The Dou Venerate's body trembled violently as the avatar shatter. A splitting headache overtook him, and he involuntarily "pu" vomited a mouthful of blood, his breath quickly becoming sluggish.
As he observed the condition of the Dou Venerate, Xiao Ming's eyes lit up. He appeared in front of his body after quickly maneuvering through space distortion. His right arm was covered in a dazzling Pure Lotus Flowing Lightning, and he delivered a firm punch!
Bang!
The punch landed squarely on the Dou Venerate's chest, accompanied by the acrid scent of burning electricity.
Another mouthful of blood spewed from the Dou Venerate's mouth as he instinctively attempted to raise his arm in resistance. However, the paralyzing effect of the lightning impeded his movements.
Emboldened by his initial success, Xiao Ming pressed on without hesitation. His left hand was engulfed in white flames, while his right hand crackled with lightning. In the blink of an eye, he unleashed a flurry of dozens of punches!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Witnessing the Second Elder being pummeled by Xiao Ming like a punching bag, Tian Qing Zi was dumbfounded. A Dou Ancestor daring to confront a Dou Venerate was unprecedented in his experience. It was beyond anything he could fathom...
The opponent engaging Xiao Ming in battle was none other than the Second Elder of his clan. As the First Elder, Tian Qing Zi was intimately familiar with his capabilities. Even if he were uninjured, defeating the Second Elder would require a great deal of effort.
Now, although the Second Elder had lost his agility due to his impaired state of mind, his strength had become more violent, making him no less formidable.
Anyway, he couldn't win while he was injured.
'At this point, it's better to run away...' Tian Qing Zi couldn't help but murmur in his heart. Whether the insane Snake Lord won or Xiao Ming's group won, his life and death would be at the mercy of others.
However, there was a crucial distinction: if the Snake Lord prevailed, Tian Qing Zi would face certain death, whereas Xiao Ming's group might spare his life.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Tian Qing Zi made the decision not to flee.
As the clan's First Elder, leaving their stronghold was simply unthinkable. Furthermore, the idea of abandoning his people and leaving alone was morally repugnant, especially given that all seventh-rank and higher experts in the entire Ten Thousand Snake Mountain Range had died, leaving him as the sole surviving representative.
Moreover, the outcome of the current battle held paramount importance for the future development of their clan. Additionally, escaping now might not be as straightforward as it seemed...
Tian Qing Zi glanced at the nearby golden puppet.
'Right now, the humans have the upper hand. If they win, perhaps I can negotiate with them. But if they lose, I should still try to gather some sixth-rank clan members and flee,' Tian Qing Zi reflected, sighing. He raised his head and looked up, only to realize that the battle above was nearing its conclusion.
To be precise, Xiao Ming's battle was nearing its conclusion.
After relentlessly assaulting the Second Elder's head with countless punches, Xiao Ming finally rendered him unconscious.
With a light step, Xiao Ming appeared next to the Second Elder's falling body, caught him before he hit the ground, and checked to see if he was truly unconscious before turning his gaze towards Tian Qing Zi.
Xiao Ming vanished into the air with a slight smile.
Tian Qing Zi was taken aback by Xiao Ming's sudden disappearance after he smiled at him. When he looked up again, Xiao Ming had already reappeared nearby, holding the Second Elder.
His pupils contracted, and Tian Qing Zi attempted to steady himself before speaking, "I am Tian Qing Zi, the First Elder of the Ten Thousand Snake Mountain Range."
"I know, you just introduced yourself..." Xiao Ming replied with a gentle smile, momentarily easing Tian Qing Zi's anxiety. However, his next words made Tian Qing Zi apprehensive once again.
"After causing us trouble, it's unexpected that you didn't escape," said Xiao Ming with a smile that was not a smile.
"Uh, it was a misunderstanding," Tian Qing Zi nervously swallowed his saliva, forcing a smile towards the young man before him.
"A misunderstanding?" Xiao Ming chuckled. The other party could have hidden in many places but chose to hide behind them. Calling it a misunderstanding was like trying to fool a three-year-old.
Observing Xiao Ming's skepticism, Tian Qing Zi panicked. He feared that Xiao Ming would strike him without uttering a word. Given his severe injuries, he had no means to retaliate.
