Volume 3 Chapter 65: Snake Guard

"The East Sea’s ‘Heixuan,’ the Western Desert’s ‘Xuansha,’ the Southern Wasteland’s ‘Jiushen,’ and Beichuan’s ‘Xuwei’ are the four great serpents of the Shenzhou Continent. Though not demon beasts, they are incredibly powerful and cunning. Even demon beasts flee from them. Only those of Earth level or above can face them." — "Strange Tales of Mountains and Seas — Strange Beast Chapter"

…

On the waist of Jiuhua Mountain, in front of Linghua Hall, amidst the chaotic battlefield, three Sethrak stood facing Xu Qingfan and the others from a distance. Despite the noise, a sense of calmness lingered.

Under the glow of the setting sun, the sharp faces of the three Sethrak were covered in blue scales that reflected dangerous blue gleams, appearing even more fierce from afar. Meanwhile, Xu Qingfan and his companions looked serious as they realized that these three Sethrak exuded a presence and danger far greater than any demons they had previously defeated.

"Hiss… Xu Qingfan, Jin Qinghan, Lv Qingshang, Feng Qingtian. Hiss… We are here under our family master’s order, to take your lives."

The Sethrak in the middle hissed, glancing over at Xu Qingfan and his friends as he spoke.

This Sethrak resembled the one Nangong Qingshan had transformed into, with the same blue-scaled snake eyes and slim snake-like tongue, but it had something different – tiny, densely packed keratinous diamond-shaped horns on its head, making it even more terrifying.

Of the other two Sethrak, one was shrouded in mist, giving it a mysterious aura. The last had several protruding lumps on its body, making it appear quite bizarre.

Hearing the Sethrak’s words, which seemed to completely disregard them, Jin Qinghan snorted coldly but said nothing more. Instead, the Spirit Qi within him began to gather slowly, clearly intending to teach this presumptuous Sethrak a lesson through action.

Lv Qingshang mocked, "Are you here to take our lives? Or to offer your own? Did you really hear what your master said clearly?"

Unlike the confidence of Lv Qingshang and Jin Qinghan, Xu Qingfan was quite serious after the appearance of the three Sethrak. He had faced Nangong Qingshan before and knew that these Sethrak were not only extremely powerful but also possessed bizarre and unique abilities, making it unlikely to win against them.

Even more peculiar was that Xu Qingfan felt a sense of familiarity with this Sethrak, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. Seeing the Sethrak covered in protruding bumps only intensified this strange sense of familiarity.

"Your master is a renowned figure, known all over the world for his extraordinary wisdom, yet he specifically sent you to kill us. Shouldn’t we feel honored?" Xu Qingfan asked softly.

At the same time, Xu Qingfan quietly reminded Jin Qinghan and Lv Qingshang, "Senior Brother Lv, Junior Brother Jin, this time the enemy’s strength is above ours, so don’t be careless."

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s message, both Jin Qinghan and Lv Qingshang were slightly taken aback, and their expressions became more serious. They knew Xu Qingfan was not someone who exaggerated things.

So Jin Qinghan began to reassess the three Sethrak before them and gently nodded to show his understanding.

Meanwhile, Lv Qingshang asked, "Junior Brother Xu, how do you know their strength is above ours? I find the Spirit Qi fluctuations around them very strange and unpredictable."

Lv Qingshang was very confident in his strength. Previously, even demons with late stages of the Lingji Stage cultivation were easily killed by the three of them together. So, although Xu Qingfan’s expression indicated these three Sethrak were different, Lv Qingshang couldn’t help but seek confirmation.

Xu Qingfan slowly explained in reply, "Haven’t you always asked about my right leg? Just now, at the back mountain, I encountered a Sethrak similar to them in appearance. Throughout the fight, I was at a disadvantage and almost lost my life several times. In the end, I only managed to kill him by sheer luck, but my right leg was almost completely crippled."

Xu Qingfan didn’t explain to the two people that the Sethrak they encountered was actually Nangong Qingshan because he didn’t want to elaborate at that moment.

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, Jin Qinghan and Lv Qingshang were both slightly surprised, and their evaluation of the three Sethrak’s strength quietly increased.

