CHAPTER 230: CHAPTER 230 EFFORTLESSLY 2(3)_1

"You’er, how are you feeling?" Shangguan Qing was the first to notice Shangguan You and quickly ran to her side, helping her up. As for why they had suddenly reappeared from within the black hole, their confusion only deepened.

"Big Brother Qing, eat these, and then sprinkle these around, quickly," Shangguan You said, taking out six Antidote Pills and some poison powder from her storage space and swiftly handing them to Shangguan Qing.

"Hurry, the snake swarm is attacking!" Shangguan You shouted, then spat out another mouthful of blood.

"I’ll do it." Gui Mo quickly took the poison powder from Shangguan Qing’s hands and spread it around them, forming a circle. The ground within the circle where the powder landed turned pitch-black. The previously writhing snake swarm instantly fell silent and did not approach them any further.

"Take the medicine, or you will be poisoned," Shangguan You’s voice was very weak. Only when she saw everyone tightly huddled together did she sit down cross-legged and slowly begin to absorb the dwindling Spiritual Energy.

"You’er, how are you?" Shangguan Qing’s eyes were filled with concern.

"Don’t touch her; she must be using a special technique to heal herself," Gui Mo’s peach-blossom eyes flashed as he quickly stopped Shangguan Qing’s movement.

"Healing?"

"Don’t forget, she is a doctor herself."

The six people huddled closely around Shangguan You, with the snake swarm encircling them tightly. Outside the circle marked by the poison powder, the ground was covered with a dense mass of snakes. The leading three-headed snake was continuously slithering around the edge of the circle, lingering just outside.

At this moment, a dense fog enveloped them, making it hard to discern the total number of snakes. However, they could clearly see the snakes within a meter around them; the snakes and the seven individuals faced each other.

As time passed, Shangguan You absorbed the sparse Spiritual Energy around her, slowly treating her internal injuries. In the pitch-black night, the thick fog gradually thinned.

When Liu Dabao and his group reached the mountain summit, it was already shrouded in a thick fog. Seeing the dense mist, Liu Dabao and Gui Yongjun looked even more solemn.

Normally, a dense fog would only form on the mountain during rainy weather. They had not expected to encounter one. Even they, who climbed the mountain regularly, could not see their surroundings clearly, let alone those who had never climbed a mountain before. They must have lost their way in the fog. Recalling the scream from earlier, Liu Dabao couldn’t help but feel anxious.

"Split into groups of three and search for their traces in the fog."

"Understood."

Liu Dabao and the others had started climbing the mountain at one in the morning; now it was five. In two more hours, it would be daylight, and the fog on the mountain would dissipate.

"Liu Dabao, if anything happens to these kids, you’ll be finished," Gui Yongjun growled. Then, accompanied by Deputy Commander Qian and several others, they slowly walked into the thick fog and vanished instantly.

While Liu Dabao’s side searched intently, the group with Shangguan You was in dire straits. Shangguan You diligently practiced the Medicine King Canon within herself, indifferent to everything happening around her.

The other six were closely watching the snake swarm’s movements. The initially calm snakes slowly began to stir.

"AH!" Yu Zijin screamed as a small snake quickly latched onto her arm with a vicious bite.

"Zijin!" Yu Zifeng cried out, swiftly grabbing the snake and forcefully throwing it far away. Two small puncture wounds remained on Yu Zijin’s arm, the skin around them instantly turning black.

"That snake is poisonous!" Zhang Yuchen shouted. He and Yu Zifeng quickly pressed their hands on either side of her wound to prevent the poison from spreading. As they clutched the wound firmly, black blood was slowly squeezed out, bit by bit.

"Yu Shao, Zhang Shao, take care of Zijin and You’er," Shangguan Qing instructed calmly. Then, together with the three Gui Family brothers, they positioned themselves at three corners, surrounding the four in the center. Each of them held two thick branches; without weapons, these branches were all they had.

Now encircled by the snake swarm, they could hardly move an inch. The only things they could use were these branches, broken during their fall. They could only sweep the attacking snakes away, but this wasn’t a permanent solution. Unless they had the same kind of poison You’er possessed or could fly, surviving today seemed like a dream.

"Zifeng, take good care of them; I’ll help out," Zhang Yuchen said, letting go of Yu Zijin’s hand. He picked up a branch from the ground and stood beside Shangguan Qing and the others.

As another small snake silently glided closer, bit Yu Zijin, and was quickly flung away, the air filled with the faint scent of blood, further agitating the snake swarm.

The three-headed snake hissed several times and slithered continually, drawing ever nearer to the circle. Behind it, countless once-dormant snakes began to stir and move swiftly. Their hisses filled the air, along with an unpleasant odor.

"They’re attacking!" Gui Mo yelled, sweeping his branch rapidly and striking a snake precisely at its weak spot. Shangguan Qing, with quick reflexes, aimed the branch in his right hand at another snake’s vulnerable point. Gui Jun, with a sweep of his branch, sent the foremost attacking snake flying far away.

The three of them worked together seamlessly—sweeping, striking, and throwing—while Zhang Yuchen specialized in dealing with any snakes that got through. The four of them began to fight intensely against the snake swarm amidst the fog.

As minutes ticked by, the surrounding snakes grew increasingly restless. Initially, only small snakes made probing attacks, but now groups of them surged forward. The three-headed snake flicked its red tongue and swiped its tail. Raising its three heads and baring its sharp fangs, it viciously bit towards Shangguan Qing’s arm.

With the three-headed snake attacking, the other snakes no longer watched from the sidelines. They weaved their bodies, reared their heads, and began biting rapidly. The sounds of hissing carried far and wide. Snakes that were thrown away returned to the swarm, determined to devour the group.

"What do we do? The snakes are attacking! Ah, save me, save me!" Yu Zijin screamed, seeing the mass of red, green, patterned, and black snakes surging towards them like a gushing spring. Yu Zifeng could no longer attend to the others and joined the effort to sweep away the snakes. But there were too many of them, and without weapons, they stood no chance of holding them back.