110: The mantis stalks the cicada

Gao De was like the most patient hunter, hiding behind a reef, his aura almost merging with the surrounding currents and rocks as he silently observed the two restless water demons in the reed marshes.

Time passed bit by bit, the afterglow of the setting sun dyeing the water surface a golden red, and the sound of the wind coming from Ghost Cry Gorge seemed to grow a few points more shrill.

Just as the sky was about to turn dark, the water surface deep within Ghost Cry Gorge suddenly fluctuated abnormally!

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The originally turbulent current seemed to be stirred by an invisible force, quickly forming a vortex about three zhang in diameter!

The center of the vortex did not suck water downwards; instead, it emitted a stable spatial fluctuation, faintly forming a whirlpool passage leading to an unknown place!

Almost simultaneously, the One-Horned Green Python and the Armored Giant Crab in the reed marshes snapped their heads up, their eyes exploding with a light of greed and excitement!

“The Restriction has opened! The passage has appeared!” the One-Horned Green Python hissed, its voice carrying an uncontrollable excitement.

“Quick! The passage won't last long!” The Armored Giant Crab waved its massive pincers and was the first to rush out of the reed marshes, diving headlong into the whirlpool passage.

The two demonic shadows plunged into the vortex without hesitation, vanishing instantly.

A sharp light flashed in Gao De's eyes!

“So that's where the entrance is!” He no longer hesitated, his figure sliding out from behind the reef like a ghost. He quietly activated the Thunder Shadow Shuttle Divine Ability and followed closely behind, plunging in at the moment the whirlpool passage began to shrink before it could stabilize.

The sensation of passing through the whirlpool passage was like undergoing a brief underwater teleportation, the surrounding scenery becoming a blur of distortion.

Once things stabilized, Gao De found himself inside a massive underground lake, just as he had previously speculated.

Up ahead, the One-Horned Green Python and the Armored Giant Crab were already locked in a fierce battle in the center of the lake. Their target was precisely the “gui water spirit pearl” on the stone platform, which was emitting pure water spirit energy and strange fluctuations!

The Two Demons fought inextricably, the lake water churning and demonic blood spreading.

Gao De dove into the underground lake, hiding behind a stalactite, his sharp gaze fixed on the battlefield at the lake's center.

He saw the One-Horned Green Python, named Green Edge, which had now coiled most of its snake body—compressed to ten zhang long—like a loaded spring. Its hideous snake head was held high, and the dark blue unicorn horn atop its head flickered with a dangerous light, continuously spitting out arrows of dark green venom that shot toward the Armored Giant Crab like a torrential rain.

When the venom touched the lake water, it immediately made a “chi-chi” corroding sound, and wisps of green smoke rose up; the toxicity was clearly extremely violent.

Its attacks were not blind; most of the venom arrows were aimed at the giant crab's joint connections, eye sockets, and other relatively weak defensive areas, attempting to overcome strength with skill and poison its opponent.

Meanwhile, the Armored Giant Crab, named Iron Pincer, displayed a steadiness and defensive power that belied its massive and clumsy appearance.

Its mountain-like body was firmly rooted to the lake bottom, and its thick carapace shimmered with a metallic black light. Facing the sky full of venom, it simply crossed its massive double pincers in front of its body as an earthy yellow halo surfaced on its carapace.

“Puff puff puff...” The venom arrows struck the halo and the carapace; most were deflected or blocked, with only a few leaving shallow corrosion marks on the carapace, failing to truly break its defense.

Iron Pincer's mung-bean-sized eyes flickered with a violent and ferocious light.

“Green-skinned worm! Is this the only tickling skill you have?” Iron Pincer let out a muffled laugh and, seizing a gap in Green Edge's round of attacks, violently swung its right pincer!

That meteor-like giant pincer carried the weight of ten thousand jun as it smashed ruthlessly toward where Green Edge was!

Before the pincer even arrived, the violent water pressure had already squeezed forward, causing that area of water to almost solidify.

Green Edge hissed, and its coiled snake body suddenly snapped open, as flexible as a ribbon in the water, narrowly avoiding this fatal blow.

The giant pincer smashed into the lake bottom, immediately shaking the earth and mountains, the silt churning as it smashed out a deep pit.

“You iron-shelled turtle! Let's see how long you can hold out!” After Green Edge avoided the blow, its snake tail whipped out like a steel lash, carrying a piercing sound of breaking water as it ruthlessly struck Iron Pincer's side carapace joint!

“Bang!” With a muffled thud, Iron Pincer's massive body was struck until it swayed slightly. Sparks flew from the carapace joint, and a tooth-aching grinding sound rang out.

Although it still failed to break the defense, the massive impact force clearly made Iron Pincer's internal organs feel unwell.

“Seeking death!” Stung by the pain, Iron Pincer roared, and its left pincer shot out like lightning—no longer smashing, but precisely snapping toward Green Edge's snake tail!

If this snap landed solidly, it would be enough to sever Green Edge's tail!

Green Edge reacted extremely quickly, its snake body twisting strangely. Its snake tail slipped away from the pincer's mouth like a slippery loach, perilously close. At the same time, it turned back with another concentrated burst of venom, shooting straight at Iron Pincer's compound eyes, which were slightly open due to the attack!

