A flash of white cut across the sky, sweeping over Stone and his fleeing party.
Snow-white wings—two pairs of crystal butterfly wings—beat sharply, scattering frost that glittered like falling stars.
Snow Kui dove straight into the thick, choking fog.
He didn't speak.
He didn't ask questions.
Intruder on Guizhong's land. murderous intent directed at his brother's people.
Beat it half-dead first. Talk later.
Snow Kui inverted his grip on the ice spear and stabbed down into a patch of brush.
The moment the spear struck earth, frost spread across the ground in a thin sheet.
A dark shadow shot out from beneath the foliage.
Snow Kui's eyes tracked it instantly, irises glowing an icy blue.
The creature was massive—yet disturbingly nimble.
A huge crimson serpent, its length comparable to Morax's dragon form, scales uneven and pitted with dark, ugly depressions.
The serpent studied Snow Kui as well.
It realized almost immediately—
This was not a god.
The thought of retreat flickered in its mind… and then vanished.
Gods fighting gods was troublesome—uncertain.
But a lone yaksha? A creature of bloodshed, yes, but still a mortal spirit.
Not even worth the caution of a god.
Hah. Advantage: mine.
Both combatants had the same thought:
Kill.
The serpent coiled its body and launched.
Snow Kui paused only an instant.
His left hand rose, frost exploding outward.
Elemental birds and beasts carved from ice formed around him—an ice crane spread its wings and soared, an ice boar pawed the earth and charged.
The crimson serpent ignored them.
Tricks. Decorations.
As soon as it reached the boy, one breath of corrosive ash, and—
But the serpent's speed faltered.
Its scales were crusting with frost.
A realization crawled down its spine.
This isn't just elemental power—this is… "principle." Like mine.
How…? How can a yaksha wield "law"?
And before it could finish thinking, Snow Kui was already above it, spear descending.
The serpent opened its jaw—
A plume of black ash erupted toward him—
But to Snow Kui, the serpent moved like a slow-motion slime.
He twisted mid-air, wings tilting sharply, ash passing harmlessly beneath him.
The spear plunged down.
A burst of steam whipped upward.
Corrosive, boiling blood splashed as Snow Kui jerked back, ice spear melting from the contact.
Half the spear dissolved before it could fully pierce the skull.
Of course.
A god's body was saturated with its own power—its own law.
Elemental ice couldn't win a direct clash.
Snow Kui dropped the melted shaft.
A fresh spear formed in his hand.
His expression didn't change.
If it won't pierce, then I'll fill your head with every drop of ice I have.
Across from him, the Ash Serpent finally understood—
Why am I losing? Why is a yaksha pushing me into a corner?
He hadn't even shown his full power, yet he was already on the back foot.
If the yaksha ever learned how to properly fight gods…
He might have died already.
Snow Kui's eyes sharpened.
He had already figured out a way to kill it.
Panic twisted the serpent's gut.
Its gaze flicked toward the humans fleeing in the distance.
Damn it.
It didn't matter if they died prettily or not—
if he was about to be killed, then he'd take someone with him.
Flames rose.
From the edge of the fog, slow and creeping, a wall of fire began to close in.
Snow Kui frowned.
Too slow. At that speed, I'll kill you long before it reaches us.
Even if the serpent tried to use the flames as cover:
he could fly through fire and still catch it.
Just as Snow Kui prepared to strike—
A chorus of panicked shouts made him glance back.
Stone's group, who had nearly broken free of the fog, were being forced back by the encroaching fire.
Snow Kui's eyes narrowed.
Speed kill. End this now—
Then came the coughs.
The air was thickening.
Not just fire—ash.
The very fog the serpent controlled.
Heat and suffocation both.
Those were the Ash Serpent's domain.
Snow Kui cursed under his breath, whipping around and soaring above the hunters.
He spread his hands—frost burst outward, forming a crude barrier around them with his own law intertwined.
Not a true god's barrier.
It would not hold for long.
Snow Kui's jaw tightened.
…I still don't know enough.
Fine.
Then kill it faster.
He flashed, wings snapping tight as he arrowed toward the serpent once more.
In the fog, the serpent watched him approach.
Cold light gleamed in its blood-red pupils.
It had calmed.
Calculated.
Regained footing.
Its nature—
cunning and predatory—returned.
You look like someone in a hurry, little yaksha.
That urgency… is how prey behaves.
Advance Chapters available on P@treon
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