"Guh..." A sound like a bird call echoed suddenly from the depths of the cavern, accompanied by strange footsteps rapping against the cave walls, drawing nearer to them.

Ye Xiu, positioned at the very front of the group, peered down into the dark opening below. A dense swarm of eight-legged monsters was pouring toward the Birdman at the rear. Ye Xiu gasped, "Watch out! What are these things?"

The Birdman certainly recognized the danger. Although his wings couldn't fully extend in the confines of the cave, the quills on his body shot out like myriad sharp swords. However, the eight-legged insects were incredibly swift; they dodged the Birdman's plumage through various leaps and evasions. A few faster ones managed to latch onto the Birdman's legs, raising their appendages, intending to drive them viciously into his skin. The feathers on the Birdman’s skin instantly transmuted into metal. The eight-legged creature, meeting this hard resistance, suffered a terrible fate: its forelegs snapped, and it tumbled mournfully into the abyss.

"Get out of the way!" Seeing the situation escalate, Ye Xiu roared, commanding everyone to press themselves against the cave walls. In that instant, he raised one hand, unleashing his full Purple Flame, blasting downward through the entire cavern. In moments, a stench of burnt flesh filled the air; all the eight-legged monsters were reduced to ash.

"Are they spiders?" Hong Ling felt a strong aversion toward the small creatures, peering down nervously, afraid they might pursue them further.

"Death God, watch your head..." The Birdman was unfazed by the threat below. His Heavenly Eye was now active. He pointed upward, saying, "Those eight-legged bugs were nothing to worry about. Look what is coming from above!"

"Hong Ling, hurry and make Xiao Sha bigger!" Old Liu shouted, clutching his head and scrambling toward the innermost recess of the cave wall. Above them, sharp blades were descending, the gleaming weapons almost completely filling the cavern's aperture. They flew carelessly, stabbing directly into Xiao Sha's body.

"Xiao Sha!" Hong Ling cried out, unable to prevent what was happening. Xiao Sha, positioned at the highest point of the cavern, its immense body blocking the blades entirely, instantly filled the entire space with a thick, bloody smell and Xiao Sha's agonizing howl.

"Ugh-woo!" A strange cry suddenly rang out from the bright area beyond the cave entrance. A slender head, shaped like a massive serpent, flashed into the cavern. The serpent's head bore no apparent eyes; its most peculiar feature was the pair of fish-like fins on either side of its head, flapping incessantly like fans. The blades that had just attacked were apparently launched from these fins.

"Blast it, the things from below are back! Hurry up and get out!" The Birdman pushed Hong Ling from behind, who in turn urged Old Liu forward. Ye Xiu, being at the very front, naturally became their momentary obstacle.

"Wooo..." At this moment, Xiao Sha retracted from covering them above, clinging tightly to one cave wall, lifting its head to flick its tongue at the monstrous snake above. It seemed to be clearing a path for them, intending to take on the serpent alone.

"Stop staring! Quickly..." The Birdman, managing to spread his wings slightly, burst out of the cave. He supported Hong Ling with one hand and grabbed Old Liu with the other, sweeping past Ye Xiu. "Death God, look after yourself!"

"Damn it!" Ye Xiu cursed inwardly, seeing the small eight-legged monsters crawling toward him. That thing, also eyeless, looked like a simple sphere mounted on eight legs. He thrust his hand out again, unleashing another blast that blew them all down. However, the monstrous snake above flashed its fin-like structures once more, shooting out countless sharp swords.

"Hmph..." Xiao Sha seemed to sense the danger approaching. It raised its massive tail, wrapping it securely around Ye Xiu's entire body, successfully shielding him from many of the blades. But the projectiles struck its body, drawing substantial blood. After a pained cry, it violently swung its tail, flinging Ye Xiu upward.

"Damn it! Watch me slice you apart!" Using the momentum from Xiao Sha, Ye Xiu instantly shot toward the exit. The moment he leaped clear of the cave mouth, Ye Xiu froze in stunned disbelief. The serpentine monster was coiled on the flat ground outside the entrance. Though slender, its length vastly exceeded Xiao Sha's—if Xiao Sha was as long as a three-story building, this creature spanned the length of ten Xiao Shas.

"Be careful," the Birdman shouted from the distance in the sky, as he was setting Hong Ling and Old Liu down in a safe area.

Ye Xiu had intended to cleave the serpent with his Death Scythe, but as he raised his hands, the monster's tail shot out from an unseen position, binding him tightly in the air. It truly had no eyes, yet its sensory perception far exceeded imagination. It opened its massive jaws, revealing rows of sharp fangs.

"Clang!" At the critical moment, Xiao Sha shot out of the cavern. It spewed flames and slammed into the monster snake. The impact flipped the serpent over, and the fire from its mouth began to consume the serpent's body.

"We did it!" The serpent, heavily wounded, flung Ye Xiu into the air. Ye Xiu, seeing the huge cloud of fiery smoke on the ground, raised his hands and blasted his Purple Flame into the same spot. He clearly saw the serpent's head jerk to the side upon impact.

"It's not that simple; run!" In a flash, the Birdman flew to Ye Xiu's side, catching him. He activated his Heavenly Eye to view the battle scene and stated grimly, "The Bone Collector's pet snake—how could it possibly defeat an ancient divine beast!"

"Awooo..." Two roars echoed through the clouds amid the swirling smoke. Dust billowed up from the ground. As the mist slowly dissipated, the serpent's elongated head was raised high, and opposite it, Xiao Sha flicked its tongue, equally defiant.

Ye Xiu landed back on the ground. When he regained his composure and looked at the surroundings, he realized the palace he had glimpsed from above the waterfall was now right before them. Its grandeur and splendor defied description. Built upon a massive foundation the length of several football fields, a single-story imperial palace stood proudly, though its appearance was strange, covered only in scattered patches of scrub grass over its golden structure. In the plaza outside the palace, the coiled serpent was perfectly positioned, blocking the path into the structure.

"Xiao Sha, go!" Hong Ling watched Xiao Sha fight alone, excitement bubbling up as she clenched her fists and gestured encouragement.

Old Liu had somehow managed to seize one of the eyeless eight-legged creatures. Examining its strange biological structure, he marveled, "The creatures emerging from the Nine-Fold Poison Fiend Formation are entirely new to me. I must document these experiences someday, letting future generations of Ancient Strange Path followers witness my achievements."

"What are you trying to write about? Show some ability! What do we do now?" Ye Xiu muttered dismissively, though his attention was fixed on the duel between the two serpents in the plaza. This was a battle between two divine serpents; no extra interference was needed.

The Birdman slowly descended, looking deeply worried. "Do you recognize this monstrous snake? Do you truly believe the Bone Collector's Crimson Serpent can defeat this ancient divine beast?"

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