Reborn as a Hatrack in the Mystical Land
Chapter 100 - 19: Breakthrough in Adversity

Chapter 100: Chapter 19: Breakthrough in Adversity

"How many people are left?" Ni Qianjun, cloaked in a crimson cape, covering his burly upper body, enquired with a hoarse voice, thick with Dark Energy. It had been three days and nights without sleep, food, or water.

"We have ten people left, the Blue Crystal has five, and Silver Scorpion has the most remaining, with twelve. However, they’re all at the end of their rope, too exhausted to fight," said the barbarian, whose sturdy build was that of a young bull, now with hollowed cheeks and a listless spirit. The remaining mercenaries of the Reversed Fire Mercenary Group were in no better shape than him.

Upon entering the Dan Demon Tomb, everyone’s cultivation had plummeted significantly under the influence of the blood fog.

Thanks to the Durian Pills distributed by Ni Qianjun before their departure, the mercenaries of the Reversed Fire Mercenary Group managed to survive these days, but their condition was only slightly better than that of the other two mercenary groups.

Shortly after entering the swamp, the Blue Crystal revealed their true colors, in partnership with the lurking Silver Scorpion Mercenary Group, they ambushed the Reversed Fire Mercenary Group.

Luckily, Ni Qianjun had been on guard; he never trusted Blue Crystal.

They retreated to the nearest Ancient Village. Little did they know, Blue Crystal and Silver Scorpion had come fully prepared this time. They stood guard outside the village, besieging Ni Huo and his men for three days in an attempt to starve out the Reversed Fire Mercenary Group.

For all the mercenaries, for both the attackers and defenders, these three days were a nightmare.

The first night in the village, an abnormality occurred. The mercenaries struggled to sleep, even Ni Qianjun himself felt inexplicable panic and unrest, plagued with dreams of all the Dark Beasts and enemies he had killed over his decade as a mercenary.

On the second day, the group was startled awake by Ah Bu’s screams, akin to madness. They watched helplessly as Ah Bu mutilated himself before collapsing to his death.

Remembering that scene, Ni Qianjun felt a tightness in his chest.

At first, he suspected that it was the work of poison by the Silver Scorpion and Blue Crystal, but after investigating, he found out that both groups had unexplained deaths as well.

Fear, like the blood fog, shrouded everyone’s hearts.

The mercenaries were not afraid of death; what they feared was the unknown.

To avoid similar incidents, the Reversed Fire Mercenaries consumed only the food and water they carried and did not touch anything within the Dan Demon Tomb. Their provisions spoiled at an alarming rate, and they had gone two days and nights without food or water.

Some of the weaker mercenaries succumbed to the blood fog; every day, people died or went mad.

In the swamp, miasmic bubbles of muddy poison persistently surfaced, and the piercing poisonous gas that seeped out forced them to consume their remaining Dark Energy, which depleted faster than ever.

It was only by their sheer willpower that the mercenaries continued to advance deeper into the Dan Demon Tomb.

"Deputy leader, shall we go back?" the barbarian asked, his face downcast. After many years as a mercenary, this was the first time he felt such fear.

"We can’t turn back without completing the mission, release the Spirit Butterfly," Ni Qianjun’s voice was rough, the result of days without water.

Although unable to discern directions and the swamp appearing to remain the same, Ni Qianjun trusted his instincts that they had entered the heart of the Dan Demon Tomb.

Coming this far, losing so many brothers, turning back empty-handed was something he couldn’t do.

Ni Qianjun could only rely on his biological clock to estimate that he had been trapped in the Dan Demon Tomb for nearly two days. According to his agreement with Old Teluo, if they couldn’t find the Devil Crystal within three days, he would have to lead his men out of the Dan Demon Tomb.

What Ni Qianjun didn’t realize, blindly advancing without daylight as a guide, without food or water, and affected by the blood fog, his body’s natural senses had dulled considerably. He was unaware that he had already spent three full days and nights there. Old Teluo had already ordered the Fire Dragon Sail to leave.

The barbarian carefully presented a box and gently opened it.

Inside the box laid an ice-white butterfly that resembled a jade sculpture, except that its transparent wings fluttered slightly as the lid of the box was opened.

Unlike ordinary butterflies, this one had a single antenna on its head, with a round Outer Birth Profound Pill at the tip.

The Ice and Fire Spirit Butterfly, a Fifth-level Dark Beast, grows its Profound Pill on the antenna like an antenna. When it senses a Spiritual Treasure, the Profound Pill emits a red light.

In mazes like this where finding direction is impossible, it can guide one towards the exit; the Profound Pill will emit a white light. A female Spirit Butterfly may detect the direction of treasures, but it has a fatal flaw: a short lifespan. Flying for a single night will result in its death. Hence, the female Ice and Fire Spirit Butterfly is also known as the Red Butterfly, symbolizing beauty doomed to an early death.