Luo Zhen could feel the power thrumming under his scales. The recent upgrade had filled him with a new kind of confidence; in terms of raw power, he was finally on equal footing with the Demonic Tiger and the Wolf King.
Just a day after his breakthrough, the two alphas returned to his mountain peak. But this time, the air wasn't thick with hostility. Instead, they approached with an unmistakable gesture of peace. The three of them—a serpent, a tiger, and a wolf—held a silent summit. Though they couldn't speak the same tongue, their shared intelligence allowed for a rough, instinctual understanding.
After about an hour, the tiger and the wolf departed. Watching them go, Luo Zhen pieced together their offer. They were acknowledging his territory, the mountain peak he'd claimed as his own. He was free to rule it, even to gather his own followers.
But there was a catch. If a stronger, outside threat ever appeared, he was expected to fight alongside them. It was the same logic that had united them against him when he first arrived—two rivals instantly becoming allies to face a common enemy. The motivation was simple: resources. The Duan Kong Mountain Range only had so much to offer, and every new powerhouse meant a smaller piece of the pie for everyone else.
Of course, this alliance had its limits. If an outsider proved strong enough to defeat their combined forces, as Luo Zhen had, they would be accepted into the fold.
Beyond rival beasts, there was another, more hated enemy: the human martial artists from the nearby Cangshan County. For decades, a brutal war had raged between them. The humans loved to hunt in the mountains, seeking valuable pelts and flesh to sell for a profit. In turn, the beasts slaughtered any human who dared to venture into their domain. It was a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle of hatred that left both sides dreaming of the other's complete annihilation.
Luo Zhen couldn't care less about their ancient feud. He was just here to cultivate his power. Once he grew strong enough that this place could no longer sustain him, he'd be gone.
With a flick of his tongue, he slithered back into his den and pulled up his internal interface.
"System," he projected, "is there a way for me to properly communicate with the other beasts?"
It was a fundamental need. He could form words, but they couldn't. It was a barrier he needed to overcome.
A moment later, the System responded. "Host can learn the skill [Universal Beast Language] to achieve normal communication with other demonic beasts."
"Universal Beast Language, huh? That's got a nice ring to it," Luo Zhen mused. "What's the catch?" He knew this System well enough to know nothing was free.
"Host may acquire the language skill [Universal Beast Language] for 300 experience points."
Luo Zhen's spirit sank. "Three hundred? Are you kidding me? That's a damn ripoff."
A simple communication skill with zero combat application was costing him half the experience he needed for his next major level-up. The System was as greedy as ever. But he had no choice. Exchanging information was essential for survival here. For now, though, he was broke. He'd have to start grinding.
He crawled out of his cave and got back to the painstaking work of digging for energy-rich qi stones. His cultivation speed was already unnaturally fast—what other beast dared to swallow these stones whole? Only his System made it possible.
He worked tirelessly for over a week, and once his experience points finally hit the 300 mark, he immediately purchased the skill.
"Payment successful!" the voice echoed in his mind. "You have acquired [Universal Beast Language]!"
The moment the notification faded, the world erupted in sound. A strange, wonderful shift occurred in his perception, and suddenly, stray noises sharpened into meaning.
"Chirp, chirp! Where should we hunt for worms today?"
"Over by the south stream! Chirp!"
"Great idea! Let's go!"
Luo Zhen looked up to see a pair of small birds taking flight from a distant branch. He had just understood them.
"Well, this is interesting," he thought, a thrill running through him. The ability to hear the world's secret conversations was a game-changer. At the very least, he wouldn't be so lonely anymore.
He set off on an aimless patrol, enjoying his newfound senses. He'd been so focused on digging and training that he'd forgotten to simply explore. This was his home for the foreseeable future; it was time he got to know the lay of the land.
As he moved through the jungle, a chorus of voices washed over him—the chatter of small, ordinary animals. The more powerful demonic beasts, however, fell silent. They could sense his aura from a mile away and had already scattered in terror.
He was just about to head back when a group of human figures emerged from the trees ahead.
"Haha, what a haul! We bagged several fat deer today…"
The man's voice choked in his throat. The entire group had frozen, their eyes wide with disbelief as they stared at Luo Zhen's colossal form.
After a stunned silence, one of them finally found his voice, stammering in pure terror, "The Black… the Black Spirit Snake! It has to be!"
