Translator: CinderTL
"Yes!!"
In the sky, dozens of black-brown Flying Eagles appeared, circling under the blue sky.
Upon receiving Chen Feng's orders, the elite warriors, who had long been struggling to suppress their rage, quickly drew their bows and fired arrows in rapid succession.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The cold sound of arrows piercing the air echoed sharply as dozens of arrows shot forth, splitting into hundreds, transforming into a rain of arrows that blanketed the sky.
The howling wind carried the cries of the eagles.
It was a lament for the suffering of their human kin and a deep-seated hatred for the Serpentfolk.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The sound of flesh being pierced rang out continuously.
Splashes of blood flew as the Serpentfolk sentinels on the watchtowers were struck through their armor, their chests pierced at vital points.
Bang!
The wooden railings were shattered, and one by one, the bodies fell to the ground.
Serpentfolk warriors patrolling between the tents and wooden huts on the grassland, clad in animal hide robes or gray iron armor, looked up in shock and fury, only to be struck through their foreheads by the dense rain of arrows, dying instantly.
"Enemy attack!"
"It's the enemy from the Holy City!!"
A fourth-tier Serpentfolk expert rushed out from a wooden hut in the tribe, shouting in alarm and anger, trying to rally the Serpentfolk to resist.
But the next second.
Boom!
A massive silver figure descended to the ground, and the sword energy from his broadsword swept through everything.
The buildings were split in two, and the surrounding ground caved in, forming deep craters.
The fourth-tier Serpentfolk who had just shouted stared in disbelief, clearly seeing his own body severed at the waist, the lower half still standing stiffly in place.
All the Serpentfolk within dozens of meters exploded on the spot, and a torrential rain of blood fell. Olon, clad in silver armor, coldly raised his head, and in the next instant, he charged straight toward the center of the Serpentfolk tribe.
Boom!
The deafening sound was like an earthquake as wooden huts collapsed one after another, and round tents were flipped over and shattered.
All the Serpentfolk on the grassland were filled with terror and fear, their angry shouts unceasing.
Some resisted, some struggled.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Without a word, over a dozen elite warriors from the Holy City swooped down, wielding spears, each of them effortlessly taking out several third-tier Serpentfolk.
Meanwhile, the rain of arrows continued to bloom in the sky, providing support and vigilance to prevent sneak attacks.
With their seamless coordination, the elite warriors of the Holy City were unstoppable, wiping out many Serpentfolk guards in the blink of an eye.
"Despicable Lowly Ones!!"
"All of you from the Holy City will die a miserable death!"
An aged roar echoed as a dark light burst forth from the center of the tribe, shooting straight toward the flock of Flying Eagles in the sky.
The aura, touching the threshold of the fifth tier, was immensely powerful.
Chen Feng glanced at it but did not intervene.
Because.
Hum!
A green light flared, blocking everything.
A fifth-tier expert from the Thorn Corps stood beside him and intercepted the attack.
The dark light dissipated bit by bit, and the elderly Serpentfolk below was filled with shock and fury.
Before he could act again, Olon on the ground charged forward like a war chariot, his silver helmet gleaming as he stomped the ground and swung his sword, unleashing a sword energy that shook heaven and earth.
Slash!!!
The Serpentfolk Elder, who had barely touched the threshold of the fifth tier, was split in two. His gray-scaled serpent head, eyes wide, rolled on the ground, tumbling several times.
The sword energy, dozens of meters wide, swept through everything like a crescent moon, causing wooden huts and round tents to explode one after another. The grassland was crisscrossed with deep trenches, and much of the green was obliterated.
Broken serpent scales and blood littered the ground, and the kneeling human slaves stood frozen in place, their expressions dazed, almost believing they were hallucinating.
"Is... is this real?"
Someone trembled as they spoke, still unable to process what had just happened.
Such a powerful and ferocious Serpentfolk, killed so easily?
Was it an illusion? "No!"
"It's the Holy City! It's really the people from the legendary Holy City!"
"They've come to save us!"
The previously resentful young man shouted, his face flushed with excitement.
The woman who had fainted was finally helped to her feet and awakened, and the child in her arms looked up, instinctively standing up.
More and more people followed suit, and beams of hope appeared in their eyes, replacing the previous numbness and lifelessness.
In the end.
A faint trace of white ash brushed past them, and Chen Feng had already caught sight of the core area enveloped by a green barrier.
A massive black tree, thick enough to require three or five people to encircle, grew within. Its roots were gnarled like coiling pythons, and its lush foliage bore patterns resembling serpentine markings.
Most of the fruits had already been plucked and offered to the Serpent God Temple.
