Chapter 29: The Serpents Horn

Chapter 29: The Serpent's Horn

Beneath the surface of Blackwater Pond, Ning Yao gazed up at the heroic figure of Pang Jian riding the python. Her expression softened into a dreamy reverie, and for a moment, she was entranced by the scene unfolding before her.

As her body started to sink, she snapped out of her stupor and resumed awkwardly swimming upward.

Pang Jian's movements were fluid and effortless, like a fish underwater. In stark contrast, Ning Yao's strokes resembled a paddling dog, her movements stiff and disjointed.

While she watched Pang Jian clamp his legs around the python's neck, body poised like a drawn sword, and repeatedly thrusting his spear toward Jin Yang, Ning Yao quietly regretted not dedicating herself to learning to swim properly.

Pang Jian was proficient in the water and cleverly utilized the python's momentum to imbue each thrust of his spear with formidable strength.

Jin Yang was someone Hong Tai held in the highest regard, but even he was forced into a panicked retreat as Pang Jian continued to inflict bloody wounds on him.

Pang Jian was just a humble hunter. Where did he find the courage to confront and attempt to kill the higher echelons of the Shadow Specter Sect?

Was he not afraid of the Shadow Specter Sect's furious retaliation and inhumane torture if he was captured?

Deeper reflection caused Ning Yao to realize that the seemingly quiet and ordinary Pang Jian had consistently seized the initiative at every opportunity since entering the Solitary Mountain Range.

Even with her esteemed status as the young mistress of the Ning Clan, she could not make much headway. Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com

The way Pang Jian looked at her was neither haughty nor humble. He never regarded her as someone of great importance.

This was completely different from the townsfolk she encountered in Linshan Town. They were worlds apart from Pang Jian.

He must have concealed a lot from me.

Ning Yao became more convinced that Pang Jian's origins were not as straightforward as they seemed.

Perhaps Pang Jian was a disciple of one of the upper-world sects, such as the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, or the Sinister Soul Temple. After escaping from the Solitary Mountain Range, he may have disposed of the real Pang Jian and his sister, assuming their identities and lying in wait for search parties like hers to arrive.

Ning Yao could not help but wonder, What is he plotting?

***

On the surface of the pond, amidst an ethereal veil of bloody mist, the enchanting figure appeared both nervous and excited. Her mesmerizing eyes were fixed on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix beneath her.

The cluster of faint light that was the essence of the Celestial Phoenix steadily drew closer to where she stood atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

Despite lacking a physical body, Luo Hongyan instinctively took a deep breath, momentarily forgetting that she did not need to breathe.

After forming, the essence of the Celestial Phoenix realized Ouyang Duanhai was already possessed by another essence. To avoid being absorbed by Ouyang Duanhai, it had no choice but to float upward.

Luo Hongyan frowned in contemplation. "Even Jin Yang, the brat with a passable cultivation talent, failed to capture the attention of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix?"

Luo Hongyan had some knowledge about the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and its characteristics.

According to legend, when the Celestial Phoenix suffered serious injuries, it would detach its wing bones to seek out the life force of other creatures. The bone of the Celestial Phoenix would gather a vast amount of essence from the flesh and blood of these creatures and use them to form an essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

If the bone of the Celestial Phoenix was too far from its main body, the essence of the Celestial Phoenix would select a nearby creature to possess. By consuming their flesh and soul, it could achieve a rudimentary awakening of self-awareness.

Each of the Celestial Phoenix's bones could form an essence of the Celestial Phoenix that possessed its own independent consciousness.

In this way, every essence of the Celestial Phoenix could select a creature to possess, with each of them capable of existing as an independent entity.

Between the individual essences of the Celestial Phoenix, there was also an instinct to battle and consume each other, and finally merge to form the strongest Divine Guard of the Celestial Phoenix.

The Divine Guard was tasked with protecting the Celestial Phoenix and would eventually be called back to the Celestial Phoenix's side.

Upon returning to the Celestial Phoenix's side, the Divine Guards would transform into a bone imbued with divine strength and once again become a part of its wing.

