The enormous serpent was relentless; with just one slap of its tail, a giant Ficus tree was ripped from its roots-a tree that had stood for thousands of years. If this continued, it would bring down the remaining Ficus trees that mutually supported the Miracle Purple Orchid.
He couldn't allow the situation to deteriorate further. Escaping toward the distant Ficus trees was the best way to lure the beast away.
Fortunately, the serpent beast followed him without hesitation, charging recklessly after him. Another Ficus tree toppled as its tail lashed out once more, pressing closer.
It moved so swiftly that it seemed to swallow the entire plains with its massive, unnatural body.
With each tree it felled, the ground trembled-threatening to crack open under the force.
The terror of this encounter was undeniable. No wonder no one had ever survived attempting to claim the Miracle Purple Orchid. The opponent was no ordinary beast-it was death itself.
Yet, legends claimed that the serpent was still in its adolescence; with each stage of growth, it would sprout another head. At present, it had developed three. Only when it reached its perfect, complete form would it possess nine heads.
His chest heaved uncontrollably, each breath ragged and desperate. Li Haoran ran for his life, never daring to look back.
Behind him, debris crashed and scattered-he knew it was the grinding weight of the serpent tearing the earth.
Ahead, an open stretch of dense forest beckoned. His legs trembled from the relentless sprint.
This was his only chance to escape and save himself from the enormous, aggressive predator.
The serpent wasn't just after him-it was after the treasure he had taken.
Deep in the forest, he finally stopped and tried to compose himself. Sweat streamed down his temples, soaking his entire body. He was trembling; every nerve screamed with pain. He braced one hand against a massive trunk and lowered himself, gasping for air.
Heat crept up his nape to his ears, and his cheeks burned crimson. Afterward, he stood and composed himself with a heavy, long sigh, pressing his eyes shut and one hand to his chest. Though exhaustion weighed on him and his legs threatened to give out, he felt a fleeting moment of relief.
At last, the surroundings fell silent, but he remained uncertain about what would come next. The beast he had encountered was a mystery. He needed to stay alert and observant. Only keen eyes and a sharp sense would keep him from falling prey to his predator.
Exposing himself right away wasn't an option. For now, he was cut off from the path he had taken before. The forest was shady, with dense branches and leaves-perfect for concealing himself and avoiding the serpent beast.
Li Haoran began to walk beneath the dim, silent canopy, uncertain of what dangers might be lurking ahead. The forest felt strange; it was possible that this place was empty, with no other creatures around. He pressed on, careful and alert.
If he had chosen to stay and fight that enormous beast, he wouldn't have survived. He would have been swallowed whole, with no chance of ever returning to the healer's manor. Most of all, he would never see Yue Chan again.
Fortunately, his mind remained sharp. He was never the fool others believed him to be, even if he wasn't as renowned as his master. At the very least, his knowledge allowed him to handle any situation-trivial or otherwise.
Ten minutes later, he paused and pulled a map from inside his robe. Unrolling it, he studied the pristine paper for his location.
Finally, he understood.
If he took an arched route, he would return to the old ruins-the place where he had first stood-about seven kilometers away. By his calculations, it would take over an hour on foot.
Exhausting!
But he had no right to complain. He needed to do this to fulfill his mission.
He'd been granted only a three-day extension; wasting time was not an option.
One ingredient down, four more to go before he could achieve the precise formula for the antidote.
He tucked the map back into his robe and continued on foot.
As he ventured deeper into the forest, only the crunch of dry leaves broke the silence, while the scent of mixed bushes and pine-flower trees lingered in the air. Sunlight pricked his skin, and the ground shimmered with heat. Without the shelter of the canopy and the relief of fresh air, the journey became almost unbearable.
He had been traveling for about an hour. With just a little farther to go, he would finally reach the old ruins. He didn't mind the fatigue or exhaustion-his eyes stayed fixed on the ground, but his senses remained sharp, alert to everything around him.
Fortunately, it wasn't long before he finally reached the old ruins. He was breathing heavily, bracing his hands on his knees as he bent over for a brief rest. Looking up, he took in the sight of the ruins-silent, steady, and lifeless.
As he composed himself, he walked toward the old ruins.
The sun was merciless, burning his skin and turning his cheeks crimson. Sweat beaded endlessly, soaking his robes once again. He spotted a shady corner formed by the standing, broken walls; without hesitation, he pressed himself into the cool shadow and allowed himself a break. Noticing a fallen stone nearby, he sat down, letting his aching feet finally rest.
