But what shocked Tang San was that the uncanny snake didn’t seem to react at all, seemingly uninjured. But its enormous body still instantly accelerated, suddenly dashing at Tang San and Hu Liena.
The Clear Sky Hammer reappeared in Tang San’s hand. He suddenly undid the rope around his waist, changing his original one handed grip on the Clear Sky Hammer into two hands, saying in a low voice:
“Stand where you are and don’t move.”
Finished speaking, Tang San was already swiftly dashing forward, charging to meet that uncanny serpent. But he only dashed three steps forward. As he took the third step, instantly, he swung the Clear Sky Hammer gripped in both hands, half turning, one swing already blasting out.
Strangely, this swing of his wasn’t aimed at the swiftly approaching giant snake, but rather upwards, blasting into empty air.
Immediately afterwards, Hu Liena, standing in place, saw a bizarre scene.
Tang San’s Clear Sky Hammer shed rich black light, and Tang San’s body began to swiftly rotate like a gyroscope. She could only vaguely see that each time Tang San turned, the Clear Sky Hammer in his hands would blast out once, and the strength of his imposing manner would multiply exponentially.
Just like an enormous black whirlpool, constantly growing.
What Hu Liena admired the most was that even while spinning so rapidly, Tang San’s balance unexpectedly didn’t waver in the slightest, both feet always stepping on the narrow road. How could she know that when Tang San was originally training with the hammer, it was on top of a slippery round rock, while constantly battered by a two hundred meter tall waterfall. Compared to that, now staying on a narrow road for a while was fairly easy.
How could this balance waver? Before on the round rock, each time Tang San spun, he could step on the same point with the same amount of force.
The monstrous snake approached quickly, but suddenly, it repeated its skill from before. Its upper body swayed over the narrow road once again. It seemed as if it wanted to pass by Tang San. With the ability it used to dodge the Clear Sky Hammer before, clearly, this was something it could do.
Apparently it could by now already sense the dreadful aura of the Clear Sky Hammer, and wanted to attack Hu Liena first.
Daggers raised in front of her chest, Hu Liena stood with her legs crossed, toes facing different directions, properly prepared to meet the attack.
However, what shocked her was that the strange snake couldn’t pass by Tang San.
When its massive body swayed out from the narrow road, trying to move past below Tang San’s feet, suddenly, a tremendous force unexpectedly pulled its body back onto the narrow road. The head of its more than ten meter long body even raised even higher, flung up sharply by that current.
In fact, this strange serpent’s body was thick as a bucket, how heavy would such an enormous body be?
Not only that, but its strength was also extremely frightful, the pressure of its aura alone felt far more tremendous than the dark golden three-headed bat king from before.
But even so, it unexpectedly still couldn’t do as it wished in front of Tang San, and was moreover even blown up by that bizarre black light.
From where did Tang San draw such strength?
Hu Liena looked with shock and uncertainty at the man not far in front of her.
She discovered that the currents that previously gathered around Tang San had completely disappeared, and one could see the black light growing stronger and stronger in his surroundings. But, strangely, it didn’t give off any feelings of spirit power fluctuations.
The monstrous serpent was clearly infuriated. It didn’t try to move around Tang San again, its enormous body swung, unexpectedly turning around, a three meter long section of snake tail lashing directly at Tang San. Its goal wasn’t Tang San, but rather the one meter of narrow road Tang San stood on. It clearly planned to use this method to break Tang San’s balance. However, the black light in Tang San’s hands covered an even larger distance than it had imagined, and before that serpent tail had even struck, it was curled up by this. This time even the entire enormous serpent was flung up. If not for it promptly twisting its tail around the narrow road, it might have been thrown into the abyss.
That pair of reddish golden eyes finally displayed alarm, and the nine reddish golden fleshy tumors on its enormous back grew even brighter.
Guuguu, guuguu, it seemed to cry in rage.
Bowing over the narrow road, the nine fleshy tumors were all aimed in Tang San’s direction.