Yet, three crimson fruits still hung fresh, like coiled little snakes nestled among the leaves.
"Run away!"
"No!!"
The Serpentfolk guards around the barrier were terrified, no longer caring to guard the tree, and fled in panic.
The Silver Armor Warriors pursued with their swords, and the other warriors from the Flying Eagle group descended from the sky, spreading out and forming a formation to encircle and kill.
In the end, only Chen Feng remained, gazing down from above.
The green barrier seemed indestructible, but a cyan shell quietly spread, gradually covering most of his palm.
Whoosh!!
A concentrated black light pierced through everything, and the green barrier exploded with a resounding crash.
Tiny specks of spiritual light scattered in all directions, and the small white stone statue expanded and grew, flying in a circle.
When it reappeared, rising into the air, Chen Feng already held three Serpent Spirit Fruits in his hand.
[You have discovered a Secret Realm treasure—Serpent Spirit Fruit!]
[Consumers must perform a ritual to remove the Serpent Spirit essence within, or they will suffer varying degrees of serpentine mutations!]
[Tip: You can choose to convert it into pure energy and absorb it into your body, with no side effects, but the effect will be reduced by one-third!]
"Convert, absorb."
The moment the panel's prompt appeared, Chen Feng made his decision without hesitation.
Buzz! In an instant, the three fist-sized Serpent Spirit Fruits rapidly melted, transforming into a mist of energy that seeped through his pores and surged into his body.
Threads of warm energy flowed through his limbs and bones, eventually converging in his lower dantian.
There, a fist-sized crimson flame burned, with a faint white-gold light flickering within.
Immediately, all the energy from the Serpent Spirit Fruits turned into the most fundamental nourishment, continuously pouring into it, nurturing the growth of the Seed of Life.
Time passed minute by minute, and the battle below continued.
In the end, a glint of light flashed in Chen Feng's eyes as he focused his gaze.
[Sacred Flame Awakening Method: Fourth Tier (69%)]
The progress had increased by a notch, and Chen Feng was quite satisfied.
The effect of a single Serpent Spirit Fruit was slightly inferior to that of an Advanced Life Elixir, which was within his expectations.
But it didn't matter, because the nourishment here came at little cost and was easier to obtain.
Then, suppressing his stray thoughts, he looked down.
The battle was completely one-sided. Faced with the combined assault of the Holy City's elite, the Serpentfolk from this mid-sized tribe could only flee, unable to mount a counterattack.
In reality, this Serpentfolk tribe was not weak by any means; it was considered upper-tier among medium-sized tribes. Unfortunately, the forces accompanying Chen Feng were the true elite of the Holy City.
The Holy City, the only human city on the Serpent Spirit Continent, was the last bastion preserving the Seed of Civilization.
Perhaps it was at a disadvantage compared to the Serpent God Temple.
But when it came to individual large tribes, even one of the Eight Great Tribes, the Holy City was significantly stronger.
Even a single contingent of its forces was more than a medium-sized tribe could handle.
Boom!!
Flames soared into the sky as the one-sided battle continued.
Corpses of serpent-headed, human-bodied creatures littered the ground. The warriors of the Holy City advanced with unstoppable momentum, crushing all in their path.
"Please, spare me!"
"I'm just an ordinary person enslaved by the Serpentfolk. I didn't want to be tainted by the Serpent Spirit Power either!"
A long-haired woman in a hemp robe knelt on the ground, pleading in terror.
Her face bore a strikingly vivid serpentine mark, her pupils resembled those of a snake, and behind her ears were two gray serpent scales.
Seeing this, the silver-armored young man standing before her hesitated, his silver sword halted mid-swing.
"Sol, what are you hesitating for?"
A middle-aged Silver Armor Warrior shouted from a distance.
The young man named Sol gripped his silver sword tightly, gritting his teeth, visibly conflicted.
"Captain, does someone like her even count as a Serpentfolk?"
When it came to the fully serpent-headed, human-bodied Serpentfolk, he could strike without hesitation.
But the person before him looked so similar to a normal human, and he hadn't seen her commit any evil acts.
Perhaps she had been forced by circumstances to submit to the Serpentfolk tribe? As this thought crossed his mind, seeing her tearful pleas for mercy, the young man found it hard to strike.
"The Serpent God is utterly malevolent. Those tainted by its gaze undergo bloodline mutations and psychological distortions."
"Quick! Kill her!"
His captain urged urgently. The young man hesitated for a moment, then turned to look at him.
Wasn't that statement too absolute? "Captain—"
Whoosh!!! The woman, who had been kneeling, suddenly sprang to her feet, a dagger gleaming coldly in her hand as she lunged for his neck.
