According to the Script

On Ten Thousand Blades Peak.

Fang Zelin had stayed here for over half a month.

Throughout that time, Fang Zelin had kept carving footholds farther up the cliff face.

Fortunately, when he circulated his spiritual power, Fang Zelin could feel his body grow considerably lighter.

Otherwise, even Fang Zelin could not have kept hanging from the cliff face and carving footholds like this.

After over half a month, Fang Zelin had made it two-fifths of the way up Ten Thousand Blades Peak.

At this rate, it would take at least another half month or more to reach the summit.

Fang Zelin had grown used to it.

Every day, he traveled back and forth between Ten Thousand Ren Peak and Yueyang City.

He arrived at Ten Thousand Ren Peak early each morning and returned to Yueyang City when night fell.

Occasionally, special circumstances prevented Fang Zelin from making it back, leaving him no choice but to spend the night outdoors.

At this moment, Fang Zelin was up on the mountain, using the pointed corner of his chopping knife to carve out a foothold.

Just as Fang Zelin thought everything should go smoothly today and he could make some more progress-

Dark clouds suddenly filled the sky.

In mere moments, the previously clear sky darkened, and lightning like horned dragons seemed to writhe within the clouds.

It looked savage and terrifying.

Fang Zelin immediately frowned at the sight and sighed inwardly.

He quickly tossed his chopping knife down the cliff, then turned and swooped down like a swallow.

With a few light taps of his toes against the cliff face, he landed easily on the ground.

Only after landing safely did Fang Zelin quickly pick up the chopping knife nearby and duck into a cave beside him.

Perhaps it was because Ten Thousand Blades Peak was too tall.

Every time it rained, lightning appeared here.

Fang Zelin had encountered rain several times before, and practically whenever it rained, lightning would course overhead.

After several such encounters, Fang Zelin had gained experience: he simply threw down his chopping knife and flew down the cliff face.

He was worried that if lightning targeted and struck him, it really would go down as one of the most bizarre ways to die in the Seeking the Dao World.

Fang Zelin had barely taken shelter in the cave when torrential rain began pouring outside.

From time to time, he could also hear the thunder roar.

"When I climb to the summit, what if there's a thunderstorm? Won't I get struck by lightning standing that high up?"

Listening to the thunder, Fang Zelin suddenly thought of this troubling possibility.

No, I can just pick a day with good weather to go up.

Although these thunderstorms were somewhat unpredictable, he should be fine if he was careful.

Fang Zelin mulled it over and felt it would not be much of a problem.

But then again, why did he get the feeling that the summit of Ten Thousand Blades Peak was struck by lightning whenever there was a thunderstorm?

While Fang Zelin's thoughts wandered, a rustling suddenly came from the cave entrance.

Immediately afterward, a reddish-brown animal ran straight inside as though frightened.

After running in, it looked around, then immediately stood up when it spotted someone in the cave.

The little animal turned to flee, but the hissing that followed instantly made its fur stand on end.

It then quickly faced the cave entrance.

Fang Zelin froze for a moment at the sight of the red panda before him, but before he could take a closer look, he saw a slithering animal slide in through the entrance.

When Fang Zelin got a clear look at the python slithering inside, his heart lurched.

This little fellow even brought a predator in with it?

Fang Zelin was full of complaints at that moment, but he still grabbed the chopping knife beside him with great speed.

It was only a python. If it had not become a spirit, he should be able to handle it.

The python slithered inside, flicking its tongue constantly, and its head slowly turned to fix its gaze on Fang Zelin nearby.

Judging by its bucket-thick body, swallowing a person would be no problem at all.

"Does this thing think the red panda won't fill its belly, so now it wants to make me its prey instead?"

Watching the python's movements, Fang Zelin immediately understood its intent.

The red panda seemed very clever too. Seeing the two facing off, it hurriedly darted to Fang Zelin's side and stood with him, eyeing the python opposite them like a tiger watching its prey.

The python showed no fear. Its body began to move, slithering farther into the cave little by little.

As its massive body passed through the curtain of rain at the entrance, the water washed over it, making it reflect an even colder sheen.

Its scales were densely arranged in orderly rows, giving it a powerful appearance.

Seeing the python continue to slither inward, Fang Zelin felt deeply uneasy. This python thought it could swallow him!

From the look of things, it was preparing to attack.

At the sight, Fang Zelin gritted his teeth and swung his chopping knife. The rock he had been sitting on instantly split in two beneath the blade's gleam.

This was a useful application of spiritual power that Fang Zelin had discovered recently.

When he channeled his spiritual power, Fang Zelin could feel his body become countless times lighter.

And if he imbued an ordinary weapon with spiritual power, it could also greatly increase the weapon's sharpness and power.

Even with a chopping knife, Fang Zelin could now split this rock straight in half with a single swing, no matter how hard it was.

The python had still been approaching Fang Zelin, but at the sudden sight, its slithering body briefly faltered before it abruptly turned tail and scurried away like a rat.

It all happened so quickly that Fang Zelin was left somewhat dumbfounded.

Did this python have some measure of intelligence too?

Otherwise, ordinary giant pythons didn't seem to use their eyes much, did they?

Seeing this, Fang Zelin could not help wondering inwardly.

The main reason Fang Zelin had not immediately fought the giant python was that he had been worried it might have become a spirit.

After encountering spirits several times, Fang Zelin now instinctively wondered whether any snakes, foxes, and the like he saw in the wild had become spirits.

Demons that had become spirits were not easy to deal with.

At the very least, Fang Zelin had never killed a demon so far, and he did not know whether he could.

But to be safe, it was best to avoid conflict with them as much as possible.

Seeing the python retreat, Fang Zelin breathed a sigh of relief.

The red panda beside him also flopped limply down at that moment, spreading out like a puddle of liquid.

Red pandas that had not been raised by humans were naturally wary. Although it was not very far from him now, Fang Zelin had no intention of reaching out to pet it.

Still, looking at it from so close, the red panda really was rather adorable.

Its furry ears were white, as was some of the fur on its face, and its somewhat short, thick limbs made it look even more adorable.

"According to the scripts I've seen before, if you have spiritual awareness, you'll have to find a way to repay me next."

Looking at the red panda beside him, Fang Zelin suddenly teased it.

But judging by the red panda's appearance, it presumably had not awakened its intelligence yet and should not be able to understand him.

If it had awakened its intelligence, it would not have been chased by a python into a cave like this, ending up a turtle in a jar.