Suddenly, those nine fleshy tumors burst open simultaneously, nine streams of golden red liquid suddenly squirting out. That liquid didn’t travel straight at Tang San through the air, but rather shot at a spot in front of Tang San, where the nine shares of liquid merged together in midair. The instant before it struck Tang San, it suddenly halted, and all the liquid contracted simultaneously, forming an only fist sized golden red little ball, which then smashed on towards Tang San.
But at this moment, the movements of the previously constantly spinning Tang San suddenly stopped, changing from extreme motion to extreme stillness. From movement to stillness immediately seemed exceptionally strange. And the instant he stopped, the Clear Sky Hammer held in his hands was in a forward leaning pose.
A terrifying scene emerged in front of Hu Liena’s eyes. She seemed to see a giant black dragon soar from the Clear Sky Hammer, and immediately afterward, the black dragon bombarded that reddish golden pearl in an instant. The originally about to strike pearl shuddered violently a moment, as if struggling. However, its struggle only lasted for a moment, the next instant it was blasted into the sky.
The black light gushing from the Clear Sky Hammer didn’t stop at this point. The inclined forward black light sweeping angle dropped somewhat, streaking forward close to the narrow road.
This time, that giant snake no longer had any chance to dodge, because the length of the erupting black light already surpassed the length of its body by far.
Chii——
The black light flashed and passed. That giant serpent suddenly halted, and the black light disappeared without a trace into the darkness, without developing any loud sound.
Hu Liena still didn’t understand what just happened, she only saw Tang San inhale deeply once, his whole body seeming to relax, and he also withdrew the Clear Sky Hammer in his hands in the first moment.
Just when Hu Liena was about to ask Tang San whether he needed a helping hand, she suddenly saw an extremely frightening scene.
The previously erupting powerful energy seemed to have utterly destroyed the giant serpent.
Each part of that enormous body that was on the narrow road unexpectedly quietly disappeared, turning into motes of dust and sliding away. And the parts of the body above, having lost the support of the ground, broke into several pieces and simultaneously fell into the abyss.
“You, what did you do?”
Even though Hu Liena knew she shouldn’t pry into Tang San’s secrets, she couldn’t help it, and still asked.
Tang San didn’t turn around, only calmly said:
“Clear Sky School, Disorder Splitting Wind, nine by nine becoming one.”
Raising his head, deep blue rays of light shot out of his eyes, looking above.
A golden red speck fell from the sky. Tang San stretched out his right hand, and with the pull of an incorporeal attractive force, that golden red light fell into his palm.
Astonishingly, it was the little golden red pearl previously condensed from the liquid shot from the uncanny snake’s nine fleshy tumors before.
“Careful, it might be poisonous.”
Hu Liena didn’t have time to digest Tang San’s words, anxiously warning him.
Part 3 (TL by Bagelson)
Tang San shook his head,
“It’s nothing. Even if it’s poisonous, it’s no problem to me.”
He wiped that little pearl he had caught on an unremarkable jade surface on the side of the Twenty Four
Moonlit Bridges, putting it inside.
“You’re not worried it will explode?”
Hu Liena took a few steps forward, coming up behind Tang San.
Tang San shook his head. Perhaps it was because he was somewhat excited, but he didn’t hide it from Hu Liena,
“This is the neidan[1] of that monstrous serpent. Having lost the control of its main body, it’s impossible for it to explode.”
“You recognize that snake?”
Hu Liena’s voice was filled with incredulity.
Tang San nodded silently. Indeed, this serpent wasn’t classified as a spirit beast of this world.
However, after Tang San observed it for a short time, he discovered it was unexpectedly an extremely poisonous creature he had read about in the ancient texts of the Tang Sect in his old world.