The young man caught the movement in his peripheral vision, his pupils dilating in shock.
But before he could react, an arrow shot through the air like a meteor, piercing the woman's back.
Thud!!
The body fell to the ground. The young man looked across the battlefield.
There stood Molly, her wheat-toned skin, curly brown hair, and brown eyes. She lowered her longbow, her expression colder than usual.
Having fled from a Serpentfolk tribe to the Holy City, she had witnessed too much danger along the way.
Thus, she understood the cunning and malice of these Serpentfolk far better than he did.
Even half-Serpentfolk would have their bloodlines altered and their minds twisted by the Serpent Spirit, becoming cruel and cold.
They were no longer part of the human race. There could be no room for leniency or sympathy.
Chen Feng, who had observed everything silently, made no move to intervene. He trusted the people of the Holy City to handle it properly.
By the end, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the Serpentfolk of this tribe had been completely wiped out. Every warrior of the Holy City bore splashes of crimson on their faces.
Whoosh!
The sound of wind accompanied the ascent of the Flying Eagle.
Olon's silver armor shimmered with a mysterious force, cleansing the bloodstains.
"Lord Feng Chen, the core of the Gray Scale Tribe has been eliminated."
This was only the strongest core group of the Gray Scale Tribe. There were still scattered remnants and weaker branches elsewhere.
Chen Feng nodded, and then he saw the other party looking down at the thousands of ordinary people below.
Most of them were dressed in rags, with men, women, and children among them.
At this moment, they were all looking up at them, some murmuring with awe and excitement, others kneeling and kowtowing in deep gratitude.
There were even some who trembled in fear, their faces filled with confusion, as if they had become accustomed to a numb existence and, suddenly freed, didn't know where to go.
"These ordinary people have struggled to survive in the Serpentfolk tribes. Even without the Grey Spear Tribe, other tribes would surely capture them and reduce them to slavery again."
"I plan to leave a warrior behind to escort them south and also send a message to the Holy City, asking them to send people to receive them."
Olon spoke thoughtfully, a flash of pity in his eyes.
They might be the Lowly Ones in the eyes of the Serpentfolk, but to the people of the Holy City, they were kin.
Chen Feng nodded, naturally not refusing.
This was the decision of the Holy City, and it had even been discussed and decided upon before they set out.
Part of it was what Olon had just said—to save their kin as much as possible.
Another part was because the Holy City was now facing war and was short on population.
In the past, resources were tight, and they couldn't support more people.
But now, there was no other choice.
Immediately, a fourth-tier Silver Armor Warrior was left behind.
The group didn't linger for long and soon headed straight for other Serpentfolk tribes.
Time passed quickly, and in just seven days, the group had stirred up chaos in the territory of the Serpentfolk like a sharp blade.
Three medium-sized tribes and nine small tribes.
Many Serpentfolk were unsettled by the news, and the Black Blade and Huorong Tribes also sent scouts to investigate.
"It seems they want to defeat us one by one and stop our allied forces."
"I heard that the people of the Blackwater Tribe were almost here, but they encountered them on the way and were completely wiped out."
"Not a single one left—how ruthless!"
Following the voice, this was a spacious meeting hall.
Torches lit the room, and the Elders and leaders of the Serpentfolk tribes were seated here, the weakest among them being at the peak of the fourth tier.
"These people from the Holy City are indeed ruthless. Who among you is willing to join me in intercepting and killing them?"
A fifth-tier Serpentfolk slammed the table and spoke angrily.
But soon, someone spoke coldly.
"How do we intercept them? These people come and go without a trace, aided by the Flying Eagle beast."
"Moreover, there's that Saint-level outsider traveling with them. Unless several Great Priests are willing to act, it's useless for us to go."
At these words, the atmosphere grew heavy.
Many Serpentfolk exchanged glances, eventually looking toward the Envoy from the Serpent God Temple seated at the head of the table.
"The Serpent God's revelation has awakened a Saint from the temple, who is now on their way here."
"The top priority is to find that outsider."
"Since he's with the people of the Holy City, as long as we find him, we can wipe out that group in one fell swoop."
The Envoy from the Serpent God Temple, wearing a black hood with several serpent patterns on his sleeves, spoke coldly.
Everyone nodded upon hearing this, and soon they saw the Envoy take out a compass.
It was a gaze from the Serpent Spirit, capable of marking the despicable outsider in this world.
Under the expectant gazes of many, the needle solidified, locking onto a direction.
Cold expressions appeared on the faces of the Serpentfolk, and soon torches were waved, cold voices rose, and a wave of overwhelming killing intent filled the air.
(End of the Chapter)
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