Chapter 14 The Lair

• Incredibly, a cunning glint akin to human slyness flashed in the eyes of the Black Blood Snake. Its coiled tail, which had been curled up, suddenly straightened out, brutally lashing the Earthen Armor Bear from the side. It turned out that the snake was prepared all along. Although it appeared to be coiled up, it was actually ready to strike, rapidly springing into action.
• The Earthen Armor Bear was struck, its body swaying before it crashed heavily onto the ground. It then let out a mournful howl. The Black Blood Snake moved with incredible speed, lunging forward. Its body coiled around the bear, constricting with immense force. The bear's bones emitted a series of cracking sounds under the pressure. The Earthen Armor Bear was immobilized, and its only response was to let out a series of pitiful roars.
• The grip of the snake tightened, its roar gradually diminishing. By the time the Black Blood Snake uncoiled its body, the Earthen Armor Bear had already been squeezed into a heap of flesh.
• The Black Blood Snake tore open the body of the Earthen Armor Bear with its sharp fangs, extracting a walnut-sized, earthy yellow crystal core. It swallowed it in one gulp, and with a swift turn of its body, it left the area.
• Only after it had left did Francis dare to emerge from his hiding spot. The power of that Black Blood Snake was too immense, exerting tremendous pressure. He hadn't even dared to breathe earlier.
• Walking up to the corpse of the Earthen Armor Bear, Francis took a look and shook his head, feeling a bit disappointed. The Earthen Armor Bear's hide and flesh had been compressed into a mess, rendering it indistinguishable. There was absolutely nothing of value left on it.
• Francis, too, hastily took his leave from this place, pursuing the Black Blood Snake.
• Snakes had their own paths. Snake-like demonic beasts, especially the giant ones, would leave noticeable traces wherever they slithered, making them easy to track. Moreover, the Black Blood Snake continuously dripped venom along its path, leaving corrosive marks on the ground.
• Before long, Francis arrived at the lair of the Black Blood Snake.
• This was the base of a rocky peak, a well-hidden and secluded place. To catch sight of it, one had to navigate around a massive boulder as tall as a multi-story building. Once past the boulder, amidst a chaotic pile of rocks and a ring of green trees, there was a blackened opening about thirty feet in diameter.
• A waft of putrid, fishy smell emanated from the cave's entrance. Francis took a whiff and immediately felt a wave of dizziness. The Black Blood Snake was truly venomous.
• However, he astutely noticed that amidst the overwhelming stench of decay, there was a trace of an extremely cold yet subtly elegant fragrance. This scent, upon being inhaled, sparked an immediate rejuvenation of his spirit. Fantastic! There must be some kind of precious treasures hidden within this snake hole. It could even be an extremely rare medicinal herb! However, I'm definitely no match for the Black Blood Snake, so there's no way I can forcefully take the treasures away. In that case, I'll wait patiently. I refuse to believe that the Black Blood Snake won't leave its lair to hunt. The moment it ventures out, my opportunity will arrive!
• With that idea in mind, Francis settled down not far from the Black Blood Snake's lair. He found a small cave for shelter, and his daily routine involved eating wild fruits, drinking from mountain springs, and hunting low-level demonic beasts for meat. Besides, he would practice Palm of Light and Bedoro Leaf Scripture.
• The Black Blood Snake was massive in size. If it were to venture out, he would undoubtedly hear it.
• Five days had swiftly passed by.
• Francis' condition had already stabilized at the mid-stage of Level Four. It was quite steady. His meridians had expanded slightly, becoming even more robust. His Palm of Light had also become more refined and proficient. However, due to the ongoing lack of spiritual stones to absorb, his cultivation level hadn't seen much growth.
• On this particular day, Francis was in the midst of cultivation within the cave when he abruptly felt the ground quiver beneath him. Promptly, he rose to his feet and stealthily made his way toward the entrance of the cave.
• There, he saw the colossal Black Blood Snake slithering out from its lair and disappearing into the dense forest.
• It must be going out to find food. Francis' heart pounded wildly, yet he didn't act recklessly. Instead, he patiently waited for the Black Blood Snake to leave.
• Once the Black Blood Snake had finally vanished from sight, Francis leaped into action, diving straight into the snake's lair.
• The closer Francis got to the snake's lair, the more potent the nauseating stench became. It was so intense that he nearly passed out. Collecting his composure, he channeled the power of Bedoro Leaf Scripture, which brought clarity to his mind and helped him withstand the overwhelming odor.
• He dashed swiftly into the snake's lair. The lair stretched on, sloping downward all the way. He ran as fast as he could, for ten minutes, covering a distance of about half a mile before he finally saw the end of the lair.
• At the end of the snake's burrow, there was surprisingly a pond. The pond was about five feet in diameter, its depth unfathomable. The water inside was incredibly thick and completely black, as dark as ink. It emitted a foul, fishy odor, yet within that stench, an undeniable crisp fragrance couldn't be concealed. The source of this refreshing scent came from a plant situated at the center of the pond.
• It was a water lily.
• The pond water was as dark as ink, contrasting starkly with the water lily that was as pure as emerald. It appeared incredibly noble and elegant. The water lily stood about a foot tall, and even from a distance, Francis could sense the abundant spiritual energy it contained, which was constantly radiating outward in waves.
• This was undoubtedly an extremely rare, high-quality medicinal herb.
• Francis had figured out what this pool of water was. It was clearly the venomous saliva of the Black Blood Snake. No one knew how many years it took to accumulate such a full pool, but only the most toxic substances could breed such a supremely pure and noble spiritual object.
• Before Francis could think further, he reached out and grabbed the white water lily. He took out an emerald box from his chest pocket and carefully placed the flower inside. After that, he turned and ran.