After roughly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Chen Wan was forced to keep retreating by the rapidly rising water level. She clutched Yuan Ming's White Ape Beast Skin and bronze longsword in her arms, with her back already pressed against the stone wall.

By now, the river water had filled the entire cave, and the water level had already reached Chen Wan's waist.

From anxiousness, her heart had turned to despair, and she couldn't help but think, "How could I be so foolish; he's not coming back..."

After all, that guy was just a Fur Beast Slave. Even if nothing had gone wrong and he really had found a way out, he wouldn't risk coming back to save her, since they were strangers met by chance, not related by blood or obligation.

It was laughable that when he left, leaving behind his Beast Skin and longsword, she had felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

Just as Chen Wan was wallowing in self-pity, the water in front of her suddenly churned, and a dark figure burst forth, gasping with a "huff, huff" sound.

She almost couldn't resist launching a Fireball Technique at that person.

When she recognized the ugly salamander-like figure, a wave of emotion suddenly washed over her, and her eyes started to moisten.

Yuan Ming, who had rushed back, was also surprised by the changes here and said in a deep voice, "Looks like a flash flood has erupted. I almost couldn't find your position."

"Did you find an exit?" Chen Wan asked eagerly.

"The Underground River is far longer than I expected. I swam for a long time but couldn't reach the end," Yuan Ming shook his head and said, gasping for breath.

Chen Wan's expression immediately stiffened, her heart sinking to desolation.

"However, I found a cavity up ahead that's much larger than this place. It won't be submerged for now. We can rest there for a while, catch our breath, and then continue to look for a way downstream," Yuan Ming took a deep breath and continued.

"We have no choice but to try," Chen Wan said, somewhat speechless at Yuan Ming's gasping speech.

Seeing the water level rising to her chest, she didn't want to stay a moment longer.

"How long can you hold your breath?" Yuan Ming asked.

"I haven't cultivated Water Technique. At most, I can last half a quarter of an hour," Chen Wan answered after pondering.

At this moment, she regretted looking down on Water Technique just because she was a disciple of Fire Refining Hall. Fortunately, Fire Refining Hall Disciples were required to exert themselves in long sessions of Artifact Refining, which demanded good breath control, so her breathing capacity was not weak.

"Half a quarter of an hour should be enough," Yuan Ming mused, then said, "You'll need to lie on my back, and I'll carry you as we swim."

At his words, Chen Wan glanced at Yuan Ming's back, covered in black lumps, and hesitated.

"With your speed, without my assistance, you would definitely not reach there in half a quarter of an hour," Yuan Ming looked at her and said indifferently.

Chen Wan took a deep breath and nodded.

With one hand, she held onto Yuan Ming's White Ape Beast Skin and bronze longsword, and with the other, she tried to overcome the discomfort as she placed her hand on Yuan Ming's shoulder.

"Take a deep breath," Yuan Ming instructed.

Chen Wan immediately complied.

In the next instant, Yuan Ming's body suddenly submerged, plunging with Chen Wan into the water forcefully.

Yuan Ming kicked hard with both legs spread out, then brought them together and kicked again, shooting swiftly downstream with the current, covering seven or eight zhang in no time.

They reached the edge of the cavern where the river converged and entered a tunnel.

Without any pause, Yuan Ming, carrying Chen Wan, dived into it and swam vigorously downstream.

Inside the cavern, there was nothing but darkness.

With her eyes tightly shut, Chen Wan could only hear the muffled sound of the water, her heartbeat accelerating, her grip on Yuan Ming's shoulder involuntarily tightening, her body instinctively pressing closer to his back.

Yuan Ming felt Chen Wan's nervousness from behind and had no choice but to move his limbs faster, swimming swiftly downstream.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, Chen Wan gradually grew accustomed to the chilling sensation underwater and couldn't help but open her eyes.

However, she couldn't see anything in the pitch-black water, feeling only the presence of stone walls all around, which brought on a claustrophobic fear.

After looking around for a while, she closed her eyes again, finding it more bearable that way.

But just then, she suddenly felt something touch her heel.

She hadn't moved at all, nor had she made any kicking motions, so it was impossible for her to have touched anything other than water.

If that was the case, then something must be following her and touching her.

"Are there fish in this underground river?" Chen Wan thought, puzzled.

Before she could figure it out, the sensation of being touched came again, stronger than before.

Realizing something was wrong, Chen Wan immediately opened her eyes and turned to look back.

What she saw shocked her so much she almost couldn't help but cry out, and her hand gripping Yuan Ming's shoulder tightened.

Behind them in the dark waters, a giant black shadow suddenly emerged, and it did not resemble a fish in any way.

Chen Wan suppressed her fear and, with her hands clutching the Beast Skin and the bronze longsword, she forcefully slapped Yuan Ming's back.

