Free Web NovelChapter 46: Chapter 46: Mirror Scale Lake Serpent
The Mirror Scale Lake Serpent rose from the central lake like a blade of living water.
Its body was long and covered in silver-blue scales that reflected the sky, the reeds, and the students around it. For a moment, Qin Yuheng saw multiple versions of himself across its body, each reflection slightly delayed, each one moving a fraction behind reality.
Reflection illusion.
That was the serpent’s first danger.
The second was its size.
It towered above the wooden platform, water streaming from its scales. Its head alone was as large as a carriage, and two fin-like horns curved backward from its skull. When it opened its mouth, rows of translucent teeth glimmered like wet glass.
The contest panel flashed again.
[Mirror Scale Lake Serpent]
[Level: 16]
[Abilities: Water Surge, Mirror Reflection, Tail Sweep, Scale Refraction]
[Weakness: Under-jaw scale seam, eye ridge, inner mouth, exposed heart-line during water surge]
Qin Yuheng read the information quickly.
The serpent was strong, but not as dangerous as the Level 18 Iron-Claw Mine Lord. More importantly, this was a contest guardian, not a full hidden-floor boss. Several teams were present. If they coordinated, it could be defeated.
The problem was coordination.
Wei Chen shouted first.
"Do not attack reflections! Watch the shadow in the water!"
That was good advice.
Lin Xian’er immediately ordered her team to spread out and avoid standing near the platform edge.
The third Elite team panicked slightly and retreated too quickly. The serpent’s tail swept across the water, creating a wave that smashed into their path and knocked two students off balance.
The serpent lunged.
Wei Chen raised his shield and blocked the impact.
Boom!
The wooden platform shook violently.
Wei Chen slid back, but held.
His defense was impressive.
Qin Yuheng looked at his team.
"We join after the first pattern."
Qin Mo blinked. "We are waiting while they fight a giant snake?"
"We observe first."
"That is cold."
"That is survival."
Qin Lian watched the serpent’s movement. "It attacks whoever stands closest to the lotus."
Qin Yuchen added, "It uses water surge after tail sweep."
Qin Yuheng nodded.
The Mirror Lake Spirit Lotus remained at the center of the platform, protected by the serpent’s body. Any team that rushed for it would become the main target.
Qin Yuheng did not need to be first.
He needed to be decisive.
After three exchanges, the serpent used Water Surge.
It pulled water upward around its body, forming a spiral. During that moment, a faint blue line appeared beneath its throat, extending down its chest.
Exposed heart-line.
Weakness confirmed.
Qin Yuheng moved.
"Now."
The Qin team entered from the right side.
Qin Mo threw a Water Barrier Talisman onto the muddy path, stabilizing their footing. Qin Lian moved low, using reeds as cover. Qin Yuchen advanced beside Qin Yuheng.
Wei Chen saw them and immediately understood.
"Qin Yuheng! Heart-line during surge!"
"I know!"
Qin Yuheng activated Thunder Shadow Flash.
His figure crossed the water-slick platform in a blur.
The serpent’s reflective scales distorted his image, making it look as though three Qin Yuhengs approached from different angles. But the serpent still sensed the real one.
It snapped its jaws toward him.
Qin Yuheng shifted mid-step and avoided the bite by a narrow margin. His sword rose, carrying a controlled arc of thunder.
The blade struck the exposed heart-line.
Crack!
Several mirror scales shattered.
The serpent screamed.
Lin Xian’er seized the opening.
Her weapon—a thin green sword—released a ribbon-like energy that wrapped around the serpent’s horn, pulling its head slightly sideways.
Wei Chen slammed his shield into its lower jaw.
Qin Yuchen pierced the cracked scale seam.
Qin Lian’s dagger struck the eye ridge.
The serpent thrashed violently.
Water exploded across the platform.
Qin Mo activated another formation mark, preventing the Qin team from being swept into the lake.
The contest badge flashed.
[Guardian contribution recorded.]
Zhao Tianyu’s team arrived at that exact moment.
They were battered from the west reed ambush, but still strong. Zhao Tianyu saw Qin Yuheng attacking the serpent and immediately rushed forward, unwilling to fall behind again.
"Zhao team, attack!"
Crimson beast energy erupted around him.
He leaped toward the serpent’s side and struck with both fists.
The impact cracked several scales.
Despite his flaws, Zhao Tianyu’s offensive power remained excellent.
The serpent became enraged.
Its scales flashed.
Suddenly, dozens of reflected serpent heads appeared across the water.
Some were real water illusions.
Some were scale-refraction images.
One lunged toward Qin Lian.
Qin Yuheng’s perception caught the faint difference.
"False!"
