Zhang Yang and the others watched the Golden-Crowned Python as the massive serpent’s head stared back at them. Its enormous eyes glowed vividly green in the darkness, looking utterly terrifying; a normal person seeing it in this light would likely die of sheer fright.

“Eat this, hold your breath!” Zhang Yang suddenly tossed a detoxification pill to Long Feng and gave a quick warning. Most serpents were non-venomous; their colossal size was their greatest weapon.

However, the Golden-Crowned Python was clearly a darling of the heavens. Not only did it possess a massive body, but it was also armed with lethally potent venom.

The Golden-Crowned Python ranked among the Top Ten Venomous Beasts, positioned even higher than the Fox-Tailed Marten, sitting at fourth place. The Fox-Tailed Marten was only ranked seventh, meaning the Golden-Crowned Python was three spots higher, demonstrating just how potent its venom was.

Even the air the Golden-Crowned Python exhaled carried a degree of toxicity, which was why Zhang Yang had told Long Feng to hold his breath. Zhang Yang’s expression had become intensely serious.

He still held the double-barreled shotgun in his hand. It held two shells; he had already reloaded after firing the first shot.

The speed of the shotgun blast was its main advantage. Since the Golden-Crowned Python’s body was enormous, the chance of scoring a hit was relatively high.

Lightning stood poised on Zhang Yang’s shoulder, its small eyes fixed unblinkingly on the behemoth of a python. It knew this time they had encountered their most formidable adversary; this was the most dangerous moment.

Under normal circumstances, the Fox-Tailed Marten would be no match for the Golden-Crowned Python; in every aspect, the latter was vastly superior. Faced with such an opponent, the Fox-Tailed Marten would only utilize its speed to flee.

Fleeing as far away as possible was the usual protocol. But today, Lightning would not run.

It was no longer fighting alone; there was someone beside it who was infinitely important to its existence. At this critical juncture, it was willing to sacrifice itself to ensure Zhang Yang could escape.

Shadow, however, could not manage this—not due to a lack of strength, but because its loyalty had not yet reached that threshold. “Five Crowns, Zhang Yang, we’ve hit the jackpot this time!” Long Feng managed a wry smile, his voice quiet but laced with profound helplessness.

The Golden-Crowned Python was a Spirit Beast. It took sixty years to mature from its juvenile stage, at which point it sprouted its first golden crown—signifying adulthood.

An adult Golden-Crowned Python was immensely powerful. If it lived another sixty years, a second crown would appear on its head; a Two-Crowned Python was significantly stronger than a One-Crowned one.

Another sixty years would bring a third crown. The Golden-Crowned Python gained a crown every Jiazi cycle, and the crowns atop their heads were symbols of both age and might.

Five crowns meant this Golden-Crowned Python had lived for over three hundred years. Long Feng knew exactly how formidable a three-hundred-year-old Spirit Beast could be.

Even Lightning, as powerful as it was, might not have reached a hundred years of age. Spirit Beasts generally had long lifespans, but they were not infinitely long.

The Fox-Tailed Marten’s ability to survive three centuries was uncertain, yet this Golden-Crowned Python had verifiably lived for more than three hundred years. It was no wonder Long Feng called it hitting the jackpot.

Such an opponent was beyond their current capability to resist; the gap was too wide. If it were a One or Two-Crowned Python, they might manage, or even slay it outright, but a Five-Crowned one left Long Feng with zero confidence.

Perhaps if the elders from his clan were present, they could contend, but their current strength was far too weak. “Hoo!” The Golden-Crowned Python moved.

Despite its gargantuan size, its movements were not clumsy; it was surprisingly agile. Its massive, fanged tongue lunged toward Zhang Yang’s position.

Spirit Beasts were intelligent; it could discern who among these small figures was the strongest threat. “Bang!

Bang!” Zhang Yang fired both barrels, swiftly leaping toward a nearby large tree. Long Feng whipped his Snow Whip, which struck the Python’s body, regrettably having no discernible effect.

The Python’s immense coil slammed heavily against the large tree Zhang Yang had occupied. The tree, wide enough that one person couldn't fully embrace it, was instantly knocked to the ground, forcing the airborne Zhang Yang to scramble toward another location.

The Golden-Crowned Python was now showcasing its immense physical strength; this brute force alone was something Zhang Yang and Long Feng could not match. “Squeak, squeak, squeak!” Lightning leaped from Zhang Yang’s shoulder.

The Python suddenly extended its head, nearly sucking Lightning into its gaping maw. With this movement, Zhang Yang realized his two shots had been ineffective.

The Golden-Crowned Python’s scales could actually deflect bullets. The strength of a Five-Crowned Python was far greater than he had imagined.

Quickly reloading, Zhang Yang slung the gun onto his back and drew a handful of poison needles. These needles were ground from the shells of Black Iron Spiders and had been steeped in deadly venom by him.

If the accuracy of a firearm was insufficient, it was better to use the needles as thrown projectiles. At least projectiles could strike the Python’s softer spots, like its eyes or mouth.

“Swish!” A whip crack sliced through the air. Long Feng had reached the same conclusion as Zhang Yang.

This time, the long whip coiled directly toward the Python’s eyes, as Long Feng aimed to use the hardened tip of the whip to pierce the serpent’s vision. Just as the Snow Whip arrived, everyone was shocked when the Golden-Crowned Python simply closed its eyes; its eyelids successfully blocked the whip strike.

