Chapter 873: Leaving his line of sigh (2/2)
“Why?” Long Feiye shouted back.
Han Yunxi was smiling happily, though it wasn’t clear whether he could see. She said, “You promised to listen to everything I say! Just do as you’re told!”
Long Feiye couldn’t help smiling, his expression looking radiant. It wasn’t clear whether she could see from this distance, either. If this was the past, he’d never agree, but his martial arts skills had now advanced to the stage where he could protect her as long as she was within his sights. He waved back and gestured for her to keep walking as he agreed.
Han Yunxi walked ahead, occasionally stopping to crouch on the ground as if searching and collecting something. Long Feiye was curious, while Baili Yuanlong was filled with doubts. After five more li, Han Yunxi stopped. Long Feiye and the rest caught up until they saw a huge pit up ahead. Although it wasn’t as big as the Poison Sect’s Skypit, it was no small hole. They were 10 meters away when Han Yunxi declared, “We’ve reached the snake den.”
Long Feiye didn’t feel anything, but Han Yunxi had started sensing the thick cloud of poison here since long ago. The detox system broke down all of the toxins present within and compared it to the usual concentration of poison found within a White-Lipped Krait. Its calculations told her that there were at least 20,000 snakes inside! It was double the number in Han Yunxi’s estimates! Thanks to the poison gas in the air, the entire nest was seething with excitement. All of the snakes were furiously climbing towards the cave exit, including the ones hidden at the very bottom of the den, who stirred and exhaled more noxious fumes.
Even a poisons expert of Han Yunxi’s caliber was alarmed by the movement. She only thanked the stars that she had already cultivated to the second level of the poison storage system, or else even Long Feiye and a team of shadow guards wouldn’t be enough to deal with such a huge pit! She collected all of the data before looking back at the group.
“This pit is about 20 meters deep and houses 20,000 snakes along with one queen…”
Everyone’s faces blanched at the revelation. What was the notion of ten-thousand strong snakes and a single queen? Even if they weren’t afraid of poison, it’d be impossible to kill them all! Yet once the snakes escaped and went every which were, it’d be even harder to track them down, especially if they headed for the army camp! Han Yunxi’s antidotes had a time limit, so once they wore off, new doses would be needed to defend against these serpents.
Long Feiye knitted his brows as he walked to her side, but Han Yunxi still pushed him back towards the Baili father and daughter pair. She continued to speak. “They’ve already smelled the poison gas, so they’re all climbing up right now. I expect they’ll reach the surface soon, so we’re in a very dangerous position right now. There’s not enough time either. I’ll say this one last time: listen to everything I say or accept the consequences!”
Standing by the edge of the pit, Han Yunxi was both stern and serious. Her authority was unshakable so that even the suspicious, dissatisfied Baili Yuanlong was left too awed to speak. Long Feiye’s eyes flickered with a complicated expression before he said, “Alright, you be careful.”
Han Yunxi nodded. She took out a few bags of antidote and gave them to the 20 or so shadow guards with them--poison guards she’d chosen personally and taught for circumstances like these.
“There might be poisonous snakes escaping later, so the five of you protect His Highness and the rest. Also, draw back 50 meters and be on guard, understood?”
Although they had all taken antidotes before coming here, she wasn’t sure how long she’d need to absorb the entire den of snakes into her poison storage space. The largest thing she’d ever absorbed was the poison pond, but that was one body. The den was filled with 20,000 individual snakes and one queen. She was confident that she could take this den, but she never had practical experience trying. It was hard to account for unexpected events, so she had to make ample preparations to protect Long Feiye and the rest.
As Long Feiye and the rest backed away, Han Yunxi dismissed the remaining poison guards to form a perimeter around the edge of the pit. Only one man was left to guard her side.
“Try your best to not let the snakes escape. Fight poison with poison, understand?” Han Yunxi said.
“Understood! Don’t worry, mistress!” the guards chorused.
Once everything was settled, Han Yunxi looked back and saw Long Feiye staring at her with knitted brows. She grinned at him, but his expression remained severe. She gave him a placating look next, then turned around and shut her eyes. Their surroundings had grown exceptionally quiet, but those with good hearing could sense the snakes slithering closer and closer to the exit. Long Feiye couldn’t understand how Han Yunxi was planning to face off against these snakes. Was she going to fight poison with poison and kill them all? Or absorb the creatures into her poison storage space? But how would she do that?
Baili Yuanlong and Baili Mingxiang were curious as well, waiting to see what she’d do. Baili Mingxiang couldn’t believe that Han Yunxi could face off against so many snakes on her own, while Baili Yuanlong was still guarded.
After a few moments, Han Yunxi muttered to the guard next to her, “I’m ready, let’s go down.”
“Yes!” the poison guard obeyed before grabbing Han Yunxi and jumping into the snake den! In a flash, her figure vanished from Long Feiye’s eyes.
“Han Yunxi, what are you doing?!” Long Feiye roared in rage!
Without a second thought, he chased after her. As if realizing something, Baili Yuanlong followed after him in alarm. “Your Highness, be careful of a trap! Your Highness, this is a trap! A trap, ah!”
It was obviously human hands that had lured the snakes from such a distant den into their camp! Han Yunxi had forbidden His Highness from coming along at first, but now she was jumping down herself. Her dangerous actions were obviously meant to lure His Highness into the snake pit.
This has to be a trap!
Long Feiye and Baili Yuanlong’s bodies quickly vanished from sight. Alarmed, Xu Donglin didn’t know what to do next! The princess had ordered them not to move, but His Highness had already followed after her. What was he supposed to do? After some hesitation, he led the rest of the men after them too.
Baili Mingxiang ran to the edge of the pit and was so anxious she threw out all semblance of etiquette. “Your Highness! Father! Don’t cause trouble for the princess!”
No one answered. Steeling her heart, she too, jumped into the pit. But by the time she reached the bottom, not a snake was to be seen. There was only His Highness supporting the princess while leaning against the wall. Father and Xu Donglin were all looking around the premises, all of them equally confused.
Where were the snakes?