Qin Lian trusted him and did not dodge fully. The illusion passed through her, but a real tail sweep came from behind. She used the saved movement to avoid it.
Another reflected head attacked Zhao Tianyu.
He punched it.
False.
The real serpent struck him from the side.
A Defensive Talisman shattered, and Zhao Tianyu was knocked across the platform.
Qin Mo muttered, "He chose poorly."
The battle became more chaotic as more teams joined.
This was no longer a simple boss fight. It was a contest within a boss fight. Every team wanted contribution. Every team wanted the lotus. No team fully trusted the others.
Qin Yuheng stayed focused.
He did not chase the lotus yet.
He attacked only when the serpent revealed real weak points. He used Thunder Shadow Flash sparingly, conserving strength. He directed Qin Yuchen and Qin Lian to target scale cracks, while Qin Mo maintained footing and anti-water formations.
After nearly twenty minutes, the serpent’s movements slowed.
Its heart-line had been struck three times.
One eye was injured.
Several scale patches were cracked.
The lotus remained untouched.
Then Lin Xian’er made a move.
Her team released two mist-like talismans, obscuring the left side of the platform. Under cover, one of her teammates rushed toward the lotus.
Wei Chen reacted but was too far.
Zhao Tianyu shouted angrily and charged.
Qin Yuheng’s eyes narrowed.
The serpent was not dead.
Taking the lotus early would trigger something.
Sure enough, the moment Lin Xian’er’s teammate touched the lotus stem, the serpent roared and plunged half its body into the lake.
The water beneath the platform turned silver.
The panel flashed.
[Warning]
[Guardian enraged.]
[Mirror Lake Reflection Field activating.]
The entire platform reflected in the lake.
Then the reflection rose. freewebnoveℓ.com
A second serpent formed from mirror water.
Not as strong as the original, but dangerous.
Qin Mo stared.
"I blame the Lin family."
Lin Xian’er’s face changed slightly. She had miscalculated.
The battlefield split.
Original serpent.
Reflection serpent.
Multiple teams.
Unstable platform.
Qin Yuheng immediately shouted.
"Do not fight separately! Break the reflection first!"
Wei Chen responded instantly. "Agreed!"
Zhao Tianyu hesitated, then followed because he had no better option.
Qin Yuheng led the attack on the reflection serpent.
The reflection’s body was less durable but regenerated when connected to the lake surface. Qin Mo identified the key quickly.
"It draws power through the water mirror below it!"
"Can you disrupt it?"
"With enough impact."
Qin Yuheng looked at Wei Chen.
"Wei Chen!"
Wei Chen understood.
He raised his shield and slammed it into the platform with all his strength.
A shockwave spread through the wood and water.
Qin Mo activated a formation at the same time.
The mirror surface cracked.
The reflection serpent flickered.
Qin Yuheng used Thunder Shadow Flash.
His sword pierced through the reflection’s head, thunder exploding inside.
The reflection shattered into water.
The original serpent weakened visibly.
Now was the chance.
"Focus the original!"
All teams attacked.
This time, even Zhao Tianyu cooperated properly, perhaps understanding that if he tried to compete too early, he would only lose more.
Qin Yuheng waited for the final Water Surge.
When the heart-line appeared again, he moved.
Thunder Shadow Flash. freēwēbnovel.com
Violet-gold blade.
A clean thrust into the exposed line.
The serpent froze.
Wei Chen struck its jaw.
Lin Xian’er cut its injured eye.
Zhao Tianyu smashed the cracked scale patch.
Qin Yuchen and Qin Lian attacked together from below.
The Mirror Scale Lake Serpent collapsed onto the platform, then dissolved into silver-blue light.
The contest panel flashed.
[Mirror Scale Lake Serpent defeated.]
[Contribution Ranking]
1. Qin Yuheng Team — 31%
2. Wei Chen Team — 24%
3. Lin Xian’er Team — 19%
4. Zhao Tianyu Team — 17%
5. Other Teams — 9%
Zhao Tianyu’s face darkened again.
Lin Xian’er looked frustrated but quickly regained composure.
The Mirror Lake Spirit Lotus remained at the center.
A new panel appeared.
[Guardian defeated.]
[Mirror Lake Spirit Lotus claim priority:
Qin Yuheng Team.]
Qin Mo smiled.
"That is a beautiful sentence."
Qin Yuheng stepped forward and collected the lotus.
[Mirror Lake Spirit Lotus acquired.]
[Score +1,200]
Their ranking jumped.
[Temporary Ranking: 1]
The central lake quieted.
But the contest still had more than two hours remaining.
And in the distance, the sky over Mirror Reed Lake began to darken.
Nightfall wave event was approaching.
