Chapter Forty-Three: The Ancient Titan Serpent of the World

Yeyu had clearly already pieced together most of the information about this dungeon. If his deductions were correct, then what came next would be the most perilous phase. Thus, the six of them unconsciously began to move forward at a painstakingly slow pace, afraid that any sudden movement would trigger something dreadful.

"Stop moving forward."

Something had clearly happened, for Yeyu’s expression changed abruptly. He barked the command at Lowe, who was leading the group. Lowe instantly froze mid-step, not daring to move an inch further.

Slowly, Lowe turned his head to glance back, evidently wanting to know why Yeyu had stopped him. But as he turned, his pupils constricted sharply—a massive head had appeared before him. Its scales shimmered with an eerie glow, and droplets of liquid slid continuously off its surface, dripping into the swamp below.

Yeyu and the others felt their hearts leap into their throats. A cold glint flashed in their eyes. The head before them was exactly like the thirty-meter-long serpent they had seen earlier, yet it was not the same snake. This serpent’s scales glimmered with a demonic purple light, its emerald pupils radiating an unnameable, ghostly green hue. Drops of swamp water slid from its injured scales, falling one by one.

The giant serpent’s maw opened slowly, flicking its tongue. Under the cold, ghostly glimmer of its eyes, the creature’s gaze radiated pure, reptilian cold-bloodedness—terrifying and cruel.

A rank stench rushed at Lowe’s face the moment the serpent’s mouth opened just a crack.

Lowe’s face paled; his body trembled and instinctively lurched backward.

“Damn it!” Lowe swore, hastily retreating as his bronze puppet shimmered into position to guard him. But on either side, not far away, two more serpent heads rose slowly from the swamp. All three massive serpents twisted their heads slightly and began to close in on the six, forming an encirclement.

“These are juveniles—still immature. They look identical to the giant serpent we saw before, but their size and strength are much reduced,” Yeyu said gravely as he regarded the three titanic serpents. Despite being in their juvenile phase, their heads still stood as tall as the group, and their bodies, thicker than tree trunks, were at least twenty meters long. Their icy eyes remained fixed on the group.

“This is truly a headache,” muttered Luo Feng, tapping his temple with a frown. The six of them pressed back to back, forming a tight formation. Since Yeyu had not given an attack order, no one dared to make the first move.

“Now that the BOSS has been drawn out, the only way forward is to fight. If we try to run, we’ll only be hunted down. And since they emerged from the swamp, it means we can’t simply escape their attack range. Plus, there’s a risk of triggering more mobs and getting surrounded. It’s too risky, especially considering our current state is far from ideal,” Yeyu said in a low voice. “Moreover, if we try to escape, we might trigger more minions and get swarmed. That would be a case of losing the chicken and the rice. Our condition is not optimistic.”

At that moment, names appeared above the three juvenile serpents’ heads:

[Ancient Earth Titan Python (Juvenile Phase)]!

The six all wore grim expressions, for the [Ancient Earth Titan Python (Juvenile Phase)] was level 42—higher than the [Ancient Earth Armored Crocodile] they had faced before.

Though these three [Ancient Earth Titan Pythons (Juvenile Phase)] were only in their growth phase, their movements were alarmingly swift. Their heads swayed ominously in the air, exuding an unmistakable aura of bloodlust.

“Don’t panic. Stay calm,” Yeyu instructed. “The ranged fighters, stay behind me. The puppet master, guard the healer in the center and use your bronze puppet to handle attacks. The assassin, look for an opportunity—once I find a weakness, deliver a fatal blow. The shaman, stand beside the healer to boost our stats, summon a guardian totem for defense, and an attack totem to divide their focus.”

With that, Yeyu positioned his ancient zither before him, fingers gliding from his sleeve. A flick upon the strings sent a burst of purple light shooting out, transforming into chains that lashed toward one of the [Ancient Earth Titan Pythons (Juvenile Phase)].

