"This canyon, it must be the Lagrangian Valley," Shirley Yang said, her voice tinged with excitement as she looked at the valley before them. Was she finally going to find the legendary Jingjue Ancient City she so longed for?
"Holy crap, we finally found it! This damned valley, Fatty missed you so much," Fatty exclaimed, a hearty smile spreading across his face. However, his camel beneath him was not doing so well. Carrying the heavy Fatty was one thing, but also lugging a large smelting furnace on its back. It was arguably the most miserable camel, sinking into a deep pit with every step on the sandy ground.
"Lagrangian Valley, this is also known as the gateway to the Jingjue Ancient City," came the voice of the Loulan Princess from within Fatty's furnace. The furnace was a magical artifact, capable of harboring souls without issue.
"Black-eyed snakes," Zhang Tian murmured, recalling the Ghost-Eyed people of Jingjue Ancient City he had encountered in Loulan. The snakes they summoned were likely the black-eyed snakes the Loulan Princess spoke of.
"Everyone be careful," Zhang Tian warned, drawing his long sword. Zhang Qilin, with a look of slight seriousness, also turned his gaze towards the valley.
"Boss, the sky above this valley looks completely dark. I doubt it'll be much better inside," Hu Bayi said, looking up at the sky. Despite it being daytime, the entire valley was exposed in a peculiar manner, with dense black clouds hanging overhead.
Zhang Tian couldn't help but feel a bit dejected. He knew the Jingjue Ancient City was going to be an ultra-nightmare difficulty. And now, even before entering, they were encountering such monstrous entities.
"Boss, we've come all the way to the Queen's doorstep. How can we not go in?" Fatty was full of enthusiasm, urging his camel forward with all its might. Soon, everyone arrived at the bottom of the valley.
The valley was vast, with a long, bottomless chasm between the two cliffs, exuding an air of profound mystery. "This Jingjue Ancient City, it's so deep, so dark," Fatty commented, looking at the cliffs.
"Fatty, this is just the valley. We enter the ancient city after crossing this valley," Hu Bayi reminded him. Fatty chuckled, "Old Hu, Fatty's just being a diligent bird. Even if it's slow, it'll get there first." Fatty, for all his cultural shortcomings, was not one to shy away from the challenge.
"There's an aura of demonic energy," Zhang Qilin said faintly as they approached the valley. In the next moment, faint rustling sounds echoed from the depths of the canyon. The sounds were not loud, but they suggested something was moving within.
"Wait, I know this sound. Fatty knows it best!" Fatty perked up his large ears, tilting his head to listen to the sounds from the valley. Gradually, Fatty's expression changed.
"Boss, it sounds like… snakes…" Fatty mumbled, swallowing hard and quickly retreating to the back of the group.
"Ssshh." As everyone's attention focused, a bright eye slowly emerged from the darkness of the valley.
"Ghost-eyed snake." Seeing the snake, Zhang Tian gasped. It was enormous. The Ghost-eyed snake before them was at least ten meters long. Its massive head was raised, bearing a single, colossal eye. The eyeball seemed to be rotating. The snake was entirely black, with a somewhat elongated mouth filled with sharp fangs. Green, corrosive liquid dripped from its corners, making it a terrifying sight.
"Boss, the Queen is a reincarnation of a snake god, which means… the Queen is this thing?" Hu Bayi muttered beside him. Zhang Tian also swallowed. If the Queen was a creature like this, all his fantasies would be shattered. Thinking of this grotesque Ghost-eyed snake and then recalling the Queen's appearance, Zhang Tian found himself unable to make any positive comparisons. At least, his preferences were normal; he had no interest in small animals.
"Holy crap, what a huge snake! Boss, Fatty will cheer for you from behind!" Fatty, besides his fear of heights, was also afraid of snakes.
"Ssshh…" The Ghost-eyed snake emitted a sibilant sound from its mouth. Instantly, countless smaller black snakes began to emerge from the sandy ground around it.
"It's the guardian beast of the ancient city," Zhang Qilin stated. Zhang Tian understood.
"Loulan Princess, since we're on the same side for now, perhaps you could help out?" Zhang Tian said. He certainly wasn't going to let the Loulan Princess sit idly by. She was a powerful asset, and it would be foolish not to utilize her. Upon Zhang Tian's words, the Loulan Princess emerged from Fatty's furnace. Seeing her cooperation, Zhang Tian said no more, drawing his Lu Shang King sword.
"Ssshh…" The Ghost-eyed snake continued to sway, and more snakes emerged from the sand. They appeared densely packed, covering the entire desert.
"Why are there so many…" Shirley Yang frowned slightly, looking at the dense swarm of Ghost-eyed snakes. Shirley Yang suffered from mild claustrophobia, and the sheer number of these snakes, easily in the tens of thousands, was overwhelming. One could imagine the revulsion of seeing countless writhing insects piled on a small hill; it was a sight few could stomach.
"Slay." Zhang Tian pointed his Lu Shang King sword towards the snake king not far away. Zhang Qilin and the Loulan Princess had already charged forward. The Loulan Princess's combat prowess was astonishing. Her years of training in the desert, coupled with her innate strength, meant that many of the surrounding Ghost-eyed snakes met their demise under her swift dagger. Zhang Qilin's sword beams flashed continuously, decapitating countless Ghost-eyed snakes. Zhang Tian's sword, released from its sheath, radiated an aura of killing intent, generating a palpable aura of warfare around them.
The giant Ghost-eyed snake was no pushover either. Its long tongue flickered, and in the next moment, black liquid spewed from its mouth.
"Old Hu, that's a lot of spit," Fatty remarked, watching the black liquid.
"This Ghost-eyed snake is very strong, perhaps comparable to the Boss's strength. But it must have a weakness," Hu Bayi said beside him. Shirley Yang watched the fierce battle unfold before her.
"Brother Hu, have you noticed? When it's attacked, the Ghost-eyed snake closes its eyes. Its weakness must be its eyes," Shirley Yang stated. Hu Bayi nodded.
"If we can figure it out, the Boss surely has too." As Hu Bayi spoke, Zhang Tian had indeed already noticed the anomaly.
"Qilin, let's team up to deal with its eyes. Princess, please handle the smaller snakes," Zhang Tian instructed. The Loulan Princess nodded gently. Following this, Zhang Tian and Zhang Qilin charged towards the giant snake. The snake's venom had no effect on Zhang Tian and Zhang Qilin, but its corrosive properties were potent, and Zhang Tian tried his best to avoid it.
"Old Hu, let's go too," Fatty said from the side.
"Aren't you afraid of snakes?"
"For the Boss, for the victory of the revolution, Fatty can overcome anything!" Fatty declared with great loyalty. Hu Bayi nodded, and the two also charged forward. Shirley Yang, skilled in various martial arts, could handle the smaller snakes, but a large number would still be challenging.
At this moment, atop the giant snake's head, Zhang Tian and Zhang Qilin stood. Due to its immense size, the snake couldn't shake them off for a while. Zhang Tian's hand slipped, and his Lu Shang King sword was stained with blood. Zhang Qilin did the same. Zhang Tian wanted to test if his blood had, by chance, merged with the Qilin blood.