Jiang Xingze’s words were undeniably encouraging. What were all the Snake Catchers Ascending the Mountain for if not to catch snakes? How could they be intimidated now that a snake had actually appeared?
It didn’t matter if it was a Vampire Snake or a Snake Demon. Fear was one thing, but since it had appeared so brazenly, they had to catch it. Otherwise, how could the Snake Catchers of Bai Town ever show their faces again?
At that mont, a sturdy, powerfully built middle-aged man holding a Snake Hook stepped forward. His eyes were fixed on the terrifying Vampire Snake, which stood with its head held high. His voice bood like a great bell, "I’ll catch it. A snake is just a snake. It can’t defy the heavens."
No matter how mighty Sun Wukong was, he could never escape the Tathagata Buddha’s Five Finger Mountain.
"Master Li, you’ve got this! We’re counting on you!"
If it were the Supre Profound Snake, the Snake Catchers would be fighting over who got to go first. But against a Vampire Snake, few wanted to be the one to stick their neck out. They all wanted to wait and see.
"Hmph. Just you watch."
With his Snake Hook in hand and his gaze as sharp as a torch, Master Li swung it, smashing it down toward the upright Vampire Snake.
He didn’t try to hook it, because he knew a Vampire Snake like this wouldn’t be so easily caught.
"HISS HISS..."
Seeing soone attack it, the malice in the Vampire Snake’s pupils intensified, flashing with a cold light. It moved in an instant, becoming like a phantom. Its fiery red stripes swirled, creating a bewitching dance that was strangely beautiful.
"Ah..."
The instant the Vampire Snake moved, Master Li let out a bloodcurdling scream. His face went deathly pale as he stared at his own calf in disbelief.
Sohow, the Vampire Snake had already bitten his calf. It was fast—so fast the naked eye could barely track it.
Terrifying. It was truly terrifying. Everyone on the scene sucked in a cold breath, stunned and bewildered, frozen like clay statues.
The fire-red Vampire Snake latched onto Master Li’s calf and refused to let go, seeming to make a sucking motion.
"Oh no! It’s sucking his blood!"
They were all stunned speechless. A snake drinking blood... they had never seen such a thing.
Master Li was paralyzed with terror. His eyes filled with fright as he watched the Vampire Snake sucking the blood from his calf like a maggot clinging to a bone. He could clearly feel his blood draining away at a rapid pace. Worst of all, ever since the snake had bitten him, his entire body had beco rigid and unable to move.
It was as if he’d been anesthetized. All he could do was watch, his face turning pale as his heart spasd in terror.
"Save ! Help !" Master Li cried out, his voice hoarse and desperate.
Everyone knew the legendary Vampire Snake was difficult to deal with. It possessed terrifying fangs and could suck a person’s blood like a Vampire, a reputation enough to make anyone tremble with fear.
But that was all rumor and legend. No one had ever truly seen one. Or perhaps, those who had were all dead.
Snake Catchers were a proud lot, confident they had seen every kind of snake. But today, at this mont, this snake’s display made them feel true terror.
This snake... it truly wasn’t sothing a human could handle. It was too terrifying. They had no choice but to admit it.
Master Li couldn’t move, and the other Snake Catchers were also frozen in place, once again terrified by the snake’s actions.
SWOOSH...!
A sound of sothing cutting through the air rang out as a stone shot toward the Vampire Snake.
CLANG.
The stone struck its Snake Skin and was imdiately deflected. The Vampire Snake’s pupils glinted coldly. Its slender body perford a ritualistic dance upon its victim’s calf. Under the sunlight, its vivid, fiery red patterns were so striking they filled one with dread and unease.
"Don’t just stand there gawking! Save him!"
From the crowd, a tall man with a Snake Basket at his waist and leg bindings strode forward. He moved with the grace of a dragon and the power of a tiger, his eyes bright and sharp, seeming to gleam with Essence.
"Master He! This is great! You’re here too!"
He Zhennan was a famous Snake Catcher in Bai Town, a household na with imnse prestige. He was the one who had thrown the stone just now.
The mont He Zhennan arrived, everyone grew excited, as if the leaderless group had finally found its head.
Without a word, he revealed the golden Snake Hook in his hand. One look was enough to tell its quality was extraordinary, clearly different from the hooks of ordinary Snake Catchers.
