163: Anaconda

"I've found traces. They're very fresh; it passed through here not long ago and might even still be lingering nearby," Gao De transmitted via Divine Thought.

"It's cautious, using its innate illusion techniques to hide its true tracks, but it can't hide from my [Heaven-Confusing Illusionary Mist]'s perception of the mist's essence."

"Iron Pincer, take half the men and set up a simplified 'Dragon Locking Forbidden Domain' Formation centered here. The range can be larger; we don't need to fully trap it, just ensure it creates interference and alerts us if triggered."

"Green Edge, take your men and follow me forward. Pay close attention to sensing the slightest 'dissonance' within the water veins and the mist."

The team split up and moved out silently.

Iron Pincer led his team like ghosts through the mist, quietly fanning out and inserting miniature Formation Flags into key water vein nodes or beneath the mud.

Gao De and Green Edge moved even more quietly and cautiously toward the depths of the dissonant mist.

The tracking became an ultimate contest of patience and perception.

This water boa was clearly extremely skilled at utilizing the environment. Its tracks were intermittent, sometimes merging into the mist and vanishing without a trace, and at other times leaving behind almost imperceptible traces of faint dragon prestige and illusionary remnants elsewhere, as if it were searching for something.

Relying on the resonance of the [Heaven-Confusing Illusionary Mist] and his unique sensing of the Dragon Clan Bloodline, Gao De pieced together its trajectory like the most experienced hound, thread by thread.

Finally, after bypassing a boiling swamp pool that emitted a pungent sulfur smell, the scene ahead suddenly changed.

It was a black swamp surrounded by a forest of tall, twisted, dead bald cypresses. In the center of the swamp was a small, relatively dry 'island' covered in dark green moss.

On the island, a mass of gray-white mist, so dense it was almost liquid, sat quietly, writhing slowly as if it possessed life.

Within the mist, a long, elegant, and massive black shadow could be seen vaguely, lying in wait. The cloud-like patterns on its body flickered in and out of view within the mist, and the Chi Dragon Bloodline aura it emitted was several times purer and denser than any remnants found along the way!

"Found its lair, or rather, a temporary resting spot." Gao De's spirits rose, but he did not approach recklessly.

He carefully observed the writhing mist. That was the illusionary mist released by the water boa itself, perfectly integrated with the surrounding environment to form an extremely strong visual and perceptual deception.

Had he not also been an expert in this path and guided by his Bloodline sensing, he wouldn't have discovered it at all.

"It's resting, or perhaps digesting something... its aura is steady, with a hint of satisfaction." Gao De judged. "Iron Pincer, how is the placement of the Formation Flags on your end?"

"My Lord, three outer layers of the simplified 'Dragon Locking Forbidden Domain' have been set up, covering the directions it might use to flee," Iron Pincer replied.

"Good." A sharp glint flashed in Gao De's eyes. "Green Edge, prepare the strongest strike of the 'poison fang Dragon Slaughtering Formation' and strike with me."

"No need for testing this time. Directly use the 'Dragon Slaughtering Bone-Piercing Nail' in coordination with the 'dragon locking blood forbidden talisman' to attack its seven-inch reverse scale! It excels at illusionary concealment, so its Physical Body's defense and strength might not be exceptionally strong. We will use thunderous momentum to break its illusions and strike its vitals!"

"Understood!"

The team quietly closed in again, and the battle Formation re-solidified its attack posture under the cover of the thick fog.

Gao De personally controlled the [Heaven-Confusing Illusionary Mist], beginning to extremely slowly and subtly permeate, erode, and assimilate the layer of illusionary mist surrounding the water boa's lair. Without alerting the target, he quietly weakened its illusionary effects and opened a hidden path for their attack.

Simultaneously, several 'Dragon Slaughtering Bone-Piercing Nails' and 'dragon locking blood forbidden talismans' were distributed to the members of the attack squad.

Time slipped away quietly in the oppressive silence.

When Gao De felt his erosion of that illusionary mist reach a critical point, and the water boa in the lair seemed to have its vigilance drop to the lowest due to its post-meal lethargy—

"Now! Do it!"

Gao De suddenly withdrew his assimilation and suppression of the water boa's mist. Instead, he let his [Heaven-Confusing Illusionary Mist] erupt with full force, instantly taking over and disrupting the mist around the lair, causing the water boa's illusionary effect to suffer a moment of violent fluctuation and collapse!

At the same time, the 'poison fang' squad led by Green Edge launched their sudden attack! The power of the battle Formation merged with the Purple Lightning Thunder Aura Gao De had struck out beforehand. Several highly condensed attacks, carrying the shot-out 'Dragon Slaughtering Bone-Piercing Nails' and the instantly activated 'dragon locking blood forbidden talismans'—which transformed into invisible chains—were like streaks of death-light tearing through the gray screen. They shot with incomparable precision toward a slightly lighter-colored, subtly upturned scale on the long body of the water boa revealed after the mist's collapse—the seven-inch reverse scale!

