Translator: CinderTL
The night-shrouded plains lay in utter silence, not even the chirping of insects or the calls of birds disturbed the stillness, as if the land were dead.
Xu Sanyan twitched his nostrils, catching a faint, fishy stench carried on the night wind—a mix of wild grass, animal dung, and body odor.
Under the cover of darkness, the group crept forward inch by inch. The six-headed dog leading the way didn't venture deep into the plains but instead skirted the edges, weaving through the trees.
The plains were vast and exposed, making them easy to spot.
Suddenly, the group halted. Xu Sanyan peered ahead and saw a massive pile of flesh looming beneath a distant hillside. Dozens of animal corpses, crudely butchered and stacked high, formed a mound over three meters tall.
Stripped of their skin and bones, the creatures were unrecognizable except for the humps on their backs and the majestic horns crowning their heads.
These must be the pack beasts, Xu Sanyan thought.
Around the meat mountain stood a dozen hastily constructed wooden huts—the Snake Clan's temporary encampment.
Xu Sanyan scanned the area and spotted three sentries on watch: two men and a woman sat together, murmuring quietly.
The darkness obscured their faces, but he could make out the woman's slender figure, tall and lean, with a long, narrow face that perfectly matched his stereotypical image of the Snake Clan.
The clan chief waved his hand lightly, and the group dispersed into a line, slowly advancing toward the wooden hut.
Suddenly, something darted from the shadows, hurtling straight toward a member of the Dog Clan. The warrior reacted with lightning speed, clamping down on the creature. Only then did Xu Sanyan realize it was a long, pitch-black snake.
Despite having its head pinned, the snake writhed relentlessly, its tail coiling around the warrior's arm as it struggled to escape.
Though no one was injured, the sudden commotion startled the three guards on night watch. They turned to peer into the pitch-black forest, but could see nothing clearly.
After a brief exchange, one of the guards cautiously approached, while the other two remained in place, ready to sound the alarm at any moment.
Realizing their ambush had failed, the clan chief abandoned all pretense of stealth. They already held the advantage, and even a direct assault posed no threat. With a low growl, he barked, "Attack!"
"Enemy attack!"
"It's the Dog Clan!"
The guards instantly recognized the approaching figures and turned to shout frantically.
The Dog Clan was easily identifiable; they always traveled with their companion dogs.
"Kill them!"
The clan chief charged forward, leaping into the air and bringing his massive fist crashing down. The guard turned to dodge, but the power gap was too great. He could only raise his arms in a desperate block.
Crack!
With a crisp snap, the man's arms broke. The massive fist slammed down on his head, instantly crushing his neck into his chest, killing him instantly.
The Snake Clan members inside the wooden huts reacted immediately, swarming out with a cacophony of hissing whistles. Rustling sounds echoed from the dark forest, as if something was moving through the undergrowth.
"Dog Clan?"
"We had an agreement! No attacks during the pack beasts' birthing season! Why are you breaking our pact?" A middle-aged woman emerged from one of the huts, her beautiful face contorted with fury.
Though the Snake Clan Leader appeared to be of advanced age, her beauty remained undiminished, even enhanced by a mature, alluring charm.
"Hmph! The Bear Clan already tore up the agreement! What's the point of talking now?" The clan chief cut her off, his figure blurring as he lunged at the woman.
Xu Sanyan glanced at the Snake Clan woman, then turned to look at the clan chief. Judging by appearances alone, it was clear who was in the right.
"Hmph! Since you're so eager to die, I'll grant you your wish!" The Snake Clan Leader gritted her teeth, glaring at the six-headed dog. She knew she was no match for it, having only undergone five blessings.
Though the Snake Clan's individual combat prowess surpassed that of the Dog Clan, they couldn't bridge the gap of an entire realm.
The Snake Clan had always been renowned for their speed. Even with a slight disparity in strength, the Dog Clan Chieftain couldn't kill the Snake Clan Leader quickly.
"Kill!"
"Ah!"
The battlefield descended into chaos.
Xu Sanyan observed from the shadows. The Snake Clan numbered around forty to fifty members, only half the size of the Dog Clan. However, their mastery of venomous snakes made them a formidable threat that couldn't be ignored.
Xu Sanyan focused his attention on three key areas: the battle between the clan chief and the Snake Clan Leader, Xun Ancai's fight, and Xun Yang's engagement.
The clan chief's battle remained locked in a stalemate, showing no signs of ending soon. Xun Ancai, surrounded by multiple opponents, held a clear advantage.
Meanwhile, Xun Yang was locked in fierce combat with the Snake Clan warriors, the fight appearing evenly matched.
Whoosh—
A sharp sound cut through the air behind Xu Sanyan. A dark streak flashed toward him, its venomous fangs glinting in the darkness as it aimed straight for his neck.
Woof!
The four-headed dogs, ever vigilant, reacted instantly. As the snake coiled to strike, they unleashed their razor-sharp claw blades, swatting the venomous creature away with a single swipe.
Xu Sanyan had already noticed the snake and was prepared to act even without the dogs' intervention.
Though these venomous snakes appeared terrifying, they were actually quite weak. They could only ambush from the shadows; once exposed, they posed no real threat.
Xu Sanyan dismissed the snake and turned his gaze back to Xun Yang. A conflict brewed in his mind as he considered whether to secretly intervene.
The Dog Clan now held a decisive advantage. If Xun Yang were to die under these circumstances, would it raise suspicions?
Even as he pondered, the situation on the battlefield had already shifted. Outnumbered and surrounded by the Dog Clan, the Snake Clan forces were steadily retreating, clearly on the verge of collapse.
Yet the clan chief remained locked in a tense stalemate. The Snake Clan Leader, as slippery as an eel, kept evading her attacks with uncanny agility, fueling the chief's growing impatience.
"Are you still not going to act?" the chief roared.
The Snake Clan Leader paused, her gaze sweeping the battlefield, her expression dark and uncertain. Did they have reinforcements?
Judging by the battle's trajectory, the outcome was all but decided. The Snake Clan had little chance of turning the tide, even with the aid of venomous snakes. The snakes were too few in number to make any real difference.
"Retreat!" the Snake Clan Leader bellowed.
Xu Sanyan sighed inwardly, deciding to hold back for now. This wasn't the right opportunity.
He hadn't expected the Snake Clan to be so easily defeated. In just a short time, they were already showing signs of collapse. If he were to launch a surprise attack on Xun Yang now, it would be far too obvious.
Having made his decision, he acted without hesitation. A sharp spike slowly materialized in the void and shot toward the Snake Clan Leader.
"Ahhh!"
The Snake Clan Leader screamed in agony, as if ten thousand needles were piercing her brain. The excruciating pain drove her to the brink of madness. She clutched her head with both hands, her crimson eyes glaring fiercely around, desperate to tear the attacker to shreds.
"Hah!"
The clan chief seized this once-in-a-millennium opportunity. With a flash, she vanished from her position.
When she reappeared, she was already before the Snake Clan Leader, her five fingers transforming into razor-sharp daggers that pierced through the leader's chest in an instant.
Pfft!
The Snake Clan Leader's eyes burned with resentment as she stared fixedly at the clan chief, her pupils gradually losing their light.
Xu Sanyan remained hidden behind a tree, his expression unchanged. He had used only a third of his soul power this time, allowing the woman to retain consciousness.
The agony of soul power depletion was too unbearable; he would avoid it at all costs.
(End of the Chapter)
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