Chapter 118: Swallowed Whole

At present, Zhou Qing stood within the formation, surrounded by a swarm of snakes, yet he did not make a move. His purpose on this journey was to protect Lin Yunxi, so he remained by the woman's side throughout. If the formation were to be breached, he would immediately lift her into his arms and charge through the snake swarm to ensure her safety. As for the others, Zhou Qing owed them nothing, so their fate held no concern for him.

Through the faint golden glow produced by the formation, Zhou Qing could see outside where Ao Tian and Ao Xuan, the two brothers, wielding their longswords, had already slain countless small snakes. Their slaughter had left the ground covered in snake blood, the crimson liquid seeping through the earth into the formation. Before long, the edges of the formation were awash with blood.

No matter how many small snakes were killed, countless more poured in from the forest, an endless tide. Meanwhile, the number of giant pythons encircling the forest continued to grow—from five, to over ten, now nearly twenty.

After slaying innumerable small snakes at the edge of the formation, Ao Xuan noticed that the number of large snakes was increasing rapidly. "Brother, you clear out the small snakes at the formation's edge. I'll deal with those beasts lurking in the woods," he said, and with those words, Ao Xuan dashed toward the giant pythons that watched from the forest, sword in hand.

As Ao Xuan ran, he slew dozens more small snakes along his path, following the crimson trail of snake blood to the forest's edge. There, the first green python, coiled upon a tree, opened its maw and spat forth countless small snakes, launching them at Ao Xuan.

As the green python disgorged its serpentine brood, Ao Xuan swung his sword to fend them off. Meanwhile, a red python struck, its tail lashing heavily against his protective barrier, knocking him off balance and causing his precious sword to slip from his grasp and fall to the ground.

As the sword hit the earth, a black python surged forth, snatching up the fallen blade, while another black python approached, wrapping its massive body around Ao Xuan. Protected by his defensive arts, the python only coiled around his shield, unable to touch him directly.

Now weaponless and tightly bound by a giant python, Yunxi, witnessing the scene from within the formation, unconsciously tightened her grip on Yun Ruo’s hand.

"Friend Zhou Qing, could you help save Brother Ao Xuan?"

As Yunxi held Yun Ruo’s hand, the latter turned her gaze toward Zhou Qing, who stood calmly within the formation. After Yun Ruo spoke, Yunxi also looked to Zhou Qing, her eyes reflecting the same plea. To rescue Ao Xuan would not be difficult; seeing Lin Yunxi's gaze, Zhou Qing did not reply, but simply nodded to her, then strode out of the formation with his Phantom Peerless sword.

Upon leaving the formation, Zhou Qing instantly felt weak, futile forces striking against his protective arts from below his calves, but their strength was negligible, posing no threat whatsoever.

He had barely exited the formation when, from the forest's edge not far away, Ao Xuan let out a painful cry. Zhou Qing saw that the black python wrapping Ao Xuan had broken through his protective barrier and was now constricting his body tightly, while another giant python nearby bared its fangs, lunging at Ao Xuan.

"Ao Xuan!" Dragon Ao Tian, who was busy slaying small snakes by the formation, cried out, clearly aware of Ao Xuan’s plight, but too far to help.

As the black python’s jaws descended, Zhou Qing, running forward, willed his Phantom Peerless sword to conjure a whip of light from its black wooden hilt, which lashed out to wrap around the black python’s head.

At the very last moment, the python’s maw was pulled away, missing Ao Xuan by less than a foot.

The black python, frustrated, shook its head, attempting to fling Zhou Qing aside with its immense strength. But as it did, Zhou Qing simply willed the light whip to vanish.

With his current abilities, Zhou Qing knew it would be foolish to pit his strength against such a colossal beast. So, having halted the python’s bite against Ao Xuan, he promptly withdrew the Phantom Peerless sword.

He had no doubt that, after wrapping its head, the python would thrash to break free; unable to match its strength, releasing his grip was the wise course.

As the giant python shook its head, Zhou Qing transformed his Phantom Peerless into a large knife, launching himself at the beast to finish it and rescue Ao Xuan.

Seeing this, Yunxi, Yun Ruo, and Wu Feng inside the formation all breathed a sigh of relief, as did the approaching Dragon Ao Tian.

Yet fate was unpredictable. As Zhou Qing charged to slay the black python, a scarlet python suddenly opened its mouth and swallowed Ao Xuan whole.

It happened so swiftly and unexpectedly that Zhou Qing could not intervene—he could only watch as the red python gulped Ao Xuan into its belly.

“Ao Xuan!” The sudden tragedy stunned Dragon Ao Tian; he stood frozen for two breaths, his face contorted with raging fury.

Gripping his sword, Dragon Ao Tian let out a furious roar and charged toward the red python that had swallowed Ao Xuan.

Unable to prevent the calamity, Zhou Qing cleaved the black python with his Phantom Peerless, splitting it in two before rushing after the red python.

But after swallowing Ao Xuan, the red python quickly climbed a tree, its massive body ascending to the canopy, then vanished from sight.

Having failed to save anyone, Zhou Qing could not help but sigh softly. He swung his Phantom Peerless to slay a small snake leaping from a branch toward him.

For reasons unknown, the twenty-some giant pythons that had previously only watched now began to move after Ao Xuan was devoured. Instead of merely observing, they surged toward the formation and toward Dragon Ao Tian—some even lunged directly at Zhou Qing.

Seeing a green python, mouth agape, descending from above, Zhou Qing glanced upward, then swung his Phantom Peerless overhead, cleaving a headless python five or six yards long from the tree to the ground.

At the same time, a gray python lashed its tail at him, but Zhou Qing simply bent low, swiftly dodged the strike, then sprang up, darted to a nearby sapling, and finished off a snake two yards in length.

With Ao Xuan slain, Dragon Ao Tian seemed possessed by madness, swinging his sword with wild fury, slaying small snakes at the formation’s edge and the charging giant pythons alike.