Serpent Ancestor

”An opponent at the Elemental Infant stage? Does this battle tower have such high expectations of me?”

Xu Hei thought to himself.

Though puzzled, his actions were swift. At the very moment the battle began, Xu Hei activated his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, his figure flickering to dodge the deadly slash.

The opponent wasn’t a fool either. While complaining, his body moved even faster, slashing one strike after another, targeting Xu Hei’s figure relentlessly.

Aside from Blood Vengeance, this was Xu Hei’s second encounter with an Elemental Infant cultivator.

”Azure Dragon Immortal Spell...”

Just as Xu Hei was about to cast a spell, another flash of blade light came, striking directly at his face, forcibly interrupting him, leaving him no chance to cast his spell.

With no other choice, Xu Hei summoned the Black Tortoise Shield to block in front, but the opponent’s blade turned, bypassing the shield at a tricky angle, slashing directly at Xu Hei’s abdomen.

”Ugh!”

Xu Hei was sent flying, a gap slashed into his dragon scales. Just as he was about to dodge, a strange numbness spread through his body, rendering him immobile.The burly man closed in with a flash, delivering another diagonal slash. Xu Hei, unable to dodge, had to summon the Golden Dragon Pagoda, clashing with the blade light, but even the pagoda was sent flying. Xu Hei spat blood, flying straight towards the edge of the arena.

At the edge of the arena was an invisible wall. He crashed into it, rebounding back, only to face another incoming slash, leaving him no time to react.

Xu Hei had never encountered such an opponent before, one strike after another, without even needing to catch a breath, leaving him completely defenseless.

More bizarrely, once hit by the first slash, his body would become numb, unable to move, leaving him at the mercy of his opponent.

After enduring for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.

Xu Hei was defeated.

Xu Hei returned to the trial tower, reflecting on the battle that had just occurred.

Losing wasn’t shameful. Previously, he had lost over a dozen matches to comprehend the Elemental Infant’s intent. The key was identifying problems and making improvements.

”What was that numbness?”

”The opponent’s blade seemed to have a controlling effect. Once hit by a slash, it caused continuous numbness, making it impossible to dodge the subsequent attacks.”

”I initially used the Azure Dragon Immortal Spell but couldn’t cast it instantly, giving the opponent a chance to attack. That was my oversight.”

Xu Hei concluded in his heart.

Undoubtedly, the opponent was an experienced Elemental Infant cultivator, far stronger than Blood Vengeance, who had just broken through with external assistance.

Additionally, Xu Hei discovered a flaw in the Azure Dragon Immortal Spell: it couldn’t be cast instantly. It was fine against ordinary people, but against someone with rapid and tricky attacks, it was easy to expose a weakness.

Of course, the main issue was Xu Hei’s insufficient realm. If he were an Elemental Infant cultivator, he could cast any immortal spell instantly.

”That numbness seemed like a kind of poison. If I had the Demon God Cauldron, I could refine the toxin and wouldn’t be so passive,” Xu Hei sighed inwardly.

After summarizing for an hour, Xu Hei continued to match and battle.

From morning till night, from night till morning.

In three days, Xu Hei fought twenty battles, encountering thirteen Elemental Infant stage opponents and seven at the Core Formation stage.

Against the Core Formation stage, he achieved total victory, with only one slightly challenging match, while the other six were overwhelming victories.

Facing thirteen Elemental Infant stage opponents, Xu Hei lost ten matches and won only three.

Such a win rate was indeed somewhat unsightly.

The cultivators participating in the simulated battles all had backgrounds, unlike the likes of Blood Vengeance. It was normal for Xu Hei to struggle against them.

”Kid, you must be hiding your cultivation! How could I lose to a Core Formation stage demonic beast?”

An Elemental Infant cultivator, whose physical body had been shattered, was defeated but still unconvinced.

Xu Hei didn’t explain, silently exiting and disappearing.

…………

Xu Hei didn’t continue battling. After fighting for three days and nights, even though it was just simulated battles without physical exhaustion, the mental toll was significant.

Facing Elemental Infant stage opponents, his deaths were varied: being cut by swords, crushed by intent, blasted by magical treasures, and even punched to death.

Xu Hei realized he had quite a few weaknesses.

The biggest weakness was his insufficient cultivation.

Sometimes, opponents would risk destroying their physical bodies to exchange lives with him. If their physical body was destroyed, they still had their Elemental Infant, but if Xu Hei’s physical body was destroyed, he was done for. This was the most shameless tactic of the Elemental Infant stage.

Moreover, Xu Hei’s control over fourth-tier magical treasures was still not proficient. Both the Black Tortoise Shield and the Golden Dragon Pagoda were somewhat cumbersome, useful for defense but inadequate for offense.

Xu Hei returned to his island.

In the cave dwelling on the island, he had established a medicinal garden, where he planted his ancient spirit medicines.

Spirit medicines stored in a storage bag for too long would lose their potency and die. Only when planted in soil could they retain their medicinal power.

Additionally, the poisonous insects he took from the toad were also kept here.

In the deepest part of the cave, there was a dirt clump resembling a wasp nest, hanging on the wall, with numerous small holes. Occasionally, black insects could be seen flying in and out.

Xu Hei had researched these poisonous insects, known as wood-eating insects, which fed on plants. Originally non-toxic, they became poisonous after consuming toxic plants.

