Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Black Dark King Serpent
Luo Feng instructed Bing Ruolan to stop.
They were thousands of miles away from the Purple Sun School, unlike when they were in its vicinity. Within the sphere of influence of the Purple Sun School, students were protected by the academy; other factions considering action against the academy’s students would still have some reservations. But outside, danger could be encountered at any moment. If they expended too much energy and were physically weak when danger struck, it would be tragic.
Bing Ruolan nodded and stopped the Black Cloud Horse. The two of them found an open space to consume pills and recover their stamina.
After a brief rest, Luo Feng opened his eyes and looked around.
"Ruolan, where are we?"
"We’ve just left the vicinity of Gold Frog City. In another two days, we should be able to enter the periphery of the North Sea. We aren’t far from Wanluo School, so we’d better be careful."
Bing Ruolan took out a map and explained while looking at it.
Luo Feng nodded. The two of them rested for a while before resuming their journey, only this time they slowed down.
As they traveled with occasional stops, the surrounding forests gradually became less dense, and the air grew extremely humid. It was filled with moisture, carrying a peculiar salty smell and an indefinable sense of danger.
"The Beiming River is just ahead. Once we cross it, we’ll be on the outskirts of the North Sea," Bing Ruolan said, slowing her horse.
"Beiming River? I’ve heard there’s an inn nearby. Let’s take a break there first, stable the horses, and then continue our journey," said Luo Feng.
"Hmm, okay." Bing Ruolan’s beautiful eyes lit up, a hint of anticipation in them. She was somewhat tired after traveling day and night for these two days.
The pair urged their horses onward and soon spotted a dilapidated tavern. A peeling signboard displayed four large characters:
"Passing Away Tavern."
"Passing Away Tavern... What a peculiar name," Luo Feng mused, looking at the signboard from his horse.
Bing Ruolan dismounted and responded with a faint smile, "There’s a reason for it. The North Sea is extremely dangerous. This tavern’s name is a warning to Martial Artists venturing into the North Sea: don’t go there lightly, or you risk your life. That’s why it’s called ’Passing Away’..."
"I see." Luo Feng nodded. The two of them led their horses to the front of the tavern.
"You two guests must be heading to the North Sea, right? Why not come in and rest for a while?" The waiter immediately greeted them enthusiastically.
Luo Feng nodded and tossed a piece of silver into the waiter’s hand. "We’ll be gone for some time. Please take good care of these two horses."
The waiter’s smile broadened as he took the silver. "Rest assured, sirs. Please, come in."
The inside of the tavern wasn’t as dilapidated as the exterior suggested. Though simply decorated, it was tidy. Several unique plants from the North Sea region adorned the surroundings, pleasing to the eye. There were many Martial Artists in the tavern. Luo Feng glanced around and saw that many of them were from the four major academies.
The pair found a table by the window and sat down. Bing Ruolan ordered a few side dishes. As the waiter was serving the dishes, Luo Feng asked, "Is it always this crowded?"
The waiter shook his head and laughed, "Who would willingly come to this desolate and dangerous place, other than those Martial Artists who hunt Demon Beasts for a living? Most of the recent visitors are students from the four major academies. They’ve likely come because the Four New Talents competition is approaching. These people are preparing to make a final desperate attempt, heading to the North Sea to try their luck."
Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan glanced at each other and smiled. Weren’t they doing the same thing?
Suddenly, an uproar erupted nearby, with many Martial Artists excitedly discussing something.
"Yesterday, in the Misty Swamp, I saw a few students from Wanluo School get a Sun Water Goldflower. I was so envious!"
"Sun Water Goldflower? That’s a heavenly treasure that can help a Martial Artist at the Seventh Level of the Essence Storage Realm condense their Yuan Qi! After consuming it, one’s cultivation speed increases by leaps and bounds. It’s a true treasure! Are you sure you saw it clearly?"
Seeing that someone didn’t believe him, the dark-skinned Martial Artist who had spoken first flushed and said indignantly, "How could I be mistaken? At that time, a Fourth-Grade Demon Beast, the Azure Water Python, was near the Sun Water Goldflower. Those students from Wanluo School fought hard to slay it! I even remember their leader was called Tian Zhen."
"Tian Zhen! Isn’t he the number one student from Wanluo School, the genius known as the Thunder Rush Hand?"
A wave of astonishment swept through the tavern.
"Tian Zhen’s Thunderclap Fist is a Yellow Grade, Supreme Rank Martial Art, possessing immense power. He ranked third in last year’s New Talents Tournament! Now that he has obtained the Sun Water Goldflower, his strength will surely soar. This year’s New Talents Tournament will be exciting," someone lamented.
"Damn it, how is he so lucky? I’ve entered the Misty Swamp dozens of times and have never even seen a Sun Water Goldflower!" a Martial Artist exclaimed, slapping the table, his voice thick with envy.
The others beside him laughed. "Hu Daniu, so what if you did see it? With your cultivation at the late stage of the Sixth Level of the God Bravery Realm, if you confronted the Azure Water Python, you’d probably be swallowed in an instant!"
That person was taken aback and gave an awkward shrug.
"Third place in last year’s New Talents Tournament..." Luo Feng refocused his attention, carefully committing the name Tian Zhen to memory. His goal was to place in the top three of the New Talents Tournament, which meant a battle with Tian Zhen would be inevitable.
After resting and eating at the inn, the pair wasted no more time and resumed their journey.
After traveling several more miles, the humidity in the air grew even thicker, and a large river came into view. The Beiming River was several hundred meters wide, its waters surging and shimmering. A glance revealed the surface was shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see the opposite bank, where the water seemed to meet the sky.
