Wilderness Sights, Slaying the Winged Serpent

Once outside the boundaries of Western Prefecture, Ji An's speed suddenly increased.

Breaking through the Xiantian, the divine and demonic body brings not only power, but also even more astonishing speed, endurance, and reaction time.

He didn't bring any servants, or even a mount. After all, in the Ji Clan West Prefecture, there was only one flying mount at the Xiantian Lifeform Realm that could match his speed, but that was a Xiantian Lifeform Realm within the Ji Clan, so of course he couldn't ride it.

Ji An did not deliberately pursue extreme speed, but with his Xiantian Godfiend body combined with the "Wind Shadow Step," his running speed far Transcendent imagination.

Ordinary rugged mountain paths are like flat ground, and steep cliffs can be used to leap and bound.

The oncoming wind was no longer an obstacle, but rather a force that propelled him forward.

This feeling of freedom, of the earth rushing past beneath his feet, filled him with excitement—a feeling he had never experienced in his previous life.

Along the way, Ji An passed through several small tribes that were dependent on the Ji Clan.

These tribes are considered lucky if they have a few thousand people, and the strongest among them are merely beings born Houtian.

From a high vantage point, these tribes are mostly nestled against mountains and beside rivers, enclosed by simple wooden fences and stone walls, with low thatched or stone houses inside.

Some fields have been cultivated on the outskirts of the tribe, but they are very small.

Even from two or three kilometers away, the Xiantian Lifeform could still see the warriors of those tribes, dressed in worn animal hide armor, patrolling the area with stone axes and bone spears, wary of enemies from other tribes.

Yes, they weren't monsters, but people. After all, this place wasn't far from the Ji Clan, so there were relatively fewer monsters here.

However, the Ji Clan would not interfere in wars between tribes.

Occasionally, a hunting party would return carrying a small, strange beast, which would elicit cheers from the tribe's elders and children.

These scenes made Ji An deeply aware of the hardships faced by small tribes surviving on the wild land. This was not a fictional world from a novel; to Ji An, this world was real.

The existence of the Ji Clan was a crucial barrier for these small tribes to survive amidst the surrounding monsters.

He traversed the massive mountain range, sensing powerful auras lurking deep within the dense forest—the presence of enormous, monstrous beasts.

He once saw a rhinoceros-like monster covered in rock-like scales drinking water by the river. Its aura was as strong as that of Early Xiantian.

To test his combat prowess, he took up his sword and fought it, but in the blink of a Lightning Flash, the monster became his prey on the road.

After all, it was Xiantian Lifeform cultivated from the "Crimsonbright Nine Heavens Diagram" and had also comprehended the True Meaning of the Dao, making its combat power far superior to that of ordinary Xiantian beings.

He also ventured into a vast swamp, shrouded in miasma, teeming with poisonous insects, and teeming with unknown dangers lurking beneath the surface.

The divine and demonic body cultivated by the Crimsonbright Nine Heavens Diagram made him immune to ordinary poisons, but the environment itself kept him highly vigilant.

He saw towering mountain peaks reaching into the clouds, and also encountered waterfalls cascading down three thousand feet into deep ravines.

The wonders of nature and the ever-present dangers intertwine to create a wild and untamed world.

This world is so much more beautiful than the Earth of my previous life.

Two days later, after a long journey, Ji An finally arrived at his destination.

Over the past two days, for some reason, Ji An felt that his mind and body had evolved, which led to some progress in his understanding of the Thunderfire Dao.

Winged Serpent Lake, Ji An's destination on this trip.

The presence of a Xiantian Complete Winged Serpent at this location has made the Ji Clan pay little attention to it. After all, it is impossible to kill, and if it is angered, the surrounding small tribes will suffer.

Of course, it wouldn't provoke the Ji Clan without a reason.

Winged Serpent Lake covers a vast area, stretching for hundreds of miles, and its end cannot be seen at a glance.

"Splash splash splash."

Even without wind, such a large lake can ripple three feet high.

Ji An arrived at the lakeshore, gazing at the Winged Serpent Lake, and murmured, "This lake is truly unfathomable. Even if I can control the water, if I were to enter the water—my combat strength would be absolutely insufficient to subdue that Winged Serpent."

Once in the water, even Xiantian Godfiend who has mastered the first method of Godfiend Body Refining and demons, the "Crimsonbright Nine Heavens Diagram," is no match for it.

The deeper you go, the greater the water pressure, and the more difficult it becomes to control the water.

Human Race can only unleash one-tenth of their strength underwater, while aquatic creatures can perform at an extraordinary level.

Compared to Ji An Ji Ning in the original work, Ji An's combat power in water is much lower, after all, Ji An comprehends the Dao of Thunderfire, while Ji Ning comprehends the Dao of Rain and Water.

Although they are all Minor Dao, the different environments naturally result in different combat capabilities.

"The most important thing now is to get that Winged Serpent out, otherwise killing it will be difficult," Ji An thought to himself.