Prehistoric beast, Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent[2]. Incomparably poisonous, adult length over ten meters, possessing the most powerful fire poison of snake types, capable of forming a neidan after ten thousand years of cultivation, within those nine heads on its back. The emergence of the neidan would cause heaven and earth to pale. Obtaining that neidan, one could terrify the kings of serpents.
Thus being a lord of snakes.
What Tang San obtained was undoubtedly the neidan of the Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent. Even the nine by nine swings of his Clear Sky Hammer’s Disorder Splitting Wind fused into one was still unable to compare to the destructive force of this neidan. However, right now Tang San really wasn’t the Tang Sect disciple of his old world. In this world, he had still obtained mental strength.
When that eighty first swing blasted out, Tang San had already accurately locked on his spiritual force, striking at an angle. He didn’t truly collide with that neidan, but rather instantly merged his spiritual force to cut off the connection between the neidan and the Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent.
Having released the neidan, the Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent’s defensive strength dropped substantially, how could it resist Tang San’s tyrannical Clear Sky Hammer attack? Its body immediately turned to dust.
The benefit of the Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent neidan was of course not limited to frightening the elders among serpents, and still had numerous marvellous uses. Obtaining it, Tang San’s current mood could already no longer be easily described, not even using words like ‘transcendent’ would do.
Even though Hu Liena didn’t see the smile on Tang San’s face right now, she could guess that the neidan was extremely important to Tang San. Tang San killed the Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent. That he took the neidan was also normal.
“Tang Yin.”
Hu Liena called out.
Tang San turned slightly,
“You want it too?”
Hu Liena shook her head, saying:
“No, I only want to know the history of this snake. I also have some knowledge of spirit beasts, but I have no recollection of this serpent. We’re teammates, even though I didn’t help you with anything before, at least I have some right to know.”
If it was something ordinary, Hu Liena naturally wouldn’t raise a request that might provoke Tang San’s dislike like this, but the bizarre death of that strange serpent, even more bizarrely leaving behind this so-called neidan, she was unable to inhibit her desire for knowledge.
Tang San smiled calmly, saying:
“There’s no harm in telling you. This serpent was no spirit beast, but should have been a prehistoric beast. After its neidan has formed, its attack power is extremely dreadful. Just now I severed the connection between it and the neidan, exploiting the gap in the instant before the neidan exploded, then luckily killed it. And the advantage of this neidan is that it can make any snake venom ineffective, and moreover restrain all types of snakes.”
Hu Liena’s heart twitched,
“This means that it will be difficult for Spirit Masters with snake type spirit beasts to get a good result against you.”
Tang San smiled:
“You could say that.”
Right now, the alertness in his heart rose once again. What is called ‘treasuring a jade ring becomes a crime’, who knew whether Hu Liena would launch an attack against him because of greed?
But Hu Liena didn’t argue over this issue, and the pair rested a while again. Within Tang San’s blue domain, the surrounding impure air was effectively filtered, and the two very soon recovered their strength.
Having passed two successive alarming challenges, their mood became a bit more relaxed, and they advanced at an even pace. If this Hell Road truly only had three challenges, then they only needed to pass the final test in order to be able to leave this wretched place.
The temperature still rose constantly, and the flowing deep red liquid in the abyss on either side gradually became clearer.
The road seemed to always move downwards. Nobody knew the true circumstances of Slaughter City, but Tang San vaguely guessed that it was near the mountain behind that small town where he and his father entered.
Perhaps Slaughter City wasn’t underground, but rather within the mountain.
These thoughts only flashed through his mind, right now it was even more important to them to leave as quickly as possible. For anything else, there would be time later.
The temperature outside gradually changed into something the blue domain couldn’t resist. The greater effect of Tang San’s blue domain was to filter the air, relying on the breath of life within the range of the domain to slightly adjust the temperature. It didn’t truly isolate them.
Consequently, as they moved forward, the scorching heat the two endured also began to grow greater.
Even more unsuitable to them was that this air seemed to contain a kind of particular miasma. The stifling feeling deep in their hearts grew clearer and clearer, and their own killing intent also grew more unrestrained.
