prynovel Chapter 30: Thunder-Patterned Python
Chapter 30: Thunder-Patterned Python
A slight, stagnant, and weightless sensation, like passing through a viscous curtain of water, came over me. The light and shadow in front of me changed rapidly, and colorful streams of light pulled at my vision.
Just moments later, the feeling of solid ground came over me, and at the same time, a fresh, moist air, carrying the fragrance of earth and grass, filled my nostrils.
Xuan Tianyi shook his slightly dizzy head, quickly adjusting to the change in light. He looked up and was momentarily stunned by the scene before him.
They were now in a world completely different from the desolate mountains outside!
This is a secluded valley surrounded by mountains. The valley is not particularly vast, stretching for about eight or nine miles, but the scenery is exceptionally beautiful, quite different from the desolate autumn outside.
The valley is warm and humid, as if it were a small world of its own.
The sky was a soft grayish-white, with no sun or moon in sight, but a uniform, faint light was falling. A light, misty drizzle fell silently, dampening clothes but not chilling; instead, it carried a moist, refreshing quality.
Most notably, the valley is mostly occupied by a crystal-clear, turquoise lake.
The lake is deep and bottomless, its surface smooth as a mirror, reflecting the hazy sky and the surrounding mountains. A light rain falls, creating ripples.
In the center of the lake stands a lush, vibrant island.
The island is covered with towering trees, mostly strange species whose names I don't know. Their lush foliage and verdant greenery create a tranquil landscape painting with the surrounding lake and distant mountains.
"What a blessed and tranquil place!"
An officer who had followed him in couldn't help but murmur in admiration, taking a deep breath and displaying a look of rapture on his face.
"The concentration of stellar energy here... is at least 50% higher than outside! If one can cultivate here long-term, their progress will definitely be several times faster!"
Everyone sensed it and confirmed it was true.
The celestial energy here is not only abundant but also exceptionally pure and gentle. Every breath brings a sense of tranquility and dispels much of the fatigue from days of travel.
"The most intense inspiration seems to be in the center of that island in the lake."
Liu Ruyan closed her eyes briefly to sense the situation, then opened her beautiful eyes and looked towards the island in the middle of the lake. A subtle, almost imperceptible fluctuation appeared in her clear, cold voice.
Yan Jun nodded; he had sensed it as well.
At the center of the island, a certain alluring aura emanated, remarkably similar to the "spiritual energy" that Xuan Tianyi had sensed through divination.
"Zhao Feng, Li Mo, Wang Hanshan!"
Yan Jun made arrangements swiftly and decisively, his voice calm and powerful.
"The three of you guard this entrance. If anything unusual occurs, whether it's fluctuations in the portal itself or changes in the outside world, immediately send an alert using the military signal arrows! No one else is permitted to approach the portal!"
"Yes, Captain! Don't worry!"
The three officers who were called upon solemnly accepted the order and immediately dispersed, taking up advantageous positions around the entrance. They drew their swords and vigilantly watched their surroundings, especially the slowly rotating entrance with its flowing light and shadow.
"The rest of you, follow me across the lake and onto the island to explore!"
His stern gaze swept over Xuan Tianyi, Liu Ruyan, and the other four elite officers at the peak of the Body Tempering Realm or above, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"This place may seem peaceful, but we must not let our guard down. In an unstable subspace, anything can happen. Stay close to me and be vigilant!"
"yes!"
The lake is wide, about 700 meters across.
For cultivators like them, who were at least at the peak of the Body Tempering Realm, crossing water was not a difficult task, but in this unknown secret lake, no one dared to be careless.
"Tianyi, your cultivation is still shallow. I'll take you there." Yan Jun looked at Xuan Tianyi.
Although the fourth level of Body Tempering grants strength far exceeding that of others of the same level, long-distance sprints and water walking still require skill and sufficient blood and qi support, inevitably affecting speed.
Xuan Tianyi didn't stand on ceremony and nodded, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Captain Yan."
Yan Jun reached out and grabbed Xuan Tianyi's arm.
