novelraw Chapter 111 : Red Moon Snow Plain
Chapter 111 : Red Moon Snow Plain
After completing preparations at the base station, Chen Sui made simple transportation tools according to the components they brought back.
Xue Yaoyao's mental domain was still fine with no major issues. Chen Sui re-established a layer of energy shielding for Jiang Zhongyu, then taught him how to handle emergencies.
The military academy student analysts gathered together, listening to Chen Sui lecture on energy control. This harmonious scene made even the analysis masters in the control room struggle to contain their amusement.
Outside, He Lanrui sat beside Song Xingzhang, watching him do rehabilitation exercises, and couldn't help saying aloud: "Little Song, your student is quite good at teaching others. I taught Little Yu energy traction more than once, but this kid is only learning it now."
Just as he finished speaking, on the livestream interface, Jiang Zhongyu looked happily at Chen Sui and praised her: "Thanks, Little Sui, I understand now. The teacher explained it all confusingly, but it turns out energy needs to be controlled this way."
He Lanrui showed a puzzled expression. He explained it confusingly?
He had practically broken it down and fed it to Jiang Zhongyu piece by piece, and this kid dared to speak like this?
"Good kid," He Lanrui laughed and cursed, wrinkles piling upon wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. No one would dare call his theory unclear except his own student.
Song Xingzhang understood quite well. "At their age, the benefits from discussing among themselves are far better than if you and I were to spoon-feed them every day."
Looking at Chen Sui surrounded in the center, Song Xingzhang's expression showed some nostalgia, as if seeing many years ago. His tone was flat but carried reminiscent sighs: "Weren't you the same back then? Your teacher told you about spirit body editing how many times, and in the end, wasn't it me who taught you?"
He Lanrui, reminded of past events, also reminisced about the old days.
Jiang Zhongyu's situation wasn't a major problem for Chen Sui. After teaching him, she set up energy shielding for several water attribute awakened individuals' mental domains.
At first, some people were resistant. No matter how good energy shielding sounded, it still involved invading the mental domain, creating a strong sense of discomfort.
After He Lanxiu served as an example, Song Yuan sat down with a resolute face, even actively asking Chen Sui to bind her with energy.
Seeing this, Zhou Chen's mouth twitched, and he explained: "No need for that. Commander Song, you'll know once you try—it feels super comfortable."
Song Yuan thought he was just comforting her. Her eyes carried a faint smile as she nodded reservedly: "Thank you."
"Then I'll trouble you," she said formally to Chen Sui.
Beside her, Lu Ting rolled her eyes, puzzled by this pretentious behavior.
She could never understand why Song Yuan was so complicated—liking something yet claiming not to, just like now, clearly uncomfortable but insisting on putting on a strong, calm façade.
Noticing her expression, Simos poked her and coughed lightly, reminding her to manage her facial expressions: "Mascara flipped up will leave marks on your eyelids."
Lu Ting immediately composed herself, fearing damage to her makeup.
On the other side, Xiao Er glanced at them, his gaze slowly shifting to Xie You. Before he could speak, Black Mamba's voice came from the front.
"Don't even think about it, you go too."
Xiao Er was also water attribute.
Hearing this, he lowered his eyes, his ice-blue messy hair covering his eyes.
Xie You turned his head, snake pupils staring at him, his tone threatening: "After we get the equipment, we'll definitely have to fight. If you dare delay me from beating Noya, I'll throw you outside the base station to taste the ice attribute storm."
Xiao Er shrank his chin into his collar timidly, not looking at him, but clearly showing an attitude of agreement.
Lu Ting watched helplessly. Xie You was clearly worried about Xiao Er but had to phrase it so harshly—what an awkward guy.
In fact, they had prepared themselves psychologically, but when Chen Sui's energy finally entered their mental domains, there wasn't the discomfort they had expected.
The wood attribute energy carried a moisturizing and vibrant aura, greatly alleviating the spirit body's fatigue and energy depletion.
Though it was just an energy shield, afterward they felt refreshed and clear-minded.
Zhou Chen clearly noticed several water attribute awakened individuals' eyes lighting up as they looked at Chen Sui.
Their teammates looked over curiously.
Jipuna, seeing Jiang Zhongyu's unceasing smile, couldn't help stepping forward: "I think I also need this shielding. Could I—"
"No," Zhou Chen pulled Chen Sui, who had completed the shielding work, behind him. "Our analyst is closed for business."
"You—" Jipuna was surprised that his good friend had changed faces so quickly and began trying to get close to Zhou Chen.
"That won't work either. Our analyst is resting," Zhou Chen firmly shook his head, looking at several military students who had completed the shielding. "I told you it feels comfortable, you didn't believe me. Now you do, right?"
