Chapter 67: Blood Striped snakes
Sam and his group stayed at the bank of the stream for the night and started their journey next day. Meanwhile the only other remaining team, consisting of only three members are staying at a same place, without moving at all.
Hawk took the scroll and partially unsealed his cultivation. He is at the 6th stage initiation now. Even though it is very low, he can roam around the forest however he wants, but the main thing is that the two people who are left along with him are badly injured and cannot move freely like him. That is why they planned to stay in a same place for the day.
Sam and his team though, they are fatigued it was gone with the good sleep and food they had. They started exploring the forest. They encountered some small animals and the beasts with some considerable strength are very rarely seen.
They encountered some animals which gave him some points and the fourth day is over just like that with their final points being.
Sam – 74
Jack -62
Eve and Shor- 50
The fifth day, they again started exploring. By this time Eve and Shor are extremely delighted with their decision of following Sam at that time. But they also felt a little guilty when they thought of their points.
After all, they didn't do much but they got a good share.
"Sam, thank you so much." Shor thanked him when they are walking.
Sam looked at him with askance about the gratitude out of blue. Then Eve explained from side.
"We actually didn't help you much, but you still gave us more than enough points. Thank you very much."
"You shouldn't thank me. You should thank the people who didn't agree to join us instead." Sam replied and didn't explain further.
Both Shor and Eve are puzzled and looking at them, Jack explained with a smile. "Actually, it won't be a difference whether there are two extra people or six extra people with us. Because, he can't trust you guys completely. Hell, he doesn't even trust me completely and every trap or plan he makes is very detrimental and dangerous if any slip ups occurs. So, he always did major share of the work and gave me some tasks with importance because he trusts me more than you guys.
So, if there are another four-extra people, he won't take away points from his or my account. Rather, they will be sharing the miscellaneous tasks you performed as well as the points you got. So, you have to thank the remaining members, who didn't come here."
When Jack explained, Eve and Shor were dumbstruck for a second. They didn't expect that the reason would be this. But still they felt that the points are rather high even with that reason. After all, Sam can just take more than half himself, just for the plan he made.
After that they didn't talk much, and moved normally. But suddenly Eve collapsed.
The three of them immediately checked on her and saw a snake bite mark on her ankle. Sam immediately pulled a rope out of bag and tied it tightly around the wound to not let the venom spread.
Then he broke her token immediately.
Sam and Jack looked around vigilantly to find the snake. Shor meanwhile was really afraid. When Sam finally found the snake, which is already a distance away, he immediately struck in his movements.
Jack saw the solemn expression on his face and immediately got alerted.
Sam turned towards Shor and said. "The situation is a bit dangerous; I think it is better if you go."
Shor nodded and immediately broke his token without any complaints. After all, he has more than enough points to rank higher and he is sure that he would be ranked extremely higher.
Then Sam gestured towards and Jack and both of them started running in a direction, where there is an open ground.
When they reached the place, Sam looked around and felt that the place, is a bit better and there are less possibilities for snakes sneaking up on them.
"What is the situation?" Jack asked as soon as Sam calmed down a bit.
"Actually, this is a situation with the biggest danger as well as the biggest opportunity we encountered." Sam said as he looked at the horizon.
"What do you mean?"
"The snake that bit Eve earlier is actually an evolved beast. But its combat potential is at the lowest of the snake species. But they have a special ability. They can only sneak on its opponents but when they bite the people, it is actually lethal. It particularly works against, the cultivators and the magical beasts." Sam paused a bit before continuing.
"The snake before is a Blood stripe snake. It actually not only bites the people, but it will also suck as much blood as possible. It is actually in green in colour. But after it has its fill, the blood coloured stripes will appear on its back.
But this is not the main reason they are dangerous. The venom they inject inside will grow rapidly inside one's body by absorbing the spiritual energy. If you got bit once, if you are not stronger by much, it will kill you with your own spiritual energy.
Even more dangerous thing is that these snakes unlike other snakes live in a group and there is a king of snakes, which will absorb the blood from all the snakes and evolve itself. If all those snakes and the king worked together, a person with a whole cultivation level higher will have the same situation as a person with same cultivation as them."
"Then isn't it quite dangerous. We are normal humans. What kind of opportunity are you talking about?" Jack asked with confusion.
"Well, as I said. All of them working together is indeed dangerous, but they can only sneak attack. It is will be lethal if a person doesn't know their existence near them, but now that we have already known that we might get an opportunity.
