Serpent Ancestor

Xu Hei’s expression suddenly shifted unpredictably when he heard the name Tu Sen.

Jiang Nine Phoenix was taken aback, unsure of what she had said wrong, and stammered.

”This isn’t something you should be asking. Just focus on farming for me. By the way, I’m going out for a while, and it might be a long time before I return. If you encounter danger...”

At this point, Xu Hei touched his storage bag.

Jiang Nine Phoenix thought he might give her something to protect herself, but to her surprise, Xu Hei took out a dagger and said, ”If you face danger, just end it yourself. Don’t bother me.”

Xu Hei tossed the dagger, made of star iron, onto the ground, then boarded the flying boat and left the mountain gate with the Creation Furnace, heading out into the world.

Jiang Nine Phoenix stared at the dagger on the ground, stunned, unsure of what expression to make.

But on second thought, it was just like him.

”How long is ’a long time’?”

Jiang Nine Phoenix suddenly wanted to ask, but Xu Hei was already far away, disappearing at the edge of her vision....

After leaving, Xu Hei returned the Creation Furnace to the sect.

He knew this magical treasure was borrowed by Zhao Nanqi, and Xu Hei never expected to take it as his own. Instead of waiting for the sect to retrieve it, he decided to return it proactively.

Night Owl seemed a bit surprised and said, ”Xu Hei, you didn’t come here just for this, did you?”

Xu Hei nodded and said, ”Elder Night, I have another request.”

”Feel free to speak.”

”I want to know how the Divine Puppet Sect’s ancestors achieved Divine Transformation.” Xu Hei clasped his hands in respect.

Night Owl immediately understood Xu Hei’s intention and said, ”Although the path to Divine Transformation cannot be copied, there are indeed aspects that can be referenced. You can go to the third floor of the Scripture Repository; the insights and experiences of the ancestors are all there.”

Xu Hei bowed and then withdrew, quickly making his way to the sect’s Scripture Repository.

After presenting his core disciple token, Xu Hei went up to the third floor and began searching through the pavilion filled with ancient scrolls.

In the history of the Divine Puppet Sect, there were thirty-six recorded Divine Transformation ancestors, though some did not leave their names, like the one from Wuyou City.

Among them, thirteen ancestors left behind insights and reflections, some just a few words, others sharing everything they knew.

”The sixth ancestor, Water Realm Master, said, ’The moon waxes only to wane, water fills only to overflow. The path of cultivation is like water nearing fullness; always having a lack is fullness. Comprehend the laws of water...’”

”The ninth ancestor, Wood Daoist, said, ’The earth meets spring, and life competes. The essence of wood is competition. Achieved Divine Transformation at the age of 2,100...’”

”The tenth ancestor, Blood Demon Child, made significant progress with blood and flesh puppets...”

Xu Hei sat in the Scripture Repository for three days and nights, reading through all the insights left by the ancestors, yet he still felt a bit confused.

There was a key issue.

All the Divine Transformation ancestors of the Divine Puppet Sect were human, but he was a demonic beast, and he couldn’t find a Divine Transformation path for demonic beasts.

Only one person was somewhat similar to him, a half-demon named Chen Qinghe from the merfolk, who broke through after devouring the corpses of two Divine Transformation cultivators during an alien cultivator invasion.

”I also have a Divine Transformation cultivator’s corpse,” Xu Hei thought to himself.

That corpse was a trophy from defeating Gu Yunsong of the Ancient Tomb Sect, but the Yin Sha Qi from the corpse was too heavy, and Xu Hei feared it might turn into a zombie, so he never dared to take it out.

Moreover, the cultivation stages for demonic beasts in ancient times were different, known as Spirit Communion Stage, Foundation Establishment Stage, Demon Core Stage, Demon Infant Stage, and Transformation Stage. But now, they have assimilated with human terms.

Additionally, Xu Hei discovered a pattern.

In ancient times, the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth was abundant, and there were as many as five super sects like the Divine Puppet Sect, with more Divine Transformation cultivators. It was the most prosperous period on the Divine Continent Star. Ancestors mostly broke through by comprehending the laws of heaven, without the need for slaughter.

But later, as Spiritual Qi became increasingly scarce, every breakthrough to the Divine Transformation Stage was accompanied by significant death.

With insufficient Spiritual Qi, one could only rely on plundering others.

Regarding the disappearance of Spiritual Qi, Xu Hei had asked people from the outer battlefield and found that it wasn’t just the Divine Continent Star experiencing this; almost all mortal cultivation stars faced similar situations.

In extreme cases, Spiritual Qi was nearly exhausted, and not a single Divine Transformation Stage cultivator could be found on the entire planet.

There were various speculations about this, but no one had provided a definitive answer.

”Why is Spiritual Qi becoming less and less? Could it one day be completely exhausted?” Xu Hei pondered.

After finishing in the Scripture Repository, Xu Hei found himself with more questions than answers.

He only understood one thing: achieving Divine Transformation would be much more difficult for him than for those ancestors.

However, this did not shake Xu Hei’s confidence.

”I, Xu Hei, am not inferior to others. If they can achieve Divine Transformation, so can I.”

Xu Hei returned the scrolls and left the Scripture Repository.

...

At the entrance of the Sect Master’s Hall.

Watching Xu Hei’s departing figure, Night Owl smiled slightly and murmured, ”Xu Hei, some things must be understood on your own. If you comprehend them, the Dao can be achieved. If not, you’ll be stuck for life.”

Xu Hei did not look back; he hurried on his way, flying eastward.

Two months later, Xu Hei had completely left the Western Cang Realm, crossed a strait, and entered a vast area of small countries.

During his journey, Xu Hei’s cultivation aura gradually declined, from the Great Perfection of the Elemental Infant stage to the Core Formation stage, then to the Foundation Establishment stage, and finally to the Qi Refining stage.

Eventually, Xu Hei’s cultivation fluctuations disappeared entirely, as if he had become a mere mortal.

Xu Hei planned to travel eastward as a mortal, circling half of the Divine Continent Star, and return to his homeland, the Central Divine Continent.

”My life’s experiences have all been as a demonic beast; perhaps I lack the understanding of being human.”

”Transforming into human form is a path all demonic cultivators must take, even ancient beasts.”

”Perhaps this is what I’m missing.”

Although Xu Hei was reluctant to admit it, this was the law of heaven: only in human form can one better comprehend the Dao. After all, which deity or Buddha worshipped in temples isn’t in human form?

With a thought, Xu Hei’s demon infant emerged from his body, transforming into an ordinary black snake, coiling behind him.

The separation of the Elemental Infant is extremely dangerous, and few cultivators would dare to do so.

However, Xu Hei’s Elemental Infant was protected by the Demon God Cauldron and had concealed its aura, transforming into a common snake, making it unrecognizable to anyone.

...

In the Jin Kingdom, chaos reigned, with demonic forces rampant and the people suffering.

A plain-clothed young man, accompanied by his little snake, entered a small border town. This place was remote and had not yet been touched by war.

Xu Hei bought an estate in the town for a hundred taels of silver.

He carried a hoe, stood on the ridge of his field, and took out a handful of watermelon seeds, scattering them across the field.

Beside him, the little snake loosened the soil like an earthworm and plowed the field like an ox.