Splish-splash, the giant serpent returned to the water once again, while the Snake Lord stood at a distance, his expression shifting unpredictably as he watched the massive creature. After the earlier battle, his Lifeline Snake, the Black Mamba, had sustained grievous injuries.

As the Snake Lord, his strength was closely tied to the condition of his Lifeline Snake. The Black Mamba's injury had significantly weakened his abilities as well.

Although the Snake Lord coveted the giant serpent even more now, he was very aware that taming it this time was an impossible feat.

"What a powerful beast!" The Snake Lord gritted his teeth. Despite suffering a significant loss, his determination to claim the serpent only grew stronger. "Once I've recovered and made full preparations, I'll return. I will tame you, my dear darling. Just you wait!"

With these words, the Snake Lord took a deep breath and disappeared into the distance.

Right now, the immediate priority was to locate the map quickly. Securing the reward from Hell's Gate was the most important task at hand!

"It should be safe now!" Looking at the giant serpent several kilometers away, the Snake Lord took a deep breath and hurled himself like a missile toward the opposite side.

He ran across the water. Since flying wasn't an option, skimming over the surface was a viable alternative.

As the Snake Lord sprinted across the water, the piranhas beneath went berserk, surging up to tear at him.

"Get lost!" the Snake Lord roared furiously, stomping down hard.

If he couldn't deal with the giant serpent, surely he wouldn't be bested by these tiny fish?

Boom, boom, boom! With every step forward, loud cracks echoed beneath him, with waves surging up in his wake. The crazed piranhas were blasted into sprays of blood mist by the shockwaves emanating from his steps, releasing a stench that reeked of decay.

The vibrations also startled the giant serpent, who reared up its head. Noticing the Snake Lord's advancing figure, the serpent flew into a rage.

From the serpent's perspective, sparing the Snake Lord earlier was already an act of mercy, yet the man dared to provoke its authority again? Such blatant disdain—it wouldn't stand!

The giant serpent suddenly accelerated, charging full-speed toward the Snake Lord, its underwater movement as swift as a torpedo!

"So fast!" The Snake Lord's face shifted dramatically, hastening to pick up his own pace.

Finally, at a critical moment, the Snake Lord scrambled onto the riverbank and rolled aside, barely evading the giant serpent's strike.

However, the serpent didn't pursue him ashore. Instead, it fixed him with a seething gaze, its posture betraying a strange wariness toward the bank.

The Snake Lord didn't dwell on it. Instead, he immediately put more distance between him and the serpent, his eyes filled with vigilant wariness.

"That was close—really close! If the serpent had been just a bit faster, I wouldn't have been able to escape its attack. But why wouldn't it dare to set foot on the shore?" The Snake Lord furrowed his brow.

Being deeply familiar with serpents, he knew they were creatures highly sensitive to danger, instinctively avoiding unnecessary risks. If they perceived a mortal threat, they would subconsciously keep their distance.

"Could it be that an even more formidable entity lurks by the riverbank?" A heavy feeling settled in the Snake Lord's heart.

He scanned his surroundings but found no trace of a threatening presence.

"Am I being overly cautious?" The Snake Lord shook his head. Ever since entering this Underground Palace, he had been met with one harrowing challenge after another. These occurrences made it abundantly clear that the place was far from simple. Retrieving the map was unlikely to be an easy feat.

Glancing at the weakened state of the Black Mamba, the Snake Lord sighed. It seemed that once he got out, the time to claim the Seven-step Silver Light Snake would finally come.

Though the Seven-step Silver Light Snake was a unique variant of serpents, it paled in comparison to the earlier giant serpent. With that in mind, it might be better to let the Black Mamba devour it to recover faster. This could also improve his chances of taming the massive beast.

"By the time I leave this place, the Seven-step Silver Light Snake should've matured enough!" The Snake Lord licked his lips with a glint of anticipation.

Opening his hand, the metal shard in his palm quivered violently, far more so than on the other side of the river. This intensity confirmed he was getting closer to the map.

Pocketing the fragment, the Snake Lord proceeded in the direction it indicated. At this point, acquiring the map was imperative. Only with it could he negotiate with Hell's Gate to restore his severed arm.

Indeed, the reason the Indian Snake King chose to assist the Freedom Organization in their search for the map was that Hell's Gate had promised him one thing: if he retrieved the map, they would help regenerate his severed limb!

After his arm was cut off by the God Butcher, his strength had dwindled significantly. So, when Hell's Gate offered such an irresistible deal, he agreed without hesitation.

Meanwhile, Ling Feng led Bai Feifei and the other three along a resplendent golden staircase. Alongside the steps stretched a series of extraordinary carvings—giant dragons breathing fire, bird people spreading their wings, and sword-wielding masters stepping on flying swords…

"What kind of place is this?" Ling Feng frowned. To his eyes, the carvings seemed to shift continually, as though narrating an ancient story.

"Ling Feng, what's wrong?" Bai Feifei noticed Ling Feng's slight frown and asked in concern.

Ling Feng replied, "Do you see the relief carvings around us?"

"Relief carvings? What carvings?" Bai Feifei glanced around and said, "There aren't any carvings here."

Ling Feng was shocked. Turning to the other three, he asked, "What about you guys? Do you see any carvings in the surroundings?"

Fat Bear and the other two shook their heads. "All we see are glowing Luminous Pearls—no carvings at all."

"Ling Feng, did you notice something?" Bai Feifei's sharp intuition told her Ling Feng wouldn't mention this without reason. She quickly pressed him for details.

Ling Feng shook his head. "It's nothing. Just that the carvings on the columns outside suddenly came to mind. Perhaps I saw an illusion."

Bai Feifei and the others hadn't paid much attention to whether there were carvings on the outside columns.

Without revealing much, Ling Feng said, "Let's keep going. I have a feeling we're nearing the end!"

It seemed these carvings could only be seen by those who had entered the Demi-God Domain. Were they a sign of some kind? Ling Feng mulled it over, puzzled.

At that exact moment, Bai Feifei knitted her brows, letting out a muffled sound, and collapsed onto Ling Feng.

"What's wrong?" Ling Feng was startled to see Bai Feifei's pale face and quickly caught her.

Noticing his concern and anxiety, Bai Feifei's lips curved slightly into a blissful smile. "It's nothing. Maybe I've been a bit tired lately. I just need some rest. Let's keep moving!"

Ling Feng touched Bai Feifei's forehead. Sensing only exhaustion without signs of illness, he accepted her explanation.

"Get on my back; I'll carry you," Ling Feng said calmly.

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