Right now, our cultivation being sealed, is quite an opportunity. The only dangerous thing about these snakes to us is the blood loss. Even Eve fainted due to loss of blood. It will take a lot of time for the venom to reach the spiritual core.
If we are cautious enough, we can make it big. After all, the danger is directly proportional to the rewards we got. Do you want to try?" When Sam finished explaining, Jack fell into deep contemplation.
Just as he was about to say something a loud scream was head from a distance.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
Sam and Jack immediately exchanged a glance and started running towards the direction of the scream. Because, the voice is familiar to both of them. When they reached the spot, they saw Kelly trying to drag Hawk, the other guy who was helping just now saw the snakes and immediately abandoned Hawk and broke his token to escape.
Sam and Jack exchanged a look and immediately helped Kelly. Kelly finally saw hope when she saw Sam and Jack. She almost fell into despair.
Sam and Jack carried Kelly and Hawk and ran. When they saw that there are no snakes following them anymore, they finally stopped.
Sam immediately searched Hawk's pockets in search of token, then he asked Kelly. "Where is his token?"
"I don't know. When he went inside the cave alone, we didn't see anything, but he immediately felt weak and fell unconscious there. Me and the other teammate, went inside and dragged him out. After we came to a certain distance, the snakes are still following us." She didn't say the rest but Sam and Jack could understand, what happened.
Sam thought about where the token would be and couldn't help but frown. He examined Hawk's condition and frown got deeper.
"Did he unseal his cultivation?" Sam asked in a deep voice. Kelly nodded and he immediately got even more serious.
"This is serious. If we don't make it fast, he will die. The Elders won't interfere without breaking the token. We have to find the token as soon as possible." When Sam finished speaking, Kelly started crying. She looked at Sam with some hope and pleading. Hawk is the close friend of hers from childhood.
Actually, Sam could really leave them and go on his way and if Hawk was really a complete stranger, he might even leave him without batting an eyelid.
But he had a pretty good impression of Hawk. He has a pretty good heart and is not like other young masters who are arrogant beyond their abilities. He didn't really want a positive person like this to die at such a young age.
"Jack, you guys stay here. I will come back in a few minutes." Sam said and without waiting for reply, he left. He started running in the direction where they saved Kelly and Hawk.
After sometime, he climbed a tree and like an agile monkey, he started jumping from tree to tree. All this while he is looking at the ground for the token. He didn't find any.
When he came close to a cave attached to a hill. He was bewildered to see that the cave is the nest of the Blood striped snakes.
The cave is actually pretty open and it is also not deep. There would be a distance of at most 30 feet from the entrance to the wall where two scrolls are attached. One of them is a scroll he never saw before and the other is the point scroll. There is a big snake with some faint red stripes over its green skin near the wall. This is the king snake.
When Sam didn't find the token outside, he clearly knew where it is and that is making him feel cautious.
He immediately went back and met up with Jack and Others.
"I didn't find the token on the way. It must be inside the cave. Right now, Hawk has less than two hours to make it. We have to find the token as soon as possible."
Kelly and Jack went silent at the thought of this. They didn't know what to do at all. They only looked at Sam with hope that he would have a way out of this situation.
Sam pursed his lips and said. "Kelly, you stay near the place and look over Hawk." He said and passed the Sabre he obtained from Ray to her. "While doing so, collect every dead leaf, dried grass, birds' nest, tree bark everything that could catch a fire easily. But don't leave him alone.
Sam said and picked up the axe from the bag. He called Jack over and said. "You also collect the same things. You can take the bag and fill it to brim. Come back in half an hour. I need as much as you can collect. And bring some fire wood too."
After that both of them separated and Sam went to collect some bamboo poles. He chopped the poles which are raw as well as which are dry without any difference. He made it back and forth and brought back bamboo poles, fire wood etc.
After half an hour. Jack came back with a bag full of dried waste.
"Separate the bamboo sections and crack them up. By the time you are finished with it, they must be intact but they must be in fragile state that they would break with small impact."
Sam instructed Kelly and Jack. Three of them started preparing the section just like Sam said.
Sam then stuffed them with the dried waste. Dry grass, dead leaves, dry twigs, nests. He stuffed them completely and placed them inside the bag. Then he placed the fire wood inside the bag.
Now the bag is filled to the brim so much that the cover cannot fill it at all.
"Jack carry the bag carefully." Sam said and he proceeded to carry Hawk. There is only an hour left for Hawk.