After the bone of the Celestial Phoenix fell into the Solitary Mountain Range, it killed creatures like the Giant Abyssal Serpent to form the essence of the Celestial Phoenix. These essences of the Celestial Phoenix then sought to possess other beings such as Ouyang Duanhai.

Whoosh!

A beam of blood-red light shot forth.

Ning Yao hesitated, watching as a blood-red beam shot out from the bloody mist. She attempted to dive back into the pond, but could not make it in time.

The blood-red light entered the space between her eyebrows.

A figure mesmerizing enough to topple nations gracefully materialized in Ning Yao's mind. She spoke with a sweet, intoxicating voice, "Sorry, I'll have to borrow your body for a while. Please bear with me."

With those words, Ning Yao realized she was now captive within her body. She could still see what was happening around her, but she had lost control of her body and was unable to speak.

"Don't worry, you won't die just yet," Luo Hongyan murmured. Then, with Ning Yao's body, she leaped out of the pond and gracefully landed on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

As Ning Yao's feet firmly landed on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, Luo Hongyan contemplated her situation. Now that she inhabited a physical body, she anticipated that the essence of the Celestial Phoenix would voluntarily merge with her provided no better options presented themselves and all other avenues were exhausted.

When that happened, she would give the essence of the Celestial Phoenix a big "surprise".

"Spread out," With a graceful wave of her jade-like arm, she commanded the Spirit Devils to hover around the edges of Blackwater Pond.

Crouching down, she peered into the pond with Ning Yao's eyes.

Jin Yang continued to ascend with Pang Jian in close pursuit. They were now nearing the surface of the pond, close enough for Luo Hongyan to clearly see them from above the water.

Upon closer inspection, she noticed the young man called Jin Yang from the Shadow Specter Sect had once again been struck by Pang Jian's spear.

Jin Yang had lost a significant amount of blood and abruptly fainted. His body became unnaturally limp in the water.

Luo Hongyan shook her head. "He's dead."

As if hearing her words, Pang Jian's eyes lit up as he targeted Jin Yang's vital organs, stabbing his spear repeatedly into the back of his neck and heart.

After confirming Jin Yang's death, Pang Jian rushed out from atop the python. He searched Jin Yang's body and retrieved the lotus leaf on Jin Yang's chest.

Pang Jian's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He carefully pressed the large lotus leaf against his own heart.

He then swam back to where the hesitant Black and White King Python had been waiting at a distance from the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

Luo Hongyan continued to peer down into the water from atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix when she was overwhelmed by a strong sense of dread. She could not help but stare at the Black and White King Python.

The Black and White King Python's originally green eyes had turned pitch-black. The pair of eyes resembled two abyssal pools, swallowing all light in their depths.

Deep within the eyes of the Black and White King Python, she could discern numerous slender black snakes swimming quietly around.

Luo Hongyan concentrated her spiritual consciousness and empowered Ning Yao's eyes with her spiritual power. With her heightened perception, she scrutinized the pitch-black eyes of the Black and White King Python.

She saw it instantly.

Deep within the python's pitch-black eyes, slender snakes with olive-green scales and black spots dotting their bodies swam around.

Furthermore, atop the head of each small snake, a tiny horn started to emerge.

Luo Hongyan's expression abruptly changed. "When a python grows scales, it becomes a serpent; when a serpent grows horns, it transforms into a flood dragon; and when a flood dragon grows claws, it becomes a true dragon!

The Black and White King Python is inhabited by the beast soul of the Giant Abyssal Serpent! Tiny horns are growing on the small snakes in its eyes. Before it died to the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, it was in the middle of transforming into a flood dragon!

Luo Hongyan panicked upon realizing the truth.

She finally understood why the Black and White King Python could devour her Spirit Devils. She also realized why the skeleton of the Giant Abyssal Serpent lacked a horn.

When the bone of the Celestial Phoenix landed in the pond, it shattered the Giant Abyssal Serpent's horn, pierced through its skull, then pinned it to the bottom of the pond!