Chapter 107: Underwater Sparring Partner
Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Underwater Sparring Partner
The sun was scorching, and the breeze was sweltering.
Even though it was the height of summer, there was neither birdsong nor the chirping of insects.
Aside from the sounds of human activity, other animal noises were scarce.
Any creature that dared to make a sound would be captured for food.
SCRUB! SCRUB! SCRUB!
Cui Lian and Xiaoliu squatted on the ground in their skirts, large patches of their fair skin exposed. They held bristle brushes, scrubbing a set of green Leather Armor.
The Leather Armor was covered in fine scales that glinted under the sun with a cold, emerald light.
It was made from Green Water Python Hide.
In the kitchen, sweat beaded on Tangtang’s forehead. As she and Peach Blossoms kneaded dough, she grumbled, "Twenty-seven! Twenty-seven meat-stuffed buns!"
"A whole General, and all he brings as a guest is a single set of Snake Skin Armor!"
"And then what? He ate a full twenty-seven of my meat-stuffed buns! They’re three for ten cents, which comes to Ninety Wen Coins! That’s more than a hundred pounds of Maize—no, wait, the price of grain has gone up. ’Hmm, I should raise the price of the buns too. How does three for Twenty Wen Coins sound?’"
The three maids smiled softly. Peach Blossoms kept nodding, looking as though she agreed with everything her mistress said.
The three of them had long since realized that Tangtang was kind-hearted and exceptionally frugal with food.
She was incredibly good to them, teaching them Martial Arts, how to read, and even how to cook meals and make the meat-stuffed buns.
She even gave them an allowance.
Tangtang held out her small, flour-dusted hands and began to seriously count on her fair fingers, calculating the new price. ’I can sell the meat-stuffed buns, but all the money I make each day has to be exchanged for grain!’
After being thoroughly scrubbed with lime, soap nuts, and rice-washing water, the Green Water Python Soft Armor was hung on a clothesline in the courtyard.
As the wind blew, the Soft Armor swayed gently, like a piece of shimmering green jade.
Water dripped from the jade-like armor, falling onto the fruiting cucumber vines below.
The cucumbers were small and tender, covered in prickly fuzz, the yellow blossoms at their tips yet to wilt.
Tang Wen was tempted to pick one and eat it, but seeing his sister was still in the courtyard, he didn’t dare make a move.
He didn’t have to guess what she’d say. "It’s still so small, and you want to eat it already?"
"When it’s fully grown, it could weigh a pound and a half at least!"
"Right now it’s barely an ounce, and you’re eating it?"
"Where’s the justice in that?"
Tang Wen went back to his room to take a nap.
In the afternoon, he put on the green Soft Armor, which had been baking in the courtyard sun and was now searing hot to the touch.
It was a thin layer and felt almost weightless.
He didn’t feel it was enough protection, so despite the heat, he pulled on a heavy layer of Scale Armor over it.
General Zhao’s visit wasn’t just to drop off the Soft Armor on his way; he had also brought a mission.
The Water Wheels by the lake outside the city had been destroyed. A High-level Exotic Beast was suspected to be in the water, and Tang Wen was needed to resolve the situation.
At the very least, he had to prevent it from harming the craftsmen working on the shore.
After more than a month of secluded training, Tang Wen had grown restless. Eager for some action, he headed straight for the lake.
Two rows of giant Water Wheels, each as tall as a three-story building, were lined with large wooden buckets.
The Water Wheel at the very front had collapsed into the muddy bank. Several craftsmen were busy with hammers and nails, the air filled with the CLANG CLANG of their work.
Surrounding them, three or four Hunting Team Captains stood guard in their barrel-like Plate Armor, warily scanning the lake’s surface.
Tang Wen’s gaze swept past them, landing on two Silver Wolves not far away.
The two Silver Wolves were perched on a protruding rock at the lake’s edge, their four emerald eyes scanning the water’s surface.
They sensed Tang Wen’s gaze and spared him a single glance before returning their attention to the lake. From time to time, they would also check on the craftsmen’s repair progress.
’Humans and wolves, working together.’
Tang Wen shielded his eyes from the blazing sun. "Find a few brave men," he said to Brother Li, who had run up to him, "and build a canopy for the Silver Wolves over there."
"Huh?"
Tang Wen made a gesture with his hands. "Just something to block the sun will do."
"Oh, uh... right, right! I’ll go ask."
Brother Li wasn’t sure he could find anyone willing.
Suddenly, Tang Wen sensed something. His expression changed in an instant. "Get back! Everyone near the lake, get back!"
’My perception isn’t giving me a strong warning, so the danger can’t be that great.’
Tang Wen leaped high, crashing into the lake like a cannonball.
THUMP!
A huge spray of water erupted.
Underwater, Tang Wen opened his eyes.
A serpentine body as thick as a water vat brushed past him.
’A Middle-level Exotic Beast... a Green Water Python!’
Tang Wen drew a dagger. Visualization—Hidden Weapon Throw!
