Free Web NovelChapter 354: Killing the Ice Scale Profound Python
"Boom!"
Fang Hao’s fist slammed solidly into the upper jaw of the Ice Scale Profound Python! It felt like hitting an anvil forged from millennium black ice—absurdly hard—and a bone-chilling cold drilled into his arm through his fist.
The Ice Scale Profound Python let out a hiss of pain. Its massive snake head was knocked to the side, crashing into the ice wall and shattering large chunks of ice shards. But its snake body, covered in sky-blue scales, lashed out suddenly. Its thick tail, like a steel whip, whistled through the air with a shrill sound, violently lashing at Fang Hao’s waist and abdomen!
Fang Hao hadn’t expected this beast to react so quickly, and its strength was shockingly great. He had just retracted his fist, the old force spent and the new force yet to be born, so he could only cross his arms to protect his front, bracing against this tail whip.
"Bang!"
With a muffled sound, Fang Hao felt like he had been struck by an iceberg. His entire body was sent flying off the ground, smashing into the ice wall behind him and creating a large crater as ice debris flew everywhere. A sweetness rose in his throat, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood. The Physical Body strength of this Ice Scale Profound Python was not inferior to his own, and combined with its astonishingly defensive ice scales and the fact that this was its home turf, it was no wonder it could dominate this nine-leaf star grass.
"Good fellow!" Fang Hao licked the corner of his mouth, his Battle Intent burning even brighter. Ever since his Golden Body Art reached Major Achievement, he hadn’t suffered such a big loss in terms of physical strength.
The Ice Scale Profound Python was clearly enraged. Its amber vertical pupils narrowed into dangerous needles, and its icy killing intent almost condensed into substance. It coiled its body, flicking its tongue, and suddenly opened its mouth. Instead of a cold current, it released a mass of extremely dense ice-blue mist that rapidly spread, instantly filling more than half of the ice chamber!
"Profound Python Cold Poison!" Fang Hao’s expression changed slightly. This mist was not only bizarrely cold and capable of freezing spiritual power, but it also contained potent poison. Once inhaled or touched by the skin, it would rapidly erode the Meridians and paralyze the Divine Soul.
He immediately held his breath, and a brilliant platinum light erupted from his skin, forming a layer of Protective Aura around him to isolate the cold poisonous mist. At the same time, he exerted force through his feet and executed the Divine Spirit Steps. His figure turned into a blurred platinum phantom as he charged toward the Ice Scale Profound Python! Fighting such a serpent in a cramped ice chamber was too disadvantageous; he had to end the battle quickly!
The Ice Scale Profound Python, seeing that the cold poison was ineffective, hissed, and its massive body lunged forward again, biting at him with even greater speed than before! It seemed to know that Fang Hao was not to be trifled with. This time, a faint ice-blue light appeared around its hideous snake mouth, as if the air itself were being frozen.
Fang Hao did not dodge or evade. A flash of Chaos color appeared in his eyes, and he shouted in a low voice: "Taiyi Light Splitting!"
He pointed his fingers like a sword and slashed through the air! A condensed, dark-gold Chaos Sword Qi that seemed capable of cutting through space, carrying the sharpness to sever everything, slashed out suddenly! The Sword Qi split into three in mid-air, forming a pin shape, flashing like lightning toward the Ice Scale Profound Python’s head, the seven-inch mark, and its waist and abdomen!
These three Sword Qi strikes were at tricky angles, fast as lightning, sealing off all room for the Ice Scale Profound Python to dodge!
The Ice Scale Profound Python seemed to sense the threat of the Sword Qi, a flicker of fear appearing in its vertical pupils, but its momentum was too fast to dodge. Its sky-blue scales shone brilliantly, and it instantly condensed a thick layer of crystal-like ice armor on its body!
"Chi! Chi! Chi!"
The three Chaos Sword Qi strikes landed on the ice armor almost simultaneously! A harsh cutting sound rang out, and ice shards flew. The first two Sword Qi strikes only left two deep sword marks on the ice armor and failed to break through completely. But the third Sword Qi strike, aimed at the seven-inch mark, contained Fang Hao’s stronger force and the all-piercing characteristic of his Chaos Spiritual Power. It forcefully broke through the ice armor and left a wound a foot long and deep enough to see the bone on the Ice Scale Profound Python’s tough scales! Dark red snake blood splattered out, landing on the ice with a hissing sound, instantly freezing.
