Chapter 180: Serpentine Transformation

Chapter 180: Serpentine Transformation

"You two don't need to worry," Clemens said, his voice calm and reassuring.

"I just wanted to be prepared for any unexpected changes, so I invited a few extra friends to help. There's no ill intent."

"Once this is over, I'll still honor the reward I promised you, and it won't affect our deal."

Nina's expression was equally grim, but she spoke with solemnity, "I assure you, nothing will happen to you."

Upon hearing this, Priestess Linda's face relaxed slightly, but her true thoughts remained unknown.

Karl sighed helplessly.

When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head.

There was no way he could fight, and stubbornly resisting them would only bring unnecessary trouble.

He had no choice but to take it one step at a time.

"Go!"

Priestess Linda held her staff, commanding countless rats made of earth to rush towards the valley.

Her beautiful eyes sparkled, and within them, images flashed, reflecting everything the rats saw into her perception.

Soon, Nina stopped her witchcraft.

"There are many venomous snakes inside, and other poisonous creatures... Their numbers..." Her voice trailed off, "are far more than we expected!"

It wasn't just more; it was a veritable nest of poison.

Countless bizarrely venomous creatures gathered in the valley, strangely avoiding any conflict with each other.

This was not normal!

"The things inside attract nearby poisonous creatures, so there's nothing strange about it," Gold spoke up, his question laced with concern as his gaze fell on Karl.

"Mr. Cannon."

Nina's voice carried a hint of worry, "Please be careful."

"You don't need to fight them head-on. Just lure the two venomous snakes away from the inner valley entrance, and the task will be complete."

"..." Karl shook his head and flipped his hand, revealing a massive shield. He gripped the handle with one hand.

This shield was crafted from a damaged Gravity Hammer, and it too was inscribed with Gravity Witchcraft.

"The route!"

"Oh!"

Linda snapped back to attention and quickly conjured an image of the valley's terrain, marking the path leading deep into its heart.

The others also sprang into action. Nina took out a thin sheet of blood jade, etched with intricate witchcraft patterns.

"This Poison Shield can resist close-range poisonous gases for three to six hours."

She handed over the talisman and then pointed her staff at Karl, "Lenz's Blessing!"

First-Rank Spell—Lenz's Blessing.

It significantly enhanced the recipient's physical strength, endurance, and mental resistance, with the duration varying based on the caster's cultivation.

Typically, when a spell is prefixed with a person's name, it suggests that the spell is not publicly available and is likely exclusive to a specific family or power, with greater potency.

"Hmm!"

Karl grunted, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He felt his body enveloped by an invisible force field, enhancing his physical attributes to a certain degree.

"Phew..."

Nina wiped the sweat from her forehead, indicating that casting this spell was taxing for her as well.

"Bernie, it's your turn."

"Hmm," Bernie from the Perro Clan suppressed a smile and raised his staff, pointing it at Karl.

First-Rank Spell—Water Spirit!

This spell greatly increased one's explosive power and recovery speed.

Gentle and enduring water elements flowed into his body, permeating his bones, skin, and cells.

Hmm? Karl's eyes lit up.

Compared to Lenz's Blessing, this Water Spirit spell seemed to enhance him more noticeably.

'The Perro Clan's ancestors were probably disciples of the Sixth Circle Tower, and their practiced witchcraft was connected to the Tower's lineage, specializing in water-based spells...'

'It's a perfect match for me!'

'Could it be that the Perro Clan practices Tower Heritage?'

His meditation technique, Source Sea Meditation, originated from the Tower, but he lacked the accompanying spells.

And this Water Spirit spell was a perfect fit.

"Mr. Cannon, you need to reach a cave in the inner valley, so from here on out... I'm counting on you!"

"Hmm."

Karl's expression remained unchanged as he stepped towards the valley below.

His pace seemed unhurried, but within a few breaths, he disappeared from sight, plunging into the midst of the venomous creatures.

Immediately, a roar echoed through the valley.

The creatures within unleashed their hostility towards the intruder, launching various attacks.

...

Karl held the giant shield, crouching behind it as he charged into the valley, leading a pack of venomous snakes.

When he reached his limit, his eyes snapped open.

Super Artifact Seal—Earth-shaking Seal!

He lifted his foot and stomped the ground, unleashing an invisible shockwave that rippled through the area. The ground began to tremble violently, killing countless venomous creatures, and stone pillars erupted from the earth, impaling venomous snakes and wolf spiders.

The area around them instantly cleared.