A long, heavy sigh escaped his lips-the kind of relief that only came after a relentless struggle.
Thankfully, he had managed to escape that enormous monster, something he'd never expected to face.
If his master's life weren't important to him, he wouldn't have risked his own for this task. Taking on this ordeal was, in truth, his way of proving himself worthy to be her disciple.
Unbeknownst to most, everyone dreamed of being close to the Supreme Warrior, yet no one dared to try. He was the lucky one who had the courage to face the intimidating and reclusive top disciple in all of Jianghu.
This bond was not just something he gained-it was something he truly treasured.
After a few months together, he sensed his cultivation had improved more than ever before. Although Yue Chan wasn't someone who could be approached easily, deep down, she was kind-hiding her true nature behind a veil of darkness. She could be both heartless and selfless, depending on how others treated her.
Heart for heart. Blood for blood. That was how she was known.
She lived by her own laws and rules-ones no one dared to predict. Her authority was so absolute that even elders and sect masters bowed their heads to her.
Truly, she was ultimately powerful.The true ace-the undisputed lord of war wherever she went.
Li Haoran drifted out of focus for a long moment before snapping back to reality. This was no time to feel secure or complacent-he hadn't even left the village yet.
He stood and prepared to move on. But just as he took his first step, he heard it again-a familiar, chilling sound he'd heard not long ago.
Hissing. Again.
The hissing was close; his body tensed in recognition. He froze, not daring to move.An enormous shadow stretched overhead, blanketing the old ruins and sending a chill through his nerves.
At first, he didn't dare look up-his gaze remained fixed on the ground, eyes wide with fear. A creeping sensation crawled up from his legs to his torso, then up his back to his nape. The chilling cold pierced his ears. He thought he had escaped the monster, never expecting he'd walked right into another trap.
Bad idea.
Li Haoran slowly tilted his head upward, holding his breath. The shadow deepened as two more heads loomed above him. How could fate be so cruel? Facing this three-headed beast was as good as a death sentence.
Slowly, he took a step back, hoping the serpent beast wouldn't notice him.
After chasing him earlier, the beast had vanished when he fled into the forest. It hadn't wasted time searching for him; instead, it had waited for him to reappear, making no effort to pursue. If that was the case, this enormous serpent beast was far smarter than he had imagined.
Idiot!
Li Haoran muttered to himself, releasing a slow, trembling breath. He realized now that he was the one being outwitted by the creature.
Beside the old ruins stood a single, upright pillar, and behind it was an open space-an escape route. With the serpent cornering him in the center, he knew he needed to outmaneuver the monster before it tore him apart.
One, two, three-Li Haoran edged sideways, step by step, moving closer to the pillar. For a moment, he thought he was succeeding. But as he drew nearer, the serpent's eyes fixed on him, watching menacingly.
Its body coiled around the entire area, thick, shiny black scales gleaming in the sunlight. Without realizing it, Li Haoran had been cornered the moment he entered the old ruins-trapped inside.
Panic spread across his face. How could he possibly escape this danger now?
He froze, eyes locked on the serpent beast, not daring to move-just waiting.
The air grew oppressively heavy, as if every corner of the old ruins were about to collapse all at once.
Trapped in this cage, he knew he had to be cautious.
The serpent didn't attack; instead, it watched him intently, its gaze scanning every inch of his body. It wasn't harming him yet-almost as if it were searching for something.
Li Haoran's brow furrowed as he tried to decipher the beast's intentions.
He continued edging closer. Just one more step, and he would reach the pillar. But unexpectedly, his foot landed on a fist-sized piece of broken stone, throwing him off balance. He fell hard to the ground, pain shooting through him.
An agonizing grunt escaped his lips as his bag was nearly crushed beneath him.
Despite the pain, he pushed himself up and grabbed the bag. One of the Miracle Purple Orchids slipped out and tumbled to the ground. Li Haoran snatched it up and quickly tucked it back inside, making sure the bag was secure.
At that moment, the serpent beast let out a thunderous roar. He froze, clutching the bag tightly. The monster had seen it. Now he understood-its true target was the antidote.
His cold eyes locked onto the serpent beast once more as he slowly raised the bag, making sure the creature could see it.