"Hiss—!" The Ice Scale Profound Python let out a painful and angry hiss. The intense pain made it even crazier. Ignoring the wound, it swept its tail again, while simultaneously opening its huge mouth. This time, it didn’t spray mist, but a highly condensed beam of ice-blue light, shooting directly at Fang Hao’s face! Wherever this light beam passed, the air was frozen into fine ice crystals, and its power was several times stronger than the previous cold current!
Fang Hao had just released his Sword Qi, and his movements were momentarily sluggish. Facing this angry strike, he dared not meet it head-on. He pushed his Divine Spirit Steps to the limit, twisting his body at an incredible angle, narrowly avoiding the direct impact of the ice-blue light beam, but his left shoulder was still grazed by the edge of the beam.
"Crack!"
A thick layer of ice crystals instantly covered his left shoulder, and the bone-chilling cold mixed with an insidious freezing power drilled frantically into his body, trying to freeze his flesh and spiritual power.
"Break for me!" Fang Hao roared, his left shoulder muscles bulging as platinum light and Chaos Spiritual Power erupted simultaneously!
"Crack!"
The ice crystals covering his left shoulder were shattered, but the freezing power had already invaded his Meridians, leaving his left arm numb and his movements half a beat slower.
And just then, the Ice Scale Profound Python’s whip-like tail lashed out again!
"Can’t dodge it!" Fang Hao gritted his teeth, a ruthless look flashing in his eyes. Ignoring the incoming snake tail, he clenched his right fist tightly. The chaos qi vortex inside him spun frantically, and a more majestic, more ancient power flooded into his right fist. On his fist, platinum and Chaos colors intertwined, and faint sounds of wind and thunder could be heard.
"Star Breaker!"
This was a prototype of a killer move he had comprehended while climbing earlier, combining his own Golden Body strength, Chaos Spiritual Power, and the sharpness of the Taiyi Light Splitting Sword Art. It aimed to condense all his power into a single point, erupting with the greatest destructive force! Although it was not yet perfect, its power was far superior to ordinary punches and kicks.
One punch, without any fancy tricks, slammed straight into the Ice Scale Profound Python’s injured seven-inch spot! Attacking where it must save, trading injury for life!
The Ice Scale Profound Python seemed to sense the terror of Fang Hao’s punch, and for the first time, a look of panic appeared in its vertical pupils. It wanted to retract its tail to block, but it was already too late!
"Bang!"
"Puff!"
Two muffled sounds rang out almost simultaneously!
Fang Hao was struck hard in the waist and abdomen by the snake tail. His Protective Aura shattered, and his whole body was like a battering ram being hit. He flew sideways, crashing into the ice wall again. This time, he smashed through the ice wall and fell into the wind and snow outside. While still in mid-air, he spat out a mouthful of blood. At least three ribs were broken, his internal organs were shaken, and the pain was heart-wrenching.
The Ice Scale Profound Python was in an even worse state! Fang Hao’s "Star Breaker," which had condensed all his strength, had landed solidly on the wound at its seven-inch mark!
The overbearing destructive power of the Chaos Spiritual Power, combined with the terrifying penetration of the Golden Body strength, erupted instantly inside its body! Hard scales and bones were torn apart like paper. The dark-gold fist energy, mixed with Chaos Qi, rampaged inside its body, messing up its heart, spine, and surrounding Meridians and internal organs!
The Ice Scale Profound Python’s massive body suddenly stiffened, its amber vertical pupils instantly losing their luster, filled with unbelievable despair. It opened its mouth wide, seemingly wanting to let out a final hiss, but only a large mouthful of dark red blood mixed with internal organ fragments poured out.
Immediately, the ten-zhang-long snake body, as if its bones had been removed, collapsed softly to the ground. It twitched twice, and then there was no sound. Only the gurgling snake blood poured out from the terrifying, bowl-sized bloody hole at the seven-inch mark, quickly staining the ice beneath it red, and then freezing rapidly.
"Cough, cough..." Fang Hao struggled to crawl up from the ice hole he had been smashed through, coughing up a few more mouthfuls of stagnant blood. His face was pale, his left arm still numb with cold, and a burning, searing pain came from his waist and abdomen, making him gasp with every movement.
"This beast, it’s really something..." Fang Hao spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, looking at the huge snake corpse in the ice chamber with lingering fear. If his Physical Body hadn’t been tough enough and his reaction fast enough, he might have perished together with it just now.
