Clear spring water gushed upwards.
As Allen and the others approached, the water began to ripple.
Two strange figures slowly emerged from the water.
They looked like giant, water-made pythons.
Their upper bodies twisted and poked out of the water, their smooth heads revealing no facial features.
The lower half of the strange snakes was submerged in the spring water.
It blended seamlessly with the clear water, leaving no trace.
"This is a water monster, a water elemental monster."
Ryan lowered his voice and explained to the young man beside him.
"For some unknown reason, water ghosts have guarded the 'Teleportation Spring' for thousands of years."
"They're happy to provide teleportation services to travelers, provided they don't throw anything dirty into the water, like feces, rotting corpses, or poison."
"Otherwise, they'll enrage the ghosts and drag the polluters into the water, drowning them!"
Uncle Ryan stood at the spring, not rushing to enter. He opened his storage bag and pulled out a palm-sized feather.
Alan cast a curious glance. The golden feather, seemingly plucked from a griffin, emanated a gentle magical vibration.
"Everyone, stay away from the spring. Test it with a summoned creature first."
Ryan placed the golden feather on the ground and whispered a spell.
Puff!
The feather suddenly exploded, dissolving into a thick mist.
The majestic figure of a griffin could be vaguely seen within the mist. In a flash, the mist dissipated. In place of the feather, a majestic golden griffin appeared before them.
Although it looked similar, Allen knew it wasn't a real griffin, but a magically summoned creature.
Its physical attributes and habits mirrored those of a living griffin, and it could communicate telepathically with its summoner, obeying their commands completely.
When no longer needed, it could be unsummoned, transforming itself back into a griffin feather.
All summoned creatures, including this one, disintegrate into disordered magic the moment they are killed, leaving no actual flesh and blood behind.
The Griffin family has dedicated generations to the study of griffins.
This magical artifact, capable of summoning griffins, is one of the Griffin family's most proud achievements.
Its only drawback is the high cost of enchanting materials, far more expensive than taming a living griffin, making it difficult to popularize.
Ryan sent out a mental wave, commanding the griffin to enter the spring.
A water ghost wriggled over from the opposite side.
It stretched out its slender, transparent body and entwined itself around the griffin.
The young people at the spring held their breath.
As they watched anxiously, the griffin was dragged into the spring by the ghost, then became transparent, as if melting into the clear water.
The ghost, likewise invisible in the water, vanished silently. A moment later, waves rose again.
The ghost emerged, waiting for the next teleporter to approach. Uncle Ryan closed his eyes, as if in meditation.
In reality, he was establishing a telepathic connection with the griffin.
A few seconds later, he opened his eyes and smiled, saying to Alan and the others, "The griffin is still alive. The teleportation spring is safe!" Everyone felt relieved after hearing his words.
Next, two people entered the spring in pairs, and under the embrace of the water ghost, they were teleported to the next station one after another.
…
Teleportation Spring, Station 7.
Circus leader Ethan stood at the water's edge, his hands behind his back.
He gazed at the white waves rippling across the surface, lost in thought.
Behind him stood the other five members of the circus.
The "Hercules," two meters tall, wearing only a leather vest, revealing his muscular arms and thick body hair.
The "Puppeteer," wrapped tightly in a cape with his hood drawn low, his limbs creaking with the sound of gears turning.
The "Dwarf Magician," short and childlike, wearing a tuxedo, a top hat, and a cane.
The "Clown," wearing a colorful costume, bizarre makeup, and a red ball on his nose.
And one of the circus' only two female members—the snake charmer.
This young woman, dressed in a most bizarre costume, was nearly half-naked.
Her head was shaved clean, her scalp gleaming.
She wore heavy makeup, her lips crimson, and her deliberately blackened eyes made her look like a panda.
In addition to jewelry like a necklace, bracelets, and anklets, she also adorned her entire body with glittering gold nose and lip rings, earrings, a pierced breast, and a navel ring.
A hip-length skirt and a narrow bra were her only clothing, revealing expanses of tanned, delicate skin, as if flaunting her voluptuous figure.
A gigantic python, perhaps seven or eight meters long, coiled and weaved beneath the charmer's feet.
