Ambushed (Please Bookmark, Please Vote)

Elsewhere.

Ling Pengyun, having left Cloud Mist Market, was exceedingly cautious on his journey home.

The day before, he had only spent a fortune purchasing spirit items in his own shop, and no one had known of it.

Yet he had stayed in Lingxiao Rice Hall the previous night. Any cultivator who paid close enough attention would have seen this and inferred that Ling Pengyun had close ties to the Ling Clan.

In this world, anyone connected to a clan or sect cultivator could basically be considered a fat sheep.

As long as they were killed, one would surely strike it rich.

Thus, Ling Pengyun had remained deeply worried throughout his return journey, fearing that some cultivator, blinded by wealth, would intercept and kill him.

With such unease in his heart, Ling Pengyun traveled for several hours before finally leaving Peaceful An County of the Cloud Mist Wen Clan and entering An Yang County.

Returning to his clan's territory put Ling Pengyun somewhat at ease.

Yet before he could rejoice that no cultivator had intercepted him, as he passed through a dense forest along the only route, a green figure abruptly shot out from the bushes beside him and lunged at him.

Ling Pengyun's vision blurred. Instinctively, he activated the Water Shield Talisman clutched in his palm, which he had prepared against a cultivator's ambush. It formed a Water Shield before him, blocking the incoming green figure.

With a crisp bang, ripples spread across the Water Shield, stopping a small green snake as long as an arm and as thick as an index finger.

But the Water Shield had been bitten by the little green snake's two venomous fangs, and two drops of venom seeped from them onto its surface.

The venom burned like fire against the Water Shield, hissing and crackling.

The shield's flickering spiritual light rapidly dimmed under the corrosion of those mere two drops of venom.

When Ling Pengyun got a clear look at the attacking snake, cold sweat broke out all over him.

"Damn it, how had I run into this cursed thing?!"

This little green snake was somewhat famous in the Cultivation World. It was called the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake.

Ink Cloud Poisonous Snakes had little potential and could generally only advance to the Qi Training Middle Stage. Judging solely by cultivation, they were nothing worth mentioning, but they possessed deadly venom.

Even if a Qi Training Late Stage cultivator were bitten by an Early-Stage Qi Training Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake, they would certainly die within ten breaths unless they took a First Rank High Grade Antidote Pill.

Aside from its venom, the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake had two other strengths: speed and breath concealment. It specialized in hiding in the shadows and launching sneak attacks.

This was the usual trick of most venomous snakes, but the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake was particularly outstanding at it.

And the little snake before him was an Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake at the Qi Training Middle Stage. If it bit Ling Pengyun, he feared he would succumb to the poison in less than five breaths.

Trapped in danger, Ling Pengyun did not dare let down his guard. He steadied his mind, quickly came to his senses, and patted the Storage Bag at his waist, summoning the Black Iron Sword and sending it at the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake blocked by the Water Shield.

It had to be said that the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake truly was fast. Seeing itself blocked by the Water Shield and a flying sword coming at it, it kicked off the shield and darted back into the dense grass around them.

The Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake then vanished from Ling Pengyun's sight without leaving the slightest trace.

The Water Shield it had used as a foothold had also exhausted its remaining strength, turning into spiritual light and disappearing.

Seeing this, Ling Pengyun's brows furrowed even tighter.

Snake-type demon beasts were the most vengeful, and their sense of smell was exceptionally sharp. Ling Pengyun had heard of snake-type demon beasts pursuing vengeance for several li.

If I don't kill this snake, I can forget about leaving this forest in peace! Ling Pengyun thought helplessly.

The feeling of having an enemy hidden in the dark while being unable to do anything about it truly made Ling Pengyun feel as though cold steel were pressing against his back.

"Judging by the aura that Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake left behind earlier, it should have only recently entered the Qi Training Middle Stage!"

"That is good news for me!"

Since this matter could not be settled peacefully, Ling Pengyun naturally intended to go all out.

He patted the Storage Bag at his waist and took out a black shield and two Water Shield Talismans.

He gripped the black shield tightly in his left hand and held the two Water Shield Talismans in his right, ready to activate them at any moment. His spiritual sense spread through the surroundings, guarding against the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake's sneak attacks.

As for the Black Iron Sword, it hovered at his side.

The black shield was called the Black Iron Shield. Though it was only First Rank Low Grade, it was among the very best of its rank.

This item had likewise been gifted to him by his parents.

Ling Pengyun did not stop walking out of the forest, though his pace slowed considerably.

Within this dense forest overgrown with weeds, it was the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake's domain, where it could conceal itself at will.

If he could leave this forest before the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake attacked again and reach open ground, the advantage would be Ling Pengyun's. The Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake would have nowhere to hide, and Ling Pengyun could cut it down with a single sword strike.

Whether Ink Cloud Poisonous Snakes or other venomous snakes, they all had one weakness: their bodies were far weaker than those of other demon beasts, and their close-combat ability was extremely poor. That was why they played to their strengths and avoided their weaknesses, favoring sneak attacks.

For the next dozen or so breaths, the surroundings remained utterly silent, without the slightest disturbance.

Just as a breeze swept through the forest and dead leaves fell from the towering trees around him, the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake lurking in the shadows seized its chance. It fell together with the leaves from a nearby tree, lunging straight for Ling Pengyun's head.

But Ling Pengyun had prepared for this and had spread his spiritual sense through the surroundings. It was fine when the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake concealed its aura in the dark, but once it attacked, its aura leaked out, naturally exposing it to Ling Pengyun's spiritual sense.

"It's finally here!"

Ling Pengyun waved his hand and activated the two Water Shield Talismans in his grasp, summoning two Water Shields above his head. At the same time, he launched the Black Iron Sword toward the falling Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake.

Even so, Ling Pengyun still did not feel safe enough. He silently uttered,

"Thorns!"

"Form Armor!"

In an instant, the finger-long Thorn Wood Vine attached to Ling Pengyun's chest sprouted countless branches, even bursting through his Linen Daoist Robe.

Thorn Wood Vines wrapped around Ling Pengyun's entire body, covering him tightly like a layer of Wood Armor, leaving only his eyes exposed.

The barbs on the vines all drew in, not harming Ling Pengyun, their Master, in the slightest.

Though the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake fell swiftly from the sky, the Black Iron Sword was even faster. Before the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake could land, the Black Iron Sword struck its body solidly and severed it in two.

Ling Pengyun was overjoyed at the sight.

Yet at that moment, another, smaller Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake at the Early-Stage Qi Training suddenly shot out from a patch of grass beside Ling Pengyun's feet and bit directly into the Wood Vine protecting his right foot.

That strike gave Ling Pengyun quite a fright.

"There was actually a second Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake!"

He hurriedly waved his hand, summoning a Water Spike in an instant and pinning the Ink Cloud Poisonous Snake biting the Wood Vine around his right foot to the ground. Then he swung the Black Iron Sword and severed its head with a single slash.