Chapter 2, The Struggle Between Two Entities

At this moment, the python struck the giant eagle with its tail in a manner reminiscent of a flashback, causing the giant eagle to lose four of its iron claws from the heavy blow. The eagle's massive body, akin to a small mountain, even experienced a brief moment of imbalance in the air, and it had to flap its wings vigorously several times to regain its balance

Everything has returned to calm once again. If it were not for the traces of the fight still visible on the ground, Ding Hao would have begun to doubt whether these events had truly occurred. Everything he had seen and heard moments ago was too astonishing for him, presenting a stark contrast to his daily understanding.

Ding Hao slowed his pace, cautiously approaching the source of the sound. In his line of sight, the first thing that appeared was the giant eagle soaring in the air, while the two-horned python monster continuously adjusted its posture, always keeping its python head firmly directed at the head of the giant eagle.

The giant sculpture also flapped its wings and flew into the sky, until it became a black dot and disappeared from sight

As Ding Hao hesitated at the cave entrance, he perked up his ears to listen for a moment before continuing deeper into the cave. Upon entering, he found himself enveloped in complete darkness, unable to see his own hand in front of him. After groping his way for a dozen steps, a soft light appeared ahead. The light emanated from a walnut-sized orb at the top of the cave. With the illumination from the orb, Ding Hao was able to discern the situation inside the cave.

The frenzied python monster relentlessly struck the giant eagle with its barrel-like body, yet it continued to crawl slowly towards the cave. At this moment, the giant eagle had already torn a gaping wound of several centimeters in the back of the python monster's head. It was then that Ding Hao noticed a flash of dark purple light emanating from the wound, and upon closer inspection, he discovered that the light originated from a bead the size of a longan nestled within the python monster's injury.

On the right side, there sits an old man, but at this moment, he is completely shrouded in a black mist, making his appearance unclear. Beside the old man is an object that resembles a miniature version of a serpent-like creature from a picture book, measuring about one meter in length, and its entire body is covered with five talismans inscribed with ghostly faces, leaving its life and death unknown

The heat showed no signs of stopping, continuing to intensify. Ding Hao's entire body was tense, his muscles knotted together, with the major arteries within pulsating rhythmically. A faint dark purple glow emanated from his body. Unable to endure it any longer, Ding Hao let out beast-like roars, his blood vessels trembling as if they were about to burst at any moment. He rolled on the ground incessantly, using his fists, head, feet, and every part of his body to strike against the cave walls, as if this could somehow reduce the heat within him. At this moment, Ding Hao was completely oblivious to the changes occurring in the elder across from him.

The stalemate was once again broken, and the python monster suddenly became frenzied, completely disregarding the giant eagle circling in the sky, and rushed towards the cave entrance.

The giant sculpture helplessly circled in the air, when suddenly a voice of an old man roared from within the cave: "Wretched spawn, do you dare!"

Ding Hao inserted the hunting knife into the wound and twisted it a few times, enlarging the opening further. He could already see dark purple beads, and as soon as he held one in his hand, an otherworldly aroma of flesh wafted towards him. This fragrance formed a stark contrast with the bloody scent that permeated the cave. The moment the bead was in his grasp, it seemed to connect with the blood vessels in his hand, pulsating in sync with his heartbeat, creating the illusion that this bead was a part of his own body. The enchanting aroma of flesh continuously tempted Ding Hao's olfactory senses.

Ding Hao always felt that the moment the black mist around the old man completely dissipated was when he would take action, and now the black mist had become increasingly thin

At this moment, the python's head had not yet turned around, and it was struck by this blow, emitting a strange shriek that was neither entirely serpentine nor entirely insect-like. Several scales on the back of the python's head were torn, oozing deep red blood. Its two pairs of wings flapped incessantly towards the giant eagle, yet it lacked the ability to fly, only producing a series of piercing shrill cries.

Ding Hao approached the python and had just seen a dark purple, glowing orb the size of a dragon's eye on the back of its head at the cave entrance. Ding Hao was particularly curious, but upon reaching the python, he discovered that its head was at least twice the size of his own. The wound on the back of the python's head was wide open, and it continued to bleed profusely

When the giant eagle steadied its body and began to plan another attack, the python's body had already completely burrowed into the hole

The giant eagle continuously changed its movements in the air, seemingly searching for the optimal moment to attack. After another rotation, the giant eagle flew behind a towering tree, which blocked the python's line of sight. The dark purple eyes of the python momentarily lost focus, as if puzzled by the giant eagle's whereabouts. In the next moment, the giant eagle had appeared behind the python's head, and four pairs of golden claws, like iron hooks, swooped down towards the back of the python's head.

The interior of the cave was not as narrow as the entrance; on the contrary, it contained a spacious area of over ten zhang. A python lay on the left side, its head tilted back in a slouched position. A gaping wound, about one or two feet in size, beneath its neck was still oozing deep red blood, indicating that it had been dead for some time.

When I looked again, I found that the black cloud had expanded more than ten times; it turned out to be a golden giant eagle. However, what was strange was that the eagle's eyes were deep red, floating like two balls of ghostly fire in the night forest. But the most peculiar thing was that the giant eagle had a horn on its head and four pairs of claws. Its wings, when fully spread, were as long as ten meters. As it swooped down from the sky, it seemed to block even the moonlight. What kind of eagle is this

This was the greatest pain that Ding Hao had encountered over the years, as waves of intense heat continuously assaulted every nerve in his body. Just as Ding Hao was about to lose consciousness, he noticed that the heat finally began to gradually diminish. Half an hour later, the heat completely dissipated. Now, Ding Hao resembled a beast on the brink of death, his body covered in wounds, gasping for breath. At this moment, Ding Hao felt that all the strength within him had just been completely drained.