With a wry smile, Tian Qing Zi said, "I am willing to compensate..."
Xiao Ming smiled without responding, instead instructing the other Sky Demon Puppet to ascend into the sky and join the ongoing battle.
In the sky, the Snake Lord found himself besieged by three Dou Venerates and was gradually losing ground. Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin were also on the verge of concluding their respective battles, while the remaining snake-type Dou Ancestors were making their final resistance with fierce expressions.
Observing the situation, Xiao Ming finally felt a sense of relief and threw the unconscious Second Elder to the ground.
"Tell me, what exactly happened? Why did they lose their minds?" Xiao Ming inquired.
Understanding that Xiao Ming was addressing him, Tian Qing Zi proceeded to recount everything that had transpired.
"This blood pool is that peculiar?" Xiao Ming expressed surprise after listening to Tian Qing Zi's explanation.
"Indeed, otherwise, how could things have escalated to this point?" Tian Qing Zi sighed with bitterness, reflecting on the current dire situation.
Xiao Ming's gaze shifted to the rising white energy in the blood pool and the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python residing within, feeling uneasy.
The little one had been devouring energy throughout the battle, but given the strangeness of the blood pool, could it have any adverse effects on it? However, there appeared to be no visible impact on it.
After a brief moment of thought, he felt compelled to recall it in order to investigate further.
"Xiao Cai, come back!" Xiao Ming called out. Instantaneously, a rainbow streak shot out from the spatial void and landed on his shoulder.
"Hiss!" Xiao Cai coiled itself around Xiao Ming's shoulder, raising its upper body and tilting its head slightly, seemingly questioning why it was summoned back.
'It seems fine,' Xiao Ming reassured himself after noticing Xiao Cai's clear pupils. He patted the python's head but offered no explanation.
Xiao Ming's perplexing behavior left Xiao Cai slightly displeased. It emitted a few hisses before finally wriggling its way into Xiao Ming's sleeve. This time, it absorbed a substantial amount of energy and would require an extended period to digest it.
During Xiao Ming's interaction with Xiao Cai, Tian Qing Zi dared not interrupt.
Just then, the sound of breaking wind filled the air, and several figures appeared beside Xiao Ming. They were none other than Xiao Yi Xian, Qing Lin, and Venerable Tian Huo.
The battle had come to an end.
...
"That's how things are."
Tian Qing Zi recounted the situation to Xiao Yi Xian, Venerable Tian Huo, and Qing Lin.
"Hehe, I didn't expect you guys to be so unlucky," Venerable Tian Huo chuckled upon hearing the account.
Tian Qing Zi sighed, choosing not to respond. He felt unlucky himself. To be honest, he had initially suspected that these individuals were responsible for the incident, especially given the presence of another blood pool in this place.
However, they didn't seem to have a motive, and if they did, they could have easily killed him now. As an injured two-star Dou Venerate, he couldn't resist.
"Xiao Ming, how should we handle these two Dou Venerates?" Xiao Yi Xian inquired, pointing towards the Snake Lord and the Second Elder lying on the ground.
After a brief moment of thought, Xiao Ming concluded that these bodies were not suitable to create puppets, so he looked at Tian Qing Zi.
"They have lost their sanity and cannot be saved. I believe it would be best to give them a merciful end," Tian Qing Zi suggested.
"You are quite decisive," Xiao Ming said, looking at Tian Qing Zi in surprise. He then transmitted his voice to Venerable Tian Huo.
"Senior Yao, kill the six-star Dou Venerate but keep the one-star Dou Venerate for Qing Lin, let's see if she can control him..."
Venerate Tian Huo nodded slightly in agreement.
"Alright, let's discuss compensation now," Xiao Ming addressed Tian Qing Zi.
"I've heard that your Ten Thousand Snake Mountain Range has Snake Tearing Flowers. Give me 1,800 of them, and I will drop the matter. How does that sound?"
"The battle just now destroyed the area where the Snake Tearing Flowers grow. Even if it hadn't been, we wouldn't have been able to supply such a large quantity," Tian Qing Zi responded helplessly.
"Hmm?"
"In truth, we still have some stock in our treasure trove, as well as other precious materials. I can take you there," Tian Qing Zi hurriedly offered.
"Show us the way. Come along with me, Xian'er. Qing Lin, stay here for the time being."
