Ghost Bear Worm!
Zhang Haike suddenly shone his flashlight, finally identifying the creature.
It was worm-like, its body covered in rings of flesh. With each wriggle, the flesh within surged beneath its dark, bumpy skin, as if countless tiny fingers were pressing from the inside.
Its head was utterly disgusting, a series of nested, fleshy protrusions. When it opened, it revealed layered, rice-grain-like teeth arranged in circles. These teeth were unevenly interlocked, their power derived not from sharpness but from friction.
This was a eyeless worm; its head only possessed that tumor-like mouth.
Its weakness was a diamond-shaped white spot on the back of its head. This sounded simple enough, but the Ghost Bear Worm's characteristic was that its weakness had to be completely pierced to kill it. Otherwise, it would rapidly regenerate and return to its original state.
The clan leader must have noticed it too; the damage from his previous strike had already healed.
But this particular Ghost Bear Worm was so plump it could barely squeeze out of the hole. How could the length of a blade possibly pierce it?
Zhang Haike pursed his lips, searching his bag for a gun.
But those old-fashioned, stubborn, and extremely conservative people insisted that such disrespectful items as guns were forbidden in the sacred land. Indeed, there wasn't a single gun in the bag.
Drawing his saber, Zhang Haike felt an extreme revulsion towards his own kin.
"Clan Leader, its weakness is at the white spot!"
Zhang Qiling, dodging the Ghost Bear Worm's sudden counter-attack, glanced at the conspicuous white spot and understood that the Black Gold Ancient Saber was not long enough.
The Black Gold Ancient Saber hummed, as if suggesting an attempt at the flying sword technique that had descended from the sky.
But Zhang Qiling felt it wouldn't work.
The situation in the cave was unknown, and the Ghost Bear Worm moved with agility. If he were to throw the Black Gold Ancient Saber, even if it managed to pierce the weakness, the saber would fall into the cave and be irretrievable.
Zhang Qiling cherished his saber, it was even comparable to his hood, and thus he was unwilling to attempt such a dangerous maneuver.
...If the saber wasn't long enough, he'd use saber energy.
He slightly pursed his lips, and with a flick of his wrist, countless saber energies shot out!
The saber energies varied in size, but their landing points were all concentrated on the white spot. Flesh and blood flew, and a deep gash was instantly carved!
The Ghost Bear Worm sensed danger. Its thick body recoiled instantly, and from its tumor-like maw, a long, rope-like tongue covered in mucus shot out with extreme speed!
Zhang Qiling instantly drew his saber back and slashed sideways. The collision with the tongue produced a clang, and he used the force to retreat rapidly, crashing against the inner wall of the cave entrance.
In that split second, the Ghost Bear Worm's body, just cleaved open, had already completely healed.
The side wall of the cave entrance had been artificially carved, making it incredibly smooth with no protruding rocks. Zhang Qiling had nowhere to brace himself and could only insert the Black Gold Ancient Saber into the inner wall to steady himself.
However, the Ghost Bear Worm could not afford to miss this golden opportunity. As its head twisted, that disgusting, long tongue struck again—
A strong smell of blood erupted. The amount of blood must have been significant, its scent lingering in Zhang Qiling's nostrils.
The Ghost Bear Worm, which had been mere inches away, instantly turned its head and charged towards the shore. Zhang Qiling looked over to see Zhang Haike cutting his own wrist!
"Come on, you weakling!"
Zhang Haike even shouted provocatively, then crumpled the title he had just received and placed on his head and hurled it at the Ghost Bear Worm.
...Legend had it that the Ghost Bear Worm fed on human blood. The wound on his back was covered with ointment, and the blood smell wasn't strong. He had to do something drastic to lure it over.
Thinking rapidly, Zhang Haike raised his cut hand high, blood flowing down like a stream.
Unlike the clan leader with his potent bloodline, his blood could only attract the Ghost Bear Worm, not repel it.
His only option now was to fight head-on.
With a roll, he dodged the Ghost Bear Worm's first attack. The spot where he had been standing had turned into a pile of scattered sand and stones. Zhang Haike steadied himself, then swiftly drew his long saber and, as the Ghost Bear Worm lunged again, thrust it into a precise spot beneath its head!
...If his judgment was correct, this spot should correspond to the white spot on its back.
As long as he stabbed deep enough, the Ghost Bear Worm would retreat out of caution!
With a surge of ferocity, half the saber blade disappeared in an instant. But at that moment—
"Ding—"
The saber tip hit something hard inside, momentarily blocked. The Ghost Bear Worm's massive mouth was already right in front of him!
A putrid stench washed over him. Zhang Haike decisively abandoned the saber hilt and, with a sideways roll, narrowly dodged the worm's maw.
Half-crouching on the ground, he prepared to face the Ghost Bear Worm's next attack when a cold, glinting shadow flashed before his eyes!
Low ripples break the waves, scattered snow winds the breeze.
Dazzling spins, wind returns snow, flying away to chase a startled swan.
Ultimate beauty filled his vision, and he momentarily forgot to move. By the time he reacted—
"Ding—!"
Another light sound, but this time, the sound came from the tip of the Black Gold Ancient Saber!
In Zhang Qiling's hand, the Black Gold Ancient Saber plunged into the Ghost Bear Worm's white spot like a black dragon, piercing through the hard object with unstoppable force!
The tip of the Black Gold Ancient Saber precisely met the tip of the cold saber Zhang Haike had left in the Ghost Bear Worm, emitting a crisp sound!
And due to the extraordinary force and speed, the sound of the saber tips colliding almost merged with the sound of piercing the hard object, forming a peculiar "ding."
With a soft thud as it landed, Zhang Qiling sheathed his saber and did not look back at the Ghost Bear Worm.
He walked to Zhang Haike, who was still somewhat dazed, and rummaged through his bag again, pulling out a roll of bandages and quietly handing it over.
It was only then that the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground came from behind him.
The Ghost Bear Worm's massive head crashed onto the ground, its internal fluids gurgling out. It was dead.