Chapter 274: The Clone Draws the Enemy
Starlight blossomed within Zhou Ming’s mind, like a sky filled with countless stars.
Each faint, nearly imperceptible spark of starlight represented an Iron Thread Snake that existed within the Endless Forest Sea.
With the enhancement of the Will Rune, Zhou Ming’s control over ordinary Iron Thread Snakes deepened further, even without implanting Spiritual Seeds.
Now, his connection with the wild Iron Thread Snakes relied purely on the resonance between bloodlines.
Under this intangible resonance, an invisible network gradually took form—much like the Radar Sensory Domain Zhou Ming had once relied upon.
At this moment, his consciousness wandered freely along this unseen bloodline network, probing the surroundings with an extremely unique perception.
Just as Zhou Ming was testing his control over the Iron Thread Snakes, he sensed through the invisible bloodline network that ten High-level Professional Beast Tamers were approaching him directly from several kilometers behind.
After sensing them briefly, he discovered that they had not altered their direction. It was unclear whether they had merely chosen the same route by coincidence—or whether their target was him.
Zhou Ming pondered slightly. A thought surfaced in his mind. The Iron Thread Snakes living within a ten-kilometer radius began converging toward him under an invisible summons.
“I hope you’re not here to cause me trouble.”
Zhou Ming ended the bloodline resonance with the Iron Thread Snakes. Glancing behind him, he murmured softly before recalling the dispersed snake swarm.
In an instant, the Iron Thread Snakes returned like birds to their nest. As they entered the area around Zhou Ming, ripples spread outward, and they were immediately taken into the Beast Space.
“Blood Descendant Secret Technique · Snake Shadow Clones.”
Plucking a strand of hair, Zhou Ming immediately cast the spell using the Will Rune in coordination with his own bloodline power.
The next moment, as hazy light twisted, a clone with identical aura appeared.
The clone exchanged a glance with the original body. Zhou Ming’s true body immediately concealed itself, while the clone continued advancing toward Bewitching Gorge.
After proceeding several kilometers deeper into the Endless Forest Sea, the hidden Zhou Ming sensed that the Beast Tamer squad behind had caught up with his clone.
He quietly climbed atop a massive tree dozens of meters tall, using its dense canopy—like a splendid parasol—to conceal himself.
Meanwhile, the clone also received the message transmitted from the original body. A cold smile curved at his lips as he mobilized the limited bloodline power within him.
“Wuuu—”
Like a storm descending, a sudden roar erupted behind Zhou Ming’s clone. Hundreds upon thousands of crescent-shaped cyan Wind Blades slashed toward him like torrential rain.
The trees blocking the Wind Blades were instantly severed. In the forest where sunlight had long struggled to penetrate, a dazzling sunlit corridor suddenly appeared.
Because the clone had already been on guard, he chose to evade immediately.
Yet in the next moment, several imposing Beast Knights charged at Zhou Ming while riding their respective Ferocious Beasts.
Though there were only three or four of them, their momentum resembled a dam bursting—like rolling tidal waves bearing overwhelming force.
“Blood Descendant Secret Technique · Phantom Snake Hands.”
Seeing this, the clone immediately activated all the bloodline power within him. Over a dozen ferocious-looking blood-colored giant serpents burst forth from his arms.
After condensing the Will Rune, Zhou Ming had optimized all of his Exclusive Spells.
Compared to before, the blood-colored giant serpents conjured by Phantom Snake Hands appeared far more realistic. A violent aura lingered around them.
“Mountain-Crushing Slash.”
“Reverse Current Thrust.”
“Explosive Flame Kill.”
Seeing Zhou Ming’s counterattack, the incoming attackers did not hesitate. Without slowing down, they unleashed their respective battle techniques.
Mountain-Crushing Slash carried tyrannical and domineering force, pressing forward in a crushing momentum. The air instantly grew viscous, and long trenches continuously extended across the ground.
Reverse Current Thrust flashed like a meteor, its sharp edge radiating piercing brilliance. A blue beam as thick as an arm shot directly toward his face.
The Fire-element Energy Particles contained within Explosive Flame Kill made the surrounding dozens of meters unbearably scorching. Its violent aura seemed ready to erupt into a devastating explosion at any moment.
In the blink of an eye, after the clone cast Phantom Snake Hands, three terrifying battle techniques struck toward him.
“Boom—”
When the spells and battle techniques collided, an explosive roar resounded through the forest. The violent force instantly tore apart the surrounding trees.
In a woodland where sunlight had rarely been seen for years, dazzling rays poured in, instantly dispelling the dimness.
Yet just as dust billowed and broken branches and leaves still drifted midair, five towering cyan tornadoes dozens of meters tall suddenly formed around Zhou Ming’s clone, converging toward his position.
The cyan tornadoes seemed composed of countless blades. Wherever they passed, trees and vines were ground into powder.
At the same time, the hidden Zhou Ming saw that their true target was indeed him. He no longer chose to remain passive.
The Steel-Cleaving Sword and the Phantasmal Spirit Sword appeared in his hands. Transforming into Serpentfolk Form, he silently advanced toward the nearest enemy.
The opponent wore dark-cyan Phantasmal Beast Armor, with faint gusts of wind swirling around him, radiating an extremely sharp aura.
Wind Eagle Yang Family?
Information Zhou Ming had obtained from the Scorpion-Lion surfaced in his mind. The Gale Wind Eagle Phantasmal Beast was the Yang Family’s inherited Phantasmal Beast. Upon advancing to the Phantasmal Tamer profession, it had undergone metamorphosis using wind-attribute materials.
“Sand Convergence Secret Technique · Power of the Giant Serpent.”
After confirming the opponent’s identity, Zhou Ming immediately cast his Exclusive Spell to enhance himself. Beneath the Saint Elephant Type-3 Protective Suit, his muscles swelled noticeably, and a layer of extremely fine, semi-transparent snake scales emerged.
“Blade-Shattering Slash.”
As Zhou Ming swung his right hand fiercely, an extreme white beam instantly appeared, carrying a brutal aura as it slashed toward the Yang Family member before him.
“What—”
When the Yang Family member, who had been casting a spell, sensed the disturbance behind him, it was already too late to react.
Zhou Ming’s ambush had been utterly unexpected. They had believed the target was already surrounded—who could have imagined he would appear from behind?
Facing the ambush, cyan light burst from the Yang Family member’s body, forming a barrier. This was the automatic defense of Transcendent Equipment.
Against an ordinary High-level Professional Beast Tamer’s sneak attack, such auto-defensive Transcendent Equipment would have been sufficient to preserve his life and buy time to react.
But Blade-Shattering Slash traded the durability of one’s own equipment in exchange for offensive power. Combined with Zhou Ming’s augmented strength, the white beam it formed was extraordinarily sharp.
The cyan barrier condensed from Wind-element Energy Particles was torn apart. The armor reinforced by the Phantasmal Beast’s spontaneous power was cleaved through. The Phantasmal Spirit Sword, like a ghost, swept out from Zhou Ming’s hand at a bizarre angle—severing the head.
A head filled with shock fell to the ground.
Such a drastic change had taken only a single breath of time, yet the Yang Family’s squad had already lost one member.
“What happened?”
Sensing the disturbance created by Zhou Ming, the other High-level Professional Beast Tamers reacted instantly.
“Blood Descendant Secret Technique · Snake Tide Poison Miasma.”
Sheathing both swords into his Spatial Ring, Zhou Ming clasped his hands together. Countless black serpent shadows surged before him like rolling tides.
Before the enemy could launch their counterattack, the Snake Tide surged forward like a tsunami, assaulting those who had come to investigate.