Chapter 40 - 39: Caught You

Chapter 40: Chapter 39: Caught You

Inside the valley cave, the long whip moved like a shadow, and the spear thrust out like a dragon.

The five members of the Demon Suppression Bureau attacked relentlessly, shredding the surging swarm of snakes. Most of these venomous snakes were ordinary beasts, and there were not many Demon Fiends hidden among them. However, their sheer numbers were terrifying. In just a few moments, the ground was carpeted with a thick layer of corpses.

Yet, massive waves of snakes continued to pour out from the numerous caverns in the mountain. Despite the torrential snake tide, the five of them maintained an extremely fast pace of advancement. The most robust among them, Zhao Zhenshan, charged at the very front. His spear howled like a dragon, rendering him invincible. Even the Demon Fiends could not withstand a single thrust of his weapon.

Li Wanqing, however, stayed near the rear. Her long whip, constructed of snake bones, featured a lifelike snake head at its tip. Driven by her Qi Blood, it seemed to come alive, viciously whipping the pursuing snake tide into pieces.

Zhang Shun and Lin Jianqing, who were relatively weaker in strength, guarded the flanks.

In the center, Chen Sheying took out a Snake Scale Whistle and stimulated his Qi Blood. The bizarre Secret Patterns on the whistle lit up, as if encircled by phantom snakes. A hissing sound, much like a snake’s call, echoed far and wide throughout the cave. It was unknown what kind of treasure this Snake Scale Whistle was. The sound it produced was faint, yet its penetrative power was extremely strong. Upon hearing it, the surging snake tide actually hesitated and stopped advancing. Some even coiled around one another, biting and tearing at each other.

"Great technique! Brother Chen truly lives up to his background in the Spiritual Snake Sect." Zhao Zhenshan laughed heartily as he cleared the path ahead. His pressure had lessened significantly. The venomous snakes posed no real threat to him, but their sheer numbers had been draining a considerable amount of his Qi Blood.

"It’s just a minor trick, not worth mentioning." Chen Sheying smiled complacently, though he did not stop blowing the Snake Whistle.

The Spiritual Snake Sect specialized in Snake Taming and Snake Control. How could they not have a few tricks up their sleeves? Everyone’s morale was greatly boosted.

Snake Demon Li Tianyi was right inside the belly of the mountain. If they retreated now, the target could easily escape. Setting aside Li Wanqing’s blood feud for the annihilation of her family, even Zhao Zhenshan and the others had no intention of letting him go. Snake Demon Li Tianyi had long been blacklisted within the Demon Suppression Bureau. The appearance of the Evil God Statue had even prompted the Bureau to issue a kill-on-sight order against him. Blood sacrifices were a massive taboo!

A few moments later, the group followed the tunnel and charged into a massive cavern within the mountain’s belly.

"It really is the Five Poison Sect! This is a Gu-raising Land!" Li Wanqing surveyed the interior. The cavern was dark and damp, but the ceiling was studded with a large amount of Crystal Stones that emitted a glowing white light. Illuminated by the light, an altar stood tall in the center. It was crawling with venomous snakes, and when a corner of it was occasionally exposed, faint Secret Patterns could be seen.

"It is a Gu-raising Land! With Li Tianyi occupying this place, there might be a secret inheritance of the Five Poison Sect left behind here!" Chen Sheying’s eyes lit up.

The founding patriarch of their Spiritual Snake Sect had once obtained a portion of the Five Poison Sect’s inheritance, acquiring some of their Snake Taming and Snake Control methods. However, the most crucial Secret Technique of "Refining Snakes" was missing!

The Five Poison Sect was most adept at using the five venomous creatures to refine bizarre Gu Insects! Spiritual Snake, Holy Scorpion, Cang Centipede, Jade Toad, and Celestial Spider—the five major branches referred to five distinct types of Gu Insects. Calling themselves the Spiritual Snake Sect was merely a way to flatter themselves.

Among the Five Poison Sect’s methods, the most brutal way to refine Gu Insects was to place countless venomous snakes in specific locations and use a Secret Technique to force them to slaughter each other. The last surviving snake would become the Gu King, possessing unimaginable power.

However, before they could rejoice, thick smoke suddenly rose within the cavern, accompanied by howling gusts of gloomy wind and bizarre, rhythmic hissing sounds.

Under the influence of those sounds, the chaotic snake tide suddenly changed. The snakes’ eyes turned blood-red. All traces of disarray vanished as they launched a unified, deadly assault on the five people. Mixed within the snake tide was a large number of Demon Fiends, including quite a few Qi and Blood Realm Great Demons.

At the front, Zhao Zhenshan let out a low shout. His spear instantly exploded with power, launching a giant python over seventy feet long into the air before executing a sweeping strike. The scorching Qi Blood on the spear tip seemed to burn, sending huge swaths of the snake tide flying.

Yet, while his spear could block the snake tide, it could not block the bizarre hissing or the billowing smoke.

Zhao Zhenshan felt as if overlapping illusions were appearing before his eyes. Thousands of venomous snakes seemed to bore out from the Void. An unbearable irritation welled up in his chest, accompanied by an endless surge of Killing Intent. He was thoroughly horrified.

On the flanks, amidst the flashing blades and sword shadows, Zhang Shun and Lin Jianqing simultaneously erupted with Qi and Blood Body Protection. Yet, their faces were deathly pale, and their vision was completely blurred. An endless sense of tyranny and cruelty surged in their hearts, as if they were on the verge of losing control.

