A Ghost from the Swamp

“Brother Mu Northson.” The Primal Daoist Wuxiang, standing on the warship across from them, clasped his hands respectfully. He then laughed, “Brother Ji Ning is here as well! To encounter each other in this vast, trackless Mount Yujue Wasteland truly shows we are fated. When we reach the Yinglong Guard garrison, we must gather and drink together.”

“Of course! Wuxiang, Dongxu.” Ji Ning clasped his hands in return. “You two seem so at ease. You must have collected enough Wanxiang-level demon corpses by now.”

“At ease?”

The two Wanxiang Adepts exchanged a glance. The white-robed Dongxu let out a helpless laugh. “Brother Ji Ning, where do you see ease in us? We nearly died not long ago. We’re only resting a few days before heading out to hunt Wanxiang demons again. Three months is still plenty of time, after all.”

“You haven’t collected your quota yet either?” Ji Ning asked in surprise.

“Haven’t?” Dongxu was startled. “Do you mean to say you two haven’t either?”

Though puzzled by Ji Ning’s claim, Mu Northson nodded in agreement. “Right, not yet.”

“Truth be told, we almost killed a Skygreen Serpent,” Ji Ning said with a sigh. “But those Skygreen Serpents are too slippery. We let it escape.”

“A Skygreen Serpent? You ran into one too?” Dongxu was startled.

Ji Ning’s eyes narrowed. “You encountered one as well?”

Dongxu nodded. “We did, twice, actually. The Skygreen Serpent is indeed cunning and exceptionally slippery. Killing one is no easy task.”

“Where did you encounter it?” Ji Ning asked.

“The first time was to the north, about two hundred thousand li away,” Dongxu said without concealing it. “And then just three days ago, we met it again, over in the ‘Yaolian Mountain’ region, around a hundred thousand li to the northeast.”

Ji Ning shook his head with a sigh. “It seems fate has tied our paths together, to have encountered this Skygreen Serpent one after another. I wonder if it is the same one. Ah well, my junior apprentice-brother and I still have Wanxiang demons to hunt. We won’t linger. When we return to the garrison, we’ll gather properly.”

“Agreed.” Wuxiang and Dongxu clasped their hands.

Soon, the two warships separated.

…

“What a coincidence, they ran into the Skygreen Serpent too,” Wuxiang laughed from his own vessel.

“I was worried that some Wanxiang Adepts might be lurking in that dragon-headed warship, setting up an ambush,” Dongxu said. “It seems the disciples of the Black-White College are different after all. They have too much pride for such underhanded schemes.”

“Indeed. They are from the Black-White College, after all.” Wuxiang nodded.

They had remained vigilant throughout their conversation. But sharing information about the Skygreen Serpent harmed them in no way, so they didn’t mind.

Inside the dragon-headed warship.

“Yaolian Mountain?” Mu Northson looked at Ji Ning with confusion. “Senior apprentice-brother, what are we going to do at Yaolian Mountain?”

“Back in my homeland, I fought a Xiantian-level Skygreen Serpent many times. Through all those battles, we developed a sort of bond,” Ji Ning said with a sigh. “Later, it left the Yan Mountains, and I lost track of it. Now that I hear there is another Skygreen Serpent here… I want to go see if it’s the one I knew.”

“Oh.” Northson’s eyes lit up. “Skygreen Serpents are Godbeasts, rare even among Godbeasts. For them to be so scarce, there’s a good chance this one is the same one from your homeland.”

“It might not be,” Ji Ning said. “But since we have nothing pressing, let’s head to that area and take a look.”

“Alright!” Northson immediately took control, steering the dragon-headed warship northward. “Come on, senior apprentice-brother, tell me the story of you and this Skygreen Serpent.”

“I’ll tell you,” Ji Ning said, slowly recounting some events from those days gone by.

…

Yaolian Mountain was a singular peak spanning several dozen li, shaped like a blooming lotus flower. According to legend, the mountain was incredibly mysterious. Anyone who entered it never came out alive. At the very least, the demons in the surrounding area did not dare to set foot inside.

The region around Yaolian Mountain, however, was vast. Because the natural energy here was exceptionally dense, it had drawn countless demons to settle in the mountains nearby.

Demons were abundant here! Energy was abundant! Treasures were abundant!

The Skygreen Serpent had naturally intended to make its home in this area.

On the desolate wildlands surrounding Yaolian Mountain, enormous formation flags suddenly rose from the earth, appearing in every direction. In an instant, they sealed off a hundred li of territory.

“Not good!” A small azure serpent hovering in midair looked around, then lashed its tail, transforming into a streak of light in a desperate attempt to flee.

“Skygreen Serpent! Are you still trying to run at a time like this?”

A voice boomed like thunder. From beneath one of the formation flags, a green-skinned giant, nine meters tall, stepped into view. The giant’s eyes burned with a dark-green light, and his aura pulsed with heaven-shaking power.

“Skygreen Serpent, give up without a fight.”

“Stop struggling.”

“Resist, and you will die even more horribly.”

Voices rang out from each formation flag, and figures appeared one after another. They were all exuding a monstrous, demonic aura. A seductive woman dressed in white fur, a black giant with a savage killing intent that shook the heavens, a tall, thin, sinister man. In a single sweep of his gaze, there were over a dozen Wanxiang-level great demons.

The small azure serpent surveyed its surroundings, then shimmered, transforming into a delicate young girl with rosy lips and fair skin. Her face was full of panic. “This must be the Dragon Whale King, yes?”

“It is I.” The three-zhang tall, green-skinned giant’s voice was like thunder.