"You can distrust anyone, but you can always trust our analyst," he finished, clasping his hands together. "The Sui Sect, forever divine."
He Lanxiu returned a shy smile, somewhat embarrassed as he expressed his thanks.
Song Yuan was inwardly surprised, nodding with a smile to Chen Sui.
Chen Sui stood up, pulling Zhou Chen: "Alright, we're leaving too. Let's prepare to get to work."
Several academies finished regrouping and left the base station one after another to search for traces of the White Jade Thunder Serpents.
"What do energy bodies want with monitoring equipment? It doesn't even generate heat. The White Jade Thunder Serpents are about to hibernate, so it's useless anyway."
Zhou Chen followed Chen Sui and Xie Chunshi, with two snow vehicles racing out of the base station.
After getting the monitoring equipment, it would need to be placed at the base station monitoring point. All the academies were cautious, splitting into two groups—one to find the equipment, one to intercept other academies.
Chen Sui drove the snow vehicle, pondering Zhou Chen's question. "What could be special about the energy monitoring equipment?"
"Energy signals? Aren't monitoring devices all about signal fluctuations?"
The monitoring equipment was created by military academy students with the Competition Committee's assistance, also a measure to help update energy field information.
Chen Sui's energy perception spread out. White Jade Thunder Serpents were very typical high-level gregarious creatures. The batch that intercepted them on the snow plain—Xue Yaoyao had mentioned they were an SSS-level energy group, all lightning attribute.
This type of energy body generally lived in areas with strong lightning storms. According to the base station display, there were many lightning attribute concentration areas.
"Where should we go first?" Chen Sui looked at the commander.
Xie Chunshi sent several marked points to the team channel. Chen Sui raised an eyebrow, not understanding his meaning.
Then she heard the young man's steady voice: "Zhou Chen, choose one."
Now it was all about luck—no one could be certain which lightning snake nest would have the White Jade Thunder Serpent carrying the monitoring equipment.
But fortunately, Xie Chunshi thought, the one thing Star Academy Seven didn't fear was relying on luck.
They had the god of luck in their team.
Zhou Chen's expression froze for a moment. Sitting in the back seat, he tried to explain: "Why don't we analyze it? This seems too rash, doesn't it?"
"There's nothing wrong with it. Just pick one," Chen Sui slowly recited his title. "Lucky King, I believe in you."
Zhou Chen shook his head vigorously, closing his eyes, but his hand honestly pointed at the screen: "No, I don't really trust myself."
Chen Sui ignored his words: "You say the monitoring equipment is here."
Zhou Chen numbly repeated after her.
Chen Sui was satisfied. Seeing him looking somewhat helpless, she explained: "Just pick a target, it doesn't matter. They're all White Jade Thunder Serpents. Let's kill them all. No difference."
"If we don't find the equipment, we'll see if they've found it. If they have, it will be ours too."
Chen Sui said casually.
Zhou Chen's little heart trembled at her words. Sis, you're truly straightforward and brutal.
The comment section, having watched Star Academy Seven's livestream for so long, had become accustomed to this style.
[Acceptable, these are words Chen Sui would say]
[This is very Emperor Sui]
[I just said, your Emperor Sui is extremely arrogant]
[White Jade Thunder Serpent, you're unlucky. Why provoke her of all people?]
[Other academies: This monitoring equipment is like a hot potato, who understands what's going on?]
[No matter who gets it, there'll be a fight in the end]
[Now I'm more curious, can the Lucky King's chosen location actually work?]
[She really doesn't look at materials anymore, just relies on the Lucky King. What a great endorsement!]
[Your sister doesn't need materials now. Other academies have filled her spatial buttons pretty well, just missing a few snake scale armors]
[Good, good, I was wondering why everyone was so excited. It's all for the snake scale armor]
Zhou Chen's choice was the western snow mountain's Black Frost Forest, which contained a lightning pool surrounded by mist.
"Wait, why can you drive without a license, but I can't?"
As the snow vehicle drove up the snow mountain, finally stopping outside the Black Frost Forest, mechas jumped down from above. Zhou Chen watched Chen Sui put away the vehicle and suddenly remembered this issue.
Chen Sui raised an eyebrow slightly. "Because it's first come, first served. I sat there first."
She tapped her spatial button, and her mecha drew out the red spear. The spear's wind swept toward the ground, and the ice pillars hanging from the trees were swept away by the wind blade, snapping off and plunging straight into the ground.
That was her pre-battle stance, but Zhou Chen detected some threat in it. So he didn't mention wanting to drive, only thinking that next time he must quickly claim the driver's seat.
Xie Chunshi glanced over, his ear tips twitching, seeming to understand something.
