Chapter 325 - Ultimate Creature (1)

The world trembled, shattered, and spun around him...

The entire world seemingly transformed into ephemeral smoke as it faded away. Various memories gently floated across his mind, bringing Cassius the greatest emotional surge he had ever experienced, leaving him somewhat at a loss.

Suppressing his emotions, he began to calmly assess the gains and losses of his time-travel. Before time-traveling for the fourth time, Cassius's strength had reached the pinnacle of a pugilist. Three accelerated blood flow nodes in his body were activated, granting him immense physical power. His hardening Qigong had also reached perfection.

His overall combat ability was just below that of a combat artist. Of course, he still couldn't defeat the veteran combat artist Peacock from the Gate Organization. His opponent had never allowed Cassius to seize an opportunity, constantly using skilled techniques and experience to keep him at bay. He had even pushed him step by step into a desperate situation.

However, after a series of magical adventures, the enhancements Cassius gained could only be described as terrifying. Perhaps it was the greatest advancement in strength among the four time-travels.

Before mastering the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist, his combat strength had been roughly between a veteran combat artist and a top-tier combat artist. Now, he was about to cross that vague threshold.

Cassius had now thoroughly learned the second of the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance, the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist, and been enlightened by the Ultimate Fist elder. He had broken through from the entry level of one acupoint to eleven, and his Reverberating Force had advanced directly from the first stage to the second.

The Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist was also at the second stage, and the combat power displayed by the Killer Persona could serve as a reference. Cassius, having mastered both techniques simultaneously, had completely stepped into the ranks of top-tier combat artists. He was now in the same realm as Blood Fist Feng Liusi and Blade Demon Garoro. He was only outmatched by the pinnacle combat artist level.

However, pinnacle combat artists were as rare as Holy Fists. Cassius had never encountered one. Only the final slash of Blade Demon Garoro before his death had even vaguely touched that level.

It could be said that the strongest level still active on the surface of the Covert Martial Arts world was the top-tier combat artist. For example, when it came to the leader of the Nine Eastern Sects in the Six Eastern Counties, Cloud Dog Fist, their elder was an ordinary combat artist, while their sect master was a veteran combat artist. There was also a retired old sect master who had reached top-tier combat artist.

From this, the status of top-tier combat artists could be easily inferred in the entire Covert Martial Arts world of the Hongli Federation. Furthermore, that was forty or fifty years ago. As technology developed, the Covert Martial Arts world was actually declining, and the number of strong practitioners was decreasing. Nowadays, perhaps there were not enough experts who reached top-tier combat artist level in the entire Hongli Federation to fill the fingers of one hand.

Of course, the Hongli Federation was not the only powerful nation in the world. The other three major powers might also have formidable Covert Martial Arts sects passing down their traditions, and there may be many hidden masters among them.

However, this was only the change in Cassius’s combat realm. He also had new Covert Martial Arts techniques. He had created his own Golem Covert Martial Arts and transformed his body. His subsequent cultivation had gradually evolved and transformed his body even further down the broad path of non-human.

He could also absorb life vibration energy as nourishment to elevate the level of his techniques or use it to heal injuries. He had learned the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist and Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist, both top-tier ancient assassination Covert Martial Art techniques. He mastered two extremely unique killing forces; Death's Fang Force, and Reverberating Force. They both seemed to have specialized effects against dark creatures with undead properties.

In summary, Cassius was no longer what he used to be. He had undergone a fundamental transformation and become much stronger!

Many desperate situations that previously seemed inescapable could now be wiped out with a flip of his hand. All problems could be readily solved with strength!

Buzz...

It seemed as if hundreds of bees were buzzing near his ears. Silence and blurriness occupied all his senses, then were replaced by faint sounds.

Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle...

The giant serpent's stomach was slowly and instinctively squeezing down.

Swish!

Cassius’s eyes opened in darkness. His left pupil glowed with a demonic red light, while his right pupil was covered with a purple radiance. Slaughter and coldness—a pair of conflicting emotions were forcibly combined together.

Crackle... Gurgle...

The muscles of the giant python's stomach were like steel as they squeezed Cassius's body with terrifying force. In the darkness, his skin was corroded by the dreadful stomach acid, showing strange-colored spots.

"Finally back..." He muttered to himself.

As soon as he spoke, a terrifying Qi burst from his body like magma erupting outward. A combat artist's Qi forcefully expanded the contracting stomach, instantly forming a space the size of a car.

The man who had just been on the brink of death now sat cross-legged on the stomach wall. A massive, scorching magnetic field like that of a primordial beast firmly anchored the surroundings, solidifying the air. His heart thumped in his chest like muffled thunder.

"Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist..." Cassius raised his left hand, his five fingers forming the claw shape of a bird of prey. Instantly, the pores on the left half of his body opened one by one, and surging blood-red Qi erupted all at once.

