Silver-scaled Golden-caruncled Snake! . . .
Torchlight illuminated their way as they hurried toward the man who had cried out.
The man, his face contorted in agony, clutched a peculiar snake that radiated a faint, eerie glow. It was evident from his lifeless visage that he had succumbed to the snake's deadly venom.
Among the group, this man was only a Level Four Dream Origin Stage cultivator, considered one of the weaker members. Yet, his encounter with the snake had proven fatal, resulting in his immediate demise.
The snake in question was an enigmatic creature. Its body shimmered with silver scales, resembling crystalline facets. On its head, a golden caruncle gleamed. Both the man and the snake lay lifeless, casualties of their fatal encounter.
"Silver-scaled Golden-caruncled Snake!" Xiao Mufei's countenance shifted dramatically. He issued an urgent command, "Everyone, huddle together and inspect the ground beneath your feet. Swiftly!"
Even Cha Eun Xiao was stunned by the sight of this creature. The Silver-scaled Golden-caruncled Snake was notorious as the third most venomous beast in Qing-Yun Realm. It was shrouded in infamy, and its reputation was a testament to its deadly potential.
Decades earlier, someone had successfully extracted venom from this species and employed it to annihilate an entire family led by a Level Eight Dream Origin Stage cultivator. The tale of this gruesome act reverberated across the realm, marking the genesis of the Silver-scaled Golden-caruncled Snake's infamy.
To those beneath the Dao Origin Stage, it was a nightmarish entity.
As an eerie whistling sound began echoing from a distance, the forest soon teemed with a cacophony of serpentine movement. The sinister hissing sounds of countless Silver-scaled Golden-caruncled Snakes enveloped them, creating an ominous atmosphere.
These deadly creatures threatened to close in on them, obstructing any potential escape routes.
The fear among the group was palpable. The darkness of the forest offered minimal visibility, leaving them virtually blind to the encroaching peril.
Xiao Mufei's expression darkened as he contemplated their dire circumstances. He hadn't anticipated such ruthless tactics from their adversaries.
"Somebody is controlling these snakes. That whistling serves as their command," he remarked grimly. "This forest provides them with perfect cover, and manipulating these creatures is a highly effective form of attack. We are in a precarious situation..."
He gazed upward at the towering pine trees and sighed heavily.
Cha Eun Xiao recognized the conundrum they faced. While fire would be an ideal weapon against the Silver-scaled Golden-caruncled Snakes, igniting a blaze in the dark forest might lead to their own demise. Such a fire could swiftly consume the trees and snuff out their escape route.
Xiao Mufei grappled with the same dilemma, knowing that initiating a fire could be a double-edged sword.
Removing the trees would also mean severing their path of retreat, a risk that outweighed any potential benefits.
The group promptly took action. They cleared a circular area approximately three hundred meters wide, leaving not a blade of grass behind. Trees obstructing their view of the moonlight were severed and cast out.
As the tree trunks were removed, the moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting an eerie pallor across their ashen faces.
Beneath the moon's cold glow, they beheld a sea of Silver-scaled Golden-caruncled Snakes undulating around them. The incessant hissing emanating from the creatures filled the air, unsettling all who heard it.
Snakes perched in the trees, observing them with cold, predatory eyes. Some had coiled their bodies in readiness to strike.
"I fear there must be tens of thousands of these snakes surrounding us," Xiao Mufei uttered with a heavy heart. "Dark Pine Forest is their domain. No one dares provoke these snakes, not even Dao Origin Stage cultivators. No one would dare to draw them out of the forest. If they were to emerge, devastation would follow! Thousands of miles surrounding this area would be reduced to lifeless desolation. I selected this path in the hope that they would fear the snakes."
"But I never anticipated that they would employ the snakes against us. Their ruthlessness knows no bounds!"
Cha Eun Xiao's eyes gleamed with an idea. He suggested, "Elder Xiao, I know you possess exceptional skills in beast training. If they were capable of luring these snakes here, couldn't you use your expertise to drive them away?"
Xiao Mufei's expression contorted with pain as he responded, "They must have spent a considerable amount of time preparing for this. It's already too late for me to intervene. These snakes are drawn to the scent of humans. Once they catch that scent, they won't easily disperse..."
Even as they conversed, the first wave of snakes initiated their attack. The sinister hissing reverberated throughout the forest.
The men stationed at the periphery, though gripped by fear, wielded their swords with unwavering determination. They resisted the assaulting snakes with swords in hand, methodically severing them as the serpents lunged.
"Stay vigilant! Slicing them in half may not be enough. You must target their necks, seven inches from the head, ensuring you behead them. Don't leave any heads near your feet, as they could still bite you!" Xiao Mufei urgently cautioned his comrades.
Following his advice, the men swiftly examined the snake corpses on the ground. One of them noticed half a snake, its head still writhing and attempting to bite his foot. With a startled cry, he promptly kicked it away.
Fortunately, due to Xiao Mufei's guidance, no fatalities occurred.
The once shimmering silver waves had now coalesced into a glaring web. The Silver-scaled Golden-caruncled Snakes, after detecting the scent of blood, turned frenzied and accelerated their movements, exacerbating the perilous situation.
The sound of swords clashing with snakes filled the night. It was a formidable struggle, the hissing of snakes intermingled with the clattering of blades. The snakes, although small in size, possessed durable silver scales that were challenging to penetrate. The men had to infuse their spiritual energy into their swords to ensure they could decapitate the snakes.
Cha Eun Xiao was confident in his ability to dispatch one snake with a single sword strike. However, the sheer quantity of snakes besieging them presented a daunting challenge.