The snow plain was a pale red, with a crimson crescent moon hanging in the sky. The snow layer had thickened again. Large and small ice pillars hung from the black frost trees in the forest—the large ones touching the ground, the small ones still like water droplets.
The mechas moved between the large trees, their legs half-sunk in snow, like wading through a swamp.
The Black Frost Forest had clusters of black smoke gathered above, and the trees were pitch black. This was the Red Moon Snow Plain's special black wood, which had adapted to the environment after long-term lightning attribute infiltration. Some cracks on the top would form different patterns when lightning struck down.
"This is black wood, a low-grade material. This kind of black wood has been tempered by lightning attributes, so its performance should be a bit better."
Chen Sui looked at the grove of trees hanging with frost and ice pillars.
She held onto a tree trunk as she stepped into the interior of the forest.
Zhou Chen touched the black wood. These trees were quite large. He sighed, and as he passed by, he reluctantly said: "This stuff is too big, otherwise we could cut it down and take it with us."
Chen Sui sighed, turning to look at him: "Black wood isn't worth much. Snake scale armor is more valuable. I wonder if we can pull out the White Jade Thunder Serpent's lightning fangs—they'd make good explosive bullets."
Zhou Chen loved hearing her paint such grand pictures—it gave him something to look forward to. He drew out his four-sided mace, his mental domain now energy-rich, eager to test his newly repaired core crystal.
"Little snake, come out quickly!"
As Zhou Chen walked toward the lightning pool in the forest, he chanted under his breath.
His constant muttering didn't summon the White Jade Thunder Serpents but attracted many other energy bodies.
Chen Sui, seeing his eager attitude, stepped back, letting the black gold mecha holding the four-sided mace charge out from behind.
The mecha propelled forward. The four-sided mace, carrying thunderous power, slashed down, directly splitting the ground. The snow layer broke open, snow sliding down into the cracks. The ice layer shattered, with water from below surging up.
The energy body that had crashed into Star Academy Seven's range was blasted apart by the lightning storm, leaving only a charred black body with an energy crystal flickering on the burnt object, still covered in lightning.
Zhou Chen's energy exploded outward, the four-sided mace swinging several times in the Black Frost Forest, bursting out massive lightning, with lightning energy constantly overflowing.
Xie Chunshi picked up the energy crystal, watching the agile attacker dispersing energy in the forest. He glanced at the analyst.
"Is he just too energetic?"
Chen Sui laughed: "He was given too much energy, some of it needs to be released."
Xie Chunshi nodded, his pupils reflecting the Black Frost Forest illuminated by lightning. As lightning struck black wood, electricity traveled along the cracks, instantly lighting up the entire tree like lamp posts planted in the ground.
"Oh?"
Chen Sui's energy continuously scanned the surrounding movements. As Zhou Chen released a lot of lightning, finally putting away his four-sided mace with some reluctance, she suddenly raised an eyebrow.
"Lucky King, in the eyes of White Jade Thunder Serpents, you're like Tang Monk's flesh."
Chen Sui felt the energy released by Zhou Chen and suddenly said. She drew her long spear, quickly marking energy body traces: "Lightning attribute, SSS-level energy body, more than one."
This aura matched the White Jade Thunder Serpent perfectly.
Zhou Chen peered out from the front, hearing her words and just turning to look back.
In the snow layer ground, the cracks carved by his lightning exposed a snow-white body moving within the broken ice layer.
Snake scales flashed a cold, clear metallic light in the still-glowing black wood's illumination.
"Good quality."
Chen Sui's voice sounded in the team channel.
Zhou Chen had just made out the snake's body when a white shadow flashed by. A huge snow-white snake head emerged from beneath the snow layer, its huge mouth opening wide, teeth bared, biting down toward him.
"Holy—"
"Roar!"
The White Jade Thunder Serpent let out an angry roar. The howling cold wind carried a bloody smell, blowing him backward.
The black gold mecha retreated several meters, the four-sided mace stabbing into the snow surface as his figure was blown back.
Chen Sui's long spear swayed in front of her. As Zhou Chen retreated, she darted upward, leaping into the air, thrusting the spear directly toward the White Jade Thunder Serpent.
The White Jade Thunder Serpent's jade-like vertical pupils stared ahead. Its huge body twisted out from beneath the snow layer, its tail swinging to cut down black wood. Scales sliced through the snow layer, its upper body rising, forked tongue flicking out, emitting a hiss.
Chen Sui's long spear thrust toward its open mouth. The White Jade Thunder Serpent condensed a bolt of lightning in front of itself.
Chen Sui's eyes turned cold. A flash of green light burst from her body, a thunderbolt exploding from the green light. An extremely ordinary small flower silhouette bloomed, lightning striking out, directly breaking through the White Jade Thunder Serpent's lightning attack.
