Chapter 546: Chapter 277: Sword of Lingering Radiant Flame
Xia Nan had naturally noticed the kneeling Priest’s corpse beneath the idol, offering a devout prayer.
But honestly, at the time, like the other adventurers, his attention was drawn to the magic wand on the altar and didn’t carefully observe, as there was nothing remarkable about the figure’s back.
Until later, the corpse was shot dead by a Ranger’s arrow, and internal strife broke out within the adventurer team, and thus he completely disregarded the dead body.
But unexpectedly...
"Buzz."
The iron-grey sword glow flashed through the air, and the Beheading Longsword was sheathed in an instant.
Scorching heatwaves rushed to the sides, the sudden temperature difference causing fine mist to condense around.
Crimson flames traced an arc like a setting sun before him, and the Wooden Sword [Green Pine] was already gripped in his hand.
A feeling of impending danger burst from within, causing Xia Nan to instinctively retreat, maintaining a distance from the corpse ahead.
From the corner of his eye, it was unprecedented; the almost tangible flame stream flowing on the Wooden Sword’s surface, the blazing and dazzling flame.
Doubt lingered in his heart.
In this state, just from its appearance, it was no longer explainable by a simple "15% Yang Flame damage."
"What exactly is this thing?"
His pitch-black eyes, reflecting the firelight, stared at the body lying quietly under the altar.
His whole body tensed, breathing deeply and unsteadily.
He was already prepared for combat.
"Huh..."
Still that kind of hoarse sound squeezed from deep within the throat.
Dark purple, twig-like fingertips twitched slightly on the ground, the filthy Priest Robe full of slashing wrinkles.
The swaying, emaciated figure, much like a bedridden patient, rose slowly and awkwardly, in a frail and distorted stance.
Not even glancing back at Xia Nan standing in the distance, still maintaining the posture before the arrow pierced through.
Yet Xia Nan dared not lower his guard.
Even if at this moment it appeared harmless, the Wooden Sword in his hand, so hot he could barely hold, indicated the danger far beyond that of ordinary corpses, even higher than that previous plump Knight.
Perhaps Green Pine’s response was too intense, the red flame almost lighting up half the chapel was finally noticed by the sluggish, slow-moving corpse.
Stepping sluggishly, it turned around.
Thus Xia Nan caught a glimpse of why the Wooden Sword burned as if igniting the air.
Not just its identity as an undead creature, but those layers of slick, glossy dark green scales—
Snake scales!
Not evenly covered, these snake scales were like some living fungus, clustering and growing on the shriveled surface of the mummy’s skin.
Varying in size, arranged haphazardly, the edges sharp, especially at the joints.
Like armor, yet the gaps between the scales revealed deeply cracked purple skin, evoking an intense discomfort with its mottled look.
The corpse itself hadn’t much differed in appearance from those Xia Nan had seen before.
Only under the neck and on the left shoulder there were huge, terrifying tears, not healed, the wounds simply arrested in time, revealing violet-red decayed flesh curled and hardened.
The dark green snake scales seemed to emerge from these wounds, tightly populating near the wounds and then growing sparse and twisted as if infected by a strange disease that allowed these snake-scale colonies to thrive.
"No wonder..." Xia Nan muttered in his heart.
No wonder Green Pine reacted so fiercely, the corpse before him was not just a common undead; the dim, murky scales on its body, and those empty eye sockets with turbid, lifeless vertical pupils, already revealed the serpent bloodline within.
And this meant...
"+15% damage to Undead Creatures (Yang Flame)" and "+20% damage to Snake and Scorpion-type creatures (Yang Flame)."
The two types of enhancement stacked simultaneously at this moment!
If not for its special identity from the Exotic Secret Realm, and being blue-quality as the base of the equipment.
Xia Nan even suspected the scorching flames embracing the sword could ignite the entire Wooden Sword.
In fact, at this moment, Green Pine was no different than being set ablaze.
The blazing flames covering the whole sword from the hilt had enveloped the entire blade, revealing a near-scorched brown red in the originally black and supple wood.
"Looking at it this way, there are still some oversights."
Feeling the searing heat on his palm, Xia Nan watched tightly at the snake scale corpse, murmuring inwardly.
If only he’d noticed the corpse’s peculiarity sooner, he should have kept Marcus a little while longer, not revealed himself or acted so early, allowing Marcus to probe the foe’s reality for him.
Reviewing the strategy in his mind, yet his face showed no regret, as there was no point beating himself over it at this stage.
Now, only two paths lay before Xia Nan.
Fight or retreat.
The latter, he could possibly withdraw safely with all the spoils of the journey from Grey Valley.
But it also meant missing out on the most precious treasure and the magic wand.
Xia Nan didn’t consider himself exceedingly greedy, but it was unrealistic to walk away without trying when such a treasure lay ahead.
At least... test the foe’s depth first, if even with doubled enhancement stacking and Green Pine fully fired up, he is still no match for the enemy before him.
Then he would wisely retreat rather than stubbornly risking his life here.