Lin Wushui led Zhang Xianyu up to the rooftop of the tallest building in the entire village.
From here, they could clearly see the countless corpses below, endlessly searching throughout the village, missing no house.
Yet, their search was confined strictly within this small village.
Behind the village lay the steep Mountain Rocks, a natural barrier cutting off the village from the outside world and preventing the corpses from expanding their search range further.
It was unclear whether the master commanding them had ordered them to stop here, or if they simply could not travel any farther.
“Let’s just try and see,” Zhang Xianyu said, still carrying the blood and scales taken from the Giant Python.
Their original plan was to have these corpses come into conflict with the Monkey Troop.
Ideally, the corpses would wipe out the Monkey Troop entirely, saving them a lot of trouble.
The Monkey Troop had been corrupted long ago by cultivating with the Giant Python’s flesh and blood.
If they continued down this path unchecked, and eventually escaped the island, who knew what even worse problems they might cause.
Lin Wushui released a wisp of black mist and sent the small vial containing the Giant Python’s blood toward the back of the village, attempting to lure the corpses in that direction.
As expected, the corpses picked up the scent of blood and gave chase.
But once they left the village boundary, they quickly lost mobility and turned into true rotten corpses.
“They can’t leave this village,” Lin Wushui said as he returned with the remaining blood, looking at Zhang Xianyu.
“Looks like we have to deal with whoever’s controlling them.”
Zhang Xianyu said, “Take Black Cat with us too.”
The two of them then headed to the lake surrounded by Mountain Rocks.
Black Cat was curled up beside the Giant Python’s head.
When Lin Wushui appeared, the cat’s fur bristled in alarm, but it held its ground in front of the Giant Python instead of running away.
Lin Wushui gently set Zhang Xianyu down. Zhang Xianyu reached out to soothe Black Cat and spoke to the Giant Python, “We’re planning to head out to sea to take a look. Black Cat is coming with us. If it really is your companion, we’ll tell it about you and bring it to find you.”
The Giant Python’s eyes brightened slightly.
It thrashed its body vigorously, rubbing its fragile neck against the rocks a few times until a smooth scale fell off.
It hissed softly several times.
Black Cat seemed to understand and picked up the fallen scale, then leapt into Zhang Xianyu’s arms.
Lin Wushui quickly gathered them and set off toward the sea.
The storm raged on, the dark sea churning with massive waves.
Beneath the deep waters, a gigantic shadow lurked just below the surface. Lin Wushui paused briefly.
Zhang Xianyu immediately understood and poured the remaining blood from the vial into the sea.
Though only a few drops, the blood was like cold water hitting a boiling pot, stirring up huge waves.
A giant Black Python, even larger than the Giant Python, suddenly rose from beneath the sea’s surface.
Its golden vertical pupils gleamed, and atop its massive head were two palm-length horns, looking comparatively small.
“Where is he?” the Black Python’s cold gaze locked onto them.
Its raised head clearly showed hostility.
“He’s in the lake behind the village. He’s seriously injured,” Zhang Xianyu said, carefully holding Black Cat out.
“This is what he asked us to bring to you.”
Perhaps feeling a kinship with the Black Python, Black Cat showed no fear this time.
Clutching the scale—bigger than its own head—it leapt into the sea.
The Black Python flicked its tail, skillfully wrapping around Black Cat.
Though the cat’s fur was soaked by the sea spray, it held the scale firmly in its mouth, raising its head to offer the scale forward.
The Black Python did not take it.
It only stared at the drenched cat for a long while, then said, “I’ve seen you before, when you were very small.”
Black Cat tilted its head in confusion, not understanding, but persistently tried to give the scale.
The Black Python lowered its head, placing the scale between the two horns on top of its head.
It then lifted its head and let out a sound neither fully dragon nor snake—a piercing howl that shattered the sky and eardrums.
The storm seemed to intensify at that moment.
“He’s behind the village?” the Black Python confirmed, its tone no longer hostile.
“The Mountain Rocks form a lake back there. That’s where he is. The corpses you sent out can’t pass through,” Zhang Xianyu explained.
The Black Python was silent for a moment before muttering, “I thought he was still inside the village and just didn’t want to return.”
That was why it sent the corpses—those drowned souls—to search the village nightly for his trace, never considering he might be outside the village.
Zhang Xianyu was puzzled but decided this wasn’t the time to ask questions.
