Chapter 164 : Drawing Out the Snake
Having declined the little white tiger's assistance, Su Hao and the others quickly formulated their plan.
Since the Silver-scaled Black Python was indeed a python, it was naturally enormous. Additionally, being at the Void Crossing realm, its cultivation level was inherently higher than everyone present. It wouldn't be easy for several Nascent Soul cultivators to deal with it, but their original goal wasn't to kill it, rather to obtain the treasure at the bottom of the lake. This approach created room for maneuvering.
Su Hao commanded with authority: "That Silver-scaled Black Python won't be easy to handle. We won't confront it directly but focus on luring it away. We'll divide into two groups—one to distract the Silver-scaled Black Python, and one to search for treasure at the lake bottom."
As he spoke, his gaze swept across everyone, designating: "Junior Brother Bei Luo, you'll take the lead in provoking and drawing out the Silver-scaled Black Python, then Senior Brother Tan Ming and I will intervene together. Junior Brother Bai Xu, act according to the situation. Junior Brother Wen Jin, you're skilled in formations, so find a suitable location to set up formations first. When the time comes, you can also delay that Silver-scaled Black Python..."
After arranging for the five people, Su Hao finally looked to Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin: "Once we lure away the Silver-scaled Black Python, Senior Sister Yun and Junior Brother Tan Xin, I'll trouble you both to go underwater to search for the treasure." He then added a reminder: "Remember not to rush. Wait until we've lured the Silver-scaled Black Python far enough before you act. Otherwise, if it senses something and hurries back, we might not be able to stop it."
This arrangement clearly favored Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin. Firstly, Yun Qingyue was the only female cultivator among them, and everyone subconsciously gave her extra care. Secondly, Tan Xin was young and held the status of a Buddhist disciple, so no one wanted him to take risks. Furthermore, with disciples from two sects joining forces, having one person from each sect search for the treasure seemed fair and reassuring.
Of course, Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin's cultivation levels were also within Su Hao's considerations. Despite their youth, their cultivation was impressive. If there were any unexpected developments at the lake bottom, the two of them could handle it with their abilities.
However, this possibility was small, as the Silver-scaled Black Python was domineering by nature and wouldn't allow other beasts to appear in its territory.
With the assignments distributed, no one raised objections, and they decided to begin immediately. Thus, Wen Jin and Bei Luo left first—one to find a place to set up formations, and the other to find a reason to provoke and draw the snake out of its hole.
The little white tiger lazily yawned, deciding to watch everyone battle the beast.
Since Wen Jin needed time to set up formations, Bei Luo didn't return quickly this time. He waited until Wen Jin sent word that the formations were ready before luring a Fierce Wind Steed.
This Fierce Wind Steed's reaction to the lake water was no different from the Cloud-Splitting Leopard earlier. Upon seeing the deep blue water, it was immediately frightened and turned to flee. However, this time Bei Luo had different plans; rather than directly kicking the Fierce Wind Steed back, he made a subtle move to trip its hoof. Caught off guard, the steed stumbled, thus missing its last chance to escape.
When the Fierce Wind Steed was dragged away, it couldn't even struggle like the Cloud-Splitting Leopard had; it could only kick wildly with its four hooves and whinny miserably. The wail was so piercing that anyone who heard it couldn't help but feel remorse.
It was at this moment that Bei Luo revealed himself. He hovered in mid-air and shouted sternly: "What beast dares to steal my spirit beast!"
The Fierce Wind Steed now had only its head above water. Even at the brink of death, hearing these words, it couldn't help but widen its eyes. Its spiritual intelligence was not low, but the bone across its throat had not yet been refined, so it couldn't speak. Otherwise, it would have likely cursed aloud despite being on the verge of death—what bastard was adding drama? If it hadn't been chased into panicked flight, would it be in such a predicament?!
Unfortunately, the Fierce Wind Steed couldn't speak, nor did it have time to. The snake tail coiled around its body was completely unaffected by Bei Luo's words and resolutely dragged it to the bottom of the lake, promptly delivering it into a gaping maw.
The lake water quickly returned to calm. There was no trace of blood, not even a single horse hair floating on the surface.
Seeing this, Bei Luo thought the Silver-scaled Black Python wouldn't emerge. He gathered spiritual energy in his hand, about to attack the lake surface. But just before he acted, ripples suddenly appeared at the center of the calm water, spreading outward in concentric circles. Then quickly, a dark shadow gradually surfaced, like a reef breaking the water's surface...
In the mid-afternoon, the sunlight was just right, shining on that "reef," revealing faint silver patterns.
Bei Luo had good eyesight and immediately recognized it. He decisively increased his altitude, flying toward the sky. In the next moment, the Silver-scaled Black Python lurking in the water also moved, shooting straight up like an arrow released from a bow... Bei Luo's original hovering position was already quite high, at least a hundred zhang above ground, but if he hadn't reacted quickly to fly higher, he might have been swallowed whole by this Silver-scaled Black Python!
Fortunately, Bei Luo reacted in time, barely escaping from that gaping maw. Even so, he felt a wave of putrid stench sweep over him from behind. The stench was so overwhelming that his mind went blank, almost causing him to lose stability in flight and fall.
Having finally escaped the Silver-scaled Black Python's attack, even the courageous Bei Luo was drenched in cold sweat from fright.