If we only consider the strength of the Fourth Layer of the "Crimsonbright Nine Heavens Diagram," it's roughly equivalent to the Xiantian Innate Realm strength of other Godfiend Body Refinement.

Compared to the great demon Winged Serpent, it is still slightly lacking in strength and other aspects.

However, with his understanding of the "Way of Thunderfire," Ji An's combat power was a level above that of the Winged Serpent. Moreover, because the Thunderfire Dao is inherently adept at killing, Ji An was even stronger than Ji Ning at the same time in the original story.

Whoosh!

With each step Ji An took, he felt as if he were walking on land as he stepped onto the water.

"Winged Serpent!"

With a roar, Ji An channeled his divine power, his voice piercing through the air and penetrating the lake water as if it were a tangible entity, spreading layer upon layer through the deep lakebed.

"Winged Serpent!" "Winged Serpent!" "Winged Serpent!"--

The sound waves echoed across the lake.

Nest at the bottom of the lake.

The Winged Serpent's enormous body was asleep, its massive bony wings on its back enveloping its body like a curtain.

The powerful roar, imbued with divine force, pierced through the deep water and rang in his ears.

"Um?!"

The crimson snake eyes suddenly snapped open, a flash of ferocity crossing the vertical pupils. Clearly, this overlord of the lake was extremely displeased that his peaceful slumber had been disturbed.

Its enormous head slightly raised, stirring up the surrounding water.

"What's going on?" A deep, muffled growl echoed through the lair. "Investigate immediately!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Outside the lair, the lesser demons responded with fearful shouts, and several dark figures swiftly darted towards the lake's surface.

The lake surface.

Ji An remained calmly standing on the water's surface, as if the earth-shattering shout from just moments before had nothing to do with him.

He waited patiently, sensing the changes in the lake water.

Splash--splash--

Several aquatic demons cautiously peeked out, watching the Human Race boy standing on the water from afar.

Their eyes were full of surprise and doubt. After confirming that there was no one around, they quickly dived into the water.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" the lesser demons reported tremblingly, "There is only one Human Race boy on the water! He walks on water without sinking, but he is not one of those Xiantian Lifeform you showed us."

"Walking on water without sinking? A strange young man?" The Winged Serpent narrowed its eyes, its serpentine nature's suspiciousness making it keep thinking.

A strange young man, Xiantian, comes alone to provoke us? Is it a trap? Or just arrogance and ignorance?

"Hmph, let me see for myself!"

The Winged Serpent's enormous body transformed into a man dressed in black.

The man in black blurred into a shadow and silently slithered towards the surface of the water.

He maintained his human form, although his human form was much slower in the water than his original form. However, his original form was simply too large, and if he appeared on the surface, it would definitely cause a great commotion and be discovered.

The head silently broke through the water's surface, and the black-clad man's gaze instantly locked onto a seemingly handsome and harmless boy dressed in animal skin, eight or nine miles away.

The surrounding lake was vast and empty, the water and sky blending into one. Apart from the sounds of the wind and water, there was no other presence; indeed, there was only this young man!

"An Early Xiantian Innate being dares to act wildly in my Winged Serpent Lake?" The Winged Serpent's initial doubts were replaced by contempt, followed by boundless rage. "You're courting death!"

Boom-!

The calm lake surface was suddenly churned into towering waves! A terrifying and ferocious aura soared into the sky, dispersing some of the water vapor and clouds in the air.

A colossal creature burst forth from the water!

It coiled and snaked above the lake, its body as thick as a palace pillar, hundreds of meters long, its black scales shimmering with a cold, eerie luster in the sunlight.

Most terrifying of all were the enormous scales and bone wings on its back, now fully spread out, their wingspan blotting out the sky.

The enormous snake head was raised high, its crimson pupils staring at the tiny Ji An.

"Human Race brat!" The Winged Serpent's voice boomed like thunder, shaking the lake's surface. "You disturbed my peaceful slumber; today I'll make you my meal!"

The Winged Serpent slammed its massive tail against the lake surface and lunged at Ji An!

It moved so fast that it left a long white trail on the lake's surface.

At the same time, it opened its blood-red maw and sprayed out a jet of liquid like water arrows. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! The black-glowing venom instantly enveloped Ji An.

The enormous bone wings stirred up a gale, forming sharp, knife-like wind blades that Strangulation from the sides.

Ji An's eyes narrowed, and the Crimsonbright divine power within his body roared!

"Wind Shadow Step!" he shouted, his foot lightly touching the water's surface. His figure instantly blurred, like a willow catkin in the wind, narrowly avoiding the poisonous mist arrows and most of the wind blades with an incredible trajectory.

The footwork of the Heaven and Man Unity Realm is already at a level that most Violet Palace Cultivators can achieve.

Sizzle!

A gust of wind grazed his arm, instantly tearing his animal hide clothing and leaving a shallow white mark on his Xiantian Godfiend body, from which tiny beads of blood seeped.

