Chapter Twenty-Five: The Clash

The very thing one fears most tends to come to pass. Just as Zhou Tian was worrying that trouble would befall them if the demonic beast pack discovered their presence, he suddenly heard a commotion behind him.

"Who’s there?" Alarmed, Zhou Tian immediately turned toward the source of the noise.

What met his eyes was a pack of demonic hounds, each about one and a half meters tall, their throats rumbling with angry growls as they swiftly surrounded Zhou Tian and the cluster of snakes under his gaze.

Zhou Tian wanted to explain that all of this was a misunderstanding, but he knew full well that no explanation would do any good now. So, instead of wasting his breath, he simply issued a command, summoning the surrounding snakes to gather at his side, preparing to do battle with the hounds.

In terms of strength, these demonic hounds were not particularly formidable; their intelligence was nearly on par with intermediate or even advanced demonic beasts, but their actual power was only that of low to intermediate-tier beasts. Within this forest, the pack could be considered overlords, but Zhou Tian, resolved to fight, was not intimidated in the least.

Of course, the hounds themselves had no way of knowing this. To them, Zhou Tian had not only disturbed the remains of their pack leader, but now faced them without the slightest sign of fear. As the forest’s dominant predators, the hounds regarded his demeanor as a direct challenge to their authority. Thus, just as Zhou Tian called the snakes to him, the hounds launched their attack.

However, the hounds’ intentions were swiftly dashed. The moment they clashed with the swarm of snakes, they were forced to retreat almost at once.

While the hounds possessed considerable strength, as lesser demonic beasts, their combat prowess relied entirely on their powerful physiques. Unless they had the fortune to evolve into intermediate beasts, they typically could not wield magic. In a purely physical confrontation, the snakes could not individually best the hounds, but they held the advantage of overwhelming numbers. As the saying goes, even ants can bite an elephant to death; the sheer multitude of snakes typically gave them the upper hand against the hounds. This was precisely why the hounds, despite living close to the snakes, had never tried to provoke them before.

The hounds had always been powerless against the snakes. Now, with Zhou Tian’s assistance, the snakes had grown stronger still. Under such circumstances, the hounds stood little chance against them.

After a brief skirmish, the snakes lost a dozen of their number, but the hounds fared no better. During the slaughter, nearly every hound was bitten by the venomous serpents, and though they appeared unharmed, the reality was far grimmer.

The snakes, having consumed the gene serum, were now more poisonous than ever—except for the enlarged non-venomous ones. A single bite could kill a weaker creature instantly. Even the robust hounds were at risk if the venom was not quickly treated.

Despite the losses suffered by the hounds, Zhou Tian had no intention of letting them go. Had there been no conflict, he might not have turned ruthless. But now, with blood already spilled—and having absorbed their ancestor’s demon core—the enmity between them was irreconcilable.

If Zhou Tian did not eradicate the hounds today, they would surely return for revenge once recovered. While he did not fear them, it was better to end the trouble at its source rather than leave enemies behind.

Sensing the threat posed by the snakes, the hounds began to consider retreat. But at Zhou Tian’s order, the snakes threw themselves at the hounds with fearless ferocity.

Faced with the onrushing swarm, the hounds faltered. As much as they hated the snakes, the brief clash had made it clear—they were no match for their foes. Even if the snakes left them alone, the hounds were already thinking of fleeing. Now, seeing the snakes attack, angered as they were, reason prevailed and they chose to run.

Unfortunately, many of the hounds had injured their paws in the earlier fight, slowing them down. Though still a bit faster than the snakes, the margin had narrowed considerably.

At first, the hounds managed to stay ahead thanks to their speed. But already wounded and poisoned, they could not shake off their pursuers, and it was only a matter of time before exhaustion set in.

After two or three frantic minutes, realizing the snakes were still relentlessly trailing them, the hounds knew escape was impossible. With desperate howls, the pack split—half turned back to hold off the snakes, while the other half fled without looking back.

Had Zhou Tian not been the Snake King, sacrificing half the pack for the other half’s escape might have worked. But their opponent now was Zhou Tian, not the instinct-driven Snake King of before; Zhou Tian possessed a human mind and saw through their intentions at once. Understanding their plan, he had no intention of letting them escape so easily.

With a flick of his tail, Zhou Tian shot forward like an arrow, intercepting the fleeing hounds after they’d barely covered ten meters.

With their path blocked, the hounds could not simply back down. Without hesitation, they hurled themselves at Zhou Tian, not slowing in the least...