Greenscale Gorge sits on the fringe of the Nine Serpent Mountain… Its leader is a third-tier Earthly Immortal Realm snake demon. Baldric is sending us as disposable knive.
“No problem. We’ll leave at once,” Jared said, accepting the test without a flicker of hesitation.
“Wait!” Baldric pointed to two burly wolf demon demons at his side. “You two go with them. If they try anything clever, kill them on the spot!”
The wolf demons stepped forward and bowed. “Understood, Chief Blackwind…”
Jared exchanged a brief nod with Flaxseed, then followed the wolf demons out of the council hall. Outside, Flaxseed muttered, “Told you the old brute had no good intentions, hopes we’ll tear each other apart with the serpent…”
“I know,” Jared answered. “But we need information on the gorge anyway. Let‘s go and adapt on the fly.”
They left Blackwind Stronghold for the east, the two wolf demon escorts jeerlng and snapping insults the whole way. Jared ignored them, setting a silent, relentless pace.
After half a day the path plunged into dense bamboo. Pale teal mist drifted between the stalks, carrying the sharp musk of snakes.
One wolf demon jerked a claw toward the haze. “Greenscale Gorge lies ahead. The leader is inside. Go prove yourselves, we’ll wait out here!”
Jared sensed their plan to collect the spoils afterward, but only told Flaxseed, “Time to head in…”
They stepped into the bamboo. The mist thickened, the reptilian stench growing heavier. After the time it took for one incense stick to burn, the forest opened onto a vast valley riddled with caves. Venomous snakes carpeted each entrance, their presence pulsing with danger.
“So this is Greenscale Gorge,” Flaxseed said, stopping just short of the shadowed gorge, his rough voice echoing off the mossy walls. He squinted at the carpet of vipers writhing below, every muscle taut.
“There must be more than a few snake demons hiding in there…” Jared adjusted the sword at his hip. “Stay sharp. The leader is no lightweight, we prepare, or we die…”
No sooner had they stepped inside than a hiss like tearing silk rose from every crevice. Hundreds of venomous serpents poured out of the caves and surged toward them.
“Leave the small fry to me!” Flaxseed flicked several talisman papers into the air, sketched blazing runes, and hurled the newly drawn fireballs into the swarm.
Flames burst like noon suns, charring a wide swath of vipers to ash, yet fresh waves kept slithering forward until the ground itself seemed alive.”
A chill, hollow voice drifted from the valley’s depths. “Who dares trespass in my domain?!”
Out walked a middle-aged man in a jade robe, handsome at first glance, though his eyes were sharp enough to cut glass.
He was Victor Greenscale, the leader of Greenscale Gorge. His gaze landed on the smoldering reptile corpses. Rage flickered.
“Did Baldric send you two?”
“And if did?” Jared met Victor’s stare without flinching. “Either way, this is the day you fall.”
Victor’s laugh was icy. “Two little human cultivators? You overrate yourselves…”
He shimmered, skin rippling into scales, and a serpent the length of a city street unfurled where the man had been.
Wind howled as that emerald leviathan lunged, stink of blood and venom rolling off its fangs.
“Move!” Jared shouted. He smashed the tip of his Dragonslayer Sword against the earth; a curtain of golden energy sprang up just in time to bar the monster’s jaws.
