Serpent Ancestor

”Stop!”

A furious shout suddenly came from outside.

Xu Hei turned to see a seagull rushing in. It glanced at the dismantled plaster and immediately glared with anger, ”Get out! Get out!”

Amidst the scolding, Xu Hei was driven out.

The porcupine fish’s expression clearly showed relief.

Next, Xu Hei arrived at the cave dwelling of the sea centipede, whose body was covered in ointment, emitting a pungent and unpleasant smell.

Xu Hei stood at the entrance of the cave dwelling, exchanging silent glances with the sea centipede.

He said nothing, and the other party remained silent as well. Finally, Xu Hei turned and left.

…………

Xu Hei wandered around, noticing that the other three team members all wore expressions of utter despair. He shook his head and left the Heavenly Roc clan.

At this moment, a communication jade slip flew over from afar, carrying the voice of Elder Tiger Whale: ”Xu Hei, come see me at the Prison Tower.”

”Yes!”

Xu Hei immediately headed to the Shark lineage, arriving at the Prison Tower.

The Shark lineage was deserted. Xu Hei had heard that all thirteen teams had gone out for a massive sweep of the southeastern sea.

Only Elder Tiger Whale was there, quietly coiled beneath the Prison Tower, gazing at him intently.

”Can you explain in detail what happened on that island?” Elder Tiger Whale asked.

Finally, it had come.

Xu Hei knew he would face such questions and had no intention of hiding anything. He recounted the events in detail.

What happened there was known not only to him but also to Lin Ziye and Bai Qiushui. With the right information channels, it wasn’t hard to find out.

However, Xu Hei only described the process and didn’t reveal his ”Immortal spells,” which were his trump card.

A peculiar light flashed in Elder Tiger Whale’s eyes as he looked at Xu Hei with a newfound respect.

”To break the Soul Refining Demon Lord’s teleportation array right in front of him and hold out until Captain White Tooth arrived...”

Elder Tiger Whale’s expression remained unchanged, but his heart was in turmoil.

Although Xu Hei hadn’t mentioned where his abilities came from, Elder Tiger Whale had a hunch that it was likely given to him by Mo Xuan.

Yet, no one knew exactly what Mo Xuan had given Xu Hei that allowed him to possess such combat power in a short time!

And to wield this power wasn’t something just anyone could do!

Previously, everyone had regarded Xu Hei as a newcomer in need of protection, but Xu Hei had proven with his actions that he was no weaker than anyone else.

Discovering the Soul Refining Demon Lord’s secret and thwarting the Ghost Infant’s plot was an extraordinary achievement, deserving of countless contribution points!

Elder Tiger Whale took a deep breath and said solemnly, ”Xu Hei, you now have two choices.”

”First, make this matter public, and the sect will grant you the highest level of reward, allowing you to be directly promoted to deacon!”

”Deacon?”

Xu Hei was taken aback.

A deacon was a position second only to an elder, like Captain White Tooth. To become a deacon, one needed at least Elemental Infant stage cultivation.

”A deacon’s status is equivalent to an Elemental Infant demonic beast, allowing free access to any place, even Penglai Island next door, with the same privileges...” Elder Tiger Whale explained.

Penglai Island, adjacent to the Penglai Sea, existed in the same space.

One side was human, the other demonic beasts, and they generally stayed out of each other’s way, though there was some cooperation.

For instance, both humans and demonic beasts were investigating the southeastern sea.

Elder Tiger Whale then listed the various benefits of being a deacon—

Such as receiving three thousand contribution points annually without doing anything, learning the most advanced Immortal spells, receiving guidance from the highest levels, and so on.

Xu Hei pondered for a moment and then asked, ”What’s the second choice?”

”Second, I will keep this matter confidential for you, and you will still receive the contribution points, but you won’t be able to become a deacon for now. I will attribute the credit to Captain White Tooth,” Elder Tiger Whale said.

”I choose the second option,” Xu Hei decided without hesitation.