"My friend, is this what you're after? Don't be greedy-it could kill you," he taunted, lowering the bag and slinging it over his shoulder. "You want it back? Come and take it!"
With that challenge, Li Haoran sprinted to the far side of the old ruins. The enormous serpent beast became aggressive and relentless, each movement making the earth tremble. As the ruined structures began to collapse, Li Haoran dodged falling debris, careful to avoid injury.
This was the wildest scene he had ever witnessed. His provocation had made the serpent beast even more terrifying. Its tail thrashed wildly, turning the old ruins into utter chaos-smashing every remaining structure and bringing down the last of the strong foundations.
When the place was completely demolished, Li Haoran was momentarily stunned. Now, he needed to run-anywhere, just to survive.
The serpent beast's heads pressed forward. Li Haoran summoned his internal force to shield himself and countered their attacks with his own power. Each head lunged at him, and he kept dodging their deadly strikes.
This was utterly exhausting, but he had to buy himself time to think of a way to escape. As long as his mind stayed sharp, he could come up with a plan to outwit the monster.
Once again, one of the serpent beast's heads struck forward to seize him. Li Haoran raised his power to shield himself. But then, the other two heads attacked simultaneously with full force. His shield shattered, and he was violently thrown outside the ruins.
As he crashed into the open field, he violently spat out blood, pain surging through his body. His vision blurred for a moment, darkness swirling at the edges. He braced himself against the ground, trying to compose himself, his body trembling from the force of the blow.
When he finally regained his senses, he forced himself to stand, fighting through the excruciating pain in every inch of his body.
The serpent beast pursued him, attacking without mercy. In his weakened state, he dodged what he could and used the last of his strength to defend himself.
But the serpent beast was formidable. No matter how hard he struck, his attacks seemed to have no effect.
The more he dodged to save himself, the dizzier he became, his mind growing blank.
Sensing his weakness, the serpent seized the opportunity. Its tail whipped out mercilessly, striking him and sending him crashing away, helpless and battered.
Li Haoran thought this was the end-he would never see Yue Chan again.
His body was numb with pain. He stared up at the vast, bright blue sky as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. With great effort, he tried to lift his hands, but they only trembled against the ground.
The serpent beast was drawing closer. He had no strength left to fight-unless he surrendered and let the monster swallow him whole. Tears streamed down his face, hopeless and heartbroken. He lowered his head, overcome with the crushing sense of failure.
"Master, we will not see each other again. I'm sorry-I failed you," he murmured, letting the tears continue to stream down his face.
Shadows blanketed the field once more, swallowing everything in darkness. But this was no ordinary shadow-it was the serpent beast itself.
Li Haoran couldn't move; he was powerless.
Seeing him motionless, the serpent beast seized the opportunity and pressed forward, its mouth opening wide. Just as it was about to reach him, the ground suddenly shook with violent force. Cracks split the earth, as if something was struggling to break free below.
Shock!
Even the serpent beast halted its attack, each head searching the area for any sign of danger. But no one was there-only the ground, which continued to shake even more violently. Li Haoran, still motionless, wondered what was happening; he hadn't moved at all.
Suddenly, the crushed earth opened into a gaping hole-dark and uneven. The enormous serpent beast noticed it and froze, observing intently.
Unexpectedly, a sudden force erupted from below, and something unusual emerged from the hole.
It was a vine.
This vine seemed alive. A giant cluster rose to the surface, while other thick tendrils snaked out from the opening, crawling directly toward the serpent beast.
At the same time, the giant cluster lunged forward, coiling around the beast. Each stem shimmered with gold and black-clearly, this was no ordinary vine.
Li Haoran froze, unable to believe what he was seeing. How could a vine attack so boldly, especially against such a dangerous monster?
Yet, as he watched, it became clear just how powerful the vine was. The beast thrashed and tried to escape, but it was no use. The more it struggled, the tighter the vine became, wrapping it in glowing, unbreakable stems.
No, the vine wasn't just coiling to crush the enormous serpent beast-it was draining its power completely, until the serpent beast began to turn to dust.
A sharp memory flashed through Li Haoran's mind. That appearance, those colors, the shimmering energy of gold and black-he had seen it before. He searched his memory, and then it hit him.
His hand clenched the earth in disbelief.
"Nether Abyssal Vine?" Li Haoran murmured. "How could this thing appear here?"