The same deep pit, the same spot. Only this time, standing at the edge of the pit were Thorin and Elira.

  The former chiefs of the Black Tiger tribe and the Leopard Tribe now stood side by side.

  Thorin wore a courteous smile on his face. To be honest, he had long coveted this fiery, enchanting leopard woman.

  In the past, constrained by the gap in strength and the delicate relationship between their two tribes, he could only keep his thoughts to himself.

  Back then, Elira would occasionally reward him with a smile. But ever since they both pledged allegiance to the werewolf leader Draven, the situation had changed completely.

  Elira was well aware of how much the leader valued her; she considered her status even higher than Thorin's. Throughout the journey, her face remained cold, giving him no warmth at all.

  Not to mention this time it was Thorin's failure that dragged her into trouble, so naturally she was full of displeasure.

  But every coin has two sides. If Thorin failed but she managed to get the job done, wouldn't that greatly boost her standing before the leader?

  Thinking this, and glancing at the wolf-like determination in Thorin's eyes, Elira didn't feel so repulsed anymore.

  She switched to her usual seductive smile, her voice soft and sweet:"Thorin, why don't you go down first and have a look?"

  Thorin grinned broadly, patted his broad chest confidently, and declared boldly,"Watch me!"

  Before his words had even fallen, his burly form swiftly transformed into a muscular Black Tiger man—tall, powerful, with glossy fur and a fierce aura.

  Elira looked at this form with a touch of admiration. Though she didn't say it aloud, she knew well Thorin's strength was not to be underestimated. If a fight broke out, she might not necessarily come out on top.

  She reminded him to be careful while secretly hoping he would hurry down so she could seize the opportunity.

  Thorin said nothing more, chuckled lowly, and jumped into the pit.

  His huge figure rapidly descended through the air, every so often pressing his sharp tiger claws lightly against the cliff walls, leaving a trail of large claw marks.

  He didn't recklessly rush down but controlled his speed steadily, appearing calm and alert.

  Finally, with a soft thud, the Black Tiger man landed nimbly at the bottom of the pit.

  The deep pit remained vast, and standing at the bottom felt like being in the middle of a forest. Towering trees flourished, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves.

  Thorin was somewhat surprised—last time he came, this place looked just the same, and the mud that fell from above seemed to have left no trace at all.

  Soon, a soft sound came from above. Elira had also descended.

  She hadn't transformed, only holding a slender hunting bow in her hand, her expression calm and her steps brisk.

  "Why aren't you moving?" she frowned slightly, seeing Thorin standing there stunned, and urged him on.

  Elira chuckled softly,"Don't tell me you're scared of the Mud People tribe? They're skilled at manipulating earth; it's no surprise they restored the terrain."

  Hearing her words, Thorin just scratched his head and didn't argue.

  He stepped forward, but his pace slowed somewhat, a sense of caution rising in his heart. Though he seemed reckless, when danger came, the Black Tiger's instincts never lied.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Elira followed closely. Though she spoke lightly, she was even more cautious than Thorin. Her bow was already drawn, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

  The two high-ranking chiefs moved side by side, their cooperation well practiced. If an enemy ambushed them, Thorin would charge forward first to draw fire while she shot cold arrows from behind.

  With such coordination, even foes of equal rank would hesitate to challenge them.

  Yet the deeper they went, the quieter the forest at the pit's bottom became—unsettlingly quiet.

  Both were used to jungle life, but this forest seemed devoid of life. No footprints, no wild beasts, no signs of the Mud People tribe's activity, not even a broken branch.

  Thorin's steps grew heavier, each footfall feeling like he was stepping into the unknown.

  This time, Elira no longer urged him on, but instead reined in her smile and whispered a warning:"Be careful."

  They both sensed it—that invisible pressure, as if the forest itself was resisting their presence.

  They exchanged a glance without a word, but each knew in their hearts: this exploration would not be so smooth after all.

  Even now, they still hadn't found any trace of the Mud People tribe.