This allowed her to pass through, the long spear stabbing toward the snake's mouth.
"Bang—"
The White Jade Thunder Serpent's teeth clamped down. The long spear collided with its teeth, making an impact sound, followed by metal clashing, sparks flying.
In the crack, several bodies surged like flowing water, about to emerge from the depths.
Xie Chunshi and Zhou Chen looked at each other, darting out simultaneously.
Chen Sui's long spear crossed, immediately kicking the White Jade Thunder Serpent with a powerful foot to its head, then flashing back, joining her teammates in midair.
"There are two more below."
"They're quite sensible, knowing it's three-on-three," Zhou Chen's eyes lit up. He made a sound of excitement, about to continue speaking.
Xie Chunshi anticipated that what followed wouldn't be good. With one hand holding the cannon, he covered Zhou Chen's mouth: "That's enough."
Zhou Chen paused, changing his tone: "I mean, this is good, let's keep it this way."
Even if more came, he could handle them, but better not to tempt fate.
Chen Sui glanced at him, seeing lightning entwined around his four-sided mace. She brought out dual cannons. "Lucky King, shall I assist you this time?"
Zhou Chen showed a hint of surprise: "Really?"
"Really, want to fight or not?"
Chen Sui raised her gun. This was a good opportunity for Zhou Chen to release his excess mental domain energy.
Zhou Chen became serious, his hand gripping the four-sided mace tightly, his tone passionate: "Of course I'll fight!"
As soon as he finished speaking, all three White Jade Thunder Serpents emerged, their bodies intertwining on the snow surface, making it momentarily difficult to distinguish what was snow and what was serpent body.
Zhou Chen rushed out: "Which one do we attack first?"
Chen Sui aimed her cannon: "The right one!"
She set up her energy cannon and fired toward the left. The White Jade Thunder Serpent was attracted by the energy source, looking toward where the energy burst, its pupils dilating, showing some covetousness.
Xie Chunshi was holding Chen Sui's dual cannons. His control cannon carried a layer of ice attribute energy. As the White Jade Thunder Serpent moved to the left, he fired at the seven-inch position on the snake's body. The ice attribute energy exploded along the White Jade Thunder Serpent's direction, with fire shackles growing along the low-temperature direction, directly controlling the White Jade Thunder Serpent on the snow surface.
"Hiss—"
The White Jade Thunder Serpent let out a struggling roar.
But the Star Academy Seven trio paid it no attention. After Xie Chunshi controlled the other two White Jade Thunder Serpents on the snow surface with a few cannon shots, the three of them rushed to the right.
Zhou Chen gripped the four-sided mace, closing the distance. When he got close to the White Jade Thunder Serpent, the long mace pounded on the snake's body. Lightning like long whips lashed at the White Jade Thunder Serpent.
Chen Sui clenched her palm, and Wood-Born Flower grew in the frost forest. Faint green energy grew along the black wood of the frost forest. After circling the trees many times, it explored toward the center, with vines encircling the White Jade Thunder Serpent's body.
The snake's body was enormous. The vines had to extend very far before completely binding the snake's tail.
The vines moved along the White Jade Thunder Serpent's body.
As Zhou Chen's lightning whipped the White Jade Thunder Serpent, it constantly struggled. Lightning rippled outward, nearly blasting Zhou Chen away. Wood-Born Flower's vines behind him suddenly pushed him forcefully forward.
Zhou Chen was caught off guard and was thrown directly in front of the White Jade Thunder Serpent's head, face-to-face with its cold vertical pupils.
"Is this what you call assisting me?"
He cried out in terror, frantically swinging his four-sided mace forward.
"Roar—"
The White Jade Thunder Serpent was enraged. It opened its huge mouth and roared. Its body condensed a lightning web, with electricity bursting everywhere.
The energy storm broke free, cutting down the surrounding black wood. The ground was split by the lightning from the snake's body, with electricity shooting in all directions.
Chen Sui quickly dodged among the lightning, responding to Zhou Chen: "Well, did I assist you or not?"
After speaking, her energy fluctuation locked onto the White Jade Thunder Serpent's energy crystal position.
"Wood-Born Flower!"
With Chen Sui's command, the vines entangling the White Jade Thunder Serpent, still flickering with electricity, contracted around it, lifting the entire serpent.
Exposing the energy crystal location on the snake's belly.
"With so much lightning, I can't get in."
Zhou Chen's four-sided mace formed a lightning web in front of him, defending against the White Jade Thunder Serpent's lightning attacks. As he watched the snake's body controlled by Wood-Born Flower, he swung his four-sided mace, extending its bamboo joints.
Chen Sui clicked her tongue lightly. Her rapidly moving figure turned, darting past him.