Having known Xu Qingfan for so long, they were very aware of his capabilities. The power of "The Formula of Wither and Flourish" he practiced was peculiar, able to transform all kinds of wondrous plants and flowers in the world, each with its unique power, making them difficult to defend against. With the aid of the "Wutong branch," he could not only use "The Formula of Wither and Flourish" but also unleash the mighty Phoenix Spirit Fire, enhanced by Wood-type Spirit Qi, increasing the power even further. Moreover, Xu Qingfan possessed several high-level magical artifacts, and his combat experience was the most extensive among the four.

Among the younger generation of disciples now at Jiuhua, except for Wang Qingjun who died at Huandao Island, Sheng Yushan and Li Yuhan were not well-known, with Feng Qingtian, Jin Qinghan, Lv Qingshang, and Xu Qingfan leading the group. Among the four, Xu Qingfan was the most low-key and least famous, but after the various experiences on Huandao Island, the other three knew well that although Xu Qingfan usually didn’t stand out and was humble and courteous, without the slightest arrogance, his strength was definitely not inferior to the three of them. Only Feng Qingtian was confident he could consistently surpass him; for Lv Qingshang, it was more of a negative situation.

Not only that, Xu Qingfan’s vision, wisdom, and combat experience were the most outstanding among the four. When moving as a group, he often played the role of the leader, and the other three naturally followed his command. With Xu Qingfan’s strength and intellect, even when facing such a Sethrak he barely managed to win, even if his words were humble, the fact that he could cripple one of Xu Qingfan’s legs already demonstrated remarkable strength.

Xu Qingfan’s statement that his victory over Nangong Qingshan was a stroke of luck was neither humility nor exaggeration. Nangong Qingshan had a flaw: the more he hated someone, the more he liked to toy with them before killing them. During his previous fight with Xu Qingfan, Nangong Qingshan never exerted his full strength. Otherwise, when Nangong Qingshan first used his serpent slink ability, the unguarded Xu Qingfan would have perished countless times.

Moreover, Nangong Qingshan was merged with the "Beichuan Xuwei," one of the Four Great Serpents. The Xuwei Snake, growing in the icy fields of Beichuan and filled with cold energy, had the strongest fear of phoenixes and flames among all snakes, to the point of being paralyzed with fear at the sight of a flaming phoenix. Since Xu Qingfan could summon the "Flame Phoenix," he was able to kill Nangong Qingshan. Otherwise, even knowing Nangong Qingshan’s weaknesses, Xu Qingfan would likely still have been defeated.

Just as Lv Qingshang was about to ask Xu Qingfan for details about the battle, the Sethrak who had spoken earlier suddenly spoke again. Although its voice was strange, it was filled with arrogance.

"Hiss…So, Number 41 was indeed killed by you? Hiss…That guy really was a waste. Do not compare that guy to the three of us. If it weren’t for his usefulness to the master, hiss…I would have torn him to pieces long ago. So weak, yet so arrogant, hiss…truly a disgrace to our ‘Four Directions Snake Guard.’"

Hearing the words of this Sethrak, the three of them, including Xu Qingfan, felt a sudden shock in their hearts. Their conversation earlier was conducted through a "Sound Conducting Technique," and they didn’t expect this Sethrak to hear it so clearly while they were completely unaware. To achieve this, the Sethrak must possess strength above the late stage of the Fake Golden Core Stage. However, even though the aura of these three Sethrak was strong, it hadn’t reached the Condensed Core Stage. It seemed this one must have a special ability to listen to their conversation.

"Hmph, anyone can boast; there’s no need for you to show off," Lv Qingshang said sarcastically, even though he was shocked inside.

Meanwhile, Xu Qingfan was carefully pondering the words just spoken by the Sethrak, trying to gain some useful information for himself, and after a long time, he asked seriously, "Is the Number 41 you mentioned Nangong Qingshan?"

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, Lv Qingshang and Jin Qinghan were surprised again. They understood the grudges between Xu Qingfan and Nangong Qingshan but didn’t expect the Sethrak mentioned by Xu Qingfan to be Nangong Qingshan.

