The night was pitch dark, and the forest was eerily quiet.
Amidst the tall and dense trees, a lone figure walked silently.
The scent of the forest was strangely fragrant, suppressing any other odors.
This man's face was covered in blood, and his clothes were torn at the chest and back, revealing deep wounds.
Yet his facial expression remained calm, as if those injuries didn't belong to him.
The sheath at his side was empty, and he held no weapons in his hands.
It seemed as if this forest held no threats that could endanger him.
It was none other than Ling Shao.
He had come to check the place where he had left his team.
But he wasn't in a rush—he walked at a normal pace.
There was no point in hurrying now.
Scattered across the area were glowing essence crystals.
These crystals had been used to light the area and were also fixed to the bodies of the members to lure the beasts toward them.
But now, the crystals lay randomly on the ground, and not even half of them remained.
