710: blacksnake

The night was as dark as ink.

Black Fire Town, once a stronghold of the Dead Spirit Race, now lay in ruins, welcoming three uninvited guests.

These three uninvited guests were all half-human, half-insect Dead Spirits, their Qi incredibly powerful, each having reached the Advanced Stage, their strength comparable to Nagu, the former Hunting Team Leader of Black Fire Town.

However, these three Dead Spirits were dressed differently from the Dead Spirits of Black Fire Town; their upper bodies were adorned with exquisitely crafted leather armor, and a dark black longsword emblem was emblazoned on their chests.

This longsword emblem signified their origin from Blade City, the Dead Spirit Race's stronghold guarding the Demon Beast Forest.

Upon arriving at the ruins, the three Dead Spirits closed their eyes, releasing their senses to thoroughly search every corner of the Black Fire Town ruins.

A moment later, the expressions of all three Dead Spirits turned incredibly grim.

"Nagu and Tara's auras have completely vanished; the entire town was slaughtered very cleanly."

The leader among them, a bearded Dead Spirit, spoke with immense anger: "The aura of the Nether Crystal has also disappeared."

"Not only that."

No sooner had the bearded Dead Spirit finished speaking than a companion beside him added: "The Guardian Array shows signs of having been activated, but for some reason, it didn't fully operate."

"I suspect the perpetrator's strength is formidable, at least Late Stage Eight, or even Peak Eight."

"At the moment of attack, they first killed Tara, who held control over the Guardian Array, then completed the slaughter of Black Fire Town in an extremely short time, utterly destroying the entire town."

This Dead Spirit's tone was extremely solemn, and as he spoke, he gravely looked at the bearded Dead Spirit: "This matter is beyond our ability to handle; it must be reported to the council, and stronger individuals must be dispatched."

"I know."

The bearded Dead Spirit nodded, his expression incredibly cold, his eyes filled with boiling killing intent.

"Black Fire Town is already the fourth town to be completely destroyed, and the perpetrators are growing stronger and stronger; the damned Human Race is becoming more and more arrogant."

He said coldly, his gaze sweeping over the corpses in the ruins, and he couldn't help but punch the ground, creating a large crater.

"What exactly is Lord Black Snake doing?"

Beside them, the Dead Spirit who had been silent all along couldn't help but complain angrily: "As this year's patrol officer dispatched by the city to inspect the Demon Beast Forest, Lord Black Snake possesses Peak Eight strength, yet four consecutive towns have been obliterated right under his nose, and he hasn't found a single clue about the culprit."

"And now that Black Fire Town has been destroyed, how is it that he, as the patrol officer, arrived even later than us?"

"I knew it, these outsiders aren't trustworthy!"

Upon hearing his words, the bearded Dead Spirit and the other Dead Spirit stiffened, glaring fiercely at him.

"Doron, some things you should just keep to yourself; don't speak them casually."

"Lord Black Snake is the patrol officer designated by the City Lord; you are questioning the City Lord's decision."

"If you want to die, fine, but don't drag us down with you."

The two Dead Spirits looked at their companion, Doron, with ill intent, their tone already tinged with alienation.

"I..."

Hearing their words, the Dead Spirit Doron's expression changed, and he was about to explain something.

However, just as he opened his mouth, a terrifying aura suddenly descended upon the area.

"You seem to have a lot of opinions about me?"

A hoarse, low voice echoed in the ears of the three Dead Spirits, and then the night rolled like a tide, and a terrifying behemoth emerged from within.

This was a ferocious black snake, its latter half hidden in the darkness, but the exposed front section alone exceeded twenty meters in length, and its single-horned head was as large as a house.

At this moment.

The black snake's emerald green eyes landed on the three Dead Spirits, making them feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, an indescribable chill rising in their hearts.

"Lord Black Snake?!"

"I, I, I... I absolutely have no dissatisfaction with you..."

The Dead Spirit Doron, who had complained earlier, felt an overwhelming malevolence engulf him, and he could barely speak coherently.

"Hehe!"

"Is that so?"

"I heard everything just now."

Hearing the Dead Spirit Doron's words, a hint of mockery flashed in the black snake's emerald green eyes, and it said hoarsely: "However, it's normal for you to have opinions, and what you said is not wrong; I, this outsider, am indeed not trustworthy."

"The destruction of these four towns of your Dead Spirit Race was intentionally allowed by me."

The black snake's enormous head extended in front of the three Dead Spirits, its emerald green eyes emitting a faint glow.

"Th-th-this..."

"Lord Black Snake, please don't tease us; this joke isn't funny at all!"

The three Dead Spirits' faces changed drastically, the bearded Dead Spirit at the head stammering, one hand instinctively reaching behind him.

There, a highest-level distress signal was tied.

However...

As soon as the bearded Dead Spirit's hand touched the distress signal, his body suddenly stiffened, unable to move even a single finger, as if under a petrification spell.

And beside him, the other two Dead Spirits were in the same state.

"If you think I'm joking, why are you reaching for the distress signal?"

The black snake looked at the stiffened three Dead Spirits with interest, its crimson tongue suddenly darting out, directly coiling around them.

"I hate hypocritical fellows the most!"

Amidst the low voice, the crimson tongue retracted, and the three Dead Spirits were instantly swallowed by the black snake.

Having done all this, the black snake's massive head turned, its emerald green eyes fixed on a dark area behind a large tree not far away.

"Cunning human, aren't you going to come out and give me an explanation?"

"Black Fire Town was not within our previously agreed-upon hunting range, and you acted without even giving me a heads-up..."

"Do you think I'm easy to deceive?"

As it spoke, the black snake's emerald green eyes flared with a surge of dark light, transforming into two substantial rays that shot out.

Boom!

The large tree was directly blasted into fragments, along with the surrounding tens of meters of vegetation being obliterated.

"Lord Black Snake, please calm down."

A young voice sounded from within the swirling dust, and then as the dust dissipated, a young man appeared in the original spot.

He was dressed in luxurious clothes, with a handsome appearance, his long hair bound by a golden crown, his aura extremely profound, and his body enveloped by a defensive shield emitting a faint golden light.

"Calm down?"

Upon seeing the faint golden defensive shield, a hint of apprehension flashed in the black snake's eyes, but then it said coldly: "Don't think that the treasure bestowed upon you by that old geezer can protect you completely."

"If I wish it, this thing cannot stop me!"

"I advise you to think carefully before speaking, otherwise, I don't mind tasting the Saint of Xuantian Holy Land."

As it spoke, dark light gathered in the black snake's eyes, leaving no doubt about its resolve; it could unleash a thunderous strike in the next second.