The Dou Venerate's body trembled violently as the avatar shatter. A splitting headache overtook him, and he involuntarily "pu" vomited a mouthful of blood, his breath quickly becoming sluggish.
As he observed the condition of the Dou Venerate, Xiao Ming's eyes lit up. He appeared in front of his body after quickly maneuvering through space distortion. His right arm was covered in a dazzling Pure Lotus Flowing Lightning, and he delivered a firm punch!
Bang!
The punch landed squarely on the Dou Venerate's chest, accompanied by the acrid scent of burning electricity.
Another mouthful of blood spewed from the Dou Venerate's mouth as he instinctively attempted to raise his arm in resistance. However, the paralyzing effect of the lightning impeded his movements.
Emboldened by his initial success, Xiao Ming pressed on without hesitation. His left hand was engulfed in white flames, while his right hand crackled with lightning. In the blink of an eye, he unleashed a flurry of dozens of punches!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Witnessing the Second Elder being pummeled by Xiao Ming like a punching bag, Tian Qing Zi was dumbfounded. A Dou Ancestor daring to confront a Dou Venerate was unprecedented in his experience. It was beyond anything he could fathom...
The opponent engaging Xiao Ming in battle was none other than the Second Elder of his clan. As the First Elder, Tian Qing Zi was intimately familiar with his capabilities. Even if he were uninjured, defeating the Second Elder would require a great deal of effort.
Now, although the Second Elder had lost his agility due to his impaired state of mind, his strength had become more violent, making him no less formidable.
Anyway, he couldn't win while he was injured.
'At this point, it's better to run away...' Tian Qing Zi couldn't help but murmur in his heart. Whether the insane Snake Lord won or Xiao Ming's group won, his life and death would be at the mercy of others.
However, there was a crucial distinction: if the Snake Lord prevailed, Tian Qing Zi would face certain death, whereas Xiao Ming's group might spare his life.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Tian Qing Zi made the decision not to flee.
As the clan's First Elder, leaving their stronghold was simply unthinkable. Furthermore, the idea of abandoning his people and leaving alone was morally repugnant, especially given that all seventh-rank and higher experts in the entire Ten Thousand Snake Mountain Range had died, leaving him as the sole surviving representative.
Moreover, the outcome of the current battle held paramount importance for the future development of their clan. Additionally, escaping now might not be as straightforward as it seemed...
Tian Qing Zi glanced at the nearby golden puppet.
'Right now, the humans have the upper hand. If they win, perhaps I can negotiate with them. But if they lose, I should still try to gather some sixth-rank clan members and flee,' Tian Qing Zi reflected, sighing. He raised his head and looked up, only to realize that the battle above was nearing its conclusion.
To be precise, Xiao Ming's battle was nearing its conclusion.
After relentlessly assaulting the Second Elder's head with countless punches, Xiao Ming finally rendered him unconscious.
With a light step, Xiao Ming appeared next to the Second Elder's falling body, caught him before he hit the ground, and checked to see if he was truly unconscious before turning his gaze towards Tian Qing Zi.
Xiao Ming vanished into the air with a slight smile.
Tian Qing Zi was taken aback by Xiao Ming's sudden disappearance after he smiled at him. When he looked up again, Xiao Ming had already reappeared nearby, holding the Second Elder.
His pupils contracted, and Tian Qing Zi attempted to steady himself before speaking, "I am Tian Qing Zi, the First Elder of the Ten Thousand Snake Mountain Range."
"I know, you just introduced yourself..." Xiao Ming replied with a gentle smile, momentarily easing Tian Qing Zi's anxiety. However, his next words made Tian Qing Zi apprehensive once again.
"After causing us trouble, it's unexpected that you didn't escape," said Xiao Ming with a smile that was not a smile.
"Uh, it was a misunderstanding," Tian Qing Zi nervously swallowed his saliva, forcing a smile towards the young man before him.
"A misunderstanding?" Xiao Ming chuckled. The other party could have hidden in many places but chose to hide behind them. Calling it a misunderstanding was like trying to fool a three-year-old.
Observing Xiao Ming's skepticism, Tian Qing Zi panicked. He feared that Xiao Ming would strike him without uttering a word. Given his severe injuries, he had no means to retaliate.