The Dragon Whale great demon was infamous throughout the Yaolian Mountain region. A great demon who cultivated the Fiendgod Body Refining path and possessed a Divine Ability, his combat power was astonishing. Over a dozen Wanxiang-level great demons followed his lead. Even the cultivators of the human race would not be foolish enough to provoke him.

“This little demon does not know how she has offended the great king, to warrant such a grand formation against her,” the young girl said in a terrified voice.

“Yesterday, you killed my sworn brother in life and death.” The Dragon Whale King’s eyes glowed an even more intense dark green.

The young girl was stunned.

“Yes, that Zifu-level Tiger-Head demon was my blood-brother.” The Dragon Whale King’s gaze was filled with a wild, murderous storm. “We have known each other since we were ordinary little demons. All these years… and you killed him.”

“I… I…” The young girl trembled. “I did not.”

“Do not make excuses.” The Dragon Whale King’s voice was icy. “You killed my sworn brother. I will make you understand what it means to suffer beyond death. Everyone… capture her! I will bind her with a Soul-Locking Chain and cruelly torture her for a hundred years! Only then will my hatred be appeased.”

“Yes.”

“The brother can rest assured.”

“Leave it to us.”

The dozen or so Wanxiang-level great demons all began to close in.

“Dream on, you bastard! Want to kill your grandmother?” The young girl’s panicked expression vanished. With a furious curse, she instantly transformed back into a small azure serpent and began to flee at high speed.

“Flee?” The Dragon Whale King watched coldly.

The other Wanxiang great demons gave chase.

“That Dragon Whale King really is sinister. He set up a great formation all around to lock down the local void, making it impossible for me to teleport.” The small azure serpent cursed inwardly. “It looks like I’m truly in danger this time. This Mount Yujue Wasteland really is a dangerous place, just as my senior apprentice-sisters said.”

Even though she had formally pledged herself to a grand immortal master…

That demonic immortal accepted anyone who came, taking in almost every demon. Although she, the Skygreen Serpent, was somewhat valued, if she were killed out here, no one would stand up for her. Within the demon race… the internal struggle was even crueler and more bare-fanged and clawed than among humans.”

“This Skygreen Serpent is so slippery.”

“Even though she can’t teleport through the void, her speed is still astonishing.”

“Frost Chi! She’s nurtured a Frost Chi! Everyone be careful!”

The fleeing azure serpent, whenever a Wanxiang great demon closed in, would simply exhale a plume of Frost Chi. For Wanxiang Adepts, Frost Chi was almost on the level of a Divine Ability. It was an incredibly powerful supplementary tool. Against weaker opponents, the Frost Chi could freeze them to death outright.

Even against a stronger enemy, the bone-chilling cold of the Frost Chi would slow them, weakening their combat power significantly.

“She can’t spew that Frost Chi for much longer. She’ll run dry soon.” The Dragon Whale King watched from afar, seeing the situation clearly. “We just need to shrink the encirclement, cut down her area to flee in. It’s only a matter of time before she dies.”

“What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?”

Surrounded from all sides, the Skygreen Serpent was relying on its Frost Chi to slow its pursuers, and its own incredible speed to dodge their attacks. But under the relentless siege of over a dozen great demons, its room to maneuver was shrinking fast. If this kept up… it would be captured alive.

“Boom!”

The azure serpent’s tail lashed out like a bolt of lightning, striking directly against the claw of an enormous white fox.

Both creatures were knocked backward.

The azure serpent’s tail whipped in an arc as it continued to flee.

“Flee?” The giant white fox’s narrow eyes shone with cold mockery. “You can’t escape.”

“Boom!” “Crack!” “Swoosh!”

The Skygreen Serpent was being forced to exchange blows with these great demons over and over. As a Godbeast, its abilities were formidable. One-on-one, it could hold its own. But its opponent had over a dozen Wanxiang-level great demons, several of whom were stronger than it. And the Dragon Whale King, who hadn’t yet acted… was far, far beyond its level.

“It looks like I’m really going to die today.” A flash of sudden clarity struck the Skygreen Serpent. It knew there was no escape.

It looked at the Dragon Whale King, who was watching it with cold, indifferent eyes. The Skygreen Serpent gritted its teeth. “Better to die fighting than be taken alive. And if I die, I’m taking a few of you with me!”

“Die!”

The Skygreen Serpent went berserk.

…

Above the Yaolian Mountain region, a dragon-headed warship was slowly advancing through the clouds and mist. Ji Ning had been searching this area for nearly half a month, but he had not yet managed to find the Skygreen Serpent.

“The Yaolian Mountain region is huge. Finding a single Skygreen Serpent is far too hard,” Mu Northson said. “Besides, it might have already left this area.”

“Perhaps so,” Ji Ning nodded.

“Hm?” Ji Ning frowned, looking down into the distance.

“An energy fluctuation.” Mu Northson sensed it too.

The ripples of elemental power from a battle between Wanxiang-level great demons were far too intense. Ji Ning could feel them clearly.

“Let’s go take a look,” Ji Ning said.

“Right.” Northson immediately steered the warship, rapidly closing the distance. As they drew nearer, the fluctuations grew stronger.

“Over there.” Northson pointed down. Through the faint clouds and mist, they could make out a massive battle unfolding on the wildlands below. A torrent of power rushed up to the heavens.

Ji Ning glanced down. “They should all be Wanxiang-level great demons. Let me have a look.”

Ji Ning willed it, and his divine sense spread out like a flood, covering the entire area where the battle was taking place.