Chapter 65: The King of Taihang Mountain

Wham! The massive black ox lashed out with a hoof, sending the chopstick-sized silver snake flying, and declared, "A mere snake hatchling dares to challenge my authority?"

It didn't deliver a killing blow, as it still hadn't figured out who the king behind the many mutated beasts of the Taihang Mountains truly was, and felt a certain apprehension.

A black bear roared, standing upright, easily over eight meters tall. Its body had become much larger after mutation. It violently beat the patch of white fur on its chest, appearing exceptionally fierce.

Roar! With a thunderous roar, a bolt of lightning shot from its mouth, a truly astonishing sight. This was one of the mutated beast leaders.

ZAP! The massive black ox dodged, as the lightning struck a giant boulder, tens of thousands of kilograms in weight, in the distance. It exploded instantly, turning into fragments.

The black bear continued to roar, sending one lightning bolt after another hurtling towards the massive black ox. Creatures capable of controlling lightning were extremely rare; once they evolved, their power was unimaginable.

The massive black ox was fearless. It stopped dodging. Its two thick horns gently pushed forward, and all the electric light vanished, absorbed by its horns.

"Go!" the massive black ox lightly snorted. With a crackle, electricity spiraled out from its horns, striking the black bear. The bear smoked all over, severely wounded, and was sent flying into a pile of rubble.

"Awooo..." Wolf howls pierced the air. Two mutated wolves, one after the other, lunged forward. One appeared to be forged from blue-gold, while the other was covered in rocky hide. Each possessed different abilities.

CRUNCH! This time, the massive black ox delivered a kick, deforming the blue-gold wolf's head. It twisted as if metal had been bent, yet it didn't break.

The blue-gold wolf howled in pain. Bullets couldn't penetrate it, yet now its body was deformed by a single hoof strike, sending it flying sideways into a boulder.

"Interesting!" The massive black ox watched it. Soon, its expression changed. The stone wolf behind it opened its mouth and spewed yellow mist, which, surprisingly, began to petrify it, already reaching its tail.

"Get lost!" the massive black ox roared. It lashed out with its hind legs. With a loud thud, the stone wolf screamed, its jaw kicked clean off, and it crashed into a thicket.

A fierce wind began to blow. A massive green snake, as thick as a water bucket, appeared. It was tens of meters long. All the vegetation parted, clearing a path for it.

It rode the wind, approaching at an incredible speed. Its blood-red mouth gaped open, exhaling a foul stench, truly terrifying.

Behind it, the yellow ox watched, its neck retracting. It truly did not want to face such a giant serpent.

The massive green snake was incredibly fast, leaving a blurred afterimage. Carried by the strong wind, it lunged forward, and began to coil around the massive black ox.

It should be noted that this bucket-thick snake had previously leaped from a mountain peak and violently swung its body, destroying an armed helicopter. Its ferocity was intense.

Now, it intended to constrict the massive black ox to death. Snakes possessed terrifying constricting power; a snake this thick could crush every bone in a giant elephant's body.

However, the massive black ox paid it no mind. It allowed the snake to coil around it. Then, with a powerful struggle, the large snake instantly screamed, emitting strange sounds, its mouth full of bloody foam.

It quickly uncoiled. With a whoosh, carried by the strong wind, it shot to the nearest mountaintop. Its entire body's joints had just creaked and popped, nearly breaking apart.

Roar! A group of mutated beasts, fearless of death, charged forward, dozens of them attacking simultaneously.

"Don't force me to kill!" the massive black ox warned. It was becoming somewhat overwhelmed; if it were anyone else, they would have long since died facing so many mutated beasts attacking at once.

Behind them, hundreds more had fierce glints in their eyes, poised to pounce.

"The mutated beasts are fighting among themselves! Let's get ready to break through!" Someone within White Snake Ridge saw this scene and believed the opportunity had arrived to escape and carve out a path to survival.

"Don't force me!" The massive black ox had been hit multiple times and faced fierce attacks. Its eyes turned sharp, and with a sudden roar that exploded like thunder, it shook the entire mountain range.

Rumble! The peaks trembled violently, sending many boulders tumbling down. As for the nearby vegetation, it all burst apart.

Around the massive black ox, a group of mutated beasts were dazed. Some bled from their mouths and noses, and many simply toppled to the ground.

The remaining mutated beasts were terrified and retreated continuously. This massive black ox was too powerful; if it truly fought with all its might, the consequences would be unpredictable.

"Hiss!" The chopstick-sized silver snake flicked its tongue, ordering the other beasts to continue the attack and not to be afraid.

It moved first, shooting forward like an electric current once more.

SMASH! This time, the massive black ox showed no mercy. It brought a hoof down, pinning the silver snake onto a rock. With a slight increase in pressure, a grinding sound came from the ground.

The little snake writhed in pain. The rock beneath it cracked, showing just how powerful the force was.

"As small as a toothpick, yet you repeatedly dare to provoke me," the massive black ox said, a cold glint appearing in its eyes. "Do you really think this king is good-tempered?"

Within White Snake Ridge, many awakened beings were on the move, preparing to break out.

"Oh my god!" But at that very moment, many people's faces turned ashen white, as they stared at the mountain terrain ahead. They stopped dead in their tracks, then began to retreat continuously.

People looked up ahead, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. They couldn't believe what they were seeing, terrified to the point where their souls felt like they were leaving their bodies.

Thud! Someone immediately fainted from fright, collapsing to the ground.

In an instant, a profound silence fell; not a single sound could be heard.

In the distance, all the mutated beasts became quiet and still.

"You toothpick-sized snake hatchling, learn your lesson. Don't challenge this king's dignity again..." Only the massive black ox was speaking.

Behind it, the yellow ox was so frightened that its fur stood on end. It longed to kick out its hind legs and flee instantly, but it didn't dare to move.

"Moo..." the yellow ox whimpered, quietly warning the massive black ox to stop talking.

"Don't bother me!" the massive black ox retorted, continuing its speech and scolding the yellow ox.

The yellow ox was practically in tears, shivering with cold, and mooed twice more.

The massive black ox fell silent. In fact, it was more alert than anyone else; its fur had long since stood on end. It was merely pretending to be calm and hadn't immediately turned around.

It had already sensed a monstrously large and terrifying presence behind it!

But it couldn't be domineering one moment, then suddenly change its tune and act submissive the next. The massive black ox was trying to hold its ground.

Unfortunately, it couldn't hold out for long. It still changed its demeanor, releasing its hoof and chuckling, saying to the little snake, "You naughty little fellow, go on, go home. This king was just joking with you."

Whoosh! The silver snake showed no mercy, glaring fiercely at it, and darted away, perching on a nearby boulder.

The massive black ox slowly turned, looking back. Even though it was mentally prepared, when it finally saw what was there, it still stumbled, almost kicking out its legs and fleeing.

"Moooo!" All the massive black ox's fur stood on end. Its two horns glowed with dark light. A terrifying power surged through its body. It stood guard, its large ox eyes wide.

Right there, a colossal, unimaginably terrifying creature loomed, looking down at it.

A massive white snake! Its size was overwhelming. Its head was enormous, and its body incredibly thick, at least two meters in diameter. It was pure white all over. A section of its body emerged from a nearby gorge.

Even the narrowest part of that body segment would require two or three people to encircle it. The portion suspended in mid-air was tens of meters long. Its eyes, as large as washbasins, gleamed with cold silver light, as it gazed down at the massive black ox.

How could there be such a giant snake?!

The massive black ox felt a headache coming on. Just moments ago, it had called the little snake "toothpick-sized." Now, a snake king had appeared directly, so immense and terrifying.

Throughout the mountain range, everyone was chilled to the bone, as if plunged into an ice cellar. A snake this massive surpassed any recorded documentation. It was indeed the king behind the many mutated beasts of the Taihang Mountains!

Chu Feng's hair stood on end. He was a local; no one knew the legends of this place better than he did.

White Snake Ridge was so named because of a legend of a white snake inhabiting the area, but few people truly believed in its existence.

Many years ago, it was said that the snake, due to its immense size, possessed a thousand years of cultivation.

But who could have believed it? Now, having witnessed it firsthand, Chu Feng had to admit that some legends truly warranted awe!

Rumble, rumble, rumble... The mountains shook and the ground trembled. The great snake emerged from the gorge, its enormous body coiling into a mountain of white, terrifying serpent, hundreds of meters long.

If it were to uncoil completely, it could stretch from one mountain peak to another.

Among known snake species, the largest python in the tropical rainforests was only a dozen meters long. Compared to the one before them, it was utterly insignificant, far too small.

Even if this massive snake hadn't mutated but had simply lived for a thousand years, it would still be terrifying and difficult to contend with. Not to mention the drastic changes in the world; things were vastly different now.

Its power was absolutely unfathomable.

Its ability to command all the mutated beasts of the Taihang Mountains, bringing disparate factions together without conflict, was undeniable proof of its supreme dominance.

"King of Taihang, King of the North," the Ox Demon King began respectfully, "I apologize for this abrupt intrusion. I am the Ox Demon King from the Flaming Mountains in the West. I have passed through your esteemed territory today and caused some offense, and I hope you can be magnanimous."

In the distance, many awakened beings felt uneasy, watching the massive snake and feeling waves of terror.

"There's no other way; we need to call for help," said the elderly man from Heavenly God Biologicals, with the appearance of youthful vigor despite his white hair. "Otherwise, we'll all die here. This giant snake is beyond current human capabilities to fight."

The elderly man from Bodhi Genes was also present. In addition, Jiang Luoshen, Lin Nuoyi, and the Silver-winged Celestial were nearby, discussing the situation.

The Silver-winged Celestial's expression was grim. He had assessed the situation, and concluded that even at his peak, he would likely be no match for this giant snake.

"Let's ask the disciples of Sakyamuni to intervene!" Jiang Luoshen spoke, her beautiful face devoid of a smile, only seriousness. She was preparing to report the situation to Bodhi Genes' headquarters.

Heavenly God Biologicals also made a decision. "Please request Leizhenzi to come out of seclusion!" Lin Nuoyi, stunningly beautiful and graceful, her long hair blown by the wind, maintained a calm expression on her radiant, delicate face, remaining composed even in these circumstances.

"Distant waters cannot quench immediate thirst. It might be too late by the time they arrive."

"Let's request assistance from the relevant national authorities!"

Ultimately, they decided on a two-pronged approach, inviting more powerful individuals.

In the distance, negotiations between the massive black ox and the white snake had broken down. No matter what the ox said, the white snake offered no response, simply staring down at it with a cold gaze.

"White Snake, you disdain this king. Then let's fight!" The massive black ox seemed to be angered.

"Indeed, that is my intention," the white snake finally spoke, its voice clear and echoing throughout the mountain terrain. "You are the first mutated beast to dare call yourself a king in my presence. I do wish to measure your strength."

It was a woman's voice, very cold yet melodious. It seemed to come from beyond the heavens, as if carrying the ethereal chill of the Lunar Palace.

All the awakened beings felt their scalps tingle and shivered with cold. Those two mutated beasts could actually speak human language—it was truly terrifying.

"Before that, hand over the pinecone," the white snake said.

"Alright, here you go!" The massive black ox vigorously shook its head. The purple-gold pinecone rolled out of its ear and fell towards the ground.

Suddenly, it violently raised a hoof. With a loud thud, it kicked the pinecone. The force was immeasurable, causing it to explode in an instant.

Dozens of pine nuts scattered in all directions!

Its strength was immense. The pine nuts shot out, each one flying at least several hundred meters, scattering throughout the mountain forest.

"Gather them all back; not a single one must be missing!" the white snake commanded. It was still a woman's voice, very melodious, but now even colder.

BOOM! The next moment, it moved. Its colossal serpentine body swooped down towards the massive black ox.

The yellow ox watched with anticipation, hoping the massive black ox would display its might and contend with the white snake.

However, something astonishing occurred. The massive black ox transformed into a black whirlwind, enveloping the yellow ox, and with a whoosh, shot hundreds of meters away, breaking the sound barrier.

The speed was incredible. The sound it produced afterward was deafening!

"Didn't we agree to fight? Why are you running?" The yellow ox's eyes widened.

"Only an idiot would fight it! Run!" The massive black ox glared, and, turning into a black gale, swept through the forest, heading directly out of the mountains.

The white snake's gaze was chilling. Its colossal body unfurled like a silver river, soaring through the air. Its speed was equally terrifying and boundless, also breaking the sound barrier.

Such speed caused violent air tremors and enormous explosive sounds.

They had both surpassed the speed of sound!

Everyone was utterly terrified. The white snake, soaring through the sky, resembled a dragon. Hundreds of meters long, it vanished in an instant.

"Run!" many awakened beings shouted. This was a rare chance to escape.

The mutated beasts also moved, lunging towards the awakened beings with terrifying killing intent. They were blocking the awakened beings while also searching for the pine nuts scattered everywhere.

The mutated beasts rioted, charging White Snake Ridge. They encountered the awakened beings, and a bloody battle erupted.

In one area, a person lay in the grass. His skin, like yellow jade, shimmered with a clear luster. He was stepped on by a wild boar the size of an armored vehicle, but his body, surprisingly, didn't break apart; instead, the pain woke him.

He was King Kong.

After the two oxen knocked him unconscious, they didn't kill him. They simply tossed him into a grassy pit by the roadside.

King Kong woke up in pain, and the moment he opened his eyes, he saw a boar, as big as a small hill, stepping on him and sniffing intensely nearby.

"Damn it, being bullied by oxen was bad enough," King Kong raged, "but now even a pig dares to come over and spit on me! This is infuriating!"

He was indeed enraged. Not long ago, he had been tormented by two oxen. Now, the moment he opened his eyes, he saw a pig sniffing at him, reeking of foul odor. His lungs felt like they would explode!

"This is too much... Argh!" King Kong roared.

Normally, he was calm and composed in any situation. But now he couldn't take it anymore. His eyes flared, and with a mighty flip, he pinned the huge wild boar beneath him.