Serpent Ancestor

These ancient mythical beasts were undoubtedly dead, with no signs of life, but the strange ice preserved their bodies as if they were trophies, much like how amber can encapsulate mosquitoes from eons past.

”This is... the Seven-Colored Deer recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas.”

”Sky Howler, Pegasus, Primordial Turtle... My god, so many of them!”

The gathered demons gasped in awe, their breaths quickening.

These legendary beasts they had only ever seen in ancient texts, with perhaps a few illustrations passed down, but never had they seen such lifelike corpses.

It was as if they were trophies hunted and preserved for future generations to admire!

This led them to wonder, who had preserved these bodies?

They quickly found the answer.

At the center of the cluster of ice blocks sat a skeleton, its bones a pale gold, clad in a crimson robe, just like in the mural.

Clearly, this was the man depicted in the mural!However, Xu Hei did not find anything resembling the Dragon Slaying Sword, nor did he know where it might be hidden.

The Nine-Headed Worm instinctively moved closer, but as he approached within a hundred feet, his expression suddenly changed, as if an invisible blade was aiming straight for his forehead.

”Hmph!” In Yu Jianqiu’s hand, a sword appeared out of thin air, its cold light flashing.

”Clang!”

With a crisp sound, like refined iron clashing, it exploded in the void, sending the Nine-Headed Worm flying backward, crashing into the stone wall behind with a dull thud, but without causing any tremors.

Clearly, this secret chamber was extremely sturdy.

The Nine-Headed Worm pointed at the pale golden skeleton, his voice grim, ”He, he... is still...”

”This person must have been a Divine Transformation Stage cultivator in life. Even after tens of thousands of years, he is not someone to be approached lightly!” Yu Jianqiu said calmly.

”Divine Transformation Stage!”

Everyone gasped in shock.

They hadn’t expected that a Divine Transformation Stage cultivator had perished here.

Yu Jianqiu was at the Great Perfection of the Elemental Infant stage, and with his meticulously refined Flying Light of five hundred years, he could unleash a single sword strike of the Divine Transformation Stage, but only one.

That single strike had successfully repelled the Sea God, safeguarding the Penglai Sea.

Yet, because of it, he had abandoned his true self, leaving only an external incarnation, though for some reason, he still lived.

Of course, Xu Hei and the others were unaware of this.

Yu Jianqiu glanced at Xu Hei, with a half-smile, ”Xu Hei, do you recognize this person?”

Xu Hei shook his head repeatedly.

”From what I know, this person harbored a deep hatred for Flood Dragons. The murals he created depict numerous battles with Flood Dragons, yet among the preserved bodies, there are all kinds of mythical beasts, except for Flood Dragons.”

Yu Jianqiu looked at Xu Hei, his smile fading, and uttered three words: ”Dragon Subduing Sect!”

”Boom!!”

As those three words left his mouth.

A terrifying pressure suddenly descended from the golden skeleton, spreading wildly, causing the entire stone chamber to tremble as if an earthquake had erupted.

If not for the extreme sturdiness of this place, it might have already collapsed.

Everyone focused their gaze, only to see two red lights ignite in the hollow eye sockets of the skeleton, like Netherworld flames, staring at all present.

Everyone’s faces turned pale, as if they had seen a ghost.

…………

On one of the three major islands of the East Sea, Twin Islands.

Xu Qingzhi had already established himself here, gaining quite a reputation. After all, his strength was formidable, invincible below the Elemental Infant stage, and even capable of battling those at the Elemental Infant stage with full force.

However, his cultivation remained at the Core Formation stage.

As for why he suppressed his realm, it was because of a thorn in his heart, or rather, an obsession.

He wanted to personally kill Xu Hei, bathe in his blood, and thereby comprehend the true essence of the Dragon Slaying intent, to achieve a perfect Nascent Soul!

Unfortunately, his investigations revealed that Xu Hei had joined the Penglai Sea, making him not so easy to kill.

He had been waiting for an opportunity, a chance to kill Xu Hei for certain!

Once, the Sea God Sect had invited him, but he refused, even killing the one who extended the invitation with a single strike.

When he heard about the changes in the Penglai Sea, his feelings suddenly became complicated.

If he had joined the Sea God Sect back then, he might have infiltrated it and had the chance to kill Xu Hei.

”No! My Snake Catchers Sect is a reputable and orthodox sect, how can I associate with demonic paths?” Xu Qingzhi shook his head, dispelling the distracting thoughts from his mind.

Just then.

Xu Qingzhi’s heart suddenly raced, his eyes wide open, as he shot up from his house, breaking through the roof, soaring into the sky, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

That direction was precisely towards the Netherworld Mine!

He took out the Dragon Slaying Sword, its blade trembling violently, sensing a strong summons that made the dragon clan blood within him boil uncontrollably.

”You, come here, my descendant.”

A ghostly voice echoed in his ear, causing Xu Qingzhi’s veins to bulge, his blood boiling even more.

A thought appeared in his mind, one that was hard to believe yet deeply convincing—

”That is the Dragon Subduing Sect, it is the ancestors of the Dragon Subduing Sect calling me!”

Without hesitation, Xu Qingzhi took out a Wind Sail Boat, embedded a precious spirit crystal into it, and sped towards the Netherworld Mine at maximum speed.

His heart surged with excitement, taking several deep breaths to calm himself down.

He knew this was his opportunity, an unprecedented great opportunity! But why was he suddenly being summoned? There must be some hidden reason, possibly danger.

Regardless, he had to see for himself.

Xu Qingzhi had just flown out, not long after.

A pitch-black shadow appeared on the deck of the Wind Sail Boat, clinging to the ship.

There was clearly no one there, yet there was a shadow.

”Who?!”

Xu Qingzhi brandished his sword forward, his eyes wide with anger.

The shadow made no sound, only projecting an image, reflecting in mid-air.

It was an image of Xu Hei and his group before they entered the Netherworld Mine.

With Xu Qingzhi’s intellect, he immediately understood the meaning of the image.

”Xu Qingzhi, how can you contend with them alone? Can your Dragon Slaying Sword withstand that fox’s sword?”

”Do you wish to die?”

A sinister laugh came from the shadow.

”Who are you?!”

Xu Qingzhi’s eyes widened in fury.

In truth, he already had an answer in his heart, but he was unwilling to acknowledge it.

The shadow on the deck gradually formed into the outline of a person, a smile appearing on the face.

”Who I am is not important, but I can help you obtain the Dragon Subduing Sect’s treasures.”

”I will make your sword a true Dragon Slaying Sword, and restore your sect to its former glory!”

The shadow’s smiling outline grew larger, becoming more menacing.

Xu Qingzhi forced himself to remain calm, not letting greed cloud his judgment, coldly saying, ”Demonic path, why should I trust you? What if you kill me afterward, seize my opportunity, or forcibly control me?”

He knew what the Sea God Sect was, and negotiating with a tiger was pure folly! No matter how grand the promises, they had to be fulfilled first.

”I can vouch for him.”

Suddenly, another voice came from afar.

A tall and imposing figure, carrying a long spear, walked swiftly across the sea, his expression stern, though his eyes no longer held their former sharpness, only a trace of sorrow.

”Jiang... City Lord Jiang!” Xu Qingzhi was stunned.

This spear-wielding man was none other than one of the two City Lords of Twin Islands, Jiang Chong.

He couldn’t imagine that the righteous Jiang Chong, who had nearly died fighting the Nightmare Demon Lord two years ago, would appear here and say such things.

”He won’t deceive you,” Jiang Chong said flatly.