Chapter 167: The Forest Holds Its Breath
Windy slithered low against the ground, his pale scales brushing over the brittle, frost-touched grass. His tongue flicked out, catching the faint coppery tang of blood on the cold wind.
The trail had been easy to follow at first, with crushed undergrowth and faint, unnatural disturbances in the air that only his sharp senses could detect. But as the hours wore on, the path grew colder, the figure moving with an eerie precision that left barely a trace behind. Yet, the serpent was determined. His coiled patience kept him moving, silent and watchful.
The hooded figure moved further than Windy had ever dared. Away from Kai. Away from Tianyi. It was only by pure chance he caught sight of the elusive shadow that terrified the den of snakes. After days of traversing the forest, going deeper with every passing day, he found it.
His instincts screamed of danger, but the spirit beast wouldn't give up such an opportunity.
The figure was no ordinary prey, but neither was Windy an ordinary snake.
The battle had unfolded just ahead of him, in a clearing where frost clung stubbornly to the ground. Perched high in a tree, the serpent wrapped himself around a branch, his pale scales blending with the icy bark as he watched. The massive tiger prowled into view first, its jet-black fur bristling with tension, its movements graceful yet predatory. It seemed angry, emitting a low growl that made his scales stand on end. It was a formidable foe; one he would be hard-pressed to defeat.
And the shadow moved.
The ragged cloth draped over its frame shifted unnaturally with each step, and its feet were gnarled and cracked.
The tiger lunged without hesitation, its roar splitting the silence. It was swift, deadly, its claws glinting in the dark as it swiped at the figure. But the hooded man did not dodge. The claws sunk into the man's arm, but he pushed forward without any reaction to the pain, his bare hand lashing out with terrifying speed.