Yuan Ming immediately realized something was wrong and twisted his neck to look back, wanting to see what the problem was, when he heard a "woo-woo" crying sound behind him.

The sound was somewhat childish, and as it traveled through the water, it clearly pierced into his ears.

If he were not wearing Toad Beast Skin, at this moment his hair would certainly stand on end, and his back would be covered in goosebumps.

It was then that Chen Wan pushed the White Ape Beast Skin and the bronze longsword beneath her, channeled Mana within her body, and waved her palm toward what was behind them.

A hazy red light immediately lit up in her palm, brightening the water behind them by a fraction.

In the dim light, she saw a huge yet flattened white face with a gaping mouth that took up one-third of the face, and two small, black eyes, like beans, sparingly placed on the sides of the cheeks.

She screamed in shock, and water choked her throat, her breathing instantly disrupted.

The pale and dreadful face seemed to be shocked as well, and the "woo-woo" crying grew more urgent. Red and black patterns suddenly appeared on the white cheeks, and it opened its enormous mouth, biting towards Yuan Ming and her.

In the instant he turned his head, Yuan Ming also saw the creature's face, and he thought to himself, "Tyrant salamander?"

He immediately kicked his legs and swam forward powerfully, quickly increasing his speed and putting some distance between them and that spectral thing.

However, the "woo-woo" behind them grew louder, and the creature that seemed to be a tyrant salamander was not willing to let them go, furiously chasing after them.

In her terror, Chen Wan had completely lost her composure. Her five fingers dug into Yuan Ming's back, her nails embedded deeply in his skin, and she had already choked on several mouthfuls of the cold river water.

Just then, she felt a searing pain at her ankle. Looking back, she realized that the humanoid monster could actually spit out a red and sticky liquid like magma from its mouth.

The sticky substance adhered to her ankle, corroding a large hole in her clothing and also burning her skin.

The sharp pain, however, ignited Chen Wan's fighting spirit, snapping her out of her panic. Reaching into her sleeve, she pulled out another Red Fire Bomb.

But just as she was about to throw it, she recalled the scene when they had been chased by the Fire Python in the cave. Throwing the Red Fire Bomb here might not kill the fierce beast, and the shock of the water waves could likely knock them both unconscious.

If the cave were to collapse again, they wouldn't even leave full corpses behind, directly buried here together.

Chen Wan felt extremely frustrated. Here in the water, her expertly trained Fire Technique was greatly restricted; she could not even cast the Fireball Technique.

As she hesitated, she suddenly noticed Yuan Ming slowing down and placing a hand on the rock wall.

"What is he trying to do?"

The next instant, two green halos suddenly lit up on the rock wall behind them, and two sharp Wooden Thorns, each about two feet long, jutted out.

"Wood Stabbing Technique." Chen Wan was surprised; she did not expect the Fur Beast Slave to know Magic.

The tyrant salamander, in its pursuit, was stabbed by the Wooden Thorns, ripping a long gash in its body from which crimson blood flowed.

Writhing in pain, its ferocity exploded; it opened its mouth and sprayed out a large mass of sticky red liquid, covering Chen Wan.

If she were to be hit, half of her back would probably be corroded.

In the nick of time, the hand Chen Wan had on Yuan Ming's shoulder was suddenly grasped, and with a pull forward, she was flung from his shoulder.

The red sticky liquid immediately fell on Yuan Ming's back, hissing upon contact.

Yuan Ming gritted his teeth against the sharp pain and surged forward, reaching Chen Wan's side. He drew the bronze longsword from her hand and pushed on her shapely, curved hips, sending her ahead. Sample from My Virtual Library Empire—read more on M&VLEMPY&R.

He then turned around abruptly, channeled Mana into the Green Fish Sword in his hand, and slashed at the chasing tyrant salamander.

"Swoosh"

The Green Fish Sword lit up, and its powerful force parted the water, striking directly at the face of the tyrant salamander.

The creature let out a wretched howl, and as its face split open from the strike, its mouth sprayed out a surge of poison, shooting towards Yuan Ming.

As Yuan Ming turned to flee, a Dark Lump on his back suddenly sprayed out black poison, scattering in the water and forming dots that surged towards the tyrant salamander.

The two types of poison mixed together, slightly offsetting the pursuit of the salamander's corrosive poison.

Yuan Ming took the opportunity to swim vigorously forward, catching up to Chen Wan. He embraced her and kicked rapidly with his legs, swimming frantically ahead with her in his arms.

Behind them, the tyrant salamander plunged into the area of mixed poison, and the water there immediately began to boil.

The toxin formed by the mixture of the two poisons turned out to be unbearable even for it.

The tyrant salamander wailed miserably, no longer able to chase after them.

After this ordeal, not to mention the physical drain on Yuan Ming and Chen Wan, their breathing was also disrupted; it was uncertain whether they would be able to make it to the cavity.