Inside the livestreaming camera's view.
On the other side of the vast Heavenly Pond, countless splashes erupted.
Following that, a towering water column surged upwards.
A colossal python, roughly fifteen meters long, thrashed out of the water.
Its body was covered in lustrous black scales, thick as a massive water barrel. At its widest point, an adult human could barely embrace it with outstretched arms.
Its enormous head bore a high, prominent bump, and its double pairs of eyes glowed like lanterns, exuding an immense pressure.
"Roar!"
The giant python let out a furious roar. Many viewers in the livestream chat involuntarily yelped and fell to the ground.
This was a primal tremor from the depths of their souls.
Terrifying, absolutely terrifying.
And if even those watching the livestream felt this way, how much more so would those present at the scene?
Mozi and the old man, upon seeing the colossal python that had suddenly appeared, felt their legs tremble uncontrollably, their knees buckling as they collapsed.
Instantly, a chill permeated their entire beings.
Dai Xiaomei, still in the Heavenly Pond, clung tightly to Ao Yuan's body.
She dared not look at the giant python behind her.
Fearing that even a glance would sap her strength.
However, she failed to notice that when Ao Yuan saw the giant python appear, a strange glint flashed in his pale golden eyes.
Ao Yuan couldn't explain why, but he felt a sense of kinship with this giant python.
"Roar, roar, roar!"
The giant python roared towards the sky as if venting its frustration.
Finally, it opened its cavernous maw, revealing two curved, scythe-like crimson fangs.
Its lantern-sized eyes fixed intently on Mozi and the old man standing on the shore.
Then.
Its gaze shifted slightly downwards, glancing towards Ao Yuan and Dai Xiaomei.
"Holy shit, holy shit, run, run!"
"This giant python is so fierce, it looks like... it's bigger than the world's largest python?"
"I'm speechless, I never knew there were such terrifying creatures in the Heavenly Pond. Lucky I didn't encounter one when I visited."
"Damn, I read fantasy novels... some creatures eat those with even stronger bloodlines to evolve their own, right?"
"It... is it going to eat Dai Dai?"
"No way, Dai Dai, run!!"
...
Reading the comments above, everyone's expression changed.
Even if they didn't know if it was real, the fear of the unknown was palpable.
If it were true, Ao Yuan, as he was now, couldn't possibly defeat a fifteen-meter-long python!
If Ao Yuan were swallowed whole by this python, who would they even seek justice from?
Just as many netizens were contemplating this,
"Roar!"
The giant python let out a world-shattering hiss.
Then, it moved its colossal body, roaring towards the heavens.
"Ah!"
Dai Xiaomei, seeing the sky-obscuring maw and smelling the foul stench emanating from the python's breath, turned pale with terror. Her hands and feet clutched Ao Yuan tightly, wishing she could merge into his body.
"We're doomed!"
In the livestream chat, viewers, unable to bear watching what was about to unfold, instinctively closed their eyes.
However.
After a prolonged silence.
Dai Xiaomei felt no pain and slowly opened her eyes.
What she saw was an utterly unbelievable scene.
Behold!
The incredibly massive giant python was prostrating itself, its monstrous triangular head humbly bobbing before Ao Yuan.
It looked as if... it was bowing and paying homage to him.
"This..."
Dai Xiaomei stared, her mind blank, and instinctively looked at Ao Yuan in her arms.
His gaze was calmly fixed on the giant python before him.
For some reason, at that moment.
She could sense an invisible aura of authority emanating from Ao Yuan.
How to describe it? It was like the majesty possessed by ancient emperors!
At the same time.
In the livestream chat.
After a few seconds of silence, a torrent of dense bullet comments surged like a tide.
"Damn, this has shocked me for the entire year."
"Terrifying, truly terrifying."
"Holy crap, I thought the python was going to eat Dai Dai, but it was just paying homage!"
"This python is a bit fierce, but not too much."
"My god, who would have imagined that Dai Dai's strength is so formidable?"
"Is this terrifying giant python surrendering to Dai Dai?"
"If I'm not misunderstanding..."
...
"Ao~"
Ao Yuan let out a soft sound at the scene.
The giant python glanced at Dai Xiaomei, who was riding on Ao Yuan's back.
This made Dai Xiaomei tense up completely, unable to utter a coherent word.
Then, it turned its massive head, lowering it deeply, and responded to Ao Yuan with a sound.
However, its voice was considerably softer than before.
"Ao."
"Roar~"
"Ao ao~"
"Roar roar roar~"
...
The dialogue between the giant python and Ao Yuan left onlookers utterly bewildered, completely clueless as to what was happening.
But they knew one thing.
That... their suspicions were correct. This giant python had indeed submitted to Ao Yuan.
That alone was enough!
"Ao~"
Just then, Ao Yuan let out another cry.
Then.
He raised his right claw, on which rested a dark, black pill.
This was the Dragon Blood Pill!
"Roar~"
The giant python's previously confused eyes instantly sharpened, and a terrifying, overwhelming aura erupted from it.
However, it quickly regained its composure, looking at Ao Yuan before it, and immediately suppressed its aura, lowering its head.
"Ao~"
As Ao Yuan cried out again, the giant python opened its cavernous maw.
And Ao Yuan, as if discarding trash, casually tossed the pill into the python's mouth.
"Roar~"
The giant python sensed the object in its mouth, and with an excited roar, bowed thrice to Ao Yuan before twisting its body and cautiously diving back into the Heavenly Pond.
Instantly, the Heavenly Pond returned to its normal state.
At that moment, an electronic voice sounded in Ao Yuan's mind.
[Ding, congratulations to the host for subduing a mythical beast for the first time, reward of five hundred evolution points, with an additional five hundred evolution points from the Dragon Tamer critical hit bonus.]
"Phew~"
Hearing the voice in his mind, Ao Yuan's heart rejoiced.
Then, he leisurely carried the utterly bewildered Dai Xiaomei back to the shore.
He hadn't expected to encounter such a giant python when visiting the Heavenly Pond.
However, the moment the giant python appeared.
Ao Yuan finally understood the faint, elusive feeling he had previously sensed.
This!
It was brought about by this giant python.
Not because of the python itself, but the scent it carried.
It was a pity... as the giant python's intelligence had not been awakened.
It was unable to explain why.
Ao Yuan could vaguely discern that he had been protected by this giant python at the bottom of the Heavenly Pond.
But for some reason, he had fallen out and was eventually found by Dai Xiaomei.
And upon discovering his disappearance, the python had become enraged, causing the continuous fluctuations in the Heavenly Pond.
However, beyond this, Ao Yuan could understand nothing else.
It was for this reason that Ao Yuan had given it a Dragon Blood Pill, to help it awaken its intelligence.