The potential of these poisonous insects depended entirely on the owner’s strength.

Although the toad Wen Tailai lost to Xu Hei, regrettably missing the top sixteen, the poisonous insects he raised were undoubtedly capable of threatening the Elemental Infant stage.

It was just bad luck that he was completely countered by Ji Ying; otherwise, he wouldn’t have lost so decisively.

Xu Hei approached a blood-colored dwarf tree, a thousand-year-old spirit medicine known as the Blood-drinking Wood.

The sap of this tree was highly toxic. Just a touch would cause the skin to become numb, lose sensation, and become immobile, effective even against the Elemental Infant stage.

Lower-level cultivators would be directly poisoned to death upon contact.

Xu Hei hadn’t expected this poisonous plant to come in handy.

”I only have one Blood-drinking Wood, and it’s far from enough to feed so many poisonous insects. I’ll have to select a few elite ones,” Xu Hei thought to himself.

He immediately summoned Ji Ying and flew to the insect nest.

Ji Ying emitted a buzzing sound, signaling something. Soon, ten robust poisonous insects flew out, noticeably larger in size.

Xu Hei gestured from a distance, causing a crack to open in the bark of the Blood-drinking Wood, releasing ten drops of milky sap, which flew to the poisonous insects.

”Buzz!” Ji Ying commanded.

The poisonous insects obediently consumed the sap.

Before long, the ten poisonous insects fell, and Xu Hei quickly checked, finding they were merely unconscious, which relieved him.

”These ten poisonous insects will serve as my elite force.”

Xu Hei didn’t plan to cultivate too many, just ten would suffice. The sap produced by the Blood-drinking Wood in the future would be used to nurture them.

Next, Xu Hei selected a Hibiscus Leaf and another thousand-year-old spirit medicine before leaving the cave dwelling.

He first brought the thousand-year-old spirit medicine to Mo Xuan to help him recover.

Then, he went to the Treasure Pavilion.

Octopus Brother Wang Zhen was still there, with three of his eight tentacles remaining, smoking a pipe leisurely amidst the clouds of smoke.

Xu Hei handed over the Hibiscus Leaf.

”Hey, we’re old acquaintances, no need to be so formal!”

Wang Zhen said politely while pocketing the Hibiscus Leaf into his storage bag, smiling with squinted eyes.

”How have things been here lately, Elder Wang?”

Xu Hei inquired, referring to the Sea God Sect’s invasion.

”Good? Not at all! That Soul Refining Demon Lord kept attacking here. If it weren’t for Elder Green Turtle and Elder Yunhe’s help, I wouldn’t have a single tentacle left,” Wang Zhen cursed.

Hearing this, Xu Hei took out a pill in a brocade box and handed it over. It was his best healing pill, the Blood Spirit Pill.

”This is a small token of my appreciation,” Xu Hei said.

”Ah! Ah! You young people never listen. I told you not to be so formal.”

Wang Zhen sighed but still accepted the brocade box.

For humans, regrowing limbs was troublesome. But for creatures like octopuses and crabs, regrowing limbs was natural, though it took time.

Wang Zhen didn’t lack such pills, but he appreciated Xu Hei’s gesture.

In fact, the pills in the Penglai Sea weren’t necessarily as effective as those refined by Xu Bai. Not only could they restore all eight tentacles, but they might even grant a few extra.

…………

Next, Xu Hei went to the Scripture Repository to see the white-haired monkey.

He hadn’t interacted much with this monkey, who always had dark circles, as if from frequent late nights.

Xu Hei hesitated for a long time, unsure of what to say, so he placed a bottle of refreshing eye drops nearby and turned to leave.

The white-haired monkey didn’t even glance at it until Xu Hei left and disappeared. Then, he picked it up.

The white-haired monkey looked around, ensuring no one was watching, then took out a thick book and began writing quickly.

The book’s cover was the one Hai Teng enjoyed reading.

…………

With Xu Hei’s current status, he didn’t need to curry favor with anyone, but he didn’t see anything wrong with it.

Connections are never too many; you never know when they might come in handy.

Moreover, Xu Hei always felt that the white-haired monkey was not simple. Even when Wang Zhen lost his hand, the white-haired monkey remained unharmed, not a single hair out of place.

Afterward, Xu Hei visited the Shark lineage to bid farewell to the members of the third team. The one-year period had ended, and as a newcomer, he would no longer participate in missions.

”Haha, kid, your future is limitless, much stronger than us,” the porcupine fish laughed.

”Come visit often when you have time,” the electric ray said.

”Next time, for sure,” Xu Hei replied with a smile.

After all, they had experienced a life-and-death escape together. The team members who risked their lives to lure pirates would always be remembered by Xu Hei.

Before leaving, Elder Tiger Whale suddenly called out to Xu Hei.

”Xu Hei, wait!”

Elder Tiger Whale approached, holding a storage bag with his massive fin.

”Does the elder have something for me?” Xu Hei asked, puzzled.

”After the last mission, I intended to reward you with a cup of Enlightenment Tea, but it got swapped by some rascal.”

Elder Tiger Whale cursed while speaking, taking out a white magical treasure from the storage bag.

”I had to forge a new magical treasure for you, and it was only completed today.”

The white magical treasure was a shark’s skull, about the size of Xu Hei’s head, seemingly just the right size to wear.