The following day had dawned, and Zuigao found himself just a step away from reaching the Qi tempering stage. As he traversed through the dense forest, he carefully gathered various herbs and Qi fruits. Scaling a colossal tree, he maintained his balance on one of its upper branches while grasping onto another for support. This vantage point offered him a new perspective, as he gazed out at the vast expanse of the forest stretching into the horizon. The Giant Tree stood like a majestic miniature mountain, its sprawling branches adorned with small, darting figures - the resident monkeys. Perhaps, once he attained the Qi tempering stage, he could acquire some of the precious fruits they guarded. Plucking grape-like fruits from the tree, he carefully stowed them away in his storage ring.
He slowly climbed down the tree.
He was careful not to get any bruises.
Although his Physique had heightened his endurance and durability.
Higher-level trees were also durable.
How can they survive in dense storms and blizzards without falling.
This was a testament to their endurance.
Zuigao headed down.
Looking left to right in a vigilant manner.
Any 2nd stage beast can probably get him killed.
That's how the difference between stages was.
He walked and walked.
Before climbing a tall tree.
Using his strength to dig into the tree trunk with his fingers or simply use his broken sword.
From the top, he slightly saw the lotus-like crown of the Gaint tree.
The lotus was in full bloom and emitted an orange aroma visible to the naked eye.
"Lotus fruit is about to bloom... How pitiful. If I was just early by a few weeks. I would have probably taken it for me.
What a valuable treasure it is".
Zuigao was just thinking about the uses of this fruit in pills or elixirs.
Truth be told, this was even more precious than he had thought.
If used and nurtured properly.
It would transform directly to a 3rd Grade/Stage level treasure, "Vitality Essence Lotus".
Able to provide a vast amount of Qi to the user.
Zuigao walked, careful not to step on dry branches that may litter the ground.
He ventured deeper into the dense, foreboding forest, his senses on high alert. Every rustle of leaves and every snap of a twig put him on edge. His body tensed, ready to react at the first sign of danger. His instincts, finely attuned from years of training, warned him that trouble was imminent. He pressed on, his heart pounding in his chest.
As he walked, the feeling of unease grew, intensifying until it became a palpable force. The forest seemed to close in around him, suffocating him with its silent threat. His intuition, usually a reliable guide, now screamed at him that he had walked into a trap. Every nerve in his body tingled with the certainty of impending doom.
Suddenly, a massive shadow swept over him, casting the world into darkness. Adrenaline surged through him, and he propelled himself forward with desperate urgency. The shadow passed over him, and then, with a sickening thud, he stumbled and fell. As he scrambled to his feet, his eyes met the chilling gaze of a colossal snake, its dark, glossy scales reflecting the faint light filtering through the canopy. Its eyes, vivid green with menacing, vertical pupils, locked onto his, sending a shiver down his spine.
The snake slowly unfurled its massive jaws, revealing two lethal, ice-like fangs, from which a chilling mist began to seep. A wave of fear washed over him as he realized the full extent of the peril he faced.
As Zuigao faced the ice-poison Serpent, he felt a surge of fear and dread as he caught sight of its two menacing fangs. "Oh no... Ice poison Serpent," he muttered under his breath. Although the ice poison Serpent was typically a 2nd stage low-level beast, the one before him was a juvenile, yet still massive in size. The thought of its powerful poison sent shivers down his spine. These serpents were known for their lethal poison, capable of being used once every week. If they attempted to accumulate the poison, it would ultimately freeze them to death from the inside.
Overwhelmed with panic, Zuigao's thoughts raced as he contemplated his next move. "What should I do!?... Just run!" he thought frantically, realizing that fighting would only lead to a bitter confrontation with death. With that, he summoned all his strength and fled for his life.
As he sprinted, the serpent hissed and swiftly slithered after him. Its speed was nothing short of dreadful, and the sight of the massive, black abomination relentlessly pursuing him sent chills down his spine. The snake moved with a smooth yet terrifying grace, twisting and turning as it closed in on its target. Acting purely on instinct, Zuigao made a split-second decision and lunged to the side, narrowly avoiding the serpent's deadly strike.
The snake turned.
With no hesitation, it pounced at him again.
Bearing its massive fangs, it crashed on the ground with a loud thud.
Just barely missing the puny and nimble little human.
Zuigao summoned his last remaining sword that he had left.
He didn't want to leave any weakness at all.
The snake moved and turned while Zuigao dodged, but not before getting hit by its tail.
The tail was faster, more thicker, and more durable than an actual weaponized wipe.
It ripped his flesh like a sharp sword and sent him flying above the ground.
Crashing into a tree, Zuigao managed to regain his composure before moving.
He did not even breathe properly!
The snake then again moved its jaw and moved toward his direction.
Zuigao had at least little experience and thus predicted the attack.
Narrowly avoiding it while swinging his sword and sending it crashing into the eye of the dreadful beast.
Maybe it was his luck that the sword just did not slide off from the scales.
The beast looked as if it had been enraged.
