Serpent Ancestor

Most of the information here is useless, but with so many tombstones, there are bound to be some of great value.

Back then, Huangfu Duanlong must have gained insights from a great artifact refiner, which allowed him to suddenly forge a fifth-tier divine weapon and successfully reach the Divine Transformation Stage within fifty years after leaving.

”I wonder how others are reacting; it’s best to stay vigilant.”

Xu Hei released an External Incarnation to guard the surroundings, preventing any sneak attacks while he was gaining insights.

To comprehend the intent within the tombstones, one must first have strong enough endurance; otherwise, failing to gain insight could result in severe injuries, making it not worth the risk.

...

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, several days went by.

Later, more cultivators arrived, all victors from rogue cultivator teams. The first three trials weren’t difficult; as long as three people died and one eliminated the competition to become the strongest in the team, they could reach this place.

In a sense, this test was quite simple.

However, these later arrivals were far from being as extraordinary as Xu Hei. If Xiong Yan and others found someone displeasing, they could easily kill them.”Kill! Kill! Kill!...”

In Xu Hei’s mind, there were shouts filled with resentment. He saw a person with blood-red eyes wielding a large blade, frantically slashing at the crowd ahead, creating a sea of blood.

Countless severed limbs flew through the air, and the scene before him resembled a hellish battlefield, as if he had killed thousands in an instant.

Gradually, Xu Hei’s eyes also turned blood-red, and a violent aura spread in his heart.

”Whoosh!”

Suddenly, Xu Hei snapped awake, exhaling a hot breath, his forehead drenched in sweat.

”Another one has succumbed to madness! It seems these tombstones hold not only opportunities but also certain risks!” Xu Hei thought to himself.

In these days, he had comprehended insights from thirty tombstones, half of which were of little help, and some were from cultivators who had gone mad.

Although the insights from these mad cultivators were useful, the drawbacks were significant. Those without a firm mind could also fall into madness.

Moreover, Xu Hei had gained considerable knowledge during these days, learning many secrets of the Upper Realm.

For instance, the ancient war this time was an internal conflict among the human race, occurring during the peak of the cultivators’ prosperity, though the reason was unknown.

No one could clearly explain how this unprecedented war erupted.

From the fragmented words left on the tombstones, Xu Hei couldn’t discern much. He only knew that the resources in the Upper Realm were sufficient, the territory was ample, and the number of cultivators had reached its peak, allowing for unlimited development without interference.

Why the war occurred, Xu Hei was completely unaware.

There were still countless tombstones, as far as the eye could see, and Xu Hei estimated it would take ten years to view them all.

Going through them one by one was the most tedious method, but it ensured nothing was missed.

If nothing unexpected happened, this was Xu Hei’s plan.

”These tombstones clearly come from the same person. Who buried them and erected the stones?” Xu Hei pondered.

Stars fell, leaving no bones behind, yet this mysterious person could erect a tombstone for each fallen cultivator and extract their remaining information to leave within the tombstones. What kind of extraordinary means was this?

Xu Hei couldn’t imagine.

”Boom!!”

Suddenly, the sound of battle came from afar, with intense fluctuations, indicating the combatants were powerful.

Xu Hei’s figure flickered as he rushed toward the destination.

Before long, he arrived at a large mound, where a tombstone stood prominently larger than the others.

Clearly, this was a tomb of a strong individual, likely specially arranged by the mysterious person who erected the tombstones.

”Boom!!”

Another heavy blow landed, and Ling Wushuang wielded a giant sword with unstoppable force, slashing toward Sun Wuxiang. Sun Wuxiang, using myriad spells, also wielded a giant sword, clashing head-on, with neither side gaining an advantage.

Sun Wuxiang’s Small Wuxiang Divine Technique was the Yan Dao Sect’s signature cultivation technique, capable of mimicking all divine abilities and spells of the opponent, turning their own methods against them. Xu Hei was witnessing it for the first time.

”Fellow Daoist Xu, you’re just in time. I discovered this tombstone first, but was ambushed by this thief while gaining insights. How about we join forces to eliminate him and share this tombstone?” Ling Wushuang shouted.

”Nonsense, I discovered it first! Don’t slander me!” Sun Wuxiang retorted angrily.

Xu Hei didn’t want to get involved in their conflict, but he was also interested in gaining insights from this particularly large tombstone. Moreover, judging by the mound behind it, there might be treasures hidden inside.

This was his main focus.

The intense battle soon attracted nearby strong individuals, but none dared to act rashly.

