Serpent Ancestor

Xu Hei charged forward like a raging bull, shattering a Foundation Establishment cultivator into pieces. He swung his flying sword, decapitating five inner disciples in quick succession. Meanwhile, his puppets were unleashed, attacking in all directions.

”So, this is the snake demon causing trouble earlier. My clone must have been destroyed by this snake,” Xuan Yangzi observed calmly, his eyes flickering with a hint of mockery as he watched Xu Hei’s relentless slaughter below.

He had planned to use the bloodline tracing secret technique to find Xu Hei after reaching the mid-stage of Qi Condensation. But now, Xu Hei had delivered himself, saving him the trouble.

Although this strange mirror was indeed troublesome, the Snake Catchers Sect was filled with experts. How could a mere snake contend with them?

”Kill! Kill! Kill!” Xu Hei, fearless and ferocious, charged into the crowd like a god of death. Lightning arcs surrounded him as he cut down one Snake Catchers Sect disciple after another.

Countless spell attacks landed on Xu Hei, but his tough scales deflected them with a metallic clang. Unhindered, he continued his killing spree, drenched in blood, resembling a fearsome demon.

”Clang!” A massive flying sword struck Xu Hei from behind. Though it didn’t break his defense, the impact caused his body to sink, bones cracking, nearly making him fall from the sky.

The attacker was none other than Wu Mochou.

As the top disciple, Wu Mochou knew well the vital points to strike on a snake. Each of his sword strikes aimed directly at Xu Hei’s weak spots. His strength far surpassed that of Bai Xiu, whom Xu Hei had faced earlier, by at least tenfold.

Xu Hei’s eyes turned cold. He spat out a cerulean ice soul flying sword, which collided with the giant sword above, instantly freezing it with spreading frost.”Heavenly Thunder Curse!” Suddenly, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky, striking Xu Hei’s back.

Though his scales blocked most of the attack, some of the lightning penetrated, sending Xu Hei crashing heavily to the ground, creating a snake-shaped crater.

”Elder Cui is so powerful!” The crowd cheered.

Cui Yuan, at the Great Perfection Foundation Establishment stage, was even more terrifying than Wu Mochou!

Cui Yuan, expressionless, directed several more bolts of lightning into the snake-shaped crater.

As Xuan Yangzi’s senior brother and the highest-ranking individual present, Cui Yuan’s strength and wisdom far surpassed everyone else.

He could see the strangeness of this snake. Despite appearing to be at the initial Foundation Establishment stage, he had to go all out. Even if the snake died, he needed to ensure its body was utterly destroyed to feel at ease.

”Boom! Boom! Boom!...” Continuous lightning bolts struck Xu Hei.

Xu Hei used his Earth Escape Technique to dodge desperately, but the lightning pursued him relentlessly, no matter how fast he fled.

Moreover, his opponent’s perception was incredibly sharp and experienced, seemingly able to predict Xu Hei’s moves, always blocking his path in advance.

”Boom!!” Another lightning strike hit Xu Hei, severely injuring him, his aura plummeting.

If not for his tough scales, he would have died countless times already.

Xu Hei patted his storage bag, took out some healing pills, and swallowed them. Using the Demon God Cauldron, his injuries healed at an astonishing rate.

But immediately, lightning and flying swords attacked again, joined by several mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Xu Hei’s freshly healed wounds were once again severely damaged, his meridians ruptured, flesh charred, and he fell into the ground.

Even in a one-on-one fight, Xu Hei struggled to defeat Wu Mochou, let alone contend with Cui Yuan.

Moreover, with both of them teaming up and so many mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators attacking him, they were determined to kill Xu Hei at all costs.

The humans didn’t underestimate him due to his low cultivation. They unleashed all their trump cards and magical treasures without holding back, attacking with full force!

Xu Hei’s injuries were too severe, and his consciousness began to fade.

”Boom! Boom!” Two bolts of lightning struck, sending Xu Hei crashing into the ground.

At this moment, Xu Hei could clearly feel his physical body nearing death. Though his scales remained intact, his internal organs were utterly destroyed.

”Clang!!” A flying sword struck his vital point, splitting the ground with a thousand-foot chasm, burying Xu Hei deep underground.