Xuan Tianyi felt a powerful and gentle yet overwhelming stellar energy envelop him. The next moment, his body felt light, and he was carried by Yan Jun like an arrow shot towards the lake.
Although Star Sea Realm experts cannot fly, they can easily use water for short distances and leap across waves.
Yan Jun stepped onto the lake surface, each touch leaving only shallow ripples on the emerald green water, yet his figure had already covered more than ten zhang, moving as fast as the wind.
Liu Ruyan's approach was more graceful and agile. She lightly touched the lake surface with her toes, and her figure moved like a startled swan skimming the water. Her white clothes fluttered in the breeze, and the drizzle dampened her clothes without wetting them. She was like a fairy walking on the water, and her speed was no slower than Yan Jun's.
The other four officers also displayed their unique skills, some breaking through the water like fish, others walking on water with superb agility, closely following behind.
The group formed an arrow formation, with Yan Jun and Liu Ruyan in front, Xuan Tianyi in the middle, and four officers protecting the flanks and rear, cautiously yet rapidly approaching the island in the center of the lake.
The lake was calm and still, with only the soft patter of raindrops falling on its surface and the gentle splashing of people breaking the surface.
The emerald green lake water was bottomless, and occasionally a plump silver fish would leap out of the water, splashing water, and then disappear back into the depths. Everything seemed peaceful and serene.
However, just as they reached the depths of the lake, less than two hundred meters from the lush islet—
A sudden change has occurred!
"Splash—!!!"
Without warning, the lake surface about thirty meters in front of them suddenly exploded!
A terrifying black shadow, as thick as a bucket in diameter, burst out of the water, bringing with it a spray of white water, like a fountain erupting!
That was a giant python!
A giant python beyond human imagination!
The part of it that is above the water is nearly ten meters long, and its whole body is covered with palm-sized, jet-black, dense scales, but the edges of the scales are strangely marked with complex silver-blue, lightning-like patterns that shimmer with a cold, eerie light in the gray-white sunlight.
The menacing triangular snake head was raised high, its scarlet, lantern-like vertical pupils coldly and mercilessly locking onto the intruders. Its forked tongue hissed and flickered, and its gaping maw was large enough to swallow a calf. A stench and scorching heat, along with water vapor, rushed towards them!
"Starry Sea Realm monster! Be careful!"
Liu Ruyan's cold shout rang out immediately, and her long sword was already half a foot out of its sheath, its cold light gleaming.
Before the words were even finished, the Thunder-Patterned Python had already launched its attack!
It seemed extremely angry about the intrusion into its territory, especially the attempts to approach the island in the middle of the lake.
The enormous snake head, like a battering sledgehammer, carried a piercing sound and a foul stench as it moved with lightning speed, directly biting Yan Jun, who was at the forefront of the group and had the strongest aura, as well as Xuan Tianyi, who was being protected by Yan Jun!
"court death!"
Despite the danger, Yan Jun remained calm and shouted, grabbed Xuan Tianyi's arm and flung him to the side and back, throwing him steadily towards an officer behind him.
At the same time, his waist twisted strangely in mid-air, narrowly missing the gaping maw, the sharp, pungent wind making his cheek sting.
However, the Thunder Python's attacks were relentless, cunning, and ruthless!
When the first strike missed, the terrifying snake tail, as thick as a bucket and covered with silver-blue lightning patterns, had already silently emerged from the other side of the water. Like a giant steel whip, it tore through the water with immense force and lashed out at Liu Ruyan, whose figure was elusive and who was about to come to her aid!
If this blow lands, even metal and stone will be shattered!
At the same time, the water droplets that exploded all around it seemed to be drawn by an invisible force and did not fall naturally.
Instead, they suddenly transformed into countless incredibly sharp, pale blue water arrows with arrowheads gleaming with a cold light, emitting a piercing "whoosh" sound as they pierced the air, like a storm, raining down on the other four officers who were crossing the lake!
They've sealed off all their escape routes!
"Watch out for water jets!"
"Form a defensive formation!"
