A moment later, Wang Yi arranged the small train into a circle and erected some luxurious shacks, quickly setting up a temporary camp.

He made camp here, letting his people get some much-needed rest. But he wasn’t one for leisure and soon set out to explore again with Fish-Transformed Dragon.

’That Xue Shentian has the S-Class Talent [Real-time Intelligence]. If I could get his genuine help, exploring this World of Suffering would be much easier. But... that’s probably not going to happen. Controlling information means controlling the playing field, and Xue and Li are clearly not fools like Ma Changgui. My relationship with them is still shallow. I don’t intend to harm anyone, but I can’t let my guard down. In short, I need more aces up my sleeve...’

As Wang Yi mused, he recalled the main purpose of this expedition: to find mountains and rivers!

Right now, Wang Yi had over 600,000 Chaos Energy. It wasn’t a massive amount—less than the ten million needed to use his Illusionary Clone Technique—but it wasn’t a small sum either. It was more than enough to perform Refining Mountains and Rivers again.

Of course, he couldn’t refine massive mountains or great rivers.

Wang Yi didn’t expect to refine a massive mountain or great river. He just needed to find something stronger than the Great Toad Mountain God or the Great Flood Spirit Blade. As long as he refined a new mountain or river, his Physique would improve, he’d gain another ace up his sleeve, and it would be that much harder for him to be killed.

The Jade Jiaolong sped through the wilderness. Even straying into the territory of a typical Earth Deity wasn’t a major issue. Wang Yi and Fish-Transformed Dragon journeyed over mountains and ridges, and before long, they found themselves at the former site of Kun City, looking upon its ruins.

Unlike the urban jungle of Yi City, Kun City was a stretch of completely scorched earth. It was as if it had been incinerated by a great fire, leaving not a single plant in sight.

Suddenly, not far ahead of Wang Yi, a tree stump shot up from the ground. With a WHOOSH, flames erupted from its top.

"Huh, what’s this? A minion controlled by an Earth Deity? How can it be on fire?"

Wang Yi watched with curiosity.

The next moment, the flaming stump uprooted itself, becoming a Flame Tree Person, and began to walk slowly toward Wang Yi and Fish-Transformed Dragon.

Fish-Transformed Dragon raised a hand, lifting it into the air telekinetically. With another flick of his palm, he caused it to explode into a shower of sparks.

But that single action was like kicking a Hornet’s Nest.

A great number of Flaming Tree Stumps shot up from the ground, dense and numerous. WHOOSH! Flames erupted and spread rapidly over several hundred meters. More and more stumps appeared, igniting like a spreading sea of fire.

The scene was remarkably similar to the reawakening of the Grass Blades in Xinghai’s domain.

’It really is a Divine’s territory!’

Wang Yi narrowed his eyes. In the distance, he saw a colossal flame vine sprout from the ground. It rapidly grew longer and thicker until, in the blink of an eye, it resembled a giant serpent of fire. It even opened a mouth and spat a Small Fireball in his direction!

"This Earth Deity plays with fire!"

Wang Yi retreated with Fish-Transformed Dragon. He gazed out at the scorched city ruins. ’If all this scorched earth is the territory of that fire-wielding Earth Deity,’ he thought, ’then its domain is massive—far, far larger than Xinghai’s grasslands.’

’The larger the territory, the stronger the Divine. I’d better not mess with the Divine of Kun City.’

Wang Yi shook his head and led Fish-Transformed Dragon away, deciding not to provoke the Earth Deity of Kun City for now.

A short while later, Wang Yi found a small, rocky hill. It looked to be about two hundred meters high and was covered in boulders.

Wang Yi tested his [Mountain and River Body Refining] ability. The system indicated that refining this mountain would require 240,000 Chaos Energy.

’The Chaos Energy requirement isn’t too high, but this hill is nothing special. Not a suitable target.’

Wang Yi shook his head, preparing to leave, but Fish-Transformed Dragon pointed down the hill. "Teacher, I think that’s a survivor settlement!"