An impatient mood gradually appeared, especially for Hu Liena walking behind Tang San.
She didn’t have the orthodox sect mental techniques to control her mood like Tang San did. Along with her irritation, the killing intent in her heart grew more and more flourishing, and the things before her eyes no longer seemed distinct, the scorching heat around them seemingly provoking every cell in her body.
What Tang San endured wasn’t easy either. Even though his circumstances were a bit better than for Hu Liena, the scorching heat outside was like a source of temptation for the slaughter intent within him, but unfortunately they couldn’t prevent revealing their killing intent, otherwise they would be completely swallowed up by the terrifyingly vicious energy within this Hell Road.
Gradually, Tang San grew to understand.
From the moment he and Hu Liena entered the Hell Road, the two had always been influenced by the atmosphere within this place. Even though killing intent could obstruct this sinister atmosphere, it couldn’t filter it out completely.
Thinking of this, Tang San understood that he and Hu liena had miscalculated. Passing this Hell Road seemed to be not only about possessing enough strength, but it moreover had to be passed in as short a time as possible. The longer one stayed, the deeper the influence of that sinister aura would be. If it confused the heart, then perhaps one would never be able to leave.
“Keep calm. We’ll speed up.”
Tang San called out to Hu Liena behind him.
Right now Hu Liena could still keep a clear head, and forcefully nodded at Tang San. The two no longer walked, but leapt, swiftly dashing forward.
The faster the moved, the faster they approached the depths, and the air clearly became hotter and hotter, their vision also became fuzzier and fuzzier. Even Tang San’s Purple Demon Eye could only see a kilometer or so in the faint red mist that filled the surroundings.
In the abyss on either side of the narrow road, the deep red liquid boiled. That was indeed blood, but this stinking liquid seemed to have the temperature of magma.
“Tang Yin, I can’t go on.”
Hu Liena’s speed gradually
fell, the killing intent in her heart rushing out, intense desire to slaughter everything around her constantly eroding her mind. She knew that if she didn’t stop, she might attack Tang San at any time.
Halting, Tang San turned to look at Hu Liena.
Right now, Hu Liena’s entire body had turned pink, her naked skin somewhat fragrant from her sweat, seeming even more glossy.
Eyes closed tightly, her body trembled constantly, that layer of white killing intent around her fluctuating irregularly.
Tang San raised a hand to press the space between Hu Liena’s eyebrows, a blue energy flooding her mind,
“Sober up. Endure. If my guess is correct, we’re almost out.”
By now, the distance to the deep red liquid on either side of the narrow road was only fifty meters or so, and the scorching heat in the air already made the clothes Tang San and Hu Liena wore emit a faint burnt smell.
Having taken the Infernal Precious Apricot, Tang San wasn’t overly concerned about this, but Hu Liena was different. The overwhelming majority of her spirit power was used to resist the terrifying heat, and it became increasingly difficult to restrain her killing intent.
With a ceng sound, the enormous fox tail once again stood erect from Hu Liena’s butt, and despite Tang San helping her sober up somewhat, very soon she was submerged in the killing intent evoked by that sinister atmosphere. She was already on the brink of collapse.
Seeing Hu Liena’s suffering appearance, Tang San’s heart gradually sunk. He knew that if Hu Liena lost it, the first target of her attack would be him. With her body spurred by the killing intent, perhaps she wouldn’t be as intelligent as before, but her attacks would inevitably be even more terrifying under the effect of the killing intent. Even if he could kill her, he might still pay an enormous price. No matter what was said, the spirit power of the woman in front of him was more powerful than his, and she also possessed an external spirit bone, and might even possess other spirit bones.
Shouldn’t he take advantage of this moment, and kill her before then? Tang San hesitated. By all reason, he should indeed do it. If this formidable teammate became an enemy, it would be a devastating setback for him.
Douluo Dalu - Volume 01-48 Page 249