Seeing this, Zhou Yan let out a cold shout, his figure flashing. He brandished his dagger, carving a sharp trajectory as he lunged forward.
*Squelch!*
Instantly, the viper's neck was a bloody mess, flesh torn and exposed, crimson blood gushing out.
"Hiss... hiss..."
Overwhelmed by the searing pain, the venomous python roared in agony. Its massive body writhed, charging towards Zhou Yan with a fearsome momentum that chilled the heart.
"You wicked beast, do you truly think I'm easy to bully?" Zhou Yan frowned, annoyance flaring. He flicked his wrist, the dagger slicing once more across the viper's throat.
*Squelch!*
The python's body convulsed. After struggling for a few seconds, it lost all signs of life.
"Ding... Congratulations to the host for killing a venomous snake." The system's prompt chimed. Zhou Yan blinked, then broke into a relieved smile. Indeed, the rewards were substantial.
Immediately, Zhou Yan looked up, surveying the dense jungle around him, teeming with venomous snakes.
"It seems I need to leave this place as soon as possible..."
Zhou Yan's brow furrowed. He had no desire to battle an entire nest of snakes.
"Awooo~"
Suddenly, a roar echoed from deep within the jungle. The sound waves vibrated through the mountains and forests, startling the snakes.
In unison, numerous venomous snakes turned their heads, slithering towards the source of the sound.
"What is this..."
Witnessing this scene, Zhou Yan blinked, then a flash of surprise crossed his eyes as he realized what was happening.
*Whoosh!*
A black blur streaked past, covering over ten zhang in the blink of an eye, weaving through leaves and undergrowth with incredible speed.
"So fast!"
Zhou Yan gasped, his eyes filled with apprehension.
The blur was none other than the venomous snake's offspring, a black, three-foot-long, leopard-spotted black cat.
The leopard-spotted black cat's speed was terrifying, like a black bolt of lightning, streaking through the forest.
"Meow~"
The black cat leaped and bounded, agile and nimble, traversing the jungle as if it were level ground.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak..."
Abruptly, a rustling, chittering sound arose, sending shivers down one's spine.
*Swish~*
Then, a black shadow burst from the earth, as swift as a phantom. It suddenly opened its maw, biting onto the leopard-spotted black cat and dragging it back.
*Thud!*
With a soft thud, the black shadow landed on the ground. It revealed itself to be a rat, entirely black and ugly, with two frighteningly large incisors.
"This is..."
Zhou Yan peered closely, seeing the rat in its claws holding a section of the leopard-spotted black cat's corpse, gnawing and swallowing.
"It's... eating cooked food..."
Zhou Yan's lips twitched, a wave of revulsion washing over him. This rat was truly ferocious.
"Roar, roar, roar..."
Suddenly, from all directions, fierce roars erupted. One after another, giant wolves emerged from the dense jungle.
The wolves were entirely gray and white, powerfully built with tough skin and strong limbs. Their eyes were blood-red, radiating a bloodthirsty killing intent.
*Boom...*
Instantly, the giant wolves leaped, landing on branches, their gaping maws opening towards Zhou Yan.
"These are jackals!"
Zhou Yan's gaze was grave. He knew jackals were pack animals, numerous, fierce, and cunning, especially adept at hunting.
In his previous life, Zhou Yan had personally experienced the threat of jackals and was fortunate to have narrowly escaped, obtaining a copy of the "Hundred Beasts Compendium."
Therefore, the weaknesses of jackals were etched into Zhou Yan's memory, clearly imprinted in his mind.
At this moment, the number of jackals grew, forming a wolf tide that surged forward, overwhelming everything.
"Kill!"
Zhou Yan roared, his body like a dragon as he charged headlong into the wolf pack.
*Crack!*
His dagger flashed, its edge glinting as it nimbly severed thick tree trunks and shattered gray wolves.
Simultaneously, Zhou Yan scattered silver needles, each imbued with yuan energy, piercing the bodies of the giant wolves, causing them to drop dead in pools of blood.
"Huff... huff..."
At the same time, the wolf pack erupted, a gale of wind sweeping through as the giant wolves lunged, their foul-smelling mouths open.
"Seeking death!"
Zhou Yan's gaze was icy. He kicked out with his right foot, a series of explosive thuds echoing as giant wolves were sent flying, their bodies caved in, their groans of pain filling the air.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, a gray giant wolf leaped, attacking with sharp fangs and claws, terrifyingly ferocious.
"Scram!"
Zhou Yan bellowed, his palm shooting out. He firmly grasped the wolf's head and twisted, with a *crack*, the gray wolf screamed, blood flowing from its seven orifices, dying on the spot.
Zhou Yan's gaze was indifferent as he moved forward, his movements graceful and agile, dodging the jackals' attacks while brandishing his dagger to reap the lives of the wolf pack.
Not long after, the jungle fell silent, leaving only a few wolf carcasses.
"This trip yielded quite a bit."
Zhou Yan grinned, tidying up the battlefield. He collected all the wolf meat, bound it with rope, and hung it on the side of his backpack.
He then returned to the cave, took out a stone bowl, scooped up a ladle of clear water, washed his face, and wiped away the bloodstains, restoring his appearance.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Zhou Yan frowned. He faintly heard faint movements in the distance, but they were indistinct and difficult to discern.
After a moment's hesitation, Zhou Yan stepped out of the cave and followed the stream, continuing his advance.
"Rustle, rustle, rustle..."
After walking for some distance, Zhou Yan felt something was wrong. Strange sounds reached his ears, growing closer.
"Rustle, rustle, rustle..."
Finally, Zhou Yan stopped, looking around, unable to determine the direction.
"Is this a swamp?"
Zhou Yan's expression was one of disbelief. His gaze swept forward, and he discovered a large pit ahead.
The pit was filled with thick mud, and a dense, humid atmosphere hung in the air, with many white foam bubbles floating on the surface, presenting a bizarre spectacle.
Zhou Yan's gaze flickered, and he saw a giant rock, about five or six zhang high. Its walls were crisscrossed with spiderweb-like fissures, as if it had suffered violent impacts.
"A swamp!"
Zhou Yan suddenly realized, his thoughts racing. He understood: "This is a swamp. Due to its age, it has decomposed and produced miasma."
Ancient texts recorded that in some areas, due to a lack of water, miasma would naturally form, leading to the proliferation of poisonous insects and extreme danger.
"There must be ferocious beasts in the swamp."
Zhou Yan's heart trembled. He thought to himself, "No matter what, I must test the swamp's power and see if I can cross it safely."
As he spoke, Zhou Yan took out his dagger and cut a piece of his clothes. He soaked it in the pool water, wrung it out, and brought it to his nose to sniff, but there was no scent.
"As expected of a swamp, no toxicity detected."
Zhou Yan breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he unbuckled his belt and threw the dagger into the water.
*Buzz!* The water surface rippled, waves spreading outward. The dagger tumbled in the water, and after a moment, sank to the bottom.
"Gulp..."
At this instant, Zhou Yan's eyes widened, his heart constricting. He held his breath, watching with bated breath as the dagger floated back out.
The dagger's surface was stained with a dirty liquid, shimmering with a purplish-black hue, as if it had been coated in ink.
"Toxicity!?" Zhou Yan's expression shifted, his heart filled with horror. He quickly took two steps back.
"This means there are poisonous creatures within this swamp."
Zhou Yan's pupils darted around as he contemplated a plan. If he truly had to venture into the swamp, it would undoubtedly be a life-threatening risk.