Chapter 12

"Rooster! Rooster! Rooster~"

At the first cockcrow, Qin Lang reflexively sprang up from his bed, ready to start his daily essential training.

"Three hours of lamplight, five hours of rooster crow, it is the time for a man to practice his skills," this was the old poison master's teaching. Regardless of wind, rain, frost, or snow, the old poison master required Qin Lang to get up and practice at the first cockcrow. Otherwise, the old poison master would put venomous snakes, scorpions, and the like into Qin Lang's bed, letting them "sleep" with him.

Even though now in Xiayang City, Qin Lang did not think of being lazy. He quickly washed up and then ran to the small hill behind No. 7 High School.

This was the place Qin Lang had chosen for his training, which he had already selected the day before.

Qin Lang focused entirely and began practicing the Dragon Subduing Pile.

The old poison master had said that the martial realm was divided into nine levels, the first being the cultivation of strength, and the second being the practice of piles. Practicing piles, which involves horse stance and pile striking, is the foundational stage that true martial artists must go through.

Speaking of the Dragon Subduing Pile, it was indeed miraculous. When Qin Lang first started practicing three years ago, standing in the stance made his whole body ache, and he was often beaten and scolded by the old poison master. Now, the longer he stood, the more relaxed and spirited he felt. After three years of practicing the pile, Qin Lang's understanding of the technique had deepened significantly. Moreover, one time the old poison master let slip that the Dragon Subduing Pile was not his own skill but one he had stolen from the Buddhist sect.

Standing on the mountaintop, Qin Lang felt like an ancient pine, firmly rooted in the ground, unmoved by wind and rain.

Gradually, Qin Lang began to understand the true meaning of the term "Dragon Subduing":

The human spine, from the cervical to the lumbar vertebrae, consists of twenty-four bones, resembling a great dragon lying dormant within the body. It is because of this "great dragon" that humans can stand on the ground and reach for the sky. However, the "subduing" in Dragon Subduing Pile does not mean lying dormant but rather "subduing." Only by completely subduing this "great dragon" during practice can one truly stand tall and strong, and when acting, achieve the effect of "remaining silent until the moment of great impact, and soaring to the sky in one leap."

To defeat others, one must first defeat oneself.

Using the Dragon Subduing Pile to lay the foundation for martial arts practice is not just about standing steadily but also about "subduing" the strength and will of the entire body, gathering all strength and will into the "great dragon" of the spine, standing tall and strong, and using the power of heaven and earth to hone one's own strength and will.

Ordinary horse stances and pile techniques are certainly not as profound, unable to simultaneously temper strength and will.

"Truly remarkable!"

After this sudden enlightenment, Qin Lang gave the Dragon Subduing Pile this four-word evaluation. It seemed that although the old poison master was lazy, the pile technique he used to lay the foundation for Qin Lang's martial arts was truly top-notch!

Three years of hard practice were not as valuable as a moment of sudden enlightenment. However, without those three years of strength and pile training, this moment of enlightenment would not have been possible.

Qin Lang knew that he had already reached the peak of the second level of the martial realm, "pile practice." Next, he should advance to the third level, "techniques," to learn and understand various martial arts techniques.

After understanding the subtleties of the Dragon Subduing Pile, Qin Lang did not become overly excited but "subdued" his joy, continuing to stand in the Dragon Subduing Pile posture, like an ancient pine on a cliff, basking in the starlight and awaiting the dawn.

※※※

As the first light of dawn appeared, bird calls echoed all around.

Suddenly, Qin Lang felt a few pine needles fall on his head. The branches above him shook violently, and the baby birds in the nest were startled and flew away, seemingly greatly frightened.

Looking up, he saw a two-meter-long "copperhead snake" coiled around a pine branch. The snake was a bright yellow with a triangular head, clearly a venomous snake!

This large snake had just raided a bird's nest and swallowed a newly hatched chick. The two adult birds could only chirp incessantly at the copperhead snake but were unable to drive it away.

The law of the jungle: the strong prey on the weak.

After eating the chick, the copperhead snake left the nest and began to slide down the tree trunk, seemingly preparing to raid another nest.