Is this the end...

A single snake’s strength could never contend with an entire sect, nor with the overwhelming force.

Two fists can’t fight four hands. Humans are the spirits of all beings, standing at the pinnacle of creation. This is the rule!

They are snake catchers, and I... am a snake!

”Why didn’t you run?” In a daze, Xu Hei entered a dream, hearing that familiar voice again.

The voice sounded like it came from a flood dragon, yet also from within himself.

”Why did you fight so desperately?” The voice echoed once more in Xu Hei’s mind.

”Do you regret it?” The voice asked three soul-searching questions, and Xu Hei asked himself the same.

Why didn’t he run, why didn’t he escape as he usually did?

If he had, he could have survived easily, preserved his strength, and risen again, with a chance to return one day.

What did the extinction of the snake clan have to do with him?

He risked his life to kill a group of Snake Catchers Sect disciples, but lost his own life. Was it worth it?

At this moment, Xu Hei’s mind flashed with blurry images, like a revolving lantern.

Scenes appeared before his eyes, as if in the present, as if in the distance, as if in his heart.

”I am from the Chu Kingdom. My parents and family are all from the Chu Kingdom. I can’t just stand by and do nothing!” Xiao Chou knelt before him, tears in his eyes.

He stood up resolutely, turning away, leaving only a lonely silhouette.

—What if there’s no return?

—Then there will be no return!

”This is my ancestral jade, which I ground into a blade. It’s the only thing with spiritual power.”

A Chu Kingdom soldier, trembling, handed a sharp jade piece to his companion.

”Kill me, use my head to approach that Qin Kingdom cultivator.”

The Chu Kingdom soldier, holding his comrade’s broadsword, stabbed it into his own chest.

”No!!” A painful cry from a comrade echoed in his ears.

”My... death... is it worth it?” The Chu Kingdom soldier quietly closed his eyes.

In a thatched hut, Wang Ding used his last strength to shout ”I won’t be a slave to a fallen kingdom,” hanging himself from the beam.

By the turbulent river, Mr. Chu laughed wildly at the sky, abandoning the pursuit of official rank and power, throwing himself into the great river.

”Why didn’t you run?” The ethereal voice echoed once more.

Xu Hei smiled calmly, replying, ”This is my home. Why should I run?”

”Why did you fight so desperately?” The question appeared again.

Xu Hei replied calmly, ”They kill my compatriots, destroy my home. If I don’t fight desperately, who will?”

This time, the ethereal voice paused for a moment before continuing, ”Do you regret it?”

Do I regret it?

Xu Hei remained silent for a long time, seemingly sighing, but his gaze remained unwavering.

”Though I face death nine times, I have no regrets!”

...

Time seemed to pass quickly and slowly.

Who knows how long the attacks continued.

Suddenly, a new force was born within Xu Hei. His already established spiritual foundation began to expand once more.

The foundation rose, like a giant dragon soaring to the sky.

”Buzz!!” A beam of purple light shot from the ground, illuminating the mountains and rivers for miles.

The sky was filled with purple light, and the eastern sky was bathed in purple.

Everyone was stunned by this magnificent scene.

At this moment, Xu Hei’s purple true qi rapidly changed, its color deepening from light purple to dark purple, and then gradually turning into an even deeper black!

Xu Hei finally realized that his previous Foundation Establishment was not truly perfect!

It wasn’t until this moment, when he understood the concept of reverse cultivation, that he achieved true perfection!

”Reverse! What does it mean to be reverse?”

”A dragon has a reverse scale; touch it and it will rage. Though I face death nine times, I have no regrets!”

Xu Hei’s voice, like thunder from the nine heavens, descended from the clouds.

The reverse scale! Xu Hei’s last missing scale was his reverse scale!

”Boom!!!” Thunder rolled, splitting the sky, like the wrath of a god descending to the mortal world, striking Xu Hei’s forehead.

On Xu Hei’s forehead, a black-gold reverse scale was rapidly forming, becoming tangible.

This reverse scale was the scale of the ancestral dragon, even the heavens would tremble before it!

”This is... the Four-Nine Minor Heavenly Tribulation?” Xuan Yangzi’s heart was in turmoil.