The Sethrak, facing Lv Qingshang’s continuous taunts, was not angry but replied coldly, "The original name of Number 41 is indeed Nangong Qingshan, or rather, Southern Palace Waste. Hiss… Our master gave us great power, but this power is not fixed. After obtaining it, hiss… we need to merge it with ourselves. The stronger the fusion, the stronger the power."

At this point, the Sethrak cast a playful glance over the three of them, finally focusing on Xu Qingfan, and continued, "Number 41’s fusion is less than thirty percent. Hiss… while the three of us are around seventy percent."

Xu Qingfan was alarmed. If what the Sethrak said was true, then these three Sethraks’ strength would far exceed Nangong Qingshan’s. Facing such powerful enemies, it seemed their chances of losing were high.

As Xu Qingfan pondered a plan in his mind, he asked, "Since you have formed the ‘Four-sided Snake Guard,’ why is Nangong Qingshan referred to as Number 41? Also, I noticed that Nangong Qingshan has the ability of the Beichuan Xuwei Snake. Your ‘Four-sided Snake Guard’ must have a substantial connection to the ‘Four-sided Strange Snakes,’ right?"

The Sethrak paused slightly, looked at Xu Qingfan with a hint of surprise, and responded coldly, "Hiss… Before you’re killed, don’t you think you’re asking too many questions? Hiss… But no matter, I’m always lenient with those about to die. I’ll answer your questions one last time. Hiss… The four of us are called the Four-sided Snake Guard because we merged with the ‘Four-sided Strange Snakes’ to gain power. Hiss… And Number 41 is called Number 41 because out of forty-one people, we four were the only ones to successfully survive the fusion."

Just then, the Sethrak surrounded by mist let out a cold snort and said, "Number 4, we’re here to kill, don’t you think you’re talking a bit too much? Revealing too many secrets?"

Number 4 replied coldly, "Number 33, you’re such a pain. Hiss… Why bother keeping secrets from those about to die? Hiss… I’m talking so much because I’m curious about the people our master personally ordered us to kill."

Number 33 snorted but said nothing more, seemingly agreeing with Number 4 that Xu Qingfan and the others were as good as dead.

Jin Qinghan sneered at Number 4, saying, "So, the reason you were able to overhear our secret conversation is because you’re the Western Desert Xuansha Snake of the Four Strange Snakes, right?"

Number 4 narrowed his eyes slightly, his snake-like gaze becoming even more fearsome, and said icily, "You’ve figured it out, you’re smart, all of you are smart. Hiss… But unfortunately, smart people die young."

As he spoke, a weak whirlwind slowly appeared around Number 4, enveloping his body. Specks of yellow sand appeared in the wind, swirling continuously around him. Meanwhile, a strange energy quickly gathered around him, resembling wind Spirit Qi mixed with earth Spirit Qi.

"Remember my name, I am Number 4."

As he finished speaking, Number 4 suddenly vanished, darting towards Xu Qingfan and the others with the speed of the wind. The swirling sands around him became violently turbulent, and the sharp whistle of the wind seemed to echo across Jiuhua Mountain in an instant.

Strangely, as Number 4 launched his attack on Xu Qingfan and his companions, the other two Sethrak remained motionless, watching the fight coldly as if they had absolute confidence in Number 4’s skills, or perhaps indifferent to the outcome.

"The Western Desert is vast and endless, filled with natural disasters and many demon beasts, with the Xuansha Snake being the most formidable. The Xuansha Snake moves like the wind, masters control over sandstorms, and adults can even cause Western Desert storms. Its presence can be detected by the sound of wind and sand from miles away. Its poisonous sand is particularly dangerous, prompting retreat as it is unbeatable." – "Strange Tales of Mountains and Seas – Strange Beast Chapter"

Seeing Number 4 charging towards them with wild winds and sand, Xu Qingfan and the others quickly employed their magic to defend and counterattack.

Lv Qingshang placed Feng Qingtian on the ground, waved his hands, and twenty-five charms glowing with multicolored light emerged from his sleeves, surrounding Number 4 and spinning rapidly. Under the effect of these charms, Number 4 slowed in its attack towards the three, and the swirling sand around it began to weaken.

As Lv Qingshang acted, Xu Qingfan also swiftly moved his fingers, pressing his hands to the ground. The earth beneath Number 4’s feet cracked open, and more than ten Bloodsucking Vines sprang from the fissures, binding Number 4’s feet securely, rendering it immobile.

