84: Chapter 84 The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind?

"Earth Dog, stop drooling for a moment. Sniff around and see if that Xiang Tian and his Sha Jin Wolf are nearby."

Feeling a warm sensation against his palm, Qin Ding gently stroked the back of the Sha Jin Wolf's neck.

The Sha Jin Wolf, which had been uncontrollably tempted by the Dragon Blood Black Gold Fruit, calmed down instantly, causing Cui Yan, who was watching from the side, to marvel.

"Your beast companion seems almost too obedient. How do you manage that?"

However, Qin Ding ignored her and instead focused on the Earth Dog's actions.

The Sha Jin Wolf pressed its nose close to the muddy water surface, beginning to frantically capture scent molecules in the air current.

"Woo..."

[Boss, he's here. The scent is covered by the smell of mud and rotten leaves, so I can't pinpoint the exact location, but he's definitely soaking in this stinky mud pit just like us.]

Qin Ding frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping across the deathly silent swamp like a hawk.

Aside from the occasional bubble rising to the surface, he found nothing.

"He hid..."

Qin Ding muttered, his eyes revealing a hint of confusion. "Why would he hide instead of picking the spirit object?"

"Qin Ding, listen."

At this moment, Cui Yan suddenly lowered her voice. "Do you hear any strange sounds?"

Hearing this, Qin Ding held his breath and focused.

Gurgle, gurgle, ping, pang, gurgle...

Besides the muffled sound of bubbles rising from the swamp, there was also a faint yet harsh friction sound, like metal grinding and colliding against metal.

"There's a guardian spirit beast. It's waiting for the Black Gold Fruit to fully ripen."

Realizing this, Qin Ding narrowed his eyes and locked his gaze onto the grayish-black Black Gold Fruit tree, a cold sneer forming. "So that's it..."

"Xiang Tian arrived before us. He saw what was near the Black Gold Fruit tree, and now he wants us to go first so he can reap the benefits. No wonder my Earth Dog could smell him nearby."

Cui Yan clicked her tongue in annoyance, the Red Chain Snake wriggling restlessly at her waist. "Doesn't that put us at a complete disadvantage? He's hiding in the shadows, and your wolf can't smell him. He might even be watching us like a show right now."

Qin Ding didn't respond, simply staring quietly at the roots of the tree.

In a place that looked like nothing more than a pile of mud to ordinary people, a clear Life Records appeared in his vision.

[Spirit Beast: Golden Underworld Python]

[Potential: Good]

[Element: Metal]

[Level: 20 (High-Tier)]

[Abilities: Golden Scale Hardening (Passive), Gold Devouring Digestion, Stubborn Stone Body]

[Bloodline: Serpent (98%), Dragon (2%)]

[Description: A relatively rare Metal-element serpent, usually living underground and in places rich in Metal-element energy. Its scales are hard, its body is massive, and it possesses immense strength. Its only flaw is a lack of long-range attack capabilities, making it a spirit beast of high cultivation value.]

"As expected..."

Qin Ding's heart sank. This big guy was coiled under the tree with most of its body buried beneath the swamp mud; only a few scales were exposed. No wonder his Earth Dog hadn't detected the giant snake.

"We need to take the initiative," Qin Ding said abruptly.

"Do you need my help?" Cui Yan asked instinctively, a hint of stubbornness in her eyes.

She was somewhat unwilling to accept being unable to help at all; she truly felt like a burden.

Qin Ding turned his head, looked her up and down, and frowned even deeper. "Help me? Are you sure?"

This young lady, whose Mental Energy was at Tier 1, causing her beast taming level to be stuck at Level 11 for fear of further advancement, actually had such audacity.

Originally, he had even prepared to give up the reward as hush money just to avoid her dying here...

Wait, or was it... that she actually wanted to kill Xiang Tian too? Did the two of them already have an old grudge?

Qin Ding's eyes flickered, and he decided to test her.

"The guardian spirit beast I found isn't something you can participate in. You just need to help me keep an eye on Xiang Tian and make sure he doesn't succeed in a sneak attack. Also, don't die."

Cui Yan: ...

Her fists clenched until they creaked. Is this how you comfort someone before a fight?

No 'be careful', no 'pay attention', just a cold "It's not something you can handle" and "Don't die"?

Cui Yan, who had never been looked down upon like this since she was a child, felt her composure crumble for a moment. But she couldn't refute it; Qin Ding's Tier 2 Mental Energy was there, and his beast taming level was also there—this was a chasm of strength.

Seeing that Cui Yan did not refute or refuse, Qin Ding remained expressionless, though he was inwardly surprised.

She really wanted to kill Xiang Tian too? There really was an old grudge. It coincided with his own intentions.

