Someone is missing?
Everyone looked at each other. Weren't they all here just fine!
Who's missing?
Lu Fei quickly counted the people.
He, Jing Jian, He Yunsong and Duan Tiankui, the two elders, as well as Duan Lingyue were all present, and then there were the bodyguards...
"Something's not right! One of the bodyguards is missing!" Lu Fei opened his eyes wide.
Everyone was startled.
"We were all walking together just now, how could one person suddenly go missing?" Jing Jian frowned, looking around, "Could it be that something sinister has come..."
He Yunsong said anxiously, "Hurry up and look for him, we can't lose anyone..."
"Don't move!" Old Qin shouted, his weathered face full of tension, "None of you move! Or you'll be next!"
"Uncle Qin, what's going on?" Lu Fei looked at Old Qin.
"Let's talk later, there won't be enough time!"
Old Man Qin waved his rough, large hand, too busy to answer, and took out a thin wooden stick from his basket, tapping it on the ground as he stepped forward carefully.
Quickly moving to the back of the group, he suddenly crouched down, pushing aside some of the wet mud, his eyes lighting up.
"Found it!"
Then, he reached his thick hands into the damp soil and pulled out a clay figure with great effort.
From its tall stature, this clay figure was the bodyguard.
"What incredible strength!" Jing Jian exclaimed in amazement.
Treasure hunters travel far and wide, relying on their physical strength to find and explore treasures.
The bodyguard was covered in mud, even his mouth and nose were sealed. Old Man Qin wiped his face with his own sleeve, allowing him to breathe deeply again.
Then, sitting up, he coughed uncomfortably, holding his throat, and spat out several clumps of mud.
Once a person falls into the muck, they can hardly struggle or even cry out.
Fortunately, Old Man Qin discovered it in time.
If it had been any later, the bodyguard would have died in confusion.
He Yunsong wiped the cold sweat from his forehead in aftermath fear.
"We just walked this path a moment ago, how did it suddenly become like a swamp?" Lu Fei was uncertain and alarmed.
"We've encountered a mud toad! This thing suddenly emerges from underground, opens its mouth, and people fall in, devouring them without leaving a bone behind."
Old Man Qin frowned and shook the muck off his sleeves.
"With the prey that got away, it won't let us go easily and will definitely follow us. The road ahead will not be easy!"
This is clearly an evil presence in the mountains.
"Uncle Qin, there must be a way to deal with this thing, right?"
"That thing is hidden underground, and there's no way to deal with it; we can only defend ourselves." Old Man Qin was tapping the ground with his staff. The ground, which had just been as soft as a swamp, returned to normal.
"Hurry up, once we get to the Dragon's Fall Cave, that thing won't dare to cause trouble!"
He pulled the bodyguard up from the ground, waved to everyone, and then, while tapping the ground, hurried forward.
Everyone then began to move, carefully following behind.
Lu Fei and Jing Jian exchanged a glance and tightened their grip on their respective magical instruments.
Gulp!
Another muffled sound resonated.
"Shit..."
Just as he took a step, before Jing Jian could even react, his body started to sink.
The ground, which had been solid just a step before, now turned into a swamp. His legs were sinking into the soft, muddy sludge, being pulled down by an invisible force.
"Lu Fei..."
His limbs were wrapped in mud, unable to move, he shouted before his head went under.
Startled, Lu Fei channeled his magical power and quickly struck the mud.
Buzz!
A faint arc of electricity flashed through the mud, which bubbled as if boiling with odd croaks coming from inside.
The soft, mushy mud visibly dried and hardened, trapping Jing Jian with only half his head exposed.
Unable to move his body and with his mouth sealed, he blinked desperately at Lu Fei.
"Hold on."
Lu Fei dug away the mud around his nose and mouth, allowing him to breathe.
Old Man Qin hurried over and together with Lu Fei, they pulled him out like uprooting a radish.
He spat out a few mouthfuls of mud, not even having time to say anything.
"Oh no, help..."
Beside him, Duan Lingyue's petite body rapidly sank.
The ground beneath her feet turned into a swamp in an instant.
"Lingyue!" Duan Tiankui exclaimed anxiously, hastily reaching out to grab her, only to step into the muck himself and sink along with his granddaughter.
It looked as though both of them were about to be submerged.
Lu Fei quickly channeled his magical energy, striking with his staff.
Croak! Croak!
Electric arcs flashed, the muck solidified, and the two of them were stuck in the mud.
"Quick, save them!" He YunSong urged the bodyguards to help.
Everyone pitched in and pulled the grandfather and granddaughter out.
"Little Lingyue, Old Duan, are you both okay? Are you hurt?" Yun Song He anxiously patted the dirt off the two of them.
"We're fine, just got buried in a bit of dirt, no pain, no itch." Seeing that his granddaughter was alright, Tiankui Duan smiled at Yun Song He, easing his concern.
"If I had known it would be so dangerous, I shouldn't have let you come with us up the mountain." Yun Song He felt very guilty, "If something really happened, how could I face the Duan family?"
"Lingyue will eventually have to do things on her own. Consider this as a way to train her," Tiankui Duan comforted him.
Lingyue Duan also said, "Grandpa He, I'm fine. Everyone is here, and Brother Fei Lu is with us. I'm not scared!"
"No! I can't let you take any more risks. Before we reach Dragon's Den, you should go back!" Yun Song He waved his hands emphatically.
After just a few steps, several people had already been harmed, and he realized the danger of the place.
"Going back might not be easy. There's more than one mud toad on this path. The way forward and backward is treacherous," but Old Qin shook his head.
"Logically speaking, after paying respects to the Dragon God and getting his blessing, you shouldn't encounter such creatures when entering the mountain..."
He looked at Lu Fei and the others with a worried expression, hesitating to speak.
"What do you mean, Uncle?" Lu Fei felt that he was alluding to something.
"Could it be... you gave a bowl of water to Yu the Madman, which made Lord Dragon unhappy?" Old Man Qin said, musing.
"Isn't Lord Dragon being too petty! Ignorance is no crime, we didn't know that the madman had offended him," Jing Jian said impatiently.
"Shut up!" Old Man Qin was startled, looking around nervously, and glared at Jing Jian, "Young man, on Lord Dragon's territory, don't talk nonsense! If Lord Dragon gets angry, everyone will suffer for it!"
"Uncle Qin, is there any other way now?" Lu Fei asked.
The water had already been given, and there was no use regretting it. It would be better to think of more ways to solve the dilemma they were in.
"I will ask for you again."
Old Man Qin pondered for a moment, then took out two ancient turtle shells from his chest, knelt towards the southeast, and muttered some incantations while bowing.
Then, he threw the turtle shells on the ground.
He cast the divination three times.
Looking at the divination, his expression was rather complicated.
"The Dragon God wants you to take another path."