Then Jin Qinghan shouted softly, his body shining with golden light, and a massive golden axe appeared above Number 4, crashing down with overwhelming power.

"Boom…"

The golden axe wielded by Jin Qinghan was immensely powerful. As it descended, a thunderous roar erupted, the ground quaked under its might, and plumes of smoke rose and dispersed with the wind.

Strangely, despite their successful strike, Xu Qingfan and the others showed no joy on their faces; instead, their expressions grew more grave. The other two Sethrak remained motionless as well.

Finally, as the smoke stirred by the axe’s impact settled, the view cleared, revealing Number 4 still standing calmly in place, unharmed by what should have been a devastating blow. The charms and vines that once controlled its movements lay scattered on the ground.

Just as Jin Qinghan’s giant axe swung down, a sudden and intensely powerful sandstorm burst forth around Number 4. This sandstorm was so strong that it easily scattered both Xu Qingfan’s Bloodsucking Vine and Lv Qingshang’s array of talismans. Number 4’s speed surged in that instant, causing him to swiftly retreat before the golden axe could land, returning to his original spot as the axe was being withdrawn by Jin Qinghan. His movement was so quick, even surpassing Xu Qingfan in his prime, that it seemed as if he had not moved at all.

As Number 4 reappeared, three tornadoes filled with swirling sand suddenly formed and rushed toward Xu Qingfan and his companions.

The trio of tornadoes appeared small in size, but Xu Qingfan and the others knew better than to be careless. The power of the tornado was formidable, and the grains of sand within were as sharp as blades, striking with force equal to magical weapons when driven by the fierce winds. Entering the tornado meant facing countless attacks at once.

Jin Qinghan let out a cold snort, his body shining with golden light. The giant axe he had withdrawn suddenly appeared before him once more, even larger and more concentrated with golden energy than before. Facing the mighty sandstorm, Jin Qinghan chose attack over defense and swung the golden axe fiercely against it. As the two collided, light flashed and a deafening roar resounded. The golden axe and the sandstorm destroyed each other in their clash. Though Jin Qinghan was safe, he was left unable to attack again.

Meanwhile, Lv Qingshang remained calm and collected, rapidly drawing talismans infused with powerful Spirit Qi and sending them to encircle the sandstorm. The glowing talismans formed a barrier, trapping the storm within and cutting off its Spirit Qi supply. The sandstorm soon calmed, its sand returning to its original earthy Spirit Qi and dissipating. Although Lv Qingshang managed to break Number 4’s sandstorm, his talismans shattered under the immense pressure.

Perhaps because Xu Qingfan killed Nangong Qingshan earlier, Number 4 aimed to prove his superiority by launching a powerful sandstorm at Xu Qingfan. Xu Qingfan touched the ground, conjuring a forest of towering trees as a barrier. However, the storm’s might was overwhelming, effortlessly shredding the trees to pieces. Xu Qingfan had to summon another forest to finally counterbalance the sandstorm’s force.

The intense clash among the four was so tremendous that it captured the attention of the entire battlefield, causing a brief pause in the chaos. The Jiuhua disciples and lower-level demons watched the fight in amazement, momentarily forgetting their own battles, which surprisingly resulted in fewer casualties for the Jiuhua disciples.

Just as the three felt a slight sense of relief after blocking Number 4’s attack, his eerie, piercing voice echoed from behind them.

"Number 41 was indeed too weak. Tsk… Is this really all the power you have, to be killed so easily? It’s embarrassing for our master and us, the Four Snake Guards. Dead is better for them."

Hearing Number 4’s voice, Xu Qingfan and the others showed a slight change in expression. They quickly turned around to look behind them, only to find that Number 4 had somehow appeared behind them. His snake-like eyes began to glow with a strange red light as he disdainfully said, "Just now, I only used seventy percent of my power."

After hearing his words, Xu Qingfan and the others just snorted coldly without saying more. Although they also held back some of their strength earlier, they had to admit that this Number 4 indeed had the strength to fight against the three of them alone.

Seeing Xu Qingfan and the others remain silent, Number 4 assumed they were scared after witnessing his power. His eyes flashed with disdain as he said chillingly, "You should be content to die by my hand."

