novelThe Mutated Colossal Centipede
| ← Ch.205 | Ch.207 → |
Translator: Minotauruz
Jun Xiaomo had emphasized time and again that she would be entrusting Wei Gaolang with the right to decide whether to rescue the next set of cultivators in trouble. Since she had given her word, she would never dispute his decision once he had made up his mind.
The most important thing to note was that each of them possessed several talismans with them. Even if they were unable to defeat the oncoming beast, they would still be able to retreat with their lives intact. Thus, there was no real risk to life and limb here.
Chen Feiyu thought the same way as well. Thus, he waved his hand and instructed, "Prepare to rescue them."
When he noticed how decisive Chen Feiyu was, Wei Gaolang's expressions became even more rigid. He was afraid that his decision would end up hurting his martial brothers and sisters.
Jun Xiaomo walked over towards Wei Gaolang and patted his shoulders, "Don't worry, since you've already decided, then deal with it bravely. Whether it's a good or best decision, you've got to learn to accept the decision you've made."
Just like how she had dealt with all of her decisions in her past – it was only when one etched and carved these decisions on their heart that they would be able to learn and mature.
Wei Gaolang thought about what Jun Xiaomo had just said. He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, before nodding resolutely, "Alright. I understand, martial sister!"
Jun Xiaomo smiled as she patted his head. Then, she turned around and looked towards the feelers that were flailing about madly in the sky, and a complicated look flashed across the depths of her eyes.
This kind of pressure... I'm afraid only spiritual beasts at the secondary-tier, seventh grade would possess such fearsome pressure. I wonder if this creature is already in the Golden Core stage of cultivation.
Luo Xuyuan of the Dragontiger Sect believed their team to be incredibly unlucky. As soon as they had been transported to the marshlands for the group battles, they encountered several creatures that looked like spiders that chased them wherever they ran to. These creatures even spat sticky, web-like substances at them to restrain their movements.
It took them quite a lot of efforts before they managed to escape from the spiders and their web-like substances. Then, while they were munching on their rations, the Dragontiger Sect disciples noticed an object on the floor gleaming in the sunlight. They thought that this must be one of the treasures hidden by the organizing committee in the marshlands. Thus, they skipped over to take a closer look in elation. To their dismay, they discovered on closer examination that this was hardly any treasure at all – it was none other than a pair of eyes belonging to a monstrous creature that was staring straight back at them.
No, it could not be said that this was a pair of eyes staring back at them, because the eyes that they saw were only two of the innumerable eyes on this monstrous creature's body.
This creature looked almost akin to a centipede, but it was far more hideous and vicious-looking. Its body was covered with innumerable eyes, and these eyes even had the ability to gleam faintly in the dark.
This was something that the creature did in order to lure in unsuspecting prey into its own domain.
Just like that, the innumerable eyes on this creature locked onto the twenty disciples from the Dragontiger Sect, and they all stared transfixed at the disciples. One can only imagine the kind of feeling they got when innumerable eyes gazed straight at them with an intent to devour...
It was chilling. It gave all of them the creeps!
In the very next moment, the Dragontiger Sect disciples immediately began running for their lives, and the Colossal Centipede began to chase after them with its countless legs that densely filled the underside of their body. Not only did the Colossal Centipede look incredibly hideous, it even emanated an incredibly powerful aura as it began to lurch at the disciples.
Although the Dragontiger Sect's name inspires confidence, they were in fact one of the smaller and weaker sects participating in this iteration of the Secondary Inter-Sect Competition. The Dragontiger Sect had been established not too long ago, and their disciples did not possess incredible cultivation talents as well. Thus, their performance has been average at best.
At the same time, there were no expectations or pressure that they should perform well during these competitions. They had only hoped to be able to obtain some small prizes for participation once the competition ended.
After all, it was a part of the Secondary Inter-Sect Competition rules that no matter where a sect placed at the end of the competition, everyone would be awarded with a small prize for participation. Naturally, those who placed among the top three would be rewarded with far greater prizes.
