The convoy entered the Black Cloud Stronghold. Everyone was anxious and uneasy. They looked around, afraid that a burly man would suddenly appear from the bushes by their feet. They did not dare to be the slightest bit careless, some people even did not dare to breathe loudly.

However, as it was nearing noon.

It was a hot summer day, and the clear sky was cloudless. The red sun baked the earth, and even the air seemed to distort.

Inside the convoy, everyone was covered in sweat, and their footsteps were heavy. They panted heavily, and their water bags were always in their hands. After walking for some distance, they had no choice but to find a cool place to rest.

Qi Long rode a group of brown, chestnut-colored steeds with obvious muscle lines. Together with Lin Bai, Rong Ziyi, and the others, they walked at the front of the convoy.

They acted as the vanguard of the convoy, and used their trump cards. They kept their eyes and ears open to ensure that the convoy would not be ambushed by bandits, and that no mysterious objects would appear along the way.

Now that the caravan had entered the territory of the Black Cloud Stronghold, based on the reaction of the Black Cloud Stronghold, it was highly likely that they would have a conflict with the bandits of the Black Cloud Stronghold here. Therefore, they had to maintain a high level of vigilance, they could not afford to be the slightest bit negligent and careless.

“It’s so f * cking hot!”

Qi Long picked up the water bag and gulped it down. After drinking it, he exhaled a long breath of hot air.

He did not have any means to lower the temperature. He had already been roasted by the red sun to the point that he could not bear it anymore. His sweat was even more uncontrollable. The clothes on his body were already stuck tightly to his body.

Wu Su and Ren Mu both had methods to lower the temperature, but they were still a little thirsty and their minds were wandering.

Rong Ziyi narrowed his eyes and looked around. He scolded,

“I was a little nervous when I entered the Black Cloud Stronghold, but the weather, tsk, made me lose my temper and my sense of nervousness. This is not a good thing!”

Rong Ziyi wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve, not daring to look away from his surroundings for a moment.

“Yes, many people in the convoy had heatstroke and had no choice but to slow down. However, in the Black Cloud Stronghold’s area, the danger will increase with each passing moment. This is not a good thing!”

“And yesterday, that strange incident in the village, the fourth brother of the Black Cloud Stronghold rose from the dead…”

As Wu Su and Ren Mu spoke, they felt a chill from their tailbone straight to their scalp. They could not help but shiver.

Luo Ningyu’s carriage followed them not far away. Lin Bai suddenly turned to look behind him, and Luo Ningyu coincidentally poked her head out.

The two of them looked at each other and communicated privately. Then, they nodded slightly as if they had tacitly agreed to something.

“Little Black, Little Green, come out,” Lin Bai said in his heart.

Soon after, two small beasts appeared beside Lin Bai. They blinked their clear and bright eyes and were somewhat confused. However, when they saw Lin Bai’s gaze, they nodded in understanding.

Buzz!

Buzz!

Two ear-splitting sounds rang out. Two ancient and simple dao rhythm lights bloomed around Little Green and Little Black.

A blue mist appeared around Little Black’s body. It was as if there was a majestic ocean within the mist, and one could vaguely hear the surging waves. To people in the heat, this sound was like dew after a long drought.

“Eh?!”

Qi Long, who was the closest to Lin Bai, was the first to feel the change.

Qi Long’s face, which had been irritated by the heat, gradually began to ease up.

“It feels good!” Wu Su and Ren Mu also felt waves of coldness. They looked at the two small beasts and said, “Magical, magical!”

“This, this, why is it so cool all of a sudden!”

“This must be young master Lin’s trick. It’s so fast. If it weren’t for young master Lin, we wouldn’t have been able to stand it if we continued to be baked by the sun!”

“Phew! We can finally catch our breath!”

The whole convoy went from dead to happy. The guards in heavy armor were also delighted.

Their armor was airtight. If they were not martial cultivators, they would have fainted in the scorching sun.

Amidst the cheers, Lin Bai pulled the reins and slowly came to Luo Ningyu’s carriage.

Luo Ningyu soon opened the curtains and stuck her head out. She looked at Lin Bai with her bright eyes and said in a clear voice,

“After entering the Black Cloud Stronghold, you also felt that something was wrong?”

Lin Bai nodded. “I felt a faint demonic aura. At first, I thought that there was a monster lurking, but later, I found out that it wasn’t.”

Luo Ningyu’s eyes revealed some admiration. “It was right to bring you here. At the edge of the Black Cloud Stronghold, you could feel the demonic aura… Then it’s hard to imagine what the Black Cloud Stronghold looks like.”

“However, they didn’t feel it.” Lin Bai looked at Qi Long and the others.

He didn’t release the two small beasts immediately because he wanted to know if they had sensed the demonic qi.

He used this probing method to get the answer because Lin Bai didn’t want them to panic. Once they panicked, they would become a burden to Lin Bai and Luo Ningyu.

“Yesterday, I felt a group of people.”

Lin Bai stopped and looked at Luo Ningyu’s eyes, which seemed to be immersed in a bright gem in a clear lake.

“Oh?” Luo Ningyu raised her eyebrows slightly as if she was a little surprised. “It seems that I underestimated you.”

How can you underestimate me? I’m very big… Cough, cough. Lin Bai couldn’t help but complain in his heart:

“Then, what’s the purpose of that group?”

Luo Ningyu shook her head. “I don’t know, but I’m afraid that the disappearance of the people in that village is related to them.”

Lin Bai nodded. He also thought so.

When Lin Bai finished off the fourth brother of the Black Cloud Stronghold, he had already discovered that group of people hiding in the darkness.

It was just that he didn’t know their purpose at that time. He was afraid of alerting the enemy, so he didn’t make a move on them.

After that, the group of people left quietly. Lin Bai didn’t pursue any further. However, this matter had always been on his mind, and he couldn’t get it out of his mind.

Seeing the strange atmosphere here today, he tried to talk to Luo Ningyu. If Luo Ningyu had no clue about this, Lin Bai didn’t plan to say anything more.

“Roar!!!”

A deafening roar that shook the earth and mountains rang out.

Before the convoy could react, they saw a five-meter-tall monster rush out from the dense forest at the side. It opened its bloody mouth and tore at Qi Long and the others in front of the convoy.

“Is that a black jade tiger?” Lin Bai frowned.

“No, that’s not it!” Luo Ningyu was a little surprised. “Look at that tiger. Its body is surrounded by demonic qi. Its eyes are all black. There are even rotten spots on its ribs. You can see its bones!”

Bang!

The tiger, which was surrounded by demonic qi, revealed its sharp claws and clawed at Qi Long, who was caught off guard. However, at this moment, little black appeared in time and blocked this attack.

Roar!

Roar!

At the same time, two deafening roars sounded.

A giant eagle with demonic qi around its body and rotten wings that were bone-deep appeared in the sky and swooped down toward the convoy.

A millipede that was more than ten meters long appeared from the ground, breathing black gas.