They walked carefully without making much noise. After nearing the cave, Sam with the help of Jack and Kelly placed Hawk on the tree and then three of them also climbed it.
The tree is directly facing the cave opening. Sam took out the fire wood and passed them to Kelly and Jack to hold. Then he took out a piece and lit it with the live dried wood and some birds' nest to make a torch.
Then Sam lit each torch for both of them. He took out the fragile bamboo sections stuffed with the dry waste and passed each over to them.
"Light them and throw them into the cave. I will show you how." Sam said and with the torch. He lit the dry waste inside the bamboo section. After a few seconds when it was burning considerably, he threw inside the cave directly.
"Threw one inside and throw one at the entrance." Sam said and started throwing the sections continuously.
Each bamboo section, when hit the cave, broke open and the burning waste inside immediately spread along the cave increasing the fire and the snakes which came into the contact with went into a frenzy.
When they came towards the entrance, the situation is not good as the bamboo sections came there also and started burning.
Sam and others then took the dry wood, lit them and threw them inside the cave. After the fire intensified a bit, Sam said.
"I will be going in. You guys keep throwing them. You will only stop, either when I come back or when the bag is empty." Sam said and without waiting for their reply, he climbed down the tree and wielding the sabre and axe, he ran inside the cave.
Even though the flames are burning, it is short lived as the dried waste won't burn for long. That is why, they have to keep throwing. But snakes still got affected by heat and are in a confused state.
Sam moved rapidly as chopped the snakes that are in his way. When he faced the king snake, which was in a confused and enraged state, he halted his steps as he moved slowly around it.
The senses of the snakes are blocked and this is the only time. Sam saw the token near it. He quickly broke the token with axe and a shadow took away Hawk from the tree. But both Jack and Kelly were still not relieved completely as the dried wood and the bamboo sections are over.
Sam also noticed that the fire is dying and the incoming is stopped. He also guessed the reason and just as he was thinking about escaping. He was surrounded by the snakes which are moving slowly towards him.
After a few moments he realized that they are moving towards the King and not him, but that doesn't make him happy as he is between the king and the remaining snakes.
Sam was in a pinch. He doesn't know what to do. The snakes are all slow, because they lost all the energy to resist against the heat and even the king is in daze.
But that didn't give Sam any advantage as he was also affected by the fire and smoke.
Now, Sam has only way. That is that he has to catch the scroll which he didn't see before. But to do this, he need to get over this king snake, which is about 20 feet long. The only reason it fit the cave properly for all these snakes is that it was coiled.
As soon as Sam came to decision, he immediately made his move.
First, he swung his axe and hit the tail of the king. The latter hissed and raised his head. Sam immediately Sam jumped up and with the head of the snake as support, he immediately caught the two scrolls and jumped down. But the king snake also came out of the daze and came at him.
Sam immediately opened the scroll. Before the snake could bite him, a strange glow came out of his body as his cultivation was removed. He is now at the 9th stage initiation.
But Sam noticed a difference. When he is in ninth stage initiation, he doesn't have the elements, but now, his state does have both the light and Fire elements.
Sam heaved a sigh and immediately made his move. The sabre in his hands was immediately covered with golden flames as he swung it, the golden fire shot towards the king and started burning it.
Sam didn't stop and he swung the sabre continuously burning everything in the cave and with in a few minutes, he came out with all his clothes almost burnt.
Jack and Kelly heaved a sigh and finally took a breath. Sam gave them the point scroll and immediately sat down on the ground. He passed the token to them and said.
"Let us get out of here." Sam said these words and immediately laid on the ground as he closed his eyes. He is exhausted. Even though he recovered his cultivation partially, he used up all his spiritual energy in his attacks to not to take any chances.
Jack opened the scroll. There are 40 points written on it. He then looked at Sam and smile.
After a few moments, Sam woke up. He is already out of the forest and is in a big hall where all sixty participants gathered. He saw that all the candidates are looking at him weirdly. He then took a look at himself and saw that he was barely covered with anything. He checked that his cultivation was unsealed completely and that he can access the spatial ring.
"Sam you woke up." Eve spoke from the side. Then only Sam realized that he was with the team 6 members. Jack also saw him and helped him stand up. Sam rejected his help and immediately took a fresh set of clothes and wore them along with his feather coat.
Just as he was about to ask what is going on a voice came.
"Now, the second round is over. Take the rest of the day off and rest here, Tomorrow morning, your scores will be announced and the third round and the final round of the competition will begin." An Elder announced and left.