But as things turned out, the disciples knew that they might very well lose their lives even before obtaining these rewards.
Furthermore, what they found the most vile and astonishing was the fact that innumerable feelers began to stretch out from the back of the centipede and flail about as they seemed to cover the whole sky with a hazy gloom.
Where the hell did these feelers come from?!
"Ahh—" A tragic cry rang out. Luo Xuyuan's heart shuddered, and he grimaced as he glanced back. This single look made his heart sink and his innards lurch and retch –
Their leader had just been caught by the Colossal Centipede. With one bite, the Dragontiger Sect's leader had only half his body remaining, while fresh blood spewed from the mouth of the Colossal Centipede.
What do we do now?! Our leader's dead. Are we going to perish here as well?!
Luo Xuyuan knew that he did not have the luxury of time to ponder so much about this. He simply dug deep and ran ahead as fast as he could. Then, he discovered another team in the distance, and his eyes brightened momentarily.
"He-... help... help us..." Luo Xuyuan mustered all of his strength as he cried out to the team in the distance. His teammates did the same as well.
They had in fact encountered another team earlier, but that team immediately turned around and ran with their tail between their legs as soon as they noticed the Colossal Centipede pursuing the Dragontiger Sect. They completely ignored Luo Xuyuan's earlier cry for help.
And the truth of the matter was that Luo Xuyuan understood why they had done so. It was completely the discretion of the other team whether they were going to save them or not. Besides, the decision to save entailed throwing themselves directly in harm's way.
Yet despite understanding their rationale, his heart still felt incredibly bitter and astringent when the other team ran away. After all, if there was a chance for survival, who would be willing to perish? Did they not step on the path of cultivation so that they could extend their lifespan and potentially become immortals?
Thus, having failed once before, Luo Xuyuan did not harbour much hope that this second team would respond to their cries for help and render aid to them.
He had already braced himself for the other team turning around and running away as soon as they saw the cloud of feelers that were wildly thrashing about. Yet to his pleasant surprise, the other team responded to their call for help and ran directly towards them.
Luo Xuyuan's heart quivered, and a wave of joy erupted from the depths of his heart as he ran quickly towards them...
But as soon as he noticed the identity of the team that responded to their cries for help, Luo Xuyuan's heart sank to the depths once more.
It couldn't be helped. Jun Xiaomo's red garments were simply too striking, while Chen Feiyu, who had been crowned the champion of the Middle Category battles, was also an incredibly familiar and recognizable face to all of them.
Anyone participating in these group battles knew that the average strength of the team sent by the Dawn Sect was incredibly weak. Their team did not even comprise of any single cultivator at the twelfth level of Qi Mastery or above. This team's participation reeked of sabotage and abuse.
Thus, as soon as Luo Xuyuan recognized that these disciples were from the Dawn Sect, Luo Xuyuan's heart fell straight back into a state of despondence and despair. After all, even their team leader at the twelfth level of Qi Mastery had perished to the Colossal Centipede.
In his despair, Luo Xuyuan deliberated sullenly – Forget it. Since we're fated to perish, what's the point in dragging a group of innocent people down together with us?
Luo Xuyuan steeled his resolve, before mustering the rest of his strength and yelling at the Heavenly Peak disciples who were quickly approaching them, "Hey—Don't come over anymore! Run for your lives – you won't be able to defeat this creature behind us!"
His loud voice attracted the attention of the Colossal Centipede, and its tens and tens of eyes immediately shifted their deadly gaze towards Luo Xuyuan's body.
Luo Xuyuan felt a shiver run down his spine, before he reflexively turned around and attempted to block the centipede's strike with his weapon. Crack! His weapon was struck directly by one of the Colossal Centipede's feelers which then left a huge crack running across his weapon. Massive amounts of spiritual energy began to flow out of his weapon, and his weapon very quickly lost its original luster as it faded dimly.
He knew that he was at the end of the road. He no longer had a weapon with him, so how could he possibly block the Colossal Centipede's next attack?