"Get out of here! Run!" another screamed. "It's the snake the Second Master has been looking for! Tell him we found it!"
They scrambled away in a blind panic, abandoning their hard-won prey without a second thought.
Luo Zhen watched them go, a flicker of confusion in his mind.
Black Spirit Snake? When did I get that name? Were they mistaken, or do they somehow already know who I am?
That panic was spreading. The hunters didn't stop running until they burst into the Cangshan Brotherhood's estate, frantically searching for their leaders.
"Second Master! Second Master!" one of them yelled, stumbling through the door. "We found the Black Spirit Snake!"
Three men were seated inside—the Han brothers. The one in the middle, Han Ying, frowned. "What did you just say?"
"We found it! The Black Spirit Snake!" the man repeated, his voice a strange mix of terror and excitement. "We were hunting in the mountains, and on our way back, we ran into this massive black serpent. It was huge! And it looked exactly like the portrait you showed us!"
After his last encounter with Luo Zhen, Han Ying had commissioned an artist to sketch the serpent from memory. The drawing was uncannily accurate, and copies had been distributed to all their men. They knew exactly what to look for.
"You were in the mountains?" Han Ying's eyes narrowed. "Which ones?"
"The Duan Kong Mountain Range!"
"You saw it in our mountains?" Han Ying asked, his surprise evident.
"Yes, sir, we did!"
"Tell me everything," Han Ying ordered, his voice low and intense. "And don't leave out a single detail."
"Of course, Second Master. We'd just finished a successful hunt and were heading home in high spirits, when this foul wind suddenly kicked up…"
The man spoke for nearly twenty minutes. When he finished, the three Han brothers exchanged looks of stunned silence.
Han Ying waved a dismissive hand. "I've heard enough. You're dismissed. And keep your mouth shut about this—tell no one."
"Yes, Second Master!"
Once the men were gone, the eldest brother, Han Xiong, finally broke the silence. "Third Brother and I searched that damn Misty Marsh for over a week. We even burned the whole thing to the ground and found nothing. And all this time, it was hiding right here."
"Big Brother, are we sure this is the same snake?" the youngest, Han Ming, asked cautiously.
"I'd bet on it," Han Ying cut in. "No two leaves are identical, and neither are two demonic beasts. From their description, there's no doubt in my mind. It's him."
"Then there's only one thing to do," Han Xiong said, his tone flat and decisive. "We go into the mountains and see for ourselves."
"Agreed," Han Ying nodded.
"Big Brother, will it be the two of us leading the party again?" Han Ming asked.
Han Xiong's gaze shifted to Han Ying. "Second Brother, how's the arm?"
"The wound's stable. I can fight," Han Ying reported, his voice tight. "But without my arm, my strength is down to the early Qi Martial Realm. I'm not what I was."
Han Xiong considered this. "The Duan Kong Mountain Range is dangerous territory. The Wolf King and the Demonic Tiger are still out there, both of them mid-stage beasts. This time, all three of us are going. And pick our best men to come with us."
"Done."
An hour later, a formidable party of martial artists departed from the Brotherhood's estate. Led by the three Han brothers, they marched toward the mountains under the awed and fearful eyes of the townspeople.
Back on his peak, Luo Zhen was deep in meditation, absorbing the ambient qi, when a gray demonic wolf appeared at the edge of his clearing. The wolf was large, but it was dwarfed by Luo Zhen's twenty-meter frame. It trembled, fighting its own fear as it crept forward.
A subordinate of the Wolf King, Luo Zhen, recognized instantly. He eased out of his meditative state and consciously suppressed his overwhelming aura.
The wolf visibly relaxed. It bowed its head and let out a series of low whines, which now translated perfectly in Luo Zhen's mind.
"The Wolf King sends a message. The humans from the town have entered the mountains in force. Our King and the Demonic Tiger have gone to meet them. They request the aid of the great Black Snake."
"Alright," Luo Zhen replied, his human words now perfectly understandable to the wolf. "I'm on my way. Lead on."
The wolf wasted no time, bolting in the direction of the conflict. Luo Zhen followed, his massive body gliding effortlessly through the undergrowth. His mind raced. This wasn't just a simple skirmish. The Wolf King and the Demonic Tiger were proud alphas. For them to be on high alert and actually ask for his help meant this was serious.