"Not good! It’s an Illusion Technique Formation! Guard your minds!" Chen Sheying’s expression shifted drastically as the tune of the Snake Whistle in his mouth grew increasingly rapid and urgent.

Above him, a massive phantom snake materialized and coiled up, letting out a ferocious roar. Amidst the roar, the surging snake tide stalled.

"Be careful! This Array was used by the Five Poison Sect to drive Gu Insects to slaughter each other! Once you fall into it, your Killing Intent will skyrocket. If you cannot control it, you will completely descend into madness.

"This Array draws upon the leylines of the mountains and rivers, and someone is manipulating it from the shadows.

"I can’t hold on for much longer!" Chen Sheying shouted anxiously.

The Illusion Realm before the group’s eyes dissipated, only to reveal three figures with human upper bodies and snake tails rapidly weaving through the rear of the overwhelming snake tide. They were constantly emitting hissing sounds from their mouths.

The stalled snake tide became completely enraged, surging forward even more fiercely than before!

"Huh? That’s the Seven Heroes of the Zhang Family! How did they turn into such monstrous freaks?" Zhang Shun exclaimed as he stared at the three figures.

Ling State was filled with towering mountains and great marshes where Demon Fiends lurked. At some critical mountain passes, Evil Demons and Loose Cultivators would often gather to form bandit groups, plundering passing merchants and travelers. The leaders of one such bandit group were seven Qi and Blood Realm Martial Artists. They called themselves the Seven Heroes and were notorious for their cruel and ruthless methods. They had slaughtered an untold number of passersby. The Demon Suppression Bureau had launched multiple encirclement campaigns against them, but due to the complex terrain in the mountains, they had managed to escape every time.

"Isn’t it obvious?! They definitely consumed Human Pills and suffered a backlash!

"The Seven Heroes of the Zhang Family?

"More like the Zhang Family’s Three Ghosts now!

"Kill them all! Once no one is left to control the Illusion Array, it will naturally unravel!"

Zhao Zhenshan snorted coldly, the spear in his hand roaring like a dragon. It was not his first time encountering such Evil Demons. Although consuming Human Pills would cause one’s strength to skyrocket in a short period, it turned them all into grotesque half-human, half-ghost abominations.

"There is a residual Illusion Array of the Five Poison Sect here. Form a defensive formation to protect yourselves. I will go eliminate the Zhang Family’s Three Ghosts!" Li Wanqing, who had been silent all this time, spoke in a cold, clear voice. With a leap, she directly charged out of the protective range of the giant phantom snake summoned by Chen Sheying’s Snake Whistle, rushing straight into the fray.

"Watch out for the Illusion Array!" Zhao Zhenshan’s expression changed. They could barely resist the Illusion Array while remaining within the giant snake phantom’s range.

"It’s fine. Captain Li has Innate Spiritual Pupils. This kind of Illusion Realm has no effect on her!" Chen Sheying, however, was quite confident.

In just a few bounds, Li Wanqing reached the hideous giant brute. She fiercely lashed out with her long whip, striking his body like a spirit snake flicking its tongue. A mist of blood rose from his rotting body and promptly exploded. As the long whip ruthlessly lashed against his flesh, blood and gore splattered everywhere.

"Hahaha, Li Wanqing? If we were anywhere else, your grandpa here might not be your match! But this place has long been under our control. You’re all just digging your own graves!"

The hideous brute roared. The boiling blood mist around his body dissolved the flesh and blood of the venomous snakes within a several-meter radius, turning them into vapor that rapidly healed his injured body. Wielding dual blades, he viciously slashed at Li Wanqing.

Li Wanqing’s face grew even colder. Instead of retreating, she pushed forward. A materialized frosty aura emanated from her in all directions as she lashed out with the Spirit Snake Whip once again.

CLANG!

The Spirit Snake Whip seemed to come alive as it lashed toward the giant brute’s head. However, the Zhang Family’s Three Ghosts did not fight alone. The seductively figured woman let out a shrill screech. Riding atop a Qi and Blood Realm giant python over a hundred feet long, she rammed straight toward Li Wanqing.

"Snake Taming? A pitiful display before a master!"

A flash of light gleamed in Li Wanqing’s light cyan vertical Spiritual Pupils. Astonishingly, a green glow appeared in the eyes of the Qi and Blood Realm giant python. It abruptly turned around and lunged at the seductive woman, snapping its jaws at her.

RIP!

Caught entirely off guard, the seductive woman’s arm was ripped off and swallowed whole by the giant python on the spot. Pale with panic, she desperately fled.

Meanwhile, in the hidden valley of the Insect Swarm far away, Qin Yu watched intently.

"It really is the Five Poison Sect! To think that an Illusion Technique Formation left behind a thousand years ago can still function as if it were brand new. This Li Wanqing’s strength is indeed formidable," he said, his expression quite solemn.

Arrays! He knew little about them, having never had access to them in the past. These were formations that required at least a Qi and Blood Realm Martial Artist, or even a Qi Sea Realm expert, to set up. They possessed all sorts of unimaginable power.

"Fortunately, if it is only an Illusion Array, the Insect Swarm can rely on the Mind Network to remain immune to the Illusion Realm. But if it were any other kind of Array, it would be hard to say."

Under his watch, several inconspicuous venomous snakes in the snake tide shrank back against the rear rock wall, overlooking the entire battlefield.

At the same time, in a hidden cavern on the other side of the mountain’s belly, a venomous snake silently slithered in. An old man with aged features, loose skin, and blood-red vertical pupils sat cross-legged inside. He appeared to be observing the battle taking place in the cavern.

"Snake Demon Li Tianyi! I’ve caught you!"