With this thought, Qin Ding decisively vaulted onto the wolf's back, looking down at her. "If you really want to help, wait for the right moment. Don't push yourself."

"Earth Dog, go!"

The man and the wolf no longer hid. The Sha Jin Wolf exerted force with its four limbs, trampling through the mud and charging out violently.

Watching that figure speed away, the phrase 'don't die' echoed in Cui Yan's mind, making her grit her teeth in anger. "Bastard, is this guy made of steel? Can't he be a more tactful?"

However, when she looked back at the center of the battlefield, her pupils suddenly contracted.

Boom!

The swamp mud surged to both sides as a massive triangular snake head broke through the water. The snake scales on its body, emitting a dark golden luster, were less like scales and more like some kind of dark gold metal, reflecting a cold sheen under the light.

The Golden Underworld Python's dark golden vertical pupils stared fixedly at the Sha Jin Wolf beneath Qin Ding, while also scanning the long spear in Qin Ding's hand.

Both the wolf and the spear gave it a significant sense of threat.

"A wolf less than three meters long charging at a Metal-element giant python that's about fifteen meters long?!"

Hiding in the shadows, Cui Yan, upon seeing the enemy revealed, was shocked by Qin Ding's continued boldness, her eyes widening in disbelief. "He clearly sees it, yet he still dares to charge forward? Does he really have the confidence to kill it?"

In that instant, she suddenly understood why Qin Ding's way of speaking was devoid of emotion.

Because he himself was the type to risk his life!

"Never mind that, paying attention to Xiang Tian at all times is what I should be doing right now."

"Qin Ding said earlier that Xiang Tian wants to kill him? In other words, if I keep a close eye on Qin Ding, will that be enough?"

Cui Yan forced herself to calm down, the Red Chain Snake sliding out from her sleeve, ready to strike at any moment.

"Hiss!"

The Golden Underworld Python let out a harsh screech. Its snake tail, as thick as a stone pillar, rose violently, whipping toward Qin Ding on the wolf's back with a sharp whistle that tore through the air.

"Earth Dog, crouch."

As Qin Ding shouted, he hung off the side of the Sha Jin Wolf, and the running Sha Jin Wolf also lowered its body.

The next second, he witnessed the snake tail sweep over the wolf's back. In that instant, even the mud whipped up by the force of the snake tail carried a heavy weight.

After the snake tail missed, Qin Ding immediately adjusted his posture to sit back on the wolf's back and shouted.

"Jump!"

"Awoo!"

The Sha Jin Wolf seized this brief gap, its muscles bulging and sharp claws extending, using the momentum of its charge to violently pounce toward the snake tail that had missed its mark.

Clang~ Puchi.

A sound of metal clashing rang out for an instant, for in the second after contact, the Sha Jin Wolf's Gold-Breaking Claw easily pierced the Golden Underworld Python's tail scales.

The flesh beneath the scales shattered, and bright red, viscous snake blood instantly flowed out.

"Sss-hiss!"

The Golden Underworld Python felt the pain, its massive body writhing wildly. Its snake head struck out like lightning, and its body coiled and spiraled, attempting to entangle and crush the man and wolf hanging onto its tail.

Seeing that he had successfully gotten onto the Golden Underworld Python, Qin Ding glanced at the python's movements and quickly stood up on the wolf's back. Just as it opened its mouth to bite him, he jumped without a moment's hesitation.

"Earth Dog, jump separately!"

Man and wolf, one to the left and one to the right, with Qin Ding in the lead, jumped one after the other.

Splash~

The snake head missed and slammed heavily into the mud swamp, splashing up muddy water seven or eight meters high.

Qin Ding hovered in mid-air, looking down from above. He held the spear with both hands, his entire body hanging on the shaft, with all his gravity and momentum concentrated on the tip of the spear.

Just as the Golden Underworld Python was re-emerging its head from the mud, an overwhelming chill inexplicably enveloped it and quickly spread throughout its entire body.

"Pierce!"

In an instant, a cold gleam appeared.

The spear tip pierced accurately into the top of the Golden Underworld Python's head. The entire space echoed with a harsh sound of clashing metal. The scales on the Golden Underworld Python's head were instantly pierced, and blood spilled everywhere.

But Qin Ding, who was still hanging on the spear shaft and had pierced through the skulls of spirit beasts more than once, felt his pupils contract.

The feeling was wrong; the spear blade hadn't pierced through!

The feedback made Qin Ding's heart sink. Before he could let go, the Golden Underworld Python, in intense pain, violently shook its head, and the terrifying force instantly flung Qin Ding and the spear away.

He was smashed into a distant mud pool like a cannonball.