The disappearance of the yellow-jawed fish was, of course, good news for Cheng Xiaofan. At least he could now confidently release a large number of angelfish into Bai Mang Lake.
The problem was that these few yellow-jawed fish simply couldn't possibly exist in such a vast lake.
Had these yellow-jawed fish sensed danger and hidden themselves somewhere?
If these yellow-jawed fish had truly found a hiding place, Cheng Xiaofan would have to find their lair, no matter what.
“Potian Eagle!”
“Taotie!”
As Cheng Xiaofan's shouts echoed, the eagle and the dog, as if by telepathy, leaped from the boat and plunged into the lake.
The eagle in the air and the dog on land quickly transformed into aquatic predators, searching for the yellow-jawed fish.
More than half an hour passed. The eagle and the dog, apart from surfacing a few times to catch their breath, showed no signs of activity.
“Chirp!”
“Woof woof!”
After another while, Potian Eagle and Taotie both returned to the boat.
The eagle and the dog were exhausted. Shaking the water off their bodies, they reported to their master that there were no yellow-jawed fish in the lake.
There was also no place for the yellow-jawed fish to hide.
Cheng Xiaofan threw them each two energy pills.
After swallowing the energy pills, the pair of beasts instantly perked up, their eyes shining with brilliance.
They asked their master if they could search the lake again.
“No need!”
Cheng Xiaofan knew their capabilities well. He shook his head and said, “Since you couldn't find the yellow-jawed fish, it means they are not here anymore!”
Suddenly!
He remembered the white python!
Snakes eat fish.
Could the yellow-jawed fish in the lake have been dealt with by the white python?
This white python was also sentient. It might have realized that Cheng Xiaofan wanted to eliminate these yellow-jawed fish and intentionally helped by eating them all.
Although the yellow-jawed fish were the overlords of the water, every creature has its natural predator. In front of that giant python, the yellow-jawed fish had no power at all.
“Potian Eagle, go and call the white python over for me!” Cheng Xiaofan ordered Potian Eagle.
Upon hearing this, Potian Eagle immediately chirped and flapped its wings, flying away.
In less than ten minutes, with rustling sounds, the giant white python, its head held high, swiftly swam out from a patch of trees.
Potian Eagle, enjoying a rare moment of leisure, perched on the top of the white python's head.
“Hiss hiss!”
The white python approached Cheng Xiaofan, wagging its tail in a fawning manner.
When it wagged its tail, it was far more powerful than Taotie. Like a firecracker, it snapped several large trees in half.
The ten little white geese, upon seeing the white python, squawked in fear and timidly retreated to the side.
“Woof woof!”
Taotie immediately stepped forward, positioning itself in front of the little white geese, and barked angrily at the white python, "You scared the dog master's little swans! Do you know how hard I worked to raise these little swans? If you scare my little swans, I'll skin you and stew you!"
It repeated its master's words to the white python.
As expected, the white python calmed down.
Cheng Xiaofan reached out and stroked the white python's head a few times, soothing it. “Don't be afraid of Taotie, I'm here. It won't do anything to you!”
Taotie immediately glared at its master speechlessly. "Am I your lapdog? Is that how you talk?"
“White python, the yellow-jawed fish in this lake have disappeared. Do you know what happened?” Cheng Xiaofan asked the white python with a smile.
“Hiss hiss…”
“Master, I drove all those yellow-jawed fish into the Lotus Lake.”
Hearing this, Cheng Xiaofan was stunned.
Where was this Lotus Lake?
“Where is Lotus Lake?” Cheng Xiaofan asked, utterly confused.
“Hiss hiss!”
The white python's meaning was: “Master, I'll take you there.”
Immediately, it darted forward and plunged into the lake, swimming ahead.
Cheng Xiaofan boarded the boat, and Taotie, leading the little geese, also ran onto the boat.
Potian Eagle still gripped the canopy of the bamboo raft with its claws, its large wings spread, following the white python forward.
After a while, they rounded two bends along the lakeshore.
Not far ahead was a dense reed bed.
Beyond the reed bed stood a towering mountain.
The mountain lay like a colossal horse, incredibly leisurely, and Cheng Xiaofan immediately named it Mount Wooma (Crouching Horse Mountain).
Unexpectedly, the white python swam directly through the reed bed towards Mount Wooma.
Potian Eagle tightly gripped the bamboo raft and followed closely.
After passing through the reed bed, Cheng Xiaofan discovered that the foot of Mount Wooma was submerged in the lake.
Dense tiger vines and other creepers covered the base of the mountain.
The white python swam forward, flicked its head, and peeled away a thick layer of vines, revealing a pitch-black cave.
The boat followed. Cheng Xiaofan turned on the solar lamp. Various stalactites hung from the cave ceiling, shimmering with colorful, dreamlike brilliance under the lamplight.
Wind blew through the cave, creating melodic sounds, which, combined with the gurgling water beneath the boat, sounded like ethereal music.
How beautiful!
Cheng Xiaofan couldn't help but exclaim in his heart.
He never expected there to be a natural cave in Bai Mang Lake.
About ten minutes later, the white python led the small boat through the cave, and their surroundings suddenly opened up.
Indeed, there was a lake here, giving a feeling of stepping into another world. Although it wasn't as large as Bai Mang Lake, it was estimated to be fifteen to sixteen hundred mu in area.
The lake was covered with lotus leaves, dotted with white and pink lotus flowers. The wind stirred the leaves, and the fragrance of the flowers filled the air, dazzling the eyes and intoxicating the heart.
Birds swarmed over the lake, some flying up, others perching on the lotus leaves.
This was the Lotus Lake the white python had spoken of!
Cheng Xiaofan activated his x-ray vision and scanned the water.
He indeed found yellow-jawed fish swimming back and forth underwater.
What amazed Cheng Xiaofan was that the white python had driven all the yellow-jawed fish from Bai Mang Lake to this place.
The shores of Hua Hua Lake were fertile and muddy, breeding all sorts of insects, along with other small fish and shrimp, which were enough to sustain the yellow-jawed fish.
“White python, how did you gather all the yellow-jawed fish and drive them here?” Cheng Xiaofan asked with curiosity and a smile.
“Hiss hiss!”
“Master, I found the leader among the yellow-jawed fish and made it gather all the others and drive them here. Anyone who didn't obey, I swallowed them whole.”
“Will they secretly return to Bai Mang Lake?”
The angelfish were too tempting to the yellow-jawed fish. Cheng Xiaofan worried that these yellow-jawed fish might secretly return to Bai Mang Lake to spy on the angelfish.
The white python immediately shook its head, saying it was impossible.
It had warned the leader of the yellow-jawed fish that if any of them slipped back to Bai Mang Lake to steal angelfish, it would devour them.
The leader of the yellow-jawed fish was terrified of the white python's gaping maw.
To save its own life, it would never allow its subordinates to sneak back to Bai Mang Lake.
“Master, would you like me to call the leader of the yellow-jawed fish to come and pay their respects?”
Cheng Xiaofan chuckled and nodded, saying, “Alright, call the leader of the yellow-jawed fish over for me to meet!”