The monstrous python had only probed out of the cavern’s entrance, its body mostly still inside, making it difficult to see its full extent.
Ivan had quietly deployed a Secret Technique already, sensing that the python possessed Earth, Fire, and Wood elemental powers, with Earth being the strongest, followed by Fire, and Wood being relatively weak.
The power within the python’s body was vast, its strength level had reached the peak of Level 3, its aura faintly surpassing that of a swamp ant.
“This elemental power composition isn’t the best choice, but it’s quite good nonetheless, one can’t be too demanding.” Having discerned the specific situation, Ivan made up his mind, settling on this “Dust Python.”
He activated the Earth-type tri-color bead, drawing out a subtle aura, letting it disperse from his body.
The next second, the Dust Python sensed something, its bizarre head glancing at him with its eyes reflecting flames that danced even more jubilantly. However, the Dust Python didn’t pounce directly but leisurely swam toward the bait placed in the middle of the road.
From the behavior of this Dust Python, Ivan saw the calm and unhurried demeanor of a top predator, which indeed had a slightly overbearing leak of dominance.
This guy was definitely a tough nut!
Regarding this, the expression on his face was particularly solemn as he raised his right hand and slowly waved it backward, signaling others to retreat some distance and not to make too much noise.
The others didn’t question him and retreated step by step, keeping their eyes on the Dust Python as they faced a formidable opponent.
The Dust Python opened its mouth slightly and inhaled the bait laid out on the road, savoring it for two or three seconds.
Then, the Dust Python drifted toward the group, its movements still unhurried, perhaps accustomed to dominating within the deep cavern, it showed an attitude akin to a cat playing with a mouse.
On the black gemstone road, one side took soft steps backward while the other slowly chased.
Before long, the entire body of the Dust Python emerged from the deep cavern, spanning over twenty meters long—it wasn’t as terrifying as one might expect.
“Why hasn’t the boss made a move yet?”
“Just a stubborn snake, why so pretentious, come on, show some real action!”
Locke, in fact, disliked this kind of silent contest; as time dragged on, he couldn’t stop voicing his criticisms inwardly, wondering how long this standoff would last.
Soon, what he hoped for came to fruition.
“Roar!”
The Dust Python eventually lost its patience; with a roar, an embryonic form of a Domain Aura emerged, its body suddenly stretching and enlarging, nearly occupying half of the black gemstone road.
The massive python head inhaled sharply toward the group, a tyrannical suction force enveloping the entire road in the blink of an eye, leaving no escape.
“Hold steady, hold steady!”
Ivan planted his feet firmly as if they had taken root, though his robe was incessantly pulled forward, rustling loudly.
Unintentionally, some debris rolled out from his robe, including a yellowed bead, all vacuumed into the Dust Python’s mouth and swallowed.
“Roar!”
Having acquired the most tempting item, the Dust Python couldn’t help but let out a joyful roar.
However, the Dust Python didn’t give up; amid its roaring, the suction intensified, aiming to swallow the group whole.
Unbeknownst to it, someone opposite was masterfully manipulating the power of the earth, secretly securing those around him, making them appear unstable while actually standing firm on the ground.
To the Dust Python, it seemed just one step away from devouring the group before it; while digesting its recently acquired treasure, it continued to exert force against the people ahead, its demeanor becoming neither arrogant nor impatient.
The situation thus became deadlocked; time ticked away second by second.
“It’s done.”
Moments later, the solemn expression on Ivan’s face disappeared, replaced by a relaxed smile.
The Sacrificial Heart had merged with the Dust Python.
He raised his hand toward the Dust Python, a thought crossing his mind; the Dust Python rarely showed a look of terror but quickly relaxed, closing its mouth, and the suction covering the black gemstone road dissipated.
Following that, the Dust Python rapidly shrank, returning to its previous form.
That was not all; the Dust Python further reduced in size, its body deflating like it was leaking air, leaving only the tri-color bead floating there, slowly falling into his hand.
Compared to before, the Earth-type tri-color bead had lost much of its charm.
“Is it really that simple?” Locke stared wide-eyed at the bead, seeing a small version of the Dust Python roaming inside it.