Struck, the Python was instantly enraged. It opened its cavernous mouth and snapped its head toward Long Feng.

Long Feng rolled desperately out of the way, narrowly evading the Python’s enormous head, moving himself behind another large tree. Long Feng dodged, but the serpent’s head swung back around and charged toward Zhang Yang.

The Python flicked its tongue, moving with incredible speed. In an instant, the gigantic head was before Zhang Yang.

The serpent’s mouth suddenly gaped open, revealing its massive fangs. Zhang Yang’s eyes narrowed abruptly, his gaze becoming incredibly sharp.

The ten poison needles in his hand shot out instantaneously. Four were aimed at the giant serpent’s eyes, while the remaining six flew toward its open mouth.

After releasing the needles, Zhang Yang rolled on the ground, narrowly escaping the serpent’s attack. The giant head slammed into the earth where he had been, kicking up fragments of dirt and stone.

Zhang Yang was struck by this debris, causing sharp pain all over his body. If the impact of the scattered material possessed such force, the true power of the Golden-Crowned Python was staggering.

“Hoo, hoo!” The Golden-Crowned Python suddenly let out a strange cry, its mouth still wide open. The poison needles Zhang Yang had risked so much to throw found their mark: two successfully embedded themselves inside its mouth.

The needles themselves were tiny; the force alone couldn't harm it, but the venom they carried was potent enough that even the venomous Python found it hard to withstand. This mixture, derived from two different venomous beasts and enhanced with other potent toxins, could exert a significant effect on the Golden-Crowned Python.

A hit, Zhang Yang felt a slight surge of relief, but before that joy could fully blossom, an intense premonition of danger slammed into his mind. The warning came swiftly, but it was too late.

A massive tail suddenly swept across, striking Zhang Yang’s body and continuing on to snap several more trees. Deep within the mountains, the fierce struggle between Zhang Yang’s group and the Golden-Crowned Python generated tremendous noise.

From far off, many fierce beasts lay prone, too afraid to move. They could sense the intense battle raging nearby.

A single Golden-Crowned Python was frightening enough, but the presence of something that could contend with it instilled even greater terror. The fight was fierce over there, yet not a single beast dared to venture closer to investigate (Book Den).

“Thud!” Zhang Yang crashed heavily onto the ground. Before he could recover, the massive serpent head charged again, fangs aiming to pierce through his body.

Zhang Yang was severely wounded and in a moment of weakness; attempting to evade was impossible. A translucent, flexible whip suddenly appeared, wrapping around Zhang Yang’s body and snatching him away from the serpent’s line of attack.

Simultaneously, a small white figure rapidly leaped onto the Python’s head, its sharp claws lunging directly for the serpent’s eyes. Seeing both Zhang Yang and Long Feng continually targeting the Python’s eyes, Lightning understood this was a vital weakness.

Lightning’s timing was perfect as the Python paused its assault, but it also instinctively sensed danger and instinctively closed its eyelids. Lightning’s strength was insufficient; its claws could not pierce the thick lids.

In frustration, Lightning could only deliver a bite to the top of its head before quickly leaping away. “Squeak, squeak, squeak!” The newly separated Lightning suddenly shrieked urgently.

The Golden-Crowned Python had already turned, rapidly inhaling air toward Lightning. The sheer force of its suction pulled the small body directly toward it.

“Bang!” A gunshot rang out. Zhang Yang, still lying on the ground, quickly fired again.

This time, the bullet struck the Python’s lip. The skin there was tough, but it could not withstand the immense kinetic energy of the shot.

The bullet penetrated the Python’s lip, causing it to howl in pain. Its tail began to lash about violently.

“Crack! Crack!

Crack!” Zhang Yang’s body finally regained some mobility. He awkwardly dodged the crushing hammer blows of the Python’s tail.

Lightning, having narrowly escaped death, shrieked again and leaped back onto the Python’s head, sinking its teeth in deeply once more. The Fox-Tailed Marten’s teeth were the sharpest known.

The Golden-Crowned Python’s scales were only as hard as Black Iron Spider carapaces. Since Lightning could bite through the spider shells, it could naturally puncture the Python’s scales.

Venom flowed mercilessly from Lightning’s teeth into the Python’s body. Sensing something gravely wrong, the Golden-Crowned Python ignored the pain in its lip and violently thrashed its entire head.

“Squeak, squeak, squeak!” Lightning was violently flung a great distance by the snake’s head, crashing heavily into a tree before tumbling onto the ground. Lightning struggled to move, trying to rise but lacking the strength.

Being specialized in agility rather than brute force, this single impact had gravely wounded it. Repeatedly struck and poisoned by the Fox-Tailed Marten’s venom, the Golden-Crowned Python went into a full frenzy.

Its bloody maw opened again, aiming for Zhang Yang. Long Feng gritted his teeth and flung his Snow Whip forward fiercely.

This time, the whip did not target the Python’s eyes but coiled tightly around its fangs. Gripping the whip, Long Feng ran at full speed around a large tree.

All his inner strength poured into his hands, and the tremendous force was actually enough to wrench the Python’s head off course. The serpent’s head was mere inches from Zhang Yang, but its body was uncontrollably pulled sideways.