Tian Mo skidded on his knee, the grit of the rough terrain scraping his skin but he quickly recovered. Standing tall, he flashed a grin, "There you are. I was starting to think I would never run into you."
Before him coiled a Demonic Venom Viper, a monstrous creature that exuded an aura of death and decay. It's teen feet long, sinuous body stretched out before him, easily reaching ten feet in length, iridescent scales that shimmered between dark shades of black, deep violet, and blood red. The scales seemed metallic, sharp and slick.
It's venomous fangs protruded like jagged knives, gleaming in the twilight. The serpent's eyes, piercing, eerie gold glowling like embers. He shivered in thought. What a scary look.
Above all he could feel the oppressive qi of the creature, an overwhelming aura that threatened to suffocate him, dusting off his clothing.
The Venom Viper hissed, the sound echoing through the air, and poisonous mist hissed from its mouth. The droplets hit the ground, sizzling as they ate through the earth like acid.
Tian Mo watched it warily, his expression unreadable. "Such a powerful poison. If I just touch it, I'll be dead before I even blink." Thought on the inside he felt paranoia.
"My Lord…"
As soon as, Tian Mo was about to talk, without warning Venom Viper, lunged toward him, moving with terrifying speed. His heart thudded in his chest, and his instincts kicked in. With a swift push, he leaped backward onto a nearby rock, his body springing higher than he had ever jumped before. He barely managed to land on the stone ledge, his feet unsteady as he balanced himself.
"Give me a second will you." Tian Mo called out with a light chuckle. 'A Venom Viper at grade one can even a challenge a cultivator from origin Awakening to Core foundation I'll need to be careful.'
A grade one demonic beast is really equivalent to a full half or final Origin Awakening, which can easily poss a challenge to him and anyone else
Ultimately, he decided to avoid a direct confrontation. Instead, he glanced around, his eyes falling on the small pebbles scattered across the ground. With a smirk, he bent down and scooped up several handfuls.
"Come on, let's… have a good fight." he taunted, flicking one of the pebbles with a swift motion.
The Venom Viper mistook his words for a taunt, and once again, it slithered toward him. At that moment he plet a pebbles straight at the Viper. It stopped in its place.
"What wrong?" He said.
The Venom Viper roared It lunged once more, its movements a blur of deadly speed. But Tian Mo was ready. He hurled a flurry of pebbles at the Viper's face, striking it with sharp, stinging impacts. The Viper recoiled, its body thrashing in irritation, but the damage was minimal.
Because of the pebbles, it didn't realized it's path. The Viper crashed into the stone wall where he had been, its head slamming into the rocks with a sickening thud.
"Now is my time." Tian Mo shouted. He felt a unknown excitement for the fight.
The Venom Viper, now dizzy from it's head slamming into the rocks, he sprinted toward it leaping into the air, he sent rapid punches to the body of the Viper, every punch he felt vibration in his body, like striking soild iron. He hoop off when the Viper woke up.
Tian Mo landed he gaze shaken." Such a strong body." He barely shaken it's scales even when his qi was filled his fist, he could only manage shallow hits.
As it awoke, the Venom Viper mouth it sprayed a line of corrosive poison through the air. It came at lightning speed, that every time he stopped, there was Venom again until it was that he was behind it out of range.
Time to try my new technique . What can power will it have?
"Infernal Devouring Fist." His technique was the highest grade at relic, having mutiple layers right now he at the first.
His hands clenched, dark qi swirling around them like a hungry beast. Slowly, the energy flowed through his limbs, his body tightening as the infernal power of his technique gathered. "Infernal Devouring Fist," he whispered, the words barely audible.
His fists began to glow with a deep, obsidian light, his qi thick and heavy as it wrapped around him like an inescapable storm. With a final flourish, he thrust his arm forward, the energy in his fist roaring to life.
"Come, beast," he taunted. "Show me if your fangs can pierce my fist."
The Viper, enraged beyond reason, lunged. Its jaws snapped with terrifying speed, but Tian Mo was faster. With a swift sidestep, he unleashed his fist, striking the Viper's side with the force of a thunderclap. The impact resonated through the air.
The beast screeched, it's head recoiling in pain. But the Viper was not finished. Its tail lashed out with blinding speed, aiming straight for Tian Mo's chest.
Tian Mo raised his arms in defense, crossing them before him. The dark qi wrapped around him, absorbing the brunt of the strike, but the force of the blow sent him skidding back, his boots digging into the wet ground.
"You've got some strength," he muttered through gritted teeth, shaking the sting from his arms.
With a burst of demonic qi, he closed the gap, his fists a blur of motion. Each strike landed with precision, his qi clawing at the viper's body and spirit. The beast thrashed, its tail sweeping in wide arcs to keep him at bay, but Tian Mo ducked and weaved.
