C12 He Entered the Mine
Upon discovering the mountain path, Lee Mo and Lee Gaoyuan were filled with joy. They quickly backtracked and delved deeper into the mine.
As evening approached and they needed to head home, Lee Mo suggested they split up to expedite their search.
Moving carefully through the mine tunnel, Lee Mo periodically checked the stone walls and picked up pieces of ore to examine.
Upon entering a new corridor, a strange smell assaulted his nostrils. He followed the odor to a small chamber. Lighting the area with his torch, he frowned in revulsion.
This space, once a haven for miners to rest, was now strewn with the remains of wild animals, some with decaying flesh still clinging to their bones, emitting the putrid odor.
Suddenly, Lee Mo detected a slight sound from behind, like something scraping the ground. A rush of air surged from behind him. He quickly sidestepped, pressing against the wall as a dark figure shot past.
The torchlight revealed the intruder to be a formidable adult Dark Python. This beast, with its immense weight, had enough power to crush leopards and tigers. It would be a challenge for even three to five Middle Period Qi Condensation Stage warriors to defeat it, more so in the dim, narrow mine.
However, Lee Mo was far from ordinary. Holding the torch in his left hand and his duelling sword in his right, he braced for the Dark Python's attack.
With a hiss, the Dark Python lunged at the diminutive prey before it, its massive jaws agape and forked tongue flickering wildly. Lee Mo snorted dismissively and swung his sword in a direct chop. The Spirit Snake Sword technique he employed was both agile and domineering.
As Lee Mo made his move, the Dark Python swiftly shifted its body to the right, pressing close to the stone wall, ready to slither along it and attack from behind. But Lee Mo had anticipated this maneuver.
As the preeminent earth-level Alchemist of the Vruthurenth Empire, his extensive knowledge and in-depth research into the habits of Barbarian Beasts were beyond imagination. Although the Dark Python was protected by scaly armor, its natural method of combat was not to clash head-on with its prey. It would always dodge an attack and then circle behind its prey to strike again, regardless of how weak the opponent seemed.
As the Dark Python dodged, hugging the stone wall, Lee Mo abruptly halted his swordplay, spun around to confront the creature, and thrust his sword forward. With a fierce cry, his sword struck like lightning, hitting the Dark Python's vital seven-inch region with precision. The sharp horn tip pierced the scales, and the Vital Energy burst forth, obliterating the heart beneath the seven-inch mark. The Dark Python collapsed with a thud, its blood seeping into the ground.
In a split second, Lee Mo resolved to stand his ground. He leaped forward instead of retreating, landing with a shout and launching an offensive. The Dark Pythons moved to either side, aiming to flank him along the wall. But Lee Mo's move was another bluff; he sidestepped and thrust his sword out like a flash of lightning.
His duelling sword cleaved down on the Dark Python to his left. As the blade connected, it acted like a sledgehammer, shattering the creature's bones and crushing its heart. At that very moment, the other Dark Python lunged from behind, its gaping maw aiming for Lee Mo's head.
Lee Mo was well-prepared. With a swift motion, he tossed the torch from his left hand and drew the Snake-bone Flying Dagger from his waist, expertly stabbing the Dark Python in the eye in a backhanded thrust.
The Dark Python shuddered violently, its biting action noticeably slowing. Lee Mo spun around and plunged his sword into its heart.
Only after both Dark Pythons lay dead on the ground did Lee Mo exhale a sigh of relief.
"Lee Mo, are you okay?" Lee Gaoyuan's voice, laced with concern, echoed from a distance, and he quickly made his way into the mine.
Lee Mo feinted with an empty move, a strike that had the form of an attack but lacked any real power. As the Dark Python dodged, pressing itself against the stone wall, Lee Mo abruptly halted his sword's momentum, spun around to face the creature, and thrust his sword forward.
With a thunderous shout, Lee Mo's sword struck like lightning, accurately hitting the Dark Python's vital spot. The sharp horn of the sword pierced through the python's scales, and his Vital Energy exploded in an instant, shattering the beast's heart beneath its seven-inch mark.
The Dark Python collapsed heavily to the ground, its blood seeping from the wound and staining the earth. Meanwhile, the sounds of combat echoed from afar, indicating that Lee Gaoyuan had also encountered a Dark Python.
Lee Mo had faith in Lee Gaoyuan's abilities and had no time to worry about him, as another hissing noise came from the cave entrance. He looked up to see two Dark Pythons, as thick as bowls, slithering side by side towards him.
The air was thick with the scent of blood, and the two black pythons seemed to quicken their pace, closing the distance to just a few yards from Lee Mo. In an instant, Lee Mo made his decision. Far from retreating, he leaped forward, landing with a shout and launching an attack.
The two Dark Pythons moved to flank him, sliding along the stone walls in an attempt to circle behind him. But Lee Mo's move was another feint; he swiftly sidestepped and thrust his sword out like a flash of lightning.