The copperhead snake, also known as the copperhead pit viper, is not only highly venomous but also has a voracious appetite. It is a generalist feeder, eating anything from frogs and toads to mice, birds, and eggs. In times of food scarcity, they even eat their own kind. Due to their strong teeth, these snakes grow quickly in food-rich mountainous areas, and some can even rival pythons in size.

As the copperhead snake slid down the tree trunk, it clearly saw Qin Lang's presence. However, relying on its size and strength, it did not seem to take Qin Lang seriously and continued to slide down the trunk leisurely.

Whoosh!

At this moment, a red light flashed past Qin Lang's eyes, striking the tree trunk like lightning and blocking the copperhead snake's path.

To Qin Lang's surprise, what blocked the copperhead snake's path was a blood-red mantis!

This red mantis was about 10 centimeters long. From its physical characteristics, it should have been a Chinese mantis, but Chinese mantises are usually green or dark brown, which serves as camouflage to reduce the risk of being attacked by other predators. This pure red mantis, however, was something Qin Lang had never seen before. While red is eye-catching, it also makes the mantis more vulnerable to attacks from birds or other predators, unless—

The red color of this blood-red mantis was not for camouflage but for warning!

For example, some highly venomous snakes and insects have very conspicuous colors, warning other predators: "I am highly toxic, do not provoke me!" Otherwise, they would face the wrath of the venom!

Moreover, the posture of this mantis was quite aggressive! It stood about 10 centimeters from the copperhead snake's head, its two sharp front legs raised, gleaming with a cold light, as if daring the snake to pass: "If you want to pass, leave your toll!"

The copperhead snake was clearly enraged by this blood-red mantis. Given its size and strength, the mantis was like a "fly in the way of a cart." The red tongue of the copperhead snake flickered, indicating that it was ready to change its diet and taste the mantis.

Whoosh!

The copperhead snake took the initiative, its head springing forward like a coiled spring, aiming to bite the blood-red mantis.

Qin Lang couldn't help but sigh. The courage of this blood-red mantis to challenge the large snake was commendable, but it would likely end in tragedy.

While there are documentaries showing mantises preying on small rodents and snakes, these are usually small prey. In the insect world, mantises are skilled hunters, but challenging a large snake is akin to suicide!

Buzz!

Just as the blood-red mantis was about to be swallowed by the snake, it suddenly flapped its wings, creating a beautiful red glow in the morning light. It seemed ready to fly away but remained firmly attached to the tree trunk. The copperhead snake's head retreated, showing signs of fear.

A drop of liquid landed on Qin Lang's face. When he touched it, it was not dew but blood!

Snake blood!

"Could this large snake actually be injured?"

Qin Lang was shocked. The scene had happened too quickly for him to see clearly. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the copperhead snake's eyes had been cut, each with a two-centimeter-long wound. Clearly, the snake's eyes had been blinded!

"Damn! Is this real or not?"

Qin Lang was astonished. The combat power of this blood-red mantis was incredibly fierce, blinding the snake's eyes in one move and significantly reducing its fighting ability. It was truly formidable!

Blinded, the copperhead snake's fear overcame its hatred. In a panic, it fell from the tree trunk into the grass and fled in a hurry.

But the blood-red mantis did not let it go. It flew out like lightning, landing near the snake's head and neck, and its "blades" struck down fiercely. The sharp front edge of the blade pierced the snake's neck, and the copperhead snake struggled a few times before dying.

"Strike the snake at the three-inch mark! How does this blood-red mantis know the opponent's weakness so well?"

Qin Lang was amazed by the blood-red mantis's technique and even more surprised by its precise judgment. Snakes have two weak points: the "three-inch" and "seven-inch" marks. Most people know about the "seven-inch" mark, but few know about the "three-inch" mark. The "three-inch" mark is the most vulnerable part of the snake's spine, which can be easily broken, damaging the snake's central nervous system and rendering it immobile.

After killing the copperhead snake, the blood-red mantis stood on the snake's head, gently stretching its wings, and then, as a victor, cut open the snake's skin and began to feed on the snake's brain.

"Indeed, the world is full of wonders!"

Qin Lang sighed. He had once read a story in "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio" about a mantis catching a snake, thinking it was just a legend with a lot of exaggeration. He never expected to witness such a legendary moment in real life.

At this moment, something suddenly came to Qin Lang's mind, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Could this be the 'strange insect' mentioned in the Poison Canon!"