Following the source of the bird's song, Ding Hao spotted a black dot in the upper - left corner.
At first glance, he thought it was a small patch of dark cloud. After a while, the dark cloud gradually approached, and the bird's song became more and more urgent, sounding particularly harsh in the silent forest.
When he looked again, he found that the dark cloud had expanded more than ten times. It turned out to be a giant golden eagle. Strangely, however, the eagle's eyes were deep red, like two will - o' - the - wisps floating in the forest at night. The strangest thing was that the eagle also had a horn on its head and four pairs of claws. When its huge wings were spread wide, they were ten meters long. When it dived from the air, it seemed to even block the moonlight. What kind of eagle was this!
Obviously, the target of the giant eagle was the creature just now. The flying speed of the giant eagle was clearly faster than the running speed of the creature. Although there was a certain distance between the two at the beginning, they got closer in just a moment. As the two moved, they got a bit far from Ding Hao, and it was hard to see clearly. Without hesitation, Ding Hao climbed down the tree and chased after the creature along the trail it left.
No longer deliberately slowing down his pace, after half an hour, Ding Hao heard a huge crashing sound, mixed with the bird's song and hissing.
Ding Hao slightly slowed his pace and carefully approached along the sound. In his sight, he first saw the giant eagle circling in the air. The two - horned python - like creature also constantly changed its posture with the giant eagle, always firmly pointing its python - like head at the eagle's head.
The giant eagle constantly changed its movements in the air, as if looking for the best time to attack. After another whirl in the air, the giant eagle flew behind a towering tree. The big tree blocked the python - like creature's sight, and its dark - purple eyes showed a brief moment of daze, as if wondering where the giant eagle had gone. The next moment, the giant eagle appeared behind the python - like creature's head. The four pairs of golden claws roared like iron hooks and attacked the back of the python - like creature's head.
At this time, the python - like creature hadn't turned its head around yet and took this blow hard, emitting a strange scream that was neither like a snake nor an insect. A few scales on the back of its head were scratched off, and deep - red blood flowed out. Its two pairs of wings also flapped continuously towards the giant eagle, but it had no ability to fly, only continuously making shrill screeching sounds.
The giant eagle also responded with bird songs. However, the python - like creature had already suffered a loss and became more cautious. The giant eagle could no longer find a better chance to attack!
The giant eagle circled around the python - like creature, and the python - like creature also constantly changed its body with the giant eagle.
After a moment of stalemate, the python - like creature seemed unwilling to stay any longer and rushed off in one direction at a speed a little faster than before. The giant eagle let out a sharp bird song and chased after the python - like creature. Ding Hao also carefully followed.
When he saw the two creatures again, he found the giant eagle circling above a dark and gloomy cave, while the python - like creature was desperately trying to rush inside. The giant eagle was constantly preventing it from entering.
The cave was about two meters wide. It should be the lair of the python - like creature. Once it entered the cave, it would be safe. The giant eagle, limited by its size, couldn't get in.
The two creatures were in a stalemate again. At this time, several strange screams similar to those of the python - like creature came from the cave, but the volume was much weaker. Then there were even weaker whimpering sounds, like a baby crying with its mouth covered by a cloth.
The stalemate was broken again. The python - like creature suddenly became violent, completely ignoring the giant eagle circling in the sky, and rushed towards the cave entrance.
The long - awaited opportunity for the giant eagle finally arrived. A sharp bird song almost tore Ding Hao's eardrums. The four claws reached for the python - like creature's forehead. The python - like creature seemed to have completely forgotten the threat of the giant eagle and still rushed towards the cave. When it was two zhang away from the cave, the giant eagle's four claws finally grasped the back of the python - like creature's head - exactly the place where it was scratched by the giant eagle last time.
But this time, the giant eagle didn't let go after scratching like last time. Instead, it began to use its iron - hook - like claws to tear at the back of the python - like creature's head, and more blood seeped out.
The violent python - like creature used its barrel - like body to continuously slap the giant eagle, but its body still slowly crawled towards the cave. At this time, the giant eagle had torn a large gash several tens of centimeters long in the back of the python - like creature's head. At this moment, Ding Hao noticed a dark - purple red glow flashing in the wound on the back of the python - like creature's head. By this red glow, Ding Hao found that the light came from a bead the size of a longan in the wound.
At this time, the python - like creature's tail lashed out at the giant eagle with a last - ditch effort, and the giant eagle was also hit hard by this blow. It loosened its four pairs of iron claws, and its mountain - like body even lost balance in the air for a short while. It took several hard flaps of its wings to regain balance.
When the giant eagle stabilized itself and was about to attack again, the python - like creature's body had already completely slipped into the cave.
The giant eagle circled helplessly in the air. At this time, an old man's angry roar came from the cave: "Evil creature, how dare you!"
Ding Hao was startled. There was actually someone in the cave!
Then, continuous sounds of fighting and crashing came from the cave, occasionally mixed with the old man's panting and the python - like creature's hissing. After a few breaths, the cave became quiet again.
The giant eagle also flapped its wings and flew into the air until it became a black dot and disappeared.
Everything became calm again. If it weren't for the traces of the fight on the ground, Ding Hao would have begun to doubt whether all these things had really happened just now. Everything he had just seen and heard was too incredible for him, greatly different from his daily perception.