“Can you get ashore? We’ll take you over. He’s badly injured, and a group of demon monkeys guard him. We can’t bring him here.”
The Black Python gave no reply, only another deep roar.
Suddenly, a lightning bolt slashed across the ink-black sky.
Zhang Xianyu frowned, about to speak, but the sea level began to rise.
The water surged silently and swiftly toward the village.
Riding the waves, the Black Python advanced.
The corpses, as if summoned, stopped their aimless wandering and gathered, awaiting orders.
Lin Wushui led Zhang Xianyu from the front.
Below, the seawater gradually submerged the ground, houses, and Mountain Rocks…until the entire village was underwater.
The Monkey Troop, hidden among the Mountain Rocks, sensed the change and screamed as they leapt to the highest rocks to gather.
The rising sea finally swallowed that patch of rocks.
The small lake merged with the raging sea.
The Giant Python resting quietly on the lakebed stirred, struggling to swim upward aided by the buoyancy.
The Monkey Troop, occupying the rocks, clearly realized their captive was about to escape.
One by one, bloodshot-eyed, they recklessly dove into the water, desperate for one last bite.
Witnessing this, the Black Python let out a furious roar.
The corpses, waiting for orders, immediately charged at the monkeys.
Their movements were even more agile underwater, and soon they were locked in violent combat.
At this moment, the Black Python delivered Black Cat to Zhang Xianyu before diving underwater to drag its weaker brother—the Giant Python—out of the Mountain Rocks where it had been trapped.
By comparison, the Giant Python was indeed smaller.
Now wrapped in its brother’s tail, it was prevented from sinking further.
Seeing the wounds on his brother, the Black Python’s golden pupils turned ice cold. It let out a strange hissing sound.
The corpses in the water went wild upon hearing it.
Several corpses quickly tore apart a monkey, leaving only a bloodied skeleton.
Some monkeys tried to flee but were stopped by Zhang Xianyu’s Thunder Talisman, which crashed down on them again and again.
The bloody battle gradually subsided as the thunderstorm above intensified.
The Black Python glanced at them once more, then slowly swam toward the sea’s center.
The rising sea level receded with its departure.
The eerie corpses also withdrew with the water, carrying the injured Giant Python into the deep sea.
Looking at the lightning still circling above, the Black Python said to Zhang Xianyu, “This cat was my brother’s former pet. Please take good care of it. I will return at this time tomorrow.”
With that, it plunged into the deep sea.
The lightning in the sky struck the sea once more, stirring up wild waves.
But it was only a single strike. Perhaps the Black Python had already fled to the deep sea.
The storm finally dissipated, and the wind gradually calmed.
“Wait! Your body!”
Zhang Xianyu suddenly remembered Lin Wushui’s body was still upstairs where they had rested.
Lin Wushui wasn’t worried at all.
“It’ll be fine.”
He carried Zhang Xianyu back to the second floor.
The flood had scattered plants across the walls and ruined the room, but thankfully his body was still safe inside the tent, just a little soaked.
He slipped back into his body and immediately coughed up water, his face pale.
He fished out a bottle of water from the untouched backpack to rinse his mouth.
Zhang Xianyu had been worried the prolonged soaking would damage his body.
Seeing him only looked pale but otherwise unharmed, she relaxed and started inventorying their remaining supplies.
Most of the food was vacuum sealed, so a little water wouldn’t spoil it—just needed to clean the packaging well.
But portable gas canisters and sleeping bags were useless now.
With no place to sleep tonight, they’d have to make do outside.
Though Xiangjiang City was generally warm, it was now early morning and quite cold.
With Lin Wushui soaked through, Zhang Xianyu took out talisman paper and brush from her backpack and drew several Fire Talismans.
Because the branches below were waterlogged, she had no choice but to use her palm to strike lightning on a tall tree, snapping off dry branches at the top to burn.
Both she and Black Cat were dripping wet.
After starting the fire, Zhang Xianyu set up a frame with wet branches, cleaned a small pot, filled it with water, and placed it to boil.
She called Lin Wushui and Black Cat over to warm by the fire.
Black Cat obediently found a dry spot by the fire, curled up, and licked its fur while warming itself.
Lin Wushui, however, remained still.
Zhang Xianyu watched him curiously and urged, “Come on, take off your wet clothes and warm yourself, or you’ll catch a cold.”
Lin Wushui said nothing.