It was like smoke, yet like steam—magnificent and eerie.

"Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist..." He extended his right fist, his palm forming a serpent swallowing pose. Purple air exploded, forming large vortices on the right half of his body.

That was the Sonic Snake Qi born from the unification of mind, Qi, and spirit!

“Golem Covert Martial Arts...”

Cassius slowly stood up, the strength he had cultivated during the time-travel gradually infusing into his body. His strength expanded like an inflating balloon, reaching a frightening level. His black hair slowly lengthened and turned golden from the roots.

At the same time, in Mensa Village, a black giant python composed of nearly a thousand snake-headed humans stood tall in the oval-shaped plaza under the moonlight, its entire body motionless like a lifelike ferocious statue. A semi-transparent, crystal-like blue eyeball floated in mid-air, projecting spotlight-like beams from its pupil, forcibly immobilizing the python's body.

A black-robed man moved anxiously below the eyeball. His face was sinister and mean, with a hooked eagle nose that added a sense of ruthlessness. His hands were dripping with blood; the python's body before him had a hole dug out, revealing its internal organs. The ground was covered with human-headed scales.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"The compass points to the correct location. The fragment is in the stomach..." Peacock's face showed an uncontrollable smile. He brought his five fingers together like a knife, as he prepared to forcibly pierce through the writhing stomach of the giant python.

Whoosh...

The contracting tissue suddenly expanded, stretching the entire stomach to its maximum, as if something inside had exploded.

"What's going on!?"

BOOM!!!!!!

The organ exploded directly in his face, sending flesh, blood, and rotten tissue raining down over the plaza. Peacock swiftly rolled backward, retreating dozens of meters, only stopping when his back leaned against a stone pillar.

He wiped the disgusting flesh off his face, and his horrified gaze immediately landed on the black giant python. His brows furrowed tightly as he saw blood raining down as two air vortices rushed out from the hole in the giant python's massive body, sweeping across half the plaza like tornadoes.

One vortex seemed to be blood-red, while the other was deep purple. The air churned, presenting wave-like surges, and a terrifying Qi spread out.

"What is that!?" Peacock crossed his arms in front of his face, shielding himself from the gravel and flesh being swept up by the fierce wind. He released his Qi, stabilizing the surrounding air.

Just as he lowered his arms...

Tap...

A clear footstep reached his ears. Other sounds seemed to be blocked in an instant, separated by a layer of glass. Only the sound of slow footsteps hung in the air.

Tap, tap, tap...

Each step was like a small hammer striking Peacock's heart. He had been locked on through the blood rain by a distant gaze. It was as if a horrifying beast was wantonly emitting malice and a desire to crush.

"!!!"

Peacock unconsciously gritted his teeth, his cheekbones unusually prominent. His temples were wet with sudden hot sweat, making him look disheveled. Although he was unwilling to admit it, from the moment he had been caught by that unknown gaze, he felt as if he had fallen off a cliff, a momentary panic and palpitation gripping his heart.

Only the heavy stone pillar against his back brought him a trace of comfort. Peacock hadn't felt this way ever since he had stepped into the realm of combat artist. Now that he was suddenly experiencing it again, it was as if he had returned to the childhood days of fearing the night, curling up under the covers, and fearing the monsters passing by the window...

Tap, tap, tap...

The footsteps grew clearer as a figure slowly walked through the blood rain. He was incomparably tall, like a thick high wall. His height was a terrifying 2.5 meters, and the rock-white muscles on his body covered him like armor, the contours perfectly refined to the extreme.

The giant slowly breathed. The air whistling through his nostrils formed tangible white beams, emitting the sound of an elephant's trumpet.

He was majestic, towering, and domineering! It was like watching a mountain peak or an iron tower move. There was a level of purity, power, and beauty to his muscular physique that even the world's most skilled sculptor could not capture.

Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong...

For every step that the figure took toward Peacock, a red or purple dot would light up on his torso. Flashing dots emitted a sinister glow on the robust chest muscles, abdominal muscles, and other muscles. First two, then four, six, eight...

A total of twenty-four stars responded, forming a net of light. The figure's short black hair grew until it danced in the air like fine snakes. It then turned a brilliant golden from the roots to the tips!

The soft white moonlight was blocked by his tall body, casting a heavy silhouette on the ground. The black shadow completely covered Peacock, like an ultimate creature crawling out of hell.

"He... he was just swallowed by the giant python..." Peacock's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "No, this is absolutely impossible..."

Boom!!!!!!!

What does it feel like to be hit by a full-speed train?

Peacock didn't know, but he thought it was probably similar to the punch that slammed into him. The explosive impact instantly shattered any flashy defenses, broke his raised arms, and penetrated his abdomen!

A head-sized hole burst open in his back, sending blood and flesh spraying out like a blood-red peacock spreading its tail.