Chapter 109: Shadowless Snow Serpent

The Wuhan Snowy Mountains were vast and shrouded in swirling snow. As one traveled through this mountain range, the entire world appeared in shades of leaden grey, with the dark clouds hanging so low above that they seemed ready to press down upon the peaks. The towering mountains, the oppressive clouds, the biting, bone-chilling wind, and the solitary travelers pushing forward against the gale formed a scene of stark, ethereal beauty.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The wind cut like a blade, blowing in relentless, surging gusts. Chu Feng and his three companions moved in a single file, spaced some thirty feet apart, struggling across the narrow ridge of the great snowy mountain. This ridge, blanketed in thick snow, appeared wide at a glance, but was actually terrifyingly narrow—scarcely a yard across at its widest, and a mere foot or two at its narrowest. Even for a nimble beast, traversing such a path would be perilous.

For a martial artist below the fourth stage of the Body Tempering Realm, lacking the strength of a rhinoceros, a single gust of wind would be enough to cast them off the mountain with dire consequences. Conversely, if a warrior merely at the "Rhino Strength" stage were to attempt the crossing, their weight would cause them to sink into the deep drifts, and the resulting vibrations could easily trigger a catastrophic avalanche. Thus, only those at the sixth stage—the "Qi-Channeling" stage—could traverse these mountains, as they possessed both the heavy, diamond-like physical density to withstand the gale and the ethereal lightness to move across the snow without exerting force.

The ridge snaked toward the summit like a long serpent. With the path ahead obscured by wind and snow, every step had to be taken with extreme caution, watching for both the unstable drifts and the monsters lurking beneath the surface. Chu Feng, however, remained composed; his exceptional skill gave him courage, and his previous experiences in the Wind-Thunder Grotto had tempered his fear of such natural hazards.

A-Yan and A-Ying, walking in the middle, were clearly on edge. Every few steps, they would dart their eyes around, wary of a sneak attack. Chu Feng kept a close watch as well, ensuring none of them were injured, which might lead to unnecessary complications.

Suddenly, A-Yan, second in line, stopped dead in her tracks, frozen stiff. No one spoke to ask why; Bai Naizhao had previously warned them that silence was mandatory on this dangerous ridge, and cries of alarm were strictly forbidden. Chu Feng, however, noticed a crystal-clear ice pillar wrapped tightly around A-Yan’s right ankle, thick as a child’s arm.

A closer look revealed the truth: it was no ice pillar at all, but a Shadowless Snow Snake.

Whether A-Yan had stopped voluntarily or had been immobilized by the snake’s grip, she did not hesitate. She swung her sword down at the creature coiled around her leg.

Clang! Clang!

The strike against the snake’s body rang out with a sharp, metallic sound, as if hitting solid ice. A-Yan, slightly panicked by the failure of her powerful, qi-infused strike, immediately unleashed three more blows.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sword struck the snake's midsection like beads falling onto a jade plate. Only on the third strike was she able to sever it. A pool of liquid, resembling ice water, spilled out as the three-foot-long creature finally lay still. The blood of the Shadowless Snow Snake was like "snow fluid"—nothing more than icy water. A-Yan’s ankle was left numb; had she not acted quickly, the limb would surely have been maimed or crushed.

Seeing the attack on A-Yan, Bai Naizhao halted and signaled the others. The gesture warned them that Shadowless Snow Snakes, like the Shadowless Snow Rats, traveled in packs. The appearance of one meant more were sure to follow, and they must be eliminated immediately to prevent further harm.

Whoosh!

No sooner had the signal been given than A-Ying, positioned thirty feet ahead of Chu Feng, also froze. With a sharp hiss, a snow-white serpent shot from the drifts, coiling around her sword-wielding arm. Simultaneously, another flashed out like lightning and clamped onto her throat!

"Ugh—"

Startled, A-Ying could not help but let out a sound, but it was stifled instantly as the snake tightened its grip around her windpipe. The one on her arm was thick and deceptively powerful; despite A-Ying’s sixth-stage cultivation, she could not shake it off, leaving her unable to strike at the one choking her. The Shadowless Snow Snake was non-venomous but possessed incredible speed and crushing force. A warrior below the fifth stage of the "Iron Bone" realm would have had their neck snapped instantly. A-Ying’s only defense was her own toughened physique, but she was in dire peril; one more snake would surely seal her fate.

Bai Naizhao’s thick brows furrowed. Just as he moved to assist her, he felt a chill on his own limbs. Four serpents erupted from the snow, snapping onto his wrists and ankles like shackles.

Bai Naizhao was brought to a standstill by the combined force of the four snakes. A-Yan was faring poorly as well, having been struck by another snake on her calf. A-Ying, though she managed to shake off the one on her arm, was reeling; the snake around her throat tightened, cutting off her air, and she began to spin in place, dizzy and suffocating.

Suddenly, a flash of lightning!

A-Ying felt a gust of wind, and in the next instant, the pressure on her throat vanished. The snake fell limp to the snow, dead. A pungent scent of charred flesh filled the air—the creature had been scorched black. Seeing Chu Feng behind her, his long spear glowing with lingering electrical energy, A-Ying realized he had saved her life. She offered a grateful smile, but Chu Feng merely waved his hand, gesturing to the ground; there was no time for thanks, as vigilance against more snakes was the priority.

Chu Feng’s current cultivation did not allow him to manifest lightning qi internally. However, the head of his "Thunder-Breaking Wind Spear" was forged from a mixture of Wind Martial Stone and Thunder Martial Stone. The latter stored a wealth of electrical energy, and by channeling his qi into it, Chu Feng could unleash a bolt of lightning to incinerate the predator.

At the same time, A-Yan managed to finish off the snake on her leg, and Bai Naizhao, exerting his full strength, shattered the four snakes clinging to him, leaving them dead upon the snow.

Bai Naizhao signaled to check for injuries. A-Yan and A-Ying shook their heads, and Chu Feng remained calm and unscathed. While Chu Feng felt no fear, the two women were visibly shaken, dreading the long road ahead. Bai Naizhao had made it sound easy, but the ferocity of these snakes was unexpected. If they were to be ambushed repeatedly, the risk of a fatal accident was high.

Bai Naizhao, having dispatched four snakes with ease, showed no signs of slowing down and continued to lead the way. Chu Feng followed behind, puzzled: while his companions had all been targeted by the snakes in the snow, he had remained entirely unmolested, as if the creatures had chosen to ignore him.