Almost anyone can be.
The snake was swift in its actions.
Directly attacking with speed and precision.
He was getting more and more injured.
It was always that frustrating and a little non-predictable tail that may hit him like a sharp whip as if he is being punished for his crimes.
He could feel his bones cracking and his skin getting numb whenever he was getting hit.
Miracle it was that he even survived until now.
The snake moved with its one dreadful eye.
Though Zuigao tried to hide since then, the snake would not have a peripheral or normal vision advantage compared to him.
This was a continuous chase, confrontation, and then escaping again.
Zuigao was getting more injured, and thus, his speed fell, which, in turn, made his chances of getting hit more and more higher.
But why would luck be on his side forever?
It was going to leave soon.
He got much more injured than he even had expected.
Maybe it was due to a lack of knowledge that he underestimated the snake by just a tiny bit.
Soon, the snake pounced, and now its fangs finally cut into his right arm.
Well, he at least didn't get his arm ripped off.
The snake's ice ice-like poison flowed from the tips of his fangs as it moved.
Soon, a numbing sensation washed over Zuigao as he saw the area on his right arm where the snake had just barely missed had become white and a thin layer of ice was covering his skin while producing a thin cloud of mist that flowed.
Even the areas around his mouth had turned a little white.
He could even see his breath flowing out like a thin mist of cloud from his mouth.
He was truly in a sorry state at this point.
He dodged and avoided with all his might.
Overexerting himself to the limits.
His mind soon thought of an idea.
The following day had dawned, and Zuigao found himself just a step away from reaching the Qi tempering stage. As he traversed through the dense forest, he carefully gathered various herbs and Qi fruits. Scaling a colossal tree, he maintained his balance on one of its upper branches while grasping onto another for support. This vantage point offered him a new perspective, as he gazed out at the vast expanse of the forest stretching into the horizon. The Giant Tree stood like a majestic miniature mountain, its sprawling branches adorned with small, darting figures - the resident monkeys. Perhaps, once he attained the Qi tempering stage, he could acquire some of the precious fruits they guarded. Plucking grape-like fruits from the tree, he carefully stowed them away in his storage ring.
He slowly climbed down the tree.
He was careful not to get any bruises.
Although his Physique had heightened his endurance and durability.
Higher-level trees were also durable.
How can they survive in dense storms and blizzards without falling.
This was a testament to their endurance.
Zuigao headed down.
Looking left to right in a vigilant manner.
Any 2nd stage beast can probably get him killed.
That's how the difference between stages was.
He walked and walked.
Before climbing a tall tree.
Using his strength to dig into the tree trunk with his fingers or simply use his broken sword.
From the top, he slightly saw the lotus-like crown of the Gaint tree.
The lotus was in full bloom and emitted an orange aroma visible to the naked eye.
"Lotus fruit is about to bloom... How pitiful. If I was just early by a few weeks. I would have probably taken it for me.
What a valuable treasure it is".
Zuigao was just thinking about the uses of this fruit in pills or elixirs.
Truth be told, this was even more precious than he had thought.
If used and nurtured properly.
It would transform directly to a 3rd Grade/Stage level treasure, "Vitality Essence Lotus".
Able to provide a vast amount of Qi to the user.
Zuigao walked, careful not to step on dry branches that may litter the ground.
He ventured deeper into the dense, foreboding forest, his senses on high alert. Every rustle of leaves and every snap of a twig put him on edge. His body tensed, ready to react at the first sign of danger. His instincts, finely attuned from years of training, warned him that trouble was imminent. He pressed on, his heart pounding in his chest.
As he walked, the feeling of unease grew, intensifying until it became a palpable force. The forest seemed to close in around him, suffocating him with its silent threat. His intuition, usually a reliable guide, now screamed at him that he had walked into a trap. Every nerve in his body tingled with the certainty of impending doom.
Suddenly, a massive shadow swept over him, casting the world into darkness. Adrenaline surged through him, and he propelled himself forward with desperate urgency. The shadow passed over him, and then, with a sickening thud, he stumbled and fell. As he scrambled to his feet, his eyes met the chilling gaze of a colossal snake, its dark, glossy scales reflecting the faint light filtering through the canopy. Its eyes, vivid green with menacing, vertical pupils, locked onto his, sending a shiver down his spine.
The snake slowly unfurled its massive jaws, revealing two lethal, ice-like fangs, from which a chilling mist began to seep. A wave of fear washed over him as he realized the full extent of the peril he faced.
As Zuigao faced the ice-poison Serpent, he felt a surge of fear and dread as he caught sight of its two menacing fangs. "Oh no... Ice poison Serpent," he muttered under his breath. Although the ice poison Serpent was typically a 2nd stage low-level beast, the one before him was a juvenile, yet still massive in size. The thought of its powerful poison sent shivers down his spine. These serpents were known for their lethal poison, capable of being used once every week. If they attempted to accumulate the poison, it would ultimately freeze them to death from the inside.
