and a dark figure emerged, breathing heavily.

She almost couldn't resist casting a fireball spell at the figure.

When she saw that it was an incredibly ugly human-shaped toad, she suddenly felt a surge of excitement, her eyes almost welling up with tears.

Yuan Ming, who had returned, was also surprised by the changes here. He spoke in a deep voice, "It looks like a flash flood has occurred. I almost couldn't find your position."

"Did you find an exit?" Chen Wan asked urgently.

"The underground river is much longer than I thought. I swam for a long time but couldn't reach the exit," Yuan Ming shook his head and panted.

Chen Wan's face immediately turned pale, her heart sinking.

"However, I found a larger cavity ahead. It's much bigger than here and won't be flooded. We can rest there for a while, catch our breath, and then continue downstream to find a way out," Yuan Ming took a deep breath and continued.

"We have no choice but to try," Chen Wan said, somewhat speechless at Yuan Ming's labored breathing.

Seeing the water level rise to her chest, she didn't want to stay a moment longer.

"How long can you hold your breath?" Yuan Ming asked.

"I haven't practiced water techniques, so I can only hold my breath for about fifteen minutes," Chen Wan thought for a moment and replied.

At that moment, she deeply regretted not practicing water techniques just because she was a disciple of the Fire Refining Hall. Fortunately, as a disciple, she had to endure long periods of forging, which required good breath control, so her breath wasn't weak.

"Fifteen minutes should be enough. When we start, you'll lie on my back, and I'll carry you underwater," Yuan Ming thought for a moment and said.

Chen Wan, hearing this, glanced at Yuan Ming's back, which was covered in black bumps, and hesitated.

"With your speed, you won't make it to the cavity in fifteen minutes without me," Yuan Ming looked at her and said coldly.

Chen Wan took a deep breath and nodded.

She held the white ape beast skin and the bronze longsword in one hand and, despite the discomfort, placed the other hand on Yuan Ming's shoulder.

"Take a deep breath," Yuan Ming instructed.

Chen Wan immediately followed his advice.

In the next instant, Yuan Ming's body suddenly sank, and he quickly dove into the water, pulling Chen Wan with him.

Yuan Ming kicked his legs outward, then pulled them back, propelling himself forward with the current, covering about seven to eight yards in one stroke.

They reached the edge of the cave, where the river water converged and flowed into a tunnel.

Yuan Ming didn't hesitate, diving into the tunnel and swimming downstream with all his might.

Inside the cave, it was pitch black.

Chen Wan's eyes were tightly closed, and she could only hear the muffled sound of the water. Her heart raced, and her grip on Yuan Ming's shoulder tightened, her body instinctively pressing against his back.

Yuan Ming, sensing Chen Wan's tension, swam as fast as he could with his hands and feet.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Chen Wan gradually adapted to the cold water and couldn't resist opening her eyes.

However, in the dark water, she could see nothing, only the vague outline of the stone walls around her, which made her feel claustrophobic.

After a while, she closed her eyes again, finding it more bearable.

Just then, she suddenly felt something touch her heel.

She hadn't moved or kicked, so it couldn't have been anything but something else touching her.

"Are there fish in this underground river?" Chen Wan wondered.

Before she could figure it out, the sensation of being touched came again, this time with more force.

Realizing something was wrong, Chen Wan immediately opened her eyes and turned to look behind her.

What she saw made her jump, almost causing her to scream. She gripped Yuan Ming's shoulder even tighter.

In the dark water behind her, a large black shadow appeared, which clearly wasn't a fish.

Chen Wan, suppressing her fear, hit Yuan Ming's back with the beast skin and the bronze longsword.

Yuan Ming immediately realized something was wrong, turned his head, and heard a series of "wailing" sounds from behind.

The sound was somewhat childish, but it was clear and distinct in the water.

If he hadn't been wearing the toad beast skin, he would have been covered in goosebumps.

At that moment, Chen Wan pressed the beast skin and the bronze longsword against her body, her internal magic power activated, and she raised her hand to strike behind her.

A faint red light appeared in her palm, illuminating the water behind her.

In the dim light, she saw a large, flattened white human face, with a wide mouth taking up a third of the face and two small black eyes on the sides.

She screamed in terror, choking on water, and her breath was instantly disrupted.

The white face seemed equally frightened, and the wailing became more urgent. Red-black patterns appeared on the white cheeks, and it opened its mouth, revealing a blood-red maw, and lunged at Yuan Ming and Chen Wan.

Yuan Ming, seeing the creature's face, immediately recognized it: "A Tyrant Salamander?"

He kicked his legs and swam forward with all his might, increasing his speed and putting some distance between them and the creature.

However, the wailing grew louder, and the Tyrant Salamander continued to chase them.

Chen Wan, in a state of panic, clung to Yuan Ming's back, her nails digging into his skin, and she had already swallowed several mouthfuls of cold river water.

Just then, she felt a burning pain in her ankle and turned to see that the creature, which resembled a human, could spew a red, magma-like liquid from its mouth.

The liquid burned through her clothes and skin, causing intense pain.

However, the pain also sparked her fighting spirit, and she reached into her sleeve, pulling out a red fire bomb.

But as she was about to throw it, she remembered the fire python chase in the tunnel. If she threw the bomb here, it might not kill the creature, but the water shock could knock them out.

If the cave collapsed again, they would be buried together.

Chen Wan was frustrated, especially since her fire techniques, which she had mastered, were severely limited in the water, and she couldn't even cast a fireball spell.

As she hesitated, she noticed that Yuan Ming had slowed down and placed one hand on the stone wall.

"What is he doing?"

In the next instant, two green light auras appeared on either side of the stone wall behind them, and two two-foot-long sharp wooden spikes suddenly protruded.

"Wood Spike Spell," Chen Wan was surprised, not expecting the fur beast slave to know magic.

The Tyrant Salamander, hit by the spikes, was cut open, and red blood flowed out.

In pain, it became even more aggressive, opening its mouth and spewing a large ball of red liquid toward Chen Wan.

If it hit her, half of her back would be corroded.

At the critical moment, the hand on Yuan Ming's shoulder was suddenly grabbed and pulled forward, throwing her off his back.

The red liquid landed on Yuan Ming's back, sizzling.

Yuan Ming, enduring the pain, swam forward, reached Chen Wan, and pulled the bronze longsword from her hand. He then pushed her forward, sending her away.

He then turned around, infused the bronze sword with magic power, and swung it at the Tyrant Salamander.

"Swish"

The bronze sword glowed, and the powerful force split the water, striking the Tyrant Salamander's face.

The creature let out a惨烈的嚎叫, a bloody gash appearing on its face, and it spewed more toxic liquid at Yuan Ming.

As Yuan Ming turned to escape, the black bumps on his back suddenly released a stream of black toxic liquid, which mixed