Invincible Snake Emperor-Chapter 167 - 165: Stepping into the Rank Two Snake Spirit Level

The system's voice sounded out.

"Ding... Congratulations, Host, for successfully Devouring the Level 20, exceptionally powerful Awakened Snake Species, the Snake Demon. You have gained 500,000 Energy Evolution Value."

Hearing this, Tu Xiao'an frowned. 'It seems I overestimated the value of this Snake Demon. It wasn't even enough for me to gain a single Level.'

His stats materialized...

Host: Tu Xiao'an.

Identity: Awakened Snake Species (18 meters)

Level: Level 19.

Evolutionary Energy Value: 500,000/1,000,000.

Talent: dominance ability.

Skills: Power of Thunder and Lightning.

Shop: Unlocked.

Damn...

Glancing at his latest stats, Tu Xiao'an's face darkened. 'So to reach Level 20 and become a Rank Two Snake Spirit, I need a full million in Evolutionary Energy.'

Tu Xiao'an was stunned. 'Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?'

'So after devouring that Snake Spirit, I've only filled half of the required Energy Value.'

'It seems Rank Two is a major bottleneck, not so easy to break through.'

Tu Xiao'an's true power had long surpassed his Level, so every promotion was a struggle. It was even more difficult now that he was about to reach the Snake Spirit tier.

'No, I must reach the Rank Two Snake Spirit tier before I can enter the depths of Snake Gully.'

He had to confront the Vampire Snake. There was no telling how much it had evolved by now, and it was already deep inside Snake Gully. It might have already stumbled upon some great opportunity.

Tu Xiao'an needed to be absolutely certain before he dared to venture inside.

At that moment, having finished Devouring the Snake Demon, Tu Xiao'an floated high in the air. He scanned the area with a cold expression. Hundreds of thousands of venomous snakes lay prostrate on the ground, packed tightly together. The scene, once filled with low hisses, fell utterly silent under the sweep of his Snake Gaze.

The hundreds of thousands of venomous snakes were too terrified to make even the slightest sound.

The three powerful venomous snakes that dared to challenge the Gold and Silver Snake had already paid a terrible price.

And as for the rest of them, they couldn't even withstand its aura.

'I'll find a few more Awakened Snake Species to devour. I must become a Rank Two Snake Spirit before entering Snake Gully.'

Having made up his mind, Tu Xiao'an's Snake Gaze locked onto a large snake hiding among the horde. His eyes narrowed, and the large snake was lifted into the air, flying uncontrollably toward the Gold and Silver Snake.

"Ding... Level 15 Awakened Snake Species, Mountain Pass Wind. Devouring it will grant 100,000 Evolutionary Energy Value."

'Guess it's your unlucky day. Now, become my Energy Value.'

The Gold and Silver Snake devoured the Mountain Pass Wind in mid-air. It was unable to resist from start to finish, held completely paralyzed by Tu Xiao'an's powerful Consciousness Power.

Evolutionary Energy Value: 600,000/1,000,000

'A few more.'

"Ding... Level 17 Awakened Snake Species, White Belly Snake. Devouring it will grant 150,000 Evolutionary Energy Value."

Every snake in the clearing feared for its life. The hundreds of thousands of venomous snakes were plunged into mortal terror. In their eyes, the hovering Gold and Silver Snake was nothing short of a Demon.

Whichever snake he looked at was the next to be eaten.

This was especially true for the Awakened Snake Species. For them, his gaze was like the sounding of the horn for a Doomsday Judgment, leaving them to simply wait for death. The lower-Level venomous snakes, on the other hand, had become incredibly safe.

After Tu Xiao'an devoured five more Awakened Snake Species in a row...

"Ding... Congratulations, Host. Your Evolutionary Energy Value has reached 1,000,000. You have successfully advanced to Level 20."