After a brief stalemate, the python monster seemed unwilling to linger any longer and swiftly flew in one direction, its speed even slightly faster than before. The giant eagle let out a sharp cry and pursued the python monster, while Ding Hao cautiously followed suit

Following the source of the bird calls, Ding Hao discovered a black dot in the upper left corner

When his hand could once again grasp the hunting knife, Ding Hao stood up and surveyed his surroundings anew. There was no change, except that the black mist surrounding the old man had thinned to the point of nearly dissipating. At that moment, he also caught sight of the old man's face

No longer deliberately slowing his pace, after half an hour, Ding Hao had already heard a tremendous crashing sound, interspersed with the chirping of birds and the sound of rustling.

It is evident that the target of the giant eagle is the monster just now. The flight speed of the giant eagle is clearly faster than the running speed of the monster. Although there was a slight distance between the two at the beginning, they quickly closed the gap. As they moved, the distance from Ding Hao became somewhat remote, and it was difficult to see them clearly. Without further hesitation, Ding Hao descended from the tree and followed the traces left by the monster.

The giant eagle continuously responded with the sound of birdsong, but the python, having already suffered a loss, became even more cautious, leaving the giant eagle unable to find a better opportunity to strike

Without any reason, Ding Hao felt that the old man posed a threat to him. Judging by his entire demeanor, he was certainly not a good person. Ding Hao himself was no saint either, and he had considerable confidence in his instincts. Since he sensed that this person was a threat to him, it was wise to eliminate this possibility before it became a reality. This was undoubtedly the most prudent course of action

At this moment, Ding Hao was filled with great curiosity about the events occurring inside the cave and began to consider whether he needed to enter and investigate carefully. However, the recent scene of the fight still left him feeling apprehensive; both the struggle between the two monsters and the sounds of the battle between the old man and the python monster made him acutely aware of the threat of death

Upon seeing the two entities again, I discovered a giant eagle circling above a dark cave, while a python creature desperately attempted to rush inside, but the giant eagle continuously prevented its entry

The sounds of fighting and collisions continued to emanate from the cave, intermittently mixed with the old man's labored breaths and the faint screams of the serpent creature. After a few breaths, the cave once again fell silent

The giant eagle circled around the python, while the python continuously changed its body in response to the movements of the giant eagle

When he was able to move his first finger, he discovered that his strength was rapidly returning, a recovery speed so fast that he could hardly comprehend it. The wounds on his body seemed to hurt less than before!

It was the height of summer, and the heat in his body did not seem unusual at first. Gradually, Ding Hao began to realize that something was amiss; the warmth in his body was steadily increasing, as if there were a furnace inside him that was continuously heating up. At this moment, Ding Hao's clothes were completely soaked with sweat, as if he had just crawled out of a river while still wearing them.

The cave is approximately two meters wide, likely serving as the resting place for the python. Once it enters this cave, it will be safe, as the giant eagle cannot enter due to its size.

The black mist surrounding the old man suddenly began to dissipate slowly. Upon closer inspection, it appeared as though the mist was being gradually absorbed by his body. The old man's features became clear; he appeared to be in his fifties, yet his hair remained as dark and glossy as silk. Even while sitting cross-legged, one could sense his extraordinary stature. His dark skin made him seem as if he were merging with the darkness itself. He wore a black robe made of an unknown material and adorned his neck with a necklace made entirely of bones. His tightly closed eyelids trembled slightly, giving him an exceptionally restless appearance.

After carefully observing for a while, Ding Hao confirmed that there was not a trace of movement inside the cave. Gripping the newly purchased hunting knife tightly in his hand, he cautiously approached the cave entrance

However, this time the giant eagle did not simply grab and release as it had done before; instead, it began to tear at the python's nape with its claw-like talons, causing more blood to seep out.

It should be edible, right? Ding Hao thought to himself. In the next moment, the bead was already placed in his mouth. After it entered his stomach, Ding Hao did not feel any discomfort; he only sensed a slight warmth in his body.

At first glance, it appeared to be a small black cloud, but moments later, the black cloud gradually approached, and the sound of birdsong became increasingly urgent, particularly piercing in the silent forest

Without further hesitation, and without any warning, Ding Hao suddenly exerted force with his legs. In the next moment, the hunting knife appeared within three feet of the old man. With both hands gripping the knife, he struck down with all his might. Although he had not yet fully recovered his physical strength, Ding Hao was certain that the old man would surely perish from this blow.

Suddenly, the old man opened his eyes, and his pupils were a striking emerald green. Ding Hao was taken aback, instinctively pausing for a moment with both hands. Just as he was about to strike down again, he realized that his wrists were firmly grasped by a large black hand, rendering him completely immobile, as if the bones in his wrists were about to shatter.

Ding Hao was taken aback; there was actually someone inside the cave

The two monsters once again reached a stalemate. At this moment, several strange shrieks, similar to those of the python monster, echoed in the cave, but at a much lower volume. Then, a weaker whimpering sound emerged, akin to a baby crying with its mouth covered by a cloth.

The giant eagle, having waited for a long time, finally found its opportunity. A sharp bird call nearly shattered Ding Hao's eardrum as its four claws reached for the python monster's forehead. The python monster seemed to have completely forgotten the threat posed by the giant eagle and continued to rush towards the cave. When it was still about two zhang away from the cave, the giant eagle's four claws finally grasped the back of the python monster's head—precisely the spot where it had been caught by the giant eagle last time.