"Hiss—!!!"

A sharp, furious, and pain-filled hiss suddenly pierced the silence of the mist-covered marsh!

The Cloud-Patterned Water Boa's long body snapped upward, churning the mist across the sky!

It clearly hadn't expected to suffer such a hidden and lethal ambush in its own illusionary home field! The power of the 'dragon locking blood forbidden talisman' caused the thin Chi Dragon Bloodline within its body to fall into chaos, making its Demonic Power flow sluggishly.

The 'Dragon Slaughtering Bone-Piercing Nails' were even more firmly embedded into the gaps of the reverse scale, as Gengjin Thunder Baleful Qi and toxins wreaked havoc within!

But it was a third-rank Yao Beast, after all, and possessed unique innate talents.

Despite such heavy injuries, it did not panic. As its body thrashed violently, the mist around it suddenly became as thick as a solid substance and rapidly exploded outward!

This was no ordinary mist, but a Divine Ability called 'Mirage Cloud Miasma' that contained strong hallucinogenic and Mental Energy-eroding properties!

In an instant, Gao De felt the scene before his eyes twist crazily. The surrounding dead trees, swamp, and mist all seemed to come alive, baring fangs and claws. Countless enchanting, illusory sounds rang in his ears, attempting to dismantle his Battle Intent and perception.

Even the battle Formation's link was strongly interfered with, and the team members experienced a moment of trance and confusion.

"Trivial tricks!" Gao De snorted coldly, and the prototype of the [Prison Suppressing Thunder Domain] suddenly expanded with him as the center!

Although the range wasn't large, the unique power of that Purple Lightning Thunder Aura to dispel evil, suppress souls, and stagnate space erupted suddenly!

"Crackle—!"

The illusory Mirage Cloud Miasma was like it had met its nemesis, boiling and dissolving violently within the thunder domain! The battle Formation members' spirits were lifted, and they instantly broke free from the influence of the illusions.

"It wants to use the mist to escape! Iron Pincer, activate the forbidden domain! Green Edge, pin it down!" Gao De shouted. His figure shot out like a bolt of lightning, lunging straight for the water boa, which was slightly sluggish within the thunder domain and about to twist its body into the nearby swamp!

"Buzz—!"

The simplified 'Dragon Locking Forbidden Domain' set up on the periphery was activated. Although its power wasn't enough to completely imprison the target, the resulting interference field still caused the water boa's figure to stall, interrupting its escape technique.

The battle Formation attack led by Green Edge followed like a shadow, biting hard into the water boa's injured seven-inch area and continuously widening the wound. Iron Pincer's team also flanked from the side, their battle Formation turning into a binding lock that restricted the movement of its massive body.

Gao De personally joined the fray. As he swung his war halberd, Purple Lightning chains crisscrossed, repeatedly striking the water boa's body, destroying its illusionary Foundation and eroding its demonic soul.

The outcome of this battle was destined from the very beginning.

Having lost its illusionary home-field advantage and suffered a heavy ambush on its vitals, the Cloud-Patterned Water Boa, despite its unique talents, quickly met its demise under Gao De's targeted tactics and absolute suppression of strength.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the long snake body slumped powerlessly by the muddy swamp, and those originally agile and cunning vertical pupils lost all their luster.

Gao De stepped forward, devouring its soul essence and that thin but cold and pure Chi Dragon Bloodline.

A cool, ethereal power with a natural affinity for clouds and water vapor surged into his body, quickly merging with his Purple Lightning Flood Dragon Bloodline and transforming into dense Bloodline Power.

He clearly felt his control over the [Heaven-Confusing Illusionary Mist] rise by a level. The generation, transformation, and deception of the mist, and even its integration with the aquatic environment, became more effortless. He even vaguely touched the edge of 'turning mist into a domain.'

At the same time, the [Hidden Scale Concealing Scenery] Divine Ability seemed to have received a bit of replenishment, making his 'compatibility' with the surrounding environment even higher when hidden.

"Bloodline concentration increased by about 2%... the power and range of [Heaven-Confusing Illusionary Mist] have significantly enhanced, and [Hidden Scale Concealing Scenery] has improved slightly. Chi Dragons belong to the clouds and mist; they truly are of great benefit to these kinds of Divine Abilities." Gao De appreciated his changes with satisfaction.

Quickly clearing the battlefield and taking the valuable parts from the water boa's body, the team once again vanished into the thick fog of the Thousand Illusions as if they had never appeared.

Less than half a day after they left, several powerful Divine Senses and figures swept across this area one after another. They lingered briefly to investigate the remaining faint combat traces and dragon blood aura. However, faced with this naturally chaotic environment and a scene that had been carefully handled, they ultimately failed to find more clues and could only depart in confusion or frustration.