Chapter 22: Little Snake, Don't You Recognize Me?

"How is it?" Mu Zishuo stood beside Ji Ning.

Ji Ning's divine sense swept downward, clearly detecting the struggling green snake in the wilderness. The snake's angry, resolute eyes made Ji Ning instantly confirm: "It's him!"

Every snake has slight differences in appearance—scales, skin color, eyes, gaze. Just as humans all have two eyes, one nose, one mouth... yet subtle distinctions make each person unique.

"But those formation flags..." Ji Ning's divine sense scanned and found rows of flags planted within a hundred li radius. He was quite knowledgeable about formations. "These are sealing formation flags, likely capable of locking space."

"These Wanxiang great demons are truly thorough. Even if the Azure Serpent escapes their encirclement, the flags can form a massive sealing formation, preventing it from breaking out."

Thoughts flashed through Ji Ning's mind like lightning.

"Junior apprentice-brother," Ji Ning sent mentally.

"Senior apprentice-brother," Mu Zishuo looked at Ji Ning.

"The Azure Serpent below is the one I'm looking for. I plan to rescue it. Will you come with me?" Ji Ning asked.

"Need you ask?" Mu Zishuo smiled.

"Then let's go down immediately, charge into the sealing formation. Otherwise, once it activates and locks space, we won't be able to enter even with a minor teleportation talisman," Ji Ning said.

Mu Zishuo nodded.

Swoosh!

The dragon-headed warship rapidly shrank, its surface color changing to blend with the sky. Then, like a streak of light, it shot straight down toward the battlefield in the wilderness.

...

"Boom!" A golden iron staff smashed into the Azure Serpent. The serpent rolled and dodged far away, spitting out green blood.

"I'm really going to die here this time."

"I really want to return to Yan Mountain..."

This thought flashed through the little green snake's mind, then it continued as a streak of light, charging at the white-furred fox, dense cold miasma enveloping the fox.

"Get out!"

A sudden roar sounded.

The Dragon Whale great demon, who had been watching without acting, roared from afar. At his will, the formation flags planted around began to glow, and a huge rippling light shield formed, covering the hundred-li area.

But the small dragon-headed warship had already charged into the sealing formation's range.

"Hm?" The little green snake glanced over, seeing the warship flying in and the sealing formation rising. "Who broke in? This Dragon Whale great demon prepared thoroughly to capture me alive. These flags even have sealing power; even if I escape their blockade, I can't get out."

"They're human cultivators."

"Humans."

The Wanxiang great demons all noticed the charging warship. It vanished, and two human youths flew out.

Though they looked young, the demons dared not be careless. The younger a cultivator appeared, the more cautious they had to be.

"Qu Shan, stop them," the Dragon Whale great demon ordered his subordinate with the strongest defensive abilities.

"Alright."

A hunched, ugly man with a huge shell took a step, making the earth tremble, and charged straight at Ji Ning and Mu Zishuo.

As Ji Ning flew, he willed into existence seven hundred and twenty-nine flying swords, the core being the nine Earth-ranked swords of the Northriver Sword Formation. At the same time, the countless stars, moon, and sun in his Violet Palace space resonated with the outside, manifesting externally.

Boom! The sky around them suddenly filled with brilliant stars, a golden crow, and a bright moon.

It was the Wanxiang Dharma Aspect!

Before Ji Ning's chest, a sword-light like a jade sword condensed. When Ji Ning had faced Beihe Zhou and his five companions, his Small Thousand Sword Formation's ninth layer could already match two Wanxiang experts. Now, with his Yuan power at the Wanxiang stage, the formation's core, the Nine Yang Sword Formation, had evolved into the Northriver Sword Formation.

With this sword formation, Ji Ning alone could now face Beihe Zhou and his five.

"Withdraw quickly, and I'll spare your life," Ji Ning shouted as he flew like a streak of lightning.

"Human brat, you sure talk big," the ugly man said hoarsely, wielding two golden iron staffs, turning into a blur as he met Ji Ning.

Ji Ning shook his head: "Seeking death!"

"Go!"

Ji Ning willed it.

The strand of sword-light coalescing before his chest instantly transformed into a massive millstone of water and fire, yet it moved as swift as the wind, sweeping toward the ugly man. Under the enhancement of the Myriad Manifestation Dharma Aspect... this sword strike seemed even more ethereal and elusive.

"I'll block it." The ugly man was startled—this human child's flying sword was incredibly fast!

"I'll block it again!"

The ugly man swung his two iron pestles desperately to defend, but in terms of pure skill, how could this great demon compare to Ji Ning, who had already entered the gate of the Sword Immortal? Even if Bei Hezhou or someone like that came, they could completely suppress this ugly great demon, let alone Ji Ning. The ugly great demon was only skilled at preserving his life.

"Slash!"

