Chapter 145: Finding a Way

Approaching the massive boulder, the spray from the waterfall was so intense that Jia Zhengjin could barely keep his eyes open. Yet, determined to save the girl, he gripped the dragon's horn with one hand and shielded his eyes with the other to block the water splashes.

The counterfeit dragon endured the onslaught of water, flapping its wings steadily as it drew closer to the waterfall.

As they neared the boulder, Jia Zhengjin carefully shifted his position atop the dragon’s head, trying to get as close as possible to the little girl.

At that moment, the giant serpent in the pool emitted a sharp screech and suddenly surged from the water, lunging toward the counterfeit dragon. Flying too high to bite its target, the serpent plunged back into the water and, opening its jaws, exhaled a dense, black mist.

Just as Jia Zhengjin reached out to save the girl, he suddenly felt the creature beneath his feet wobble. Looking down, he saw the strange black fog enveloping the shapeshifter. The creature seemed off—its coordination faltered, and its previously steady flight became unsteady and erratic.

Panicked, Jia Zhengjin crouched low, clutching the dragon’s horn tightly. Saving lives was critical, but preserving his own was equally vital.

As he crouched, the black mist flowed over him. The moment he inhaled it through his mouth and nose, his mind grew foggy, and the world around him appeared doubled and distorted.

The counterfeit dragon lost its balance completely within the smoke, flapping its wings frantically as it spiraled downward.

Seizing the chance, the giant serpent burst from the water again, heading straight for the falling shapeshifter.

Just as it seemed the serpent’s jaws would close on them, the shapeshifter broke free from the black mist, regaining composure. In midair, it performed a sudden turn and glide, carrying Jia Zhengjin safely away from the serpent’s grasp and swiftly returning to the shore.

Once grounded, Jia Zhengjin rolled off the dragon’s head and lay still for a moment, regaining his senses.

“Lord Keen!” Zhuma, Wolf, and Karl rushed over, but their helplessness was palpable. While they might be able to help on land, diving into the water would almost certainly mean a swift death by the serpent.

“That black mist—it seems to disrupt a creature’s senses, at least vision and touch,” Jia Zhengjin said, rubbing his head hard. “If that’s the case, there’s no way to rescue her directly!”

The forest elves immediately surrounded him, anxiously pacing back and forth.

“Zhuma, do you have any ideas?” Jia Zhengjin asked, glancing back.

Zhuma scratched her head awkwardly and shook it.

It was like asking the blind for directions. Only then did Jia Zhengjin recall that Zhuma, while strong in combat, was somewhat lacking in intellect.

Wolf and Karl were no better, so it looked like he’d have to figure something out on his own.

“Wolf, fetch the goblin crossbowmen!” After a moment’s thought, Jia Zhengjin ordered.

“Yes!” Wolf set off immediately and soon returned with three to four hundred goblin crossbowmen, each armed with a crossbow.

“Aim at the pool. Attack the moment that serpent’s head surfaces!” Jia Zhengjin instructed, having the goblins take up defensive positions along the riverbank. Then he leapt back atop the counterfeit dragon’s head, taking control to fly once more.

As they hovered over the pool, the giant serpent indeed surfaced immediately, roaring as it lunged toward them.

“Rat-a-tat-tat!” The goblin crossbowmen unleashed a volley of bolts, only to see the arrows bounce harmlessly off the serpent’s skin as if striking a solid iron plate. Not a single wound was inflicted.

The serpent, undeterred, ignored the barrage and lunged fiercely.

“Damn!” Jia Zhengjin hastily ordered the counterfeit dragon to retreat, swiftly returning them to shore.

The serpent held its ground beneath the waterfall. As long as it remained in the water, it paid no heed to those on land, continuing to watch the girl on the boulder, ready to feast at any moment.

“This physical defense is unreal,” Jia Zhengjin muttered in astonishment. “Even second or third-tier beasts aren’t this tough. Could this be a higher-tier beast? No, that can’t be—it would have stronger magic attacks, not just this weird black mist.”

What now? How much longer could the girl hold on? Was there truly a way to save her?

Not only Jia Zhengjin was anxious; the forest elves around him were even more so.

He raced through possible strategies in his mind but found no solution.

The crossbowmen’s bolts couldn’t harm the serpent, its black mist disrupted their senses and the dragon’s flight stability, and he lacked effective ranged attacks.

What did he have in his warehouse? Anything usable… anything…

Suddenly, a thought struck him: “What about venom?”

His warehouse held a substantial stockpile of venom collected from hunting giant centipedes, known for its potent paralyzing effect.

Though the serpent seemed impervious to weapons, it was still a living creature that needed to breathe. It clearly depended on the water, so what if he poured large quantities of venom into the pool? Could that work?

Without hesitation, he commanded, “Karl! Go to the city warehouse immediately and bring all the centipede venom here!”

Karl swiftly carried out the order. In about ten minutes, he returned with five to six hundred goblin soldiers, each bearing numerous ceramic jars filled with venom.

That little girl was remarkable; she had managed to cling tightly to the boulder for so long without being swept away. Clearly, she was no ordinary human. And to endure such peril without crying or panicking was impressive.

“Pour all the venom into the pool!” Jia Zhengjin ordered. The goblin soldiers promptly tipped the jars, releasing the venom into the water.

With a terrifying splash, the venom quickly stained the surface of the pool black.

Within moments, countless fish and aquatic insects floated belly-up, paralyzed by the venom.

The amount of venom was immense, the entire stockpile accumulated over time. To darken such a large pool showed how much effort had been involved in gathering it.

Everyone standing on the shore watched the pool anxiously, unwilling to look away.

Suddenly, the water churned violently as the serpent leapt and thrashed, sending waves soaring several yards high in all directions.

“Defend!” Jia Zhengjin shouted, fearing the venom spray might harm their own side. The goblin soldiers raised their iron shields, forming an impenetrable wall, while the tree spirits, immune to the venom, positioned themselves upfront, creating a double line of defense.

The serpent writhed frantically in the pool. Though not immediately paralyzed, it was clearly suffering and struggled desperately to wash away the venom.

The battle was far from over.