The Black Cat seemed very familiar with this place; it must have been here more than once.
After several leaps and landings, it finally found a mountain cave just large enough to hide people.
It let out a soft purr, biting onto Zhang Xianyu’s pant leg and tugging her inside, signaling them to take cover.
The two of them obediently slipped into the cramped cave.
There were a few cracks in the rock face where, if they pressed their eyes close, they could clearly see the situation at the lake.
No sooner had they hidden than the entire cave began to tremble faintly.
The Black Cat, which had been curled in Zhang Xianyu’s arms, suddenly twitched uncontrollably with its retractable claws extending and retracting erratically.
The fur along its neck bristled, and a low hiss escaped its throat.
Zhang Xianyu gently stroked its back, calming it down.
After the tremors subsided, a group of monkeys suddenly leapt nimbly from the opposite rocky mountain into the lake.
They emitted sharp, piercing calls, charging forward like they were about to feast, relentlessly rushing toward the dying Giant Python.
The Giant Python seemed to sense something.
Its massive body twisted slowly beneath the water.
It tried several times to lift its enormous head above the surface but failed each time, finally letting it fall back into the water, stirring up splashes.
The monkeys landed on its body or waded in the water beside it.
Up close, it was clear they were not ordinary monkeys.
Their eyes were blood red, two sharp fangs protruded at the corners of their mouths, and their hooked claws were like blades, easily peeling away the Giant Python’s thick scales to expose the tender flesh beneath.
Blood clouded the water, spreading out in a dark haze.
The Monkey Horde let out what sounded like cheers, tearing at the Giant Python’s flesh with their claws while howling triumphantly, as if celebrating a victory.
The Black Cat’s fur stood on end all over its body.
If Zhang Xianyu hadn’t held it tightly, it might have already dashed out.
There were about twenty monkeys, each the size of an adult man, muscular and agile—not ordinary wild monkeys at all.
The monkeys’ feast lasted a long time.
They only ate from the Giant Python’s back.
Once full, the largest monkey raised its arm in a call.
Reluctantly, the others stopped feeding and leapt back up onto the rocky cliff.
Only the largest monkey remained, jumping and clinging on the rock face.
It reached into a crevice and pulled out two faint Soul Orbs.
Holding the Soul Orbs, the monkey jumped back down onto the Giant Python’s back, grasped its head from the water with a claw, and brought the two fading Soul Orbs to the Giant Python’s mouth.
Only then did Zhang Xianyu notice two small horns had already grown on the Giant Python’s head—a sign it was about to undergo Transformation into Jiao.
Yet now, this soon-to-be Jiao was barely alive, with its head grasped by a monkey.
The monkey roared and held the Soul Orbs to the Giant Python’s mouth.
But the Giant Python shut its jaws tight, not even glancing at them.
The monkey seemed furious.
It angrily threw the two Soul Orbs aside, clawed a bloody gash on the Giant Python’s head, and violently tossed it into the water before quickly returning to the Monkey Horde.
The Monkey Horde swaggered on the rocky mountain for a while before finally leaving again.
The Giant Python, covered in blood and wounds from being eaten, grew weaker and sank motionless beneath the water.
Only the dark red blood clouded the lake around it.
The Black Cat’s normally upright ears drooped lifelessly as it lay on a crevice, its golden eyes wide and fixed on the Giant Python in the water. It wasn’t until the tremors caused by the monkeys leaping disappeared completely that it let out a mournful cry, leaped out swiftly, and plunged into the water.
Most cats dislike water, but the Black Cat ignored this and swam with effort to the Giant Python’s side.
It meowed anxiously while cautiously licking the wounds on the Giant Python’s back.
The Giant Python seemed to sense its presence.
Its tail, draped weakly over the rocky shore, twitched slightly.
“I’ll go take a look,” Lin Wushui said with a heavy gaze, glancing toward where the Monkey Horde had disappeared.
Zhang Xianyu nodded and started climbing down the rocks.
She needed to retrieve the two Soul Orbs that were about to dissipate.
The two split up.
It took Zhang Xianyu some time to reach the bottom.
The rocks near the lake were slippery, so she carefully searched among the crevices.
Finally, she found the two faint Soul Orbs in a crack.
She hurriedly collected them into a small Bottle, then used Guhun Fu to stabilize the souls, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
All eight souls were intact.
With the urgent task done, Zhang Xianyu finally had time to examine the Giant Python.
It must have been very old.
Its scales were somewhat withered and yellowed, whether from the torment of the Monkey Horde or its own aging was unclear.
Squatting by the shore, Zhang Xianyu beckoned to the Black Cat.
“Xiao Hei, come here.”
Busy licking the Giant Python’s wounds, the Black Cat reluctantly turned its head, glanced at Zhang Xianyu, then went back to licking.
The Giant Python weakly moved, seeming to want to lift its head to look at the speaker.
Zhang Xianyu pulled out a Water Avoidance Talisman and a brush from her bag.