Luo Feng gazed at the river’s surface, marveling inwardly. Even though his Teng Dragon’s Step had reached the Fourth Level, he wasn’t confident he could cross this river.
"Is there no bridge nearby?" Luo Feng asked.
Bing Ruolan shook her head. "Demon Beasts run rampant in the Beiming River. No one dares build a bridge here. To cross, one must either use Qinggong or build a boat."
Luo Feng nodded, turned, and walked to the nearby woods. With a flash of his saber, a large tree fell. The tree was thick enough for three people to encircle with their arms. Luo Feng used his Tiger Soul Saber to hollow out the tree’s core, quickly fashioning a dugout canoe.
Reaching the riverbank, Luo Feng tossed the dugout canoe into the water, and he and Bing Ruolan jumped in. Standing in the canoe, Luo Feng moved to the stern and activated Dragon Roaring Nine Heavens, a technique from his Teng Dragon’s Step. Eight Qi Dragons conjured a fierce gale, blasting backward and propelling the canoe forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.
WHOOSH!
The scenery on the shore receded rapidly.
"Luo Feng, be careful of what’s in the water!" Bing Ruolan stood at the bow of the canoe, her beautiful eyes fixed on the river surface with grave concern.
A huge shadow was rapidly approaching them through the water near the canoe.
"Something’s here so soon..." Luo Feng watched the approaching shadow, frowning slightly.
SPLASH!
With a rapid series of splashes, a dense volley of water arrows shot toward them. Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan, positioned on either side of the canoe, used their weapons to deflect the incoming water arrows.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
A series of metallic clashes echoed as the water arrows struck their weapons, their impact surprisingly powerful.
"It’s the Gold-eyed Demon Fish! A mid-level, Second-Rank Demon Beast! The water arrows are poisonous—be careful!" Bing Ruolan’s expression was grim.
Although the Gold-eyed Demon Fish was only a mid-tier Demon Beast, they always appeared in large schools, making them incredibly troublesome. Indeed, they were one of the most difficult creatures to deal with in the Beiming River! She hadn’t expected their luck to be so bad as to encounter a school of Gold-eyed Demon Fish right away. There were probably hundreds of Gold-eyed Demon Fish in this school. If they weren’t dealt with quickly, the canoe would be riddled with holes.
Luo Feng had already spotted these creatures called Gold-eyed Demon Fish. These fish were about two feet long, their bodies covered in ink-black scales. Their side fins were very wide, resembling wings when spread, allowing them to move through the water with extreme speed.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes. Luo Feng said to Bing Ruolan, "Ruolan, get behind me."
HUMMM!
The Tiger Soul Saber vibrated faintly, unleashing a two-meter-long saber gleam as dark as ink, seemingly devouring the surrounding light.
"Sky Slayer Three Slashes!"
With a silent roar in his heart, the Tiger Soul Saber flashed three times. Three dark saber gleams shot out, soundlessly plunging into the water. The surface immediately turned a vivid crimson. Dozens of Gold-eyed Demon Fish corpses floated to the surface. The other fortunate Gold-eyed Demon Fish that escaped immediately scattered and fled.
"Phew... It’s fortunate your Sky Slayer Saber Technique has reached the Fifth Layer, allowing you to use Saber Gang. Otherwise, we would have been in grave danger today." Bing Ruolan sighed in relief, patting her chest, which was still heaving from tension. A sheen of fine, crystalline sweat appeared on her forehead.
Luo Feng gave a light smile, about to speak, when his gaze on the water suddenly hardened.
Ahead, a massive shadow was approaching, parting the waves. The great waves it generated tossed the dugout canoe about violently, and whirlpools formed one after another on the river’s surface.
"What is that?" Luo Feng was inwardly astonished. He licked his lips. This commotion is more than ten times greater than what the Gold-eyed Demon Fish caused just now.
Gazing at the water, Bing Ruolan’s sapphire-like eyes filled with shock and disbelief. She gasped softly, "That must be the Black Dark King Serpent! A mid-level, Third-Rank Demon Beast! It’s one of the apex Demon Beasts in the Beiming River!"
"A Third-Rank Demon Beast? Our luck is just too good, isn’t it? First, we run into the Gold-eyed Demon Fish, and now even the supreme king of this river comes out to greet us. I’ve heard the Black Dark King Serpent’s gallbladder is no less potent than a Fourth-Grade pill. If we kill it, this adventure won’t have been for nothing."
Luo Feng rubbed his nose and smiled faintly, but his tone had lost its earlier ease, and his gaze turned grave.
A mid-level, Third-Rank Demon Beast was equivalent to a Martial Artist at the middle stage of the Seventh Level of the Essence Storage Realm. On land, Luo Feng was confident he could use his Sky Slayer Saber Technique and Saber Gang to slowly defeat it. However, here in the river, the Black Dark King Serpent was several times more dangerous! Even he wasn’t certain of victory.
KER-SPLASH!
A tremendous crash of water echoed as enormous waves surged across the river. Amidst the churning water, a monstrous serpent appeared, its ferocious aura engulfing the entire river surface! Its two malevolent, oily green eyes glinted with an eerie light, fixed intently on Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan.
ROAR!
The Black Dark King Serpent opened its maw and roared. The intense gust of air churned the river into tumultuous waves, and a nauseating stench filled the air.
SWISH!
Its water-barrel-thick tail whipped through the air toward them, the sharp gust of wind it created shockingly powerful.
"Audacious!"
Luo Feng had no time to think. With an angry roar, he threw a punch.
"Angry Tiger Coming Out of the Cave!"
His punch carried the fury of a tiger. A transparent film appeared over his fist, and the intense sonic boom that followed was like a thunderclap, blasting the river surface into layers of surging waves.