As he spoke, Number 4 suddenly vanished from where he stood and reappeared beside Xu Qingfan in an instant, forming his hand into a knife shape and striking fiercely at Xu Qingfan’s neck.

Number 4 was indeed the fastest cultivator Xu Qingfan and the others had ever encountered. This attack was very sudden, and if the attack had been aimed at Jin Qinghan and Lv Qingshang, it probably would have succeeded.

Perhaps because Xu Qingfan was the one who killed Nangong Qingshan, Number 4 chose him as the first target. However, he didn’t know that Xu Qingfan was the fastest and most battle-experienced among the young disciples of Jiuhua. Even though his right leg was injured, his keen eyes remained sharp. While Number 4 was speaking, Xu Qingfan was secretly on guard. When Number 4 suddenly vanished, Xu Qingfan saw a shadow rushing toward him and didn’t hesitate. He quickly channeled a large amount of Spirit Qi into his air-light bracers, and a green dragon swiftly appeared around Xu Qingfan, encircling and protecting him.

"Ding…"

"Hiss…"

At the moment Xu Qingfan conjured the green dragon for protection, Number 4’s attack arrived instantly, but Xu Qingfan’s reaction was just barely faster.

As Number 4’s blade clashed with Xu Qingfan’s Green Dragon Arm Guard, a faint metallic sound echoed, and Number 4 let out a cry full of pain.

Despite his attack being hindered, Number 4’s battle experience was vast. He quickly shifted his attack to Lv Qingshang, who had already prepared a barrier of sigils. Though Number 4 broke through it in one strike, he hesitated to attack a second time, fearing strikes from Xu Qingfan and Jin Qinghan, so he turned his attention to Jin Qinghan.

Number 4 reached the peak of his speed, attacking Xu Qingfan and the others nonstop. One moment, he was trying to penetrate Xu Qingfan’s defenses; the next, he broke Jin Qinghan’s temporary golden shield and pierced through Lv Qingshang’s barrier, almost instantaneously.

Number 4 knew he could break their defenses in one hit, but a second strike would leave him vulnerable. Though extremely fast, he couldn’t dodge attacks from the others if he pressed for a kill. It would mean trading his life for another’s.

Jin Qinghan and Lv Qingshang felt overwhelmed by Number 4’s speed, which exceeded their expectations. Xu Qingfan’s brief interference gave them just enough time to form basic defenses, only for Number 4 to shatter them repeatedly. Number 4’s relentless attacks left them no chance to use more advanced defensive spells, leading to frustration.

Seeing Xu Qingfan’s composed demeanor, Jin Qinghan and Lv Qingshang decided that if they survived this ordeal, they must acquire high-tier defensive artifacts. Previously, they relied on their defensive spells, believing them unmatched. Now, they saw the need for better defenses.

They realized their spells were powerful but time-consuming, whereas artifacts needed only Spirit Qi to activate. With a good defensive artifact, they wouldn’t be in such a dire situation.

Among the fighters, Xu Qingfan was the calmest. Having anticipated Number 4’s attack, he activated the Green Spirit Arm Protector and kept feeding it Spirit Qi. But behind the facade, Xu Qingfan played a critical role; his killing intent kept Number 4 cautious, and he vigilantly watched the two Sethraks, preventing surprise attacks while pondering how to break the stalemate without much harm.

In truth, Xu Qingfan was busier than the others.

Suddenly, Xu Qingfan remembered the painful screech that came when Number 4’s hand blade clashed with his Green Spirit Arm Protector at the very beginning, and a thought crossed his mind about the descriptions of the Western Desert Xuansha Snake found in various books.

This snake is incredibly fast, and its venomous sand kills upon contact. It can control sandstorms and even trigger storms, making it extremely formidable. However, it also has an obvious weakness—its body is very fragile, even more so than some common snakes.

From Nangong Qingshan’s situation, it seems these Snake Guards, after merging with the Four Square Mystical Snakes, not only gain their powerful strength and strange abilities but also inherit their weaknesses.

The fragile body of the Xuansha Snake is a weakness that Number 4 likely inherited as well.

But even though this weakness is known, how can it be exploited?

Xu Qingfan fell into deep thought.