Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Red-Eyed Black Water Serpent (Part II)

The Nine-Fold Vortex redirected the crushing force of the Red-Eyed Black Water Snake’s own body back upon itself, allowing the beast to experience the sensation of being struck by its own immense mass. Meanwhile, the Manifestation of Heaven and Earth locked its body firmly between the sky and the sea, preventing it from ever nearing Jiang Feng again. As for the "Myriad Manifestations," the agonizing shrieks of the Red-Eyed Black Water Snake made it clear that its psyche had been shattered into countless, irreparable fragments.

In an instant, these three Nether Arts sent the Red-Eyed Black Water Snake reeling. It let out a harrowing roar, plummeted to the surface of the sea, and shook its head back and forth, appearing thoroughly dazed. Having just transformed into a flood dragon, it possessed no mastery over Nether Arts, and its body, still in the midst of shedding, was at its absolute weakest. Otherwise, given its formidable Nether energy, it would never have been defeated by a lowly youth like Jiang Feng, even in a one-on-one confrontation.

"Hmph! Again!" Seeing that the Red-Eyed Black Water Snake had lost its ability to resist, and thinking that there was no one else around, Jiang Feng decided to pour out all of his Nether Soul power to let the beast taste true bitterness.

He knew many Nether Arts that could be executed with his Nether Soul power. He could even perfectly replicate the most grand and imposing of them all, the "Myriad Manifestations." However, he chose the "Eight-Dragon Sonic Kill," eager to see how the Red-Eyed Black Water Snake would react to seeing dragons created through his own Nether Arts. The very thought made his blood surge with inexhaustible power.

"Eight-Dragon Sonic Kill!"

He shouted with all his might. By the time the eight sonic dragons were summoned, his throat was raw, but looking at the sight before him, he felt the effort was well worth it. Eight sonic dragons, no less imposing than the Red-Eyed Black Water Snake, stood proudly between heaven and earth.

Each was vivid and lifelike, showing no fear of the serpent. While in essence these sonic dragons could not compare to the true, wild, primordial existence of the Red-Eyed Black Water Snake, Jiang Feng’s Nether Soul power was peerless. The sonic dragons he forged possessed a presence and form that rivaled the real thing. Though he had never seen a true dragon, he felt that this was the most successful and powerful execution of the Eight-Dragon Sonic Kill he had ever performed.

*Roar! Roar! Roar!*

When the Red-Eyed Black Water Snake saw the eight dragons appear out of thin air, it thought it was dreaming. Its vast, hollow pupils filled with shock and confusion. But as it realized these dragons were real—and actively attacking it—it became anxious and enraged. Although it knew it could not compare to the dragon race and would be required to kowtow nine times before them, these creatures were clearly different from the legends. Having attained a degree of sentience upon becoming a flood dragon, it understood that true dragons were supreme deities who rarely showed themselves, intervening only when a flood dragon ascended to become one, after which they would vanish again to maintain the order of the lower realms.

Most importantly, these were all legends. Who knew if such gods truly existed? Who knew if the dragon race was divine or merely a myth used to strike fear into others? Thus, after a moment of stunned hesitation, the Red-Eyed Black Water Snake erupted into a fury.

As the saying goes, a mighty dragon cannot suppress the local snake. Here, it was a case of a mighty dragon failing to suppress the sea-serpent.

"What? It dares to resist even the sonic dragons? I thought it would be so terrified by their presence that it wouldn't even be able to tremble!" Jiang Feng was astonished, inadvertently voicing his secret hope. This naturally drew a scoff from Jue. "You are truly laughable! Thinking you could use the visage of sonic dragons to cow it? What kind of creature is it? It is a savage beast! Even with its newfound sentience, it is just a beast’s instincts grafted onto human intelligence, no different from an Asura, knowing only slaughter and battle. You actually wanted to use social hierarchy to make it submit? Stop dreaming."