The four officers' expressions changed drastically. They shouted and circulated their star energy, either by surging their blood and qi, by throwing punches to block, or by gathering protective qi around their bodies.
However, this Thunder-Patterned Python is a Star Sea Realm demon beast with extraordinary talent, capable of controlling water and lightning. In this lake's home ground, its strength is further enhanced.
The water arrow was not only incredibly powerful and lightning fast, but it also contained highly penetrating water energy.
"Pfft! Pfft!"
A military officer at the peak of the Body Tempering Realm had his protective qi and blood instantly pierced by several water arrows. He screamed in agony as several bursts of blood erupted from his body, and his movements inevitably froze.
That fatal pause!
A cruel glint flashed in the crimson vertical pupils of the Thunder-Patterned Python. Its enormous head suddenly spun around at an incredible speed and angle, its blood-red maw opening wide, sending a stench through the air. With extreme speed, it bit the wounded and sluggish officer in the waist amidst the shocked and furious gazes of the crowd!
"Old Zhao!!"
"brute!"
The other three officers were filled with rage and grief, but they were overwhelmed by the relentless and powerful water jets, leaving them unable to protect themselves.
The adjutant, Wang, a first-level Star Sea Realm cultivator, fiercely shattered several water arrows, roaring with bloodshot eyes:
"Retreat! Retreat back to shore quickly! This beast is too strong!"
They no longer cared about landing on the island, desperately resisting the water arrow attacks, and retreated in a sorry state towards the edge of the valley they had come from.
The lake surface was churned into turbulent waves.
Upon seeing this, the three officers who remained on the shore immediately rushed forward to provide support. Their swords flashed, helping to deflect the water arrows. The five men joined together, leaning against the cliffs of the valley, and stood guard on the lakeside, keeping a close eye on the giant python churning in the lake to prevent it from coming ashore to attack.
In the blink of an eye, only Yan Jun, Liu Ruyan, and Xuan Tianyi, who had been thrown behind by Yan Jun and barely caught by an officer, remained on the lake.
The officer who caught Xuan Tianyi did not hesitate and pushed him back to Yan Jun's side, then quickly retreated to rejoin the team on the shore.
After successfully swallowing a peak Body Tempering Realm martial artist, the Thunder-Patterned Python became even more ferocious. Its scarlet vertical pupils were fixed on Yan Jun and Liu Ruyan, who were still on the lake surface, especially Xuan Tianyi, who was being instinctively protected by Yan Jun. It let out a sharp and piercing hiss, and its huge body thrashed violently in the lake, creating waves several meters high.
Yan Jun and Liu Ruyan stood on the water, their expressions extremely solemn.
Both of them sensed that the Thunder-Patterned Python's realm was at least at the fourth level of the Star Sea Realm, and possibly even at the peak of the fourth level!
What's more troublesome is that, as a strange beast, its physical body is naturally strong, its scales provide amazing defense, and it can control both water and lightning powers. In this lake's home ground, its true combat strength is absolutely comparable to a human cultivator at the fifth level of the Star Sea Realm, or even touching the threshold of the sixth level!
If it were a one-on-one fight, Yan Jun or Liu Ruyan might have been able to hold their own or even win with their experience and martial arts skills. However, at this moment, they had nowhere to use their strength in the lake and had to be distracted by their attacks on Xuan Tianyi and the others. They were immediately hampered and put at a disadvantage.
"We can't afford to linger! This beast has the advantage of terrain; dragging this out will be disadvantageous for us!"
With a sharp cry, Liu Ruyan drew her longsword completely, its blade as clear as an autumn lake, its cold light gleaming.
With a slight flick of her wrist, the sword light cascaded like mercury, instantly creating a dense sword net in front of her, pulverizing the giant waves and water arrows that attacked again.
"Let's get to the island first!"
Yan Jun understood that fighting this amphibious monster in the lake would be extremely disadvantageous.
He roared and advanced instead of retreating, throwing a punch. The powerful fist force transformed into a giant fist of pale golden energy that was visible to the naked eye, shattering the oncoming waves and opening a path.