"Let me see!"

Wang Yi looked where Fish-Transformed Dragon was pointing and saw several thatched-roof huts.

He rode his Jade Jiaolong over and soon found the Indigenous People. There were quite a few of them—men and women, old and young. They were bare-chested and barefoot, with disheveled hair, looking like a primitive tribe. They appeared to be in the middle of a ritual, dancing and jumping around a wooden stake, whooping and hollering.

And tied to that stake was a person.

To be precise, it was a Player.

The Player had been stripped bare and seemed to have passed out, completely motionless.

[Ji Liangren: Class: Dogman God. Fighting Power: Third Rank. Reserve Member of the Dogman Temple. Unaffiliated Servant of the Giant Dragon Divine Hall. Silver Medal Adventurer of the Atlantian Hero Association.]

Wang Yi was startled when he read the Player’s information.

’Well, I’ll be. The Dogman God was actually captured alive by a bunch of natives!’

Just then, the group of natives spotted Wang Yi and Fish-Transformed Dragon arriving on the Jade Jiaolong. They cried out in alarm. The most powerfully built among them, a middle-aged man, stepped forward and shouted, "I am Batu, leader of Black Tooth Village! Who are you, and what business do you have here?"

Ji Liangren came to just then, still a bit dazed. He realized he was tied up hand and foot and cursed, "Fuck! You damn natives don’t fight fair! Let me go! I’m the Dogman God! Not even the Monkey King himself could kill me..."

Before Ji Liangren could finish, one of the natives stepped forward and unceremoniously shoved a wooden gag into his mouth. "Sacrificial offering, be quiet!" he ordered.

Ji Liangren’s face was a mask of indignation and fury, but he was bound so tightly he couldn’t move. He was completely at their mercy. After two solid punches to the forehead, he was knocked unconscious again.

’The Dogman God, knocked out by a bunch of Mortal natives!’

A small smile played on Wang Yi’s lips. He had already scanned the entire crowd but found no significant plot characters, which was a minor disappointment. He turned to Batu, the leader of Black Tooth Village who had questioned him, and said, "My apologies for the intrusion. I’m just a passerby and was about to leave."

With that, he prepared to leave.

’I have more important things to do than waste time here.’

’As for that Dogman God, whether he lives or dies is none of my business.’

’I have no reason to save him. Killing him might grant me some Lord Experience, but it wouldn’t be worth the effort.’

But just then, a monstrous roar echoed out. A wild boar shot out from a nearby cave. It was the size of a rhinoceros, with tusks like ivory daggers, only they were black as ink.

The moment the boar appeared, all the Indigenous People fell to their knees, hailing it as the "Master of Black Teeth!"

Wang Yi’s eyes lit up; he could see the wild boar’s information.

[Wild Boar: Surface Survivor, Unnamed Beast, Green Plot Monster. Bio-engineered by a mysterious power. Possesses immense strength and a Muscle Transformation ability. Will flee to its shelter when critically wounded!]

’A green plot monster... flees to its shelter when critically wounded... Does that mean I’m supposed to wound it?’

Wang Yi’s mind raced.

The wild boar snorted and grunted, and Batu, acting like a zealous shaman, immediately began to shout. "The Master of Black Teeth has spoken! They are blasphemers! Seize them! Sacrifice them to the great God of the Dark River!"

"Seize them!"

"Follow the will of the Master of Black Teeth!"

"Hey! Surrender peacefully! It is your honor to be chosen as a sacrifice!"

The natives sprang into action, grabbing clubs and spears and charging toward Wang Yi, their faces filled with killing intent.

"Ignorant natives," 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Wang Yi muttered, then said to Fish-Transformed Dragon, "Spare the Mortals if you can. Avoid unnecessary bloodshed. As for that boar, wound it critically, but be careful not to kill it!"

"Yes!"

