Fire Cloud Python

Shen Long had just dived underground when his connection to the Black Tortoise Shield was severed. He knew clearly that the Black Tortoise Shield had been destroyed; after all, it was only a low-grade magical tool.

He took out two glowing talismans and slapped them onto his body. With a flash of spiritual light, a cyan light screen and a yellow Earth Armor emerged, forming three layers of protection.

The ground tore open, and a cyan wind blade shot toward him. The Mystic Water Shield and the cyan light screen shattered instantly, striking the yellow Earth Armor and leaving a long gash on its surface.

Shen Long broke out in a cold sweat. Was this the power of a second-tier demonic bird? It had nearly cost him his life.

He moved rapidly through the underground, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

A quarter of an hour later, Shen Long returned to the surface, the power of the Earth Escape Talisman having been exhausted.

He was covered by a water-blue light screen and the yellow Earth Armor, his face full of vigilance.

Shen Long was currently in a narrow, long valley overgrown with weeds.

A massive explosion erupted from ahead as a giant Mountain Pushing Beast charged into the valley, its body covered in burn marks.

A dozen millstone-sized crimson fireballs flew from behind the Mountain Pushing Beast, slamming into it one after another. A thunderous roar echoed as rolling flames engulfed the beast's body.

The Mountain Pushing Beast let out a painful roar, its speed slowing down. A blood-red maw descended from the sky, clamping onto its neck. The Mountain Pushing Beast struggled violently, but it was useless; a large amount of blood gushed from its neck, and before long, it stopped moving.

"A late-stage first-tier Fire Cloud Python!"

Shen Long's expression tightened, his gaze fixed on the giant, entirely red python.

He flicked his sleeve, and a foot-long white ice spike shot out, striking the Fire Cloud Python with a dull thud.

The Fire Cloud Python opened its blood-red maw and spat out a dozen millstone-sized crimson fireballs, hurling them toward Shen Long.

Shen Long summoned a small, shimmering blue umbrella, which cast down a blue water screen to protect him.

The Mystic Water Umbrella, a mid-grade magical tool.

Over the past two years, Shen Long had earned quite a few spirit stones and had spent four hundred of them to purchase this Mystic Water Umbrella.

The dozen crimson fireballs slammed into the blue water screen one after another, bursting into flames that engulfed the barrier.

Shen Long pinched a spell seal, and the Mystic Water Umbrella suddenly shone with intense blue light. The water screen rippled, the flames dissipated, and the Fire Cloud Python lunged forward.

Shen Long raised his right hand, and a cyan light flew out, sinking into the ground. A thick cyan vine burst from the earth, entangling the Fire Cloud Python's abdomen.

The Fire Cloud Python struggled violently, unable to break free. It turned its head and spat a stream of crimson fire onto the vine, turning it into ash.

A pair of shimmering cyan shears shot out, striking the Fire Cloud Python with a dull thud.

A yard-long cyan wind blade followed, striking the Fire Cloud Python and leaving a shallow gash on its body.

Shen Long activated the Beast Soul Talisman, and the Green Wind Tiger released a series of cyan wind blades to attack the python.

Shen Long controlled the Azure Moon Shears to attack the Fire Cloud Python while simultaneously firing off white ice spikes.

As time passed, the Fire Cloud Python began to falter, many of its scales falling off, its body covered in blood.

It wanted to attack Shen Long, but the Green Wind Tiger didn't give it the chance; whenever it tried to get close, the tiger would pounce.

Sensing danger, the Fire Cloud Python opened its mouth and spat a dozen crimson fireballs at Shen Long.

The fireballs slammed into the blue water screen one after another, causing ripples, but they all dissipated upon impact.

Taking this opportunity, the Fire Cloud Python crawled toward the path it had come from, moving at high speed.

Before it had crawled very far, a thick cyan vine burst from the ground and wrapped around its abdomen.