Iron Pincer hurriedly closed its eyes and turned its head. The venom grazed its eyelid and flew past, causing a small piece of carapace nearby to sizzle with corrosion, scaring it into a cold sweat.

The Two Demons traded blows, each displaying their Divine Abilities.

Green Edge relied on its speed, flexibility, and lethal poison to constantly maneuver, harass, and look for openings; Iron Pincer relied on its unparalleled defense and terrifying strength, fighting steadily with every attack being heavy and powerful, striving for a one-hit kill.

The lake water was turned upside down by them, with surging undercurrents and rolling bubbles.

Green Edge had several bruises where it had been grazed by the pincer's wind, its scales shattered and seeping blood.

Iron Pincer's carapace was also covered in spots of venom corrosion and cracks from the snake tail's strikes. One eye area was even swollen, affecting its vision.

The battle entered a white-hot stage; both sides had consumed massive amounts of Demonic Power, and their auras began to turn erratic.

Green Edge made a lunging bite but was blocked by Iron Pincer's giant pincer, its fangs scraping a string of sparks on the pincer. Iron Pincer took the opportunity to sweep its other pincer, heavily smashing it into Green Edge's waist!

“Puff!” Green Edge hissed in pain as a large area of scales shattered. Its snake body was smashed and thrown to one side, its demonic blood instantly dyeing a patch of water red.

Iron Pincer was not doing well either; to land the heavy blow on Green Edge, it had left its defenses wide open. Green Edge took the opportunity to coil around it, its snake body tightly constricting one of the giant pincer's joints, its fangs ruthlessly biting into the soft flesh at the joint connection!

“Roar!” Iron Pincer let out a pained roar, frantically shaking the entangled pincer while its other pincer smashed wildly at Green Edge's body.

The Two Demons were completely entangled, falling into the most tragic stage of a contest of strength. Demonic blood continued to spread as they both viewed the other as an opponent to be faced with full effort, no longer having eyes for the gui water spirit pearl floating on the stone platform.

Gao De observed calmly, waiting for the opportunity. Just as the Two Demons had a violent clash, both injured and with erratic auras—

Suppressing Prison!

An invisible, heavy force field instantly enveloped the entire underground lake!

The green python and the giant crab felt as if they were bound by countless invisible chains and pressed down by a ten-thousand-foot mountain. Their movements instantly froze, their Demonic Power failed to circulate smoothly, and their eyes simultaneously showed looks of horror!

Gao De's figure appeared on the stone platform like a ghost, easily taking the gui water spirit pearl.

He turned around, his cold gaze sweeping over the Two Demons struggling with difficulty in the Domain. The powerful pressure of a Third Order Mid-Stage, mixed with the aura of a Flood Dragon, surged toward them like a tide.

“Submit, or die.”

Simple and direct, brook no question.

The One-Horned Green Python and the Armored Giant Crab felt the absolute gap in strength and the powerful suppression of the Dragon Clan Bloodline. Bound by this strange suppressing Divine Ability, the bit of luck and greed in their hearts was instantly drowned by the fear of death.

They did not doubt for a moment that if they dared to say “no,” they would be decapitated in the next instant.

“Lord, spare my life! I am willing to submit!” the One-Horned Green Python was the first to hiss for mercy, with difficulty lowering its head.

“This small one... this small one is also willing to submit! I beg the Lord to take me in!” the Armored Giant Crab also shouted in its muffled voice, giving up its resistance.

If it were another Yao Race or a human, they wouldn't have been willing to surrender like this even if they had to fight to the death, but facing the Dragon Clan, it was different.

“Open your minds, do not resist,” Gao De said coldly. He performed a “Soul-Binding Seal” secret technique he had found in the Dragon Clan's Legacy memories, specifically used for controlling Yao Beasts.

Two profound runes carrying his Essence Blood and Divine Thought flew from his fingertips, instantly sinking into the Two Demons' foreheads.

The python and the crab's bodies trembled as they felt a portion of their own souls bound by the runes, establishing a master-servant connection with Gao De.

Gao De only needed a single thought to detonate the runes and destroy their forms and spirits. With their lives in someone else's hands, the Two Demons became completely well-behaved, their eyes filled only with awe and obedience.

Gao De withdrew the “Suppressing Prison” Divine Ability. The Two Demons immediately slumped into the water, panting heavily. Then they hurriedly struggled to rise and bowed respectfully to Gao De: “Greetings, Master!”

“You Two Demons shall follow this King from now on and await my orders. If you have any treacherous intentions, your forms and spirits shall be destroyed,” Gao De said indifferently.

“Your subordinates wouldn't dare! We swear deathly loyalty to Master!” the Two Demons responded in unison, not daring to be the least bit negligent.

After all, their lives were already held in another's hand; where was there any chance for resistance?

Gao De nodded slightly.

Taking in these two Third Order Early Stage local bullies would be of great benefit to his exploration of Yunmeng Marsh.

They were far more familiar with this place than he, a newcomer. They could serve as guides and scouts. This One-Horned Green Python and Armored Giant Crab had become his new pair of guardians.