Chapter Eighteen: The First Seal

"Oh, alright. I'll spread out my sensing net and check." Ling Xiao Tear transformed her staff in her hand, assuming a battle stance, and closed her eyes to sense the surrounding aura.

Under the veil of darkness, the outlines of massive purple trees appeared, overlapping in layers. Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the distant shrubs, and a surge of intense purple aura emerged.

The strength of the aura indicated the level of the prey. Ling Xiao Tear's first impression was: this prey is formidable! As its outline gradually emerged from the purple mist, it raised a gigantic snake head, flicking its tongue between two fangs, revealing its identity.

"It's here, a Golden Ring Demon Serpent with nearly a hundred years of cultivation! A hundred paces away!"

Ling Xiao Tear was well acquainted with the illustrations of magical beasts; just by glancing at its head and tail, she could distinguish it. Most magical beasts and demons had their forms recorded in the library's illustrated books, and she often browsed them to memorize their features.

"In a moment, you set up the barrier, and I'll use dark magic to strike it down," Black Feather said, conjuring his staff and focusing intently.

This entirely pitch-black Ashura Wood staff was a gift from his father, Yisheng. Ashura Wood, a special species from the distant eastern dark forests, absorbed the earth's potent darkness, making its wood extremely tough and amplifying dark magic to the utmost degree.

"Alright." Ling Xiao Tear's staff glimmered with rune patterns, ready to unleash binding spells to capture their target.

In the woodland before them, the sound of scales scraping grew louder and closer, and the small beasts in the area scattered in panic, fleeing in the opposite direction.

In the blink of an eye, a massive serpent, shimmering gold and green, appeared before them. It raised its neck high, opening its cavernous maw in a threatening display, a crimson tongue darting out with a sharp hiss.

The serpent's shadow enveloped the two, and Ling Xiao Tear stared into its eyes, those golden vertical pupils filling her with dread. She had never faced such a colossal magical beast before—its raised head stood ten yards tall, and its coiled body stretched fifty yards behind. Its jaws bore two gleaming fangs, dripping with green venom.

Black Feather, however, remained unmoved by the serpent's approach. He watched its range carefully, then suddenly called out:

"Now! Set up the barrier!"

"Got it! Binding Chains—Dark Barrier!" Ling Xiao Tear swiftly cast purple runes, and several chains burst from the earth, wrapping around the serpent's body. At the same time, she raised the barrier, four walls abruptly sealing Black Feather and the serpent within a square enclosure.

Black Feather attacked almost simultaneously with the barrier's formation, swinging his staff and unleashing a black arc-shaped slash.

"Dark Light Slash!"

The sound of the strike split the air, reverberating with ripples, and the surface of the barrier began to tremble slightly.

Ling Xiao Tear held her breath, forming hand seals before her, maintaining the barrier's stability.

The slash aimed at the serpent's raised head, striking it as it crashed into the rear wall of the barrier. The serpent recoiled, eyes squeezed shut. When the black light faded, it was unscathed. Its eyes reopened, now burning with fury, evidence of its tough hide. It twisted its massive body, thrashing wildly, and its writhing form whipped up a gale of dust, shattering the purple walls behind.

"Ah!" Ling Xiao Tear staggered.

The serpent's body, as vast as a city wall, dragged across the ground, sending up clouds of dust, breaking saplings and shrubs beneath its bulk. Suddenly, its tail swept out; Black Feather leapt agilely, but Ling Xiao Tear, standing still, was struck and sent flying, her slender body tossed like a twig, landing hard on the ground.

"Ah!" she cried out again.

Fortunately, Ling Xiao Tear landed outside the serpent's attack range and was temporarily safe. Black Feather glanced back, then tried several times to strike the serpent’s body with “Dark Light Slash,” but to no avail. The serpent’s scales were like armor, impervious to the blows, leaving not even a scratch.

"Damn, I underestimated the magical beasts here," Black Feather muttered, feeling the opponent’s strength. Yet his fighting spirit only grew stronger, his eyes shining brighter.

"It seems there's only one move left..." he murmured. "Ling Xiao Tear, prepare the barrier!"

As the serpent swept its tail again and snapped its fangs, Black Feather deftly stepped onto its head, leaping upward, and spread his wings, soaring into the air.

"Still fighting?" Ling Xiao Tear groaned, struggling up again, her magic robe now covered in dust.

Black Feather maneuvered nimbly in the sky, unleashing several slashes to draw the serpent’s attention. When it opened its maw to attack, he dodged swiftly, circling behind its head and diving repeatedly to strike the back of its skull with his staff, finally enraging it.

Ling Xiao Tear watched breathlessly from the side. Fortunately, with the aid of his black wings, Black Feather’s movements were far faster than the serpent’s. Several times, he narrowly escaped its jaws, then struck with a slash at its most vulnerable spot, causing blood to splatter, as if toying with the beast.

Suddenly, Black Feather’s figure paused in midair, as if his “warm-up” had ended and the main act was ready. He gripped his right wrist firmly with his left hand, and the flame-shaped seal in his palm shone fiercely. His entire aura surged, breaking through all restraint.

“First Stage of the Dark Seal—Release!”

Black rays radiated from Black Feather’s body, thick darkness pouring out from every pore, cloaking him completely.

His eyes turned crimson, blood surging through his veins, the flow doubling, power transmitted from his racing heart to every muscle and bone. His bones crackled, and his robe billowed with the force.

At that moment, the serpent, heedless of danger, opened its maw wide, lunging at Black Feather, its venomous fangs gleaming.

“Ling Xiao Tear, barrier!” he shouted.

“Ah… right!” Seeing Black Feather’s transformation, Ling Xiao Tear snapped to attention as if struck by lightning.

She summoned all her power, quickly raising a new barrier. The purple walls rose like mountains, forming a tall rectangle enclosing both the serpent and Black Feather soaring above.

“Dark Light Impact!”

Facing the serpent’s venomous fangs, Black Feather grasped his staff and swung fiercely. A black beam shot forth, piercing the serpent’s head and pinning it to the ground, the rest of its body skewered through by the dark light.