Zhao De Yi was about to think deeply when he suddenly felt a strong stench of wind approaching. Almost instinctively, he leaped aside. What followed was a deafening crash, and the rocks around the cave flew in all directions, as if struck by lightning.
It was the tail of the Purple Electric Monster Snake, which slammed heavily against a pile of rubble, instantly destroying it into dust.
The speed of the Purple Electric was astonishing, far surpassing that of the Gale Gold-striped Leopard. Although Zhao De Yi had tried his best to dodge, he still couldn't escape in time. The moment he reacted, he drew a short sword from his waist and swiftly struck toward the two glowing points. Though this sword was not a magical weapon, the blade was forged from mysterious iron alloy, making it incredibly sharp and heavy.
He knew how much force he had put into the strike—at least 300 jun (a unit of weight), equivalent to 9,000 pounds. If it had struck a metal pillar, it would have easily split it in two.
According to martial arts cultivation rules, a cultivator in the initial stage of Qi condensation has a strength of 50 jun, while those in the intermediate stage have 100 jun, and those in the advanced stage possess 200 jun. Zhao De Yi, being in the advanced stage, already possessed nearly 300 jun of strength.
However, despite the immense force of his strike, it failed to inflict any significant damage on the giant snake.
In that moment, a wave of fear surged within Zhao De Yi's heart. Could this not be a mere beast, but a demon beast?
Demon beasts possess far greater strength and intelligence than ordinary beasts. Even a low-level demon beast would be enough to suppress a cultivator in the advanced Qi condensation stage. This meant that Zhao De Yi and his companions were essentially helpless against this monstrous snake.
Before he had time to think further, the snake's tongue shot toward him like an arrow. The sharp tip of the tongue sliced through the air, creating a gust of wind. Zhao De Yi barely dodged, but his left shoulder was struck, and the pain quickly spread throughout his body.
This was no ordinary snake attack, but a unique strike from a demon beast—a snake's core strike, often used to capture prey.
A more deadly threat followed quickly. Zhao De Yi suddenly realized that the ground beneath him seemed unnaturally soft. His body swayed, as though he had fallen into an invisible trap. The Purple Electric had already anticipated his direction, quickly using its massive body to encircle him.
The air in the cave tightened, as if the entire space was being compressed. Zhao De Yi finally understood—Purple Electric intended to use its best technique, the snake-shaped constriction, to crush him alive.
As he was about to be consumed by the monster's immense constriction power, Zhao De Yi could no longer hold back and let out a roar. His internal energy surged like a flood, his muscles and bones instantly hardened, and his blood boiled like rivers rushing back. His strength grew at an astonishing rate.
In the blink of an eye, his power surged to the peak of Qi condensation, reaching nearly 500 jun. Zhao De Yi pushed against the tightening snake body with all his might, and under tremendous pressure, his hands reached the Purple Electric's scales and pressed downward, using the leverage to escape from the snake's deadly grip.
Though the scales were extremely sharp, they still cut through Zhao De Yi's skin, and blood quickly soaked his entire body. Yet, he paid no attention to it, determined to break free and dashed towards the cave entrance without hesitation.
At this point, Purple Electric attempted to tighten its grip once more but couldn't fully restrain him. Zhao De Yi used his peak Qi condensation strength to break free. Although his speed was no match for the serpent, he still managed to create some distance temporarily.
However, his hope of escape was short-lived. After only running about 200 zhang (a Chinese unit of measurement), the Purple Electric was right behind him. The serpent's body flickered and its tail, like a whip, lashed across. Zhao De Yi was caught off guard, and before he could react, he was sent flying through the air.
The speed of the Purple Electric was unstoppable. In an instant, it expanded its body, and its tail slammed into the ground, creating a violent storm. It leaped into the air and quickly caught up to Zhao De Yi, opening its massive mouth to swallow him whole.
At that moment, Zhao De Yi's fate was sealed.
After devouring Zhao De Yi, the Purple Electric Monster Snake quickly absorbed his essence. The blood of a high-level Qi condensation cultivator caused subtle changes in its bloodline, greatly enhancing its power and intelligence. The snake could feel itself on the verge of a breakthrough, nearing the moment it could become a true demon beast—only one more opportunity was needed.
As Zhao De Yi's essence was consumed, the Purple Electric Monster Snake realized that if it devoured another peak Qi condensation cultivator, it would complete its transformation. Though its intelligence was not yet on par with a true demon beast, it was already an incredibly powerful creature among beasts.
Meanwhile, Lin Tian was quietly observing the situation in the cave, carefully watching the movements of the Purple Electric Monster Snake. He knew that the snake's goal was to lure all the Zhao family members near the water pool. At the right moment, Lin Tian suddenly mimicked Zhao Kun's voice, doing so with perfect imitation.
This loud call made the Purple Electric Monster Snake sense the approaching prey. It moved even faster, driving the Zhao family disciples who were attempting to escape in other directions toward the water pool.
Amid the chaos, Zhao Tian, with a flash of doubt in his mind, slowed his pace, trying to hide in the confusion. However, Lin Tian's plan had already been set, and the Purple Electric Monster Snake was following its exact trajectory.
By the water pool, a few of the Zhao family disciples began to sense something was wrong, but it was too late.
Lin Tian suddenly leaped out from behind a rock, his magic weapon sword flashing like lightning, aiming directly for a Zhao family disciple's vitals. The disciple had no chance to react, and his throat was pierced instantly. Another disciple rushed to draw his sword in defense but was also pierced through the chest by Lin Tian's "Sheng Mie Shuo" hidden in his sleeve at the same time.
The Sheng Mie Shuo buzzed in the air, and after absorbing the blood, it quickly vanished without a trace.
For Lin Tian, killing had long ceased to be a psychological burden. Since he made the decision to seek revenge, he had stepped onto this irreversible path. And the hardships he faced in the ancient forest over the past few months had accustomed him to life and death, and there was no trace of weakness in his eyes.
In his view, these Zhao family disciples, no matter their motives, were not worth any mercy.