At this time, Ding Hao was extremely curious about what had happened in the cave and began to consider whether he needed to go in and explore carefully. However, the fighting scene just now still made him feel a lingering fear. Whether it was the fight between the two creatures or the fighting sounds between the old man and the python - like creature in the cave, they all made him feel the threat of death.
After observing carefully again, Ding Hao determined that there was no movement at all in the cave. Holding the newly - bought hunting knife tightly in his hand, he carefully approached the cave entrance.
When Ding Hao reached the entrance of the cave, he hesitated for a moment, then listened intently again, and continued to move into the cave. When he first entered the cave, it was completely pitch - black in front of his eyes. After groping and walking a dozen steps, a soft light appeared in front. The light came from a bead the size of a walnut on the top of the cave. By the light of the bead, Ding Hao could see the situation inside the cave clearly.
The cave was not as narrow as the entrance. On the contrary, the cave had a spacious space of more than ten zhang. The python - like creature was lying on the left, with its head tilted back and reclining. A two - chi - wide gash under its python - like neck was still bleeding deep - red blood. It seemed to have been dead for a while.
On the right was an old man sitting cross - legged. At this moment, the old man's whole body seemed to be covered by a black mist, and his appearance was not clear. Beside the old man was a creature that was completely a miniaturized version of the python - like creature, only about one meter long. Its whole body was covered with five talisman papers engraved with ghost heads. It was hard to tell if it was alive or dead!
Ding Hao walked towards the python - like creature. He had seen a dark - purple, luminous bead the size of a longan at the back of the python - like creature's head when he was at the cave entrance. Ding Hao was particularly curious. When he reached the python - like creature, he found that the creature's head was more than twice as big as his own. The wound on the back of the python - like creature's head was wide open, and the blood was still flowing.
Ding Hao put the hunting knife into the wound and twisted it a few times to make the wound bigger. He could already see the dark - purple bead. As soon as he got the bead in his hand, a strange and alluring fleshy fragrance hit his nose. The fragrance was in great contrast to the bloody smell in the whole cave. Once the bead was in his hand, it seemed to be connected to the blood vessels in his hand. It expanded with the rhythm of his heartbeat, giving Ding Hao the illusion that the bead was a part of his body. The strange fleshy fragrance constantly tempted Ding Hao's olfactory nerves.
It should be edible, right? Ding Hao thought. The next moment, he put the bead into his mouth. After it entered his stomach, Ding Hao didn't feel any discomfort, only that his body was a bit hot.
It was midsummer, so feeling hot wasn't particularly strange. Gradually, Ding Hao began to realize something was wrong. The heat in his body was gradually increasing, as if there was a furnace in his body, and this furnace was still heating up. At this time, Ding Hao's clothes were completely soaked with sweat, as if he had just climbed out of the river with his clothes on.
The heat showed no sign of stopping and was still increasing. All the muscles in Ding Hao's body tensed up. The large arteries in the muscles were beating one by one. His whole body emitted a faint dark - purple glow. Unable to bear it, Ding Hao let out beast - like roars one after another. The blood vessels trembled as if they were about to burst at any time. The whole person rolled on the ground continuously, hitting every part of the cave wall with his fists, head, feet, and body, as if this could reduce the heat in his body. At this time, Ding Hao was completely unaware that the old man opposite him had also changed!
The black mist around the old man suddenly began to fade slowly. If you looked carefully, you would find that the black mist seemed to be slowly absorbed by the old man's body. The old man's face became clearly visible. He looked about fifty years old, but his hair was still as black and shiny as silk. Even sitting cross - legged, one could feel that the old man's body was unusually majestic. His swarthy skin made him seem to blend with the darkness. He wore a black robe made of an unknown material and a necklace of bones around his neck. His closed eyelids twitched constantly, and he looked extremely impatient!
This was the greatest pain Ding Hao had ever experienced in so many years. Wave after wave of greater heat constantly impacted every nerve in his body. Just when Ding Hao was about to faint, he found that the heat finally began to slowly decrease. Half an hour later, the heat completely subsided. Now Ding Hao was like a beast on the verge of death, with his skin torn and bruised all over his body. He gasped for breath heavily. At this time, Ding Hao felt that all the strength in his body had just been drained away!
When he could move his first finger, he found that his strength was rapidly recovering. The speed of this recovery was so fast that he couldn't understand it. The wounds on his body just now didn't seem to hurt as much either!
When he could pick up the hunting knife with his hand again, Ding Hao stood up and looked around again. Nothing had changed, except that the black mist around the old man's body was so thin that it was about to dissipate. At this time, he also saw the old man's face.
For no reason, Ding Hao felt that the old man posed a threat to him. Judging from his whole appearance, he was definitely not a good person. Ding Hao was no good person either, and he had great confidence in his intuition. Since he felt that this person was a threat to him, he had to nip this possibility in the bud before it became a reality. This was definitely the wisest choice!
Ding Hao always felt that when the black mist around the old man completely disappeared, he would become active. And now the black mist was getting thinner.
Without hesitation and without warning, Ding Hao suddenly exerted force with his legs. The next moment, the hunting knife appeared three feet in front of the old man. He held the knife with both hands and slashed down with all his strength. Although he hadn't regained his best physical condition, Ding Hao was sure that the old man would surely die on the spot under this blow.
Suddenly, the old man opened his eyes. His eyeballs were emerald green. Ding Hao was startled. Instinctively, his two hands paused for a moment. Just as he was about to slash down again, he found that his wrists were firmly grasped by a big black hand, unable to move at all. The bones of his wrists felt like they were about to break!