“Simple my ass, if the tri-color bead wasn’t sufficiently enticing, it wouldn’t have been so easily tricked.” Ivan rolled his eyes at him, nervously fretting for over a day for this act.
Furthermore, the Sacrificial Heart wasn’t obtained out of thin air.
“Boss, your method is really domineering,” Locke remarked.
“Domineering?” Ivan didn’t think so.
“Domineering.” It was the Silkworm Queen who said this, glancing at the nearby swamp ant.
Originally, in the Ant Beings’ secret vault, it had witnessed Ivan using an advanced puppet’s heart to control the swamp ant within the beast egg. The swamp ant had some power to resist, but now this strange python showed no signs of struggle.
From this, it was clear that the Sacrificial Heart was extremely domineering.
“It’s different; this one was a voluntary fusion. Who told it to be too greedy? Once it realized something was amiss, resistance was inevitable, and at that time, subduing it would not be an easy task.”
Ivan knew what the Silkworm Queen meant and couldn’t help but explain the difference.
Just as he said, the dust python had indeed voluntarily fused, but what it absorbed and fused was the energy of the Earth-type tri-colored beads, resulting in the fusion of the embedded Sacrificial Heart. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire
By the time the dust python realized something was wrong, it was already too late.
In terms of being domineering, he still felt that the puppet’s heart was even more so.
“Jenny, you did well just now,” Ivan turned and complimented.
“It was my duty,” Jenny said indifferently.
“Boss, I acted pretty well just now, didn’t I?”
“No flaws were revealed, okay, let’s not talk idle, Spiral Valley is not a place to stay long.”
The primary goal of this trip had been achieved, and Ivan didn’t waste any words. He led the others back along the obsidian road in the opposite direction, returning at a faster pace than when they had arrived.
Soon after, they climbed up the precipice against the gravity field.
Upon reaching the top of the cliff, they had left the Spiral Valley, but it wasn’t time to relax yet; the surrounding area was still of intermediate to high danger.
“Danger has not been eliminated, continue to stay alert.”
Ivan emphasized, leading the others to keep moving, without giving Spiral Valley another glance.
From then on, what they saw was just the tip of the iceberg of Spiral Valley, the real danger had never shown itself; even so, it put great pressure on Ivan.
Unless absolutely necessary, he thought he would never come to such a place again.
“Boss, where are we going next?”
“First, get out of the Multicolor Crater, then back to Enkate City, meet up with Sorcerer Randall, and then head straight back to East Capital.”
In just a short while, Ivan had a plan in mind; naturally, the next thing was to promote to a Level 3 Sorcerer.
The promotion would definitely not be chosen to take place in the Multicolor Crater, choosing here would obviously be a suicidal act.
He wouldn’t choose Enkate City either; this promotion needed a special transformation, the duration was uncertain, and he must choose a safe and reliable place.
“Isn’t there still time? Many low to intermediate danger domains haven’t been explored, aren’t we going treasure hunting?”
“No, many times, greed isn’t a good thing.”
Seeing Ivan say so, Locke felt some regret in his heart, but he had to give up.
They proceeded cautiously on their way back. The next morning, they finally arrived at the familiar Fire Dominion, the domain where the Frostflame Flower was nurtured.
The place they had originally landed, the shortcut pathway, had already been closed.
The edge of the Multicolor Crater was just a force field, and there were traces to follow. Opening up a path along the original shortcut was not a difficult task for Ivan at his current level; he didn’t even need to use the “Multi-changing Star Spike.”
In an instant, a winding pathway appeared in front of them.
Only Ivan and the swamp ant were left on the ground. One man and one ant leapt into the pathway, continually ascending along the winding path. With some minor setbacks along the way, they eventually flew out of the Multicolor Crater successfully.
Jenny, Locke, and others reappeared.
“The people of the Belizi family really aren’t meticulous; not to mention the people, even the airship is gone,” Locke grumbled.
“Forget it, let’s just go back to Enkate City ourselves,” Ivan was also somewhat speechless. Using people when moving forward but not when going back really was a bit inappropriate.
He had returned earlier, and yet the people from the Belizi family had left even earlier; not staying inside was undoubtedly the right decision.
After one last look at the Forbidden Land, radiating multicolored halos, Ivan led the group back up into the azure high skies, continuing their journey home.