Fire Cicada Snake King

Rip!

With a grating, teeth-clenching sound, Zhu Ping'an clamped down on the Fire Cicada Snake's upper and lower jaws and wrenched them apart with force. The entire snake was instantly torn in two.

Bathing in the snake's blood, Zhu Ping'an stood like a demonic god of slaughter.

Soon, both of them had killed their quota of four Fire Cicada Snakes. Gu Xuan stared at the pair as if they were monsters.

For first-timers outside the city to single-handedly hunt down four Fire Cicada Snakes each—these two were as ferocious as beasts.

Leng Tianjiao was one thing; with the backing of the Leng Family, she had ample resources, so her strength was expected. But Zhu Ping'an, an unknown, was just as fierce, and Gu Xuan couldn't help but marvel.

Gu Xuan still remembered his own first time outside the city. A single sickle strike from a level-one Gale Mantis had nearly finished him off. Comparing people really made you want to throw yourself away.

Gu Xuan had a gut feeling: if these two could grow to their full potential, they would one day dominate the martial world.

"Since the mission's done, let's head back to the city."

Nearly six hours had passed, and the sky was darkening. Spending the night out here with two such prodigies was definitely not a good idea.

Just as Gu Xuan was about to lead them back, an unusually thick, sweet, and fishy aroma drifted over from somewhere.

"Hold your breath! Don't inhale! The scent is poisonous!"

Gu Xuan only took one whiff before his face twisted in alarm.

His gaze swept around and locked onto a direction. There, a Fire Cicada Snake nearly ten meters long, massive in size, was staring at them with a sinister glare.

The sweet, fishy smell they'd caught was exactly what this Fire Cicada Snake King was exhaling from its mouth.

"Damn! It's a Fire Cicada Snake King!"

The Fire Cicada Snake King was the ruler among Fire Cicada Snakes, with strength rivaling a peak Third Rank Martial Artist. What was this thing doing in a place like this?

"Get behind me. Don't make any rash moves!"

Gu Xuan rubbed his thick beard. He wasn't afraid of this Fire Cicada Snake King himself, but if a real fight broke out, he might not be able to protect Zhu Ping'an and the others.

Neither Zhu Ping'an nor Leng Tianjiao tried to show off; they quickly retreated to the rear.

"You beast, if you're asking for death, I'll grant your wish!"

Gu Xuan roared. His already robust frame swelled even larger, muscles bulging like granite.

He moved in an instant, his fist crashing down like a heavy hammer. With a thunderous boom, the Fire Cicada Snake King's head was knocked to the side.

But the Fire Cicada Snake King was thick-skinned and tough. The blow only left a minor wound, not fatal. It whipped its head around and spat a mouthful of venomous saliva straight at Gu Xuan.

Gu Xuan dodged sharply. The saliva hit the ground, sizzling and corroding even the hard rock.

"Damn it, I don't have the surname Zhou, so why are you spitting poison at me?"

Gu Xuan's eyelids twitched. Getting hit by that Fire Cicada Snake King's loogie would be no joke. He struck again at the snake king, this time far more cautious.

Watching Gu Xuan and the Fire Cicada Snake King locked in a stalemate, Zhu Ping'an observed intently. Seeing a Third Rank Martial Artist go all out was an extremely rare opportunity; the school only showed them videos.

But as he watched, a chill suddenly ran down his back, and a sense of unease rose in his heart.

"Do you feel... like something's off?" Zhu Ping'an asked Leng Tianjiao beside him.

"No."

Leng Tianjiao gave him a cold glance and looked away. In her eyes, Zhu Ping'an was just making conversation. As the little princess of the Leng Family, she'd seen too many men rack their brains to get her attention.

"Strange... Was it my imagination?"

Zhu Ping'an frowned. But the next second, that uneasy feeling grew even stronger.

"Watch out!"

Without time to think, Zhu Ping'an instinctively lunged to the side, tackling Leng Tianjiao to the ground.

Feeling the warmth of Zhu Ping'an's body pressing against hers, Leng Tianjiao's usually pale face flushed instantly, even her ears turning red.

Since childhood, she had never been this close to any man outside her family. After the shyness came a surge of blazing fury.

"Zhu Ping'an, have you lost your mind?" Leng Tianjiao snapped, a cold murderous glint flashing in her eyes. She was about to strike at him when she saw a massive, gaping maw snap shut right where they had been standing.

Leng Tianjiao froze. If Zhu Ping'an hadn't tackled her down just now...

She had thought he was trying to take advantage of her, but it turned out he was saving her.

"Two Fire Cicada Snake Kings? A male and a female—they're laying eggs here!" Gu Xuan's shout rang out, his face turning deathly pale.

No wonder they'd been ambushed by a Fire Cicada Snake King. His luck today was truly terrible.

"Hey! This is Gu Xuan! I've encountered two Fire Cicada Snake Kings in Valley One. Requesting backup!"

Gu Xuan quickly sent out a distress signal. He wanted to help Zhu Ping'an, but the male Fire Cicada Snake King seemed to read his intent and attacked even more ferociously, refusing to give Gu Xuan a chance to break away.

"Run!" Gu Xuan panted like a bellows, his eyes bloodshot. Ignoring his own safety, he switched to a trade-blow-for-blow style, trying to finish off this Fire Cicada Snake King quickly.

Zhu Ping'an climbed off Leng Tianjiao.

"Classmate Leng, run. Leave this to me."

Zhu Ping'an's expression was icy. Sword in hand, he faced the female Fire Cicada Snake King alone, leaving Leng Tianjiao only a lean silhouette.

"Hey..." Leng Tianjiao started to speak, but Zhu Ping'an cut her off.

"Rest assured, unless this Fire Cicada Snake King crosses over my corpse, it will absolutely not be able to harm you." Zhu Ping'an's gaze was unprecedentedly resolute.

"That's not..." Leng Tianjiao's words were once again cut off.

"Say no more!"

The longsword in Zhu Ping'an's hand pointed straight at the Fire Cicada Snake King, his battle intent blazing.

"I know this Fire Cicada Snake King is a third-rank exotic beast, and I cannot possibly be its match! But every man must die—some deaths weigh heavier than Mount Tai, some lighter than a swan's feather! To stand by and watch a woman go to her death in my place while I cling to life in shame—that, I, Zhu Ping'an, cannot do!"

"Every man must die... some heavier than Mount Tai... some lighter than a swan's feather?" Leng Tianjiao murmured the words, a strange glint flickering in her eyes as she looked at Zhu Ping'an. "Zhu Ping'an, listen to me..."

"Silence! I, Zhu Ping'an, have lived my life seeking only a clear conscience! Go now! Don't let my death be worthless!"

"Nine Mountain Divine Sword, second form—One Sword Shakes Mountains!"

Zhu Ping'an raised his longsword and slashed down at the Fire Cicada Snake King.

Leng Tianjiao: "..."