Chapter 147: Against A Transcendent

Chapter 147: Against A Transcendent

Inside the serpent's wet mouth, Wang Xuan found himself slipping and sliding. In his determination to survive, he reasoned that if he could not defeat these creatures, perhaps his best chance lay in willingly becoming their prey. Voluntarily placing himself inside the mouth of the younger serpent seemed a better fate than being torn apart by the larger one.

The stench inside the serpent's mouth, however, was nearly unbearable. For Wang Xuan, who was particularly fastidious about cleanliness, this experience was pure torment. He inhaled deeply several times, trying to fill his lungs with as much fresh air as possible before he was inevitably swallowed.

The woman, witnessing Wang Xuan's choice, seemed torn between despair and incredulity. Was this truly how her journey would end? In an act of desperate mimicry, she too jumped into the gaping maw of the other young serpent. The inaugural upload of this chapter took place via N0v3l-B1n.

The remaining man shouted in alarm, "Have you lost your mind? While Wang Xuan might have mastered some protective technique, what do you have?" In his panic, he gestured accusingly towards Wang Xuan, hoping to divert the creature's attention.

His attempt was in vain. With a swift movement, one of the adult serpents snatched him up, ending his life in an instant. It was a stark reminder that even the most skilled practitioners stood little chance against these supernatural entities. As he was drawn further into the serpent's throat, Wang Xuan took one last look at the outside world, his emotions a tumultuous blend of disbelief and resignation. He had never imagined a day where he'd willingly offer himself as a meal to a beast.

Inside the serpent's belly, the environment was warm, sticky, and laden with corrosive enzymes capable of dissolving flesh and bone alike. Wang Xuan recognized the remains of the bear he had seen earlier, its form now a gruesome, partially digested pulp. Alongside it was another creature, a large feline, already mostly broken down by the serpent's digestive juices.

Closing his eyes, Wang Xuan reached out with his spiritual senses. Unsure of how long he could hold his breath in this treacherous, enzyme-rich environment, a faint golden glow emanated from his body, protecting him from immediate digestion.

In ancient times, it was said that Buddha, before his enlightenment, was swallowed by a peacock and later emerged unharmed to attain enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. Wang Xuan drew solace from this story, comforting himself that if even Buddha had been devoured once, what was so shameful about his current predicament?

If he could find his way out alive, he'd be renowned like Buddha. He mused, perhaps they were kindred spirits, reflecting each other's experiences across different times. Wang Xuan had always been resilient, and even now, trapped inside the beast, he refused to wallow in despair. Instead, he fortified himself with bright beliefs and reassurances.

"Were not the stories of Buddha merely tales? Perhaps he was not swallowed by a peacock but by some odd, large bird," Wang Xuan pondered. "While Buddha had a peacock, I was swallowed by a creature comparable to a mighty dragon."

Amidst Wang Xuan's internal pep talk, he suddenly felt an onslaught. An adult silk snake used its psychic power, scanning the insides of the juvenile snake, sweeping its contents. Wang Xuan froze, feeling the young snake's stomach walls contract violently, its digestive juices threatening to break him down. He dared not move or defend himself with his spiritual field for fear of alerting the larger serpent. His protective headgear was long lost, leaving him vulnerable.

The mental power of these supernatural creatures was undeniably strong. Wang Xuan felt as if his head would split open, but he knew this would not be the end of him. Faintly, he sensed movement from the belly of another serpent – the woman seemed to be struggling. On impulse, Wang Xuan too writhed and contorted within his fleshy prison, before falling silent once more.

After a moment, the probing from the large serpent ceased. It seemed the creatures were wary of some live meals and felt the need to assess their catches. Wang Xuan lay still, a hazy halo surrounding him, relying heavily on his protective skills, hoping the snake would soon move on.

In time, the lair's vibrations signaled the departure of the male serpent. Yet, the female remained, basking in the sun outside the cave, her menacing aura radiating outward, dominating the surroundings.

Minutes turned to hours.