Fish-Transformed Dragon respectfully complied. He rode the Jade Jiaolong straight forward and unleashed his Inner Strength, a technique called Gods and Ghosts Avoidance. A 30-meter field materialized around him. Any native who charged into it was immediately affected as if in zero gravity; their bodies floated into the air before being sent flying by an immense force.

No one could get near Fish-Transformed Dragon.

Wang Yi watched from behind with envy. ’Fish-Transformed Dragon’s Inner Strength is absurd,’ he thought. ’It’s a complete force field.’

The natives were utterly routed. Soon, there was no one left standing. The powerfully built Batu began to panic. He backed away and yelled, "Keep going! Don’t be afraid! The Master of Black Teeth will protect you! The God of the Dark River will bless you..."

BANG! Before he could finish, his body was blasted away by an immense force. Blood streamed from his nose as he flew through the air, landing hard on the hillside and tumbling down.

Fish-Transformed Dragon’s "Inner Power Domain" had reached him.

"ROAR!"

As if provoked, the Black-toothed Wild Boar let out a furious roar. Kicking off with its hind legs, it charged ferociously at Fish-Transformed Dragon.

Fish-Transformed Dragon’s expression remained placid. With a slight lift of his hand, the massive boar’s four hooves left the ground. It roared in fury, its body suddenly swelling as its muscles bulged. In the space of two breaths, it had grown a full size larger.

’So this is the Muscle Transformation?’

Wang Yi muttered to himself. But clearly, the Black-toothed Wild Boar’s transformation was useless. Inside the force field of Fish-Transformed Dragon’s Inner Strength, even a Grizzly Tank could be lifted with ease. This boar could only hang in mid-air, roaring in helpless fury.

A moment later, Fish-Transformed Dragon clenched his fist. The Black-toothed Wild Boar was visibly crushed by an immense pressure, its body compressing as it spewed blood.

With another wave of his hand, Fish-Transformed Dragon sent it flying. It crashed to the ground with a loud THUD.

The Black-toothed Wild Boar was now critically wounded, all of its earlier ferocity gone. It staggered to its feet, let out a pained grunt, and scrambled back into the cave.

"After it!"

Wang Yi shouted, spurring his Jade Jiaolong to follow.

Fish-Transformed Dragon was right behind him.

Quiet soon returned to the small village.

Batu clambered back up the slope, his nose broken and his body covered in blood. He rallied the villagers, "Don’t panic! Those two will surely be punished by the Master of Black Teeth! Even a Divine being can’t harm the Master of Black Teeth! Continue the ritual!"

He wiped the blood from his nose and pointed at Ji Liangren, still tied to the stake. "First, deliver this offering to the God of the Dark River!"

"Yes, Leader!"

The villagers, who weren’t seriously injured, quickly carried Ji Liangren into the cave.

The cave was the same one the Black-toothed Wild Boar had fled into. It also served as a shelter for the Black Tooth villagers. The inside was spacious and contained a downward-sloping passage.

The villagers carried Ji Liangren down the passage, heading deeper and deeper into the earth.

Ji Liangren slowly regained consciousness. He kept his mouth shut this time, but his mind was filled with despair.

’Last night, I barely managed to escape from the "Monkey King." I get a moment’s rest, and I get ambushed and tied up by these natives. I can’t move, can’t use any of my skills, and now I’m a sacrificial offering.’

’Let it all burn! Just end it already! This damned World of Suffering... I don’t want to be here anymore! I want to go home!’

Ji Liangren had given up on resisting. He was resigned to his fate. ’The sooner I die, the sooner I can reincarnate,’ he thought. ’I can leave this place, revive in the main world, hone my Fighting Power, break through to Divine Power, and slowly figure out the path to godhood. Wouldn’t that be great!’

Just then, with a SPLASH, he was thrown into the icy river.

The swift current immediately swept him away.

And in that moment, he heard a strange voice. "Outsider, your body is... different. Accept my modifications, and become a Muscle Man!"