Chapter 86: Entering the Cave Dwelling

A fist of overwhelming might, brimming with fury, was unleashed with the full force of a cultivator who had half a foot in the realm of Spirit Emperor. Yet, with a single cold snort, that monumental blow crumbled in an instant. High above the void, Xiao Ye staggered backward, as though struck by a heavy blow, retreating several steps in disarray.

Suddenly, from the tranquil surface of the lake, a furious beastly roar erupted. In the next moment, a colossal ice python, tens of meters long, burst from the water. Its tail, thick as the combined embrace of several men, swept rapidly toward the gathered crowd.

In the blink of an eye, nearly ten of the hundreds of young powerhouses lost their lives beneath the python’s terrifying strike. All around, the anguished cries of the wounded rang out in the chaos.

“Old monster, hide your aura at once!” Sensing the python’s gaze shifting toward his direction, Ye Feng quickly withdrew the demonic king’s aura he had released in provocation moments before. At the same time, the Dragon Flood Demonic King within the Demonic King’s Domain acted swiftly to conceal Ye Feng’s presence entirely.

Sensing the threatening aura vanish, the ice python roared once more, its gaze swinging back to the densely packed crowd ahead.

“Everyone, we must set aside our grievances and join forces against this beast. Otherwise, forget about treasures—our very lives are forfeit!” Jin Ming leaped up, his voice booming over the pandemonium.

The sudden appearance of the ice python also drew the attention of the mysterious young man. For now, he had to suppress his murderous intent toward Xiao Ye and the others. “He’s right—survival comes first! When the python strikes again, we attack together. I refuse to believe that hundreds of us cannot overpower a single beast!”

The ice python howled in rage at these ants who dared defy it. Its bloody maw gaped, and it spewed forth a massive ball of ice.

“Attack!”

The moment the ice ball, large as a washbasin, appeared, all present felt the terrifying surge of demonic power within it. At Jin Ming’s command, he was the first to marshal his spiritual energy and hurl a forceful punch at the incoming sphere.

In a matter of moments, everyone unleashed their full strength, no longer holding anything back. Beams of spiritual energy, each a different hue, shot forth from the crowd below, all converging upon the howling ice ball.

Under the combined assault of hundreds of young experts, the sphere exploded almost instantly, shattering into shards. Dozens of spiritual attacks, still unchecked, crashed into the python’s massive body, landing heavily upon its scales.

“Boy, while the python’s attention is diverted, get down there!” Amid the frenzied battle, Ye Feng, concealed in the shadows, seized his chance and darted into action.

Spiritual energies of every color flashed in the void, raining down upon the python. Yet every blow was absorbed by its thick, resilient hide, causing no harm.

Still, their onslaught succeeded in maddening the python. With a furious roar, the beast, long the guardian of the lake, lashed its pillar-like tail and surged onto the shore where the crowd stood.

“A divine opportunity!” Lying in wait by the lakeshore, Ye Feng slipped into the water like a nimble fish.

“Thirty meters below. Hurry! There’s a restriction laid by the python here—it’s already sensed you.” As soon as Ye Feng plunged into the lake, the python’s oppressive aura bore down upon him.

Yet the desperate attacks of the hundreds above had firmly held its attention.

Knowing it had been tricked, the python flew into a rage, its body surrounded by chilling waves of demonic power.

“It’s snowing—why?”

“Heavens, how did the python’s power rise so quickly?”

As the icy power gathered, heavy snow began to fall over the land. The temperature plummeted, and within seconds, nearby trees were frozen solid.

But the one most affected was Ye Feng, who had succeeded in slipping beneath the lake’s surface. As the temperature dropped, the lake rapidly began to freeze. Behind him, the water turned to ice at a speed visible to the naked eye, encroaching swiftly.

“Damn it! I’ll risk it all…” Ignoring the freezing water behind, Ye Feng frantically gathered his spiritual energy, surging forward through the depths until he reached the entrance of the hidden sanctuary.

Sensing the disturbance below, the python roared again, unleashing its icy power in an explosive surge.

In that instant, the world became a frozen wasteland. The hundreds of young fighters attacking the python above were, almost simultaneously, turned into blocks of ice.

Beneath the water, the freezing accelerated dramatically, nearly overtaking Ye Feng in a heartbeat.

“Come on—push through!”

The terrifyingly swift ice had already trapped a corner of Ye Feng’s robe as he drew within three meters of the sanctuary entrance. Yet, his swimming speed was just shy of the ice’s advance—he was about to be engulfed.

Suddenly, from within, the Demonic King’s core surged forth with a vast tide of spiritual power. At the same time, Ye Feng closed the gap to less than a meter from the sanctuary door.

Instantly, the crystalline water solidified, and Ye Feng was frozen in place, barely a meter from his goal.

But in the span of a blink, the ice around him could not withstand a tremendous force. With Ye Feng at the center, cracks spidered outward.

With a thunderous roar, the ice exploded, creating a brief vacuum in the water. Like a fish, Ye Feng darted through, slipping into the sanctuary just as the ice reformed behind him.

Now, Ye Feng’s face was flushed with a sickly red, and blood seeped steadily from the pores all across his body.

“Sit and meditate at once, boy—nourish your meridians with the core’s warmth. A moment’s delay and you’ll be crippled!” The Dragon Flood Demonic King’s anxious voice echoed from within the Demonic King’s Domain.

Without hesitation, Ye Feng sat cross-legged, activating the demonic king’s core and letting its rippling energies soothe and heal his battered meridians.

Only now did he have a moment to check his internal state. What he saw nearly drove him to despair. Hundreds of meridians, both large and small, were in ruins—some even ruptured outright from the sudden surge of spiritual power.