The dagger shot forward like a high-speed torpedo, trailing a stream of countless bubbles.
With a WHOOSH, the dagger flew past the python’s body and drilled into its skull.
The massive python thrashed in its death throes, churning up clouds of mud and sand!
From the surface, Brother Li watched as the once-clear lake water turned murky.
"Commander Tang Wen is battling an Aquatic Exotic Beast! Quick, go get help!"
"AWOOO!"
One of the Silver Wolves let out a howl, but it held no killing intent.
It was as if it were trying to convey a message.
Brother Li seemed to understand. Slightly relieved, he said to the messenger, "Never mind, don’t go. The thing down there... doesn’t seem too dangerous?"
He said it with little conviction, glancing toward the Silver Wolf as he spoke.
A few minutes later, the lake’s surface grew calm.
Paddling with his arms and legs, Tang Wen broke the surface, his heavy Scale Armor weighing him down.
The very instant his nose and mouth breached the surface for a breath, the python’s massive corpse lurched. A thin, emerald-green line shot straight for his lower body.
"Shit!"
ZIP!
Tang Wen blocked the emerald-green line with his foot.
He felt a sharp, stinging pain on the sole of his foot, as if sharp teeth had scraped against it.
’A High-level Green Water Python! And it’s highly venomous!’
Knowing he couldn’t dodge, Tang Wen took a sharp breath, gritted his teeth, and plunged back underwater.
The water was a turbid mess, making it impossible to get his bearings.
ZIP!
He felt a surge of Power through the current, followed by a streak of green light lunging at him.
A flash of panic went through him, and he quickly raised his arm.
The green light shattered his Scale Armor and tore through the python hide beneath. Its teeth struck the black skin of his arm.
But it didn’t even manage to break the skin.
The green light recoiled nimbly and vanished in a flash.
Tang Wen finally got a clear look at his attacker: a High-level Exotic Beast, a Green Water Python about three feet long.
This was a unique trait of the Green Water Python species.
Low-level Green Water Pythons were as thick as a bucket.
Middle-level Green Water Pythons were as thick as a water vat.
High-level Green Water Pythons were as slender as a child’s arm.
As for the Python King, it was said to be able to freely change its size.
It had escaped from the Queen and the Silver Wolf King’s pursuit by shrinking its body.
SHINK! CLANG!
SHINK! CLANG!
...
In the water, the High-level Green Water Python was even more nimble than the nimblest of fish.
It was a hit-and-run fighter, never lingering after an attack.
The Mang Skin Armor that Tang Wen had just received was now riddled with holes from its bites.
Underwater, Tang Wen was at a clear disadvantage.
But he remained unhurried, even closing his eyes to wait with a calm mind.
’Never mind that the Green Water Python can’t even pierce my Golden Bell Shield. Even if it did, I just drank a vial of Green Water Python Secret Medicine yesterday. My poison resistance is still up, so the venom won’t be fatal.’
[Visualization Martial Arts: Golden Bell Shield, Mastery (201→206/3000)]
[... (206→210/3000)]
[210→215]
’This is like specialized training against surprise attacks and high-speed Hidden Weapons.’
Tang Wen focused his entire being on defense.
The Green Water Python was undeniably fast, but it had a fatal weakness in the water.
Before each attack, it caused a slight disturbance in the water.
A disturbance that could not escape Tang Wen’s spiritual senses.
No matter how fast the Green Water Python moved, it couldn’t outpace his thoughts. In the span of a single thought, his Golden Bell Shield was already in place.
The Green Water Python could only retreat in failure, again and again.
After three, five... a full twenty-three sneak attacks...
The water cleared, and the Green Water Python was nowhere to be seen.
Tang Wen stood his ground. ’A pity I can’t speak underwater, or I’d have to taunt it a bit. Are you kidding me? Is that really all the attacks you have? You little wimp—no, wait, you little worm. Are you even trying? Those eggs your mate laid... they weren’t fathered by some other snake, were they?’
Unfortunately, he couldn’t actually voice these provocations underwater.
He waited for a few minutes, but there was no further movement.
Tang Wen walked out from the lakebed, one heavy step at a time.
[Visualization Martial Arts: Golden Bell Shield, Mastery (361/3000)]
’Over a hundred points of progress. That’s worth several days of bitter training.’
"Commander Tang Wen, are you all right?" Brother Li asked, handing him a towel.
Tang Wen took off his shattered Scale Armor and the hole-ridden Snake Scale Armor. He shook his head. "Tell everyone to stay on alert. Don’t get careless, even against a Middle-level Green Water Python! And whatever you do, don’t rashly enter the water."
"Yes, sir. I’ll see to it at once."
Tang Wen didn’t have a good solution for dealing with the Exotic Beast in the lake either.
He waited around for a while, bored. The lake remained quiet.
Overcome with boredom, he took a few craftsmen and walked toward the two Silver Wolves.
HUFF!
One Silver Wolf bared its fangs while the other moved away from its spot, watching Tang Wen with caution.
There was trust between human and wolf. Just not very much.