Chapter 68: Labyrinth Part 1

As the saying went, “Hit the snake at the seven-inch spot,” and “Dragons have reverse scales that, when touched, provoke certain fury.” A snake’s vital point lay at its seven-inch spot, while for flood dragons, the reverse scale was under the jaw—a patch of soft scales that housed the dragon pearl, making it a fatal weakness.

Zhang Qingshui’s shout to Old Tang clearly treated this giant snake not as an ordinary serpent, but as a flood dragon.

Wang Ya turned her head upon hearing this and gazed at the giant snake. It was firmly entwined by the Azure Vine all over its body and struggled fiercely, but no matter how it thrashed, the Azure Vine clung to it like maggots on rotting bone. Though bound by the Azure Vine, it still managed to resist Old Tang and the vine with its own strength. Old Tang swung his blade several times, but the giant snake dodged or reared its head to spew a thick, foul-smelling green mist that forced him back.

This giant snake had been raised by the Feng Family in the Deep Pool to guard the mountain gate. How could Wang Ya allow Zhang Qingshui and the others to kill it? Even though it had attacked her, she did not want it exterminated. First, it was reared by the Feng Family, and she wanted to protect everything of the Feng Family. Second, if they killed this snake, the people following behind would enter unimpeded. Did they really think they were just charging ahead to clear the path?

Wang Ya unshouldered the heavy backpack weighing dozens of pounds, circulated her Demonic Power to evaporate the moisture from her soaked clothes, and finally felt light and agile again, her movements restored to normal. She stepped forward slowly, but her figure appeared beside Old Tang with startling speed. She curved her index and middle fingers to pinch the Tang Dao in his hand that was thrusting toward the giant snake’s jaw. In a cold voice, she said, “Old Tang, it wouldn’t be right to kill the Feng Family’s guard snake right in front of me, would it?” As she spoke, Demonic Power surged through the Tang Dao with a forceful shake, numbing Old Tang’s arm. If not for his decent cultivation allowing him to resist, Wang Ya would have seized the blade.

Though she did not take the blade, Old Tang saw the giant snake lift its head again, its pair of eerie cold eyes fixed on him as it prepared another attack. With his blade still in Wang Ya’s hand, he decisively released it and retreated, avoiding entanglement with Wang Ya while keeping a safe distance from the giant snake.

Zhang Qingshui called out gravely, “Wang Ya, what are you doing? This snake has become a demon; leaving it alive is a disaster.”

Wang Ya did not turn her head as she replied flatly, “I’m a demon too.” She raised her eyes to meet the snake’s eerie cold gaze. Fiery red Demonic Aura, resembling the blooming Yellow Springs Other Shore Flower Demon, enveloped her body, making her enchantingly demonic, like an elf emerging from a flower. She tossed the Tang Dao back to Old Tang, then curved her fingers again toward the Azure Vine and infused it with Demonic Power to attack.

The Azure Vine, which had tightly bound the giant snake in a standoff, now faced attacks from both Wang Ya and the snake. It faltered immediately, emitting dazzling green light, but red light seeped through the green glow, constantly suppressing it. A faint greenish light with a fishy stench also emanated from the giant snake to counter the Azure Vine. The Azure Vine wrapped tightly around the giant snake gradually loosened. Wang Ya’s left hand pinched the vine tightly, continuously infusing Demonic Power to suppress it, while her right hand formed seals. Her fingers pinched like flowers, firing one blooming Yellow Springs Other Shore Flower after another into the Azure Vine’s body.

As the Yellow Springs Other Shore Flower Hand Seals struck, the Azure Vine emitted low, dragon-like groans of pain, and fine scaly sheen appeared on its verdant vines.

Seeing her attack effective, Wang Ya formed seals with her right hand even more vigorously.

Zhang Qingshui cried out in heartache, “Wang Ya, do you know what you’re doing?” She withdrew the Azure Vine, now shrouded in red demonic light and on the verge of destruction, and stroked it tenderly as it trembled on her arm.

Freed at last, the giant snake immediately swam back through the passage piled with massive boulders toward the Deep Pool and vanished into the water moments later.

Wang Ya glanced at the Azure Vine coiled around Zhang Qingshui’s wrist. Only now did she discern the origins of this vine that Zhang Qingshui cherished as a protective treasure; it was no longer so mysterious: just a somewhat spiritual Azure Vine, refined through sacrifice or by chance infused with Dragon Qi, then forged into a magical treasure by certain means.

Zhang Qingshui stroked her Azure Dragon Vine and looked at Wang Ya, shrouded in red demonic light. Though furious that Wang Ya had released the giant snake and nearly destroyed her Azure Dragon Vine, she dared not lash out at her. She turned, shouldered her hiking pack, and said, “Let’s go!”

When Zhang Qingshui had emerged from the water, she had scanned the surroundings briefly, but with the giant snake behind them, she had not examined closely. She knew they were now in a small, damp cave with a hard-to-bear fishy stench, likely from the excrement of some wild animals mixed with something else.

Zhang Qingshui had taken only a few steps forward when Huang Qi called out to her, “Qing Jie, wait. This is a massive labyrinth. Without Wang Ya leading the way, we can’t get through.” Before entering the Deep Pool, Wang Ya had known how deep the water was and that there was a snake inside, so Huang Qi figured she had the exact route. The path ahead appeared to be only one, but Huang Qi clearly heard the sounds of many snakes coiled together beneath the ground ahead. On either side of this cave, within her detectable range, there were at least a dozen channels rising and falling—some upward, some downward—interlaced and twisting in a multi-layered labyrinth.

Wang Ya heard Huang Qi’s words but said nothing as she shouldered her hiking pack. She glanced at Wang Cheng’an, who hid in the distance with his back to her, bare-chested and wringing out his wet clothes. Then she swept her gaze over Old Tang, Zhang Qingshui, and Huang Qi one by one. After a moment’s thought, she said, “Before entering the Illusory City Labyrinth, there are some words and matters I want to clarify first. I don’t want to waste energy on infighting.”

Old Tang cleared his throat lightly and said, “Wang Ya, just say what you have to say.”

Wang Ya’s gaze fell on Old Tang. “Old Tang, I want to know which side you and Huang Qi are on. Enemies or friends? What’s your goal?”

Old Tang stared at Wang Ya’s enchantingly bewitching yet gravely serious face. Knowing she was not joking and asked earnestly, he said, “I know you’re wondering if I have purposes beyond the Ghost Pill, and if I’ll help the Zhang Family against you.”

Wang Ya nodded.

Old Tang said, “Will you believe me if I tell you?”

Wang Ya replied, “Whether I believe it is up to me; whether you say it is up to you.”