”Are you sure?” Elder Tiger Whale frowned, ”Becoming a deacon is an opportunity many people can’t obtain in a lifetime. Many never break through to the Elemental Infant stage. This is a special case, a rare chance due to your great achievement. Are you sure you want to give it up?”

Xu Hei shook his head with a bitter smile, ”I already have enough trouble.”

The benefits of becoming a deacon were unimaginable, like the three thousand contribution points received annually, which was enough to make anyone envious.

However, Xu Hei didn’t believe he had the strength to match the Elemental Infant stage. If his virtue didn’t match his position, he would inevitably encounter various troubles.

Moreover, with Elder Mo around, he wasn’t lacking in contribution points, nor did he need guidance from high-level figures. The only convenience might be the freedom to come and go as he pleased.

And... the fame, which was dispensable.

Elder Tiger Whale gave Xu Hei a long look and chuckled, ”Heh, your choice is very wise. If you became a deacon, the position of the third team’s captain might have to be yours.”

”...” Xu Hei was speechless.

Him as captain? What a joke?

”Elder Tiger Whale, is Captain White Tooth really...” Xu Hei hesitated to ask.

Elder Tiger Whale didn’t elaborate, only said calmly, ”In a month, the entire third team will gather to welcome a new captain.”

Xu Hei’s body trembled, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and gritted his teeth, ”Yes!”

”Also, since you chose not to become a deacon, I will give you a little extra compensation in a month, as a personal gesture,” Elder Tiger Whale added.

”What compensation?” Xu Hei asked curiously.

”Don’t ask, or there will be nothing,” Elder Tiger Whale replied.

”...” Xu Hei fell silent.

…………

In the days that followed, Xu Hei’s task was to rest.

Although his injuries had healed, the negative effects of transforming into a dragon remained. His Golden Core had shrunk, his vitality was severely depleted, and his Divine Sense was damaged, all requiring time to gradually recover.

He visited Elder Mo, who was snoring away and ignored him, so Xu Hei had no choice but to return to the island Elder Mo had given him and enter a closed cultivation mode.

Outside, the battles raged on.

The carpet sweep of the southeastern sea continued for half a month and was still ongoing.

Countless pirate groups were wiped out, whether they belonged to the Sea God Sect or not. If found, none were spared, resulting in that part of the sea becoming an absolute forbidden zone, where no human dared to approach for fear of being caught in the crossfire.

This was clearly an act of deterrence, with the Penglai Sea expressing a stance that no matter who the enemy was, they would be eliminated, no matter how far.

…………

In the depths of the East Sea, at the bottom of a dark trench, stood a grand palace.

Inside the palace, a chilling atmosphere pervaded, with bones scattered everywhere, and faint sounds of ghostly wails and howls, resembling both flowing water and human screams.

This palace was the residence of the Soul Refining Demon Lord.

”Whoosh!”

A massive figure descended into the palace.

This person was covered in festering heads, with dozens of tentacles and hundreds of eyes. The mouths on its body all curled into a smile—it was the butcher.

”Soul Refining Demon Lord, I heard your Ghost Infant plan was thwarted by a snake. Is it true?” the butcher asked with a sinister smile.

”Nightmare, why aren’t you out spreading fear? What are you doing here?”

A voice full of impatience came from the depths of the palace.

It was clear that the Soul Refining Demon Lord was in a foul mood.

In just half a month, all the Ghost Infants he had stationed in the southeastern sea were wiped out, many of which were near completion. Due to one mistake, years of effort were destroyed in an instant!

Otherwise, once all the Ghost Infants were perfected, they could have been combined into an unparalleled monstrous being.

”Hehe, although you usually work alone, perhaps we can collaborate on this matter,” the Nightmare Demon Lord suggested with a smile.

”Collaborate, with you? Someone who can’t even manage prison inmates?” the Soul Refining Demon Lord retorted coldly.

As the strongest of the four guardians, he had always looked down on the other three.

Especially after hearing that Yehuo Xu Fu was beaten to a pulp, and over a hundred prisoners escaped under Nightmare’s watch, running rampant in the Devouring Demon Lord’s territory.

His disdain for the other three only grew, considering them all useless.