Chapter 143

The lake surface suddenly turned violent, massive waves roiling as if a sleeping giant beast had been awakened, roaring and rampaging. The once‑calm water now became an abyss that devoured everything.

"Careful!" Jiangnan's pupils snapped shut; he sensed a tremendous force surging from the lake bottom, bearing an aura of total destruction.

A towering wave rose from the ground like a massive hand, slamming toward the shore and sweeping Xia Yurou into it.

"Xia Yurou!" Jiangnan roared, his voice tearing the long sky.

He tipped his toe on the ground, his form like lightning, and surged toward the lake surface in an instant.

True Qi surged, forming an invisible barrier around him that kept the lake water at bay.

The wave, clutching Xia Yurou, plunged rapidly to the lake bottom and vanished.

Jiangnan hesitated not, diving headfirst into the lake, chasing toward the direction where Xia Yurou disappeared.

The icy lake water battered his body wildly, as if it would tear him apart.

He clenched his teeth, desperately diving deeper, with only one thought in his mind: rescue Xia Yurou!

Zhou Hexuan stood on the shore, terror flashing across his face; he had not expected such a terrifying presence to truly exist in the lake.

The Village Chief and Xiao Yu had long been terrified into a limp heap on the ground, trembling, their eyes filled with despair.

At the lake bottom lay darkness, with only faint light filtering in from above.

Xia Yurou, swept into the lake bottom by the wave, felt her body continuously sinking, the sense of suffocation growing ever stronger.

She struggled desperately, yet could not break free of the wave's grip, her consciousness gradually blurring.

Just as she was about to lose consciousness, a pair of powerful arms tightly embraced her.

A familiar aura arrived—it was Jiangnan!

Jiangnan, holding Xia Yurou, strained to swim upward.

He sensed a massive suction pulling from the lake bottom, hindering their ascent.

True Qi roared wildly; his eyes turned blood‑red as he used every ounce of strength to resist the force.

Suddenly, a Black Shadow shot out from the deep lake floor, attacking them.

Jiangnan's gaze hardened, and while holding Xia Yurou, he swiftly dodged.

The Black Shadow missed, rolling in the water, revealing its true form.

It was a gigantic Water Python, dozens of meters long, its body covered in black scales that glimmered with a cold, eerie light.

The Water Python gaped its blood‑filled maw, exposing sharp teeth, and lunged at them again.

"Wretched beast!" Jiangnan bellowed, murderous intent boiling in his eyes.

He shielded Xia Yurou behind him, clenched his right fist, gathered True Qi, and unleashed a crushing punch.

A golden fist shadow burst from the water, bearing a force that could fell trees, and struck the Water Python's head with a heavy blow.

The Water Python let out a mournful roar, its massive body thrashing violently in the water, stirring up successive undercurrents.

Seizing the chance, Jiangnan, still holding Xia Yurou, swiftly swam upward.

The Water Python, feeling pain, pursued even more frantically.

Jiangnan dodged the Water Python's attacks while straining upward.

At last, they burst through the surface and breathed fresh air.

Jiangnan, cradling Xia Yurou, quickly swam to the shore.

"Mr. Jiang, quickly extend your hand to me!"

Zhou Hexuan on the shore wore a frantic expression, looking toward Jiangnan and Xia Yurou.

Jiangnan furrowed his brow, his form flickering like a wraith. "Zhou Hexuan, what are you trying to do?"

Zhou Hexuan gritted his teeth: "Mr. Jiang, I was just controlled by someone!"

Jiangnan's pupils narrowed slightly, his gaze fixed on the lake surface. He sensed an abnormal ripple, a warning bell ringing deep within his heart.

"Xia Yurou, Zhou Hexuan, you go back first. The lake bottom is probably strange."

Xia Yurou looked at Jiangnan with worry: "What about you?"

Jiangnan shook his head: "I'll investigate a bit more."

Before his words finished, the lake surface suddenly boiled. Massive waves roiled as a huge force surged from the lake bottom.

Jiangnan's pupils snapped shut, his body instinctively tensing. He knew the chance had arrived.

"Careful!" Jiangnan shoved Xia Yurou aside, only to be swept by the wave into the lake himself.

Water splashed everywhere, and Jiangnan's figure vanished instantly beneath the lake surface.