Chapter 170 : A Fish in Mind
The blood inheritance pressure weighed down on the Silver-scaled Black Python, but its snake eyes, fixed intently on the little white tiger, were filled with resentment and unwillingness. It was a sixth-grade spirit beast, the undisputed ruler of this region. It even possessed an entire dragon skeleton and had the Dragon's Blood Grass, a ninth-grade herb that offered a chance to transform into a dragon. Perhaps after hundreds or thousands of years, it could successfully transform into a dragon and rule the four directions. Why should it submit to this tiny cub before it?!
The White Tiger, transformed into a cat form, didn't possess any of a divine beast's imposing aura. Even its cultivation level couldn't compare to the Silver-scaled Black Python's. This made the python continue to struggle against the blood pressure, its snake head remaining high and refusing to lower.
The little white tiger noticed this but wasn't particularly concerned. She just anxiously circled the massive creature twice.
Seeing this, the system urged: "Host, what are you thinking about? Why haven't you attacked yet? I can see this Silver-scaled Black Python has been influenced by dragon energy and doesn't fear your pressure as much as other beasts. If you don't act now, it might find a chance to escape."
The little white tiger stopped at these words, raising her slender cat paw for inspection, feeling it inadequate. After reverting from her transformed state, her slender cat paw immediately became thicker, with sharper claws, though still appearing immature... Of course, when compared to the Silver-scaled Black Python's body—over thirty feet thick and hundreds of feet long—these claws probably couldn't even penetrate its skin!
Despite her doubts, the little white tiger channeled her spiritual energy and made an attempt.
The Silver-scaled Black Python, intimidated by the pressure, remained motionless like a fish on a cutting board, waiting to be butchered. The tiger claws, enhanced with Sharp Metal Force, suddenly surged with power. As the little white tiger swiped down, a giant golden tiger claw seemed to materialize in the air and strike simultaneously.
The next moment, foul-smelling blood splattered as the hard snake scales were torn away by the tiger claws. Several scales, larger than pot lids, fell to the ground.
The little white tiger's eyes brightened, and she immediately examined the Silver-scaled Black Python's wound. Deep claw marks had penetrated the flesh, with blood gushing out in large quantities, instantly turning the surrounding blue lake water crimson. Excited, she asked the system inwardly: "System, help me see, how deep is this wound? Can I take down this Silver-scaled Black Python with my attack?"
The Silver-scaled Black Python, suppressed by the pressure, felt extremely frustrated. Its cultivation was much higher than the little white tiger's. If it could use its suppressed beast power to defend with full strength, it would be almost impossible for the little white tiger to break through its defenses in one strike.
Nevertheless, the system's answer wasn't optimistic: "Host, the wound is about one palm deep..."
A palm-deep wound would be fatal for a human cultivator—even without hitting vital organs, it could cause death from blood loss. But the same wound on a Silver-scaled Black Python hundreds of feet long was like a mere scratch for a human cultivator. The little white tiger could certainly continue attacking, but at this rate, unless she clawed at the same wound hundreds or thousands of times, the injury would mean nothing to the Silver-scaled Black Python.
The little white tiger sighed in disappointment, thinking how convenient it would be if she had Senior Sister's Fuxue Sword in hand. But then she realized she knew neither sword energy nor sword intent. If she were to attack the Silver-scaled Black Python with the Fuxue Sword, it would probably be no different from poking someone with a toothpick—or perhaps even less effective.
The system offered timely encouragement: "Host, keep going! Nothing is too difficult for you!"
The little white tiger pouted, oddly reminded of a video she had seen before her transmigration—a small cat dragging a big fish, with fish in mind but lacking the strength. Facing this "fish on the cutting board" before her, wasn't she in the same situation?
But she had just promised the system she would try, and now with the Silver-scaled Black Python immobilized before her, inaction seemed inappropriate. So she circled the Silver-scaled Black Python twice more, then suddenly instructed the system: "System, help me find where this snake's vital point is."
As the saying goes, "Strike the snake at its vital point"—referring to the snake's heart, its most vulnerable spot. However, this vital point wasn't literally seven inches from the head; it varied with the snake's length and species. The Silver-scaled Black Python before her was hundreds of feet long, and she couldn't identify its heart location, but that didn't stop her from asking the system to scan and find this weakness.
The system, eager to earn points, was more enthusiastic than usual and quickly marked the Silver-scaled Black Python's vital point in a way only the host could see. Without hesitation, the little white tiger grew larger, rushed over, and started clawing wildly, tearing the Silver-scaled Black Python's flesh apart.
With its weak point under attack, the Silver-scaled Black Python let out a long hiss of pain, and its body, firmly suppressed by the pressure, began to struggle slightly.
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Thinking about the dragon bones at the bottom of the lake, Su Hao and the others didn't want to bring along You Yi and his companion. But the brother and sister disciples looked so miserable, and since the three sects shared the same path even if they weren't particularly close, they really couldn't refuse.
Su Hao's group eventually accepted You Yi, but required him to make a vow not to reveal anything he would see afterward.
You Yi immediately understood that the treasure at the bottom of the lake must be extraordinary, making Su Hao's group worry about information leaks. However, the items at the lake bottom weren't his anyway, and he and his junior sister still needed Xuanqing Sect and Buddha Sect's help to survive, so he had no reason to hesitate. He immediately made a heavenly oath and then calmly followed Su Hao's group.