While Zhou Chen was still puzzled, she charged directly into the lightning web.
Lightning swept wildly, with savage attack energy rushing straight at Chen Sui's mecha. The black gold mecha swept its long spear, green light enveloping her, the core crystal rotating in her mind.
Energy devouring activated. Behind the mecha suddenly appeared a cluster of flowers. Any lightning attribute energy approaching the black gold mecha was instantly devoured and disappeared.
The White Jade Thunder Serpent's tongue movement paused, its vertical pupils contracting, sensing the crisis of energy loss. It immediately pulled back its lightning. The black gold mecha's long spear seized the opportunity, her wrist suddenly exerting force, piercing through flesh with a "squelch."
"Thud!"
Chen Sui stomped on Wood-Born Flower's vines. The mecha gripped the long spear, penetrating the White Jade Thunder Serpent's belly. The spear head rotated, spinning out a layer of flesh residue.
"Xie Chunshi, the knife," Chen Sui called to the other side.
The commander, who was occupying the other two White Jade Thunder Serpents in midair, drew out his energy-reducing knife and spun it toward her.
Chen Sui held the long spear with one hand, thrusting forward. The White Jade Thunder Serpent's body was pushed out, layer after layer of snow being pushed aside, piling up behind it like a small mountain.
The ground was carved out into a clean ice surface by the dragging.
The White Jade Thunder Serpent was driven two miles by the long spear. One by one, black wood trees were pushed down and broken by its body. Finally, it crashed into a thick plant, and only then did the figure pierced by Chen Sui stop.
Before it could move again, the vines contracted once more, hanging the White Jade Thunder Serpent up.
Chen Sui gripped the spinning energy-reducing knife, stabbing downward with the blade.
"Zing—"
The energy-reducing knife blade collided with the White Jade Thunder Serpent's scales, emitting a crisp sound.
Followed by a ripping sound—
The energy-reducing knife pierced the White Jade Thunder Serpent's scales, tearing open a large gash, with fresh blood gushing out.
"Roar! Roar—"
The White Jade Thunder Serpent violently twisted its body.
Chen Sui's long spear directly pierced through it, stabbing into the tree behind. The spear head stuck out from the other side of the large tree, with only the hand-grip part remaining outside the snake's body.
The energy-reducing knife cut into the scales. Chen Sui didn't immediately slice them off but turned the blade and stabbed it directly into the White Jade Thunder Serpent's flesh.
Zhou Chen watched as she gripped the scales with one hand and the energy-reducing knife with the other.
Both hands exerted force simultaneously. The mecha propelled sideways, quickly flashing to the side.
"Swish—"
The White Jade Thunder Serpent let out an urgent hiss. Its tongue twitched, and its fangs were fully exposed, upper and lower jaws bared.
"Commander, pull the teeth!"
Chen Sui's voice sounded from the distance.
Zhou Chen looked over and saw her tearing off the White Jade Thunder Serpent's outer layer of scales with one hand, and slicing off huge chunks of flesh with the energy-reducing knife in the other.
The White Jade Thunder Serpent's midsection suddenly became much thinner, with blood covering its entire body.
Xie Chunshi quickly approached from the distance. Chen Sui spun the energy-reducing knife back to him.
The blade faced downward, directly bursting out an ice crystal.
The White Jade Thunder Serpent hadn't expected that its howl would result in losing its lightning fangs.
The moment the huge teeth broke off, vines wrapped around the broken lightning fangs, incidentally carrying Xie Chunshi's mecha, retreating.
"What are you staring at? Get the energy crystal!"
Xie Chunshi landed beside Zhou Chen, pushing him forward as lightning flickered on his four-sided mace.
Zhou Chen snapped out of his daze from Chen Sui's violent tearing method, and as soon as he reacted, vines bound him, directly pulling him to the White Jade Thunder Serpent's front.
The vines' restraint loosened. The White Jade Thunder Serpent, with only a long spear pinning it in place, quickly twisted its body, pulling the long spear out from the black wood. It crashed heavily to the ground, raising its body. Its tail lifted, sweeping frantically around, lightning exploding, attacking indiscriminately in all directions.
"Ah, how do I fight this," Zhou Chen came over and was immediately struck by electricity, instantly letting out a cry of pain.
"Match lightning with lightning!" Chen Sui watched him constantly dodging and called out.
Zhou Chen's high agility was fully displayed at this moment. The black gold mecha moved swiftly, with lightning striking down, leaving only a black shadow without touching the mecha at all.
Chen Sui and Xie Chunshi lured away the other two White Jade Thunder Serpents from a distance. Seeing Zhou Chen's complex evasion tactics, the two exchanged glances, both somewhat helpless.
Her words made Zhou Chen realize.