Ji An's face revealed a perfectly timed hint of fear.

" In the Lightning Flash!" His longsword, as swift as lightning and as fiery as fire, pierced directly into the Winged Serpent's scales.

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing rang out as the sword tip collided with the hard snake scales, sparks flying!

Although the sword strike was powerful, it failed to break through the Winged Serpent's scales, which were comparable to magical artifacts. It only left a charred spot on the scales and instead "shocked" Ji An, causing him to retreat dozens of feet.

"Such hard scales!" Ji An exclaimed in feigned horror.

Without hesitation, he turned and ran!

"Trying to escape? Too late!" The Winged Serpent's crimson pupils were filled with bloodlust and contempt.

This Xiantian Lifeform was only strange in that its movement technique had reached the Heaven and Man Unity Realm; its strength and speed were far inferior to mine.

I don't know how they dared to cause him trouble.

Although its body was enormous, it was surprisingly fast, its bony wings flapping to create a whirlwind and huge waves as it relentlessly pursued its prey!

A huge shadow completely enveloped Ji An.

The man and the snake, one chasing and the other fleeing, quickly moved away from the surface of Winged Serpent Lake and rushed towards the shore.

Ji An appeared "utterly disheveled," and despite his speed, he was unable to shake off the overwhelming figure behind him.

Thus, the two pursued and Winged Serpent, unaware that they had already traveled dozens of miles away from Winged Serpent Lake.

A sharp glint flashed in Ji An's eyes.

Now!

"You beast! Do you really think I'm afraid of you?!" He suddenly stopped and turned around abruptly!

All the previous fear vanished without a trace, replaced by an overwhelming fighting spirit.

He replaced the Divine Weapon longsword in his hand with the Universe Sword.

The Crimsonbright divine power erupted, unleashing an aura ten times more terrifying than before!

"First sword Earth-Splitting Molten Rock!" Ji An shouted.

The Universe Sword slashed down fiercely!

The longsword transformed into a condensed crimson-gold sword light, fiercely striking towards the Winged Serpent's proud head!

The air was scorched and distorted.

This is not a move recorded in the "Thunderfire Sword Fragment," but Ji An's level of skill is already equivalent to that of the creator of the Thunderfire Sword, so of course he can innovate upon it.

The Winged Serpent's crimson pupils contracted instantly, and a deadly sense of crisis spread throughout its body. It tried to dodge, but the sword light was too fast. It only had time to fold its huge bone wings in front of it and tilt its head back.

Boom-!

The crimson-gold sword light pierced the enormous bone wings! The hard bone wings shattered with a "crack" sound.

Countless cracks spread out.

The terrifying crimson-gold sword light, carrying intense heat, pierced through the bone wings and struck the Winged Serpent's massive body.

It tilted its head back and let out a painful roar!

Because the bone wings blocked the sword light, it did not leave any damage on its body.

"Blazing Fire, Rumbling Thunder!" Ji An pressed his advantage, closing in like a ghost!

The Universe Sword transformed into a streak of crimson-gold lightning that tore through the void!

This sword strike was incredibly fast and incredibly powerful, aiming to strike his vital point!

Pfft!

The hard scales were pierced like paper before the sword light that contained the True Meaning of the Dao!

The dark green blood flowing from the Winged Serpent's wounds stained the surrounding ground green.

The Winged Serpent had exhausted all its methods, but still couldn't harm Ji An. Instead, it was left with a wound the size of a bowl by Ji An's sword light. "After I reached the Xiantian Complete, in this area ruled by the Ji Clan, there are only a few people stronger than me! Each of them is renowned—how come this kid is so strong? He's probably comparable to Ji Yichuan, the number one expert in the Ji Clan West Prefecture." After being injured, the Winged Serpent began to have second thoughts.

There was no way around it; the person before them was simply too powerful, Xiantian Lifeform. Although his aura suggested he was only at the late stage of the Xiantian, his combat strength was far from it.

"No, we can't fight anymore, we have to go into the water!" The Winged Serpent demon thought to itself, filled with fear. "On land, I'm no match for them, we must escape!"

Whoosh!

With a flick of its tail and a turn of its head, the Winged Serpent swiftly attempted to escape.

"Trying to run? I'll send you on your way!" Ji An's eyes were icy cold, his killing intent soaring to the heavens!

He raised the Universe Sword high above his head, drawing upon the sparse power of Thunderfire and fire in the Heaven and Earth.

A highly refined crimson-gold sword aura instantly took shape!

"Cut!"

The sword energy pierced precisely into the center of the Winged Serpent demon's head.

Bang!

A flash of sword light appeared.

"Ah!" The Winged Serpent demon stared at Ji An in shock, "Who exactly are you—"

"You should be content to die under the True Meaning of the Dao." Ji An looked at the Winged Serpent before him, its eyes completely dimmed. This old demon, who had reigned supreme in the Winged Serpent Lake for a thousand years, was now dead!