Great Xuan, Jieli Mountain.
The mountain stood thousands of meters high, its form like a cleaver slicing straight into the clouds.
Halfway up the slope, along a perilous mountain path, two youths walked single file.
The one in front was a lean young man wearing a straw hat, his expression resolute.
The youth following him appeared several years younger but was burly in build, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a simple, honest demeanor.
Wiping sweat from his brow, the burly youth plopped down onto the ground. “Erlang, hold up! We've been trekking for half the day. My legs are done, I can't go another step!”
The slender youth turned and handed him a water flask. “Tigers and exotic beasts sometimes roam these slopes. It’s not safe to rest here. I know a hidden cave just ahead. If you're really spent, we can rest there.”
The burly youth accepted the flask, gulped down several mouthfuls, and exhaled deeply before asking curiously, “Erlang, is there really an immortal on this mountain?”
“Absolutely. I’ve seen him with my own eyes.” Erlang lifted his gaze toward the summit shrouded in clouds, his voice firm.
The burly youth looked skeptical. “Right. You’ve been acting like a possessed man for five years now, scrambling up Jieli Mountain any chance you get. How many trips have you made? And still, you’ve never actually found one. I think you should give it up. Immortality is too vague, just a fantasy. You should focus on martial arts training, like me...”
Erlang cut him off with a frown. “Wang Xuanda, you’re starting to sound like my mother. If you keep spouting nonsense, you can head back down the mountain alone!”
The burly youth awkwardly scratched the back of his head and wisely fell silent.
The two continued their ascent along the mountain path.
Before long, an eerie wind swept through the valley.
Wang Xuanda’s ears twitched, and his expression shifted. He stepped forward, tapped Erlang’s shoulder, and raised a finger to his lips in a signal for silence.
“There’s something up ahead—” he began, his eyes narrowing. But the rest of the words died in his throat.
A cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
On the path ahead, a massive white python slithered down the mountainside, producing a distinct rustling sound.
The creature was enormous; the visible portion of its head alone measured about eight meters. The rest of its body remained concealed within the dense mountain foliage, making its full length impossible to discern.
The python was as thick as a washbasin, and its crimson eyes glowed with a terrifying red light.
It flicked its forked tongue, raised its head along the cliff face, and began its descent toward the ravine below.
Confronted by this horrifying exotic beast, both Wang Xuanda and Erlang were frozen in terror, not daring to move or even breathe.
After what felt like an eternity, the great python finally slithered out of view.
Wang Xuanda let out a long exhale and was about to speak when he heard another series of rustling sounds.
The enormous python’s head suddenly reappeared from over the edge of the cliff, its gaze fixed intently on the two youths.
Wang Xuanda and Erlang stood petrified once more.
“Hiss... hiss...”
The white python swayed its head, slowly moving closer to them.
Its massive jaws parted, releasing a wave of foul, bloody odor.
Shrouded in the python’s shadow, watching as its head loomed close enough to swallow them whole, Wang Xuanda could bear it no longer.
He let out a thunderous roar, his muscles bulging as his body seemed to expand.
He flipped backward and swung his fist down toward the white python’s head.
Clang!
The impact actually produced a metallic ring!
At that moment, Erlang moved as well.
With a single step, the rock beneath his feet shattered to dust. His figure blurred, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared behind the white python.
Shifting his fist into a finger-strike, he delivered several dozen piercing jabs in rapid succession.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of collisions echoed without end.
Yet, despite their fierce assault, neither of them had so much as scratched the python’s scales!
Hissing in fury, the python twisted its body and lashed out, striking Wang Xuanba squarely in the chest.
Thud!
Wang Xuanba was sent flying, crashing against the cliff face and sending shattered stone flying in all directions.
Instead of chasing Wang Xuanba, the python swung its enormous head around, maw yawning wide as it lunged at Erlang.
Thrown off-balance, Erlang had no time to evade. He could only brace himself, arms outstretched, forcing its jaws apart with every ounce of strength he had.
The python unleashed a chilling roar and drove forward with overwhelming force.
For an instant, it looked as though Erlang had been swallowed whole—but with a low, guttural growl, he held his ground, muscles trembling as he pried its jaws open.
A fierce stalemate followed. Furious at its failure to devour this seemingly insignificant human, the python thrashed violently, smashing Erlang again and again against the mountain trail and jagged cliffs in an effort to shake him loose.
With each impact, Erlang’s fingers sank deeper into the python’s flesh, sharp as blades.
As time passed, the mountain path was gradually pounded into a mess of craters and shattered stone where Erlang’s body had slammed into it again and again.