Occasionally, it would raise its head, spit out its forked purple-red wicker, and affectionately lick the woman's bare thighs, as if to please its mate.
At that moment, the roar of a griffin echoed from the distant swamp, interrupting Ethan's thoughts.
The circus director turned and asked calmly, "Have the knife thrower and the ventriloquist replied?"
"Not yet," the magician shook his head and spread his hands.
"What about the animal trainer?"
"No word either."
Ethan sighed, his eyes turning sinister.
The agreed time had expired.
The person who was supposed to come hadn't arrived, while the person who wasn't supposed to come was getting closer and closer.
He had to consider the worst-case scenario.
After a brief pause, Ethan said to his men, "You go ahead and guard the entrance to the mushroom garden. Don't let anyone in."
The strongman, the puppeteer, the magician, the snake charmer, and the clown all took orders and headed towards the spring.
Six water monsters surfaced, entangling the five people and the snake charmer's giant python.
In a flash, the five people and the python vanished into the water.
Team leader Ethan remained at the final teleportation fountain.
Before leaving, he made some special arrangements.
As his figure melted into the water, the capsule he had quietly dropped into the spring dissolved.
Within two minutes, the deadly poison within the capsule would seep out, unnoticed and contaminating the spring.
A hidden danger for those who came after him!
...
Less than half an hour after Ethan's departure, Allen and the others arrived at the final teleportation fountain.
They were about to approach when Allen raised his hand to stop them.
"Everyone, be careful! The spring water is toxic!"
"The spring water doesn't produce toxins for no reason. It seems the traffickers have noticed we're on our way and deliberately poisoned the water."
Uncle Ryan pondered for a moment, then summoned the griffin again with the golden feather talisman, commanding it to enter the water.
"Let's test how strong the poison is."
If the griffin is poisoned, the spring water could still threaten the Griffin family.
On the other hand, if the poison barely affects the griffin, everyone will be confident they can withstand it with their own strength.
To their surprise, before the griffin even came into contact with the poisonous water, it alerted the guardian of the teleportation spring.
Six water ghosts suddenly burst out and attacked the griffin frantically!
Like six transparent pythons, they tightly wrapped the poor griffin from head to toe and dragged it into the water.
The griffin was submerged from head to toe in the spring water, thrashing desperately, sending waves billowing from the surface.
As Alan and the others watched, the griffin gradually ceased its struggles and eventually drowned.
Its corpse disintegrated into a chaotic web of magical threads, dissipating into the air. Only a single, faded feather remained, floating on the surface.
With the death of the summoned creature, the feather that served as the medium for summoning also lost its magical power, degenerating into an ordinary feather.
"It seems the problem isn't just that the spring water is poisoned. Even more serious is that the water sprites have also been contaminated by the toxin, becoming insane."
"Now they've abandoned their mission of teleportation and are hunting anything that approaches the spring."
"Even if we kill all these mad water sprites, it's useless! Who will help us teleport if we kill them all?"
Uncle Ryan sighed, his brow furrowed.
Is this hunt going to end halfway?
"Alan! I remember your mentor was a master potion master. Do you have any idea how to neutralize the toxins in the spring water?"
Felin looked at Alan, his eyes filled with anticipation.
"If the spring water is purified, the water monsters will return to normal, right?"
"Well..." Alan stroked his chin and said slowly, "I can give it a try."
"What do you need? Just tell me!" Felin urged excitedly.
"First, we need to collect a sample of the spring water. I need to analyze the toxins in the water, and then I'll know if there's a way to detoxify it."
"Then... I'll need some time to refine the antidote, so everyone should be prepared to wait patiently."
"Of course!"
Ryan rushed to answer for his son.
"It's getting dark. Today's adventure ends here. Set up camp by the spring, and stay away from the water monsters' activity area. I'll be responsible for collecting the spring water."
Uncle Ryan, worthy of being the clan leader, led by example and acted decisively.
He transformed into a griffin, holding a camping pot in his front paws. He first soared high into the sky, then swooped down, skimming the surface of the spring!
Before the water monsters could react, Ryan had already swept past and landed in the camp, half the pot of spring water in his front paws.
Alan took the pot, returned to his tent, and began to study...
Study what the hell!
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