Chapter 49: Digging Yam, Encountering a Giant Python

A sturdy wild ox ran out from the Forest; the ox was very tall, three times a person's height. When it saw A Yue, it crouched down. A Yue put on her bag and mounted the ox, then looked down at Aning from above. "Go find someone to stall Ying. We can't let him know Nan Qinghuan came here."

Dropping these words, she chattered to the ox in guttural sounds, and the ox quickly rose and walked toward the Forest. In an instant, clouds surged in the sky.

Leaves rustled, and beasts inside the Forest roared ceaselessly. This made Aning somewhat afraid. What should she do? What should she do? Should she go tell Ying about A Yue's scheme, or help A Yue kill that Nan Qinghuan? By evening, Nan Qinghuan and Axi finally arrived deep in the jungle. Here, the canopy blocked out the sky and the grass was deep. Nan Qinghuan held a stick in her hand and carried a hoe on her shoulder. She finally stopped.

She crouched down and picked up the leaves of the yam to examine them closely. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Axi, look carefully. These are yam leaves. Remember this from now on. This thing can be eaten by the children of the Tribe."

"Qinghuan, these are leaves. You can't eat them."

"What's the rush? Watch me. Step aside."

Axi didn't know how these leaves were supposed to be eaten or what Qinghuan was trying to do. She looked around—it was somewhat dark. Ying forbade anyone from coming to this place. She was afraid of Ying finding out and also afraid of danger.

"Qinghuan, hurry up. It's going to get dark."

"Coward."

Nan Qinghuan ignored her and started digging for yams. With one swing of her hoe, the dirt rolled up, and soon, thick yams appeared before her one by one.

"Axi, look. This is yam."

Axi saw that there was indeed something, but this wooden stick could be eaten? "Qinghuan, this wooden stick is yam?"

"You silly girl. This isn't a wooden stick. It's called yam. Steamed, it strengthens the spleen. I see the Tribe doesn't have many children, and there's no grain to eat right now, so eating this is the most nutritious. Come, help me. Let's dig it out together."

Axi listened in confusion, but knowing it was edible put her at ease. "Then let me help you..."

The two girls worked well together. Soon, they had dug up several dozen jin of yams. Nan Qinghuan saw it was about enough and stopped. "Axi, that's enough. Let's take it back first. I think this should be enough to eat for seven or eight days. After a while, I'll have Ying stop the men from coming. They're strong and can carry more."

"Mm. Qinghuan, you're truly so good, still thinking about our little ones not eating well. If you had come earlier, a few of the little ones could have survived. They also had fevers, but A Yue said they were possessed by evil spirits and couldn't be saved."

Hearing this, Nan Qinghuan was astonished in her heart. "That A Yue actually dares to treat human lives like grass?"

Damn it. It seemed she needed to teach this A Yue a proper lesson, otherwise she would keep using superstition to harm people.

"A Yue, she..."

"Wuu wuu..."

Suddenly, a series of beast roars came from the bushes. Axi's legs went weak with fright. She hastily gathered all the yams together and tied them with vines. "Beasts are coming. Qinghuan, let's go quickly."

Nan Qinghuan raised her eyes and saw that the canopy above the bushes seemed to block out the sky. This Primeval Forest was too dense—sunlight couldn't even reach the ground. "It's not dark yet. The beasts shouldn't come out. Don't be afraid. Let's go."

The two were about to leave when suddenly, a miserable cry came from not far away. "Help! There's a snake!"

"Someone encountered a snake?"

Nan Qinghuan immediately handed the hoe to Axi. "You go out first. I'll go save the person."

"Hey, Qinghuan, come back! Come back!"

Axi saw her running incredibly fast. She wanted to follow but she was carrying things. Right—go back and find Ying. Let Ying come save her.

Nan Qinghuan followed the woman's screams all the way there. Finally, she ran to a flat patch of ground and stopped running, because she didn't see any woman.

However, there were very heavy marks on the ground. She quickly crouched down to examine the traces on the dirt. A shallow pit had been pressed into the dirt, along with something resembling animal droppings.

The droppings were fresh. She could tell with the naked eye that these were the droppings of a large snake. Could it be... Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the bushes behind her, and her breath caught in her throat.

Swish, swish... Suddenly, a Giant Python shot out from the bushes in an instant. Its body was as thick as a large tree, its scales dark and tough. It had three heads, held its body straight up, flicking its tongue as it stared at her.

Its eyes were crimson red, carrying a bloodthirsty aura.

This was a Giant Python over ten meters long, a species she encountered for the first time. Bad—she suddenly realized these were a pair of pythons.

The one she killed last time was a male python. This one was female.

A female snake had stronger attack power than a male. Moreover, snakes held grudges heavily. Once you offended them, they would never let you go.

"Hiss, hiss..."

Sure enough, the female snake seemed to have caught the scent of the male snake remaining on her body. Nan Qinghuan drew her Fruit Knife and watched the python's movements without moving an inch. Years of experience told her she had to flee now, otherwise she wasn't even enough for this snake to eat in one meal.

The main problem was that last time Ying had helped her. This time she was alone. Taking down this snake wouldn't be easy!

Suddenly, she threw a stone to draw the Giant Python's attention, but then suddenly discovered... "Sure enough, there's something fishy."

She instantly ran toward the bushes behind her. The woman inside the bushes was instantly terrified and screamed.

"What are you running over here for?"

A Yue was stunned. This female actually lured the snake to where she was hiding.

Nan Qinghuan gave a mocking laugh. "You wanted to use a snake against me? Then let it eat you first."

The snake saw A Yue and hissed as it lunged at her. A Yue was no pushover either. She drew her bow and arrow and shot an arrow at the python with a bang.

"What are you waiting for? Come help! If I die, you won't escape either."

Nan Qinghuan knew she couldn't just watch. If A Yue died, she would die too. She rushed forward to help her. She thrust fiercely at the python's seven-inch vital spot, but unexpectedly, the python's head lunged over and bit down hard... In an instant, the python clamped onto one of Nan Qinghuan's Shoes.

"I'll make you eat people!"

She drove her knife into the python's tail. Instantly, blood flowed freely.

The python let out a screech and dragged its body as it lunged at them again. She looked up at the tree. "You go up the tree and lure it. I'll kill the snake."

A Yue was a wild woman. Her tree-climbing skill was top-notch. In an instant, she indeed climbed up the tree barefoot, and the python indeed chased after her.

Seeing the snake about to bite A Yue's bare foot, Nan Qinghuan seized the moment and stabbed hard at the python's tail with her knife. Instantly, blood gushed out.

"Wuu wuu..."

The python, in pain, couldn't bother biting A Yue and turned to slither toward Nan Qinghuan. Nan Qinghuan seized the right moment and coordinated with A Yue inside and out. A Yue suddenly chopped off one of the snake's heads.

Seeing the snake struggling to escape, Nan Qinghuan instantly thrust hard into the snake's seven-inch vital spot, but unexpectedly...