Before him was a gigantic fruit tree, about ten meters tall, with an incredibly thick trunk—so wide that two people couldn't encircle it with their arms.
It stood right in the center of the Spirit Field, its leafy canopy like a vast cloud.
Unlike other fruit trees, this red fruit tree didn't bear clusters of large and small Red Fruits.
Instead, it was sparse, mostly branches and leaves.
Only at the very top, on a single branch, grew an exceptionally round and peculiar Red Fruit that shone with a purple glow.
This Red Fruit was adorned with unique patterns that resembled bolts of lightning.
Shen Mo paused before this colossal fruit tree, having no time to fully admire the top-grade Red Fruit.
Because... he saw a snake coiled around the vines of the fruit tree.
This snake, also adorned with silver patterns, was black and white.
However, what set it apart from other Silver Ring Demon Snakes was its enormous size; it was even larger than an average python.
Its proportions were incredibly exaggerated, but what made Shen Mo most nervous was that this demonic beast... had two heads!
The two heads were of different sizes—one large, one small.
The larger was the size of a millstone, while the smaller was only about the size of an infant's palm.
The contrast between them was utterly bizarre.
Silver Ring Demon Snakes usually move in groups. This type of demonic beast possesses no special bloodline, and it's extremely rare for one to become a high-class demonic beast. Their cultivation requires shedding their skin nine times before they can advance to Class II. A very clear characteristic indicating they've reached Class II is that a new head grows with each advancement in rank!
The information Uncle Chen had shared about identifying common demonic beasts surfaced in Shen Mo's mind.
Two heads... This is a Class II Silver Soul Snake! Its strength is equivalent to a Human Cultivator at the Qi Gathering Realm!
This Double-headed Silver Ring Snake doesn't seem to have fully advanced to Class II yet... he calmly assessed. The second head has just grown and isn't mature; it seems to be on the verge of breaking through to Class II...
Even so, it was far beyond his current ability to handle!
Damn Zhao Family! If they have such a powerful demonic beast here, why didn't they report it before!
A shiver ran down Shen Mo's spine. He cautiously stared at the Double-headed Silver Ring Python and slowly backed away.
Escape! He had no intention of fighting.
He only wanted to retreat before the Double-headed Silver Ring Python noticed him!
This python was not nearly as easy to deal with as the little Snake Demons he had slaughtered like chopping vegetables.
To kill a demonic beast approaching Class II, one would need to have, at the very least, reached Perfection in the Body Tempering Realm.
He was only at Layer VII of the Body Tempering Realm.
If they truly clashed, he might not withstand even a single blow!
HISS! HISS!
Shen Mo desperately hoped not to attract the Double-headed Silver Ring Python's attention.
But things rarely go as wished. Just as he was quietly retreating, the Double-headed Silver Ring Python's deathly maw slowly opened.
It quickly slithered down from the fruit tree, raised its tail—as thick as a tree trunk—and suddenly smashed it down at Shen Mo.
Trouble! Shen Mo's expression changed drastically. He stomped his foot and barely evaded the strike.
SMACK!
Dust flew where the snake's tail landed, leaving a shocking crater in the Spirit Field.
If that strike had hit Shen Mo, he would have been severely injured, if not killed!
WOOSH!
The Double-headed Silver Ring Python gave Shen Mo no chance to breathe, lifting its tail again and sweeping it towards him.
CRASH!
The massive snake tail smashed into a red fruit tree, snapping its trunk, and then continued its devastating sweep directly towards him.
I can't dodge this! In Shen Mo's pupils, the reflection of the incoming tail grew larger. Just as he was about to be hit, he crushed a Boulder Talisman!
HUM!
Dazzling golden light flared from the talisman. An extremely potent, bright yellow Mana instantly formed a Boulder Shield, deflecting the blow.
Luckily, I bought a life-saving talisman beforehand; otherwise, I would have been done for here!
Seeing the talisman activate, Shen Mo breathed a slight sigh of relief.
BANG!
Seeing its first strike fail, the Double-headed Silver Ring Python swung its tail down again.
This time, it was again blocked by the Boulder Talisman.
However, after two violent attacks, the Boulder Shield formed by the Boulder Talisman had faded considerably.
Clearly, the talisman's endurance had a limit.
A few more hits, and it would shatter before the talisman's power expired.
Earth Escaping Talisman, retreat first! Shen Mo once again reached into his Universe Bag, took out another talisman, and crushed it instantly!
WHIZ!
The moment this talisman was crushed, Shen Mo's body was enveloped by swirling quicksand, and he sank directly into the earth, vanishing on the spot.
HISS! HISS!
The Double-headed Silver Ring Python's icy gaze scanned the surroundings, but it could no longer find any trace of Shen Mo.
It seemed to hesitate for a moment, glanced back at the purple Red Fruit on the tree, and ultimately chose not to pursue.
It then slithered back up the giant fruit tree.
「...」
The losses are heavy!
On the outskirts of the Spirit Field, Shen Mo, having just managed to escape, breathed a sigh of relief when he saw no sign of the Double-headed Silver Ring Python pursuing him.
Then, he began to ache over the loss of his two talismans.
The Earth Escaping Talisman and the Boulder Talisman cost me twenty Spirit Stones in total... gone before I even had a chance to warm them up.
And the corpses of those little Snake Demons, I didn't even have time to collect them...
Anger flared on his face. Damn Zhao Family! They misrepresented the demonic beast's strength and nearly got me killed!
If Shen Mo had known a demonic beast approaching Class II existed in the Zhao Family Spirit Field, he absolutely would not have accepted this task!
"Immortal Master..."
"You're out! How did it go? Are those Demon Snakes completely eradicated?"
Shen Mo's figure moved like lightning, quickly reaching the Zhao Family's inner hall.
The group of Protectors who had deserted earlier were all waiting by the door.
Seeing him emerge, they quickly gathered around.
"Completely eradicated?" Shen Mo's face was grim, and he remained silent.
"Immortal Master, did something happen?"
Nearby, Zhao Jiachang, observing his expression and noticing Shen Mo seemed troubled, asked nervously.
"Let me ask you." Shen Mo's gaze was cold as he spoke, "Why did your Zhao Family conceal the demonic beast's strength?"
"Conceal...? What do you mean by that?" Zhao Jiachang was slightly taken aback.
"Are you telling me you didn't know that this Spirit Field not only harbors some little Snake Demons but also a big demon whose strength is close to Class II?"
"What? A big demon close to Class II?" Zhao Jiachang was aghast. "How could that be? Although the Red Fruit our Zhao Family's Spirit Field grows is a spiritual medicine, high-class demonic beasts shouldn't be attracted to it."
It seems he genuinely doesn't know, Shen Mo thought, seeing Zhao Jiachang's surprise didn't appear feigned.
Still too inexperienced. Even if they didn't know, when I learned that hundreds of Demon Snakes were swarming like a tide, I should have guessed there was a leader among them.
Despite this, the anger on his face hardly subsided. "Are you still trying to play dumb?"
"Do you realize that because you concealed the demonic beast's strength, you nearly got me killed! And I lost two priceless High-Level Talismans!"
Regardless of whether the Zhao Family knew about the Double-headed Silver Ring Python or not, Shen Mo was now determined to pin the blame on their concealment.
I've suffered a huge loss; I can't just let it go like this!