With a wry smile, Tian Qing Zi said, "I am willing to compensate..."
Xiao Ming smiled without responding, instead instructing the other Sky Demon Puppet to ascend into the sky and join the ongoing battle.
In the sky, the Snake Lord found himself besieged by three Dou Venerates and was gradually losing ground. Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin were also on the verge of concluding their respective battles, while the remaining snake-type Dou Ancestors were making their final resistance with fierce expressions.
Observing the situation, Xiao Ming finally felt a sense of relief and threw the unconscious Second Elder to the ground.
"Tell me, what exactly happened? Why did they lose their minds?" Xiao Ming inquired.
Understanding that Xiao Ming was addressing him, Tian Qing Zi proceeded to recount everything that had transpired.
"This blood pool is that peculiar?" Xiao Ming expressed surprise after listening to Tian Qing Zi's explanation.
"Indeed, otherwise, how could things have escalated to this point?" Tian Qing Zi sighed with bitterness, reflecting on the current dire situation.
Xiao Ming's gaze shifted to the rising white energy in the blood pool and the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python residing within, feeling uneasy.
The little one had been devouring energy throughout the battle, but given the strangeness of the blood pool, could it have any adverse effects on it? However, there appeared to be no visible impact on it.
After a brief moment of thought, he felt compelled to recall it in order to investigate further.
"Xiao Cai, come back!" Xiao Ming called out. Instantaneously, a rainbow streak shot out from the spatial void and landed on his shoulder.
"Hiss!" Xiao Cai coiled itself around Xiao Ming's shoulder, raising its upper body and tilting its head slightly, seemingly questioning why it was summoned back.
'It seems fine,' Xiao Ming reassured himself after noticing Xiao Cai's clear pupils. He patted the python's head but offered no explanation.
Xiao Ming's perplexing behavior left Xiao Cai slightly displeased. It emitted a few hisses before finally wriggling its way into Xiao Ming's sleeve. This time, it absorbed a substantial amount of energy and would require an extended period to digest it.
During Xiao Ming's interaction with Xiao Cai, Tian Qing Zi dared not interrupt.
Just then, the sound of breaking wind filled the air, and several figures appeared beside Xiao Ming. They were none other than Xiao Yi Xian, Qing Lin, and Venerable Tian Huo.
The battle had come to an end.
...
"That's how things are."
Tian Qing Zi recounted the situation to Xiao Yi Xian, Venerable Tian Huo, and Qing Lin.
"Hehe, I didn't expect you guys to be so unlucky," Venerable Tian Huo chuckled upon hearing the account.
Tian Qing Zi sighed, choosing not to respond. He felt unlucky himself. To be honest, he had initially suspected that these individuals were responsible for the incident, especially given the presence of another blood pool in this place.
However, they didn't seem to have a motive, and if they did, they could have easily killed him now. As an injured two-star Dou Venerate, he couldn't resist.
"Xiao Ming, how should we handle these two Dou Venerates?" Xiao Yi Xian inquired, pointing towards the Snake Lord and the Second Elder lying on the ground.
After a brief moment of thought, Xiao Ming concluded that these bodies were not suitable to create puppets, so he looked at Tian Qing Zi.
"They have lost their sanity and cannot be saved. I believe it would be best to give them a merciful end," Tian Qing Zi suggested.
"You are quite decisive," Xiao Ming said, looking at Tian Qing Zi in surprise. He then transmitted his voice to Venerable Tian Huo.
"Senior Yao, kill the six-star Dou Venerate but keep the one-star Dou Venerate for Qing Lin, let's see if she can control him..."
Venerate Tian Huo nodded slightly in agreement.
"Alright, let's discuss compensation now," Xiao Ming addressed Tian Qing Zi.
"I've heard that your Ten Thousand Snake Mountain Range has Snake Tearing Flowers. Give me 1,800 of them, and I will drop the matter. How does that sound?"
"The battle just now destroyed the area where the Snake Tearing Flowers grow. Even if it hadn't been, we wouldn't have been able to supply such a large quantity," Tian Qing Zi responded helplessly.
"Hmm?"
"In truth, we still have some stock in our treasure trove, as well as other precious materials. I can take you there," Tian Qing Zi hurriedly offered.
"Show us the way. Come along with me, Xian'er. Qing Lin, stay here for the time being."