Overwhelmed with panic, Zuigao's thoughts raced as he contemplated his next move. "What should I do!?... Just run!" he thought frantically, realizing that fighting would only lead to a bitter confrontation with death. With that, he summoned all his strength and fled for his life.
As he sprinted, the serpent hissed and swiftly slithered after him. Its speed was nothing short of dreadful, and the sight of the massive, black abomination relentlessly pursuing him sent chills down his spine. The snake moved with a smooth yet terrifying grace, twisting and turning as it closed in on its target. Acting purely on instinct, Zuigao made a split-second decision and lunged to the side, narrowly avoiding the serpent's deadly strike.
The snake turned.
With no hesitation, it pounced at him again.
Bearing its massive fangs, it crashed on the ground with a loud thud.
Just barely missing the puny and nimble little human.
Zuigao summoned his last remaining sword that he had left.
He didn't want to leave any weakness at all.
The snake moved and turned while Zuigao dodged, but not before getting hit by its tail.
The tail was faster, more thicker, and more durable than an actual weaponized wipe.
It ripped his flesh like a sharp sword and sent him flying above the ground.
Crashing into a tree, Zuigao managed to regain his composure before moving.
He did not even breathe properly!
The snake then again moved its jaw and moved toward his direction.
Zuigao had at least little experience and thus predicted the attack.
Narrowly avoiding it while swinging his sword and sending it crashing into the eye of the dreadful beast.
Maybe it was his luck that the sword just did not slide off from the scales.
The beast looked as if it had been enraged.
Almost anyone can be.
Soon, the snake pounced, and now its fangs finally cut into his right arm.
Well, he at least didn't get his arm ripped off.
The snake's ice ice-like poison flowed from the tips of his fangs as it moved.
Soon, a numbing sensation washed over Zuigao as he saw the area on his right arm where the snake had just barely missed had become white and a thin layer of ice was covering his skin while producing a thin cloud of mist that flowed.
Even the areas around his mouth had turned a little white.
He could even see his breath flowing out like a thin mist of cloud from his mouth.
He was truly in a sorry state at this point.
He dodged and avoided with all his might.
Overexerting himself to the limits.
His mind soon thought of an idea.
This idea was risky yet it held good after results.
Stabbing from the blood-drenched eye of the foul beast may just kill it on the spot.
But if failed then it is the end for him.
"Persevere..."
Not getting dispirited, he held his head up and watched as the snake turned from left to right.
Watching him.
Seeing him.
Gazing towards him.
Staring at him.
It's one eye fully opened and staring into his soul.
He held determined and gripped his sword with all his strength.
The snake roared and flew towards him hungrily.
He also lunged forward.
Both met in a clash.
The sword stabbed at the right place but it slightly tiled off the angle and ripped into its flesh instead.
Zuigao without wasting any time, just left the sword stuck there.
He gave a blow with all his might onto the head of the foul beast.
He then ran and ran and ran.
The snake also followed behind him.
Extremely mad.
Constantly hitting various trunks of trees and faltering.
But it still followed.
The poison was even making Zuigao's thinking more clumsy and irrational.
He could not think straight.
He didn't know that he had left the snake behind or it was still following him like a nightmare.
Whatever it was, his only memory was falling and leaning against a tree trunk.
He soon heard distant sounds.
"Hey look!... Someone is there!"
"He looks battered"
"What happened to him?"
"He has been hit by the Ice poison"
Gasps were soon heard.
One servant smiled wickedly and asked the man near him who was equipped in a dazzling suit of armour.
A wide helmet that had a feather connected to its head.
A wide and red cape and an elegant silver sword near his left side.
"We can sell him too"
The man in armor responded
"We don't know if he is from a family or not"
"Why not make him drunk and ask questions then?"
"Idiot!, the ice poison on top of alcohol is dangerous"
"We can give him a Poison Suppress Pill"
"Well, it is going to be an investment."
The man in golden armor rubbed his chin and said with a tone of skepticism and authority," Ice poison is indeed much rarer and precious than a Poison Suppress Pill, but it depends on the quantity and quality too.
But even if it is a juvenile one then we are indeed lucky"
"We will find information from him and maybe even sell him to the Shi City auction"
"Yes, he can make a good price just based on his looks alone".
The man in golden armor replied.
The servant who looked the most smug out of the bunch, said with a wicked smile, "Yes, the festival in the Shi city is going to be around for a month or two.
We can probably sell him and maybe gain a Brothel ticket for our lord"
The smug servant was of course referring to the man in the golden armor.
"Lock him up in the most highest section of the slaves then".
"Do we use the pill?"
"First investigate and if it really is ice poison, quickly make him swallow the pill and also"
The man in golden armor also smiled wickedly,"Give him a few drops of Dream Dust. I have heard it has quite the addictive affect on people".
Both of them smiled.
The other servants just watched, in their eyes they clearly had pity for Zuigao.
The smug servant said,"Gladly if he is a lone one heheh"..
[End Of Volume 1:Darkened Skys]