Chapter 458: Chapter 458: Yao Ming
Deep within the Underground Serene Snake Network lay an immense black abyss. This abyss spanned a width of three hundred meters and seemed to have no bottom. An astonishingly dark and icy aura surged upward from its depths, akin to a relentless gale. If an ordinary expert were to be here, they would feel their blood and Dou Qi freeze.
At the abyss's bottom lay the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe's holy pool, the Nine Serene Spring. This was Xiao Ming's current objective.
Imprisoned beneath the abyss was the former tribal chief, Yao Ming, who had achieved the strength of a two-star Dou Saint. Once he was liberated, the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe would naturally be at Xiao Ming's disposal.
At that point, the Huang Quan Stone Tablet, which held the inheritance of the Demon Saint Huang Quan, would also be at his disposal.
The deep abyss had minimal defenses, as everyone understood that the incessant dark and cold gales blowing from its depths served as natural guards. Even Dou Ancestor-level experts wouldn't dare venture too deep.
Chi!
Amidst the unending gusts of chilling wind, the space suddenly distorted, and a figure slowly appeared. It was naturally Xiao Ming.
He cast a fleeting glance at the pitch-black abyss and gave a faint smile before moving on without delay.
The abyss was profoundly deep. Even with his speed, he only managed to see the ground of the abyss after around five minutes or so.
An extremely huge lake appeared in his eyes as he approached the ground. A dark and chilly aura that could freeze the Dou Qi within one's body spread from it.
The lake was vast, its water taking on a deep yellow hue. Threads of a blood-like luster seemed to flow within the deep yellow color. Wisps of pale yellow vapor, mixed with faint traces of blood, seeped out and eventually rose to the sky.
'This should be the legendary Nine Serene Spring.' Xiao Ming mused, a smile forming on his lips. He approached the lake with measured steps. With his approach, waves of chilling aura surged toward him.
As he reached the lakeshore, Xiao Ming hesitated briefly. Then, he lowered his hand, submerging his palm into the water. An icy-cold power immediately spread outward.
Simultaneously, visible to the naked eye, a layer of deep yellow ice crystals swiftly encased his palm, spreading from there to his arm.
Xiao Ming retracted his hand and gave it a shake, shattering the ice crystals instantly.
'This chilling sensation rivals the Endless Spirit Ice. Even the Nine Serene Deep Ground Pythons won't be able to endure this for long. The Nine Serene Spring is truly extraordinary.'
Even as a Dou Saint who had long been immune to extreme temperatures, Xiao Ming felt the long-forgotten chill within the Nine Serene Spring.
It was worth noting that when Xiao Ming obtained the Endless Spirit Ice, he hadn't experienced this sensation. Although this was partly due to the Endless Spirit Ice's more subtle nature and his use of the Heavenly Flame, it demonstrated just how immense the chilling energy of this Nine Serene Spring was.
No wonder Medusa was able to directly break through to the Dou Saint realm by using this place.
Shaking off his wandering thoughts, Xiao Ming's mind flickered, and a dense Heavenly Flame quickly permeated out of countless pores on his body. The horrifying high temperature clashed with the cold aura upon contact, resulting in an immense white mist surging out.
Splash!
After summoning the Heavenly Flame, Xiao Ming's figure moved, directly diving into the Nine Serene Spring. Then, with lightning-like speed, he shot towards the abyss's bottom.
Sizzle!
Under the water's surface, the flames enveloping Xiao Ming clashed fiercely with the frigid lake water imbued with a chilling aura.
He could sense the intense collision, and his Dou Qi consumption was rapidly increasing. Even though his Dou Qi was richer than that of an average Dou Saint of the same stage, he wasn't eager to test how long he could withstand within the Nine Serene Spring.
His speed increased dramatically with a simple movement of his body. As he darted through the pitch-black lake bottom, he transformed into an afterimage and left a water trail in the Nine Serene Spring.
The Heavenly Flame wildly surged as Xiao Ming ventured deeper into the Nine Serene Spring. The dark and cold force grew stronger as he went deeper. He eventually had to use all of his strength to circulate his Dou Qi and scatter the cold Qi that had invaded his body.
When Xiao Ming left, he left a water trail with his flames in the water, which was quickly swallowed up by the chilling lake waters. This disturbance, however, alerted the lake's native inhabitants.
Hiss!
A strange hissing sound echoed and reached Xiao Ming's ears. His expression remained unchanged as he extended his soul power, revealing dark silhouettes in his perception.
The shadowy figures resembled snakes, with pitch-black bodies, crimson snake eyes, and flickering tongues. They swiftly approached him at incredible speed.
Xiao Ming reacted swiftly. The moment the figures emerged, he swung a fist, and a powerful gust of wind sliced through the water. While slightly weakened, it still turned the snake-like creatures into a mass of flesh.
As if a switch had been triggered, numerous strange snakes emerged from the lake. With their crimson eyes glaring, they hissed and roared, aggressively charging towards him.
Sizzle!
While still a considerable distance from Xiao Ming, these creatures opened their massive jaws. Countless dark water arrows shot forth from their mouths in an instant.
Upon encountering the lake water, it naturally split apart, accelerating the speed of the water arrows. The whirring sound of arrows slicing through the air shook the surrounding lake water, producing a deep, explosive sound.
"Tsk, reckless fools!"
Xiao Ming's expression turned cold. He glanced behind him before clenching his hand. A cluster of flames appeared within it. He then flung the flames back, and they swiftly expanded into a fire cloud that spread out.
The fire cloud expanded into a sea of fire. Even though the dark and cold force couldn't be extinguished, the strange snakes failed to halt in time, causing them to collide with the sea of fire. The high temperature incinerated all of the strange snakes that collided with it in an instant.
Squeak, squeak!
Facing such frightening fire, fear crept into the hearts of the creatures. After losing a significant number of their kin, they finally pulled back. No longer daring to approach, they could only spew black water arrows from a distance, gradually extinguishing the sea of flames bit by bit…
But, by this time, Xiao Ming had vanished without a trace.
Xiao Ming's gaze scanned the area below after shaking off those annoying creatures, only to discover a glow. His spirits rose, and he accelerated his pace. He arrived at the glowing location a split second later.
Before him stood an immensely vast expanse of sandy ground. Countless fist-sized rock fragments were scattered across it.
A luster flickered from these rock fragments. The emitted glow was the reason why the bottom of the lake appeared relatively bright.
'So, this is the bottom of the Nine Serene Spring. If my assumptions are correct, the former tribal chief of the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe, Yao Ming, must have been sealed by his own brother here.'
Xiao Ming's gaze swept in all directions, examining any unusual spots nearby. In such a confined space, if someone were hidden here, they would be easily noticed.
"Save me... Sa...ve... me..."
Just as Xiao Ming was searching, an extremely faint groaning sound suddenly reached his ears, passing through the barriers of the water's flow.
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