Accompanied by that tooth-aching sound of scraping scales, the ink-green poison fog seemed to gain life, wrapping around that green-robed figure like stars surrounding the moon.
The instant "Green Snake" stepped onto the battlefield, the entire canyon's air seemed to freeze.
He was in no hurry to attack. With a casual wave of his sleeve, an ink-green Primeval Essence ribbon lashed out like a long whip.
It instantly coiled around the underground Gu Master who'd been driven to desperate straits by Lin Feng's sword qi and was trying to burrow away, yanking him back like picking up a chicken.
"I..."
The underground Gu Master had just begun to defend himself when Green Snake kicked him in the knee, forcing him to kneel.
"Shut up. Can't even handle a few fledglings, nearly got your eyes pecked by sparrows. Go receive your punishment when we return."
Green Snake's voice was hoarse and cold, carrying an unquestionable authority.
This was the pressure of Rank 2 Primeval Essence, and more—the concentrated killing aura precipitated from years of licking blood from blade edges and fields filled with corpses.
Before this killing aura, even Ah Zhong, a death warrior raised by the clan, found his breathing growing heavier, veins bulging on the back of his clenched fists.
"Actually a Demonic Path Rank 2..."
Lin Mu shrank behind Ah Zhong, heart pounding wildly. This oppressive feeling was even more suffocating than when he'd faced the Charcoal Stone Boar King.
Because beasts had only instinct, while the person before him possessed not just power, but brains and methods.
Green Snake paid no heed to their fear. He raised those murky dead-fish eyes, coldly sweeping across everyone, finally stopping on Lin Mu, lips curling into a cruel arc.
"Somewhat interesting. Merely Rank 1, yet quite a sharp nose."
Before his words fell, he suddenly took a deep breath.
"Hiss—"
With his inhalation, the surrounding ghastly green thin poison fog suddenly churned violently.
He was actually forcibly activating a Rank 1 Miasma Fog Gu with Rank 2 Primeval Essence. This eruption regardless of cost caused the poison fog to instantly transform qualitatively.
The fog that had still allowed vague visibility transformed in the blink of an eye into viscous black-green miasma.
This wasn't merely visual obstruction—the fog contained intense paralyzing powder and hallucinogenic toxins. Even with red mud sealing mouth and nose, stinging pain spread across the skin.
"Not good!"
Lin Mu's expression changed drastically.
He discovered with horror that the Blood Scent Gu in his aperture, which had always operated smoothly, suddenly began trembling violently as if drunk.
The intense stench of poison completely masked the blood scent in the air. The "red coordinates" in his mind that had been crystal clear now became intermittent, even showing severe doubling and deviation.
"Damn, rank suppression! My scouting method has failed!"
The instant they lost their "radar," the entire team plunged back into blind groping desperation.
"Attack!"
Lin Feng also sensed something wrong. Knowing they couldn't delay further, he roared, his long sword blazing with golden light. A Metal Rend Sword Qi slashed toward Green Snake based on memory.
But that sword qi shot into the viscous ink-green miasma like a clay ox entering the sea, not even making a sound.
"Too slow."
Green Snake didn't even move his feet. He merely contemptuously raised his withered right hand, sacrificing his Vital Gu.
Rank 2: Viper Gu!
"Hiss—!"
A massive viper phantom completely condensed from virulent poison and Primeval Essence instantly took form behind him.
The snake shadow was as thick as a water barrel. Opening its gaping maw, it ignored Lin Feng's sword qi and directly bit down on Ah Zhong at the forefront.
"Break for me!"
Ah Zhong's eyes bulged with rage. Not dodging or evading, his entire body's copper skin radiated dazzling yellow light as he tried to withstand this strike head-on.
"Sizzle sizzle sizzle!"
However, reality was cruel.
That proud "copper skin" that could even deflect bone spurs actually melted rapidly like snow meeting hot water under the viper phantom's virulent corrosion, emitting waves of foul-smelling green smoke.
"Urgh—!"
Ah Zhong released a pained groan. His entire left arm blocking in front instantly blackened and festered, exposing the pale bone beneath.
His massive body was knocked repeatedly backward by the tremendous impact. The originally impenetrable defensive circle instantly showed several fatal cracks.
Though he could still barely stand, his trembling body indicated that a defensive retainer cultivated by the clan simply couldn't withstand a Demonic Path Rank 2 with bizarre methods for long.
"Kekeke, the turtle shell's broken."
Green Snake laughed coldly.
But he didn't press his advantage to kill Ah Zhong, nor did he bother with Lin Feng who posed the greatest threat, much less pay attention to the trembling Lin Wan'er.
Those dead-fish eyes pierced through the crack in the defense, directly locking onto Lin Mu hiding at the very back.
He was an old hand who deeply understood the principle of "strike the snake at its seventh segment." This team was only troublesome because of this kid's "eyes."
"Boy, quite a sharp nose, eh?"
Green Snake's voice was like a night owl's cry. "Then I'll first gouge out your nose, then gouge out your eyes."
"Whoosh!"
Green Snake's form flickered, pulling an afterimage through the viscous poison fog. The poison blade in his hand glowed blue as it went straight for Lin Mu's throat.
Fast! Too fast!
Lin Mu's scalp tingled. Death's shadow instantly enveloped his entire body.
Facing the stabbing poison blade, Lin Mu's face showed extremely realistic "terror." His feet seemed to go weak with fright as he staggered backward.
"Help!"
He cried out, foot slipping. His entire body fell backward in disgrace.
In reality, Earth Ring Body instantly erupted. Though his movements looked utterly unseemly, like a shameless dog rolling all over the ground, this "fall's" angle and speed had been precisely calculated.
"Swish!"
The poison blade scraped past his neck, cutting through half his collar and carving a deep wound to the bone on his shoulder.
Intense pain struck. Black poisoned blood instantly gushed out.
"Ugh!"
Lin Mu groaned, rolling continuously on the ground, narrowly avoiding the second blade that followed.
This wasn't an act—he truly could barely hold on. Poison entering his body, half his body began going numb, his complexion rapidly darkening.
"Lin Mu!"
Hearing the scream, Lin Feng wanted to provide support, but in the dense fog he was also blind. Several wildly slashed sword qi not only missed Green Snake but nearly took off Lin Mu's head.
"Damn... this old poison creature is too strong."
Lin Mu dodged miserably in the mud, a deep sense of powerlessness surging in his heart.
So stifling!
Clearly having trump cards he couldn't use, clearly able to flee but unable to flee, he could only act like a clown here, using his life to perform, to gamble for that thread of survival.
"If this continues, will I really die here?"
Despair spread like poisonous grass in his heart.
At this moment, Green Snake had clearly also lost patience.
"Slippery little worm, let's see how long you can roll."
He no longer wanted to toy with this mouse.
Green Snake took a deep breath and stopped. His hands formed seals.
The massive viper phantom above his head condensed again. This time, it was no longer a simple bite—its entire body began expanding, twisting, emanating a heart-palpitating destructive aura.
Reeking wind assaulted the senses, nauseating.
That giant snake opened its maw, aiming at Lin Mu who'd collapsed on the ground with nowhere left to retreat, preparing to unleash a fatal devouring Killer Move that would completely melt him—person and bones—into a pool of poisonous water.