Chapter 26: The Snake
As Lu Li and his group neared the city of Yangxian, his physical stats finally reached 2.00, breaking through human limitations and achieving superhuman qualities. With this physical enhancement, his soul also showed signs of potential advancement.
Lu Li sensed his soul standing on the cusp of transformation; one more step and it would transcend human bounds entirely. At that point, his mental power and shadow magic would experience significant breakthroughs.
The procession into the city, bearing the carcass of the White Tiger King, caused a great stir. Crowds gathered on both sides of the street to watch from a distance. Despite being dead for a couple of days, the tiger's body remained untouched by insects, its imposing presence still deterring them. With few parasites, the tiger's corpse looked as if it had just died, its wounds still seemingly fresh.
Its large, yellow-orange eyes remained open, staring at the surroundings. Anyone meeting its gaze felt a shiver down their spine and quickly looked away. Upon entering the city, they headed straight to the market square. Zhou Chu hefted the tiger's body onto a stone platform, eliciting gasps from the onlookers.
In ancient times, executions were often held at market squares due to their spaciousness, which allowed for large gatherings, and their central location, which embodied the city's spirit. The midday sun and the gathered energy of the city ensured no supernatural occurrences could arise from an execution held there.
As the tiger's body landed on the platform, its eyes slowly closed. This sight relieved the accompanying hunters. Experienced in dealing with animals, they knew that if not properly handled, animals with human lives in their past or those possessing spiritual qualities, like foxes or monkeys, could cause strange phenomena after death.
With hundreds of human lives in its past, the White Tiger King's body could be a threat if not dealt with correctly. The hunters, nervous all night with the tiger's body in their village, wasted no time in bringing it to the city the next morning.
By harnessing the city's spirit, the tiger's body was suppressed. After seven days, its essence would dissipate, and the body would begin to decompose, ensuring it posed no further threat.
With the crowd still abuzz from the tiger's presence, Zhou Chu stepped onto the platform, seizing the moment to announce his plans to eliminate the river dragon in the Yixing River within a few days. The crowd's excitement surged, and Zhou Chu engaged with the braver onlookers.
Watching Zhou Chu interact with the crowd, Lu Li shook his head at how quickly people could change. Zhou Chu, who once lacked patience, now conversed eagerly with the citizens.
Feeling uninterested, Lu Li left the bustling crowd, shielding himself from the sun with an umbrella. Despite Zhou Chu's lack of injuries from the tiger fight, he was exhausted, planning to rest for a few days before tackling the river dragon.
With nothing else to do, Lu Li wandered to the riverside outside Yangxian. From a distance, he noticed several pieces of driftwood floating on the water. The masks at his waist lifted and hovered around him under his control.
A graceful figure appeared beside Lu Li—Lilith, the Snake Woman. She caressed the mask on her shoulder, playfully complaining, "Master, you're so cruel, keeping me locked away for so long. But seeing you makes me weak all over."
Lilith slithered closer, her tail brushing Lu Li's feet with its smooth scales. Her face flushed, and she placed her slender hands on his shoulders, her breath warm on his neck.
"Enough of that, we have work to do," Lu Li said, turning to grip her pointed chin with a smile.
Lilith pouted but turned her attention to the river. "What would you have me do, Master? I'll do anything for you."
"Look ahead," Lu Li pointed to the river. "Those crocodiles with dragon blood, called Zhupo Dragons, are rampant here. Don't you think it's a perfect feeding ground?"
"Master means it's time to release our little babies?" Lilith giggled. She wasn't wrong; the eggs she produced originated from the "insects" Lu Li created, making them a shared creation.
With Lu Li's confirmation, Lilith approached the river, waving her hand in the water. Purple-red hues spread from her fingers, the life force within attracting the Zhupo Dragons. They gathered, some even opening their jaws to attack her.
Lilith laughed, retracting her hand and striking a dragon's jaw with force. The shadow magic from her hand penetrated its brain. Blood trickled from its nostrils as it fell limp, the other dragons pausing in fear before devouring their fallen kin. This cannibalistic behavior was common among dragon progeny due to scarce food resources.
Unbeknownst to the dragons, as they ate, invisible snake eggs entered their bodies through the life force-laden liquid, infiltrating them quietly.
Lilith slithered back to Lu Li's side, sensing the imminent birth of a swarm of baby snakes. Lu Li patted her beautiful face in approval before waving her back into the mask.
The once-clear river turned murky and bloody, but Lu Li knew it would soon return to its pristine state, as if nothing had ever happened.
The tiny snake eggs, now inside the dragons, fed on their warm, life-filled flesh, growing quickly. This process was silent, even enhancing the dragons' strength due to the life force they absorbed. Meanwhile, some of the purple-red liquid drifted downstream, entering the bodies of other creatures, heralding the onset of a snake plague.