Although the Dark Beasts are not the strongest among the exotic creatures of the Cold Moon Realm, during the night, for no clear reason, the Dark Beast Forest remains dark for two-thirds of the day, and daylight is remarkably brief. Countless Dark Beasts dwell within—many of them adults, forming a significant portion of the population. As a result, even powerful neighbors such as the Ten-Thousand-Bird Range and the Eight-Devil Seas, which are dominated by ancient fierce beasts, show no intention of encroaching upon this territory. The Dark Beasts live here as if they were the owners of their own backyard, and other creatures sharing the forest exist almost solely as food for them. Only a few rare species of exotic beasts, which also gain enhanced abilities during the night, can勉强 hold their own and pose a modest threat. Of course, in terms of both numbers and actual strength, these beasts are far outmatched by the Dark Beasts within the forest. On that day, at a spot no more than a hundred and twenty li from the edge of the Dark Beast Forest, a colossal python—stretching seven to eight zhang in length, its body covered in green scales—was locked in confrontation with a Dark Beast, its eyes gleaming with a sharp, icy light. Though it appeared no different from a common python, this was actually one of the few exceptional creatures in the Dark Beast Forest capable of challenging the Dark Beasts directly—the "Green Night Python." As its name suggests, when night falls, the python's already formidable physique gains extraordinary powers, and it undergoes a kind of hypercharged transformation fueled by the night's energy. In this transformed state, the python's strength rivals that of an adult Dark Beast, becoming fiercely aggressive and bloodthirsty during combat. However, this transformation comes with significant drawbacks. Not only does the python's strength diminish considerably over the following several years, but it also gradually depletes its lifespan. Therefore, unless truly in life-threatening danger, the python would rarely choose to undergo such a transformation. Yet the inner essence of the Qingye Python proves to be exceptionally nourishing to dark beasts, often leading to an unyielding, life-or-death confrontation whenever the two encounter each other within the dark beast forest. The two creatures currently facing off happened to collide unexpectedly near the edge of the dark beast forest. In the encounters between the mature dark beast and the frenzied Qingye Python, the dark beast typically secures victory by obtaining the inner essence, though there have been instances where the dark beast is instead devoured by the Qingye Python. When these two meet suddenly, the dark beast is naturally delighted, yet does not immediately engage. While the frenzied Qingye Python gains significant strength at that moment, it also reveals its vulnerabilities—should the opportunity be seized, a single strike could potentially defeat the dark beast. Meanwhile, although the Qingye Python adopts a posture of preparation for its transformation, it remains hesitant to make any decisive moves. Thus, the two remain in an odd, prolonged standoff. In the dark beast forest, various animal species have long developed the habit of being active at night and resting quietly in their caves during the day. Furthermore, the trees in the forest are exceptionally tall; even at the forest's edges, the dense foliage nearly completely obscures the sky, with only a thin patch of darkness visible through the gaps in the branches when gazing upward. Now it is the deepest hour of night. Without the scattered glimmers from the nearby low grasses and shrubs, the place would have become utterly dark. Time passed slowly, and the giant serpent and the shadow beast remained motionless, locked in a standoff that lasted for a meal's time. Such a prolonged stillness proved rather dull. Finally, the shadow beast could bear it no longer. It roared, then moved its limbs, circling the giant serpent gently. Yet its movements were silent, as though its body were formless. Observing this, the Qingye Serpent intensified the urgency of its serpent-core breath and emitted a steady hissing of warning. Nevertheless, the shadow beast's eyes grew fiercer, and its forelimb claws slightly shifted, glowing with a deep, dark luminescence reaching half a cun in length. At the same time, its long, slender black tail swept through the air with a series of trailing shadows, producing a sharp, explosive sound that seemed to tear through the space itself. The Qingye Serpent's head followed the beast's movements, naturally keeping its entire opponent in full view. At the very sight of the dark beast swaying its tail, it seemed suddenly stimulated, its hissing sounds growing urgent. A flash of luminous black and deep green scales on her body rippled, swelling and contracting irregularly, while her entire form expanded as if breathing out. The snake skin tightened dramatically, almost to the point of rupture. Within the span of a single breath, a sharp, piercing "crack" echoed through the air! The snake skin fractured inch by inch, revealing a serpentine body nearly half as large as before. Still bearing the deep,幽 green scales of the original serpent, the patterns between the scales now shimmered with a silvery hue, interweaving into distinct, varying symbols that glowed with a soft, pale silver radiance. Looking upward at the head of the great serpent, a single, pure white horn—like jade—had grown atop it, its spiral