Chapter 42

Having learned from Feng Lao Liu the general location where the strange snake had been spotted, Su Yi was overjoyed. However, he did not rush there immediately. As the saying goes, "If you want to do a job well, you must first sharpen your tools." If he were to blindly rush into the deep mountains, he might very well end up as snake food.

It was already late in the day, and by the time he reached the deep mountains, it would probably be dark. That would truly be like delivering himself to the snake!

It was better to return and rest for a day, prepare some provisions, and then set out to explore.

He immediately rode back to the city, called for a servant, and entrusted him with preparing all the necessary supplies for the mountain expedition. Then, he returned to his room to continue cultivating his internal skills.

The next day, all the dried meat and provisions were ready. Seeing the servant's efficiency, Su Yi was pleased and gave him a generous reward. He packed the supplies on his back, left the horse at the inn, and walked out of the city towards the deep mountains.

Su Yi's internal strength was now profound, and his pace was incredibly fast, not much slower than a real steed. In less than an hour, he had already reached a desolate wilderness where few people ventured.

It was still midday, but the dense forest before him was pitch black, with no light visible. Su Yi suddenly felt as if he were facing a fierce beast with its mouth wide open, waiting for him to step inside.

Putting aside his unease, he checked the long sword on his back and took a large step forward. For a sword enthusiast, the Nine Swords of Dugu were more alluring than the most precious jewels in the world. Whether it was a small forest or a mountain of blades and a sea of fire, Su Yi would dare to venture forth.

And there was the added bonus of the Dugu Jianzhuang... Oh no, the Dugu Jianzhuang!

Thinking of the Dugu Sword Tomb, the sword that could cut through iron like butter, and the heavy black iron sword that his son wielded to dominate the world, Su Yi felt a surge of excitement. As for the wooden sword, Su Yi thought it was just a cute toy, not something he would use!

Hmm? It seems I'm subtly taking advantage of Dugu Qiu Bai?

Su Yi was determined to obtain these swords. In his previous encounter with the shopkeeper Liu, his sharp sword had been directly seized by the man's bare hands. If not for that, why would Su Yi, whose skills were all in the sword, have to painfully engage in a palm-to-palm fight?

Fortunately, Su Yi had been wise enough to learn the Heart-Crushing Palm technique beforehand, or he might have been defeated there.

In the end, the long swords of the Quanzhen Sect's third-generation disciples were not exactly divine weapons, just ordinary iron. If he had used the Heaven Sword or the Dragon Slaying Saber, even if the opponent's Iron Shirt technique were ten times stronger, would he dare to grab the sword?

Sigh... Since leaving the Quanzhen Sect's newbie village, his level had increased significantly, but his equipment was still the newbie long sword. It was high time for a change... Fortunately, there was the Dugu Sword Tomb to explore, with amazing rewards, including top-tier weapons and powerful skill books. Just thinking about it made him excited!

As Su Yi carefully explored the dense forest, his mind wandered.

The forest, especially one rarely visited by humans, was the most dangerous place, filled with venomous snakes, insects, fierce beasts, and birds. If an ordinary person were here, they would be in grave danger with the slightest misstep!

Although Su Yi had martial arts skills, he had not yet completed the "Nine Yang Scripture" and was not immune to poisons. A venomous mosquito or a small snake could easily kill him, so he could not afford to be distracted for a moment.

Walking slowly through the forest, the ground was rocky and extremely damp, covered with thick moss, making it very slippery. A single misstep could cause him to stumble.

His eyes constantly darted around, staring intently at his surroundings. He moved step by step, stopping at the slightest rustle, like a timid rabbit...

After a long walk, Su Yi finally arrived at the place where Feng Lao Liu had indicated the Bosuqiu snake had been seen.

Su Yi became even more cautious, carefully searching the area within a hundred meters. However, he found no trace of the Bosuqiu snake.

Perhaps they were just passing through? Su Yi thought, feeling quite frustrated.

He searched the area again, but still found nothing.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Su Yi pondered. It seemed that Feng Lao Liu had only seen the Bosuqiu snake by chance. It made sense; these venomous snakes must move around unpredictably. If they stayed in one place, they would have been discovered long ago...

"Fine, I won't focus on this area. I'll check each place one by one. This forest has boundaries, and I have plenty of time. I'll explore it eventually..."

Su Yi tightened the grip on his long sword, deciding to be as persistent as Yu Gong. I'll thoroughly search this land, and I don't believe the Bosuqiu snake can fly away!

Just then, a sudden warning flashed in his mind, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, as if he were facing a natural enemy. Su Yi instinctively drew his sword and slashed in one direction.

Swoosh!

A venomous snake had just leaped from a nearby branch, its mouth wide open, aiming for Su Yi's neck. It collided with his sword, and the snake was split in two, its blood splattering on the ground.

"Ugh..." Su Yi took several deep breaths, his heart pounding. That was close. If his warning had been a moment later, he might have died before even starting his mission.

Looking at the dead snake, it was just an ordinary venomous snake, not the Bosuqiu snake.

Su Yi found a clean rock and sat down, drinking a large mouthful of strong liquor to calm his nerves. He was terrified of snakes and lizards, and being in the deep forest, dealing with them, had already made him extremely anxious.

After killing the venomous snake, his face was pale, and he felt weak and powerless, wishing he could collapse on the ground and catch his breath.

After a brief rest, Su Yi stood up, mentally encouraging himself, and began exploring another area.

He continued to explore several more places, but unfortunately, the Bosuqiu snake did not appear.

By now, he had been in the forest for nearly three to four hours, wandering around and losing his sense of direction. All he could see were towering ancient trees, which made the forest seem even more eerie.

...

"It seems there are no Bosuqiu snakes around here."

Sighing in frustration, Su Yi shook the blood off his sword. At his feet lay the bodies of several venomous snakes.

He had already figured out the habits of the fierce beasts and birds in the forest. The powerful beasts seemed to have an unspoken agreement, each having its own territory and not encroaching on others.

Especially with snakes, he had noticed that if he encountered a venomous snake, only that type of snake would be in the area. Other snakes would either avoid the area or have been hunted to extinction by the dominant snake.

It seemed he would have to move to another area.

Su Yi stood up, not sheathing his sword, and used his lightness skills to quickly move to another distant location, ready to start his search anew.