Serpent Ancestor

Southern Region, Headquarters of the Snake Catchers Sect.

This time, a large number of core elders who had been in seclusion came out, all to welcome the envoy from the Heavenly Puppet Sect.

Rather than welcoming, it was more like being on high alert to prevent any sudden attacks.

Upon arrival, the envoy demanded one hundred thousand spirit stones without any preamble, which enraged all the elders.

However, after the envoy injured two people, the Snake Catchers Sect obediently handed over the spirit stones.

”As cultivators of the Qin Kingdom, what’s wrong with paying a little tax?”

”If you behave, this tax will be collected once a year. If not, I’ll come every day to collect it, and you will have to pay whether you like it or not!”

The envoy sneered, pocketed the spirit stones, and left.

One hundred thousand spirit stones were no small amount for the Snake Catchers Sect; many Core Formation elders didn’t have that many spirit stones.

”This Heavenly Puppet Sect is too much!””They’re treating us like pigs to be slaughtered!”

The elders were furious but didn’t dare to say much, knowing they couldn’t afford to offend this person.

”Envoy, please wait!”

Suddenly, the Grand Elder, who was seated at the head, spoke up.

This person was the same gloomy old man who had appeared in Rock Serpent City earlier, his cultivation at the peak of mid-stage Core Formation, known as Yin Mingzi.

Apart from the sect master and some elders in deep seclusion, his cultivation was the highest.

”Oh? Do you have something to say?”

The envoy turned back, frowning slightly.

Yin Mingzi waved his hand, and a storage bag flew to the envoy’s side.

”Envoy, you’ve traveled a long way. This is a small token of my appreciation, and also an apology for any earlier disrespect,” Yin Mingzi said apologetically.

The envoy took the storage bag and scanned it with his divine sense, finding twenty thousand spirit stones inside, raising his eyebrows.

This didn’t need to be handed over and was his personal gain.

”You have a request, don’t you?” The envoy accepted it expressionlessly.

Yin Mingzi didn’t hide anything, cupping his fists, ”You must have heard about the demonic beast that destroyed Rock Serpent City.”

”I’ve heard a bit,” the envoy nodded.

”If the Heavenly Puppet Sect can capture that snake demon, I will offer three hundred thousand spirit stones as a reward,” Yin Mingzi said, cupping his fists.

All the elders gasped.

Three hundred thousand spirit stones were more than half of the Snake Catchers Sect’s savings, sending it out would be a severe blow! The elders wouldn’t receive their stipends for years.

Everyone’s expressions changed.

”Oh? Not interested in the giant elephant or the thunder lion, but willing to pay three hundred thousand for the weakest snake... why?”

”Capturing the snake is a small matter; it’s just a gift to your sect, hoping the envoy will show mercy in the future.”

Yin Mingzi bowed respectfully, his attitude sincere.

His words were reasonable, seemingly flawless.

But anyone could hear the underlying message in Yin Mingzi’s words.

The envoy frowned, pondered for a moment, then nodded, ”I will report this matter, and the sect will decide.”

”Farewell, envoy!”

The envoy said no more and turned to leave.

After leaving, the envoy was still deep in thought.

He couldn’t understand why three hundred thousand spirit stones, enough to hire a group of Core Formation cultivators, were offered just as a gift.

He initially thought of capturing the snake demon himself and pocketing the three hundred thousand, but on second thought, he decided to report it to avoid any traps.

…………

At this moment, the Snake Catchers Sect’s main hall was in an uproar.

No one understood why they had to offer three hundred thousand spirit stones to capture a snake, their savings accumulated over countless years.

”Grand Elder, why?”

”We could capture that snake demon ourselves, why give away our savings?”

Questions arose from all directions.

Yin Mingzi coldly said, ”Can’t you see?”

Everyone was stunned.

”That snake demon has always seemed off! Puppet techniques, human spells, countless magical treasures and pills, its cultivation advancing rapidly. Do you think a wild snake could achieve this?”

Yin Mingzi said coldly.

An old woman seemed to realize something, her voice heavy, ”Are you saying... this snake demon has someone behind it?”

”Exactly!”