The strongest human faction around here is the Cangshan Brotherhood, led by the Han brothers, he thought. Could they have come for me?
It took him less than ten minutes to reach the battlefield, and his question was immediately answered. There, in the thick of the fighting, was a man he recognized all too well: the one-armed Han Ying. A quick scan revealed his two brothers nearby, their stats flashing in Luo Zhen's vision. One was a mid-stage Qi Martial artist, the other an early-stage.
He had arrived at pure chaos. The air was a whirlwind of dust and shrapnel, filled with the cacophony of steel on claw, of roars and battle cries. The ground was already slick with blood.
The core of the battle was a deadlock. Han Xiong's massive saber was a blur, meeting the Demonic Tiger's ferocious assault in a stalemate of raw power. Meanwhile, Han Ying and Han Ming fought together, their twin swords barely holding the Wolf King at bay. As long as these alphas were locked in combat, the battle was a bloody tie.
But Luo Zhen's arrival shattered that equilibrium.
"You!" Han Ying shrieked the moment he saw him. A flash of triumph crossed his face, quickly replaced by dawning horror. He realized their predicament instantly: they were barely holding their own. With Luo Zhen joining the fray, the demonic beasts would have an overwhelming advantage. They were doomed.
Han Xiong saw it too. "Retreat!" he bellowed. "Everyone, fall back! We can't win this!"
But it was too late. "Black Snake, now!" the Wolf King roared. "Together, we'll wipe them out!"
A cruel smirk played on Luo Zhen's lips. With a powerful flick of his tail, he surged into the human ranks. His Constrict skill activated, and with every swing of his body, he crushed a martial artist, their bones snapping like twigs. Within seconds, he was before the Han brothers.
He opened his mouth and unleashed a spear of pure flame.
It lanced through the air, striking the unprepared Han Ying head-on. With his power diminished, he had no time to react. The fire spear punched straight through his chest, killing him instantly.
"Second Brother!" Han Xiong screamed in agony.
"No!" Han Ming cried.
Luo Zhen's cold eyes fixed on them, and he opened his mouth again. This time, he spat a volley of fiery blades, a dozen of them, each half a meter long, slicing through the air at blinding speed.
The two remaining brothers snapped into a desperate defense, their weapons a whirlwind of steel as they tried to deflect the attack. The air rang with the clang of metal. Fueled by adrenaline and grief, they managed to shatter most of the blades.
But not all of them.
Two blades broke through. One sheared straight through Han Xiong's leg at the knee, sending a fountain of blood into the air. The other ripped open Han Ming's abdomen, exposing a gruesome mess of bone and viscera.
"Run!" Han Xiong shrieked, his voice raw with pain and desperation. He grabbed his younger brother and dragged him away, scrambling madly down the mountain.
"Haha! Serves them right!" the Wolf King howled in triumph.
"After them!" the Demonic Tiger roared. "Leave no one alive!"
A tide of fur and fang surged after the fleeing humans.
Luo Zhen watched them go, letting out a long, slow breath. The sudden, intense onslaught had completely drained his demonic qi. Aside from a single poison dart, his energy reserves were empty.
Well, that's the end of the Han brothers, he thought, surveying the carnage. With one dead and two crippled, the Cangshan Brotherhood is finished. He yawned, the adrenaline fading, and turned back toward his den. From now on, the humans of Cangshan County would have a much bigger problem to worry about: survival.
The next few days were quiet. Luo Zhen fell back into his routine of cultivation. Then, on the fifth day, a sleek demonic leopard found its way to his cave.
"Greetings, Lord Black Snake," it said, its tone fawning. "The Lord Demonic Tiger and Lord Wolf King invite you to the city to celebrate."
Luo Zhen was confused. "Celebrate in the city? What city?"
The leopard grinned. "Why, Cangshan County, of course! Without the Han brothers, the humans were nothing. Our lords led us down the mountain, and… well, we killed them all! The entire city!"
"What?!" Luo Zhen was stunned. "You killed everyone? You massacred the whole town?!"
"Yes, my lord!" the leopard said proudly. "Cangshan County belongs to the beasts now! Come, join the feast!"
A cold dread washed over Luo Zhen. His mind reeled.
Those idiots, he thought, his blood running cold. What have they done?