At the same time, with his other hand, he made a grasping motion, using a gentle force to support Xuan Tianyi. Despite the increasingly ferocious attacks of the Thunder-Patterned Python, his figure moved like lightning, rapidly approaching the small island in the middle of the lake that was within reach.
Seeing that these three "little insects" not only did not flee, but dared to rush towards the lake island that it considered its own private property, the Thunder-Patterned Python was even more enraged, and lightning surged in its scarlet vertical pupils!
The intricate silver-blue patterns on its body suddenly shone with a blinding light, crackling and popping. Visible silver arcs of electricity danced and leaped across its jet-black scales, emanating a terrifying aura of destruction!
"roar--!!"
It let out an even louder, thunderous roar, and its massive body plunged into the water. The next moment, the undercurrents beneath the lake surged, and a huge shadow tore through the water at an alarming speed, crashing headlong into Yan Jun and his two companions!
At the same time, above its raised head, the moisture and lightning elements in the air converged wildly, instantly condensing into dozens of thumb-thick, winding, twisting silver lightning bolts, like the whip of Thor, accompanied by a piercing thunderous sound, and fiercely struck down towards the three of them!
The misty drizzle in the sky seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, transforming into icy yet incredibly flexible water chains that wrapped around the two from all directions, restricting their space to dodge!
In an instant, the lake was filled with wind and waves, lightning flashed, and water chains stretched across the sky!
A giant python charges, lightning strikes, and water chains entwine!
The attack was like a storm, completely engulfing the three of them!
Yan Jun and Liu Ruyan pushed their movement techniques to the limit, weaving and dodging through the storm of attacks, their figures becoming afterimages.
Yan Jun's punches were like dragons, fierce and domineering, shattering the entangling water chains with each blow. He used his powerful star energy to withstand the bolts of lightning, causing his blood to surge and his arms to go numb.
Liu Ruyan's sword flashed like a bolt of lightning, swift and agile. Wherever the sword passed, the water chains snapped and the lightning vanished, but the hem of her skirt was still torn by the aftershock of a sharp water blade, revealing her fair skin and making her look somewhat disheveled.
Despite their shock, the two remained calm and coordinated to cover Xuan Tianyi as they fought and retreated. Finally, before being surrounded, they narrowly broke through the last stretch of distance and stepped onto the damp soil at the edge of the island in the lake.
The moment Xuan Tianyi and his two companions stepped onto the island, their feet were covered in moist, soft soil and moss.
The island is small, only a few miles in length, but it is covered with ancient trees and vines hanging down like curtains, presenting a primitive and wild scene.
The air was filled with a rich moisture and the fragrance of grass and trees, and there was also a faint, special stellar energy fluctuation that made one's blood and energy subtly restless.
"The lightning-attribute stellar energy here... is so concentrated."
Liu Ruyan's beautiful eyes swept around, a hint of surprise in her clear, cold voice.
She could sense that the stellar energy here contained a purity of lightning power far exceeding that of the outside world, making it a blessed land for those who cultivate lightning-based techniques.
Yan Jun took a deep breath, and a look of solemnity mixed with a hint of joy appeared on his rugged face:
"Damn it, this godforsaken place is dangerous, but it's a real treasure trove. If I can cultivate here for a while, I might be able to reach the threshold of the sixth level of the Star Sea Realm."
He turned to look at Xuan Tianyi.
"Kid, which direction is the spiritual energy you sensed coming from?"
Xuan Tianyi did not answer immediately.
From the moment I set foot on this island, the "Thunder Seed Jade Token" deep within my consciousness, which evolved from the hexagrams of the I Ching, began to pulsate like the awakened core of a volcano, emitting a scorching and continuous throbbing.
A powerful attraction and call, like an invisible thread, firmly drew his senses toward the depths of the island.
He closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, confirming the guidance from the darkness once again. When he opened his eyes, his gaze was sharp and clear.
"Over here!"
With a low shout, Xuan Tianyi took the lead and sped off in the direction where he sensed the strongest power. His figure moved nimbly through the slippery forest, displaying a nimbleness that seemed inconsistent with his cultivation level.