After an agonizing wait of nearly two hours, Wang Xuan felt the strain on his body. After all, he was still just a master at the pinnacle of his training, and holding his breath for this long was a testament to his exceptional skills.

Growing increasingly anxious, Wang Xuan wondered why the mother snake still had not moved. With every passing second, he feared the worst. If he were to die and reincarnate in another form, he'd never rest in peace!

From a distant peak, the men watched. "He's trying to wash away his scent. He fears the mother snake will hunt him down," one observed. "We should wait. If we run into the snake, we might inadvertently become its target instead of him."

After a quick bath, Wang Xuan emerged, feeling relatively clean. However, a residual odor still lingered. "I might as well peel off a layer of skin at this rate," he mused, flicking away the strange fish that had latched onto him during his brief swim.

Suddenly, a deafening shriek echoed throughout the forest. The enraged mother snake, finding its young ones unconscious, was on a rampage. And it was not alone; the male serpent, stirred by the female's cries, was quickly approaching. Its terrifying presence, even more formidable than the female's, seemed to fly across the trees and descend upon a nearby hill, causing a massive explosion that brought down the mountainside.

Wang Xuan's heart raced. The odds of escaping seemed slim, especially since he felt an uncanny sensation — a feverish heat enveloping his body. Upon closer inspection, he found alarming red patches forming on his skin. Strangely, his vision seemed to sharpen. In a moment of clarity, he recalled the blood-red grapes he'd consumed earlier. "Could I be transforming into a demon?" he wondered.

In the distance, the thunderous roars of the male serpent continued, its terrifying might causing even the mountains to crumble.

The male serpent unleashed its extraordinary senses, scanning the surrounding forests with precision. The mother snake's sharp, piercing cries filled the air, its fury palpable. Its distressing calls, signaling the danger that had befallen their young ones, sent all creatures, both winged and four-legged, into a chaotic frenzy, unsettling the entire mountainside.

Wang Xuan felt a chill down his spine, believing that his odds of survival were slim. The unmatched speed of the two exceptional creatures meant they would catch up to him in no time, especially if they were to track him by his scent. The bleak turns his life had taken that day weighed heavily on him. He had barely escaped death once, and it seemed inevitable now.

True to his fears, amidst the thunderous explosions in the forest and the toppling of massive trees, the male serpent, with its unparalleled agility, leaped from a mountain peak, zeroing in on Wang Xuan's location.

"Da Wu, I never had the chance to find your remains," Wang Xuan lamented, wondering if his end was near. "Qing Han, I hope you make it back to Xin Xing alive," he wished as he mustered all his strength to flee. And to his old friend, he whispered regretfully, "Old Zhong, I never got to explore your library, to see the golden bamboo scripts and the five-colored jade books. What a pity!"

......

Determination flared in Wang Xuan's eyes as he sprinted towards the enigmatic mountain region. With no other alternatives, he decided to make a last-ditch effort, choosing to face death head-on. That area, shrouded in mist, was notoriously known to be at the heart of the territory where eight exceptional creatures made their nests.

"I promised to return to my homeland within three years. I can't possibly die here," Wang Xuan murmured to himself.

As he raced, the world around him seemed to blur, with landscapes whizzing past him. He could now see the colossal figures of the two pursuing creatures rapidly approaching. Undoubtedly, they had tracked him by his scent.

"Let's see what mysteries this forbidden land holds. If I survive, I'll find an opportunity to settle the score with you beasts!" Wang Xuan vowed, taking large strides. As he neared the enigmatic area's periphery, an eerie silence greeted him. Not even the faintest chirp of insects could be heard.

Casting a glance over his shoulder, he saw the male serpent's massive form skimming the ground, its eyes cold, ruthless, and locked onto him. With a thunderous crash, the serpent landed, causing the earth to fracture and disrupting the stillness.

Soon after, the female serpent arrived, rearing up on its tail to loom menacingly over Wang Xuan.

"I won't die. The world outside awaits my brilliance," Wang Xuan declared resolutely. And with that, he disappeared into the mist.