Invincible Little School Doctor Chapter 2045: Are You Two Waiting for Me?

While the likelihood of perishing in the treacherous swamp might not be excessively high, especially since Li Qi himself assured that individuals from Half-Mountain Residence wouldn't permit him to meet his end there, escaping seemed an even more distant possibility.

The predicament was dire: any leakage of his Spiritual Energy would be instantly consumed by the surrounding miasma, rendering any Cultivation Technique utterly useless.

Deprived of Spiritual Energy, his physical strength became a mere hindrance; any exertion would only hasten his descent into the mire, accelerating his demise.

At this precipice, it appeared only one outcome awaited him, precisely as Li Qi had predicted – expulsion.

"No! I absolutely cannot be ejected from this place. If I squander this opportunity, who knows how much longer I must endure before I can save Sophia!" Ye Haochuan's inner voice boomed with fierce unwillingness.

"Precisely, fire!"

A sudden spark of inspiration ignited within Ye Haochuan's mind, illuminating a potential path forward.

The swamp, a volatile amalgam of water and mud, presented a vulnerability: water and fire were fundamentally inimical. By eliminating the aqueous component, the swamp's very nature could be negated.

Without a moment's hesitation, Ye Haochuan swiftly conjured the Purple Lotus Spirit Flame, enveloping his entire being in its protective embrace.

The intense heat radiating from the Purple Lotus Spirit Flame rapidly vaporized the water within the surrounding mud, transforming the treacherous mire back into solid ground.

Nevertheless, merely solidifying the earth immediately around his person proved insufficient. This hardened mud detached itself from the larger mass, akin to ice floes drifting on an ocean – sharing a common origin yet becoming distinct entities.

In this state, Ye Haochuan found himself encased as if within a block of solid ice. Regardless of the ice's size, unless it encompassed the entire ocean's surface, it could exert no control over the underlying currents.

Recognizing this critical flaw, Ye Haochuan instantly shifted his strategy. He employed the Heavenly Eye Incineration technique, focusing on evaporating the surface water of the surrounding swamp, thereby creating a stable layer of soil.

This newly formed soil layer was not substantial; relying on its thermal conductivity to evaporate the moisture beneath was a near-impossible feat.

Yet, it sufficed. Although this tenuous layer of solidified earth could not bear his full weight, it granted Ye Haochuan the crucial leverage needed to counteract his sinking.

Ye Haochuan could not extract himself using this solid ground, but he had successfully achieved lateral locomotion.

After a grueling full hour, he had advanced fifty meters. This distance significantly surpassed the point where Li Qi had been expelled.

However, as the swamp itself possessed a disconcerting mobility, Ye Haochuan still found himself ensnared within its pervasive influence.

Still, his spirit remained unbroken; a method of self-preservation had been discovered.

His arduous crawl hadn't merely been a race against the swamp's insidious advance, but a deliberate movement toward solid rock, now exposed amidst the treacherous terrain.

Ye Haochuan had yet to decipher the true nature of this enigmatic swamp, capable of capricious movement and transforming the surrounding earth into its watery domain.

Still, even with such formidable capabilities, the transformation of solid rock into a swamp presented a considerable challenge.

Ye Haochuan's deduction proved accurate. The moment his hand grasped the unyielding rock, he knew he had finally broken free from the swamp's suffocating embrace.

Mustering his remaining strength, he hauled himself onto the rocky outcrop and promptly collapsed, his body wracked with heavy gasps.

"Li Qi, was it? When next we meet, you shall pay dearly for this indignity!" A ferocious glint flashed in Ye Haochuan's eyes.

Following a brief period of rest and the consumption of some sustenance, Ye Haochuan's strength gradually returned, reaching seventy to eighty percent of its former capacity.

He then commenced a rapid sprint along the path of exposed rocks, ensuring a significant distance was established between himself and the mobile swamp entity before cautiously re-entering solid ground and continuing his urgent trek.

Ye Haochuan's earlier hypothesis was indeed correct; though the swamp exhibited demonic characteristics, its movement speed was notably sluggish, otherwise Li Qi's escape would have been inconceivable.

Perhaps his perseverance had earned the favor of the heavens, as his subsequent journey away from the swamp encountered no further impediments.

Ahead lay the imposing mountain. His gaze ascended to its summit, his heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.

It wasn't the mountain's imposing height or inherent dangers that caused his hesitation, but rather the gnawing uncertainty about whether Li Qi and Ju Yuqu had already reached the peak due to his prolonged struggle.

"Why dwell on such thoughts? The only way to know is to ascend and discover!"

With these words, Ye Haochuan gathered his resolve and charged forward with renewed vigor.

The mountain loomed, exceptionally high and perilously steep. As he ascended approximately three hundred meters, his path was abruptly halted by a sheer cliff face, devoid of any discernible trail.

Furthermore, the rock composing this precipice was clearly not of ordinary make. Ye Haochuan tested its resilience with his Divine Concealment Sword, only to find that even its formidable sharpness could penetrate the surface mere half an inch deep – carving footholds was an utterly futile endeavor.

Yet, Ye Haochuan's concern lay not with the impossibility of carving steps, but with the undeniable presence of climbing aids on the rock face itself.

Numerous handholds and footholds, resembling sword insertion points, dotted the sheer surface. The implication was clear: by utilizing two short swords for support, one could ascend this formidable barrier.

These peculiar indentations bore the unmistakable signs of recent creation; the surrounding stone surfaces appeared remarkably fresh.

"It seems I am falling behind?" Ye Haochuan lamented inwardly, regretting the valuable time diverted to his earlier ordeal and cultivation.

Had he not wasted those thirty minutes, perhaps he could have been in the lead. Yet, even knowing someone was already ahead, Ye Haochuan couldn't shake off his dissatisfaction. "It doesn't matter. As long as no one has declared the competition over, it means the Seven-Colored Mysterious Stone hasn't been claimed. There's still a chance until the very end." Ye Haochuan rallied himself, his fighting spirit reignited, and he swiftly ascended using his two short swords. The path left by others made the climb remarkably smooth. Approximately two hours later, Ye Haochuan successfully reached the summit of the cliff, the very peak of the mountain. However, a sense of disappointment washed over him; even after reaching the highest point, he hadn't caught up to those who had gone before. "Huh?" As his body crested the top, Ye Haochuan came to an abrupt halt. He distinctly saw the Seven-Colored Mysterious Stone radiating light, merely ten meters away, seemingly within his grasp. But his hope quickly turned to disappointment as he noticed two figures standing before the coveted stone. "So, you two were waiting for me?" Ye Haochuan landed, a sneer on his lips. "Impossible... didn't you already..." Li Qi's face was etched with disbelief as Ye Haochuan suddenly materialized before him. "Already eliminated, right?" Ye Haochuan fixed his gaze on Li Qi, a searing killing intent blazing in his eyes.