A loud tiger roar echoed, a breeze swept by, and the Green Wind Tiger caught up. It opened its maw and bit the python's abdomen. The Fire Cloud Python let out a painful hiss, turned its head, and spat a stream of flames that engulfed the tiger.

A thick cyan vine burst from the ground, wrapped around the Fire Cloud Python's neck, and then sank back into the earth, pinning the python's head to the ground.

The Fire Cloud Python's head was pressed against the dirt, its abdomen held fast by the Green Wind Tiger.

More cyan vines burst from the ground, binding the python's neck so tightly it couldn't break free, turning it into a living target.

The Iron Tail Scorpion emerged from the ground, its tail stinger striking directly at the python's head with a dull thud.

The Azure Moon Shears descended from the sky, hacking into the python's head with another dull sound.

The Green Wind Tiger tore at it fiercely, causing a large number of scales to fall from the python's abdomen as blood flowed incessantly.

In less than twenty breaths, the Fire Cloud Python lost its breath and stopped resisting.

Shen Long dared not let his guard down; he used the Azure Moon Shears to sever the python's head before finally feeling at ease.

He pinched a spell seal, and the Green Wind Tiger transformed back into a dim-looking talisman that fell into his hand, its power mostly depleted.

He collected the corpses of the Fire Cloud Python and the Mountain Pushing Beast, recalled the Iron Tail Scorpion into his Spirit Beast Bag, and left the area.

Returning to the marketplace, Shen Long headed straight for the Craftsman Hall. Upon reaching the second floor, he saw Sun Huowang chatting with a young girl in a red dress who looked to be in the prime of her youth.

The girl in the red dress had delicate features, skin as white as snow, and bright, spirited eyes.

Sun Yiyue, Sun Huowang's daughter, a first-tier artifact refiner.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, you've arrived."

Sun Yiyue greeted Shen Long upon seeing him.

"I would like to ask the shopkeeper to help me refine a magical tool. I hope I'm not interrupting you both!"

Shen Long said.

"No bother at all, go ahead and take the materials out!"

Sun Huowang said.

Shen Long took out the carcass of the Fire Cloud Python and said, "It's a late-stage first-rank Fire Cloud Python. I would like to ask the shopkeeper to help me refine an inner armor using its hide. I wonder how many spirit stones it will cost."

"A late-stage first-rank Fire Cloud Python! You kid certainly have some impressive skills!"

Sun Huowang praised him while carefully inspecting the python's carcass.

"No problem. Once it's refined, I'll send someone to notify you."

Sun Huowang agreed.

"Shopkeeper, how many spirit stones will it cost?"

Shen Long asked. A mid-grade defensive magical tool is not cheap, and obtaining the materials himself to have Sun Huowang refine it would be more cost-effective.

Sun Huowang thought for a moment and said, "Within two hundred spirit stones."

"Then I will trouble you with this."

Shen Long thanked him.

After chatting for a few more moments, he took his leave.

"I haven't seen him in a few years, but Fellow Daoist Shen has become so formidable that he can kill a late-stage first-rank Fire Cloud Python."

Sun Yiyue said in surprise. If Shen Long had killed the Fire Cloud Python together with Xu Lei and the others, he wouldn't have been able to keep the entire carcass for himself.

"The kid's strength is not weak. The fatal wounds on the Fire Cloud Python are all in vital spots. No wonder he refused my proposal."

Sun Huowang said.

"Father, I don't want to get married. I want to join an immortal cultivation sect so that I won't have to worry about the Li Clan anymore."

Sun Yiyue said earnestly.

"Rest assured! Father has made arrangements. Don't speak of this to anyone else, including your brother."

Sun Huowang cautioned.

"I understand, Father."

Sun Yiyue agreed.

Returning to his residence, Shen Long entered the Spirit Control Tower, released the Iron Tail Scorpion, and took out the carcass of the Mountain Pushing Beast to let the scorpion feast.

He exited the Spirit Control Tower, sat cross-legged on the stone bed, and began to circulate his energy to cultivate.