74: Chapter 74 The Snake and the Sparrow

It was another morning, the sun had already risen, and that large bird was still perched on the rock wall beside the medicinal garden.

When Ye Lingling emerged from the tent, it immediately flew down and landed before her, nuzzling the back of her hand with its head.

Ye Lingling smiled and stroked the top of its head; the large bird narrowed its eyes and made a cooing sound in its throat.

Xiao Wu poked her head out from behind, reaching out to touch the bird's wing. However, the bird instinctively thrust its beak forward, frightening Xiao Wu so much she jerked her hand back. Afterward, the bird tilted its head and looked at her with a hint of smugness in its eyes.

After breakfast, Bai Qi took out a map and unfolded it.

Having already been delayed for a day, Bai Qi decided to help Dugu Yan find her fourth spirit ring first today.

The group followed Bai Qi out of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, passing through the medicinal garden and entering the poison mist zone.

The Moonlight Cloud-Dwelling Sparrow did not follow. Ye Lingling glanced back and saw it still perched on the rock wall, curled into a silver-white ball; she smiled and then looked away.

They searched the Sunset Forest all morning but could not find a Spirit Beast suitable for Dugu Yan.

Bai Qi stood at the edge of a swamp, frowning. His Mental Energy covered the entire swamp, capturing the fluctuations of several Spirit Beasts, but none were suitable for Dugu Yan—either their age was too low or they did not match her attributes.

Dugu Yan leaned against a tree, listlessly fiddling with her Sleeve Arrows. Xiao Wu squatted on the ground out of boredom, poking ants with a twig, while Ning Rongrong sat on a rock rubbing her ankles. Meng Yiran was wiping her flying knives, and Zhu Zhuqing was resting with her eyes closed. Ye Lingling stood a little further away, occasionally glancing back toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Bai Qi spoke helplessly to the girls behind him.

“Let's go, we'll try another place.”

They searched for another two hours, but still found nothing.

The sun above had risen from the east to the zenith and had now slid from the zenith toward the west.

Dugu Yan's expression had become somewhat sour, but she said nothing.

By evening, the clouds on the horizon were dyed orange-red. They emerged from another swampy area into a sparse woodland. Bai Qi suddenly stopped and raised his hand to signal everyone to halt, making a gesture for silence.

He didn't speak, only pointing forward.

Everyone looked in the direction he pointed. Twenty zhang away, beneath a thick old locust tree, there was a snake and a bird.

The snake was nearly four zhang long and thicker than an adult's waist, coiled there like a purple-black mountain.

Each of its scales was the size of a palm, with edges shimmering with a cold, dark green light, reflecting a somber luster in the setting sun.

The snake's head was held high, its purplish-red tongue flicking in and out, its vertical pupils fixed intently on the tree canopy.

Curled up in the canopy was a large white bird. It had been nuzzling Ye Lingling's hand this morning, but now it was covered in blood.

There was a deep scratch at the base of its left wing. The feathers around the wound were matted with blood, the exposed flesh was torn, and a purple-black toxin was spreading along its blood vessels, already invading its chest. It no longer had the strength to fly, its golden eyes were half-closed, and its chest was heaving violently.

This snake was preying on the Moonlight Cloud-Dwelling Sparrow.

Ye Lingling's pupils shrank suddenly, and her Nine Heart Begonia instantly lit up. She took a step forward but was held back by Dugu Yan.

Bai Qi spoke.

“An eight-thousand-year Purple Phosphorus Green Brocade Snake. Its scales are extremely thick, and its poison mist is highly corrosive. The Moonlight Cloud-Dwelling Sparrow has been poisoned; it likely won't last much longer.”

He then glanced at Ye Lingling and said,

“Lingling, if you want to save it, you must kill the Purple Phosphorus Green Brocade Snake first.”

Ye Lingling bit her lip and nodded.

Dugu Yan, who had already established herself as the commander, quickly scanned the terrain and spoke in a low but clear and organized voice.

“Xiao Wu, distract the snake from the front, but don't let it entangle you. Zhuqing, cut in from the right and focus on the seven-inch spot; there's a light-colored scale there that is its weakest point. Yiran, aim your flying knives at the snake's mouth to prevent it from opening up to spray poison. Rongrong, support.”

Then, Dugu Yan looked at the panicked Ye Lingling.

“Lingling, use your Nine Heart Begonia and see if you can stabilize its injuries.”

Ye Lingling nodded.

“Go.”

Xiao Wu was the first to charge out. Her third Spirit Ability lit up.

