Star Gate

Chapter 410: A Great Show (I)

At the same time.

Rift Canyon.

Four major monster spirits remained lazing on the banks of a lake. The giant snake suddenly lifted its head and looked upward. The others followed its motion with surprise and bafflement. They weren’t afraid, just confused. Were these humans crazy?

The monster spirits couldn’t be bothered with the one that’d just left, but now more were here? What was going on? And they seemed to be attacking the descendants of Snakey—poor little snake.

The other monster spirits looked at the giant snake. It straightened its body and rose upward until it drew level with the mountain valley and appeared above the sheared off surface. This geographic feature that was one hundred meters deep wasn’t as long as the monster spirit!

The head hovered over the platform of the broken mountain and looked into the distance with two massive eyes that looked more like shining discs. A dirty python was frantically slithering this way. It was extremely fast, but it couldn’t shake off the enemy.

How fast were two Novas? A Solar level monster spirit would never get away! A water arrow blasted a bloody hole through the python’s durable skin with a fearsome explosion.

The giant snake watched from the valley of the broken mountain. Silent, still. The other three spirit monsters looked at their reptilian brethren.

The snake churned to action a few seconds later. Its ponderous body slithered up the cliff face and vanished in the blink of an eye without making a sound or reflecting the weight of its bulk. The abrupt motion left the other three surprised.

Snakey had run off? But the Golden Lotus was about to bloom.

The enormous ape slapped the ground, as if laughing at their reptilian brethren for being distracted. Oh well, one less was one less portion to be divided.

The golden eagle twitched its claws with indifference. So what if it was gone? The little snake was very strong and would have no problem handling those humans. The problem was that the eagle liked eating snakes. If the little snake hadn’t gone, it wouldn’t have an issue with the eagle eating the corpse of its descendants, would it?

What a pity!

The ferocious tiger crouched on the ground, not bothered with any of the happenings. It didn’t matter if the little snake had gone or not. It was best if they all left!

......

Bam!

An explosion left the python overturned on the ground, bleeding profusely. Tidal Wave frowned and collected the blood with a casual grab in the air. It gathered together and shot toward her. Monster spirit blood was precious and should not be wasted.

She wanted to leave an intact corpse to this monster spirit, but the python was so thick-skinned and densely packed with flesh that it might get away if she didn’t utilize her more lethal techniques. The mountain forests were its territory, after all.

Explosions sounded anew as water arrow followed water arrow. The python rasped hoarsely, fury and madness in its eyes—everything but fear. Why should it be afraid? These two human bastards were taking advantage of the fact that its father was away because the Golden Lotus was close to full bloom. How would they hurt it otherwise?

It was very close to the valley of the broken mountain, its father should’ve sensed its plight. The only thing that the python was concerned about was that its father might not come. The Golden Lotus was soon to bloom and if its father wasn’t there... The other powerful existences would certainly seize all of the flower and not leave anything behind.

The Golden Lotus was an ultimate treasure!

The python screeched, it didn’t know... if father... would come... but it wanted to live!

Rumble!

More blood flowed; Tidal Wave smiled. The defenses of a Solar were truly immense. She’d attacked so many times to finally wound the monster spirit. All the flesh, blood, and mysterious power stones made this trip worth it even if she couldn’t catch up to Li Hao.

They hadn’t had time to search the marsh where the python had been earlier. She could go back for a look after securing the monster spirit, there might be more stones there.

As she relaxed in delight, Half Mountain suddenly said, “Something’s off...”

“Hmm?” Tidal Wave had already coalesced numerous water arrows to finish off the python. She paused, not understanding her counterpart. What was it now?

Meanwhile, Half Mountain’s heart nearly stopped beating. He could barely breathe. There was a sensation of a brewing storm that was stifling. He breathed out softly and was about to respond when he vanished from the spot with a flash of his body. The darkness shattered with a boom as soon as he left!

Light seemed to have returned to the mountains. A pair of enormous eyes—if they were eyes—illuminated the premises with green light. It was light that resembled ghostly fire!

A mammoth snake tail that towered like a pillar of the heavens broke through the void and cracked into something with a loud snap, sending a figure flying back.

Pfft!

The bloody figure spat out a mouthful of blood, its cloak laid in tattered shreds. A wan face looked out.

Half Mountain!

The man reeled from shock; a small shield manifested in front of him. The soul floating upward from it seemed a bit distracted.

