Black-Armored Anaconda

More than ten days later, after making every possible preparation, Su Heng asked Otto for leave. This trip would take at least a month and at most three. Whether he succeeded or failed, he would definitely return.

Master Otto had originally been firmly opposed to Su Heng's risky venture, but after seeing Qing Lin's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils and the tamed Rock-Scaled Rattlesnake, his concerns were dispelled.

If they were searching for snake-type magical beasts and taking their Beast Flames, then with the abilities Qing Lin had displayed, even snake-type magical beasts at the Dou Emperor level would have to bow their heads in submission.

Moreover, after Su Heng showed Otto the various "tools" he had prepared, Master Otto finally concluded that even if the trip yielded nothing, their safety would be assured.

To ensure nothing could go wrong, Otto gave Su Heng three Windstride Pills and three Qi-Replenishing Pills. They were all Third-grade Pills. After taking them, Su Heng could run all the way from the Magic Beast Mountains back to Black Rock City even on his own two legs.

After bidding farewell to Master Otto, Su Heng officially set off for the Magic Beast Mountains.

Black Rock City was not far from the Magic Beast Mountains. It only took seven or eight days by carriage. Once they reached a small town near the mountains, Su Heng and Qing Lin could enter the Magic Beast Mountains on foot.

"Qing Lin, starting tomorrow, change into these clothes."

On the night before entering the Magic Beast Mountains, Su Heng took out Beast-Repelling Garments specially made for this trip.

Though the two garments smelled rather strange, they had been soaked in the blood of Fifth-Order Magical Beasts and a secret incense oil. They gave off an aura similar to that of a Fifth-Order Magical Beast. Wearing them in the Magic Beast Mountains would keep low-level magical beasts from coming anywhere near them.

Qing Lin had some magical beast blood in her veins, so she instinctively resisted the garments. Still, for the sake of moving about safely, she gritted her teeth and put one on.

The next day, as dawn broke, the two were already up and entered the Magic Beast Mountains hand in hand.

Su Heng and Qing Lin made their way along winding, barely visible paths. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sky around them, while the occasional cries of unknown magical beasts echoed from deep within the forest, adding an eerie air to the place.

Ordinary mercenaries or Dou Masters would inevitably be attacked by magical beasts upon entering the Magic Beast Mountains.

However, the Beast-Repelling Garments Su Heng had custom-made for twenty thousand gold coins now showed their worth. After walking for several hours, they had not seen a single magical beast—not even an ordinary animal that looked like one.

"Brother Su Heng, keep heading northeast. I can sense the aura of a very powerful snake-type magical beast."

Qing Lin pointed toward a dense forest on the right. The Beast-Repelling Garment made her uncomfortable, and her voice was weak, carrying even a hint of nausea.

"Take it off. If it's too unbearable, don't force yourself. I have medicinal powder that conceals scents. It can also keep us from being attacked by magical beasts."

Unable to bear watching Qing Lin suffer any longer, Su Heng gently removed the Beast-Repelling Garment from her and sprinkled a layer of scent-concealing medicinal powder over her body.

Without the sickening smell of the garment, Qing Lin's complexion immediately improved somewhat. Su Heng handed her a homemade "mask" to help block out the scent coming from his own Beast-Repelling Garment.

Before setting out, Su Heng had guessed that Qing Lin's partial magical beast bloodline would make her react to the Beast-Repelling Garment, but he had still underestimated the effect that bloodline had on her.

Following Qing Lin's guidance, they soon found their path blocked by a thick mass of thorny brambles. Before Su Heng could speak, Qing Lin had already summoned the Rock-Scaled Snake, Little Gold. Amid a brown glow, the Rock-Scaled Rattlesnake appeared. With a single sweeping strike, it turned the thorny barrier into a clear path.

With Little Gold leading the way, the two moved much faster. Before long, they had reached the area Qing Lin had indicated.

As they continued onward, Qing Lin's senses became clearer and clearer. She could even feel a cold, sinister aura permeating the air, one unique to snake-type magical beasts.

"Brother Su Heng, it's right ahead."

Qing Lin stopped and pointed at a deep, pitch-black cave ahead. The cave had been carved directly into a rocky mountain. The magical beast living inside had to be at least a Fourth-Order Magical Beast. Su Heng's heart raced as he rejoiced inwardly.

He had not expected to find the lair of a Fourth-Order snake-type magical beast on their very first attempt. If they were lucky enough, it might possess a Beast Flame.

Su Heng removed his Beast-Repelling Garment, then took a chunk of pale, tender meat from his Storage Ring. Before he could toss it out, Little Gold sprang from Qing Lin's satchel and took a huge bite out of it.

The massive chunk of meat was swallowed whole. The Rock-Scaled Rattlesnake, which had originally been a small golden snake, now looked like a wooden mallet. It was utterly comical.