patterns winding from base to tip in a continuous, upward spiral, sharp and formidable. The great serpent's eyes, once a clear jade green, now burned with a deep crimson, radiating an intense, wild fervor. Almost immediately after the giant serpent had completed its transformation, the shadow beast, which had already maneuvered to the side, launched itself without hesitation. A flash of deep black light revealed the creature vanishing seamlessly into the night. The next instant, a burst of black light appeared on one side of the giant serpent's head, and the shadow beast emerged suddenly from the darkness, its several black claw-spikes already shooting forth and striking hard at the neck region—precisely at the area believed to be the serpent's vital point. There, several faintly reddish scales were visible—exactly the weak point of this serpent during its transformation. Even a single strike from a regular flying sword upon these scales could inflict serious injury; should the shadow beast's sharp claws fully grasp them, the giant serpent would be severely wounded and unable to rise. Of course, this vulnerability only lasted for the brief moment immediately following the transformation, after which the scales would quickly regain their normal color and blend in with the rest. In fact, these scales would later prove even more resilient than those in other parts of the body. A series of dull thuds resonated as the claws struck solidly against the serpent's body, causing a tremor in Qingye's form. Though the claws grazed just below the seven-inch mark, the massive serpent instinctively flicked its neck swiftly, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow. A few faint red wounds appeared along the neck, with a few strands of blood seeping out—shallow but noticeable. This sudden assault completely incensed the already furious giant serpent. A roar erupted, and the serpent's tail snapped sharply into the air. Instantly, a series of shimmering green tail silhouettes materialized in the void, sweeping across the sky and enveloping the dark beast in their arc. The rushing wind echoed throughout the heavens. Seeing the initial attack fall short and the opponent counterattacking immediately, the dark beast remained calm, neither flustered nor disheartened. Instead, it swayed slightly, and two beams of black light burst forth from its body. Rolling over once, it transformed into two dark, monstrous forms. These two monstrous beings, resembling shadowy forms of the dark beasts, had slightly blurred bodies shimmering with a deep black and gray luminescence. As soon as they appeared, they lunged forward in unison with the dark beasts, extending their claws and arms. A sharp, continuous sound of claw tips clashed against the azure silhouette in the air. Following a tremendous explosion, both the claw tips and the azure form dissolved simultaneously, meeting with equal intensity. Immediately, a surge of bright green light erupted above the head of one black creature. A massive serpent head materialized swiftly from the glow, swiftly engulfing the black beast in a single gulp, then shaking its neck to charge toward the second black creature, aiming to swallow it whole. At that moment, the shadow beast suddenly launched itself from the side, opening its mouth wide—stretching it to a span of ten paces—and revealing sharp, blade-like teeth that immediately bit into the giant serpent's body. Should the giant serpent truly be caught in this massive maw, even if its body were as thick as a tree trunk, it would surely be severed into two parts. Yet the transformed Qingye serpent moved with such speed that it matched the shadow beast's own agility. It swiftly retracted its head, then twisted it sharply, opening its mouth with an equally astonishing width, and met the attack head-on. Meanwhile, the shadow beast that had originally been its target twisted its body, lengthening it to an extraordinary extent, like a thick rope, and surged toward the giant serpent. Amid the thunderous roar, the two strange beasts each displayed their unique powers, engaging in a fierce, evenly matched struggle. Yet neither of them knew that, some fifteen li away, within the seemingly ordinary trunk of a massive tree, an unusually large tree cavity—spanning two zhang in diameter—had unexpectedly appeared in several places. And within this mysterious space, three figures sat cross-legged, gazing intently at a mirror floating just above the ground. The mirror's back shimmered with silver light, while its surface radiated a soft, misty green glow, displaying a remarkably clear image. It was clearly the scene of the battle between the dark beast and the Qingye Python! Everything matched the distant view, merely scaled down countless times. These three—one dressed in green robes, one draped in a white cloak, and the third with deep yellow skin—were precisely the trio who had journeyed here after a full half-month of travel: Han Li, Liu Shui'er, and Shi Kun. Their faces were solemn, and they did not blink once throughout the entire period. Nearly half an hour later, the dark beast split into hundreds of black bats, finally crushing the wounded Qingye Python and devouring its vital essence before joyfully departing. "How do you find the dark beasts?" asked Han Li, turning to the other two, as if they had personally witnessed the entire spectacle. A light sigh escaped from Liu Shui'er as she raised her hand and cast a spell upon the mirror. Instantly, the scene within the mirror faded and vanished.