The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 769: Eliminate the King!

Eliminate the King! . . .

The gruesome and savage spectacle unfolding before them left the men trembling, their extremities growing weak, and a few even retching. Exhaustion had begun to take its toll on these hundreds of men who had fought tirelessly for an extended period. Though they remained sober, they could feel the fatigue in their arms and knew they could no longer muster the strength to deliver powerful strikes.

The relentless onslaught of more snakes appeared ceaseless, overwhelming them with a relentless tide of foes. Despite their knowledge of the snakes' fatal vulnerability, the sheer scale of the challenge was simply insurmountable. Even if the snakes merely stood there, waiting to be dispatched, these men would soon be worn to the bone.

The situation appeared utterly impossible.

As they gazed at the unending sea of silver light, especially the mesmerizing golden gleam, Xiao Mufei's visage displayed a curious mix of emotions. His voice, as he spoke, carried both resignation and determination.

"I never thought I would meet my end in the jaws of a beast. We have long been known for our skill in beast training, and yet, is this the retribution we face for our cruelty to living creatures?" He sighed deeply, but the fiery resolve in his eyes betrayed his somber words.

Turning towards Cha Eun Xiao, he declared, "I will lead our men in a desperate charge to break free. You must remain at the center and not undertake any reckless actions. We'll remain united and strive for a glimmer of hope."

It was a plan borne out of desperation, akin to a group of ants banding together to cross a treacherous river. Perhaps, just perhaps, a few would make it to the other side, but the majority would inevitably succumb to the water's depths. This was Xiao Mufei's chosen path—sacrificing himself and most of his men to ensure Cha Eun Xiao's survival, knowing that the trials ahead would still be numerous and perilous.

Cha Eun Xiao was taken aback, a deep breath drawn as a dizzying sensation washed over him. The air grew thick with poison, which appeared to be affecting even him. As a level three Spirit Origin Stage cultivator with the East-rising Purple Qi, he should have been resilient against poisons, but this noxious atmosphere was particularly potent. Understandable, considering the extraordinary venom of these level three snakes—ranking as the third most venomous creatures in the Qing-Yun Realm. With over one hundred thousand snakes, and more than half of them at level five or higher, the toxic cloud they had generated was overwhelming.

Cha Eun Xiao refuted the grim plan with a glimmer of hope, "There may be another way."

Xiao Mufei inquired skeptically, "Another way?"

"Yes, Elder Xiao, you've witnessed the wolves, haven't you?" Cha Eun Xiao continued, "In my travels in the lower realm, I once encountered a massive wolf pack, much like the situation with the snakes here. They swarmed me, and I fought against them ceaselessly, day and night. Their numbers grew from hundreds to millions, and they fought as one."

A hint of incredulity entered Xiao Mufei's voice as he contemplated this, "A million wolves..."

Cha Eun Xiao went on, "This was the most perilous battle I've ever faced. It wasn't a matter of superior cultivators opposing me; these wolves were individually weak. A single blow from me could dispatch them. Yet, no matter how many I slew, more would gather. I began the battle with zeal but grew numb with time, acting on instinct alone. The wolves were too weak to breach my qi shield, or I would have perished long before. In the end, a friend came to my aid. He was weaker than me but quickly drove the wolves away."

With a mounting sense of anticipation, Cha Eun Xiao explained further, "All he did was kill the wolf king. Upon the king's demise, the rest of the pack scattered."

"Their fearlessness, even in the face of death, was the most horrifying aspect of the battle. They fought relentlessly, but they had a profound weakness—a king. As long as we identify and eliminate the king, the rest will disperse. We won't need to kill another one of them."

"No exceptions," Cha Eun Xiao concluded with conviction.

"That I will never forget," Cha Eun Xiao spoke with a hint of detachment, his gaze focused on the perilous scene before them. "What we are facing now is similar to what transpired on that fateful day. I've been observing the snakes closely... When the snake king was absent, the whistling seemed to direct the snakes. The whistling alone should not be enough to draw so many of them here."

He turned to Xiao Mufei, his tone laced with curiosity. "You possess far more knowledge in the art of beast training than I do. You might have a better understanding of this."

Continuing his analysis, he voiced his suspicions, "I suspect that something in this area attracts the snakes. The whistling may have guided them, but it doesn't control their attacks. The power of that whistling is still limited... In fact, it has no effect on us, so how could it influence the snakes so profoundly?"

His voice gained a touch of conviction as he delved deeper, "I believe there must be something else driving these snakes into madness."

Eyes narrowed in thought, Cha Eun Xiao continued, "Furthermore, before the snake king's appearance, the snakes attacked individually. They simply rushed at us. However, when the snake king joined the fray, the whistling ceased, and the snakes became far more coordinated and efficient."

"There's another intriguing detail," he went on, his voice carrying an analytical cadence. "Their hissing initially sounded chaotic, as if driven by the mindless rage of an angry man who didn't know what he was saying."

Leaning closer to Xiao Mufei, Cha Eun Xiao added, "But now, their hissing has taken on a structured, rhythmic quality."

He then drew his conclusion, his voice brimming with conviction, "I believe the snake king is orchestrating the battle. The snake king is evidently more formidable than the whistling. However, it has inadvertently revealed the snakes' most glaring vulnerability. If we can disrupt this orchestration, victory is within our reach."

Cha Eun Xiao delivered his assessment with a calm demeanor that belied the urgency of their predicament.

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