Serpent Ancestor

”Stop right there!”

Xu Hei willed it.

In that instant, the speed of the Black Dragon Pagoda gradually slowed down, but at the same time, Xu Hei’s True Qi was disappearing at an alarming rate.

This made Xu Hei’s face change drastically.

He could indeed control the Black Dragon Pagoda, but the consumption was terrifying. Just a single thought could drain him dry.

But if he stopped controlling it, the Black Dragon Pagoda would continue to accelerate, speeding towards the horizon.

Xu Hei tried to change direction, directing the Black Dragon Pagoda downward. It immediately dove and crashed into the ground, creating a massive crater.

”Boom rumble...”

It was as if an earth dragon was rolling underground, causing mountains to crumble and the earth to collapse, with tremors spreading for miles around.

Fearing he might alert others, Xu Hei had no choice but to let it ascend again.”No, I need to find a way. I can’t let a pagoda take the upper hand,” Xu Hei thought to himself.

He had indeed crafted a great treasure. This pagoda, by a stroke of luck, absorbed Dragon Qi, devoured spiritual veins, and consumed alchemical furnaces, its power beyond imagination. But if he couldn’t control it, what use was it?

”Black Dragon Pagoda, you’re alive, aren’t you? I’m your master, you must obey me. Stop immediately!” Xu Hei shouted.

However, the Black Dragon Pagoda gave no response.

Xu Hei gritted his teeth and attempted to break free from the pagoda with his physical body, but the more he struggled, the more fiercely the pagoda absorbed.

”How dare you resist!”

Xu Hei’s expression turned grim. With a thought, the Demon God Cauldron within him began to spin, unleashing an infinite devouring force.

”Boom!!”

Vast amounts of Spiritual Qi were sucked into the Demon God Cauldron. This was Spiritual Qi from the spiritual veins, devoured by the Black Dragon Pagoda, now falling into Xu Hei’s hands.

During this process, Xu Hei indeed sensed a slight loosening, as if he could break free from the pagoda.

The Black Dragon Pagoda also trembled slightly, but its speed did not decrease, continuing its rapid flight with even more violent force.

Everything within a ten-mile radius was destroyed, all living creatures turned to ash, as if a Flood Dragon was raging.

”Hmph, let’s see how long you can last.”

Xu Hei continuously activated the Demon God Cauldron to absorb the Spiritual Qi, testing whether the Black Dragon Pagoda was more formidable or the Demon God Cauldron superior.

…………

Outside Myriad Serpent Valley.

The figure of a middle-aged scholar appeared fifty miles away, standing atop the clouds, his gaze penetrating the void, looking towards Myriad Serpent Valley.

Inside Myriad Serpent Valley, every snake’s form and every movement were easily captured by him, as if he were searching for something.

If Xu Hei were here, he would surely recognize this middle-aged scholar.

He was Xuan Yangzi, who had disappeared for a year after fleeing.

Xuan Yangzi hadn’t returned to the Snake Catchers Sect, nor had he seen anyone. He had secluded himself in his hidden cave dwelling, healing and crafting the strongest Wooden Puppet Clone.

After some investigation, he learned that the Snake Catchers Sect had no interest in avenging him and even seemed to resist provoking Myriad Serpent Valley.

At this, Xuan Yangzi was completely disappointed.

His lineage, over a hundred people wiped out, five direct disciples without a single survivor, was a lifelong pain etched into his bones! How could he not seek revenge?

He didn’t care if the other party was secretly nurtured by the Heavenly Puppet Sect or had a powerful backing.

He, Xuan Yangzi, would stop at nothing, even if it meant betraying his sect, to annihilate the enemy!

However, Xuan Yangzi was not foolish. The mirror from last time had caused him great suffering. If he rushed in recklessly, he might fall into the same trap and be forced to retreat in the same manner.

”That thing, suspected to be an Inner Demon, left me severely injured for half a year, nearly costing me my life. Although it’s unlikely you’ll use it a second time, I must be cautious!” Xuan Yangzi’s gaze was cold and sinister.

Now, after a full year of preparation, he was ninety-nine percent confident that he could completely eliminate the black snake once it appeared!

He had been observing the area for half a month, yet he still hadn’t found any trace of the black snake.

He wasn’t in a hurry; he had all the time in the world.

As for being discovered early by the enemy, Xuan Yangzi wasn’t worried. His concealment techniques were such that even those at the Core Formation Stage couldn’t detect him.

At this moment, he was like a cloud, difficult to notice even if someone passed by.

”Bone-Corroding Nails, Ten Thousand Poison Demon Powder, Death Curse Technique, plus the Great Annihilation Talisman, Thunder Tribulation Pearl—I could kill hundreds of Core Formation Stage great demons! Let’s see how you escape!”

Xuan Yangzi was full of confidence. For this sure-kill strike, he had prepared for a year, spent his entire life’s savings, and expended more than half of his cultivation, all to kill the enemy.

If he didn’t kill the enemy, he couldn’t cultivate in peace.

”This is... a perfect strike!”

Xuan Yangzi’s heart surged with excitement.

Suddenly, a violent wave came roaring from behind, the wind howling, the clouds changing color, shaking the heavens. Xuan Yangzi glanced back, his pupils dilating, his eyes nearly popping out.

At the horizon, a small black dot grew larger and thicker, accompanied by the sound of thunder, crushing the sky as it passed.

It was a horizontally flying pagoda, dragon-shaped, its surface covered in dark golden dragon scales.

That was the Black Dragon Pagoda!

”Boom rumble rumble...”

The Black Dragon Pagoda, like a war chariot rolling across the sky, caused the void to tremble, the sun and moon to lose their light, its unmatched might like an ancient beast capable of destroying the heavens and earth, even causing the world to collapse.

”My... God...”

Xuan Yangzi’s jaw dropped, his eyes filled with endless fear. Without hesitation, he turned and fled.

But it was too slow!

Or rather, the Black Dragon Pagoda was too fast! From the moment it appeared as a small black dot to being right in front of him, it was just a single breath.

”Rumble rumble...”

The roaring sound echoed in his ears, the earth trembled, and Xuan Yangzi had barely taken a few steps before the terrifying Black Dragon Pagoda crushed him.

”Poof!”

Xuan Yangzi didn’t even have time to grunt before his body exploded into a mist of blood.

…………

A thousand miles away, in a hidden cave dwelling.

The middle-aged scholar who had been sitting cross-legged on the ground suddenly opened his eyes, spitting out a mouthful of life essence blood.

He stared blankly ahead, the scene of his clone’s death flashing before his eyes, his expression horrified.

”What the hell was that thing?”

Xuan Yangzi’s eyes were filled with deep fear.

The one who had just died was his Wooden Puppet Clone, but unlike his previous clones, this one had been refined over half a year using life essence blood, at the cost of most of his cultivation, even causing his realm to regress.

It was almost like his second life.

Although it couldn’t compare to his peak self, it had seventy to eighty percent of his full strength, plus he had prepared ample killing magical treasures.

Killing a Core Formation Stage opponent would have been more than enough.

But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t fathom how he was crushed by something unknown before he even began, disappearing just like that.

He had concealed himself extremely well, and that mysterious thing probably didn’t even know it had crushed someone.

The more Xuan Yangzi thought about it, the angrier he became. This was a year’s worth of preparation, his life’s work, gone in such a bizarre manner!

”Arghhh!!”

Xuan Yangzi screamed to the sky, his anger overwhelming him, causing him to spit out another mouthful of blood, his aura now utterly depleted.