The long streak shot forward with astonishing speed, colliding directly with the black Qi venomous snake just as it finished forming its talisman patterns. In an instant, the black smoke burst apart, dissipating without leaving a trace.
The sudden development left even Yu Ci, who had been observing from the side, momentarily stunned.
“That speed…”
Through the Divine Map, the scene was vividly clear. The streak of “dark light” originated from a point a hundred feet below the cliffside, closing the distance in a blink. Its explosive force and speed were so formidable that even someone like the notorious Elder Tu Du would struggle to keep up.
However, this “long streak” wasn’t truly a streak—it was an afterimage left by a slender creature darting through the air.
Despite using the Divine Map, Yu Ci failed to catch the creature’s full appearance at first glance. Meanwhile, the black Qi venomous snake, which had been scattered moments earlier, quickly reassembled and coiled itself into formation, prepared to face this dangerous opponent.
Around the snake’s body, black Qi swirled and transformed into a thin layer of black flame. The glow it emitted bore some resemblance to the flames evoked by Yu Ci’s Sinister Yin Demon Binding Curse Talisman.
Just then, the “streak” struck again.
Its speed was still shocking. The venomous snake reacted quickly, recoiling to evade the attack, but its tail was blasted apart before it could escape. Sparks scattered everywhere, attempting to cling to the streaking figure, only to slide off and extinguish in midair.
After two consecutive attacks, the streak seemed to pause, floating in midair about thirty feet from the cliff wall. Now fully visible, it revealed its true form, which Yu Ci observed through the Divine Map.
In that instant, Yu Ci felt as though a heavy blow had struck his chest, leaving him breathless. After a brief moment of shock, he involuntarily blurted out: “Dragon Fish!”
It was unmistakably a Dragon Fish!
Although it was now several times larger, with a darker hue and tiny protrusions on its head, and although its attacks against the black Qi venomous snake were far more aggressive than the harmless drifting of the tiny insect-like creature he remembered, Yu Ci recognized it instantly.
The intricate scale patterns on its ring-like armor, its excessively slender body, and even the way it twisted its form while swaying its head and tail—all of these features were exactly the same.
Unaware that it was being observed from miles away, the Dragon Fish casually swayed its body in midair, as if stretching its muscles or preparing for another attack.
Meanwhile, the black Qi venomous snake, unwilling to concede after suffering two minor defeats, opened its mouth wide—like a real snake dislocating its jaws into a straight line.
A ripple spread outward from the snake’s mouth, instantly covering a hundred feet of space ahead.
Yu Ci saw everything clearly. A passing flying lizard, stretching its membranous wings as it flew through the ripple’s range, immediately convulsed violently. Like a stone, it plummeted from the air. Mid-fall, flames erupted from within its body—not from an external force but from deep inside.
The flames were black.
“Amazing!”
Yu Ci’s eyebrows rose slightly. This attack seemed to directly assault the target’s soul, causing its inner Qi to destabilize, leading to self-immolation through heartfire. If he encountered such a technique, he could protect himself with a Soul-settling Talisman if prepared, but being caught off guard would be disastrous.
How could the Dragon Fish withstand such an attack? This rare creature mustn’t fall prey to “demons”!
As Yu Ci pondered, he was surprised to find that the Dragon Fish remained entirely unaffected. It leisurely swayed its body as if nothing had happened.
Even the black Qi venomous snake seemed momentarily stunned, its gaping mouth frozen in place, forgetting to make any further moves.
Seizing this moment, the Dragon Fish launched its third assault!
This time, however, the black Qi venomous snake managed to dodge just in time.
Yu Ci observed more clearly now: the Dragon Fish relied solely on physical collisions for its attacks, while the black Qi venomous snake excelled in spiritual techniques targeting the soul. The two creatures had completely opposite strategies, yet neither seemed able to effectively counter the other. This strange encounter seemed likely to end in a draw—if things remained as they were.
Just as Yu Ci contemplated the situation, the black Qi venomous snake changed tactics. It abandoned its attempt to attack the Dragon Fish and transformed into a stream of black Qi, retreating toward its physical body in the distance.
The Dragon Fish, seemingly slow to react, hesitated for a moment. It floated dazedly in midair before deciding to give chase. Its speed was mind-blowing, crossing a hundred feet in an instant and leaving behind a streak of dark light that tore through clouds and sky, making its trajectory clearly visible.
However, the black Qi venomous snake was no slouch either. Taking advantage of the Dragon Fish’s momentary hesitation, it surged forward, covering two miles in mere moments and continuing to accelerate.
“Five miles… four miles…”
Yu Ci calculated the distance between the black Qi venomous snake and its physical body—while also measuring how far it was from him. After the battle began, he had quietly moved to the side of the “demon’s” physical form, where he rested the Pure Yang Talisman Sword against its newly elongated neck.
At this point, the chase between the Dragon Fish and the black Qi venomous snake took a sudden turn. The Dragon Fish, now within a hundred feet of its target, shook violently. Its body, originally slender as a chopstick, swelled abruptly to the thickness of two fingers. The features on its once indistinct face became clearer. Though its outline remained vague, Yu Ci could distinctly see the slit of what appeared to be a mouth.