And it was not just Little Gold. Even Qing Lin's eyes gleamed. An emerald glow flickered in her eyes as her throat kept bobbing with loud gulps, and she nearly started drooling.

This was meat from a Second-Order Magical Beast, a Nightmare Rabbit, carefully cooked and seasoned by Su Heng. No snake-type magical beast could resist its temptation. Even Qing Lin, with her snake bloodline, had nearly failed to hold herself back. Its effects were obvious!

"Be good, Qing Lin. This is for magical beasts. Later, Big Brother will let you eat something even better."

Su Heng had prepared dozens of pounds of this meat. As long as Qing Lin wanted it, there would be plenty for her to eat.

Qing Lin nodded fiercely, drooling. If even she and Little Gold could not withstand this temptation, then the snake-type magical beast inside the cave would be even less able to resist!

Su Heng threw the meat toward the cave entrance. Seconds later, a deep roar came from the depths of the cave. The ground began to tremble, and amid the rustling scrape of scales against stone, a massive snake-type magical beast rushed out of the entrance.

"It's a Black-Armored Anaconda! Excellent!"

Before heading to the Magic Beast Mountains, Su Heng had consulted the records at the Black Rock City Alchemist Guild regarding every snake-type magical beast that might possess a Beast Flame. The Black-Armored Anaconda was one of them.

Su Heng watched intently. The magical beast was covered in enormous scales as black as ink. Under the sunlight, those scales gleamed like steel, as though it wore a suit of armor.

According to the records, after processing, the scales of a Fourth-Order Magical Beast, the Black-Armored Anaconda, could be directly made into armor. Their defensive power even surpassed ordinary steel armor.

"Qing Lin, now!"

Su Heng had deliberately thrown the meat near the cave entrance to strike when the snake-type magical beast poked its head out while its body was still inside. At that moment, its mobility was at its weakest. By exploiting that brief gap, Qing Lin could control it before it had time to react.

Scooping Qing Lin up, Su Heng charged forward. Just as the Black-Armored Anaconda swallowed the meat, an emerald glow enveloped it completely.

Within Qing Lin's crystal-clear eyes, as green as gemstones, the Black-Armored Anaconda's body went still. Its enormous jaws, large enough to swallow a person whole, slowly closed. Fear filled its obsidian-like eyes.

Within the emerald glow, three green dots gradually emerged in Qing Lin's jade-green pupils. The three dots that appeared this time were clearer than ever before.

Upon closer inspection, those three green dots had transformed into three tiny flower buds. As the buds bloomed, a powerful emerald beam shot out from within them.

The glow slowly moved over the Black-Armored Anaconda's body before finally stopping at the center of its forehead.

After the glow stopped moving, it gradually shrank. In the end, the beam became roughly the size of a palm. Moments later, the palm-sized green orb formed into a small green flower and imprinted itself upon the Black-Armored Anaconda's head.

The previously panicked Black-Armored Anaconda was now as docile as a kitten. It gently crawled to Qing Lin's side and affectionately rubbed against her body before curling into a ball around her, protecting her at its center.

"Qing Lin, ask it what rank it is. Does it have a Beast Flame?"

With the deed done, Su Heng could not wait to obtain the Beast Flame from the Black-Armored Anaconda. After all, if he could succeed in one try, who would want to waste precious time lingering in such a dangerous place?

Qing Lin gently stroked the Black-Armored Anaconda's head and met its gaze as she began communicating with it. Several minutes later, she looked up with a slightly disappointed expression and spoke slowly.

"Brother Su Heng, it says it is a Fourth-Order Magical Beast, but it hasn't cultivated a Beast Flame yet. If it had another four months, a Beast Flame would condense inside its body. But not yet."

"Huh????"

Although Qing Lin's expression had already told Su Heng that things had gone wrong, hearing the news for real still made him cover his forehead and sigh. He had celebrated for nothing.

Though Su Heng felt somewhat frustrated, Qing Lin had tamed a magical beast at the Dou Ling level, which was an excellent thing for her. Thus, his frustration lasted only a few seconds.

"Brother Su Heng, it says that if you want a Beast Flame, you can look for the Xuanjia Snake Emperor. It is a Sixth-Order Magical Beast and possesses a Beast Flame."

The Xuanjia Snake Emperor was the evolved form of the Black-Armored Anaconda. After consuming vast amounts of fire-element energy, the Black-Armored Anaconda's scales would change from pure black to blackish red, the so-called xuan color.

A Sixth-Order Magical Beast was equivalent to a human Dou Emperor. Unless there was a blood feud between them, no human would provoke a Xuanjia Snake Emperor. Even the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, itself a Sixth-Order Magical Beast, would not take the initiative to enter the Xuanjia Snake Emperor's territory.

Naturally, Su Heng did not want to provoke such a terrifying opponent. Qing Lin was only a One-Star Dou Zhe right now, and her strength was not enough to control a magical beast at the Dou Emperor level. If anything went wrong, both of them might be buried here.