An origin weapon!

Tidal Wave likewise froze with shock. Was this... a snake? Only now did she fully see the other’s appearance—an incredibly ginormous snake that was several dozen meters tall even when coiled together. Its eyes were huge!

It’d retracted its tail—this had been the item that’d flicked the fleeing Half Mountain. The man vomited blood while the shield hung in front of him. He cursed inwardly as he looked at Tidal Wave. This old woman only knew to create trouble, alright!

He’d thought that something felt amiss when the python slithered forward at all costs to a barren mountain. It was much safer in the jungle, but still the monster spirit proceeded in this direction. It plainly had another goal in mind. As he thought, the old one came in search when they beat up the younger one.

This snake was terrifying!

Half Mountain looked on solemnly. He’d wanted to run because he thought the newcomer would attack Tidal Wave first. It was the woman who kept attacking the snake, but no, he was the target instead. This meant that the big snake wanted to kill them all!

He instantly comprehended the meaning behind its actions and no longer complained. Working in tandem at this time was the only way to withstand this trouble.

Tidal Wave also looked on solemnly, fully alert against the snake. She swiftly closed the gap with Half Mountain and looked around them out of the corner of her eyes, trying to identify an avenue of retreat.

The big snake made no further moves after sending Half Mountain back to his starting point. Killing intent entered its eyes only after the python slithered behind it with great difficulty.

Half Mountain deeply regretted his actions! He and Tidal Wave had been on guard as they were worried the snake would continue to attack. That it was waiting for the small snake to convene was beyond his expectations.

Snakes were cold-blooded animals, weren’t they? Even as monster spirits? Why did this snake care about the survival of the smaller one?

The giant snake looked at the two Novas only after the small snake arrived behind it. A unique influence locked onto the two as massive eyes glanced at the shield. It also reconsidered Half Mountain. Half of the force behind that tail whip had been defused by the shield. The human had taken the remaining half.

Nerves were beginning to set in for Tidal Wave. She knew that they’d disturbed a den of snakes this time, and that the major monster spirits could understand human speech.

“Venerated powerhouse, this is a misunderstanding,” she began. “We didn’t know this was your territory... We will immediately back away. As compensation for harming another of your... race, we offer this!”

She took out a few mysterious power stones. The great snake was too fast, she wasn’t confident of escaping before it reacted.

The monster spirit looked coldly at the mammoth before a mammoth tail abruptly broke through the air and landed toward her.

“Fight! Talking’s not going to work!” Half Mountain roared. Tidal Wave was trash that couldn’t do anything right, what was she talking for? Would she be willing to trade a few stones for the lives of her children? Idiot!!

Half Mountain disappeared, shifting into the darkness. A small sword the color of darkness appeared and stabbed toward the snake tail!

Tidal Wave shouted angrily. The great sea bestirred herself in the form of water as the power of the element churned through the land.

BOOM!

The tail whipped through the water energy and was about to hit Tidal Wave when she transmuted into a water current and reformed behind the tail. The might of a Nova was on full display! Although the monster spirit was very strong, the two Novas were confident in their abilities. They could not easily give in to their urge to run away even if they didn’t prove up to the task. Half Mountain had wanted to run before the monster spirit could react, but failed. It would be gambling with his life if he tried to do so again.

He would be gambling whether the snake would kill Tidal Wave or him first, or if it could catch up to him after killing Tidal Wave. He was not willing to take this bet, so he chose to strike back instead.

The black sword slashed across the snake’s tail with a massive screech, giving rise to fiery sparks. The durable scales were as impenetrable as armor.

Half Mountain shook—what incredible defenses! He was a Nova! How could he not break the other’s defenses even with an ambush?? This snake was at least a peak Nova!

Terrifying!

But the snake was so big, meaning that it might sometimes be clumsy. As nimble as it appeared to be, the large mass would create opportunities for the humans. The two Novas were much smaller, a possible indication that it would be easy for them to get away.

Half Mountain disappeared again after a spray of fiery sparks. The snake tail whipped through the air again and struck nothing.

The man disappeared as Tidal Wave coalesced tens of thousands of water arrows, directing them at the snake’s eyes!

The great snake closed its eyes, clang clang clang...

A series of collisions sounded amid a rain of sparks. All of the arrows broke, leaving Tidal Wave open-mouthed with shock. Too strong! She turned into a water current again and retreated further away.