The sword-light passed between the two golden iron pestles, directly slicing through the ugly man's body. With a tearing sound, his body was cut in two.

The ugly man's severed body immediately turned into mist, then transformed into a huge black-shelled turtle, which quickly fled far away to evade. This sight startled the other Myriad Manifestation great demons, and even the Dragon Whale great demon, who had been standing by, frowned as he watched the two human youths.

...

The Dragon Whale great demon waved his hand: "Stop!"

The other Myriad Manifestation great demons immediately ceased their attacks and retreated.

"Big brother, those two human youths seem quite formidable. That slightly taller one cut Second Brother Qu Shan in half with a single sword strike."

"Cut in half? That's because I was in human form, so he could easily cut me in two. If I reverted to my original form, how could he cut through me?" The huge black-shelled turtle flew over, enraged.

"Couldn't even block a single strike. Useless." A tall, thin great demon sneered.

"You try!" The black-shelled turtle was furious.

"All of you, shut up." The Dragon Whale great demon swept his gaze around, and the dozen or so Myriad Manifestation great demons fell silent. They all looked toward Ji Ning and Mu Zishuo, who were flying over.

The Dragon Whale great demon declared loudly: "Humans, it's best you don't meddle in our affairs among demons. Leave now, and I will withdraw the sealing formation to let you go. If you don't..." The Dragon Whale great demon's dark green eyes turned cold.

...

Ji Ning and Mu Zishuo only glanced at the great demons, then fixed their eyes on the bedraggled green snake.

The green snake's skin was torn open, but it was rapidly healing.

She also looked at the two humans who had temporarily saved her from death. At the sight, she was stunned.

The beast-hide-clad youth?

His appearance? Exactly like that Ji clan youth who had repeatedly taunted and challenged her in Dongshan Swamp.

"Little Snake Snake!" Ji Ning called out from afar, looking at the dazed green snake, laughing. "Don't you recognize me?"

Little Snake Snake?

The green snake was dumbfounded.

That address... was so familiar. That arrogant Ji clan youth used to call her that too.

"It really is you!" The green snake suddenly cried out in surprise. "That arrogant Ji clan brat?"

"Listen carefully, my name is Ji Ning!" Ji Ning said with a smile.

The green snake flashed closer to Ji Ning and even transformed into human form, becoming a green-clad maiden. The pale-faced maiden scrutinized Ji Ning, as if she wanted to see every pore on his face, and exclaimed in astonishment: "Are you really that Ji clan brat? Didn't Tie Muzhan kill you?"

"Tie Muzhan was killed by me." Ji Ning teased with a smile. "I didn't expect that in human form, you'd be a woman."

"I was always female." The green-clad maiden glared.

Though many years had passed since they last met.

Back then, one was only at the Houtian realm, the other an ordinary Xiantian demon. They had fought many times, but now, meeting again, they felt a sense of familiarity and closeness. Perhaps it was the joy of encountering an acquaintance in a foreign land, which made it all the more intimate.

"You two!" The distant Dragon Whale great demon frowned. He could tell that this human youth and the Skygreen Snake demon were acquainted. He barked: "Stop your lovey-dovey talk. This is my territory, and you are now within the great formation I control."

The green-clad maiden's joy vanished instantly. She sent a voice transmission to Ji Ning: "Ji clan brat, you seem very powerful now. But don't think that just because you cut down that Myriad Manifestation great demon's human form, you can handle this group of great demons. There are sixteen Myriad Manifestation great demons here. Once they revert to their original forms, each one's strength skyrockets. Especially that Dragon Whale great demon... he alone is stronger than all the others combined. He is a Dragon Whale by birth, with extraordinary talent and immense strength. Moreover, he cultivates the Divine Demon Body Refining and possesses divine abilities. His power is formidable."

Ji Ning was startled.

Divine Demon Body Refining? Possessing divine abilities?

"This Dragon Whale great demon is the leader of the Demon Lotus Mountain region," the green-clad maiden transmitted. "He commands dozens of Myriad Manifestation great demons. This time, he only brought fifteen to besiege me. His Divine Demon Body Refining has already reached the Myriad Manifestation Perfection level. With his divine abilities and natural talent... he cannot be fought head-on. You should flee quickly and forget about me."

The distant Dragon Whale great demon coldly declared: "I give you two choices. One: leave now, and you two can live. Two: you both die here."

Mu Zishuo stood by, smiling easily.

Ji Ning was equally relaxed.

"Ji clan brat, don't be foolish. You should go. If you have the heart, avenge me in the future." The green-clad maiden transmitted. "For me, Qingqing, to see you again before death, heaven has not been unkind."

Ji Ning looked at the distant Dragon Whale great demon and the fifteen great demons with soaring demonic aura, and declared loudly: "Dragon Whale, I also give you two choices. One: I take Little Snake Snake away, and you can live. Two: I kill you all, then take Little Snake Snake away."