While dodging a lightning strike from the White Jade Thunder Serpent, Zhou Chen suddenly turned, nimbly leaping back. Wood-Born Flower's vines crossed in midair, giving him many footholds.
Zhou Chen was surprised to find that Chen Sui could precisely predict his footsteps.
"You really are assisting me!" Zhou Chen exclaimed excitedly. He circled the White Jade Thunder Serpent, lightning dispersing the White Jade Thunder Serpent's energy, directly lashing at the exposed flesh where scales had been torn off, making the White Jade Thunder Serpent violently convulse again and again.
Finally, he settled in front of the White Jade Thunder Serpent. The four-sided mace's bamboo joints disconnected, and with his swing, a shocking thunderbolt struck out.
"Boom!!"
The White Jade Thunder Serpent was directly blown away by this lightning.
"Wow, is this the power I can unleash?" Zhou Chen was amazed.
This strike opened a switch in him, making him increasingly adept at controlling the energy in his mental domain.
Black Arrow Hawk let out a cry, directly soaring from behind him into the sky.
A lightning bolt shot from Black Arrow Hawk's long beak, electrifying the White Jade Thunder Serpent that had crashed into the snow, making its entire body convulse.
"Hurry up, there are two more."
Chen Sui urged.
When the White Jade Thunder Serpent flipped over, exposing its belly, Zhou Chen suddenly sprang up, the four-sided mace's bamboo joints spreading in all directions, revealing internal spikes. He violently thrust down the steel needles.
"Squelch!"
The steel needles stabbed down at the location Chen Sui had indicated.
"Damage level—"
"Not necessary," Chen Sui waved her hand. Zhou Chen thus exerted no control, directly releasing a lightning storm from his body, bright enough to light up the night sky, making the entire snow surface snow-white. The Black Frost Forest was like a high-wattage light had been turned on, instantly dazzling.
Lightning followed the four-sided mace, directly gathering on the steel needles.
"Boom!!"
An extremely powerful explosion sounded!
The ground snow layer trembled several times. The black wood, already swaying unstably from the White Jade Thunder Serpent's impact, finally toppled over.
An invisible shock wave spread outward.
The White Jade Thunder Serpent's body was severed into two pieces, a purple crystal core flickering within the lightning.
Zhou Chen folded up his four-sided mace, turning with a hearty laugh.
"I'm this strong? I'm terrifyingly strong now!"
Black Arrow Hawk opened its beak with a cry. A lightning bolt ran along its flight path, flashing and exploding in midair.
Xie Chunshi and Chen Sui controlled the other two White Jade Thunder Serpents, letting Zhou Chen unleash all his abundant lightning energy.
The SSS-level energy crystal's damage level increased, making its use value extremely low.
After dealing with the White Jade Thunder Serpent, Zhou Chen looked at the energy crystal with some regret: "This is an SSS-level energy crystal, and your brother ruined it. Tsk."
"Don't worry about it," Chen Sui saw his somewhat depressed expression and comforted him: "With the lightning attribute energy completely depleted, the White Jade Thunder Serpent's energy was already insufficient. The energy crystal's utilization was poor to begin with."
All the lightning attribute energy from the entire Red Moon Snow Plain was in Zhou Chen, after all.
Zhou Chen realized this point and nervously touched his nose tip. "Oh, in that case, it's fine."
"Let's go to the lightning pool. Why would White Jade Thunder Serpents appear in the Black Frost Forest? Could they have sensed your lightning attribute energy?"
Chen Sui's walking pace paused slightly. Her gaze fell on Zhou Chen, seemingly pondering something.
Zhou Chen felt a chill run down his spine, sensing this look didn't bode well. He silently retreated a step, moving closer to the commander.
Xie Chunshi glanced at him, stepping toward Chen Sui, creating distance between them.
This action made Zhou Chen's eyes widen.
"What are you afraid of?"
Chen Sui asked curiously. Her slightly hoarse voice echoed in the Black Frost Forest, accompanied by the rustling of cold wind, making one shiver.
Zhou Chen feigned composure: "N-nothing."
"It should be the lightning attribute energy fluctuations that attracted the White Jade Thunder Serpents."
Chen Sui discussed with Xie Chunshi.
Zhou Chen crouched down, looking up at them, feeling as if he was about to face misfortune again.
Chen Sui thought for a moment: "Then let's have him lure the snake group away, while we search the lightning pool?"
Xie Chunshi's gaze fell on Zhou Chen, suddenly saying: "We should have brought Puluo's shield."
"Doesn't matter, Zhou Chen runs fast."
Chen Sui had great confidence in Zhou Chen.
Hearing this, Zhou Chen finally understood where that ominous premonition came from. He raised his hand in protest: "Is it me again who has to lure away the energy bodies?"