She teleported above the snake's head, her Waist Bow erupting as she kicked down hard on the serpent's head.

The Purple Phosphorus Green Brocade Snake tilted its head to dodge, its tail sweeping across like a steel whip, carving a half-chi deep trench into the ground.

Xiao Wu used Teleportation to dodge again, but the edge of her clothes was caught by the residual poison mist from when the snake fought the Moonlight Cloud-Dwelling Sparrow, corroding a charred black hole into the fabric.

“The poison mist is corrosive! Don't touch it!” Xiao Wu shouted.

Zhu Zhuqing cut in from the right. Her third spirit ring lit up—Hell Decapitation. The dark purple light blade slashed against the snake's seven-inch scale; although it didn't hit the weakest spot, it left a mark.

Stung by the pain, the snake's head whipped toward her, spraying poison while its body coiled inward. Zhu Zhuqing was knocked flying, smashing into a large tree as blood leaked from the corner of her mouth.

Ning Rongrong's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda lit up.

“First: Strength! Second: Speed!”

Two pillars of light fell upon Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, and they quickly retreated.

Meng Yiran's flying knives shot toward the snake's mouth in an attempt to interrupt it. Although they accurately struck the mouth and the paralyzing toxin seeped in,

The Purple Phosphorus Green Brocade Snake ignored the paralysis and suddenly spat out a massive cloud of poison mist, shrouding the entire clearing in purple-black.

Dugu Yan released the Jade Phosphor Serpent, which materialized behind her. She gritted her teeth as golden-green poison mist erupted from the serpent's mouth, pushing back against the Purple Phosphorus Green Brocade Snake. The two clouds of poison mist collided in mid-air, but Dugu Yan's face turned pale.

Ye Lingling did not participate in the battle.

She stood on the periphery of the battlefield, the green light of the Nine Heart Begonia released at full power toward the large bird in the canopy. The green light passed through the poison mist and settled on the wound; the bleeding at the base of the left wing slowed, and the spread of the toxin was also delayed.

However, Ye Lingling's face was even paler than Dugu Yan's.

She could not purify the poison, only delay it. She didn't dare to stop; the light of the Nine Heart Begonia flickered erratically, and her tightly bitten lips turned white.

Meanwhile, the Purple Phosphorus Green Brocade Snake, which was losing the frontal confrontation against the Jade Phosphor Serpent, suddenly whipped its tail toward Dugu Yan.

Xiao Wu spotted the timing and activated Teleportation just as the tail was about to hit Dugu Yan.

She pulled her away from the spot. The tail slammed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

“Thanks.”

Dugu Yan replied, panting heavily.

“Kill it!”

Xiao Wu released her and charged forward once more.

Zhu Zhuqing scrambled up from the ground, wiped the blood from her lips, and shouted to Xiao Wu,

“Xiao Wu, help me pin its head down!”

Xiao Wu nodded and used several consecutive Teleportations to reach the top of the snake's head.

Fifth spirit ring: Soft Bones Lock.

She wrapped herself around the side of the snake's head, locking its upper jaw to prevent it from opening its mouth.

The Purple Phosphorus Green Brocade Snake thrashed its head wildly, its body rolling violently and smashing deep grooves into the ground.

Xiao Wu was tossed about, but the Soft Bones Lock only tightened. The rotation speed of the snake's head, already partially paralyzed, finally slowed down.

Zhu Zhuqing leapt up. Her third spirit ring was charged to its limit, and Hell Decapitation transformed into a dark purple light blade that was almost tangible, slashing fiercely into the snake's seven-inch scale.

The scale cracked, leaving an even deeper wound.

Blood flowed incessantly from the wound, but this was far from enough to make the Purple Phosphorus Green Brocade Snake lose its combat strength.

Stung by the pain, the Purple Phosphorus Green Brocade Snake let out a sharp hiss, its head and body thrashing more violently than ever before.

Xiao Wu was thrown directly away, crashing into a nearby large tree; the trunk snapped, and she fell to the ground with a muffled groan.

Zhu Zhuqing was still in mid-air. The snake's tail swept across, and with no place to gain leverage, she was struck solidly by the tail and sent flying over a dozen meters, crashing into the underbrush.

“Zhuqing!”

Ning Rongrong cried out.

But there was no response.

The Purple Phosphorus Green Brocade Snake turned to face them directly.

Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing had both fallen, and Dugu Yan's poison mist was nearly dissipated.

The Purple Phosphorus Green Brocade Snake reared its head, its purplish-red tongue flicking as it looked at the remaining people with the air of a victor.

Bai Qi stood in the distance with his arms crossed, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.