Thinking about what could have he missed, Kent walked back into the deep woods.
He reached the big tree and started observing every branch. Even after checking the tree several times, he did not find anything suspicious. Annoyed with it, he started punching the tree with full force and occasional running kicks.
With his every punch, a large groove started to appear on the trunk. The tree was almost half-bent to the ground, but nothing happened.
“Haaa…. What a waste of time. Where did these sly animals hid?” He roared with an angry voice.
Before leaving this place, he distanced from the tree and gave a full running jump kick to the tree trunk. The entire tree vibrated like a pendulum, and a large snake dropped from the top.
Kent was startled by the sound of a large snake falling from the top of the tree. He quickly adjusted to see what this strange creature that was hidden so well.
It was a large python with translucent scales. Those scales are slowly transforming into the colour of the ground, and the python was spiralling its body to attack Kents.
“Wah, an evolved beast! It can change colours like a chameleon. That’s why it was hidden so well.”
“Hahhha… What an eye-opener! With its ability, it should have ambushed me. But it was too late now.” Kent looked at the python with a curious glance.
Wits large, agile body and quick colour-changing ability, it could ambush and kill anyone. With its mouth wide open, the python came towards Kents’ head to bite down.
Kent tried to communicate to the beast with beast tongue which he learned from Zambu, prince of Fire Kirin clan. But the python didn’t give him time to do that.
Kent held the python head with his bare hands. The python circled its body around Kent waist and started applying heavy pressure. Kent felt like he was bound by a thick iron chains. The pressure was increasing slowly around his ribs. But he was still clutching its head without giving any signs of escaping.
The python was making life difficult for him. The more he pressed the python’s head, the more pressure he received on his ribs. The struggle reached a point where a shallow dent formed on Kents’ ribs.
In the nick of time, he transferred the entire strength in his body towards the legs and parted them to create more spacing for his body. The pressure on his ribs decreased a bit.
“Haaaa! What a strange creature! Without the half demi-god body, I should have died by now.” Kent gave a long, relief-filled sigh.
After taking a deep breath, he gripped both the upper and lower jaws of the python and separated them with brute force. The entire python body struggled vigorously, trying to put more pressure on Kents’ body. But it was a futile effort.
“How is it? Do you feel any pain?” Kent hissed while staring directly into its eyes from close distance.
But strangely, the python acted like it didn’t hear anything. It continued to struggle in Kent’s hands.
Kent tried his beast tongue technique for few more times. But like a deaf person, the python struggled to get away from Kent’s grip.
As the python fighting back, Kent finally snapped its jaws with a depressed sigh. He don’t know why couldn’t communicate with these beasts.
Kent threw the python body aside and started checking that big tree. Usually, an evolved beast would protect a powerful treasure or food source.
Until now, he got five different types of fruits for every animal he killed. But he did not smell any good food near this tree or any visible treasure. That’s why he got more curious about this place as the evolved python was hidden so well.
He tried to use different methods to probe every corner and examine the entire tree from top to bottom.
“Thup… thup… tup…”
Continuous drops of liquid are falling from the tree trunk where Kent previously kicked. He took a few drops into his hands and smelled them. The liquid did not release any particular good smell. Kent examined it for a few more minutes and tasted the liquid.
He felt a jolt inside along the path the liquid travelled in his body. But the feeling died down as fast as it came.
“Wahh…what a strange feeling. This tree sap is really mysterious. Maybe Master Tang Zi know about this liquid.” Kent murmered while staring at the drops of sap leaking from dents.
Kent did not understand the particular effects of the liquid. He sealed the hole in the tree trunk and decided to drag this tree.
He kept the tree matter aside and started searching the lake which pose no danger on surface.
Several animals came to drink the water in the lake. But after seeing Kent, they ran back hurriedly. After waiting one more hour, he did not find anything suspicious.
“Ahh… it’s really boring. It is better to search the lake tomorrow.” Kent muttered while staring at the atmosphere.
It is already too late for him to spend more time on his adventure. He walked back towards the white wood tree side while dragging a big tree.
The light is almost down… the activity of birds is slowly increasing in the woods. Different types of birds are screeching in all directions.
A young man with a slim body with perfect fit was making his way towards the large tree. There is a lot of fatigue on his face, but he is still dragging a big tree while holding the trunk on his back shoulders.
His entire body is drenched with sweat. But there is a cheerful smile on his face. The young man’s name is Kent.
“Haaa…what a day. Finally, after so many days, it really felt like I was alive. It is true, as my grandmother said, One can only gain strength through life and death experience.”
While murmuring to himself, Kent reached the white wood tree. Thankfully, his two pets were already back and playing beside the fresh water pond, where tossed his treasures.