At this moment, the Red Scale Python suddenly opened its massive mouth, and an incredibly hot wave of air swept out ferociously.
"Hiss!"
The air seemed to boil, and scalding currents washed towards Zhou Yan like a tsunami.
"Hmm?"
Zhou Yan let out a soft hum. His figure shot out abruptly, dodging swiftly. As he evaded the air current, he raised his palm and struck out. With his descending arm, the air seemed to be sucked dry. In Zhou Yan's palm strike, threads of electric arcs crackled and hissed, striking the Red Scale Python's enormous head with great force.
"Bang!"
A bolt of lightning instantly erupted on the Red Scale Python's head.
The Red Scale Python cried out in agony, letting out a piercing wail. Then, its body writhed violently, surprisingly breaking free from the vines and lunging directly at Zhou Yan.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
As Zhou Yan retreated, he continuously attacked, engaging in a fierce battle with the Red Scale Python. No matter how powerful the python was, it could not harm him. In fact, with every strike from Zhou Yan, the Red Scale Python would let out a pained groan and retreat. Clearly, it was no match for Zhou Yan.
Moreover, the most crucial point was that although the Red Scale Python was massive, its speed was not slow. Especially the hard scales on its body, which made it difficult for Zhou Yan to attack effectively, rendering him unable to break through its defenses. Its venomous spit also failed to hit Zhou Yan. In fact, with a little attention, Zhou Yan could even use his physical advantage to absorb the Red Scale Python's venom.
While Zhou Yan was entangled with this ferocious beast, he suddenly felt an intense pain from beneath his feet. He quickly looked down and gasped.
At this very moment, the soil he was standing on was dyed a dark red. Moreover, pustules were emerging from beneath his feet. Then, maggots began to crawl out of these pustules. These maggots were as large as palm-sized, swarming and horrifying. They not only gnawed at the soil but also tore at the rocks outside the soil.
"So disgusting," Zhou Yan frowned.
He quickly circulated his cultivation technique, enveloping his legs with a ball of flames, and then stomped his foot, rapidly ascending.
After Zhou Yan flew into the air, on the ground, countless mud, sand, and rocks, under the pull of an invisible force, rapidly gathered, forming a sphere about three to four meters in diameter.
"Hiss!"
The Red Scale Python's pupils constricted as it looked at the massive sphere. Sensing danger, its body darted into the depths of the jungle, disappearing among the treetops.
Zhou Yan's eyes deepened as he fixed his gaze on the giant sphere on the ground. With a thought, fine threads of flame flowed out of his body, converging rapidly. They then formed a thin thread of fire that extended along the ground, tracing the direction the Red Scale Python had fled.
"Rumble!"
Suddenly, the thin thread of fire struck a giant tree. A terrifying explosion erupted. The towering tree, dozens of meters tall, was instantly incinerated, turning into a pile of ashes. Furthermore, due to the scorching flames, they continued to spread. Within seconds, the entire tree turned into charcoal.
"Hiss..."
The fleeing Red Scale Python seemed to sense the terrifying heat from behind, its body froze, and it let out a roar filled with dread. Then, its body trembled, covered in crimson patterns, its muscles bulging. A faint green luminescence could be vaguely seen on its originally crimson scales. Its aura instantly surged severalfold. It plunged into a nearby small river at maximum speed, submerging itself.
"This is... this Red Scale Python has actually undergone a transformation." A trace of surprise appeared in Zhou Yan's eyes. He hadn't expected this seemingly clumsy, yet actually very intelligent Red Scale Python to voluntarily transform into the Red Scale Python King!
The Red Scale Python, as its name suggested, was a type of python. Only those that reached five hundred years of cultivation could be called Flood Dragons. The Red Scale Python before him had clearly surpassed five hundred years, being just one step away from six hundred years of lifespan. If it could live another six hundred years, it would truly be considered a complete transformation into a Flood Dragon.
"This Red Scale Python King, having just evolved, has low intelligence. It must think I am its prey now," Zhou Yan said with a slight smile. Suddenly, a piece of information appeared in his mind, causing Zhou Yan's expression to change drastically.
"The Red Scale Python King is the overlord of this island. Almost all the plants and animals on this island obey the command of this Red Scale Python King. At the very center of the island lies the Red Scale Python King's lair. Within the lair, there is a fist-sized crimson crystal core. That crystal core is the Red Scale Python King's inner core. Devouring that inner core is equivalent to obtaining the Red Scale Python King's inheritance, allowing one to acquire the Red Scale Python King's memories and abilities."
Zhou Yan's eyes lit up. He never expected that besides many precious medicinal herbs on this island, there was also a treasure like the Red Scale Python King.
"However, this Red Scale Python King seems a bit cunning, hiding underground and refusing to come ashore."
Zhou Yan observed carefully. He discovered that the giant sphere on the ground was actually the Red Scale Python King's lair, but a large rock in the middle of the lair blocked his connection with the Red Scale Python King. He had only temporarily trapped the Red Scale Python King with this large rock. Once he moved away, the Red Scale Python King would inevitably surge out from underground to attack him.
However, this situation was not difficult to resolve. Zhou Yan only needed to use his spiritual energy to move the large rock away.
"Whoosh..."
In the next moment, streams of spiritual energy erupted from his body, transforming into sharp sword beams that pierced the ground. Soon, a large rock, about two meters in diameter, slowly rose.
Subsequently, Zhou Yan unleashed a few more surges of spiritual energy, pushing the large rock to the mountainside. This rock blocked the Red Scale Python's line of sight, preventing it from finding Zhou Yan's location any further.
"Roar~~~"
The Red Scale Python let out a roar and then swam towards Zhou Yan's direction. Upon approaching the large rock, its body suddenly trembled, and a ring of crimson light waves erupted from its mouth, fiercely bombarding the rock.
"Boom!"
The large rock trembled violently, cracks appearing. In a short while, the rock began to shatter and collapse with a rumble.