Ruan Le's condition couldn't be restored quickly, and You Yi's biggest problem was merely spiritual energy depletion. Now that he had a chance to catch his breath, his recovery was relatively fast, so bringing the two along wouldn't delay the group's journey.
Su Hao's group thus set off again, hastening toward the azure blue lake without stopping.
Before long, the nine of them hurriedly returned to the maple forest, but even before approaching the lake, they saw the giant python standing rigidly in the water from a distance. Bei Luo paused and asked curiously: "What's happening? Why is the Silver-scaled Black Python just standing there motionless?" He sniffed the air and frowned, "There's a bloody smell in the air, and the snake odor is quite strong."
Without a doubt, the Silver-scaled Black Python was injured.
Yun Qingyue was the first to react, rushing forward while saying: "It must be Jianbing confronting the Silver-scaled Black Python."
Everyone in the group except You Yi and his companion knew about Jianbing's existence, and now that You Yi had sworn not to speak carelessly, there was no need to hide it from him. When You Yi heard this news, he merely raised his eyebrows slightly, surprised but not particularly astonished.
Upon hearing Yun Qingyue's words, the others followed without hesitation. The group passed through the maple forest to the lakeside, and with their view unobstructed, they indeed saw an enlarged White Tiger furiously clawing at the Silver-scaled Black Python—not without effect, as the wounds from the tiger claws were bleeding profusely, the foul-smelling snake blood flowing down its body and dyeing nearly half the lake water red.
However, the Silver-scaled Black Python was simply too enormous. Even though the little white tiger had grown to the size of an adult tiger, she still looked like a cub next to it as she clawed away. Her fierce attacks resembled a cub's playful antics, making the scene oddly comical.
The system immediately detected everyone's arrival and informed Jiang Mo: "Host, Senior Sister and the others have arrived!"
Upon hearing this, the White Tiger's rapidly moving claws slowed down, and she felt secretly relieved—at this point, for the sake of eliminating future trouble, she couldn't let this Silver-scaled Black Python live. But its skin was tough, its flesh thick, and its body enormous; even striking at its vital point couldn't kill it. She had even considered drilling into the python's belly and breaking through from the inside out.
Fortunately, Senior Sister and the others had returned. She immediately turned her head and happily called to everyone: "Come help quickly!"
With Jianbing's command and facing this scene, Su Hao and the others naturally couldn't worry about dragon bones anymore. They immediately mounted their flying swords and soared over. Seeing this, the White Tiger stopped her actions, jumped away from the Silver-scaled Black Python's body, and then, hovering in mid-air, pointed at the wound she had made and ordered again: "Strike here!"
Everyone complied without hesitation, unleashing their magical treasures. Seven magical weapons radiated various colored lights, striking the Silver-scaled Black Python's vital point almost simultaneously. Even with its tough skin, thick flesh, and high cultivation, the python was severely injured by this coordinated attack.
Its wide-open bloody mouth moved slightly, as if silently crying out in pain, and its entire snake body curled slightly in agony.
Perhaps stimulated by the intense pain, or perhaps because it unleashed its potential in this life-or-death moment, the Silver-scaled Black Python gradually regained control of its rigid body as it curled slightly. It first rolled violently in pain, churning the lake water below with a loud splashing sound, then realized it had broken free from the pressure's restraint and could move again.
The Silver-scaled Black Python was initially overjoyed, but then hatred surged in its heart—these little insects had stolen its dragon bones and Dragon's Blood Grass, destroying its chance to transform into a dragon, and now they even wanted to kill it. Now that it had broken free, it naturally wanted revenge!
Just a moment ago, the system had been urging its host: "Host, this Silver-scaled Black Python has broken free from the pressure and is about to escape..."
But the next moment, instead of fleeing, the Silver-scaled Black Python ferociously charged forward. However, it instinctively avoided the White Tiger that it perceived as dangerous, viciously attacking the seven people who had come to help. Its tail sweep generated enough force to cut a person in half!
Seeing this, Su Hao hurriedly shouted: "Retreat!"
The seven were battle-hardened and immediately backed away. Whether it was because Yun Qingyue carried more dragon energy or because the Silver-scaled Black Python disliked her, it targeted her first.
The giant snake tail swept across the lake surface, raising a water wall over a hundred feet high, crashing toward Yun Qingyue like a tidal wave... The Silver-scaled Black Python was naturally attuned to water, and this strike, fueled by anger, was formidable. There was no doubt that if hit by this water wall, even a Nascent Soul cultivator would lose half their life. Not to mention that behind the water wall, the Silver-scaled Black Python was already pursuing.
Too late to retreat further, Yun Qingyue's expression darkened as she turned and boldly struck with her sword. She put all her strength into this strike, and as the sword came down, an extremely cold frost sword intent erupted.
When the sword intent touched the water wall, frost spread wildly, freezing the water instantly. The towering water wall transformed into an ice wall in a split second.
But in the next instant, a huge black snake head broke through the ice wall as if the thick ice wall were as fragile as a thin sheet of paper. It broke through the ice wall, opened its bloody maw, and bit down toward the tiny human cultivator before it...