Shangguan Yunmeng responded, immediately lunging towards the serpent's tail, her movements extraordinarily phantom-like, proving her own prowess was anything but ordinary.

"Hiss!" "Hiss!" The colossal python continuously flicked out its tongue, alarmingly crimson verging on purple; clearly, that purple tinge signified venom. Such a giant python was rare to encounter, but for what unknown reason had it appeared here now?

Yang Yi, filled with rising suspicion, darted to the other side in an instant, muttering softly under his breath, "If Bing'er can't cover their evacuation from this spot, you two assist them discreetly."

"Yes!" Two faint whispers echoed from the very air, sounds audible only to Yang Yi.

"Teammate Shangguan, haven't you started yet?" Yang Yi frowned slightly; the situation was already critical. If they didn't quickly escape the python's encirclement, the moment it tightened its coil, they would all certainly perish.

"Its hide seems incredibly tough; the military knife won't penetrate," Shangguan Yunmeng replied, her delicate brows furrowed, concentrating her full strength, yet still failing to pierce the snake's body with her blade.

"What?" Yang Yi's face changed drastically upon hearing this. "Bing'er!"

"En, I understand," Xuanyuan Bing responded, immediately turning to Shangguan Yunmeng and stating, "You cover the two of them and get them out of here; I'll handle this beast!"

"Good." Shangguan Yunmeng knew she was outmatched by Xuanyuan Bing, so she didn't hesitate, swiftly moving over to Lin Wen and Fang Yunyun. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine, just fainted from fright," Lin Wen said, trembling all over, his face etched with terror.

"Later, you help her and follow right behind me."

"Y-yes... yes!"

"Ice Spear!" Xuanyuan Bing uttered the two chilling words. Suddenly, the air temperature plummeted, and a bizarre ice spear materialized in her hand. "Crack!" It struck the constantly writhing serpent body without warning.

"Hiss—hiss!" The massive python lashed its tongue, its two eyes seeming to blaze with fury.

"Quick, now is the moment." Yang Yi strode forward like a sweeping wind, leaping up, his military knife slicing through the air—"Bang!"—striking the python’s head. "Damn it, this snake is strange; even my attack has no effect."

Because of this one strike, Yang Yi roared out: "Shangguan, Bing'er, you two take them and go, quickly..."

"Hiss hiss!" The entire body of the python suddenly erupted into chaotic motion, the surrounding trees appearing fragile, snapping and falling everywhere.

"Tiancong, Diyu, escort them away, fast!" Yang Yi stared at the python with shock. He possessed the strength of a Green-rank Grandmaster, and though he had only used fifty percent of his power just now, it hadn't inflicted even a shred of damage. It was clear that Xuanyuan Bing's attack on it earlier was merely a tickle.

"It seems impossible for the A6 Military Region to sustain such a massive beast, and this one appears to be controlled, much like the Serpent Masters connected to that group in the suit. Nangong San, you really underestimate me," Yang Yi muttered to himself, as if suddenly perceiving something.

Just as Yang Yi was about to unleash his Second-rank Grandmaster Domain, he suddenly spotted two foreign objects stuck near the python's ear canal. His mind instantly recalled an ancient book on Tibetan secret arts he had seen in his childhood. While Yang Yi didn't know the exact species of this snake, he was certain it wouldn't attack people so readily. This snake was clearly attacking with intent.

The fact that such a creature appeared here could only mean someone deliberately released it. Furthermore, it was deployed with immense purpose, which explained why Yang Yi was certain this snake was connected to Nangong San and his faction. Indeed, Yang Yi’s suspicion was correct: this snake did not belong here, nor was it inherently aggressive. Its current rampage was entirely due to the two earpieces lodged in its ears, emitting the sound of Yin-Yang harmony—a form of sonic control from Tibetan secret arts.

"It seems to have begun," Nangong San murmured strangely, sensing an unusual shift.

"En, do you think he can evade this barrage of attacks this time?" Ximen Ling asked Nangong San while walking.

"Even if he evades the giant snake, he can't evade our contingent. Don't forget, their rations won't last past the afternoon; they certainly won't see the night."

"Heh heh, it looks like it was the right call for us to hang back slightly earlier to observe their path," Tang Shen chuckled sinisterly.

"Don't celebrate too soon! He has Xuanyuan Bing and Shangguan Yunmeng by his side; those two are no weaklings either." As Nangong San mentioned Xuanyuan Bing, an involuntary flash of ruthlessness crossed his eyes, the kind one sees in someone consumed by hatred born from love.

