An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

"W-What is this monster? It's gigantic!" Eyes widened in disbelief as everyone took in the size of the

monstrous creature that resembled both a serpent and a python.

Nobody expected to find such a monstrous beast within the palace.

With its enormous body, blood-red eyes, gaping, blood-filled mouth, and imposing presence, a single

glance sent shivers down their spines, inducing fear.

It didn't matter if they were a low-level martial artist, a divine-level martial artist, or a grandmaster like

Aidan, they felt like they had come face to face with a formidable enemy.

Even the mutant wolves and Onyxclaw, previously engaged in frenzied combat with humans, halted

their aggression.

They trembled uncontrollably, intimidated by the serpent's aura. It was a suppression rooted in

bloodlines and a fear ingrained in biological instincts.

The black serpent let out a thunderous roar, and a row of bone spikes suddenly shot up behind its

head.

In an instant, a violent gust of wind swept through, tossing sand and stones into the air. An

overwhelming dominance radiated from its massive body.

Several dozen massive wolves nearby howled in agony and collapsed to the ground, with urine and

feces flowing freely.

Even the silver wolf king, with its tail tucked between its legs, shivered and howled incessantly.

As for the Onyxclaw that was drenched in crimson from head to toe, it turned around as if it had faced

its ultimate enemy and bolted away, disappearing without a trace.

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The majestic king of beasts had been scared into a hasty retreat.

While the humans were not as perceptive as the monstrous beasts, they were still greatly shaken and

filled with panic. The serpent's presence was just too overwhelming.

Its massive body stretched out horizontally, resembling a speeding train.

"Damn it! This monster looks seriously tough. What do we do now?"

"What can we do? The monster is guarding the entrance to the palace. If we want to get in and grab

the treasures, we'll have to take it down!"

"Alright, brave souls! Let's take it on together. Anyone who hesitates is a damn coward!"

Although the black serpent appeared fearsome, the group swiftly rallied their determination, fueled by

personal self-interest. Cracking their knuckles, they readied for the confrontation.

However, despite their aggressive stances, no one dared make the first move. After all, the extent of

the serpent's strength remained unknown.

The only certainty they had was that this black serpent was more formidable than the Onxyclaw they

had faced earlier

"Mr. Ridge, you're a martial arts grandmaster and the strongest amongst us. Why don't you make the

first move and show us how it's done?" suggested a man in gray clothes.

Ordinary martial artists rushing forward would be akin to courting death. They needed someone as

powerful as Aidan to take the lead.

"What? Are you ordering me?" Aidan squinted, his expression unfriendly.

"I wouldn't dare, Mr. Ridge." The man in gray smiled apologetically.

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"I just think that it would be safer if you led the charge. Once you succeed, you can freely select

treasures as the primary contributor. We just ask for a little share."

"Hmph! You're quite the smooth talker. With just a few words, you expect me to risk my life at the

forefront. What a crafty plan!" Aidan's expression darkened.

He disliked being ordered around and certainly detested the notion of being treated like a pawn.

The man's ulterior motives intensified Aidan's displeasure, particularly the idea of having him risk his

life by taking the lead.

"Mr. Ridge, you've misunderstood. I just..." Before he could finish his sentence, the black serpent,

guarding the palace entrance, seemed to lose patience and roared once more.

With a sudden motion, it whipped its long tail to the side.

A black shadow flashed by and two unsuspecting martial artists who couldn't dodge in time were struck

by the black serpent's tail.

This was followed by two explosive bangs.

Their bodies had exploded like overinflated balloons, turning into flesh and blood and splattering in all

directions.

"What?" The groups stood in stunned silence as they witnessed the unbelievable scene.

The two martial artists who exploded had been prominent figures in the martial world. Yet, with just a

sweep of its tail, the black serpent effortlessly annihilated them.

It was absolutely shocking!

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Some martial artists who were eager to make a move felt a chill. Were they truly a match for the

serpent?

Before they could react, the serpent swung its tail once more. Like a gigantic whip, it mercilessly struck

down three martial artists on the right.

Three thunderous explosions echoed, and the three martial artists disintegrated into pieces, leaving

nothing behind. Blood and flesh splattered like rain on more than a dozen people nearby.

"This is our chance! Attack!" Taking advantage of the black serpent's distraction, a group of disciples

from the Elysian Sect immediately seized the opportunity and charged forward.

All sorts of weapons, concealed tools, and poisons were hurled at the serpent without reservation.

"Let's see how you survive this!"

The Elysian Sect disciples secretly celebrated. If their sneak attack succeeded, the formidable

weapons at their disposal would surely leave the black serpent in a miserable state.

A symphony of clinks and clangs echoed as the Elysian Sect struck the serpent's scales. However,

instead of inflicting serious harm, it merely created tiny sparks and didn't even leave a mark.

Those scales were tougher than the finest armor, impervious to any damage.

"What?" The disciples of the Elysian Sect were dumbfounded at what they were seeing, wearing

expressions of disbelief.

"This is not good, run!" The lead disciple shuddered as an icy chill ran down his entire body.

Looking up, he met the blood-chilling eyes of the black serpent and his pupils contracted. Without much

time to think, he swiftly turned around and bolted.

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The black serpent opened its mouth wide, breathing out a torrent of black flames that engulfed the

disciples of the Elysian Sect.

The malevolent and overpowering black flames left destruction in their wake, obliterating everything in

their path.

The air echoed with agonizing screams as the martial artists collapsed to the ground.

In a matter of moments, they were reduced to ashes, leaving no trace of bones or remnants behind.

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