Eternal life begins with saving my clan

"Watch out!" Zimo shouted as he swung his sword, releasing a barrage of sword strikes.

Enshrouded in the thick, eerie mist, Zimo, Deng Kun, and Lang Bai were locked in a desperate life-and-death battle against the Abyssal Hydra, an ancient monster of nightmarish power.

Within the suffocating dark mist, their vision was blurred, and a terrifying pressure weighed heavily on their souls.

If not for their bloodline power, they would have succumbed to the overwhelming force long ago.

Bang!

"Ahhh!"

A miserable scream tore through the battlefield as Lang Bai was sent flying, his body crashing through several trees before skidding to a halt.

Against this monstrous being, their attacks were practically useless.

Of its twelve colossal heads, only three were engaged in battle—while the remaining nine observed them with twisted fascination.

Whoosh!

Just as another serpentine head lunged forward for a sneak attack, Deng Kun vanished at lightning speed, narrowly evading the deadly strike.

"This damn mist…!" he cursed, sweat dripping down his face.

Before he could recover, a massive, fanged maw materialized behind him, as if it had been waiting for his movement all along.

"Shit!"

He twisted mid-air and unleashed a barrage of punches.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Abyssal Hydra remained unfazed, its unyielding scales absorbing the attacks as if they were mere taps.

Then, with one swift motion, its head slammed into him, sending him hurtling toward the ground.

He crashed with a bone-shattering impact, and a mouthful of blood spilled from his lips. His face paled instantly.

Crack!

A sharp pain coursed through his body, several ribs had snapped like twigs.

But there was no time to dwell on the pain.

The serpentine head was already descending, its jaw unhinging wide, ready to devour him whole.

At the last second, he rolled away, dodging by a hair's breadth, then retaliated with two powerful punches.

Bang! Bang!

Yet, his attacks barely left a scratch.

With terrifying agility, the Abyssal Hydra twisted its colossal form and lashed out again, sending him crashing even further.

Meanwhile, Zimo and Lang Bai were struggling just as much.

They were barely hanging on, their movements slowing under the oppressive pressure of the dark mist.

"We're going to die if this continues…!" Zimo muttered, his expression grim with both panic and dread.

They had no chance of victory.

Escape was their only option.

Just as he prepared to issue the retreat command, a suffocating force descended on him, nearly shattering his illusory pagoda.

His knees buckled instantly, every joint in his body rattling, threatening to snap under the monstrous weight.

His bloodline surged wildly, desperately resisting the overwhelming pressure.

One of the serpentine heads leaned in, its slitted eyes gleaming with sick fascination.

Then—

The pressure increased.

"H-Human… your blood… shall… greatly… boost our recovery."

A deep, hoarse voice slithered into his ears like venom, laced with an insatiable hunger.

"Soul-Forge Dominion!"

Zimo roared, blood gushing from his nose, eyes, and ears.

Instantly, his illusory pagoda which had been on the verge of shattering blazed with golden light, and a sharp beam of energy shot out at blinding speed, piercing one of the serpentine heads.

Screech!

A miserable, ear-piercing wail erupted as the massive head writhed violently, its agonized howls shaking the entire battlefield.

"H-Human… I'll kill you!"

Now enraged, the remaining eleven heads all turned toward Zimo, their crimson eyes burning with newfound fury.

'In this backward mortal realm, how does a mere human possess such a terrifying bloodline power?!'

The Abyssal Hydra was shocked.

If Zimo and his men had been stronger, they might have posed a serious threat.

They needed to be eliminated immediately.

The wounded head quickly recovered, its massive jaws parting as it prepared to swallow Zimo whole.

By devouring him, they could absorb his bloodline power completely.

From the sidelines, Lang Bai and Deng Kun watched helplessly, their faces filled with horror.

The monstrous head was only inches from Zimo—ready to devour him alive.

Yet—

Zimo remained calm.

"Do you dare swallow a Barren Lander?" His voice was low, yet filled with unshakable conviction.

'Hmm?!'

The Abyssal Hydra froze momentarily, its heads glancing at one another in confusion before sneering in disdain.

What could a mere mortal possibly do?

Then—

Whoosh!

A blinding light tore through the sky, slicing through the dark mist like a divine blade.

The thick, ominous clouds—which had blanketed the battlefield—split apart, allowing the sun's golden rays to pierce through.

For a brief second—

Both humans and ancient beasts instinctively shut their eyes.

When they reopened them, a lone figure stood before the Abyssal Hydra.

Clad in an ethereal white robe, his long dark hair flowed like a cascading waterfall, his presence radiating an unmatched aura of dominance.

"I will ask you once more."

"Do you dare swallow a Barren Lander?"

His calm words carried a terrifying weight—laced with a killing intent so thick, it made the air tremble.

The serpentine head that had been ready to devour Zimo—was already severed from its neck.

Even in death, it never understood how it had died.

The remaining eleven heads stiffened, their colossal bodies trembling.

For the first time in their existence… they felt fear.

"H-Hu…"

Whoosh!

Before it could finish speaking, another head was severed.

The remaining ten heads shrieked in terror, their massive forms trembling uncontrollably.

They had only one thought—

Escape!

But just as they turned to flee, a blinding light descended upon them, sweeping through their monstrous bodies like divine retribution.

Screech!

"M-Mercy…!"

By the time the light faded, the once-mighty Abyssal Hydra lay in pieces, its once-impenetrable defense reduced to nothing.

Su Yen gazed at the fallen creature indifferently.

Then, he turned toward Zimo, Deng Kun, and Lang Bai, his expression unreadable.

"Your Majesty!"

The three immediately fell to one knee, their voices filled with deep reverence.

"Rise."

He waved a hand, and an invisible force lifted them effortlessly.

"You have done well."

"Your Majesty, we were merely doing our duty," Zimo responded humbly, still struggling to meet Su Yen's gaze.

The pressure emanating from him was suffocating—so overwhelming that they could barely stand.

"Return to Larilia's capital. Help the Queen stabilize her kingdom."

Su Yen commanded, his gaze now fixed on the unconscious old spider.