Unexpectedly, the viper lunged again, this time feinting with its jaws. The Tian Mo dodged right into its trap. The tail came crashing down like a hammer, smashing into his side and sending him flying into a gnarled tree.
He coughed, tasting blood, but his smirk remained. "Not bad," he said, wiping his mouth. "But I'm done playing."
Even with Tian Mo's confidence showing, he was still suprised that the viper was still moving, as the his technique was at rhe highest level at the First layer. The technique not only targets the physical body, but also directly attacks his opponent's soul, tearing at their essence with each strike..
He remembered at the First layer, it only deal both bodily damage and disrupt the viper soul, causing dizziness and a sense of dread. It seems like a real forbidden technique, being able to devour the vitality and demonic qi, how many cultivator won't come for him if leanred about it.
The viper reared back, it's throat bulging as it prepared to unleash a deadly spray of venom. Tian Mo recognized the danger instantly. He crouched low, shadows lingering around his fists.
Meanwhile the venom shot forward in a sickly green stream, as he was about sprang into action. He heard the voice of the Soul Emperor.
'Boy don't kill it…let it bath you in its Venom.' His Voice Echoed.
"What! You really are trying to kill I shouldn't tknew that from the beginning when you wanted to take__" Tian Mo spoke fast as he dodged the Venom.
'Shut up…'
Tian Mo instantly quieted, feeling his entire being shaken to the core by the command.
'The Demonic Soul Reaping Art absorbs everything that has qi inside.' the Soul Emperor explained.
"What do you mean everything?"
'I mean everything. This is the perfect opportunity for you to absorb this Viper's venom and refine it. You need everything for a breakthrough. This time, it will take longer than before.'
Tian Mo leapt onto a rock, thinking for a moment. If what the Soul Emperor was saying was true, he could survive the venom and boost his cultivation. He had spent three years inside the Dominion Scripture and one year outside.
'I'm fourteen now... but mentally, I'm sixteen. I feel like, ever since I came down here, I've been learning things way beyond my age, things I'm at the age where I should be soing things enjoyable. ' he thought. He was now where he can't backtrack to enjoy anything, as a child all he had now was cultivate.
Deep within he had doubts, still Tian Mo decided to trust the Soul Emperor again. He stood still as the venomous Viper sprayed venom in his direction. The moment it landed on him, his heart stopped beating. A couple of seconds passed, and he felt nothing different, just the slimy goo on his body.
"I'm alive!" He shouted in relief." But how?"
It was only when he looked inside the Dominion Scripture that he saw a hollow version of himself running the Demonic Reaping Art. The poison on his body was slowly being absorbed and refined. He was shocked. What is the real power of this scripture?
Now that I have what I need, it's time for the viper to die.
Tian Mo leaped up, his fist still coverd in Infernal Devouring Fist, it went right through the spray, his qi slowly disappear.
With his left fist, he delivered a crushing blow to the viper's head. His qi surged, sinking into the viper's skull, attacking its soul directly. The viper became dizzy, and Tian Mo landed rapid punches, killing it from the inside with the force of each blow.
The viper collapsed into the stone wall, its body lifeless, the once-bright gleam in its eyes now dull. Tian Mo stood on top of it, his fists still wreathed in qi. He flexed his fingers, watching as the darkness receded.
High on adrenaline, he jumped onto the Venom Viper head, using a qi to tear apart its head. Inside, he pulled out a small inch ball bead examine it.
"My First__"
Just as Tian Mo was about to talk to himself, he heard the sound of clapping. At that moment, he felt a knot form in his stomach.
"Xun Min. Xun Min."
When Tian Mo saw that it was Kang Cao he wasn't really that shocked, because he was just looking at then nearby. Why won't there be able to hear the fighting. Still Tian Mo was torn between if he should fight nor not.
"You really managed__ ." As Kang Cao spoke he froze as he saw Tian Mo running away. Tian Mo was doubtful to survive.
Kang Cao was shocked he thought after, how he reacted in the mission hall he wanted a fight he didn't know he scared him that much.
"After him don't let him go." Kang Cao shouted to his followers.
Ahead Tian Mo jumped from tree to tree, trying to escape he knew he couldn't fight right now, he was tired. Also he needed to refine this poison properly before it goes to waste.
"Xun Min you can't outrun me."
Tian Mo heard Kang Cao catching up, he started to panic. He right I can't outrun him, neither his followers, where can I go?
Time slowed as the decision loomed, each second a chisel carving away at his certainty.
Tian Mo scanned his surroundings, desperate to find a place to hide. His eyes eventually glinted when he saw a waterfall.
"Xun Min!" Kang Cao's voice echoed behind him.