Chapter 157: Fierce Battle!

The Red-Thread Snake was not as thin as a thread; this spirit-imbued creature was substantial, thicker than a thumb and over a meter long. Its entire body was a vibrant, solid red, and it flickered its tongue, poised to strike.

The Golden Toad was entirely gold in color, larger than a bullfrog. It sat with eyes wide, occasionally opening its mouth to emit a croak. With every opening of its maw, a yellowish-green toxic mist billowed out, a sight that commanded immediate caution.

It was unclear who the reckless individual was—whether it was Liu Tian or someone else—but before anyone could clearly identify the culprit, a faint "pop" echoed. Someone had tossed a small pebble into the stream beside the two venomous creatures. In an instant, the pair surged toward the crowd with the speed of a flying arrow.

He Zhixing immediately shouted to Jiang Ni, Gan Ling, and Crazy Lai, "Jiang Ni, Gan Ling, run!"

He grabbed the hands of the two women and bolted, disregarding any social impropriety. Jiang Ni was his girlfriend, so it was acceptable, but for Gan Ling, it was different. Being pulled along by a young man for the first time, her face flushed red with shyness.

He Zhixing had no time to worry about their bashfulness; he simply ran with all his might. Upon hearing the command, Crazy Lai followed closely behind them. They had not even run ten meters when they heard the cries of the local gangsters who had been too slow to react. Those men were the first to fall victim to the creatures’ assault, and it seemed unlikely they would survive.

Realizing that continuous flight was futile—as running would only lead to being picked off one by one—the group stopped and turned back. They understood that standing their ground was the only option.

Master Jinyun was the first to charge. He drew his rarely used green bamboo staff—a precious artifact of immense durability that even the finest blades could not sever. With his staff whistling through the air, he utilized his lightness skill to engage the two beasts.

Observing Master Jinyun’s prowess, the Korean monk Park Jung-jin, the one-armed man’s master, and He Zhixing joined the fray. Suddenly, the area was engulfed in a flurry of blades and swirling toxic vapors. The air was filled with a chaotic symphony of human screams and the shrill cries of the venomous creatures. Many of the lower-skilled practitioners who joined the battle were quickly bitten or poisoned to death.

Crazy Lai and Gan Ling watched from a distance. For Gan Ling, witnessing martial arts masters in action and encountering such terrifying creatures for the first time was an experience that would remain etched in her memory for the rest of her life.

Liu Tian, the Korean monk’s female disciple, and the one-armed man were clever enough to stay out of the direct confrontation, observing from afar. The majority of those who actually engaged were the local gangsters who had arrived in the wake of the rumors; most of them were poisoned, resulting in heavy casualties.

He Zhixing stood beside Master Jinyun and Jiang Ni, fighting shoulder to shoulder with them. After enduring a barrage of fierce attacks, the two creatures began to lose their initial agility. Sensing this, the experts intensified their efforts, unleashing their ultimate techniques in a desperate, ferocious struggle.

They were locked in a test of endurance, waiting to see who would fall first. Were it not for the creatures’ impenetrable hides, which resisted even the sharpest blades, the masters would have finished them off long ago. They had no choice but to wait for the spirits within the beasts to exhaust themselves, leaving the creatures without their protective barrier.

For an entire day, the experts maintained a formation, employing a rotating offensive. They took turns resting in shifts, ensuring the creatures were never granted a moment of respite, determined to exhaust the beasts to death.

From dawn until dusk, the battle raged. It took a full day of grueling effort to finally strike the creatures down. Having slain them, the group harvested their flesh and gallbladders, collected the white-flowered snake-tongue grass, and carried the bodies of the fallen gangsters down the mountain.