Serpent Ancestor

After repeated experiments, Xu Hei discovered that as long as Ji Ying entered the brain of the corpse puppet, it could be controlled. However, once it flew back, the corpse puppet would break free and attack again.

This move was effective against the green-haired corpse puppet at the False Core Stage, but it hadn’t been tested on more powerful corpse puppets.

”Rustle, rustle...”

At this moment, Ji Ying’s wings began to tremble, conveying a certain emotion.

Without any verbal communication, Xu Hei understood its meaning—it was hungry.

”Go,” Xu Hei commanded.

”Whoosh!”

Ji Ying instantly darted forward, burrowing into the green-haired corpse puppet’s body and began devouring it from the inside.

The corpse puppet remained motionless as its brain shriveled, followed by the rest of its body, emitting a grinding chewing sound.

In just the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the corpse puppet was reduced to an empty shell. It appeared intact on the outside, but nothing remained inside.Xu Hei stepped forward and gave it a pat, causing the entire corpse puppet to collapse instantly, turning into a sheet of brittle paper.

After consuming a corpse puppet, Ji Ying became more lively, flitting back and forth in front of Xu Hei, emitting a sound of joyous vibration.

”Want to eat brains?” Xu Hei asked.

Ji Ying bobbed up and down, signaling a nod.

”There will be plenty of opportunities in the future.”

Xu Hei turned around, and Ji Ying voluntarily flew back, slipping into the dragon scales.

Xu Hei oriented himself and headed towards the front lines of the underground city.

The underground city was vast, and people had arrived long ago, but after several months, no one had explored its depths. Xu Hei didn’t know what the next destination was, so he could only venture deeper.

Not long after.

Suddenly, Xu Hei’s eyelid twitched, and he felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.

It was as if some danger was imminent, and he couldn’t avoid it.

”What’s going on?”

Xu Hei’s heart raced, his scalp tingled, and his thoughts spun rapidly. The next moment, as if realizing something, he decisively took out the Small Teleportation Talisman and activated it immediately.

At times like this, any hesitation could mean the difference between life and death!

”Whoosh!”

Space warped, a ripple flashed, and Xu Hei vanished on the spot.

”Boom!!!”

At the same moment Xu Hei disappeared, a massive handprint descended from the sky, landing where Xu Hei had been. The terrifying shockwave surged skyward, sending countless bricks and stones flying, leveling the entire street.

The ground collapsed, leaving a deep crater, shaking the area for miles!

The handprint was a thousand feet wide and ten meters deep. To cause such destruction in such a sturdy place showed the immense power of the person who cast it!

”A Small Teleportation Talisman? Hmph, quite alert.”

In the sky, an old man in a purple robe appeared, his expression stern, eyes like lightning, showing no trace of emotion.

Behind the old man, on a rooftop, stood a young girl in purple, her face pale, her breath weak—it was Zhou Wendie, severely injured but not dead.

”Did he escape?” Zhou Wendie was surprised.

”Indeed, he had a Small Teleportation Talisman and was quite alert. Even my sure-kill strike couldn’t hit him,” the old man in purple said calmly.

This old man’s aura was as powerful as Lei He’s, and he was the second ancestor of the Zhou Family, Zhou Qing, who had just emerged from seclusion.

He was here for the Longevity Pill.

Zhou Qing’s cultivation was the highest among those who entered the ruins, having reached Great Perfection of the Golden Core three hundred years ago.

However, after countless years and repeated failures to break through, he had regressed to the late Qi Condensation stage, comparable to Lei He, but had accumulated considerable experience in breaking through.

Zhou Qing was confident that if he found the Longevity Pill and extended his life by sixty years, he had a good chance of successfully forming a Nascent Soul.

”Continue the pursuit,” Zhou Qing said calmly.

”Yes!”

Zhou Wendie touched her forehead, and one of her eyes turned golden, flames burning as if sensing something.

But after a moment, Zhou Wendie’s expression changed.

”What is it?” Zhou Qing looked over.

”He... seems to have teleported very far away. I can’t sense him at all,” Zhou Wendie said in surprise.

”How is that possible? A mere Small Teleportation Talisman, how far could it take him?” Zhou Qing was skeptical.

Zhou Wendie sensed for a long time again, still to no avail, only pointing towards the depths of the underground city, saying, ”Only a general direction, very far away.”

Zhou Qing squinted his eyes.

In fact, the missed strike just now surprised Zhou Qing. Before he struck, he hadn’t even released his Divine Sense, nor locked onto the target, just slapped in a general direction to catch the opponent off guard.

Even this was detected, proving the opponent was indeed skilled.

This piqued his interest further.

”Interesting,” Zhou Qing murmured, his eyes flickering. ”This ambush failed, the opponent should realize there’s something on him that can be tracked. He might destroy that eyeball or hide it in a dangerous place to lure us in. Next time, there won’t be such a good opportunity.”

”Then... what should we do?” Zhou Wendie asked hastily.

”The Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes aren’t easy to destroy. Whether he’ll abandon it is uncertain, but this one is cunning, better not to act rashly,” Zhou Qing said calmly.

If the teleportation was close, he could chase and hunt him down, but teleporting so far in one go gave the opponent enough time to set traps.

From previous understanding, the opponent was also ruthless, not a kind soul, and this place was fraught with danger. A single misstep could lead to disaster.

He decided not to pursue, focusing on the Longevity Pill instead.

”I agree,” Zhou Wendie nodded.

...

At this moment, deep within the underground city, an unknown distance away.

Xu Hei’s figure suddenly appeared, falling from mid-air and crashing to the ground.

He panted heavily, blood seeping from all his scales. That palm strike hadn’t even landed, but just a trace of its residual force had severely injured him.

It showed the level of cultivation that person possessed!

”Late Qi Condensation stage, and it was a full-force strike, leaving no room for error!”

Xu Hei’s face was ashen.

He was extremely sensitive to danger. If the opponent had used Divine Sense, he would have sensed it immediately and teleported away.

But this time, he hadn’t felt a trace of Divine Sense or killing intent, just a palm strike that completely enveloped his area.

This was a dangerous enemy!

Xu Hei was able to respond so quickly purely because he realized his oversight—the eyeball!

This eyeball likely had a tracking function, and he could even feel a sense of being spied upon from it.

It was greed and a fluke mentality that made him think it was a treasure he could use, almost leading to disaster.

”I was careless! This thing can’t stay on me!”

Xu Hei had underestimated the danger of the eyeball.

He considered finding a dangerous place to hide the eyeball as bait to trap the opponent.

But soon, Xu Hei dismissed this idea. Such a small trick might work on some juniors, but against such a formidable opponent, it was unlikely to succeed.

”Cough, cough!”

Xu Hei coughed up blood again and quickly took a Blood Replenishing Pill.

Fortunately, it was just a superficial wound, not affecting his foundation.

It was only because he reacted quickly enough. If he had been a moment slower in escaping, the outcome would have been different.

”Ji Ying!”

Xu Hei’s mind moved, and Ji Ying crawled out from the gaps in his dragon scales.