Bei Luo wasn't the only one frightened; the faces of the several people who hadn't yet revealed themselves all changed simultaneously—an adult Silver-scaled Black Python exceeds three zhang in thickness and approaches a hundred zhang in length, exceptionally ferocious. But that was the size of an adult Silver-scaled Black Python, by which time at least half of its scales would have turned silver. However, the one in the lake had scales that were just beginning to change color, clearly not yet in its adult phase, which was why everyone had so quickly decided to make a move.
But now the situation had exceeded everyone's expectations; this Silver-scaled Black Python was at least twice as large as they had predicted. Either this Silver-scaled Black Python had developmental issues—already an adult but with cultivation not yet reaching its appropriate level—or it was developing exceptionally well, growing so robust before reaching adulthood.
Regardless of which possibility was true, it wasn't good news for them. But it was too late to withdraw, as the Silver-scaled Black Python, having missed its strike, didn't give up but instead pursued Bei Luo.
A Void Crossing realm beast could certainly fly, though the Silver-scaled Black Python wasn't as agile in the air as it was in water or on land.
Seeing this, Su Hao and Tan Ming exchanged glances, not daring to hesitate or delay. They immediately rose from their hiding places and flew in pursuit. With the two of them arriving to help distract—or rather, divide the Silver-scaled Black Python's attention—Bei Luo, who had been dazed by the stench, finally had a chance to catch his breath. This wasn't because Bei Luo was physically weak, but because the Silver-scaled Black Python was inherently poisonous, and the fetid breath it exhaled also contained toxins.
The three carefully avoided while guiding the direction according to plan. Along the way, they took antidote pills provided by Bai Xu, gradually luring the Silver-scaled Black Python toward the location where Wen Jin had set up formations.
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The enormous body of the Silver-scaled Black Python had long disappeared from sight when Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin finally withdrew their distant gazes. They both turned their attention to the lake surface, and Tan Xin said: "Senior Sister Yun, let's be quick and decisive."
Yun Qingyue naturally agreed and was about to put down the little white tiger to search for treasure underwater.
However, the little white tiger refused, hugging her leg and saying: "Senior Sister, don't leave me behind. I'll go with you and won't slow you down."
Yun Qingyue hesitated for a moment, but time was of the essence, and she didn't have time to argue. Additionally, the little white tiger's current cultivation was indeed not low, so she didn't obstruct further, only saying: "Then be careful yourself."
The little white tiger's tiger eyes brightened, and she nodded hastily. After Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin entered the water, she followed.
The lake water was very clear, yet not a single fish could be found. This wasn't just because of the Silver-scaled Black Python's domineering nature, but also because the snake's body carried poison, contaminating the entire lake. From the moment it took residence in this lake, the water had become dead water. No beast with spiritual awareness dared approach; only some bewildered small creatures would come to drink.
Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin had witnessed the Silver-scaled Black Python pursuing Bei Luo and naturally knew the snake was highly poisonous. Therefore, they had already taken antidote pills before entering the water. The little white tiger, however, wasn't afraid of such weak toxins and had no pressure following them underwater.
After entering the water, the two people and one tiger descended toward the lake bottom. The lake was of unknown depth, with light diminishing the deeper they went. They had been diving for a full quarter hour before vaguely seeing the lake bottom. Contrary to their expectation of a muddy bottom, this lake floor was gleaming white, though its exact nature remained unclear.
The little white tiger swam to her senior sister's front and made a gesture, transmitting her voice: "Senior Sister, could the entire lake bottom be bones?"
Yun Qingyue refuted without thinking: "Silver-scaled Black Pythons have extremely strong digestion; they never regurgitate bones from their prey."
This aligned with the little white tiger's knowledge of pythons. Given the size of the Silver-scaled Black Python, the previous Cloud-Splitting Leopard and Fierce Wind Steed would only be small snacks to it. Just as a giant python swallowing a mouse wouldn't need to spit out bones. So if the gleaming white lake bottom wasn't bones, what could it be? And where was the treasure full of wood spiritual energy that the little white tiger had sensed?
Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin were now extremely close to the lake bottom, yet still hadn't detected the wood spiritual energy mentioned by the little white tiger. After communicating mentally, the two decided to save time by searching separately.
Seeing the lake bottom was calm, the little white tiger didn't stick with her senior sister but swam toward the white glow at the bottom.
Yun Qingyue noticed but didn't intervene. However, when her feet touched the bottom, she suddenly felt a surge of pure, rich spiritual energy rushing up from beneath her feet. Startled, she immediately floated up, distancing herself from the glowing white lake floor, and only then did she slightly relax—spiritual energy was naturally a good thing, but that energy was too overwhelming, almost bursting her meridians as it rushed in. It was fortunate that she had already reached the Nascent Soul realm; if her level had been one or two stages lower, she might have perished the moment she touched down!
Strangely though, this rich spiritual energy was only present upon contact with the ground. The moment Yun Qingyue's feet left the "glowing white surface," the energy vanished without a trace, not even the slightest leak.
Could there be a barrier on the ground that completely contained the spiritual energy?
Yun Qingyue pondered this while preparing to transmit a warning to Tan Xin and the little white tiger. But before she could, she turned to find that the little white tiger had already landed.
Not only was the tiger unaffected by the spiritual energy surge, but she seemed to be enjoying it, narrowing her eyes before lying completely flat on the ground.