The poisonous creatures on the outskirts of the valley posed little threat, but the dense toxic miasma surrounding them was more troublesome.

How long had it been? The poison-repelling talisman that was supposed to last for hours had already turned black and hot, its effectiveness waning.

Fortunately, Karl had other buffs, and his robust physique allowed him to temporarily withstand the dangers.

"It's a good thing it's me!"

"If it were an ordinary legendary knight, even with a wizard's abilities, they might not be able to withstand the intense poison here."

"The Walker Family..."

"A well-known family?"

Shaking his head, Karl charged forward again.

His massive shield glowed with magical light, and the engraved gravity spell was activated.

Repulsion Spell!

A powerful repulsive force emanated from the shield, and Karl surged through the swarm of creatures like a ferocious beast, carving a bloody path.

His tremendous strength crushed everything in his way, and his buffs allowed him to ignore all threats.

His charge was unstoppable.

Although this journey had its unexpected twists, and the situation inside the valley was worse than anticipated, Karl could still handle it.

Outside the valley.

Nina's face lit up with joy.

"Mr. Kenny is indeed the legendary knight recommended by Old Brin. His physique is truly remarkable."

"This time, we found the right person!"

"Father."

Turning slightly, Nina lowered her voice.

"Why are you doing this? It will affect the Walker Family's reputation, which has been excellent for over a hundred years."

"Reputation?" Clemens' expression remained unchanged.

"We maintain our family's reputation to gain the trust of others, but ultimately, it's because it brings us more benefits."

"If the benefits are substantial, reputation can be sacrificed!"

"..." Nina was stunned, her father's words completely contradicting her upbringing.

"A few magic belladonnas, even if they contain the power of the origin, won't be of much use to you."

"Magic belladonnas?" Clemens scoffed.

"There's more than just a few magic belladonnas here, and... someone must make a sacrifice."

As he spoke, he bowed his head and gazed into the valley.

His eyes seemed to see through the thick miasma, focusing on Karl, who was still charging forward.

The deeper they ventured into the Nameless Snake Valley, the more numerous and powerful the poisonous creatures became, increasing the pressure on Karl.

"Hah!"

With a low shout, Karl stretched out his hand, and a ball of water appeared out of thin air, instantly transforming into a tidal wave that swept through the area.

First Rank Spell - Tidal Power.

Simultaneously, his body flickered, and he was about to take to the air.

The next moment—

"Whoosh..."

Like an invasion of their territory, a swarm of moths emerged from the stone walls, enveloped in a cloud of toxic powder.

Visible to the naked eye.

The effectiveness of the poison-repelling talisman on Karl's body diminished.

"Damn!"

With a low growl, Karl charged forward.

"Almost there, just ahead."

A pitch-black cave entrance came into view, teeming with poisonous creatures.

Two giant snakes, each several dozen meters long, occupied most of the entrance, even driving away other poisonous creatures.

As the rumbling sound from behind grew louder, the two giant snakes slowly twisted their bodies and turned their heads.

Instinctively, they sensed that the approaching 'presence' posed a threat to their dominance.

"Ssss..."

With a hiss, the two giant snakes slowly raised their heads, and the eerie pearls on their foreheads began to glow.

The next moment—

Karl, charging forward, also felt the bone-chilling chill and abruptly looked up, his face immediately changing.

"Serpentine Transformation!"

A peculiar First Rank creature with an innate ability to petrify all things, and the source of their power was the pearls on their foreheads.

The petrification spell activated by the pearls was Second Tier, a lethal, instant-kill talent akin to sudden death.

Once hit—

If one couldn't avoid the judgment, instant death would follow.

Even if one avoided the judgment, their body would still petrify to some extent.

Fortunately,

The Serpentine Transformation could only be used a limited number of times each day, and after activation, it required time to accumulate energy again.

Damn it! Karl clenched his fists, his face darkening.

"The Walker Family..."

"This is nothing like what we agreed upon!"

...

Two streaks of pale light slashed through the dense miasma, and a powerful presence instantly vanished.

"Success!"

Clemens smiled and nodded to Gold beside him.

"Let's go."

"Haha..." Gold laughed heartily.

"Even I couldn't stop a Second Tier petrification spell, let alone with an instant-death judgment. Even a Second Circle Wizard might not be able to withstand it. Good thing you found the right person to sacrifice, Clemens."

"Now!"

"It's our turn!"

"Whoosh!"

His body flickered, and he charged into the valley, his peculiar witchcraft granting him a speed far surpassing that of a mid-stage First Rank Wizard.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end