ch 11

Tianze treaded through the dense jungle, his instincts on high alert. It had been months since he entered the forbidden depths of the forest, and his body had evolved beyond human limits. His senses were sharper than a beast’s, his strength monstrous, and his energy control refined beyond anything he had known before.

Despite his growth, Tianze knew one thing—this jungle still had creatures far beyond his current strength.

Suddenly, his ears caught the faint sound of a battle up ahead. He leaped onto a tree, his glowing eyes piercing through the darkness. In a small clearing, he saw a massive serpent, over twenty meters long, covered in shimmering silver-blue scales. It was coiled protectively around a smaller version of itself—a baby snake no larger than Tianze’s arm.

Facing the serpent was a monstrous centipede, its dark carapace gleaming like metal, its venomous mandibles dripping with poison. The two beasts clashed in a brutal fight—the centipede's bladed legs sliced deep into the serpent’s body, while the serpent struck with lightning-fast movements, sinking its fangs into the centipede’s joints. The clearing reeked of blood and poison.

Tianze’s instincts screamed—these were no ordinary creatures. The serpent radiated a presence he had never felt before. There was something regal about it, something… ancient.

But no matter how powerful the serpent was, it was losing. The centipede's numerous legs pinned it down, its mandibles crunching into the serpent’s body, injecting a deadly venom. The serpent let out a final hiss, its coils loosening as its life faded. The baby snake trembled beside its dying mother, its sapphire eyes filled with helplessness.

Tianze narrowed his eyes. He had no reason to interfere—this was nature’s cycle. But then…

The centipede turned its attention to the baby.

Something inside Tianze snapped. Before he could think, he had already moved.

With a burst of speed, he launched himself into the battlefield, his energy surging. The centipede screeched in fury as Tianze slammed his foot onto its head, forcing it down. Without hesitation, he dug his fingers into its carapace and tore one of its legs off. Green blood sprayed as the beast shrieked.

The centipede thrashed, but Tianze dodged its attacks effortlessly. He focused his energy into his hands, forming claws sharper than steel. With brutal precision, he struck again, tearing open the centipede’s underbelly. The monster convulsed violently before finally going still.

Silence fell over the clearing.

Tianze turned to the baby snake. It stared at him, its small body trembling.

"...You’re free now," he muttered.

But the moment he took a step forward, the baby snake lunged—and sank its fangs into his arm.

Pain flared as venom spread through his bloodstream. Yet instead of panic, Tianze smirked. What an ungrateful little thing…

He closed his eyes, directing his energy to absorb the venom. He had done this countless times before, storing toxins within his dantian. He welcomed the poison, letting it settle into his growing arsenal.

The baby snake released him, hissing warily. But instead of attacking, Tianze crouched and held out his hand.

"Come with me, or die here alone. Your choice."

The snake hesitated, then slowly slithered onto his arm.

Tianze turned his gaze to the serpent’s corpse. He wasn’t going to let such a powerful creature go to waste. With precision, he removed its core, feeling the immense energy within.

Sssllrrppp!

He swallowed it whole. Immediately, his veins burned as the serpent’s power surged through him. His energy channels expanded, his body tingling with a strange, unfamiliar sensation.

This energy… it’s different from anything I’ve consumed before…

Ignoring the pain, he carved out the best parts of the serpent’s flesh and devoured them. He felt his muscles harden, his senses sharpening even further.

Then, he examined its remains.

The serpent’s fangs were long and razor-sharp, naturally infused with a venom deadlier than anything he had encountered. He snapped them off, sharpening them into daggers—two deadly weapons, lightweight yet strong enough to pierce through steel.

Next, he peeled off its scales. The material was unlike anything he had seen—light, flexible, yet tougher than iron. Using threads of his own energy, he crafted an armor that covered his torso, arms, and legs, blending seamlessly with his body.

Lastly, he found a small sack within the serpent’s body—it was a poison gland, still intact. He carefully stored it away. This will be useful later…

With his new weapons, armor, and companion, Tianze stood. The baby snake coiled around his shoulder, its sapphire eyes watching him.

"Let’s go," he murmured. "I have a feeling you and I will be together for a long time."

With that, Tianze disappeared into the jungle, the baby snake clinging to him as the moonlight bathed the forest in silver light.

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