A pillar of white light shot into the sky, enveloping the Gold and Silver Snake. A moment later, a Heaven Shocking Power began to radiate outwards, stirring the winds and clouds. Shrouded in the white light, a magnificent, twenty-meter-long Giant Snake was partially revealed. Its entire body shimmered with a dazzling golden light. Its aura grew more and more intense, until it seemed the very color of the sky and earth would change in its presence.

The hundreds of thousands of venomous snakes in the clearing let out cries of terror. In the surrounding mountains, innumerable birds took flight and all manner of creatures cried out in alarm before prostrating themselves on the ground, trembling with fear.

A Rank Two Creature. The Snake Spirit tier. Tu Xiao'an had broken through.

'Now that I've reached Rank Two, can Rank Three Creatures be far behind?'

The celestial phenomenon faded, and he reverted to a one-meter-long Gold and Silver Snake.

Tu Xiao'an gazed into the distance at the seemingly endless ravine. It was time to follow it into the depths of Snake Gully.

As he prepared to continue on his way, Tu Xiao'an glanced at the snake horde again. A ten-meter-long black python shot forward, prostrating itself before the Gold and Silver Snake in terrified reverence, as docile as a kitten.

Tu Xiao'an smiled faintly. 'Can't forget my mount. This Black Mamba still has a mission to fulfill.'

He landed once more on the Black Mamba's head. Its body began to slither forward, covering a kilometer in just a few breaths—faster than the swiftest stallion.

Behind him, the Snake Army of hundreds of thousands stirred, moving as a vast and mighty tide in the wake of their king.

Tu Xiao'an was in high spirits. Having ascended to the tier of a Rank Two Snake Spirit, with an army of hundreds of thousands at his back, it felt as though he were leading an Imperial Expedition.

A force of this magnitude could attack a human city with little effort.

...

Deep within Snake Gully lay a vast, misty swampland. The black, murky bog was like a man-eating Bottomless Pit, exuding an aura of death.

A strange, sweet fragrance wafted ceaselessly from the misty swamp. It was as alluring as a young maiden's gentle song and graceful dance, so enchanting that it made one involuntarily want to draw closer, to embrace it.

The fragrance was as passionate, wild, and seductive as an opium poppy. Venomous snakes of all sizes could be seen slithering recklessly toward the murky black swamp.

Yet, as they slithered frantically onward, their bodies began to sink, bit by bit, into the swamp. Piteous hisses sounded out, and a moment later, they ceased to exist.

No one knew just how many venomous snakes this black swamp had Devoured. Thousands? Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands?

It was like a terrifying abyss; to enter was to forfeit one's life.

However, not all venomous snakes were Devoured by the swamp. Every day at sunset, the swamp seemed to sate its appetite; the treacherous mire would become as firm as solid ground and would no longer consume trespassers.

Beyond this consuming swamp lay a canyon. Wisps of mist drifted above it, making the landscape appear hazy and indistinct.

A glance revealed a glistening stream flowing through a mountain ravine. Before the canyon stood lush, green trees filled with the sweet songs of birds. The babbling stream wasn't crystal clear, but it was incomparably cleaner than the heavily polluted rivers of the cities.

Like a rainbow after a storm, no one could have imagined that such a beautiful landscape lay hidden behind a swamp that reeked of death.

And no human had ever managed to reach this place.

Snake Canyon, the true bastion of the Snake Race.

The venomous snakes that lived here were one in a million, like nobles enjoying a life of supreme privilege.

Just then, a human figure appeared in the magnificent canyon—a sight not seen in a hundred years.

A massive, twenty-five-meter-long Giant Snake carried a man in a black robe on its back. The man's face was savage, yet his eyes glinted with excitement. He clutched a small, crimson fruit and exclaimed, "This canyon must be full of treasures like this! This time, I, Jiang Xingze, will be completely reborn!"

As he spoke, a terrifying aura erupted from his body, sending out a powerful shockwave.

A Human Awakener.