Yan Chihuo saw this and thought to himself, My poison arts seem no weaker than the deadly poison those three people were afflicted with earlier. It's just a pity about that half-step Dharma Tool. He had transferred the poison through his hands while gripping his opponent's long saber. That was how he had killed the black-clad figure.
As a half-step Dharma Tool, the long saber was naturally far more powerful than his own long sword and Snake Scale. But it had been destroyed so quickly. This Talisman Artifact Primordial Embryo was truly mediocre. Yan Chihuo had taken it mainly to see how the Restrictions on the Talisman Artifact had been inscribed. So although he regretted the saber's destruction, he was not too bothered by it.
This time, he did not dare let his guard down again. He extended his hearing in every direction, took a packet of medicine from his robes, and applied it to his wound. Then he leaped into the grass, made several turns, and disappeared from sight.
From afar, he spotted a cave. He peered inside and saw no beasts or monsters, so he slipped in. After resting for a while, he opened the black-clad figure's bundle. Inside were some spirit medicines, monster bones, and more than ten Jade Crystals. None of these particularly interested Yan Chihuo, but among them lay a dark Metal Token, engraved on one side with a tiger's head. Beneath the tiger's head was the number "nine."
It seemed familiar to him, so he took out an identical token from his robes. The only difference was that the number beneath the tiger's head was "seven." It was the token he had obtained from the Heavenly Evil Blood Demon's senior brother.
Yan Chihuo thought, It seems these two came from the same organization. Did this man happen upon me by chance when he tried to kill me, or was I his target?
After pondering for a while, Yan Chihuo put the items away and examined his injuries. If the black-clad figure's slash had gone any deeper, it would have cut through his ribs and pierced into his chest. He had truly escaped death by a hair's breadth.
Just then, he caught a foul, putrid smell in the cave and suddenly grew alert. Could this cave be the lair of some beast or monster? Perhaps it had gone out to feed, leaving the cave empty. If it were only a beast, that would be one thing, but if it were a powerful monster, he would need to be especially cautious.
With that thought, Yan Chihuo slipped out of the cave. Just then, he heard a gale sweep through the grass. He hurriedly leaped to the top of a large tree and looked toward the sound. Several dozen zhang away, a bright-red Giant Python was slithering toward him. As it moved, it kicked up a fierce gale, bending the weeds flat.
The Giant Python was fifteen or sixteen zhang long, as thick as a barrel, with a raised bump on its head. Seeing this, Yan Chihuo knew it was the Exotic Red Python at the late Body Forging stage.
Yan Chihuo draped the Five Poison Cloud Smoke Cover over himself, swept his long sword through the air, and sent a shower of boulders crashing down. Then he shot forward like an arrow. The Red Python was completely unprepared. As the boulders fell, it twisted its long body and darted out from beneath them. Even so, two boulders struck its body.
The Giant Python was formidable, but after taking those two blows, most of its body slammed to the ground, and a trace of blood appeared on its hide. Yan Chihuo's long sword stabbed toward it at once.
The Giant Python twisted aside to dodge the thrust, then opened its mouth and sprayed a cloud of multicolored poisonous smoke over Yan Chihuo. A glow shimmered across the Five Poison Cloud Smoke Cover, and it absorbed the entire cloud.
The Poison Python was enraged. It coiled up and spat out a stream of venom, pouring down like a torrential rain and drenching the Five Poison Cloud Smoke Cover. But Yan Chihuo used the Earth Shrinking Step and drifted more than ten zhang away.
The Poison Python was about to chase him, but Yan Chihuo had already gone far. It could only thrash its tail in fury, sending sand and stones flying and snapping trees around it.
Yan Chihuo reached a stream, put away the Five Poison Cloud Smoke Cover, and examined it carefully. The cover was completely undamaged, but the venom on it had gradually dwindled, and its color had grown a little deeper. Realizing that it had absorbed the Python's venom, he relaxed.
The Five Poison Cloud Smoke Cover offered no defensive protection, but it could absorb venom. If the poison were too potent, however, it would not be able to withstand it. Yan Chihuo relied on the Poison Dissolving Art to protect himself; even if some venom splashed onto his body, he had nothing to fear. That was why he dared to use this method to collect poison.
Even so, he worried that the Poison Python's venom might be too potent. So he had retreated immediately after that first strike, giving the Python no chance to attack again. Now that the Five Poison Cloud Smoke Cover had withstood it completely, he felt even more confident about collecting venom in the future. But the Poison Python was at the late Body Forging stage, and Yan Chihuo still could not face it head-on.
Another day passed. His injuries had improved considerably, and his magic power had fully recovered. Only then did he head back toward the Giant Python's cave. This time, he was prepared. He watched the cave from a distance and refused to approach.
After a long while, a huge snake's head emerged from the cave mouth, followed by its body, which slowly slithered out. Just then, another shower of boulders came crashing down from above.
The Giant Python was completely unprepared and hurriedly lunged forward, but it was a step too late. The boulders struck its body, and Yan Chihuo's long sword was already upon it.
The Giant Python twisted its body and spat out another stream of venom, drenching Yan Chihuo. He neither dodged nor flinched. His sword struck the Python but slid off, leaving only a shallow cut on its body.
The Giant Python drenched Yan Chihuo with another mouthful of venom. Only the tip of its tail remained pinned beneath the pile of boulders; the rest of its body had already burst free.
Seeing this, Yan Chihuo immediately used the Earth Shrinking Step and darted more than ten zhang away. The Giant Python surged out, only to find that Yan Chihuo had vanished without a trace. It was furious, but there was nothing it could do.
This time, Yan Chihuo had collected two mouthfuls of venom, and the Five Poison Cloud Smoke Cover's color had deepened further. For the next half month, Yan Chihuo relied on his keen hearing and sharp eyes to harass the Poison Python again and again, always quitting while he was ahead. The Poison Python possessed the strength of a late-stage cultivator, yet it kept taking hits and could do nothing about Yan Chihuo.
Although Yan Chihuo repeatedly gained the upper hand, he was still incapable of killing the Poison Python outright. Besides the Five Poison Cloud Smoke Cover absorbing a great deal of poison, his Earth Shrinking Step had also improved. All in all, it was an unexpected boon.
One day, he fled from the Giant Python once again. After cultivating for a while, he suddenly grew alert and stood up. Then he heard someone call, "Fellow Daoist, please wait! I have something to discuss with you."
Yan Chihuo turned toward the voice and saw two people, one tall and one short, running toward him from a hundred zhang away. He grew wary, but did not leave. Both were at the middle Body Tempering stage. Even if they had some trick up their sleeves, he could retreat if he could not defeat them. When they reached him, he asked coldly, "Fellow Daoists, what do you want with me?"
The tall man carried a large gourd on his back. He cupped his hands and said, "I am Yang Kun, and this is my friend Mao Chuan. May I know your esteemed name?"
Yan Chihuo replied, "We're strangers who happened to meet. There's no need to ask. But what do you want?" His words made it clear that he was keeping them at arm's length.
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