His duelling sword cleaved vertically towards the Dark Python on his left. As the blade struck the serpent's body, it transformed into a crushing hammer, splintering the python's bones and obliterating its heart.
As he turned to strike, the other Dark Python lunged from behind, its gaping maw snapping towards his head. Prepared, Lee Mo tossed his torch aside, drew the Snake-bone Flying Dagger from his waist, and in a swift backhand motion, stabbed it into the python's eye.
Lee Gaoyuan returned the smile. Together, they dissected the pythons, harvesting the gallbladders, bones, and fangs, before continuing their journey.
As they delved deeper, they encountered an increasing number of Dark Pythons, sometimes facing over a dozen at once. Although it would have been perilous for Lee Mo alone, with Lee Gaoyuan—a warrior in the Middle Period of the Qi Condensation Stage—by his side, they managed the battles with ease.
Upon entering, they were confronted with an enormous beast. This Dark Python was several times larger than the others, stretching over thirty feet long.
"Lee Mo, are you alright?" Lee Gaoyuan's concerned voice echoed from a distance, quickly closing in as he entered the mine.
Upon seeing three Dark Python carcasses on the ground and Lee Mo unharmed, Lee Gaoyuan breathed a sigh of relief. "It seems we've stumbled upon a Dark Python nest," he remarked.
Lee Mo replied with a smile, "That works out perfectly. Dark Python gallbladders, teeth, and bones can be used to craft medicines or weapons. Even if we don't find chalcedony today, our trip won't be in vain."
Lee Gaoyuan smiled as well, and together they set to work. They sliced open the Dark Pythons' bellies, harvested their gallbladders, extracted their bones, and plucked their teeth before continuing on their way.
The deeper they went, the more Dark Pythons appeared, sometimes in groups of a dozen or more.
Had Lee Mo been alone, the situation might have been dangerous, but with Lee Gaoyuan, a warrior in the Middle Period of the Monolith Stage, the battles were much easier.
Eventually, Lee Mo discovered a vein of ore streaked with blood patterns. Following the trail, they arrived at a larger cavern.
Upon entering, they were immediately confronted by an enormous creature—a Dark Python of colossal size, several times larger than the average and over thirty feet long.
"It's an elite among Dark Pythons; it might even have an Inner Core," Lee Gaoyuan said, eyes lighting up.
Lee Mo noticed a narrow crevice on one side of the cavern. Only then did he turn his attention to the elite Dark Python and said, "Gaoyuan, don't intervene. I'll handle this one."
"You've just recovered from an injury; taking on this elite Dark Python might be a stretch," Lee Gaoyuan expressed his concern.
"Don't worry," Lee Mo assured him with a smile, gripping his duelling sword as he approached the elite Dark Python.
The blood on his sword hadn't dried yet, giving off the scent of its kin. The giant Dark Python hissed deeply and then suddenly lunged at Lee Mo.
"Bloodthirsty Sword!" Lee Mo bellowed, slashing forward with his weapon.
The elite Dark Python didn't flinch or dodge; its head came crashing down like a sledgehammer.
Lee Mo channeled all his Vital Energy into the sword. At the moment of impact between the Bloodthirsty Sword and the python's head, a dull explosive sound resonated through the cavern.
Reeling from the elite Dark Python's powerful strike, Lee Mo stumbled several steps backward. Undeterred, the Dark Python elite lunged forward, its gaping maw ready to swallow him whole.
After testing the Dark Python elite's strength, Lee Mo no longer held back. Gripping his sword, he launched a relentless assault.
Empowering the Bloodthirsty Sword with the Celestial Flame Embodiment Spell, his attacks now packed ten times the force of his previous ones.
This time, Lee Mo's sword struck the python's head directly, not yielding a single step!
Witnessing Lee Mo withstand the python's onslaught, Lee Gaoyuan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
The Dark Python elite, momentarily recoiling, quickly resumed its attack. Lee Mo continued to swing his sword in a furious barrage.
Each of Lee Mo's strikes was more ferocious than the last. Even a Martial Apprentice in the late Qi Condensation Stage would struggle to fend off such a relentless sequence of sword moves.
However, the Dark Python elite was stronger than the typical late-stage Qi Condensation warrior. Its head, as hard as steel, kept smashing down, clashing with the Bloodthirsty Sword and emitting a series of resounding clangs.
Lee Mo faced off against the Dark Python elite in a pure test of strength, where the slightest falter would mean defeat.
The Bloodthirsty Sword voraciously consumed Lee Mo's Vital Energy, pushing its power to the limit while teetering on the brink of losing control.
Radiating a blood-red glow as if drenched in fresh blood, the sword exuded an eerie aura.
Under this immense pressure, Lee Mo's combat prowess soared, his cultivation level surging. Then, with a sudden leap and a thunderous cry of "Blood Flowing!" he struck.
The Bloodthirsty Sword heavily cleaved into the python's head. Simultaneously, the Vital Energy within the sword erupted, forming a secondary wave of attack that surged into the python's head once more.
