Chapter 961: The Serpent Appears
If Ise Province was the domain of Himiko, then Izumo was the domain of Susanoo. In the past, Daoist cultivators had to guard against Susanoo’s divine descent. Fortunately, the Imperial Preceptor had struck down the mortal incarnations of the Three Great Kami, making it impossible for them to descend into the mortal world again in the short term. This removed a major concern for the Daoists.
Qi Xuansu felt a surge of emotion revisiting this place. During their journey on the flying ship, he pointed out the terrain below to Zhang Yuelu, recounting in detail how he had, quite literally, fallen into misfortune in Izumo.
When the flying ship landed, many came forward to greet them. Among them, Qi Xuansu saw familiar faces like Lu Yuting, Qian Daren, and some others. These people had nearly perished during the flying ship crash, so, like Qi Xuansu, they had come seeking revenge. However, they would not take part in direct combat but rather assist from the sidelines.
The group did not linger. Under Jing Tianming’s lead, they went straight to the mountain range where the beast dwelled. As expected, the place was shrouded in mist. On the ground, they could still manage to see what was ahead. But in the air, they could barely see past three meters. Thus, flying ships were nearly useless here.
The Yamata-no-Orochi lurked behind this fog, which functioned like the Five Elements Qi Shield, serving as a defensive barrier for the beast. Thus, the Daoists had specially prepared a Yinglong Warship to dispel the mist.
The Yinglong Warship had to continuously operate its formation to thin out the mists. The moment it stopped, the fog would immediately gather again. Thus, the Yinglong Warship could not be used for combat. Even with the aid of the warship, a hazy veil still remained, making the large-scale use of flying ships impractical.
As the fog thinned, the mountain peaks gradually revealed their true form. Atop the highest peak lay a green lake, resembling a heavenly pool. Legends said the serpent’s body could fill eight valleys, but such peerless demons could grow large or small at will. They rarely maintained their most massive forms, choosing whatever was convenient instead. Tamamo-no-Mae, for example, did not go about flaunting herself as a giant fox.
By this point, the serpent could no longer remain still. A violent, malevolent aura surged from beneath the emerald lake as a waterspout exploded skyward.
When the waterspout dissipated, a colossal serpent head emerged. Its vertical pupils glared malevolently at the gathered Daoists.
In that instant, anyone who met its gaze grew dizzy and disoriented. Some even lost their souls.
The Yamata-no-Orochi had appeared.
Then a second and a third head emerged from the water, stirring up fierce waves across the lake’s surface.