He quickly took out a few Medicinal Pill for healing and swallowed them, then operated the Chaos Derivation Art, mobilizing the Chaos Qi to begin dispelling the freezing power in his left arm and repairing his damaged internal organs and bones. The Chaos Qi contained vigorous vitality and had miraculous effects on healing. Coupled with his powerful physical recovery ability, the injury was quickly brought under control. Although it was still early for a full recovery, at least it would not affect his movements.
After catching his breath slightly, Fang Hao immediately looked vigilantly toward the entrance of the ice chamber and released his Divine Sense to probe the surroundings. The commotion of the battle just now was not small, and although the ice chamber had a certain soundproofing effect, it was hard to guarantee that it wouldn’t attract other things.
After waiting for a while, there was only the sound of howling wind and snow outside, and nothing unusual. Fang Hao breathed a sigh of relief and then staggered back into the ice chamber.
He first walked to the corpse of the Ice Scale Profound Python. A Peak fourth-order Demon Beast was a treasure trove. The snake gallbladder was a holy medicine for detoxification; the snake eyes, poisonous fangs, snake skin, and snake bones were all excellent Materials for Artifact Refining or Alchemy, especially those ice scales, which had astonishing defensive power and were excellent Materials for refining inner armor. There was also its inner core, which contained pure icy demonic power and was of great value.
Fang Hao didn’t stand on ceremony and began to divide the Materials. The Ice Scale Profound Python had a huge body, and even with his nimble movements, it took him nearly half an hour to sort and collect its valuable Materials. In particular, the dark blue inner core, which was the size of an egg and emitted a thick cold, felt cold to the touch and made him quite satisfied.
After dealing with the snake corpse, Fang Hao finally turned his gaze to the center of the ice chamber, to the nine-leaf star grass quietly growing in the starlight halo.
After experiencing hardships, even almost losing his life, it was all for this moment.
He walked cautiously to the edge of the ice pit and took out the cold jade box and jade shovel again. This time, there were no more obstacles. He held his breath and used the jade shovel to carefully dig out the nine-leaf star grass along with a small piece of frozen soil emitting the aura of the stars from its roots, transplanting it completely into the Spirit Medicine garden within the chaos pill cauldron.
After doing all this, Fang Hao finally breathed a complete sigh of relief. The final main ingredient for the nascent soul forming pill was finally in his hands!
He looked around the small ice chamber. Apart from the ice pit where the starlight halo was slowly dissipating, there was nothing else. The Ice Scale Profound Python had entrenched itself here, probably to Cultivate by borrowing the Power of the Stars emitted by the nine-leaf star grass.
This place was not suitable for a long stay. Fang Hao calmed his mood, glanced at the entrance he had come from, and then at the large hole he had smashed out. The wind and snow outside were still fierce.
He did not choose to return the way he came. Tiger Zhao was dead, but there was no guarantee that there weren’t any survivors from the Qingfeng Stockade, or fellow disciples of that Tracking Old Man. He needed to find a safer, more hidden place to open the furnace for Alchemy and break through to the Nascent Soul!
"Heavenly Pillar Peak... it seems I can’t stay here anymore." Fang Hao’s gaze flickered. A battle had taken place here, leaving behind traces and the smell of blood; it was hard to guarantee that it wouldn’t attract other Demon Beasts or Cultivators. He needed an absolutely safe place where no one would disturb him.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration appeared in his mind, and he remembered the ancient Immortal Cave he had visited before—the Earth Fire Cave! It was deep underground, had natural earth fire and powerful Restrictions, and was extremely hidden and safe. Moreover, the earth fire environment was also quite helpful for refining high-grade Medicinal Pill like the nascent soul forming pill.
"I’ll go to the Earth Fire Cave!" Fang Hao made up his mind. That was the place where he had started, and it was the safest place he could think of at the moment.
Without further hesitation, Fang Hao took a deep breath, endured the pain, crawled out of the ice hole he had smashed, and returned to the violent wind and snow. He identified the direction, and toward the location of the Earth Fire Cave in his memory, he walked forward, struggling yet determined, against the wind and snow.
Behind him was the ice chamber and the traces of the battle that were gradually being covered by the wind and snow. Ahead was the road to greater power, and perhaps, unknown challenges were waiting. But at this moment, in Fang Hao’s heart, there was only the determination and anticipation of obtaining the nascent soul forming pill and breaking through to the Nascent Soul.