Yin Mingzi nodded, ”Initially, I was just suspicious, but yesterday, I learned from a bounty hunter that the snake demon could perform Body Swap, a secret technique of the Heavenly Puppet Sect!”

”Only a few direct disciples of the Heavenly Puppet Sect know this technique!”

”……”

The hall fell into dead silence.

”And last year, on the Yanluo River official ship, what did Qin Xuanji say? He told us not to worry about the snake, that he would handle it. Now it seems, how ironic,” Yin Mingzi said self-deprecatingly.

In fact, they had long felt something was wrong. How could a snake be so formidable? Single-handedly wiping out all of Xuan Yangzi’s subordinates and leading a group of demonic beasts to flatten Rock Serpent City?

They didn’t believe in a miraculous snake, only in a powerful backer.

It made much more sense that the Heavenly Puppet Sect had secretly nurtured it to target them!

Everyone suddenly understood.

”My offer of three hundred thousand is clear: asking them to show mercy. We’ve already lost Rock Serpent City. If we lose Green Snake City or King Snake City, it won’t be just three hundred thousand!” Yin Mingzi said helplessly.

The other elders sighed, treating the three hundred thousand spirit stones as a protection fee.

…………

At this time, Xu Hei had no idea what the Snake Catchers Sect had imagined.

He had been waiting in Myriad Serpent Valley for days, but no one had come to trouble him.

In fact, Xu Hei was mentally prepared that if a powerful elder came, he would have to flee, but he would take Xu Bai with him, one of his few friends.

Xu Hei kept a bit of his divine sense on the jade disk given by the old dog.

The rest of his mind was focused on cultivating the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique.

Days passed.

The jade disk remained empty; not a single red dot from the Core Formation, Foundation Establishment, or Qi Refining stages appeared. Even if there were, they passed by quickly, never approaching Myriad Serpent Valley.

Xu Hei was puzzled.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, summer and autumn passed, and it was the end of the year.

Xu Hei finally completed the first layer of the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique and began the second layer.

Now, his movements were not just fast but had some form, unlike before, when he relied solely on speed.

”Swish, swish, swish...”

Xu Hei darted back and forth over the pond several times without causing a single ripple, sometimes left, sometimes right, leaving a phantom behind.

Leaving a phantom was the mark of the second layer.

”Half a year to reach the second layer, who knows when I’ll finish all nine layers,” Xu Hei sighed.

Over the past six months, Xu Hei hadn’t neglected his main cultivation technique either.

The second transformation of the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon was to temper the dragon bones.

Xu Hei noticed a faint golden glow at the tip of his tailbone, and his cultivation had improved slightly.

Although it was just a preliminary change, the power of his tail had increased several times.

”Boom!”

Xu Hei’s tail struck the pond, causing a massive splash and leaving a hundred-zhang deep crater! The water shot up into the sky and fell like rain!

This casual strike was comparable to a high-level spell.

Xu Hei’s black true qi made him nearly invincible within the Foundation Establishment stage, and once his dragon bones formed, his physical strength would also increase dramatically.

This gave him great confidence.

”Time to spar with Man Jin.”

Feeling confident, Xu Hei went to the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe.

Over the past six months, Xu Hei had often sparred with the Elephant Tribe, challenging all their experts, except for Man Jin.

However, to Xu Hei’s frustration, no matter what moves he used or how he attacked, Man Jin remained unmoved.

Man Jin’s body was covered with a golden shield, and no matter how Xu Hei struck, it had no effect, not even causing a ripple.

”Haha, use more strength! This is a gold-element spell I acquired last time, specializing in defense. Your strength is not enough!” Man Jin laughed heartily.

Xu Hei felt ashamed.

He used his dragon scales to cut with all his might, but it was useless, only scratching the surface, which quickly healed.

After three attempts, Xu Hei couldn’t even break through the defense.

”Forget it, I give up.”

Xu Hei sighed. The gap between Foundation Establishment and Core Formation was indeed vast.

The true essence power used in the Core Formation stage was far superior to that of the Foundation Establishment stage. Unless he used the Soul-absorbing Flag, Xu Hei had no other way.