"Bang! Bang bang!~"
Ye Feng's fists struck the body of the Venomous Marsh Python, sending splashes of water into the air. The Venomous Marsh Python let out a strange cry and swam even faster...
To shake off Ye Feng, the Venomous Marsh Python weaved rapidly through the water, soon putting a considerable distance between itself and Ye Feng's previous location.
...
Deep in the swamp,
A somewhat dilapidated but much larger raft than Xiao Xiao's was being propelled outwards from the swamp by everyone rowing in unison...
"We're really lucky. We've gathered quite a few medicinal herbs this time. This Qi Zhan Cao, which can detoxify, is worth 100 Arcane Yuan Coins!"
"Yeah, we've made a fortune this time!"
"Stop talking! Hurry up, everyone! We don't know how long that strange person from earlier can hold off the energy-devouring water monkeys..."
"This is the heart of the swamp. Not only are there energy-devouring water monkeys, but also the Venomous Marsh Python..."
...
"Bang! Splash!~"
As the people on the raft were talking, a loud explosion suddenly erupted not far from their location.
A massive figure shot out of the swamp water, sending out huge waves that pushed the raft far away...
"That... that's the Ve... Venomous Marsh Python!"
"Someone is on the Venomous Marsh Python... looks like they're beating it!"
"Run!"
"Brothers, row harder!"
"Quick!"
...
Upon seeing the giant figure emerging from the swamp water, the people on the raft turned pale and shouted to each other.
They rowed their paddles with all their might, but in their panic, they were clumsy. The raft didn't move forward quickly in one direction, and in their haste, it even spun in a circle.
"Plop! Bang!~"
"Splash!~"
The Venomous Marsh Python fell back into the swamp water with a tremendous sound, creating a large splash.
"Ah... don't eat me..."
"We've gone too deep into this black swamp!"
"Help!"
"Stop screaming and row!"
...
The people on the large raft descended into chaos, clearly terrified by the Venomous Marsh Python.
After a while, seeing that the Venomous Marsh Python made no further moves, they cautiously stopped, their gazes fixed nervously on the spot where it had fallen into the water.
"The... the Venomous Marsh Python doesn't seem to be attacking us..."
Someone voiced a bewildered question.
"Shhh!"
"While it's still quiet, let's gently row away from here!"
A middle-aged man, who seemed to be the leader, quietly instructed the people on the raft.
Everyone on the large raft nodded and gently moved their oars. The raft finally began to move forward as they had intended...
"Puff! Splash!"
Suddenly, a huge figure rapidly emerged from beneath the swamp water—it was the Venomous Marsh Python.
However, after surfacing, the Venomous Marsh Python did not attack the people on the raft. Instead, it floated motionlessly on the water.
"Splash!~"
At this moment, Ye Feng's figure appeared on the water where the Venomous Marsh Python lay. "Finally dealt with... this big snake is quite troublesome in this kind of swamp~"
Ye Feng glanced at the dead Venomous Marsh Python and then at the completely unfamiliar waters around him, muttering to himself. He had been led to God knows where by this Venomous Marsh Python.
"Tha... Thank you..."
At this moment, the leader on the large raft, a one-armed burly middle-aged man, said to Ye Feng in a daze.
He was the strongest among this group. He had also seen Ye Feng fighting the Venomous Marsh Python earlier and had now received confirmation from Ye Feng's own words, so he immediately expressed his gratitude!
"Tha... Thank you, Explorer Sir!"
"Thank you!"
"Thank you!"
...
After the initial shock and fright, everyone on the large raft also reacted and thanked Ye Feng.
"Oh, no need!~"
Ye Feng waved his hand gently. "I was just passing by, and coincidentally exercising. I wasn't specifically saving you~"
"Wh... What?"
"Passing by?"
"Exercising... in the black swamp... fighting a Venomous Marsh Python?"
Hearing Ye Feng's words, the group on the large raft looked as if they had seen a ghost.
Ye Feng paid no mind to the astonished group on the raft. He took out a signal gun from his spatial warehouse and fired a red flare into the sky.
"Bang!~"
Shortly after Ye Feng fired the red flare, the sound of a flare exploding appeared in the distant sky. There were two flares, one red and one green.
"Phew!~"
Seeing this, Ye Feng breathed a sigh of relief.
The flares were a pre-arranged signal between him and Xiao Xiao for communication if they got separated.
"Big Brother! Where are you?"
Because the Venomous Marsh Python had carried Ye Feng a considerable distance, it took a while for Xiao Xiao's voice to reach Ye Feng's ears.
"Xiao Xiao, I'm over here!" Ye Feng shouted in the direction of Xiao Xiao's voice.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh~"
A sound of dense rowing came, and then Ye Feng saw Xiao Xiao in the small assault boat.
"Big Brother, are you okay?" Xiao Xiao asked with concern as soon as she reached Ye Feng.
"I'm fine~" Ye Feng smiled.
"Phew!~"
Seeing this, Xiao Xiao's furrowed brow gradually relaxed.
Afterward, Ye Feng took out his Arcane Pointer, confirmed the direction, and then stepped on the water, preparing to continue forward with Xiao Xiao.
"Explorer Sir?"
Ye Feng had barely swum a meter when he heard a call from behind.
"Calling me? Is something wrong?"
Ye Feng stopped and looked at the burly, one-armed middle-aged man from the large raft with some confusion.
Upon hearing Ye Feng's words, the one-armed burly middle-aged man nodded. "Explorer Sir, my name is Liu Jiu. I'm a villager from a nearby town. Don't you want the dead Venomous Marsh Python?"
Although Ye Feng looked very young, Liu Jiu did not dare to show any disrespect!
"Uh, that meat... I don't want it~"
Ye Feng glanced at the Venomous Marsh Python floating on the water not far away and shook his head. His fists, infused with Arcane energy, had bombarded the Venomous Marsh Python, so its meat was likely ruined...
"If you want it, take it~"
With that, Ye Feng turned and continued to swim forward.
"This..."
Liu Jiu and the others on the large raft exchanged glances. Finally, they called out to their companions to go down and tie the dead Venomous Marsh Python behind the raft to drag it along...
...
In the evening,
"Splash!~"
Ye Feng transitioned from swimming to wading, as he had reached a place resembling a shore.
"What the... this is a solitary island in the middle of a swamp!"
After getting ashore, Ye Feng looked around and was speechless. He had thought he had passed through the swamp, but he had merely reached an island within the swamp.
"Why are you guys still following us?"
At this moment, Xiao Xiao looked at Liu Jiu and the others who were busy behind them and frowned.
For almost the entire afternoon, Liu Jiu and his group had been following her and Ye Feng. During this time, Ye Feng had increased his speed, and they had desperately rowed their boat!
...