"Can't we switch to someone else?!"
Last time the purple-winged golden butterfly group had nearly exhausted him to death. Fortunately, he had encountered Jacques Delot in the Silent Monument Forest.
Now there was no Jacques Delot to lighten his burden.
"No."
Chen Sui coldly refused. Seeing Zhou Chen hugging his head, looking somewhat dejected, she comforted him: "White Jade Thunder Serpents are relatively rare in the Red Moon Snow Plain. There shouldn't be many. You lure them away, then just shake them off and run."
Not as numerous as the swarming purple-winged golden butterflies.
Zhou Chen was half-convinced: "Really?"
Being struck by a few lightning bolts feels completely different from being struck by a group of them.
Having persuaded Zhou Chen, the three quickly advanced toward the lightning pool.
The Black Frost Forest was perpetually covered in ice, only near the lightning pool was the temperature higher than elsewhere due to the massive lightning storms. Chen Sui noticed the Red Moon Snow Plain's temperature rising, indicating they were nearing the lightning pool.
Xie Chunshi observed the surrounding terrain and pointed out a spot to Zhou Chen: "Just stand there."
The location he indicated was a sloping precipice, with a canyon below it. The other side of the canyon was the Red Moon Snow Plain's high-altitude snow mountain.
"Release all your excess energy, direct it at the black wood. The White Jade Thunder Serpents will come once they smell it."
Chen Sui advised.
White Jade Thunder Serpents were sensitive to lightning attributes. The energy in the Red Moon Snow Plain's lightning pool was enough for them to shelter through the long red moon state. But now, after Wood-Born Flower's devouring, the lightning pool's energy had dropped precipitously, and the White Jade Thunder Serpents were urgently seeking new lightning sources.
Zhou Chen's mecha propelled forward, heading toward the position Xie Chunshi had pointed out.
Xie Chunshi and Chen Sui, with a layer of shielding set up by the analyst, quickly approached the lightning pool through the black wood.
Zhou Chen induced lightning, with Black Arrow Hawk circling the snow mountain, letting out long cries, the echo resounding.
Lightning flashed brightly, directly illuminating half the sky. The massive lightning energy instantly spread.
Chen Sui could sense the energy fluctuations in the distance. As the black gold mecha approached the lightning pool, beneath the snow surface, the ice layer undulated. Serpentine bodies leaped from the lightning pool, burrowing into the snow layer like pupae.
One White Jade Thunder Serpent after another moved. Energy fluctuations were sensed and transmitted back.
"Something seems off," Chen Sui and Xie Chunshi hid behind black frost tree trunks, watching deep black lightning pool where White Jade Thunder Serpents emerged. "Does the Red Moon Snow Plain have so many SSS-level White Jade Thunder Serpents in one lightning pool?"
Are they treating SSS-level like cabbage? Mass-producing them?
Chen Sui's words scared Zhou Chen: "Ah? Can I still outrun them then?"
"Run faster," Chen Sui comforted him. "I've upgraded Shadowhawk's propulsion system."
Zhou Chen wasn't comforted at all and immediately burst into tears: "Wah, can't we switch someone else next time?"
Chen Sui laughed, trying to reassure him: "It'll just be a small group. They won't be as bad as those purple-winged golden butterflies, I promise."
Seeing his still skeptical face, she continued analyzing the White Jade Thunder Serpents' movement from the lightning pool: "From what I can see, they're rushing toward you because of the energy signal—they've been starving since the lightning energy was depleted. Your concentrated energy is irresistible to them."
Zhou Chen mechanically nodded, still unconvinced but resigned to his fate.
"Fine," he sighed. "I'll do it, but only because you have faith in me."
The plan was set. As promised, Zhou Chen positioned himself on the precipice, deliberately flaring his energy signature to attract the serpents while Chen Sui and Xie Chunshi stealthily approached the lightning pool.
When Chen Sui and Xie Chunshi reached the pool's edge, the analyst paused, her perception sensing something unusual.
"The energy signal here is strange," she whispered, pointing toward a particular rock cavern entrance at the side of the pool. "I can't quite identify the attribute or signal—it's as if my perception is being blocked."
This was unusual. Generally, an analyst's energy perception could precisely capture attribute signals and judge energy body levels based on energy fluctuations. But this energy fluctuation seemed deliberately obscured.
Xie Chunshi immediately understood: "It's a concealment energy body."
Both recalled the previous encounters—during the lightning snow that separated Star Academy Seven and when entering the main base station when White Jade Thunder Serpents suddenly appeared. Each time, a high concealment attribute energy body had masked the energy fluctuations.
"Besides the energy body fluctuation, there's another signal. It feels familiar," Chen Sui said softly.