Huang Hong instantly understood Yeyu’s intentions. Gripping his spear, he tapped lightly on the swamp’s surface, gliding forward over ten meters. His spear thrust viciously at the nearest [Ancient Earth Titan Python (Juvenile Phase)].

“Remember, avoid the [Ancient Earth Titan Python (Juvenile Phase)]’s attacks. Its pattern is to strike from the sides. Since it’s still a juvenile, its AI isn’t very advanced. As long as you’re careful, you’ll manage,” Yeyu called.

“Roger!” came the reply.

“Lowe, use your puppet to block the nearest [Ancient Earth Titan Python (Juvenile Phase)]. You can use its defensive stance to counterattack.”

“No problem.”

With his orders given, Yeyu’s fingers danced across the strings. Waves of purple energy radiated outward, enveloping the other five in a faint glow.

‘Azure Wind Strings’—a skill that briefly increased everyone’s agility and evasion. Luo Feng and Tan Cong followed up by buffing their teammates.

The nearest [Ancient Earth Titan Python (Juvenile Phase)] shuddered slightly under Huang Hong’s attack. Its emerald eyes fixed on him, but with a twist of its head it neatly dodged his blow. Then, locking onto Yeyu, it shot forward, jaws wide and reeking of blood.

So fast!

Yeyu’s eyes narrowed. The world blurred for a split second—he was astonished by the serpent’s attack speed. But he had already prepared for any eventuality.

‘Light String, Still Wind!’

Chains of purple light shot out, binding the [Ancient Earth Titan Python (Juvenile Phase)] targeting Yeyu. With a forceful tug, Yeyu yanked the serpent and slammed it against a protruding stone in the swamp.

Boom—

The serpent shattered the boulder, fragments flying in all directions.

Meanwhile, the other two [Ancient Earth Titan Pythons (Juvenile Phase)] were roused to a terrifying fury. Their eyes burned with murderous intent.

“Watch the other two! Their skills are the same, but their attack patterns vary. Their AI isn’t fixed—it’s random. Pay attention! If it coils up, that means it’s about to launch the same attack as before. When you see that, dodge to the side—never retreat in a straight line!” Yeyu warned.

“Understood!”

“Got it!”

Yeyu had deciphered the serpents’ attack style: the coiling strike was deadly. If struck, the victim would suffer severe poisoning, and possibly instant death—elimination from the game.

With Yeyu’s precise and cautious commands, the situation gradually stabilized. The team stood firm. Though each serpent’s AI was unique, causing different attack timings, their assaults were not simultaneous—giving the group a chance to anticipate and evade.

The [Ancient Earth Titan Python (Juvenile Phase)]’s coil boosted its attack speed. A moment’s carelessness could spell defeat. Yeyu was determined not to use ‘Overdrive Mode’ unless absolutely necessary; if the dungeon wasn’t over, they would lose their trump card.

Interestingly, at times the serpents’ attacks were so swift they collided clumsily, occasionally slamming into stones and injuring themselves—losing health in the process.

Thanks to Yeyu’s clear instructions, no one had suffered serious injury despite the less-than-ideal circumstances. In fact, they now held the advantage. If things continued this way, victory was within reach.

However, the serpents’ scales had a reflective effect, sometimes sending attackers flying. But with Yeyu’s ‘Azure Wind Strings’ enhancing their agility, the team evaded with remarkable finesse.

“If you get knocked back, return to your position. Qu Zheng, be ready—take out any [Ancient Earth Titan Python (Juvenile Phase)] you can,” Yeyu ordered.

“Understood!” came the reply.

“It’s time to show what I can do,” Qu Zheng said with a wicked smile, cracking his knuckles.

Yeyu plucked his zither again—a ranged attack struck the same serpent that had attacked first. With Huang Hong’s powerful blow, they managed to stun the beast, a rare effect but one too good to waste.

…