Chapter 131
Chapter 131: Quickly Set Fire to Burn the Snake!
The back mountain.
The towering trees blocked out the sun, casting a cool, eerie shade over the forest.
As Chu Zhi Rou and her companions entered the back mountain, a chilling breeze swept toward them.
She drew forth her life-bound sword, Yu Sheng, and with a sharp sweep, the blade sliced through the thick underbrush, clearing a small path.
“Rou Rou, I feel something’s off here,” Yu Wen Wan said, his hand reaching out to gently grasp Chu Zhi Rou’s arm. His voice was serious. “Listen, there are no insects or birds chirping in the woods.”
How could a forest filled with dense trees be so silent? No chirping insects or birds!
The stillness of the back mountain felt unsettling.
Yu Wen Wan’s warning stirred a sense of unease in the group of cultivators, making some of them reconsider.
At that moment, Chang Bai, one of the cultivators, spoke up. “Junior Sister Zhi Rou, I heard there are quite a few Foundation Establishment stage spirit beasts in this back mountain…”
“The back mountain may be dangerous,” a gentle but firm voice interrupted Chang Bai.
Chu Zhi Rou’s delicate, pure face was serious. “Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, you are all elite disciples of various sects. Spirit beasts at the Foundation Establishment stage are not to be feared. Besides, we outnumber them.”
Chang Bai hesitated. “But…”
“Danger accompanies opportunity. Even without the Azure Luan sword, other heavenly treasures would still be of value,” Chu Zhi Rou replied, her voice firm but charming, filled with an irresistible persuasive power.
She then offered a sweet, understanding smile. “I understand your concerns, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters. If any of you have second thoughts, now is the time to turn back.”
The group exchanged uneasy glances. In the end, they gritted their teeth and continued on up the mountain.
Chu Zhi Rou led the way, her Yu Sheng cutting a path through the dense forest.
Thanks to Yu Wen Wan’s earlier warning, the group remained vigilant.
But as they advanced, there was no sign of spirit beasts, not even a single rabbit in sight.
Chang Bai, ever cautious, began to relax. “We’ve been walking for so long without encountering anything. It seems like the back mountain isn’t as dangerous as the villagers made it sound.”
“The villagers are only at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining. Of course, it’s dangerous for them,” one cultivator replied.
“That’s true,” another added.
And so, with more light-hearted chatter, the group let down their guard.
Meanwhile, a pair of crimson snake eyes watched from the shadows, hidden among the trees. The eyes gleamed with hunger.
It had been a long time since the snake had seen such fresh prey.
This one would be delicious.
Patience was key in hunting, and the brown-scaled, red-eyed giant python quietly observed as Chu Zhi Rou and her group unknowingly walked into its domain.
Unaware, the group joked and laughed as they walked right into the snake’s lair.
Suddenly, a piercing, blood-curdling scream shattered the calm, sending waves of terror through the group.
“Snakes!”
Panic spread as countless poisonous snakes crawled out from beneath the ground, surrounding Chu Zhi Rou.
A cold shiver ran down her spine, and goosebumps rose on her arms.
“It hurts!”
“Help! Help me!”
The hissing of the snakes mixed with the screams of the cultivators, and the scent of blood only further excited the snake horde.
The scene descended into chaos.
Shi Zi Chu, who had been on her way down the mountain, happened to witness this madness. Watching the fools caught in the snake’s nest, she swiftly climbed a tree and sat on a thick branch, enjoying the show.
Chu Zhi Rou, who had always been terrified of snakes, felt the fear crawl up her spine as the poisonous snakes surrounded her.
Amid the panic, Chang Bai’s voice rose in despair. “If it doesn’t work, let’s just set fire to the place!”
Before Chu Zhi Rou could respond, the others quickly agreed, shouting, “Set fire!”
“Quick! Set fire to burn the snakes!”
In the blink of an eye, fireballs fell from the sky like shooting stars, quickly igniting the surrounding trees.
Seeing this, Shi Zi Chu quietly left.
