The area of Longhu Mountain was densely vegetated, and various types of snakes were abundant. Zhang Xiujian was no stranger to snakes.
The large snake before him, with its trapezoidal spine and two prominent scales behind its eyes, bore unmistakable features. This was none other than the King Cobra, also known as the Mountain-Crossing Serpent!
This creature was the world's largest venomous snake, the king of its kind. King Cobras primarily preyed on other snakes, and in areas where they resided, other snakes found it difficult to survive within a radius of several kilometers.
While the King Cobra was not the most venomous snake, its massive size and the large quantity of venom it injected meant that a bite from this creature was almost certainly fatal.
Furthermore, the King Cobra's venom was a complex compound, a mixture of neurotoxins and hemotoxins. Even with immediate treatment, there was no highly effective antivenom.
However, what truly chilled Zhang Xiujian was that he had never encountered a King Cobra this large. Ordinary King Cobras rarely exceeded five to six meters in length and were as thick as an adult's arm. This serpent before him, however, was already ten meters long and as thick as an adult's thigh, comparable to a python!
The giant snake bit his ankle, then released its grip and slithered back into the grass! It gave him no chance to retaliate; the snake was practically a spirit!
At that moment, Zhang Xiujian felt a sharp pain in his ankle, followed by numbness and a loss of sensation. Within mere seconds, his ankle swelled to the size of a steamed bun!
Zhang Xiujian was bewildered. He couldn't fathom how such a ridiculously large snake would suddenly appear in this place and attack him!
He immediately removed his shoes and socks, then took out a dagger. Gritting his teeth, he sliced open his swollen ankle. Instantly, a stream of foul-smelling pus and blood gushed from the wound.
Next, he tore off a sleeve from his shirt and tied it tightly around his knee to prevent the venom from spreading further upwards.
A few minutes later, the sound of footsteps and the beam of a flashlight approached from not far away. Zhang Xiujian, curled up in the grass, shivered uncontrollably, too afraid to reveal himself. He knew all too well that if his hiding place was discovered, his chances of survival today were slim.
"Stop hiding. Do you think we won't see you just because you're in the grass?"
Just then, a powerful flashlight beam suddenly illuminated Zhang Xiujian's hiding spot. The voice speaking was one Zhang Xiujian would never forget; it was this person who had brought him to such a miserable state!
Seeing that he could no longer hide, Zhang Xiujian had no choice but to reveal himself. He then saw that it was Ling Tian, accompanied by Zhang Caifeng and several other disciples of Longhu Mountain, who had pursued him.
He could not have imagined that despite his intimate knowledge of Longhu Mountain's terrain and his superior Qinggong (lightness skill), he would still be caught by Ling Tian. This was utterly terrifying.
"You... Ling Tian, killing is one thing, but I admit my attack on you was wrong. It was due to my admiration for our junior sister! Since I have failed, and I wish to leave Longhu Mountain, are you still going to pursue me relentlessly? Junior Sister, even if you don't fancy me, after so many years as fellow disciples, can you not even grant me a way out?"
This scoundrel was incredibly cunning. Seeing that escape was difficult, he began to play on emotions, hoping the junior sister would suddenly soften, allowing him a chance to flee.
Surprisingly, his plea did cause Zhang Caifeng to hesitate for a moment, and she looked at Ling Tian with a troubled expression.
Ling Tian sneered, "Caifeng, I'm not one to dwell on minor issues. Normally, if he's from your Longhu Mountain, letting him go wouldn't be a problem. But the issue is, he possesses talismans from the Yin Fu Sect. If this matter isn't clarified, can you let him go? Do you know what he's been doing on Longhu Mountain? What if he has accomplices on the mountain?"
Ling Tian's words were like a wake-up call. Zhang Caifeng's expression instantly became resolute.
"Ling Tian is right. Zhang Xiujian, you should honestly give up resisting and return with us to clarify your issues! If you haven't committed any heinous acts, at most, your martial arts will be crippled, and you'll be expelled from the sect! However, if you colluded with the Yin Fu Sect and did anything to betray our Longhu Mountain, then don't blame us for being harsh!"
Zhang Xiujian's spirits plummeted. He hadn't expected his intentions to be seen through by Ling Tian.
"Junior Sister, I didn't expect you to be so heartless. Fine, fine. Since you won't let me go, neither of us will leave!"
As Zhang Xiujian spoke, he pulled a talisman from his pocket. This talisman was drawn with black ink on purple paper! Earlier that day, before the operation, his master Zhang Daoquan had personally handed this talisman to Zhang Xiujian.
Zhang Daoquan had also told Zhang Xiujian that this talisman was called the Netherfire Talisman and possessed immense power, but he should not use it unless absolutely necessary.
Now, finding himself in such a desperate situation, he was truly at his wit's end. Other talismans were completely ineffective against Ling Tian and the others. Thus, Zhang Xiujian immediately infused his true essence into the talisman. He immediately felt its difference; the talisman drained almost all of his remaining essence, and then it began to burn.
The people of Longhu Mountain recoiled several steps in fear upon seeing the talisman. This was because the burning talisman emitted a blue-purple flame, a terrifying flame that, just by looking at it, sent tremors through the soul! This meant that this flame could not only burn the body but also harm the soul; it was Netherfire!
"Junior Sister, since I cannot have you, I will destroy you. Die!"
Zhang Xiujian shouted, pointing his hand towards Ling Tian and Zhang Caifeng, and using his mental power to control the ball of Netherfire to attack Ling Tian and the others.
However, in the next moment, the ball of Netherfire suddenly exploded. The flame, originally the size of a melon, spread out and engulfed Zhang Xiujian entirely.
"Ah!"
Zhang Xiujian let out a scream. He never expected the talisman to harm him. The spreading Netherfire consumed his body. In mere seconds, the man was burned to ashes like a melting candle, not even a trace of his soul remaining...
The people from Longhu Mountain on the opposite side were stunned. How could he have self-immolated? However, they also felt a sense of lingering fear. The power of the Netherfire was truly terrifying. If they had been harmed by it, they would have been severely injured, if not killed...
"Ling Tian, what happened?"