She drew the talisman and wore it before wading into the water to lift the Giant Python’s head onto the shore’s reef.
Seeing this, the Black Cat immediately snuggled up, rubbing against the Giant Python’s head and then licking the wounds torn open by the monkey’s claws.
Zhang Xianyu studied the Giant Python carefully.
Besides the two horns on its forehead, its eyes were also golden yellow.
Though its appearance was somewhat ferocious, it didn’t inspire fear.
This was a python without malice.
Perhaps it had cultivated for quite some time.
Zhang Xianyu tried to communicate, “Can you speak?”
The Giant Python was silent for a moment, then struggled to move its head and let out a faint hissing sound.
Zhang Xianyu guessed, “You can speak but can’t talk now?”
The Giant Python flicked its tongue.
She guessed this Giant Python might have once cultivated to the point of speaking human language, and maybe even transforming.
But these were only guesses.
Since it couldn’t talk now, she could only voice her guesses and let the Giant Python answer yes or no.
“Are you trapped here by the Monkey Horde?”
The Giant Python moved its head.
Zhang Xianyu thought for a moment and tried another question, “Were you trapped here for some reason and later discovered by the Monkey Horde?”
The Giant Python flicked its tongue.
“Is the Monkey Horde cultivating using your flesh and blood?”
The Giant Python flicked its tongue again.
Even the Black Cat let out an angry meow.
Zhang Xianyu sighed, unsure what to say.
In the end, she simply asked, “How can I help you?”
The Giant Python’s golden vertical pupils stared at her.
After a long while, it let out a faint sound, “Hisss…sea…”
“What?”
Zhang Xianyu thought she’d misheard.
“Sea? You want to go to the sea?”
The Giant Python hissed and flicked its tongue repeatedly, and its golden eyes finally brightened.
Zhang Xianyu frowned.
Such a massive Giant Python—retrieving it from the lake and sending it to the sea would be extremely difficult.
The Black Cat saw he’d stopped speaking and arched its back, nuzzling him with its head, eyes full of pleading.
“I’ll find a way,” Zhang Xianyu stroked its head, recalling if there was a talisman that could transport things remotely.
Just as she was worrying, Lin Wushui returned from tracking the Monkey Horde.
“The Monkey Horde is gathered in a mountain cave behind here.
There are not just twenty-something of them; I estimate around a hundred.
They must have come in waves.
“These monkeys have gained Intelligence from eating the Giant Python’s flesh and blood. They know it’s beneficial for their cultivation, so they dare not devour it all at once. Instead, they keep it alive here and even feed it things like souls to help it recover faster.”
Zhang Xianyu asked, “Is there a way to send the Giant Python to the sea without disturbing the Monkey Horde?”
Lin Wushui pondered for a moment, then suddenly thought of the corpses they’d seen searching for something last night.
He looked at the Giant Python inquisitively.
“Do you have companions in the sea?”
The Giant Python seemed caught off guard by the question and froze for a long time before hesitantly flicking its tongue.
Hearing this, Zhang Xianyu understood a bit and asked, “Last night, we saw many Corpse Tides crawling ashore, seemingly searching for something. Are those your companions?”
This time, the Giant Python’s response was quicker and more urgent.
Zhang Xianyu gently patted it, “Then we have a way.”
Afterward, Lin Wushui and Zhang Xianyu returned to prepare for the night.
The Black Cat, unwilling to leave, stayed behind to keep the Giant Python company.
Zhang Xianyu guessed the Monkey Horde’s visits were regular, and the Black Cat clearly understood, unwilling to leave at this moment.
Before leaving, Zhang Xianyu took two scales and a small Bottle of fresh blood from the Giant Python.
If those corpses were indeed driven ashore by the Giant Python’s companions, these items might come in handy.
Back at their place, there was still time before nightfall.
Zhang Xianyu prepared lunch while Lin Wushui contacted the people waiting outside the island, briefly explaining the situation and instructing them to wait outside and not enter the island no matter what happened.
Those waiting outside felt uneasy but could only wait nervously.
After lunch and before night fell, the two of them took a few rounds around the village outskirts to familiarize themselves with the surroundings.
At night, they patiently waited on the second floor.
Just past midnight, the wind picked up, and pea-sized raindrops pelted the ground, mixed with the howling wind—an unsettling sound.
In the Ink-Black Sea, the scene from last night replayed in the storm.
Swollen, bloated Corpse Tides crawled ashore in twisted postures, heading toward the village.
They seemed certain the thing they sought was inside, scattering to search as they entered.
Zhang Xianyu put on a concealment talisman.
Lin Wushui transformed into a Black Mist, enveloping her as they slipped out from the balcony on the second floor.
The crawling corpses seemed to sense something and instantly looked up toward them.
But the Black Mist whisked Zhang Xianyu away to another rooftop.
Losing their target, the corpses retreated their heads and continued searching elsewhere.