Then, another feeler on the centipede's back lashed over towards Luo Xuyuan. Having accepted his fate, he slowly shut his eyes and awaited death.
But moments later, he discovered that he was still alive, and a pungent scent even assaulted his olfactory senses. This scent smelled akin to the nauseating smell of rotting flesh.
He opened his eyes once more. In the next moment, his eyes widened in complete astonishment – the Dawn Sect disciples had leapt straight into the fray and they had speedily and effectively bound the feet of the massive Colossal Centipede.
The feeler that had earlier lashed straight towards him had already been cleaved in half, and putrid, green blood spewed from the remains of the feeler on the ground as wafts of nauseating scent diffused into the surroundings.
"Urgh..." Luo Xuyuan gagged uncontrollably, but nothing came out.
"The hell! This creature's abilities are far stronger than the swamp monsters we've been fighting. And I can't seem to cut its feelers no matter how hard I try. How are we supposed to fight with it?!" Wei Gaolang fought as he complained, "Ugh... and it's so smelly too!"
However, even though Wei Gaolang appeared to despise this Colossal Centipede's sturdy shell and disgusting appearances, it was evident that he was hardly afraid of it at all.
Their earlier practice had borne fruit. He trusted his martial brothers and sisters around, and he firmly believed that they would be able to defeat this Colossal Centipede with their combined efforts.
On the other side, Jun Xiaomo continued to battle and restrain the Colossal Centipede's movement as she thought about the appropriate countermeasures to deal with it. Then, when she finally found the time to glance back at the Dragontiger Sect disciples who were staring at the battle unfolding before their very eyes with gaping mouths, she lashed out at the ground in front of them with her whip and chuckled coldly, "Your weapon is damaged, but don't you guys know how to use spells either? Or do you guys intend to stand around there while we rescue you and subdue this creature for you?!"
Jun Xiaomo's whiplash had struck the ground near Luo Xuyuan's feet, and he was instantly jolted back to his senses.
He quickly signaled to the rest of the Dragontiger Sect disciples as he instructed, "Let's help out as well!"
Since their official leader had perished to the Colossal Centipede, Luo Xuyuan, who possessed the next highest cultivation level, had naturally assumed the responsibility of leading the rest of his team. Thus, everyone complied with his latest set of instructions.
The Dragontiger Sect disciples began to rush forward and render their assistance to the Heavenly Peak disciples. Those with weapons used their weapons, while those without weapons began to attack the Colossal Centipede with their spells.
It was peculiar. The Dragontiger Sect disciples had initially thought that the Heavenly Peak disciples would be giving up their lives for nothing if they joined the fray. Yet the result was quite the opposite – not only did the Heavenly Peak disciples rush into the fray boldly and bravely, they had even subdued the massive creature.
None of them could pinpoint what exactly it was that they had done, but the Dragontiger Sect disciples knew that every attack launched against the Colossal Centipede was for some reason incredibly effective even though these attacks could not be described as incredibly strong.
The Heavenly Peak disciples' manner of combat could even be described as a graceful dance that was elegant and pleasing to the eyes.
With such niggling thoughts at the back of their minds, the Dragontiger Sect disciples found themselves joining hands with the Heavenly Peak disciples as they slowly but surely wore down the Colossal Centipede until it finally died.
That's right. It had been completely worn down to death. Didn't the Colossal Centipede enjoy grabbing its prey with its feelers and sending them straight into its mouths? What the Heavenly Peak disciples had done was to slowly but surely cut off each and every one of these feelers until nothing else remained.
The Colossal Centipede lay completely motionless on the ground as its putrid, green blood continued to flow profusely from the stumps on its back where the feelers originally had been. Having ascertained that the creature was now completely dead, the Dragontiger Sect disciples turned around and stared slightly aghast at the Heavenly Peak disciple as though they were staring a group of monsters –
What kind of strength was this?! With cultivation no higher than the eleventh level of Qi Mastery, this group of astonishing disciples had completely overwhelmed and worn down the Colossal Centipede just like that!
| ← Ch. 205 | Ch. 207 → |