Chapter 165 - 145: Cyan Yang, Nine Nether

Chapter 165: Chapter 145: Cyan Yang, Nine Nether

A massive dark shadow swept past, and the Elixir Pill vanished.

「In Chi City.」

All those who had contracted the coughing sickness felt a sense of relief in their chests. After forcefully coughing up a few mouthfuls of thick phlegm, they instantly felt much better.

「The next morning.」

The old man brought Ma An and the others to the Li Mansion once again.

Li Cheng’an enthusiastically welcomed them into the main hall.

The old man smiled. "This time, I’ve come to bid you farewell, Patriarch Li. I wonder, do you have any letters for Steward Li?"

Li Cheng’an quickly nodded. "Yes, yes, I do." With that, he took two thick letters from within his robes.

The old man reached out, took the letters, and carefully placed them in a jade box. After some thought, he said gravely, "Patriarch Li, would you be willing to let your daughter join our Cyan Yang Sect?"

Before Li Cheng’an could speak, he continued, "To be frank with you, Patriarch Li, the Cultivation Realm is not a peaceful place. Compared to the Mortal World, it is only more dangerous, and the Cyan Yang Sect is no exception."

Li Cheng’an, who had been about to agree in a heartbeat, was stunned. He was suddenly flustered, unsure whether to accept or refuse.

The old man waited quietly for his reply.

「A moment later.」

From behind a screen, a blushing Li Pan’Er walked to her father’s side and said in a low voice, "Father, I want to go find my brother..." She paused, then added in a whisper, "Mother wants me to go, too."

Li Cheng’an reached out and rubbed her head, his mind reeling.

「After A Cup of Tea’s Time.」

「At the gates of Chi City.」

Li Cheng’an stared worriedly at the cloud of dust billowing in the distance. He watched until it was out of sight, then sighed, boarded his carriage, and returned to his mansion.

After entering the main hall, he took two one-inch-square, smooth pieces of jade from his robes, his expression conflicted.

「In the departing carriage.」

Li Pan’Er sat quietly in a corner of the carriage, holding a book with a faded yellow cover.

In the seat of honor, the old man also held a book with a faded yellow cover and was tirelessly explaining it to her.

This treatment made Lou Anjin burn with envy and jealousy.

She, too, had tried to ask the old man for instruction, but was heartlessly refused. When she asked Ma An, he also declined, saying that a dedicated tutor would instruct her after she joined the sect.

「Meanwhile.」

At the Ring Mountain Spiritual Land, Li Changsheng was completely unaware that his little sister had also embarked on the path of cultivation.

He was standing by the edge of a pool, staring expectantly at the status of the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree in front of him.

「After A Cup of Tea’s Time.」

The information on the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree quietly changed.

[First-Order, High-Grade: 99%]

Li Changsheng stared at the cultivation progress bar, and in the next instant, a stream of information flooded his mind.

[Advancement Requirement: Become the Snake King, attract a myriad of snakes to gather and mate, and devour the resulting aura of decadence / Devour one Demon Snake.]

A smile touched Li Changsheng’s lips once he understood the advancement requirements.

The second option was a bit too difficult for him, but the first—given the unique nature of Ten Thousand Serpent Lake—was perfect for the tree’s advancement.

He thought for a moment.

Li Changsheng connected his mind to the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree and sent it a thought.

RUSTLE... The branches and leaves of the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree swayed, and cracks suddenly split open the ground.

BOOM...

In the next instant, thick roots like black pythons tore themselves from the ground.

In just a moment.

RUSTLE...

A large tree appeared, supported by a dense tangle of dark roots.

Li Changsheng gave it a once-over, then hopped onto Xiaohua’s back and headed for the other side of the mountain peak.

Behind them, the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree followed, its roots writhing like an octopus’s tentacles.

This commotion naturally attracted the attention of certain observant individuals.

Bai Shui stood atop a towering tree, a strange look in his eyes as he watched the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree squirming along behind Li Changsheng.

After hesitating for a moment, he slowly shook his head and sat cross-legged right there on the branch.

「Soon.」

Li Changsheng led the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree to a sandy area on the other side of the peak. He scanned his surroundings and nodded in satisfaction.

"This should do."

A thought sparked in Li Changsheng’s mind.

BOOM...

The Snake Saliva Spirit Tree’s roots, like black pythons, began to furiously burrow into the sand.

In a matter of moments, it had taken root in the sand.

Li Changsheng put away the Insect Mother in its nest. When it came to the green snake coiled around the trunk, he hesitated and left it be.

Another thought sparked.

RUSTLE... The branches of the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree trembled, and fist-sized white flowers bloomed one by one. From a distance, it looked like a giant bouquet.

The green snake coiled on the trunk wound its way to the top of the tree. It opened its mouth and swallowed a dozen or so of the white flowers before wriggling into the insect nest, which had grown much larger.

Li Changsheng gave it a passing glance, then rode Xiaohua up toward the summit.

He rode until he reached the summit.

Li Changsheng gazed down below.

A moment later, a look of astonishment crossed his face.

The sand around the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree was swarming with a dense mass of snake-beasts. They frantically crawled toward the Spirit Tree, and a few of the faster ones had already reached the top branches to devour the white flowers.

The Snake Saliva Spirit Tree seemed to have become inanimate. It showed no reaction whatsoever, not when its flowers were eaten, nor when its branches were broken.

Li Changsheng submerged his consciousness into his link with the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree, finding its awareness sluggish and in a state between waking and sleeping.

This couldn’t help but make him worry. ’I hope it doesn’t fail its advancement and become food for these snake-beasts instead.’

By Noon, the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree was completely submerged by the snake-beasts, making it impossible to see what was happening inside.

Li Changsheng sensed with his mind.

The Snake Saliva Spirit Tree’s consciousness had already fallen into a deep slumber. If it woke, it would mean a successful advancement. If it didn’t, it would have become the snake-beasts’ next meal.

At this point, it was no longer something he could interfere with.

Li Changsheng shook his head and spurred Xiaohua toward home.

「Not long after he left.」

Bai Shui’s figure appeared in the spot Li Changsheng had just vacated. He stared at the massive, writhing ball of tangled snakes on the sand, the corner of his eye twitching slightly.

"What is he up to?"