  Not a single sign, not a hint of movement or scent—nothing at all. This complete silence only heightened their vigilance. They had no idea where this rejection was coming from.

  Elira stood on a low branch of a large tree, her gaze constantly scanning ahead. Just as she narrowed her eyes to observe the terrain, Thorin suddenly let out a fierce roar and sprang up like a coiled spring from the ground:

  "Watch the ground!"

  No sooner had he spoken than the soil beneath them began to churn, as if alive, wrapping itself around Elira's ankle. She gasped softly and struggled fiercely, leaping up to follow Thorin onto a nearby thick branch.

  The earth below still writhed like a boiling pot of thick mud. Elira's shoes had already been swallowed, vanished without a trace.

  Barefoot on the branch, her pale feet still smeared with wet mud, Elira's face darkened as she looked down.

  The sensation underfoot was anything but normal—the dragging feeling was unlike soft, loose soil. It felt like some conscious entity.

  Had she not reacted quickly, she probably would have been dragged deep underground by now.

  She began to suspect: did the Mud People tribe live underground? Or was their body somehow fused with the earth itself?

  But these were only guesses. The Mud People tribe had always been isolated from the outside world. No one had truly come into contact with them, nor were there any detailed records of their lifestyle. What was known were only vague rumors.

  At that moment, Thorin landed on a nearby branch and glanced at Elira's bare feet where her shoes had disappeared. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly before he suppressed his thoughts and said:

  "Try shooting some arrows into the ground—see if you can lure them out."

  Elira didn't need to be told twice. She was already prepared. Drawing her bow, she nocked several sharp arrows, which, enveloped in the power of her bloodline, shot swiftly toward the churning earth.

  There were a few dull, penetrating sounds as the arrows disappeared into the soil.

  But then silence fell. No wails, no gusts of disturbed air, no scent of blood, no magical fluctuations—just as if they had shot into ordinary ground.

  Elira frowned, raising her hand to summon the arrows back. Guided by her bloodline, the arrows slowly emerged from underground and returned to her hand.

  She inspected each arrow carefully, even bringing some close to her nose to sniff. A faint, yet distinct, lifelike metallic scent filled her nostrils.

  "There's definitely something there," she said with a slight, proud smile.

  Then she reinserted the arrows into her quiver smoothly and skillfully. But at the same time, she held a heavier arrow in her hand.

  The arrowhead was engraved with runes unique to the Leopard Tribe, faint blue light swirling across it.

  "A tracking arrow?"

  Thorin recognized the arrow not far off, narrowing his eyes. Naturally, he knew the arrow's power. Guided by the Leopard Tribe bloodline, it could track any supernatural aura and even penetrate a certain depth of earth!

  He immediately understood Elira's plan: if the Mud People tribe truly hid underground, this arrow could force them out.

  Thorin planted his feet firmly on the branch, lowering his body, ready to spring into action. As soon as the target appeared, he would pounce.

  He raised both hands, sharp tiger claws extending from his fingertips, cold and deadly, his gaze filled with killing intent.

  The arrow pierced through the air with great penetrating power and vanished into the ground. Moments later, a muffled explosion erupted underground.

  The earth shattered, a massive blast shaking the surroundings, dust billowing, and trees trembling violently. Amidst flying leaves and debris, Thorin stood firmly, his eyes fixed on the explosion's epicenter.

  The next moment, a blurry figure sprang from the ruptured mud!

  "Found them!" Thorin growled and leapt forward.

  The Black Tiger transformed into a shadowy streak, moving faster than the arrow. Crossing his arms defensively in front of him—a deadly opening move of their tribe—he then spread his arms wide, releasing a surge of internal energy that exploded outward as invisible shockwaves, tearing apart all obstacles before him.

  This should have been a fatal strike. But as his claws pierced the sludge, Thorin's expression suddenly shifted from joy to shock!

  "Something's wrong!"

  He stopped abruptly, frowning deeply. At that moment, Elira's startled scream rang in his ears.

  He whipped his head around, only to find that Elira had vanished from the branch where she had been standing behind him!