Chapter 113: The Besieged City

“Blackwater Loach, you old slippery eel, you’ve finally crawled out to show yourself?” On the protective wall, Ji Yao sneered repeatedly at the emaciated, bamboo-like old man leading the twelve horned black snakes.

“How could I not come out? Your Fire Crow Tribe has been bullying and killing all our youngsters,” sighed Blackwater Loach with a worried expression. “Our Blackwater Dark Jiao, the children we cherished, have been slaughtered by your Fire Crow Tribe. You lot have been ruthless lately.”

With a cold snort, Blackwater Loach pointed at Ji Hao and Ji Xia. “You killed one of our best young warriors from the Blackwater Dark Snake Tribe. We demand at least tenfold revenge. For instance, wiping out one branch of your Witch Emperor’s bloodline—that would be no loss at all.”

Ji Xia crossed her arms and stood steadily on the wall, laughing loudly. “Old slippery eel, if you want to kill, you must be prepared to be killed in return. Tell me, do you think you have enough people for that?”

Heavy footsteps echoed as Old Shi arrived with five stone monsters ranging from fifty to three hundred feet tall. Alongside him, Lord Hengluo led a large group of woodland spirits and beasts; the Black-Furred Giant Ape came with thirteen great witch-level apes; and the Old Tree Spirit brought three massive tree monsters. They all sauntered to the edge of the protective wall.

The relatively smaller figures like Lord Hengluo and the Black-Furred Giant Ape climbed directly onto the wall, casting cold gazes at Blackwater Loach and his group at the mouth of Cold Creek Valley. Meanwhile, the enormous stone and water monsters under Old Shi, towering well above the wall, snarled low growls at the enemies from behind the wall.

Ji Hao smiled and nodded to his ‘little comrades,’ genuinely moved. “Wine, indeed, is a marvelous thing!”

Lord Hengluo covered his mouth, chuckling softly with a radiant smile. Indeed, the fine wine brewed by Ji Hao himself was exceptional. In recent days, they had helped Ji Hao summon a batch of sentient mountain and water spirits from the forest, sustaining them in Cold Creek Valley in exchange for the wine.

All told, there were more than thirty great witch-level mountain and water spirits, each possessing unique innate talents and secret arts. Their attributes spanned wood, earth, metal, spirit, and other unusual elements, granting them combat power far surpassing other great witches of the same rank.

Along with Ji Yao, Ji Xia, and others, plus several newly ascended great witches—Ji Hao’s servants Da Niu, Xiao Niu, Da Hu, Xiao Hu, and the Wind Eagle—the little Cold Creek Valley concentrated over fifty great witch-level fighters.

With such formidable power amassed, Ji Yao and Ji Xia faced the surprise attack from the Blackwater Dark Snake Tribe and two other tribes with complete confidence, feeling no pressure whatsoever.

‘Aaaaargh!’

Amid a piercing roar, two striped giant pythons violently broke free from countless tree roots binding them. They writhed their massive bodies, snapping root after root, blood spraying as deep wounds bled profusely. Staggering backward, they retreated.

Two Old Tree Spirits growled lowly as their true forms curled and expanded within Cold Creek Valley. Their six-hundred-foot-tall trunks waved countless tree roots as thick as water jars, weaving a dense canopy that darkened the valley’s light considerably.

They were furious that the two giant pythons had broken their bindings. They had been ravenously devouring the pythons' vital blood and flesh, gaining much in a short time. If not for the many great witch-level horned dark snakes and witches from the Blackwater Dark Snake Tribe, the two Old Tree Spirits would have pursued relentlessly, vowing not to rest without killing those pythons.

“Damn it! Who said Cold Creek Valley has at most ten great witches?” Blackwater Loach roared furiously, cursing hysterically at the scoundrel who had fed them false information.

The ground trembled slowly as seven giant water turtles emerged from the forest. On their backs stood twenty great witch-level warriors and witch priests. Along with the three giant water turtles that had tested the wall earlier, this tribe had dispatched thirty great witch-level experts.

Then, three huge striped water pythons swam out of dense woods, each with ten great witches atop their heads.

In total, five gigantic striped water pythons. Ji Yao whispered to Ji Hao that this was the maximum number the Water Python Tribe could deploy at once—giant pythons were difficult to raise, and with the entire tribe’s effort, they had barely twenty such massive serpents. To send out five at a time was their full mobile force.

Three totem battle flags swayed in the air. Branches broke in the forest as three enormous horned dark snakes, each over one hundred fifty feet long, slowly emerged. Twenty great witches stood atop their heads, all gaunt and short, wielding staffs made of various bones.

“You’re truly bold!” Ji Xia shouted fiercely. “Your tribe is under our attack, your warriors are retreating in defeat, yet you dare to dispatch so many elites to strike Cold Creek Valley?”

Blackwater Loach chuckled oddly, slowly drawing a slender sword almost as long as his body, and pointed it fiercely at Ji Xia. “So what? No matter how the battle goes at Cold Creek Valley, no one will come to your aid. We will not withdraw until Cold Creek Valley is destroyed.”

‘Ssss~ Aaaang!’

All five striped giant pythons opened their mouths simultaneously, inhaling forcefully.

Five water pillars shot into the air, black columns gurgling as they were drawn into the pythons’ bellies. Their bodies rapidly swelled, transforming into enormous spheres, only droplets of viscous water leaking from their mouths.

“Full power, protect!” Ji Yao shouted, stomping heavily.

Qing Fu and dozens of witch priests stood behind the protective wall, chanting spells to activate all the witchcraft runes inscribed upon it. A swarm of slaves hurried back and forth, stuffing baskets upon baskets of jade and fiery jade cores into the witch formation behind the wall, fueling its energy.

In just a few breaths, tens of thousands of fiery jade cores and over three hundred thousand jade stones vanished within the witch formation. The protective wall of Cold Creek Valley suddenly erupted with dazzling light, flames spurting over three yards high along its surface.

Blackwater Loach and the others’ faces darkened considerably. They knew Cold Creek Valley was a rich mine, but never in their dreams had they imagined such vast yields. Attacking a place guarded by dozens of great witches, fully defended by a witch formation and continuously supplied with resources, would require immense effort.

With a mournful wail, the five giant pythons compressed their bodies rapidly, transforming the massive internal liquid into five water dragons that shot forth.

Thanks to the compression, the water dragons solidified almost into substance. The five black water dragons slammed fiercely into the protective wall, causing the earth to tremble violently. Flames on the wall flickered wildly, and Ji Hao and the others felt the ground beneath them shake, barely holding their footing.

Ten giant water turtles cried out in unison, releasing a blast of chilling cold.

Fifteen horned dark snakes opened their mouths, spewing countless ice crystals and gleaming shards.

Great witches from the three tribes launched a series of powerful witchcraft spells, turning into vast clouds of black smoke and water vapor that blanketed Cold Creek Valley.

***

Looking at these creatures I’ve written, all I can think about is—delicious!

Drooling and begging for recommendation votes!

If you can’t eat them, then the least you can do is vote!