Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune: Starting with death row inmates

"I went down the well myself and killed that beast," Shen Chen said to Wei Xiong as he stood up.

Wei Xiong's expression changed, and he immediately tried to dissuade him: "How can you risk your life? The business of this salt well depends entirely on you..."

Shen Chen said, "It's alright, Brother Wei. I know my limits. This mere beast can't hurt me."

Wei Xiong was still worried: "I'll go down with you."

"That beast is incredibly clever. It sensed Brother Wei's true energy and fled without a trace. I can go down alone," Shen Chen said.

Wei Xiong tried to persuade him further, but Shen Chen said, "My mind is made up. Brother Wei, please don't try to persuade me anymore. I really want the reputation of subduing this wicked serpent!"

Helpless, Wei Xiong put down his knife and clenched his fist: "If you can withstand this punch from me, I'll allow you to go down."

Shen Chen said, "Then please make your move, Brother Wei."

No sooner had Shen Chen finished speaking than Wei Xiong's fist, as big as a jealous vat, was already at his feet. This punch was more of a sneak attack, extremely fast, and impossible to defend against.

Wei Xiong thought Shen Chen wouldn't be able to withstand the punch, but the next second, his fist hit nothing but air.

Shen Chen's faint laughter rang out: "Brother Wei, didn't you even inform me before throwing a punch?"

Wei Xiong looked at Shen Chen, who had retreated three feet away, in astonishment. He really did not expect Shen Chen to have such reaction speed and footwork.

"Alright, tie a rope and go down." Wei Xiong nodded. After witnessing Shen Chen's displayed strength, he was certain that Shen Chen indeed had the ability to kill the Bloodthirsty Python.

Shen Chen tied the rope around his waist and gradually descended into the salt well.

Below the salt well was a mining tunnel, where unidentified natural minerals emitted a faint white glow in the darkness.

The air was filled with a salty, foul smell, like the smell of rotten fish and shrimp that had been left to dry on the beach for three days.

Shen Chen activated the Extreme Yang Breathing Technique, and the nauseating smell at the tip of his nose finally dissipated and lessened somewhat.

He looked into the darkness, his ears twitched, and an irregular sliding sound came from within.

Shen Chen held the knife in both hands, protecting himself.

[Good fortune: You strike a bloodthirsty python accurately from behind; auspicious.]

[Bad omen: You thrust your knife towards the source of the sound, but only hit the snake's tail, and were bitten in return. Ominous.]

Shen Chen suddenly turned around and drew his knife, the tip of which immediately pierced into a soft spot.

"Hiss!" A huge python head suddenly appeared from the darkness, hissing and flicking its tongue.

Shen Chen's knife did not hit its vital organs, but only left a shallow cut on its abdomen.

This bloodthirsty python was nine feet long and as thick as a bucket. It was crimson in color, and most strangely, it had two protrusions on its head, which looked like a pair of horns.

The bloodthirsty python showed no anger after being poked; it glared at Shen Chen with a deep look, and a hint of intense, human hatred appeared in its eyes.

It made a noise with its tail, but actually its head was wrapped around Shen Chen's back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Unfortunately, it failed.

This bloodthirsty python has been in this salt well for some time now. At first, it only drank the brine, but after tasting human blood, it became unstoppable and ate several people in a row. Now it has even figured out some techniques.

Shen Chen's pupils contracted slightly; this ferocious beast was even more terrifying than he had anticipated.

He swung his blade again, but this time the Bloodthirsty Python hooked its head and dodged with lightning speed, the blade striking a nearby rock and sparks flying.

"Such speed." Shen Chen's heart tightened; he hadn't even seen how the Bloodthirsty Python dodged.

After the Bloodthirsty Python dodged, it swept its tail across the ground, trying to trip Shen Chen, but Shen Chen reacted just as quickly. He leaped to a safe distance.

"This beast is much faster than me. Only by relying on luck to predict its movements can I barely dodge its attacks..." Shen Chen analyzed calmly. "But its defense is very weak. If I can hit it with one strike, I can kill it."

"Hiss hiss hiss." The Bloodthirsty Python flicked its tongue and hissed. Like a whip smeared with blood, it kept charging at Shen Chen. After multiple attacks, wounds gradually appeared on Shen Chen's body, and the air was filled with the smell of blood.

Upon smelling the blood on Shen Chen, a strong sense of greed flashed in the eyes of the bloodthirsty python. It had eaten many people, but none of their blood had ever tasted so delicious!

It immediately went into a frenzy and began to attack Shen Chen wildly. Its tail slapped against the rock wall next to it, shaking down a pile of rocks and making the whole mine seem to shake!

Shen Chen kept retreating, but while dodging, he lost his footing and stepped into a slippery patch of braised water, falling to the ground with a thud.

good chance!

The bloodthirsty python's eyes gleamed, and without the slightest hesitation, it immediately opened its blood-red maw and lunged at Shen Chen, a stench wafting towards him.

"Finally, they fell for it."

The next second, Shen Chen, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly changed his aura. His forearm muscles became as hard as a rock, and he stomped his legs on the ground. His long sword, carrying an unparalleled momentum, stabbed fiercely into the throat of the Bloodthirsty Python.

"prick!"

The slash was swift, precise, and ruthless, piercing the throat of the bloodthirsty python in an instant. The blade protruded from the python's head, bringing out red and white brain matter.

This Bloodthirsty Python is extremely fast. There is only one way to kill it: make it run right into the gun barrel!

[Good fortune: You deliberately create an opening to lure the Bloodthirsty Python into attacking, then seize the opportunity to kill it with a single blow]

The bloodthirsty python writhed on the ground for a while, its corpse gradually hardening until it finally became completely still.

Shen Chen dragged the corpse of the Bloodthirsty Python to the bottom of the well, tugged on the rope, and immediately heard Wei Xiong's anxious voice from above: "Brother Shen, how are you?"

"I'm fine, I've already killed that Bloodthirsty Python," Shen Chen shouted.

Wei Xiong pulled Shen Chen up to the wellhead, and then the others went down into the well and together dragged out the corpse of the Bloodthirsty Python.

The moment they saw the python's corpse, everyone gasped in shock.

"What a huge python!"

"I've never seen anything this big before. No wonder it could swallow a person whole..."

"Look at the top of its head, isn't that a sign that it's about to transform into a dragon?"

Wei Xiong examined the corpse on the ground, patted Shen Chen on the shoulder, and exclaimed, "Brother Shen, you are truly a hidden master! You managed to kill such a ferocious beast."

Shen Chen smiled and said, "It was just a lucky break."

He turned around and shouted to his men, "This beast has eaten several of our brothers; tonight we'll cook it up and have it as a snack with our drinks!"

The meat of such ferocious beasts is highly nutritious for martial artists and often commands a high price. Shen Chen's willingness to share it naturally drew cheers from his subordinates: "Thank you, Master Shen! You're so generous!"

Wei Xiong glanced at the corpse of the Bloodthirsty Python and suddenly whispered to Shen Chen, "This python is quite remarkable. I've never seen one with these two bumps on its head before."

Shen Chen's heart stirred: "In that case, let's keep this snake head as a keepsake."