Serpent Ancestor

The killing formation activated, unleashing a barrage of deadly attacks. The entire stone chamber instantly transformed into a hellish purgatory, akin to an apocalyptic disaster. Even those at the Core Formation Stage would feel their scalps tingle upon witnessing it.

Zhou Wendie’s face changed dramatically, and she was instantly swallowed by the terrifying calamity.

…………

Inside the collapsing pyramid.

Xu Hei was carrying the Cat King, sprinting through the narrow space. All around him, tunnels were collapsing, bricks and stones falling from above, the ground cracking and shaking incessantly.

This pagoda, which had stood for countless millennia, was now being destroyed from within.

At this moment, Xu Hei felt a stir in his heart.

He suddenly sensed that the killing calamity he had left behind had been triggered.

The fact that he could sense this indicated that the Divine Sense isolation function of this place was gradually disappearing.

Xu Hei didn’t know who had triggered it, but it certainly wasn’t an ally, which meant he still had competitors.”I must hurry!”

Xu Hei quickened his pace, darting through one path after another. Moments later, the space opened up, and he officially reached the core area of the pyramid.

Here was a massive altar with layers of steps ascending upward. At the top of the altar stood a stone tablet.

The spatial pressure here was immense, making flight impossible.

Xu Hei climbed the steps, and before long, he reached the top of the altar and stood before the stone tablet. He placed the Cat King aside and looked at the tablet.

”To have reached here means you have passed the test and are qualified to become my successor!”

”This tower, named the Xuan Yin Tower, can autonomously absorb the Yin Qi of heaven and earth, ensuring that corpse puppets remain uncorrupted for millennia. It is an excellent place for cultivating corpse puppets.”

”Additionally, it is equipped with hidden mechanisms and formations, capable of both offense and defense, able to withstand attacks from peak Elemental Infant cultivators. However, after tens of thousands of years, only a fraction of its former power remains.”

”This stone tablet is the core of the Xuan Yin Tower. Refining the tablet is equivalent to refining the entire tower.”

”I have also left behind a corpse beetle. With this insect, you can command the corpse puppets born within the tower to serve you.”

After reading the inscription, Xu Hei realized that this tower was actually a top-tier fourth-grade Magical Treasure, capable of withstanding peak Elemental Infant attacks!

Unfortunately, after so many years, the tower spirit was gone, and the structure was collapsing, leaving only a fraction of its power.

Fortunately, there were still many corpse puppets inside, and Xu Hei even saw the Red-haired Corpse King, a terrifying existence at the late Core Formation Stage.

”Corpse beetle?”

Xu Hei observed briefly and found a hidden compartment beneath the stone tablet.

Opening the compartment, he found a mass of amber-like substance inside, and within the amber was a black insect.

The insect was palm-sized, with a bizarre appearance, resembling a giant isopod, currently in a dormant state.

”So this is the corpse beetle?”

Xu Hei mused.

Xu Hei first attempted to refine the stone tablet but found it vast and boundless. With his Divine Sense, it would take him a hundred and eighty years to refine it.

He had to settle for controlling the corpse beetle instead.

With a thought, Xu Hei’s Divine Sense pierced into the corpse beetle.

The corpse beetle reacted, suddenly awakening within the amber, which immediately developed a web of cracks.

Xu Hei accelerated his efforts, and just before the amber shattered, he successfully left a Divine Sense imprint within the corpse beetle.

”Boom!”

The amber shattered, and the corpse beetle crawled out.

Having just awakened from its slumber, it merely lifted its head, its eyes blankly staring at Xu Hei.

At the same time, fragmented information flowed into Xu Hei’s mind.

”Blackwater Corpse Beetle, fond of consuming human brains, feeding it daily can enhance its intelligence.”

”It can control a human body by burrowing into the ear and consuming the brain, gradually refining the body into a corpse puppet.”

”This method is called the Corpse Beetle Puppet Technique.”

”It has a strong restraining effect on those heavily infused with Yin Qi and will often actively devour them.”

”Its reproduction method is parthenogenesis.”

”……”

In no time, Xu Hei learned all the information about the corpse beetle.

Xu Hei realized that the tower spirit intended to use the corpse beetle to snatch his body and refine him into a corpse puppet.

No wonder the third trial required him to absorb so much Yin Qi.

Fortunately, he had the Demon God Cauldron, which could expel the Yin Qi from his body. Otherwise, for others, the Yin Sha Qi would remain within, and the corpse beetle would detect it at a glance.

As for its reproduction method, it was the extremely rare parthenogenesis.

This reproductive method only appears in marine life and some insects and ants.

”Shrink!”

With a thought, Xu Hei commanded.

The corpse beetle’s body instantly shrank to the size of a fingernail.

”Go!”

Xu Hei pointed forward.

The corpse beetle transformed into a streak of lightning, shooting out instantly, leaving an afterimage in the air.

”What speed! This rivals my Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!” Xu Hei marveled.

And this was just its inherent speed. If combined with the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, it would be even faster.

After circling around, the corpse beetle flew back, landing in front of Xu Hei, still staring at him with blank eyes.

Xu Hei pondered for a moment and said, ”From today on, your name is Ji Ying, and you are my first Spirit Beast.”

A flicker of understanding, albeit faint, passed through Ji Ying’s bewildered eyes.

Demonic Beasts of this level would usually gain intelligence, but insects were an exception.

Xu Hei intended to take out a corpse to nourish its brain, but all the corpses had been absorbed by the butcher, leaving none behind.

Xu Hei sighed inwardly, deciding to find more later.

With a thought, Ji Ying’s body shrank, hiding in the gap of one of Xu Hei’s dragon scales.

This was a queen insect capable of parthenogenesis, but it was not yet mature.

Reproduction consumed a lot of resources, requiring numerous extremely Yin items as bait, the needed resources unimaginable.

Xu Hei glanced at the stone tablet, planning to refine a portion of it first.

He closed his eyes, letting his vast Divine Sense power surge into the stone tablet, gradually spreading from one corner.

…………

Outside the Xuan Yin Tower.

”Whoosh!”

A bloodied and battered figure fell from the void, crashing onto the pitch-black sand. She spat blood, her breath weak and listless, her body covered in wounds.

Lightning burns, scorch marks, sword and blade wounds… all kinds of injuries, and most of her True Qi had been drained, nearly causing her to fall on the spot.

It was fortunate that the pyramid had experienced a disturbance, causing the seal to become unstable, allowing her to escape.

”Bai Luo!”

Zhou Wendie’s eyes were filled with malice. She immediately recognized that it was Bai Luo’s Flying Sword that had triggered all the formations, leading to her current plight.

The hatred in her heart was indescribable, but she could only take a deep breath, suppress her anger, and return to her usual indifference.

At this moment, the space in the distance trembled, and a white-haired, middle-aged cultivator flew over, stopping in front of her.

This person was Zhou Qingxuan, though his hair was now white, and he appeared much older.

”What happened?”

Zhou Qingxuan’s expression changed slightly as he looked at the wounded Zhou Wendie, asking in a deep voice.

”Nothing, just fell victim to a villain’s plot.”

Zhou Wendie’s voice was cold as she sat cross-legged, swallowing a pill to heal her injuries, offering no further explanation.

Zhou Qingxuan seemed to perceive something and asked, ”Was it Bai Luo?”

Zhou Wendie was silent for a moment before shaking her head, ”No.”