It was said that adult Bloodthirsty Pythons were strong enough to rival three to five Divine King powerhouses, and their notoriety was immense.
At this moment, the Bloodthirsty Python coiled atop the canopy, looking down at all living beings with immense deterrence.
Instantly, those ferocious and brutal beasts all prostrated on the ground, trembling like subjects before their monarch, daring not to act wildly.
Then, the Bloodthirsty Python's cold eyes slowly fell upon Zhou Yan, revealing a human-like mockery.
Following that, it leaped down from the canopy, its massive tail sweeping, sending Zhou Yan flying tens of meters away.
Boom!
This time, Zhou Yan could no longer bear it. He crashed through a large tree and rolled onto the ground.
Pfft!
The violent impact caused Zhou Yan's chest bones to cave in, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, his face turning deathly pale.
"You... what do you want?"
Zhou Yan raised his head, looked at the Bloodthirsty Python, and asked with a trembling voice.
At this moment, he finally understood.
His luck was terrible; he had been mistaken for food by the Bloodthirsty Python.
No wonder these fierce beasts had gathered here.
It turned out that the Bloodthirsty Python was picky about its food, requiring it to be alive. Otherwise, it disdained to make a move.
"Humble human, you should be fortunate to have encountered this king today."
The Bloodthirsty Python's snake eyes emitted a scarlet glow, staring at Zhou Yan with a hint of playfulness.
Whoosh!
As soon as the words fell, the Bloodthirsty Python opened its mouth and spat out a mass of venom.
The venom, like an arrow, was as fast as lightning, instantly striking.
Zhou Yan's face turned ashen, his body felt stiff, as if pressed down by a mountain, unable to move.
Even a speck of this potent venom would surely lead to death.
At the critical moment, Zhou Yan exerted all his strength and rolled to the left.
Bang!
The venom splashed, hitting a large tree nearby, immediately corroding a hole, and emitting wisps of black smoke.
Hoo!
Having narrowly escaped the fatal crisis, Zhou Yan breathed a sigh of relief, a look of joy after surviving a disaster appearing on his face.
However, he soon discovered that the situation had not improved.
The Bloodthirsty Python seemed to have fixated on him. No matter how he ran, the Bloodthirsty Python pursued him relentlessly.
Finally, Zhou Yan collapsed, exhausted and unable to flee any further.
Swish!
The next instant, the Bloodthirsty Python approached, opened its gaping maw, and bit down fiercely.
Zhou Yan's eyes widened, his heart leaped into his throat. He held his breath, awaiting the arrival of death.
Crack!
Suddenly, the Bloodthirsty Python's movements froze. Its mouth slightly agape, a wisp of blood flowed out.
At the same time, Zhou Yan heard a soft sound near his ear.
Immediately, he saw a small, silver-white fish appear.
The little fish was about two inches long, crystal clear all over, emitting a faint fluorescence, as if carved from precious gems, exquisite and beautiful.
However, the patterns on the little fish's back made Zhou Yan freeze in place.
It was a ferocious and terrifying dragon-head pattern, lifelike, as if it were real, emanating a terrifying aura.
"Could this be the legendary Dragon Fish?"
Zhou Yan's gaze became hazy, a flicker of memory flashing through his mind.
The Dragon Fish was a type of exotic beast, born from spiritual脉 (língmài - spiritual veins), possessing extraordinary spirituality.
Legend had it that once a Dragon Fish matured, it could possess combat power comparable to the Martial Master realm, and could even cultivate to reach the Martial Ancestor realm.
However, the breeding rate of Dragon Fish was extremely low. Among millions of humans, one might not be found.
This was because, to nurture a Dragon Fish, not only spiritual veins were needed, but also immense energy and various rare medicinal ingredients as assistance.
Moreover, these things were extremely rare and priceless.
Although Dragon Fish were powerful, their numbers were too few. Therefore, market transactions were primarily between heads of state or royalty.
"Could that drop of blood just now be the essence of a Dragon Fish?"
Zhou Yan frowned, contemplating inwardly.
He knew clearly that the blood bead just now contained immense energy, but he had not perceived it at all.
This showed that the essence of a Dragon Fish was extremely elusive.
Only those whose cultivation surpassed the Martial Master realm might be able to sense it.
"Hmph, you fool, how dare you swallow this emperor's clone."
A cold, emotionless voice reverberated in the Bloodthirsty Python's mind.
Immediately, the Bloodthirsty Python's body trembled as if struck by lightning.
Roar~
In an instant, the Bloodthirsty Python was filled with terror. Its body curled up, and it continuously whimpered.
This voice was ancient, as if from a distant time and space, piercing through millions of miles of mountains and rivers, reaching the depths of the Bloodthirsty Python's heart.
Within this voice, the Bloodthirsty Python's will collapsed. It completely lost the courage to resist, prostrating on the ground, trembling.
Then, a faint, indistinct figure materialized out of thin air.
This figure was highly condensed, like a deity standing amidst the clouds, looking down at the ants of the mortal world, exuding an aura of indifference, disdain, and coldness.
"Greetings, Dragon Emperor Your Majesty."
The Bloodthirsty Python was terrified and uneasy, prostrating on the ground and respectfully shouting.
Splash~
Then, with a wave of its hand, the phantom figure caused a gust of wind to sweep up the Bloodthirsty Python, whisking it away and disappearing into the depths of the jungle.
"Who was that figure just now?"
Zhou Yan's gaze was stunned, and he muttered.
That figure was tall and majestic, like a deity from the nine heavens, looking down upon all things, arrogant and condescending, giving him an immense impact.
"Forget it, let's not think about these things for now..."
A moment later, Zhou Yan suppressed his thoughts and said with a wry smile, "Since I'm already trapped here, I can't escape..."
This jungle was fraught with danger. A slight misstep could lead to death and utter ruin.
Moreover, Zhou Yan was already utterly exhausted and could not hold on.
His only option now was to heal his injuries and then make plans.
After all, in his current state, Zhou Yan could not possibly break through to the eighth level of Body Tempering and travel to Qingzhou to find his relatives.
Whoosh!
Zhou Yan stood up and strode towards the depths of the jungle.
The jungle was deep and dense, the trees thick, blocking out the sunlight, making it appear gloomy and mysterious.
The plants around were covered with numerous venomous insects, swarming everywhere, causing a chill to run down one's spine.
Chirp chirp chirp...
Suddenly, a swarm of ants crawled over, moving with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, they had surrounded Zhou Yan.
"Soul Devouring Ants!"
Zhou Yan was so startled that he shivered all over. He quickly closed his eyes, held his breath, and let the ants crawl over his body.
Buzz!
Just then, a strange phenomenon occurred. The Soul Devouring Ants seemed to have encountered some kind of restriction and stopped their attack, retreating one by one.
"Huh?"
Zhou Yan opened his eyes, slightly surprised.
Those Soul Devouring Ants had rushed at him ferociously, as if they had no fear of death, but the moment they approached his body, they inexplicably stopped.
This scene was too bizarre.
"There must be some mechanism hidden in this jungle. I must find out what it is."
Zhou Yan's eyes flickered. After pondering for a moment, he walked directly towards the depths of the jungle.
Not long after, he arrived before a canyon.
In this area, the plants were lush, covered with vines and flowers.
And at the entrance of the canyon grew a giant tree, its branches sprawling, covering the entire canyon.
"This ancient tree is actually three meters tall!"