This scene left the father and son of the Lin family frightened on the sidelines.
While the Black Python had indeed helped them dispose of a great enemy, it was its sheer brutality, not just in terms of strength, but also, even more so, psychologically, that was unsettling.
This Python could potentially be psychologically twisted.
"Roar roar roar..."
The strong smell of blood attracted many ferocious beasts from the surrounding mountains. They swarmed from all corners like a tide, including the beasts on the ground and birds flying in the sky.
To these beasts, the flesh and blood of the cultivators were one of the most nourishing meals in the world.
Such commotion immediately alerted Lin Meng and others. However, before they could react like facing a tremendous enemy, the beasts which had initially swarmed in, scattered as if they had encountered a terrifying creature.
Knowing that all the commotion was caused by the Giant Python, they would certainly not come over.
Whether to have one meal or keep having meals, they know how to choose clearly.
"Hiss hiss hiss..."
The Black Python was quite satisfied with the reactions of the beasts. While they disturbed it, they indeed made it look good in front of the humans.
Twisting its body, the Giant Python swiftly crawled in front of Lin Meng.
Then, it opened its wide, bloody mouth under Lin Meng's frightened gaze and spit out a plant covered in stickiness.
Lin Meng licked his lips, glanced at the herb, glanced at the Giant Python, and gingerly picked up the plant from the ground under the watchful eyes of the Python.
Upon picking up, he could not smell the fragrance of the herb, but the stench was evident.
By the time he lifted his head, the Black Python had disappeared from their view.
"Father, is it just me, or is this all a bit eerie?"
Once the silhouette of the Giant Python finally disappeared from their view, Lin Chen looked around at the horrific scene, glanced at the plant-like herb in Lin Meng's hand that he picked up, and finally spoke after a pause.
Lin Meng did not reply, but the shock in his eyes was just as great as Lin Chen's.
...
It was evening by the time Lin Meng and the others returned home.
Bearing witness to her eldest son's current state, Lin Zhuang's mother, Mrs. Zhang, began to cry inconsolably.
Lin Meng roughly explained the situation, not mentioning Huo Long nor the Giant Python.
He did not know how to elucidate either of these two factors.
That night.
Lin Meng and his wife had a deep talk.
"Wife, I am planning to take our eldest son up the mountain in a few days!" After a long time, Lin Meng spoke first.
"Up the mountain? Are you out of your mind? Our eldest son hasn't even recovered, and the road to the mountain is so rough, aren't you afraid that his injuries will worsen?" Mrs. Zhang, Lin Meng's wife, worriedly reproached. She couldn't help but feel heartache remembering Lin Zhuang's tragic condition.
Years have passed, and the lady's temples have turned gray. Even wrinkles have appeared on her forehead, making it hard to associate her current self with the smart, pretty girl of her youth.
"Wife, have you ever heard about the Lord Willow God?" Lin Meng did not answer directly but turned and whispered into his wife, Mrs. Lin's ear.
"We are together almost every day. When have I heard about the Lord Willow God? Why are you suddenly asking this?" Mrs. Lin frowned and wondered.
Although there were many trees in the vicinity, there weren't any willows. After living here for so many years, her husband should know this.
"Husband, tell me quickly, are you hiding something from me?" Mrs. Zhang asked angrily.
"Wife, do you know who we met this time?" Lin Meng sighed, hesitated for a moment, and decided to reveal everything that happened today.
"Didn't you say it already? We met some tribesmen from the Fire Tribe." Mrs. Zhang looked at Lin Meng, puzzled by why his tone was so strange considering this fact was completely unrelated to the previous question.
"It was Huo Long."
"Thud..."
As soon as Lin Meng finished speaking, the beast skin robe that Mrs. Zhang was sewing slipped out of her hands and fell to the ground.
Fear crossed the woman's face: "Huo Long actually...came?"
"To be accurate, he came, but he is also dead." Lin Meng shrugged his shoulders.
"He came and then he died? What do you mean by that?" Mrs. Zhang wore a puzzled expression.
"Huo Long was very powerful, just as terrible as in the past. With a wave of his hands, he could muster the strength of a hundred thousand pounds. Our son was injured by him. But Zhuang'er's strength caught me off guard, he fought with Huo Long for a long time before he lost." Lin Meng licked his lips.
Although he didn't want to admit it, he had to say that his eldest son was much stronger than he was.
"Damn Huo Long, not only did he destroy our tribe but also grievously injured our Zhuang'er." Mrs. Zhang trembled with anger as she thought of Lin Zhuang's condition and couldn't help but wipe away her tears.
Her unfortunate son was so badly wounded, even though he was lucky to survive, who knew if he'd have any lasting damage?!
However, after sobbing for a while, Mrs. Zhang recognized something unusual.
Huo Long was a powerful being of the Cave Heaven Realm. He had stepped into the Cultivation Second Realm, single-handedly annihilated the entire tribe back then, The clan leader could not compete at all, he was torn apart alive and his flesh and blood fed to a large Tiger.
Zhuang'er was only twenty years old this year, and he had never undergone the Beast Blood Bath Body Refining process. How could he go head to head with Huo Long? And still survive.
But before Mrs. Zhang had a chance to speak, Lin Meng noticed the confusion of his wife. He quickly said, "Wife, I know you're confused now. I am too, and also don't understand how Zhuang'er could become so strong without refining his body?!"
"But I think... there should be a place that can give us the answer!" After a moment of silence, Lin Meng continued, asserting with certainty.
"Husband, are you talking about the mountain?" Mrs. Zhang was no fool. She immediately guessed after linking the previous and current conversations, but she couldn't figure out what the mountain had to do with it.
"Not only is it related, the relationship is huge!"
"Stop speaking in riddles, husband!" Mrs. Zhang was itching to scratch her husband's heart out of curiosity, casting an annoyed glance at Lin Meng, hurriedly urging him to continue.
There were too many questions in her mind that needed answering at this moment.
"Because we encountered a Black Giant Python!" Lin Meng took a deep breath. Despite the fact that the python did not target them and even rescued them, recalling its terrifying body still left him in fear.
That thing was too horrifying. A Python with a length of dozens of meters was very similar to a ferocious beast in the Wilderness, a powerful one at that!
"The Black Giant Python was fifty to sixty meters long, its scales were even harder than rocks, it was absolutely terrifying. Thunderous in its fury, it beat Huo Long to death," Lin Meng unnerved.
Beat Huo Long to death?!!
Before Mrs. Zhang could recover from this shock, Lin Meng took out a green plant from his bosom. It was the same one spit out by the Black Python, only that it had been thoroughly cleaned on the way back.