The group performed their Divination underground, cutting them off from the Exotic Beast’s "spies." Luo Feifei finally locked onto the beast’s location again: a strangely shaped lake that resembled a maple leaf.
In their past lives, both Li Xiang and Luo Feifei had heard of this type of Exotic Beast. If it were an adult, they probably wouldn’t be able to handle it right now. But it was clear that the one currently invading Earth was just a juvenile.
What they didn’t know was that it was also a juvenile with a genetic defect that had been abandoned.
Luo Feifei flicked her slender fingers, using a water mist to form the shape and features of the lake. Around its perimeter were more than ten thick, towering trees.
Yaki Toto waved his arms and legs, growing excited. When Li Xiang asked him about it in the native language, Yaki Toto said he knew the place. It was called the "Boiling Lake."
"The Boiling Lake?"
"The water is hot. Sometimes, fire comes from the bottom of the lake," Yaki Toto explained, gesturing as he spoke.
Li Xiang understood immediately. ’Doesn’t that just mean there’s volcanic lava underneath? It’s a type of geothermal hot spring, like at Mount Fuji in Japan.’ The Exotic Beast certainly knew how to live comfortably, choosing a place like that for its nest.
As for those tall, towering trees, they were one of the tallest types of trees in the Amazon Rainforest, capable of growing up to 50 meters (160 feet) high.
Yaki Toto said those trees were ominous and could not be felled. They were the home of evil spirits. Never mind cutting them down—even passing by them could cause illness.
Li Xiang mused, ’These must be the famous Huimba Trees of the Amazon Rainforest. Scientifically speaking, there is a link between deforestation and new diseases. To be precise, the destruction of an ecosystem can lead to new illnesses. Many Western research institutes have published papers on the topic.’
However, the destruction caused by the Exotic Beast was on a completely different scale compared to felling these trees. An area with a radius of two to three hundred kilometers had already become a "Land of Demons."
Li Xiang asked, "If I told you to cut down those trees, would you do it?"
Everyone turned to look at Yaki Toto.
Without hesitation, Yaki Toto raised his Battle Saber high. "When the roots of the Strangler Fig entangle the Sun God’s ankles, my blade will sever the shackles for Paya!"
"Let’s go. We’re moving out."
Li Xiang was quite satisfied. He led everyone forward. Since there were likely too many of the Exotic Beast’s "spies" on the surface, Li Xiang decided to take them there using Earth Escape to prevent the beast from running away again.
Although the others couldn’t understand Yaki Toto’s words, his fanatical expression made it easy to see that his loyalty to Li Xiang was beyond doubt.
They hadn’t gone far before Li Xiang stopped.
"What’s wrong, Brother Xiang?"
"There’s a hunting party from a native tribe in danger up ahead."
Li Xiang repeated it to Yaki in the tribal language and asked, "Do you think they’re people you know?"
Yaki was extremely agitated. Even if he didn’t know them, he had to save them, just as Paya had saved him.
Li Xiang nodded, and the group "floated" to the surface.
There, they saw three tribal warriors being besieged by Zombie Animals.
There were six mutated Jaguars, and several of the tribal warriors had already fallen. Of course, several Jaguars had also been cut down. The remaining warriors were in grave danger.
Yaki Toto slammed his Battle Saber into the ground and roared. The surrounding corpses suddenly exploded, and from the chunks of flesh, Blood Rattan Vines shot out to entangle the six mutated jaguars. The vines pierced the jaguars’ eyes, injecting them with a hallucinogen. Soon, the beasts descended into a frenzy, killing each other before collapsing one by one.
The three tribal warriors stared at each other in bewilderment.
Yaki Toto removed his Face Armor and called out, "Hunters of the Blood-tooth Tribe, do you still recognize me?"
"Ah, Lord Toto... Weren’t you already...?"
Although they weren’t from the same tribe, they all made their living in the rainforest. The tribal warriors recognized Yaki Toto, the last Eagle Eye Shaman of the Yanomami Tribe, and hurried over.
"I’m not dead. I was saved by Paya, but all my people are gone," Yaki Toto said, his voice filled with grief and anger.
After a brief conversation, Yaki Toto told them to return as quickly as possible. As for himself, he had to follow Li Xiang’s group to slay the Demon and couldn’t escort them.
"Lord Toto, if you have nowhere to go, you can come to our tribe later," one of the Blood-tooth Tribe warriors invited.
"Our tribe will always welcome you."
Yaki Toto embraced them in thanks, then followed Li Xiang and the others, sinking back beneath the ground.
On the surface, the three warriors of the Blood-tooth Tribe stood stunned, then prostrated themselves in unison, kowtowing in reverence.
A yellow-brown ball of light traveled through the earth. Soon, Li Xiang and his group arrived near the Boiling Lake. Li Xiang unleashed his Earth Superpower, instantly erecting a high rock wall around the entire perimeter of the Boiling Lake.
Meanwhile, Luo Feifei’s slender fingers swept through the dense water vapor. Ice Crystals formed like frost flowers on her eyelashes as azure energy spiraled up from her feet, instantly weaving a dome of hexagonal ice flowers over the lake.
The Ice Crystal dome joined with Li Xiang’s high rock wall, effectively putting a lid on the area and trapping everyone inside.
The trap was sealed.
The Exotic Beast, lurking at the bottom of the Boiling Lake, was now a cornered animal with nowhere to run.
Luo Feifei activated her Insight Superpower and Water Superpower, giving her a perfect grasp of the Exotic Beast’s movements.
"This Exotic Beast has already evolved a ’Mimic Core.’ The fourteen Huimba Trees by the lake have all become its sub-nodes. To completely eliminate it, we must destroy its main body and all fourteen nodes simultaneously. Otherwise, it’s like a centipede that doesn’t collapse even in death." Luo Feifei had seen this kind of thing in her past life. Its species’ innate talents were camouflage, escape, and parasitism, making it incredibly difficult to kill.
’This lake is hundreds of acres large—how is Luo Feifei’s Insight range so wide?’ The Ice Crystal dome also showcased the power of her Water-Induced Ice Superpower, and Li Xiang couldn’t help but feel a secret admiration. ’It seems Luo Feifei hasn’t been slacking off. She’s been training diligently.’