Xie Chunshi looked at her, speculating: "It could be the special signal from the monitoring equipment."
Chen Sui's eyes brightened. They exchanged glances, instinctively charging into the cavern together.
As they ventured deeper, the signal grew stronger. Following their refined perception, they moved swiftly through the narrow passages, avoiding potential traps.
Meanwhile, Zhou Chen was having a less pleasant experience. His dramatic energy display had indeed attracted attention—far more than anticipated. A writhing mass of White Jade Thunder Serpents now pursued him across the snowy landscape, their electric charges creating a spectacular but dangerous light show against the darkness.
"This is way more than 'a few'!" he shouted into the team channel, leaping frantically from ledge to ledge as lightning bolts struck where he'd stood moments before. "Did the entire species decide to show up?"
Despite his complaints, Zhou Chen's Black Arrow Hawk soared above him, drawing some of the attacks and giving him crucial moments to reposition. His improved core crystal allowed him to access unprecedented speed and reflexes, making what would have been certain death merely extremely difficult.
Back in the cavern, Chen Sui and Xie Chunshi had reached a larger chamber. Their lights illuminated walls lined with strange crystalline formations—not natural, but carefully arranged.
"Look," Chen Sui pointed to a central altar-like structure. There, nestled among what appeared to be offerings of energy crystals, was the monitoring equipment.
"It's being... worshipped?" Xie Chunshi's voice contained rare surprise.
Chen Sui approached cautiously, her perception now picking up subtle energy patterns she hadn't detected before. The monitoring equipment wasn't just sitting there—it was actively transmitting, its signal pattern matching nothing in standard military protocols.
"This isn't just monitoring energy fields," she said slowly. "It's broadcasting something—a signal pattern I've never seen before."
As she reached for the device, a shadow moved at the chamber's far end. Both Star Academy Seven members froze, weapons ready.
A massive White Jade Thunder Serpent, far larger than any they'd encountered, slithered into view. Its scales didn't merely reflect light—they seemed to absorb and transmute it, creating an eerie glow that cast no shadows.
"The guardian," Xie Chunshi whispered. "SSS-level at minimum."
Chen Sui nodded, already calculating attack patterns. "The mother of the nest. She's using the equipment as some kind of communication device."
The guardian serpent's vertical pupils fixed on them, intelligent and calculating in a way that typical energy bodies weren't. It made no immediate move to attack, instead coiling protectively around the altar.
"We need a diversion," Chen Sui muttered, her mind racing through options.
As if on cue, the cavern trembled. Zhou Chen's voice crackled through their communication system: "Uh, guys? I may have led them back toward you. Sorry about that!"
The distant rumble of dozens of serpents pursuing Zhou Chen created the perfect distraction. The guardian's head swiveled toward the sound, momentarily losing focus on the intruders.
Chen Sui didn't hesitate. Wood-Born Flower exploded from her, vines shooting toward both the monitoring equipment and the guardian's head simultaneously.
What followed was chaos—lightning, ice, and plant energy clashing in a spectacular battle. The guardian proved formidable, its attacks coordinated and precise where other serpents had been merely powerful but predictable.
Xie Chunshi's ice barriers bought crucial seconds as Chen Sui's vines wrapped around the equipment, yanking it free just as Zhou Chen burst into the chamber, a horde of White Jade Thunder Serpents right behind him.
"I thought you said there wouldn't be many!" he shouted, still somehow managing to sound both terrified and exhilarated.
"Change of plans," Chen Sui called back, tossing him the equipment. "Get this out while we handle the guardian!"
Zhou Chen caught the device, immediately recognizing its significance. With renewed purpose, he spun, Black Arrow Hawk manifesting fully as he charged back through the entrance, drawing most of the smaller serpents with him.
The guardian, realizing its treasure was escaping, lunged with shocking speed. Xie Chunshi barely managed to deflect its strike, ice splintering under the impact.
"Time to test your new limits," Chen Sui said to her commander, a rare smile crossing her face as Wood-Born Flower expanded to its full glory, filling the chamber with vibrant green energy.
Together, they faced the guardian, their coordinated attacks gradually overwhelming even this exceptional opponent. When the final blow came, it was Chen Sui who delivered it—her spear piercing precisely through the serpent's energy core location, guided by her flawless perception.
As they emerged from the cavern, equipment secured and guardian defeated, they found Zhou Chen waiting, having somehow managed to evade or defeat his pursuers.
"So," he said, breathing hard but looking immensely proud, "did I mention I'm amazing at running away?"
Chen Sui couldn't help but laugh. "You did well. Now let's get this back to base station before anyone else decides to worship it."
As they departed, none noticed the subtle energy pattern still emanating from the device—a pattern that, unknown to them, was being received in places far beyond the Red Moon Snow Plain.