Sun Wuxiang and Ling Wushuang showed no signs of stopping, seemingly fueled by anger, fighting with a life-and-death determination.

Seeing this, Xu Hei leaped forward, placing his hand on the tombstone, pretending to enter a state of enlightenment.

”Hmph, courting death!”

A cold wind suddenly attacked from behind, and a withered hand clawed fiercely at Xu Hei’s head, accompanied by a strong corpse stench—it was Three Corpses Daoist, Gu Yunsong.

Xu Hei turned and slashed with his sword, aiming at Gu Yunsong. The coffin board in his hand split in two, and overwhelming corpse Qi spread out.

”Just what I was waiting for!”

Xu Hei remained unfazed as a sword-shaped talisman flew out from his sleeve, releasing a Sword Qi, a gift from Ling Wushuang, originating from a Divine Transformation Stage cultivator.

”Slash!”

With a flash of sword light, Gu Yunsong’s head flew off.

Xu Hei’s successful strike was beyond everyone’s expectations.

However, Gu Yunsong’s flying head remained ferocious, accelerating toward Xu Hei, opening its crimson mouth to bite Xu Hei’s shoulder with incredible speed, almost like teleportation.

”Clang!”

A sound of metal clashing came from Xu Hei’s shoulder, as his dragon scales emerged, rendering the bite ineffective.

The strong stench from the mouth nearly overwhelmed Xu Hei, but he swung his sword back, releasing a storm-like Sword Qi, embodying the sword intent Xu Hei had previously comprehended.

The terrifying sword intent swept in all directions, indiscriminately slashing, instantly slicing Gu Yunsong’s head into pieces.

However, a new head grew from Gu Yunsong’s headless body in an instant, flying toward Xu Hei again—it was the Three Corpses Daoist’s signature technique, the Flying Head Barbarian.

Not only on Xu Hei’s side.

Not far from this place.

Xiong Yan stared at Ji Shu, sneering, ”Divine Puppet Sect, I’m curious how you managed to reach here with just three people. Care to share? I promise not to tell anyone.”

As he spoke, he licked his lips excitedly, a blood-red spike emerging from his palm as he approached Ji Shu.

Ji Shu remained calm, waving his hand to summon an armored ancient war chariot, firing a cannon shot at Xiong Yan without a word.

”Boom!!”

Xiong Yan’s figure flickered, transforming into a blood shadow, using the Blood Shadow Escape Technique to get close, thrusting a crimson spike toward Ji Shu’s forehead.

Ji Shu snorted coldly, a row of metal walls appearing around him, securely protecting him. Then, countless black cannons emerged from the walls, bombarding Xiong Yan’s figure relentlessly.

Xiong Yan was bombarded until his skin was torn, unable to get close.

”Hahaha, I’m getting more excited! Try this!”

He laughed wildly, pulling out a spine sword from his backbone and tearing down his meridians to form a long whip.

Xiong Yan charged at Ji Shu, wielding the sword in one hand and the whip in the other.

...

Unknowingly, all six experts in this place engaged in life-and-death battles.

They hadn’t even realized how inexplicably this great battle had erupted.

There were enough tombstones here, with abundant resources, that it would take each person ten years to view them all. Yet, because of a slightly larger tombstone serving as the catalyst, all six were fighting to the death.

Moreover, the rogue cultivators who approached later also descended into a frenzy of slaughter.

”Meat, I want to eat meat!”

Ding Yi pounced on a woman like a hungry wolf. The woman flicked her fingers, and countless vines emerged, binding Ding Yi like a zongzi.

”Sister Gu, there’s something strange here.”

Ye Li controlled the vines while retreating from the area.

Gu Yunxi nodded, ”Indeed, there’s a violent aura here. The more tombstones you view, the more you are affected, becoming unwittingly controlled by the killing intent, turning into a mad killer.”

”What should we do?” Ye Li asked worriedly.

Her gaze inadvertently fell on Xu Hei, who was in the midst of battle.

”Forget Worry Pill and Dust Cleansing Pill can suppress it somewhat, but they can’t eradicate it. I’m helpless.”

Gu Yunxi shook her head. As one of the only two true disciples of Medicine King Valley, she was at a loss against such a bizarre method.

In the previous three trials, they had witnessed the harsh rules of the Void Realm, and such occurrences within the graveyard were not beyond her expectations.

The master of this place intended for them to kill each other! It was foreseeable.

Suddenly, Gu Yunxi thought of the white-clothed woman who had guided them.