He Zhennan swung the golden Snake Hook toward the Vampire Snake on the injured Master Li’s calf. The air itself seed to tremble from the sheer force of the blow.
The Vampire Snake was highly intelligent. As if sensing this man would be trouble, it didn’t dare to take the hit. It released its bite and, with a Shift Form and Position, shot five ters away.
"Quick, carry Master Li away! This snake is tough. Let handle it."
He Zhennan’s eyes glead sharply. He took three small steps toward the Vampire Snake, a terrifying aura pulsing from his body.
"HISS HISS..."
The Vampire Snake seed to sense the dangerous aura from the tall, imposing man who had suddenly appeared. It let out two sharp hisses, then raised its head, flicking its tongue at He Zhennan. It showed no fear, its Snake Pupils filled with a look of disdain.
He Zhennan’s command carried weight. Several people imdiately did as he said, hastily carrying Master Li from the scene. The crowd then watched as man and snake faced off, neither willing to back down.
The Vampire Snake’s expression was now ferocious. Its Snake Pupils radiated a cold, sinister light as it stared at He Zhennan as if he were already a dead man.
An ordinary person stared at like this by the Vampire Snake would be trembling, their legs turning to jelly. But He Zhennan was a Snake Catching Master with decades of experience. There was no snake he couldn’t handle. The fearso aura he emitted was enough to make common vipers submit obediently.
In an instant, from the snake’s cold gaze, He Zhennan was certain of one thing: this snake held grudges and would seek revenge for the smallest slight.
Even if he let this snake go today, it would never let him go.
It is often said that snakes are extrely vengeful creatures. If you hit or try to kill a snake but fail to finish the job, it will seek revenge against you. In fact, stories of snakes taking revenge are not unheard of; they have been countless since ancient tis.
Whether true stories or folk legends, they all speak to the terrifying and vengeful nature of snakes.
"An’Er, watch as your Master avenges you!"
Suddenly, He Zhennan’s eyes beca bloodshot. He let out a furious roar that made everyone’s head ache.
Upon hearing this, Tu Xiao’an, who had been hiding in the grass, felt his snake body tremble. A complex look filled his eyes as he murmured to himself, ’Master.’
That’s right. Tu Xiao’an had learned the art of snake catching from He Zhennan. Not only was He Zhennan his master, but he was also his own father’s fellow disciple.
His father had passed away at an early age, so it was only natural for Tu Xiao’an to take He Zhennan as his master.
Since his father’s death, He Zhennan had taken great care of his family. He had personally taught him the techniques of snake catching, treating him like his own son. Today, seeing his master appear was a complete surprise to Tu Xiao’an.
Because ten years ago, his master had retired from the Jianghu, washed his hands of the business, and stopped catching snakes.
The reason was that one year, while Ascending the Mountain to catch snakes with his father, he had stumbled into a Snake Cave and been attacked by a swarm of snakes. To save him, his father was bitten by several venomous snakes and ultimately died from the poison.
From then on, overco with guilt, He Zhennan retired from the Jianghu and took Tu Xiao’an as his disciple.
Tu Xiao’an vaguely rembered the day he was preparing to Ascend the Mountain to catch the Vampire Snake. His master had earnestly advised him, "An’Er, the legendary Mutated Bloodsucker Snake is extrely difficult to deal with. Even I am not confident I could handle it. You are still young. Although your snake-catching skills are outstanding, you still lack experience. You must not go up the mountain to catch it, or you will be in danger."
Unfortunately, at the ti, Tu Xiao’an was just starting his career. He was young and reckless, looking down on all venomous snakes. He only wanted to catch a rare Snake Species and make a na for himself throughout the world.
How could he miss such an opportunity?
Tu Xiao’an was killed by the Vampire Snake, a tragedy that shocked Bai Town. That was why no Snake Catcher had tried to hunt it afterward. With his disciple dead, He Zhennan was utterly heartbroken, to the point he wished he were dead himself.
How could he face his junior brother, who had saved his life, when he had failed to protect his son?
So, He Zhennan decided to co out of retirent and avenge his disciple. Unfortunately, by then, the Vampire Snake had also disappeared.
When the second wave of the snake-catching craze began, He Zhennan deduced that the Supre Profound Snake would lure out the cannibalistic Vampire Snake. He decided to Ascend the Mountain to deal with it and avenge his disciple.
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