"No. The Xuanjia Snake Emperor's realm is too high. It is comparable to a human Dou Emperor. If we anger it, we may not be able to leave alive."

"Qing Lin, ask it whether there are any other fire-element magical beasts nearby. Preferably Fourth-Order or below—something it can defeat."

The Xuanjia Snake Emperor's Beast Flame was a Six-tier Beast Flame, equal in strength to Xiao Yan's Purple Crystal Winged Lion Flame. If Su Heng said he did not want it, that would be a blatant lie.

But if obtaining a high-grade Beast Flame meant risking himself or putting Qing Lin in danger, Su Heng would rather settle for any ordinary Beast Flame.

"Brother Su Heng, it says all the low-level fire-element magical beasts within a hundred miles have already been devoured by the Xuanjia Snake Emperor. There are no magical beasts below the Fourth Order with Beast Flames in this region."

"If we go to the other side of the Magic Beast Mountains and enter the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's territory, we might find some. But there probably won't be many opportunities there either. The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King is also a Sixth-Order fire-element magical beast, and it likewise devours other low-level fire-element magical beasts."

After hearing Qing Lin's words, Su Heng felt his vision go dark and nearly fainted. He had made everything sound far too simple and idealistic in his head.

Within the Magic Beast Mountains, the strong preyed upon the weak. The powerful would inevitably consume every resource that could help their cultivation. Fire-element magical beasts devoured one another until the strongest emerged. How could they possibly leave behind low-level fire-element magical beasts for humans to obtain Beast Flames from?

Now, if he wanted a Beast Flame, he could only seek out the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King or the Xuanjia Snake Emperor. There was no other possibility.

Su Heng brooded with a dark expression for a long time. Since they were already here, returning empty-handed was hard for him to accept. But taking a Beast Flame from the Xuanjia Snake Emperor would not be as simple as swaggering up and asking for it.

"This is troublesome. Let's set up camp here first. I need to come up with a plan to seize the Beast Flame. Qing Lin, have this fellow clean up the cave. We'll stay here for a few days."

If they wanted to obtain a Beast Flame now, every step had to be carefully planned. Since there was no rushing it, they might as well take their time.

Su Heng simply started a fire and roasted meat. They had traveled for most of the day, so they should first enjoy a good meal. Besides, he had just promised Qing Lin.

Before long, several large pieces of Nightmare Rabbit meat had been roasted by Su Heng until they were charred on the outside and tender within, their fragrance filling the air.

The two giant snakes drooled like dogs standing before a barbecue stall. Su Heng actually saw the fawning look of dogs on snake faces. Qing Lin, meanwhile, was still trying hard to restrain herself, but her watery eyes and her restless little hands completely gave her away.

The rabbit meat smelled far too good!

While Qing Lin and the others ate to their hearts' content, Su Heng lit a torch and entered the Black-Armored Anaconda's lair. A Fourth-Order Magical Beast had to have some treasures stored away. Since he was already here, how could he leave a treasure mountain empty-handed?

Not long afterward, Su Heng found a huge iron box.

Apart from the iron box, the cave contained only rubble and weeds. The reason the box had remained intact was also because the Black-Armored Anaconda had not taken human form and could not open it.

Su Heng dragged the iron box outside. Seeing this, the Black-Armored Anaconda quickly crawled in front of him and shook a rusty key from between its scales. It seemed the snake had possessed the box for a long time but had never been able to open it.

"Qing Lin, have Little Black coil around this box, leaving only the lock exposed. Once I open the lock, have it open the box."

Su Heng was not about to unlock an iron box of unknown origin without taking precautions. What if it contained poison or some kind of trap? The moment he opened it, he could be dead.

Qing Lin ordered the Black-Armored Anaconda to coil around the box and wrap it tightly. Su Heng inserted the rusty key and unlocked the box, then scooped Qing Lin up and sprinted away. The Rock-Scaled Snake tacitly guarded the two of them from the front.

After confirming it was safe, the Black-Armored Anaconda moved its body and gently opened the box. The instant it opened, a cloud of white smoke erupted from within, and the Black-Armored Anaconda bore the brunt of it.

Within the smoke, the Black-Armored Anaconda's body began twisting wildly out of control. After a long while, it suddenly went completely still.

"Little Black!!!"

Qing Lin seemed to sense something. Her eyes reddened, and tears burst forth.

She struggled to break free from Su Heng's arms and rush toward the cloud of smoke. But Su Heng keenly sensed the Black-Armored Anaconda's abnormality. He held Qing Lin tightly in his arms and covered her eyes with his right hand, refusing to let her see the gruesome scene until the smoke dispersed.

The Fourth-Order Magical Beast, the Black-Armored Anaconda, had actually been poisoned to death by the hidden poison inside the iron box!