Chapter 37

The candlelight inside the fortress suddenly dimmed, then violently swayed, dragging the shadows of the two people and the Young Dragon on the wall like ghosts.

Outside the fortress, in that deep darkness, something… has arrived!

Beside, the intact snake egg suddenly had a fine crack appear on its shell surface; then, as if a boulder had struck ice, the crack instantly spread wildly in all directions, so fast that one might mistake it for an illusion caused by flickering candlelight.

Crack!

A sharper crack than the bursting candlefire made Li Qingxuan and Li Feifei whip their heads around, their gazes locked onto the intact snake egg in the corner.

That fine crack on the egg shell was now spreading at a frantic speed, soon crawling over the entire surface of the egg!

Eggshell fragments fluttered off, then the shell shattered completely!

A soggy lump coated in viscous fluid shot out from the fragments, slamming heavily onto the floor with a dull 'thud' that sent chills down the spine.

It had no limbs, only a pitch‑black snake body so thick it was wildly disproportionate to its newborn size, thrashing and rolling in the slime, each motion flinging more liquid.

Its scales were not the warm blue of a Chi Tiger but pure, light‑devouring jet black, each edge serrated and sharp, giving off an oily sheen in the dim light.

It raised its head—not the naïve, majestic antlered dragon head of a Chi Tiger cub, but a pure, ferocious snake head!

On its triangular head lay dense black scales; its vertical pupils, like red‑hot branding irons, shot out icy, greedy, emotionless blood‑red light in the darkness!

That red light swept across the room in an instant, carrying a primal, intense craving for flesh, and locked precisely onto Li Qingxuan, the nearest target!

A gloomy, violent, primordial invisible pressure crashed down like a demon from hell!

The air seemed drained; each breath brought a sweet‑sickly stench of viscous black fluid and a chill that sank to the bone.

Li Qingxuan pressed his hand to his weapon, instinctively stepping sideways to shield the frozen Li Feifei completely behind him.

【Weird Creature: Swallow Sky Python Cub】

【Type: Flesh Type】

【Constitution: 48】

【Spirit: 32】

【Rank: F Rank】

【Abilities: Swallow Heaven, Death Entanglement, Thunderbolt Tail Blade】

【Weak Points: Head, Seven‑inch Weakspot】

【Description: A top‑tier serpentine creature, possessing terrifying constriction power and a tail strike capable of piercing rock, currently in its juvenile stage】

The newborn python seemed to adapt to the slime's restraint; its thick body coiled and sprang, raising its upper half until its triangular head was nearly level with Li Qingxuan's chest.

The blood‑filled maw, coated in slime, slowly opened, revealing icy‑glinting ivory fangs, and a richer reek of blood washed over.

Hiss—hah—!

A sharp, rasping hiss burst from deep within its throat, like metal scraping glass, carrying the newborn's ferocity and greed for flesh, instantly shattering the silent air inside the stronghold!

Though not loud, the sound was icy and sticky, like a venomous snake's tongue lightly licking the eardrum, making the scalp tingle and the spine instantly chill.

Li Feifei stared at the snake before her, terrified, 'Quick, get rid of it.' Sensing her master's emotion, the Chi Tiger stepped in front of Li Feifei, as if erecting a barrier between her and the Swallow Sky Python.

The python's triangular head suddenly contracted, then, like a spring pulled to its limit, it shot forward with a tearing‑air crack straight at Li Qingxuan's face!

The bloody reek washed over him, and the slime‑slick blood‑filled maw instantly filled his entire vision, its ivory teeth flashing deadly cold light!

Li Qingxuan dared not strike hard, fearing he might accidentally kill it, and snapped his wrist, slapping the blade's flat against the snake's head!

Clang—!

The piercing metal clang rang out in the cramped study! The young python's strike was blocked, its vertical pupils flooding with blood‑red light; its thick body thrashed wildly, its black scales slick with slime scraping the floor and emitting a grating 'scratch‑scratch' sound.

The pushed‑aside snake head did not retreat; instead it flung its slime‑covered tail like a heavy steel whip, accompanied by a howling wind, lashing hard at Li Qingxuan's lower body—its speed and force utterly unlike that of a newborn!

Li Qingxuan went with the motion, driving his weapon down, thrusting with his waist and abdomen, and leapt sharply backward!

Smack!

The snake's tail whipped the spot where he had just stood, shattering the hard stone tiles, and fine stone fragments sprayed out like shotgun pellets!

Li Qingxuan enveloped the Swallow Sky Python with his spirit, his spiritual power surging forth like an invisible tide and instantly enveloping the young python.

The invisible spiritual barrier instantly contracted and squeezed, like a cold, heavy shackle, tightly locking down every inch of the python's surging ferocity!

The snake's body stiffened instantly, as if plunged into solidified amber, its formerly lightning‑quick movements turning sluggish and viscous.

In those twin blood‑red vertical pupils blazing with primal greed, Li Qingxuan's figure came into clear focus for the first time—no longer a vague flesh target, but a presence that instinctively made its soul feel oppressed and tremble.

"Hiss—!" the young python let out a short, painful hiss, its raised head slammed to the ground by an invisible force.

Its black scales, coated in viscous fluid, scraped violently against the cracked stone tiles, emitting a piercing scraping sound.

It instinctively tried to struggle, its thick tail beating the ground in vain, only kicking up more foul‑smelling slime and stone dust, each swing feeling heavy and laborious.

That violent ferocity rising from deep within its bloodline, under this pure spiritual suppression, was like a branding iron plunged into icy water—it hissed in resentment but could not break free.

Li Qingxuan's eyes were icy as a cold pool, his spirit highly concentrated, a steady stream of power flowing out to maintain absolute suppression over the young python.

He could clearly feel the terrifying power lurking beneath the black snake's body frantically battering the spiritual barrier—this newborn monster's nature was astonishingly violent!

The Chi Tiger cub also ceased its low growl, its obsidian‑like eyes fixed on the restrained Swallow Sky Python, its small body still tense, emitting a low, warning hum from its throat as its forepaws dug anxiously at the ground, as if ready to pounce and tear at any moment.

The study reeked of strong blood‑smell and dust from shattered stone tiles; the candle flame, whipped by the fierce recent motion, flickered wildly, casting the stretched, twisted silhouette of the man and python locked in stalemate upon the wall, like a scene of gods and demons confronting each other in an ancient mural.

Li Qingxuan compressed and focused his spiritual power, imprinting it deep into the Swallow Sky Python's mind.

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