Yan Jun and Liu Ruyan exchanged a glance and followed without hesitation.
Liu Ruyan, dressed in flowing white robes, lightly touched the slippery moss and exposed tree roots with her toes, like a startled swan. Although the long sword in her hand, as clear as autumn water, was not drawn, a cool starlight was already faintly flowing at the hilt.
With eyes as sharp as an eagle's, he constantly scanned the overly quiet dense forest around him, his senses fully activated, not missing a single abnormality.
Yan Jun was last, his burly body like a moving mountain, the massive "Mountain-Splitting" sword in his hand pointing diagonally at the ground.
Seemingly casual, his blood and energy were actually surging within him, like a volcano ready to erupt and unleash a thunderous strike at any moment.
His main focus was on what was behind him—the ever-approaching, heart-pounding roar like rolling thunder, and the almost tangible bloody wind and violent aura.
The three formed a triangular formation and sped through the thick tree trunks that required several people to encircle and the tangled vines.
The deeper one goes, the darker the environment becomes, with only some strange mosses and fungi emitting a faint glow, barely illuminating the way ahead.
The tiny electric arcs jumping in the air became more and more dense, making a soft "crackling" sound, and occasionally landing on the skin, bringing a slight tingling sensation.
"BOOM—!!!"
Behind them, the terrifying sounds of giant trees breaking and rocks flying everywhere were already approaching, like the footsteps of death, each step weighing heavily on the hearts of the three.
The Thunder-Patterned Python, at the fourth level of the Star Sea Realm, was clearly enraged. It had guarded this place for countless years and had long regarded this island, especially its core area, as an absolute forbidden zone that could not be violated.
Now that even ants dare to intrude and even try to lay a hand on the treasure it has guarded for so many years, this has undoubtedly touched its most sensitive nerve.
The violent, ferocious, and destructive aura was like a tangible tsunami, wave after wave, constantly crashing against the backs of the three people, making it difficult for them to breathe.
A foul-smelling gust of wind, carrying crumpled bits of grass and wood from the python's body, lashed out at us.
"Hurry! It's just ahead!"
Xuan Tianyi roared, his voice barely audible amidst the roar and howling wind, but his forward speed increased once again.
The Thunder Seed Jade Token in his sea of consciousness was so hot it was almost burning, and the call was extremely strong.
The three of them suddenly broke through a patch of exceptionally dense aerial roots and vines that cascaded down like a waterfall, and their vision suddenly opened up.
This is a clearing in the forest, about half the size of a football field, surrounded by several particularly large ancient trees.
The sight in the center of the open space made even the well-informed Yan Jun and Liu Ruyan's pupils shrink and their breath catch in their throats.
That place was not land, but a strange "spring" about ten feet in diameter.
What surges from the spring is not clear lake water, but a strange liquid as viscous as silver mercury, yet constantly bubbling and churning with bright electric sparks—thunder plasma!
Blinding silver-blue arcs of electricity leaped and exploded wildly within, emitting a continuous hissing sound. The air was filled with an intensely dense aura of lightning-attribute stellar energy, as well as an aura of destruction that sent shivers down one's spine.
Standing just a few feet away from the edge of the pool, one feels a slight tingling and numbness on the skin, and the hair moves on its own even without wind.
In the center of the Thunder Pool, a strange plant, about three feet tall and crystal clear, swayed gently with the surging thunderous liquid.
It has seven narrow, sword-like leaves, each displaying a deep purplish-blue color. Naturally growing on the leaves are mysterious and intricate silver-white lightning patterns, with liquid lightning seemingly flowing slowly within the veins, exuding an inner radiance.
At the center, surrounded by seven leaves, a small purplish-gold bud is about to bloom. Although it has not yet opened, it already exudes a unique and refreshing fragrance.
This fragrance miraculously neutralizes some of the violent aura emanating from Leichi, bringing a touch of coolness and vitality when inhaled, instantly invigorating the spirit.
"A Seven-Leaf Thunder Spirit Flower! And a Seven-Leaf Thunder Spirit Flower that's almost ripe!"