With her level of expertise in alchemy, treating these issues should be a breeze.

”If... that senior were here, perhaps there would be a solution,” Gu Yunxi murmured.

...

At the center of the black plains.

At the peak of a high mountain, a figure sat cross-legged, withered and ancient, like an old pine tree, seemingly having sat there for eternity.

”After a hundred thousand years, have people finally come again?”

The withered figure opened his cloudy eyes, gazing at the distant battle, shaking his head with a sigh.

”Just like back then, the same outcome.”

”Is the demise of the Spirit Realm truly inevitable?”

He seemed to be talking to himself, or perhaps asking someone.

Suddenly, he looked toward a certain void, his gaze slightly pausing.

”Oh? Unexpectedly, among this group, there are three who have taken a different path. Perhaps this is the variable.”

”But unfortunately, they are all from the Demon Clan and too weak.”

His gaze penetrated the void, locking onto three figures on a solitary island, enduring the thunder tribulation with all their might, shaking his head silently.

Such situations had occurred during his countless years of sitting, but those who found solutions were often too weak themselves and held benevolent intentions. Even with focused nurturing, they couldn’t change anything.

Of course, compared to these so-called strong ones, they still held some hope.

He turned his attention back to the many figures fighting in the graveyard, muttering, ”Easily falling into madness, no matter how great the talent, it’s all in vain.”

”Kill, let’s see how many of you survive in the end.”

...

Xu Hei wielded the Star-Moon Sword, attacking Three Corpses Daoist with utmost frenzy. The more he fought, the more exhilarated his spirit became.

However, amidst this madness, Xu Hei was different from others; he retained a sliver of rationality.

He didn’t unleash his swarm, nor did he recklessly reveal all his trump cards.

Yet, even this sliver of rationality was rapidly fading.

”Kill them all. With your abilities, not to mention the mere Three Corpses Daoist, you could easily wipe out this entire group!”

”Xu Hei, you can do it! You can kill them all!”

”Kill everyone, claim all the tombstones here, and retreat for ten years. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

One eerie voice after another echoed in Xu Hei’s mind, voices he had heard from the tombstones, now affecting his sanity.

This was still Xu Hei; for others, it would be even more severe.

”Kill!”

Xu Hei raised his hand, swinging his sword, the Star-Moon Sword unleashing a crimson sword light, severing all approaching zombies, even slicing through the corpse Qi.

The sword light, originally resembling a hanging galaxy, turned into a blood-red glow, embodying the Asura intent Xu Hei had comprehended, enhancing the sword.

Gu Yunsong’s body was sliced into countless pieces of flesh, yet in an instant, he emerged from a new coffin.

”Resurrect, huh? Let’s see how many times you can come back!”

Xu Hei’s eyes turned red, and sword light rained down, slicing forward once more, but the overwhelming Sword Qi was too fierce, indiscriminately affecting even Xu Hei himself.

”Husband, what’s gotten into you?”

Inside the Star-Moon Sword, September’s puzzled voice emerged. Why was he so ruthless, even to himself?

Xu Hei didn’t answer, only letting out a beast-like roar, charging at Gu Yunsong. First, he used the Sky-Tearing Claw to pin him down, then at close range, unleashed a Dragon Shatter Roar into his sea of consciousness, causing Gu Yunsong to momentarily freeze.

Then, he thrust the Star-Moon Sword in, beginning to devour his flesh, similar to the devouring intent of the Devouring Demon Lord.

Suddenly, the Heavenly Demon Technique within Xu Hei activated on its own, expelling the absorbed flesh from his body, clearing Xu Hei’s eyes in an instant.

”What happened?”

Xu Hei retreated swiftly, looking at the mummified Gu Yunsong ahead, filled with suspicion.

Gu Yunsong also showed a strange expression, ”He actually expelled it. What a pity, I was so close to turning him into one of my own.”

Gu Yunsong realized he was being restrained by Xu Hei, his proud corpse poison rendered useless. So, he considered sacrificing himself for body snatching, but unfortunately, he was just a bit short.

Body snatching was extremely risky; failure meant death. This was clearly a desperate move, yet Gu Yunsong hadn’t realized the underlying issue.

Xu Hei, on the other hand, was fully awake.

”Something’s not right! Why am I fighting Gu Yunsong to this extent?”

”And why are others also fighting? All with a life-and-death determination?”

Xu Hei looked at the others battling in the distance, observing their expressions, their movements, and the techniques they employed, all indicating they were using their trump cards.