Jiang Feng scratched his head in embarrassment, muttering, "I know that, I was just making a joke!"

As they spoke, the Red-Eyed Black Water Snake clashed with the eight sonic dragons. Nine pillars of light coiled, tore at one another, and darted through the ocean, now leaping like fish, now plunging like stones, churning up waves that made Jiang Feng feel like a minuscule presence once more. The power was immense, the ferocity unmatched.

Yet, the situation remained under Jiang Feng’s control. The eight dragons, carrying a portion of his intellect, fought in an orderly fashion. The Red-Eyed Black Water Snake, however, was different. Having only recently gained sentience, it did not know how to command its own body. Its temperament remained reckless and blunt; its body would often act on instinct before its thoughts could be translated into action, causing its movements to become awkward and disjointed, like a toddler learning to walk.

Seeing this, Jiang Feng could not help but laugh. However, he decided to save his celebration for later, as the surging strength of the serpent required his vigilance. He let out several more shouts, channeling the remainder of his Nether Soul power while absorbing some of his Nether energy back. For him, Nether Soul power grew quickly, but Nether energy recovered slowly, and it was the latter that allowed him to fly.

"Hmm, learning to conserve your energy; you are teachable," Jue praised, though his gaze quickly returned to the serpent. "What a savage beast. I fear there are no other living things left in this part of the ocean."

Yet, looking around, he grew suspicious. "This isn't right. This isn't a deep-sea region. And another thing—spring is not their active season. Unlike common snakes that hibernate in winter, the Red-Eyed Black Water Snake hibernates in spring and summer. Why would it be here in the middle of a warm spring?"

These words terrified Jiang Feng. Jue was right. The beast possessed immense Yang energy, and its presence in spring must be causing it excruciating, burning pain. Suddenly, an unsettling thought crossed Jiang Feng’s mind. Looking into Jue’s equally shocked eyes, he realized the truth. The sounds of the battle faded as he grasped a terrifying reality: "Could this Red-Eyed Black Water Snake have been lured here intentionally?"

Jue nodded, forcing a bitter smile. They didn't want to believe it, but the evidence was undeniable. Just as they realized this, a voice drifted from the distant sea—not harsh, yet it made Jiang Feng’s skin crawl.

"Daring to pick up the spoils!"

At that moment, a dark shadow erupted from the nearby sea. Jiang Feng felt a shockwave; as the figure moved, white halos appeared in the air, accompanied by a sharp crackling—a sonic boom. The fact that the sound could be heard from such a distance proved that the individual’s cultivation had reached a terrifying level.

"Ignorant child, courting death!"

The figure made no wasted motion. With a flick of his hands in the void, he shattered the eight sonic dragons into nothingness. Though the dragons had already been exhausted by the serpent, the sheer disparity in power left Jiang Feng unable to react.

As the dragons fell, the figure moved like lightning, flickering through the air to close the distance. He struck two palms through the air.

*Bang! Bang!*

The speed was like a thunderbolt. Stunned, Jiang Feng had no time to defend. He was struck by both palms and plummeted into the sea.

Icy water rushed in from all sides, invading his clothes, ears, and eyes. His body could not handle the pressure. He tried to scream, but the water flooded his throat, scouring his internal organs like vermin in a pipe. His mind turned to chaos. He could remember nothing; he even doubted the existence of the Red-Eyed Black Water Snake. Everything was engulfed by the suffocating, seamless net of the ocean, leaving him no strength to escape.

Jue’s voice began to fade. He knew this was the sensory collapse of drowning, yet he was powerless to stop it. He could only let the voice grow hollow, weak, and transparent. His vitality was slipping away; the blood in his veins seemed to drop in temperature, turning as cold as an ancient, frozen iceberg. His limbs had lost all sensation, as had his eyelids and his lips.

These were clearly the precursors of death. But the worst part was not that. The worst part was that the stranger had followed him into the Sea of Reincarnation.