Tang Shen and Ximen Ling exchanged glances and remained silent, following closely on either side of Nangong San as they hastened forward. Back at Yang Yi's location, the situation looked far from optimistic.

"Boom, boom, boom!" Dust billowed up as trees were felled as if by a storm, showing the snake had entered a near-frenzied state.

"No, if this continues, it will delay our schedule and cause unnecessary trouble." Yang Yi seemed to have made a decision. He circled the snake’s body for a while, watching as the snake’s head relentlessly attacked him, feinting leaps and dodges. After running around for a good while, Yang Yi finally stopped. "That's enough; this snake can't track anything above its eyes, hehe!"

"Hooo!" The colossal python suddenly let out a bizarre, drawn-out hiss, as if it could no longer tolerate the objects jammed into its ears.

"Damn it, if I don't hurry, this will become a real problem." As Yang Yi finished speaking, he leaped upward—"Second-rank Grandmaster Domain!" he bellowed. Instantly, Yang Yi’s body began to fade slightly. He knew that without activating his Grandmaster Domain, he would never be able to approach the serpent’s head, let alone remove those two earpieces.

"Whoosh... whoosh!" Hot currents of air, mixed with the foul, sinister wind, relentlessly eroded the colossal python. "Thump!" One earpiece, the size of a beer bottle, was pulled free and clattered onto the ground.

"Hooo, hiss hiss! Hooo hiss hiss." The giant python continued to shriek, its cries intensely mournful, momentarily stunning Yang Yi, who was submerged within the protective field of his Grandmaster Domain.

"Truly damnable; this python is actually female. Damn, that mating call is truly ugly." Despite his words, Yang Yi did not pause his actions. Riding the momentum of the wind, he leaped and stomped fiercely onto the snake's head. The light of his military knife flashed—"Thump!" The final earpiece was ripped out.

Instantly, the python's shrieks ceased, and its body stopped its frantic sweeping. It let out two low calls, and the massive snake actually turned its head to glance at Yang Yi before slithering off swiftly in another direction.

At the precise moment the colossal python retreated, in a distant, unseen location, a middle-aged man holding an unidentified instrument spat out a mouthful of blood—"Pfft!"

"Master, are you alright?" the other person immediately inquired.

"I am fine, merely a failed mission." The middle-aged man, spitting blood, offered a wry smile. His carefully nurtured giant python had been defeated by someone; it certainly warranted a bitter smile.

"It's alright, we are still here. Let's wait for nightfall," said a young man radiating an aura of cold gloom.

"Hoo!" Yang Yi landed, exhaling deeply. Extracting the python's earpieces had cost him a considerable amount of inner power. "I need to find time to study Tibetan secret arts. Otherwise, if I run into another Tibetan Secret Master, I'll be finished. Alas, my Grandmaster level has stalled for too long. Hmph, Nangong, Tang family, Ximen family—don't assume my constant yielding means you can push your luck."

At this moment, Yang Yi clearly no longer felt like playing games with Nangong San and his group. He intended to shift from a passive stance to an active one.

"Yi, are you alright?" Xuanyuan Bing, having just covered the retreat of Shangguan Yunmeng and the others, turned back to ask Yang Yi.

"I am fine," Yang Yi replied in a low voice. "Are those two alright?"

"They are fine too, just unconscious."

"En, that’s good. It seems we must take an alternate route. Who knows how many rare and precious animals we might encounter if we continue forward." Yang Yi knew that since the giant python could appear here, they probably knew his intended path. Therefore, he absolutely had to change direction to reach their destination this time.

"En, the sky is getting dark soon. If we don't leave this area quickly, I fear..."

"Let's go."

Yang Yi approached the two unconscious individuals. To the astonishment and disbelief of Xuanyuan Bing and Shangguan Yunmeng, he pressed a few spots on them using some unknown technique, then tapped the bridge of their noses. The two figures immediately awoke.

"Ah..."

A sharp scream followed, unmistakably Fang Yunyun’s voice.

"Bi... Bi... Big python!"

"Enough, you are fine now. We need to change paths immediately, or we might run into other carnivores later," Yang Yi said without patience, then immediately took the lead in walking away.

Xuanyuan Bing and Shangguan Yunmeng followed behind. Lin Wen, regaining his composure, helped steady Fang Yunyun. "Yunyun, let's hurry."

"En!" Fang Yunyun had been utterly terrified by the giant python; she dared not lag behind and could only follow Yang Yi as he directed.