…
Back at Water Road Village, other cultivators noticed the soaring flames and were drawn to investigate.
“Who killed me?”
“Who killed me?”
The once carefree villagers suddenly transformed into vicious ghosts. Their faces contorted in rage as sharp, claw-like fingers reached for the nearest cultivators.
The fire in the back mountain raged uncontrollably, and the villagers within the village began to lose control.
A group of cultivators, chased by the villagers, fled toward the village’s edge.
Shi Zi Chu moved swiftly, darting through the village, avoiding everyone, then returning home.
She had just reached her house when the courtyard door was suddenly thrown open.
Several clan chiefs stood in the yard, looking disheveled.
Having just filled a water bucket, Shi Zi Chu looked at them with confusion.
“Damn it! Who set the fire!” Clan Chief Yu Wen cursed, unable to hold his temper.
The ghosts that had been chasing them surrounded the entrance, their eerie howls mixing with mechanical questions.
When they saw the ghosts stop outside, like the previous night, the clan chiefs breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Clan Chief Nan Rong caught his breath and turned to Shi Zi Chu. “Little friend Shi, you didn’t go out, did you?”
Shi Zi Chu nodded.
Just then, Ye He Qi, returning in haste, was slightly more composed than the other clan chiefs. He walked straight to the door and opened it.
The moment he opened the door, sharp, clawed hands shot toward him.
With a flick of his wrist, a purple whip lashed out, wrapping around Qin Da’s arm and yanking him out of the room.
In that instant, more cultivators rushed into the yard.
In the blink of an eye, the yard was packed with people. Even the rooftops and the shed were crowded with cultivators.
Though none of them spoke, their expressions conveyed many harsh words.
At that moment, a frost-like long sword cut through the air.
The fierce sword Qi tore through the ghosts, and the crumbling courtyard seemed to tremble from the impact.
“Ru Heng Sword!”
“It’s Venerable Xing Lan!”
“Venerable Xing Lan has arrived!”
Excited voices rang out as countless pairs of eyes turned toward the door.
For them, Xing Lan was a source of reassurance.
As long as Venerable Xing Lan was here, they knew they would survive and leave this place alive.
With a path carved through the ghosts, Xing Lan stepped forward, her aura cold and murderous.
Shi Zi Chu’s gaze shifted past Xing Lan and landed on Jiang Wan Sheng.
Why was Sheng Sheng so bruised and battered?
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she looked back at Xing Lan, and it dawned on her.
These two had fought.
And from the looks of it, the result was clear.
Jiang Wan Sheng’s voice was grim as he delivered bad news. “The date on the stone at the village entrance has changed to the fifteenth of April.”
?
Seeing the solemn expressions on everyone’s faces, Shi Zi Chu spoke again. “Around the sixth hour on April 16th, the fire broke out.”
???
Not even a full day had passed?!
“The change in the date must be related to the fire in the back mountain!” one of the cultivators said.
“Damn it! Who started the fire?” another cursed.
The urgency of the situation drove the young, ambitious cultivators to mutter curses under their breath.
“Uncle, save me!” Yu Wen Wan’s panicked voice echoed through the yard.
With the powerful sword Qi of the Ru Heng Sword, the ghosts had not yet gathered at the door, allowing Chu Zhi Rou and her group to escape.
Dirty and covered in the scent of smoke, they stumbled toward the others.
They didn’t need to speak. The angry, accusing glares from the others told them all they needed to know.
“Shh-shh-shh—”
A low, oppressive hiss filled the air as a massive, brown-scaled, red-eyed giant python slithered into view, flanked by a swarm of colorful poisonous snakes.
Jiang Wan Sheng couldn’t help but clap twice, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “You really are impressive! Went out and brought back an early Golden Core stage brown-scaled red-eyed giant python!”
The villagers of Water Road Village rarely ventured into the back mountain, for it was a snake’s nest!
This particular snake was the Snake King.
Without the pressure of a secret realm, this giant python would have been a formidable opponent.
But now, they were all at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining!