Chapter Forty: Come Catch Me If You Can

The wolf-like beast from before, after chasing for a few steps, gave up the pursuit and seemed only intent on frightening Wang Changsheng away. But this giant python, perhaps disturbed from its rest by Wang Changsheng, relentlessly pursued him without end. Even after Wang Changsheng had run at least several miles, the python was still in hot pursuit, its hissing ever more intense.

"Is this a fight to the death?" Wang Changsheng’s eyes betrayed a helpless expression.

All he wanted was to come to the Sacred Heaven Realm, find a place rich in spiritual energy, and cultivate in peace. Who had he offended? First wild beasts, now a giant python—was this truly his unlucky fate?

With no other choice, Wang Changsheng could only accept his misfortune.

“If you keep chasing, I’ll kill you! I’ll have some snake soup tonight!” Wang Changsheng roared back at the python behind him.

The python hissed as it chased, and Wang Changsheng responded in kind—he would not lose in spirit, even if he lost in strength. If it was a contest of voices, he would not back down.

After running so far, Wang Changsheng realized that although the python was imposing and much stronger than he was, its speed was not great, nor was it very agile. He estimated that it was simply impossible for the python to catch up with him.

As for killing it and making snake soup, that was utter fantasy. With the python’s defenses, Wang Changsheng would have difficulty even breaking its skin, let alone killing it.

Hearing Wang Changsheng’s shouts, the python’s hissing only grew fiercer. Beasts that had cultivated to this level, even if they could not yet take human form or speak, could at least understand some human words.

In fact, those that reached higher levels could even transform and be indistinguishable from cultivators.

“Hey, can’t catch me? Come get me if you can!” Wang Changsheng taunted when he saw the python stop its chase. He too halted, turning to face the beast not far behind, his words provocative. However, judging by his labored breathing, Wang Changsheng was clearly not in great shape himself.

It wasn’t the depletion of his true energy that tired him—for his deep reserves, this was nothing. The real trouble was the python spewing venom as it ran. Even if none of it hit him directly, the putrid stench in the air nearly made him vomit several times.

Was this some kind of gas attack? Wang Changsheng had never seen such a shameless method of fighting!

What puzzled him was that no matter how he provoked it, the python would not advance. It just watched him, refusing to give chase. After a standoff that lasted about the time it takes for half a stick of incense to burn, the python finally withdrew.

This made Wang Changsheng uneasy.

“Could it be... I’ve entered another beast’s territory?” he muttered, confused.

Even without having spent much time in the Sacred Heaven Realm, Wang Changsheng understood one basic truth: wild beasts always have their own territory. These monstrous beasts, no matter how strong, retained such instincts. Now that the python had stopped the chase, Wang Changsheng only grew more wary.

The python was manageable because, despite its strength, it was slow and couldn’t catch him. If he ran into a beast that was fast, even if less powerful, escape would be far more difficult.

Only when the python’s form had disappeared completely did Wang Changsheng cautiously scan his surroundings. Seeing no sign of danger, he picked a direction opposite to where the python had gone and crept away.

“Nothing here...” After walking some distance, he encountered no threat. Instead, the forest was alive with birds. Where birds thrived, no powerful beasts could be present—or so he reasoned.

Wang Changsheng’s confusion only deepened.

“Did the python simply realize it couldn’t catch me and give up?” He was at a loss.

Just then, a roar and a piercing hiss reached his ears. The ground trembled, and in a flash, just ten feet ahead, the giant python burst from underground, barring his path.

“You again!”

Wang Changsheng’s expression instantly changed. “You know you can’t catch me, so what’s the point of all this?”

The python was truly cunning. Realizing it couldn’t catch Wang Changsheng, it had feigned retreat, waiting for him to drop his guard before burrowing underground to ambush him. Clearly, the python possessed a basic intelligence; otherwise, it could never have come up with such a ploy.

Wang Changsheng could not understand—did it really think this would work?

He instantly began to retreat.

Another chase, then! He was not afraid.

Bang!

Just as he moved back, a whooshing sound came from behind. An immense force struck his back, hurling Wang Changsheng toward the python’s gaping jaws.

At that moment, the python’s mouth was wide open, waiting for him to deliver himself.

“Damn!” With a quick glance over his shoulder, Wang Changsheng saw that the attack had come from the python’s tail.

The python’s head had appeared before him, but its tail, hidden underground, had circled behind him. As Wang Changsheng retreated, the tail lashed out in ambush.

“So clever!” Wang Changsheng couldn’t help but exclaim.

But there was no time for admiration now. He quickly drew the wooden long saber from his back and slashed at the python.

“I cut!”

He shouted as he unleashed his Wild Wave Saber technique, aiming straight for the python’s head.

Still reeling from the force of the blow, there was no way to change direction midair—unless his cultivation had reached another level. But surrender was not his way.

Seeing Wang Changsheng draw his wooden blade and strike, the python’s expression turned almost disdainful, eerily human-like.

Day after day it crushed trees—what threat could a wooden blade pose?

The python didn’t so much as dodge; instead, it closed its jaws and rammed its head toward the saber.

Thud!

The wooden saber struck the python’s head with a muffled sound.

The python let out a howl, writhing in pain.

Immediately, Wang Changsheng’s wooden saber shattered into powder, and his right hand trembled uncontrollably from the backlash. Clearly, the force of the blow had destroyed his weapon and left his own arm numb.

But the python had fared even worse.

What seemed an ordinary blow—never mind a wooden blade, even most magical weapons would be useless against a beast of this level and defense. Yet, unexpectedly, this attack held a hidden strength—two successive surges of force.

It was these two aftershocks that pierced beneath the python’s skin, sending a powerful tremor into its brain.

The python swayed, its head dropping limply, emitting piteous moans.

The moaning grew weaker and weaker, and the look in the python’s eyes grew dazed as it stared at Wang Changsheng.

“Run!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Wang Changsheng turned and fled.

Despite having dazed the python with a single blow, he was certain the injury was limited. After all, a wooden blade could not channel much true energy. If not for the Wild Wave Saber’s unique two-stage force, the strike might not even have scratched an itch.

Seizing the chance while the python was stunned, Wang Changsheng ran.

With only a short sword left and no proper weapon, there was no way he could even pierce the python’s hide barehanded.

He dashed off in a new direction, not daring to provoke the python still groaning behind him.

“That was close—I almost died here,” Wang Changsheng muttered, shaken.

He hadn’t expected the python to be so cunning. If not for his own little trick, using the saber’s hidden force, he would never have escaped.

Carefully weaving through the jungle for half a day, Wang Changsheng finally stopped.

“I think I’ve shaken off the python. Hopefully, I won’t run into any other monstrous beasts,” he said, still wary.

He was frustrated—why had the cloud vessel stopped in a place like this?

Wasn’t this just putting guests in danger?

Cultivators who entered the Sacred Heaven Realm were likely all at the Vein-Opening Stage, perhaps up to the ninth layer at best. To survive and escape from such an environment was no easy feat.

Having carefully masked his presence and adjusted his breathing, Wang Changsheng set off again.

He spent three entire days weaving through the forest, and still had not found his way out.

“Don’t tell me... I’m lost...” Wang Changsheng mused.

But then he remembered that the Two Realms Mountain in the Sacred Heaven Realm was also in a remote, uninhabited area, and he relaxed.

What Wang Changsheng did not know was that cultivators in the Sacred Heaven Realm, once they reached a certain level, always traveled by flight—almost no one walked as he did. Moreover, no one at the Vein-Opening Stage would dare wander alone in such a place.

Only Wang Changsheng, fearless in his ignorance, would do so.

In truth, the distance he had covered in several days on foot could be traversed in less than half the time it takes an incense stick to burn, if only he could fly. To escape this forest on foot—he had no idea how long it would take.

“Hm? I’ve ended up here? Looks a bit old, but never mind, I’ll just capture him first.”

“Who’s there?”

Just as Wang Changsheng was adjusting his breath, a hoarse voice drifted to his ears.

Though rough, the words were clear enough, instantly putting Wang Changsheng on alert. Soon, he saw a figure wrapped entirely in a gray robe, standing atop a nearby tree trunk not far away.