The river water surged with turbulent waves, its sandy bottom stirred by the colossal serpentine body, rendering the surface murky.
Lin Fan stood on the riverbank, a sense of helplessness washing over him. He was truly stumped now, only able to fret.
The snake demon's body was protected by tough scales, rendering the swarm of gu worms ineffective in breaching them in a short time.
Moreover, the snake demon was incredibly agile, its head well-guarded.
Thus, despite the gu worm swarm seemingly having the upper hand, the damage inflicted on the snake demon was quite limited.
By some chance, one of the gu worms, through sheer accident, discovered a spot on the snake's tail where the scales were looser than elsewhere.
This gu worm immediately sought out a gap, intending to burrow into the snake's body for a feast.
Before long, it managed to pry open the scales with sheer force and wriggle inside.
This was its excretory opening. After being attacked there, one could only imagine how frantic the snake demon would become.
Wang Xiaoli thrashed about in the river like a madwoman, her massive body twisting and turning, churning the entire water surface into a tempest.
Parts of her serpentine form would periodically emerge from the water, only to crash down with a thunderous roar.
"Well bitten!"
"Put more effort in!"
"Bite it to death!"
Although Lin Fan was unaware of the specifics, he knew that the snake demon's sudden frenzy must be due to a severe attack from the gu worm swarm.
Perhaps the Golden Silk Gu had already infiltrated the snake demon's body, rapidly destroying its internal organs.
Lin Fan's mind conjured images of Sun Wukong burrowing into Princess Iron Fan's stomach, and he couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.
This was what they called, "if I want you to live, you live; if I want you dead, you die!"
Boom!
A colossal snake head erupted from the water, its thick body rearing high.
"Ah!"
The snake demon let out a piercing shriek that made Lin Fan's eardrums ache.
Then, it suddenly transformed into a streak of light, and in the blink of an eye, a woman in black appeared on the riverbank.
It was Wang Xiaoli.
"Lin Fan, make your insects stop!"
Wang Xiaoli clutched her stomach, experiencing waves of intense cramping from within.
The gu worms were tearing at her flesh.
Such a vulnerable spot; even a punch, let alone being gnawed at, would cause intense pain. Her legs trembled uncontrollably, cold sweat drenched her body, and she was barely holding on.
"Don't you want my life?" Lin Fan sneered. Their conflict had escalated to a point of no return, with no other possible outcome.
Showing mercy to her would be cruelty to himself.
Lin Fan secretly issued the command for the gu worm swarm to continue their assault.
Splash!
Wang Xiaoli raised a hand, and a towering column of water erupted from the surface.
It spun wildly, like a long serpent summoned, coiling around her and rising upwards, forming an impenetrable water curtain.
The gu worms, unafraid, flapped their wings and lunged forward.
However, as the water curtain spun, the gu worms were flung outwards upon contact.
"Lin Fan, I'll give you a chance. Let's call a truce, or I'll drag you down with me immediately!" Wang Xiaoli threatened.
She now harbored a sense of regret.
Regret for being careless, relying on her scales, and letting the gu worms attack.
She was a snake from the north, isolated and lacking in worldly knowledge, unaware of the gu worms' might. That was why she had suffered such a significant loss.
If she had ambushed him beforehand, attacking Lin Fan from behind as he appeared, none of this would have happened.
But now, it was too late for regrets.
"Drag me down with you?" Lin Fan's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Do you have that ability?"
"You brat, I'll show you how stubborn you can be!" Wang Xiaoli was furious. The pain, coupled with Lin Fan's mockery, ignited her rage.
She suddenly opened her mouth, her jaws stretching to an unbelievable extent.
A gray sphere wriggled down her esophagus, rose to her mouth, and then flew out.
"Lin Fan, you wish for death, don't you?"
Wang Xiaoli's face contorted with malice. "My inner core, cultivated for three hundred years, is enough to turn fifty li into ashes, hahahaha..."
Amidst her rampant laughter, the demon core emitted a dim, dark glow and rapidly grew in size as it met the wind, quickly becoming as large as a basketball.
Lin Fan stared in disbelief, feeling a tremendous power emanating from the demon core, a power that sent shivers down his spine.
He quickly shouted, "Wait, let's talk."
"What do you want to talk about?"
"These disgusting bugs are still attacking me. You wanted to kill me, didn't you?"
"Then let's die together!"
Wang Xiaoli's eyes burned with deep-seated resentment, and she gritted her teeth as she spoke.
"Stop attacking!" Lin Fan commanded the gu worms.
The next second, whether it was the gu worms battering the water curtain or those already inside Wang Xiaoli's belly, all ceased their attack.
"Hoo~" Wang Xiaoli let out a long sigh, her entire body drenched in cold sweat. She had almost lost control of her demon core.
The water curtain surrounding her plummeted.
Seeing her pale complexion and the precarious state of her demon core, Lin Fan feared pushing her too far.
The three hundred years of demonic cultivation in her core, containing enough energy to devastate fifty li, might have been an exaggeration, but causing the deaths of thousands was no laughing matter.
Lin Fan absolutely would not allow such a tragedy of widespread death to occur. Moreover, the advantage was on his side; there was no need to fight to the death.
The two stared at each other in silence, not daring to blink.
Lin Fan pointed at the demon core suspended in the air, "Can you put that thing away first?"
"You withdraw your bugs first!" Wang Xiaoli remained unyielding.
"If I withdraw all my gu worms, will you still be able to speak to me so calmly?"
Lin Fan sensed two gu worms within Wang Xiaoli's chest cavity, likely in the lung area.
Though they were attacking with all their might, they were also heavily poisoned and felt dizzy, their transmitted consciousness intermittent.
And there was another one...
"Ugh..."
As Lin Fan sensed its location, his face flushed with embarrassment.
He was certain this gu worm had not entered through the snake's mouth.
The only possibility was...
Good heavens!
Wicked, insidious, truly a disgrace to the world of gu worms!
However, its effect was superb!
Lin Fan finally understood why a snake demon with centuries of cultivation had been defeated so quickly.
It had been struck in a vital spot by a gu worm!
Lin Fan shivered involuntarily at the thought of the damage the gu worm was causing inside her.
"Lin Fan, withdraw your bugs, and I can let bygones be bygones."
"Also, I must have that thing you're carrying. Name your price, whatever I have or can achieve."
Even now, Wang Xiaoli's obsession with the Chi Pearl remained.
"You returned this time for this?" As he spoke, Lin Fan took the Chi Pearl from his pocket.
In the darkness of the night, the Chi Pearl emitted a faint, almost imperceptible glow, appearing quite ordinary.
"Give it to me!" Wang Xiaoli, as if possessed, her expression manic, suddenly reached out her hand and simultaneously moved forward, closing in on Lin Fan.