The mouth parted slightly, revealing a bright red interior. Around it, the surrounding air trembled visibly.
“Is that… a sonic attack?”
The “Divine Map” could not transmit sound, so Yu Ci could only rely on the images to make a guess. However, he quickly realized that his guess was wrong. The surrounding air wasn’t dispersing outward but was instead rapidly flowing into the Dragon Fish’s mouth. Strangely, despite inhaling so much air, the Dragon Fish’s body remained as slender as two fingers, showing no sign of expanding.
Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the concentration of mist around its body had increased. It seemed that the air being drawn in was somehow transformed into mist and expelled through other channels, leaving only the strong suction force unchanged.
Ahead, the black Qi venomous snake was clearly affected. Its flying speed had visibly slowed, and tendrils of black qi began seeping from its form, as if resisting the suction from behind. Yet, the qi was quickly pulled into long, trailing lines that drifted backward, only to be swallowed whole by the Dragon Fish that had caught up to it.
The venomous snake grew increasingly restless. The Dragon Fish’s technique was the perfect counter to its current state, forcing the snake to desperately move toward its physical body. With great difficulty, it managed to close the distance to within two miles.
At that moment, Yu Ci began pondering a question: ‘Would destroying the snake’s physical body cause it fatal harm?’
Curiosity got the better of him, and without hesitation, he acted. The “Nine Yang Talisman Sword” that rested against the demon’s neck sliced across it, severing the ugly head. Blood, slowed by the demon’s departing spirit, gushed out in streams—red at its base but tinged with a faint green.
Almost simultaneously, the venomous snake’s body trembled. It gave the distinct impression of turning toward Yu Ci’s location. Of course, he was well-hidden, so it couldn’t possibly see him.
The snake’s posture lasted only a moment. The powerful suction from behind reached it again, and the Dragon Fish seized the opportunity. Its slightly “swollen” body lunged forward, scattering the black qi in all directions. The snake’s black mist was immediately sucked into the Dragon Fish’s tiny, nail-sized mouth.
After swallowing everything, the Dragon Fish resumed its playful swimming in the void, as if nothing had happened. Its slender body slowly returned to its original, thinnest form, tracing circle after circle in the dark mist. The glossy black sheen on its scales made it look as if it had just emerged from a bath in water.
While the Dragon Fish seemed relaxed, Yu Ci was anything but. His attention remained firmly locked on the creature. Just yesterday, he had witnessed a possession take place, and although the Dragon Fish had willingly swallowed the black Qi venomous snake, there was no guarantee that trouble wouldn’t follow.
Sure enough, shortly after the Dragon Fish returned to its normal size, its body suddenly shuddered. A plume of black smoke burst from its surface. Yu Ci’s heart tightened. ‘Another possession attempt?’
However, nothing further happened. The Dragon Fish merely appeared satisfied, lazily coiling its long body into another circle before flying toward the bottom of the cliff. The expelled black smoke was swept away by the canyon’s fierce winds, dispersing entirely.
Yu Ci kept his eyes glued to the “Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror”, using it to lock onto the Dragon Fish’s movements. Embarrassingly, his heart was thumping wildly, the beating growing heavier with each passing moment until his chest visibly rose and fell.
‘A Dragon Fish! A naturally born Dragon Fish!’
Yu Ci had never cared much for external objects. Even the valuable spoils he had collected recently were left to gather dust in his “Storage Ring”, as long as they lacked special utility. But a Dragon Fish was different.
Within the Rifting Earth Sect, the price for a naturally born Dragon Fish was—how much again? At least 2,500 merit points!
Merit points alone held no meaning, but they represented his greatest hope for ascending to immortality. This was something he could not afford to let slip through his fingers.
‘I must capture it!’
Yu Ci calmed himself slightly and began drawing talismans. He was experienced at capturing swift and elusive creatures with his bare hands. He had already proven his skill once at South Frost Lake.
As his fingers traced patterns in the air, the “Ghost-Binding Talisman” quickly formed, which he then sealed within the green light of the “Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror”.
He jumped down from the eaves, following the Dragon Fish’s path.
The Dragon Fish appeared completely at ease, no longer darting like lightning but descending at a leisurely pace. It also seemed less vigilant, not even reacting when Yu Ci got within a hundred feet of it.
‘Perhaps it’s more sensitive to spirits than to physical presence?’
That didn’t matter. Yu Ci had already identified the perfect moment to activate the talisman. Without hesitation, he crushed the talisman, releasing invisible chains that shot through the void. They only became visible near the Dragon Fish, revealing chains darker than the creature’s black scales, glimmering with talisman markings. The chains rattled as they tightened inward.
Yu Ci’s experience with observing twin-headed demons forming talismans and overcoming the trial of Tu Du had sharpened his skills. The talisman’s stealth as it traveled through the void had reached a new level, becoming even more unpredictable. Its explosive power, though unchanged in form, felt purer and more refined.
However, the Dragon Fish responded by simply flicking its tail.
With a sharp crack, the Ghost-Binding Talisman’s chains shattered.
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The Shop section on Patreon can be used as a way to make a one-time-payment. I will be creating products in the Shop section with the title of the webnovels. It will only have an image as the product, but it will count as the payment for the Sponsored Chapters.
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