← 百炼成仙

第两千二百三十九章 两败俱伤

In a tranquil valley, two massive creatures were engaged in a fierce standoff over a roasted wild boar that smelled delectable.

Neither was willing to back down an inch.

These were beasts and demons—entirely different kinds of beings. They couldn't survive on air alone and had a particularly voracious appetite for food.

The ghost-faced centipede and the crimson-tailed cobra were notorious, but their minds hadn’t yet awakened. Normally, when they encountered prey, they could only swallow it alive.

In other words, they were much like primitive humans who ate raw meat.

Such creatures could fill one's belly, but their taste left much to be desired compared to the roasted wild boar before them.

Neither of these monsters was willing to give up.

"Hisss..."

A chilling sound entered Lin Xuan’s ears as the crimson-tailed cobra raised its head high. It opened its blood-red mouth and flicked its tongue, emitting a foul stench that made one want to gag.

At the same time, its body was enveloped in a red aura of demonic energy, raising the temperature of the entire valley significantly.

The ghost-faced centipede wasn’t about to show weakness either. Its front half stood upright, and though its mouth wasn't as large as a python’s, it had two sharp fangs like pincers. As a hundred-legged creature, each leg moved rhythmically with the night breeze, sending smaller creatures into shock.

Lin Xuan was unperturbed; he leisurely practiced his Qi Gathering Technique, enjoying the spectacle of these beasts fighting to their hearts' content.

The ghost-faced centipede had venom and was an inherently cold-natured creature. As it moved, a chilly wind swept behind it.

The dry branches in the valley began to burn due to the rising temperature but were extinguished by this sudden chill.

From a Five Elements perspective, one monster belonged to Ice while the other to Fire, both with potent toxins. This fight truly was like two evenly matched opponents—like needles and wheat straw meeting each other.

"Hisss..."

The crimson-tailed cobra initiated the conflict, but it was the ghost-faced centipede that ultimately struck first. It opened its mouth and expelled a cold, eerie wind.

Unlike ordinary wind, this one was visible, grayish and deceptive in speed as it swept towards the opponent.

The crimson-tailed cobra’s eyes showed signs of seriousness; it knew this wind wasn’t to be underestimated. It raised its tail, lifting a massive stone weighing countless pounds, blocking the attack with surprising speed, like a shield.

Puff

A dull sound echoed as the wind struck the stone. The attack was halted, but something incredible happened next—the stone, though large enough to be considered a small mountain, began to melt under this grayish wind.

"Corrosion!"

Lin Xuan’s pupils constricted; he was well aware of such abilities. His Illusory Heavenly Fire had similar effects.

His mind sparked with ideas. The battle in the valley had already begun. After melting that massive stone, the ghost-faced centipede's eerie wind didn’t dissipate but continued to viciously attack its opponent.

The crimson-tailed cobra was taken aback and couldn't dodge in time.

Sigh...

Another silent voice entered Lin Xuan’s ears as the ghost-faced centipede struck its head. The ugly face showed immense pain, though it wasn’t a stone; it trembled violently nonetheless.

Despite being covered in hard scales, the creature's eyes were relatively weak and suffered severe damage from this attack.

Eyes are windows to the soul, even for beasts. The crimson-tailed cobra was both shocked and enraged, its body contracting like a compressed spring before launching itself forward at incredible speed.

Its movements were so swift it seemed like a blur, red shadows flashing as it lunged towards Lin Xuan's position.

Caught off guard, the ghost-faced centipede couldn’t dodge in time. The crimson-tailed cobra bit down viciously from behind.

A deafening scream echoed as the ghost-faced centipede’s eyes turned blood-red, its ghost-like face contorting with pain.

The outcome of this attack was undoubtedly severe for both creatures.

The crimson-tailed cobra thrashed its head wildly to tear its opponent in half. However, the ghost-faced centipede's body was also tough, and it couldn’t easily achieve its goal.

In extreme agony, the ghost-faced centipede curved its body, turning around to bite its adversary’s body with its sharp fangs.

The crimson-tailed cobra recoiled from the pain, curling up tightly as it clung to its opponent.

With more legs than the snake, the ghost-faced centipede used all of them to tear at the serpent's body.

Rumble!

Both the snake and the insect, each over two dozen feet long, entangled on the ground, rolling and biting with such force that sand and stones flew everywhere, threatening to collapse the entire valley.

Lin Xuan was astounded. This battle seemed more like a fight between ordinary beasts than anything else. The elegance of these creatures had vanished.

Such an encounter was rare, purely coincidental. Both beasts had lost their focus on their own abilities and resorted to close combat with their teeth, which was far more satisfying.

They continued to grapple, leaving a trail of broken stones and uprooted trees in their wake. The once tranquil valley was reduced to rubble within half an hour.

Though not long, this fight was intense. Both the crimson-tailed cobra and the ghost-faced centipede were severely injured, and the roasted boar had flown off somewhere.

Both the snake and the insect initially fought for a tasty meal but now, driven by their ferocity, wanted to kill each other. Their strength being evenly matched made it difficult to determine a clear winner.

Boom!

Another loud noise echoed as more stones fell. The left mountain peak was gouged out, indicating that this battle was nearing its end. Both the crimson-tailed cobra and ghost-faced centipede were now severely injured, their ferocity diminished.

"Time's about right!"

Lin Xuan muttered, though he was observing from a distance, there was no need to wait for them to finish before acting. He could act as long as the timing was good.

He knew when to strike. After waiting a few more moments, Lin Xuan’s eyes lit up—his chance had come.

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