Serpent Ancestor

Sure enough!

As soon as the corpse puppet entered the room, it turned swiftly, charging out with the jade bottle. Two ferocious claws extended from the bottle, sprouting countless vine-like branches, sharp as blades, enveloping Zhou Qing like a storm.

In life, this corpse puppet must have had a wood spiritual root and mastered some spells.

Zhou Qing’s pupils contracted, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Unhurriedly, he drew another flying sword, making a total of nine blood-colored flying swords swirling around him, reaching the pinnacle of nine. The power of the sword qi surged, forming a blood-killing sword formation.

The Mountain-Covering Mud falling from above just covered him when it was shredded by the sword formation, turning to nothingness. This third-grade middle-tier spiritual treasure was completely destroyed!

Yet, the ”Stop” character above his head remained.

”So you still have tricks up your sleeve. I didn’t underestimate you after all!”

Zhou Qing’s face darkened. As he broke through the Mountain-Covering Mud, the corpse puppet’s plant attack arrived, quickly piercing his blood-colored armor.

These vines, like straws, pierced the armor, frantically absorbing the blood energy within. But Zhou Qing remained motionless, and the blood-killing sword formation slashed again, turning the vines to ashes.

Xu Hei released the Black Dragon Pagoda and entered it, directly merging with it.”Boom!!”

A thunderous roar echoed as the Black Dragon Pagoda expanded, like a towering giant peak, bearing down on Zhou Qing with overwhelming might.

The void trembled, and the entire room collapsed, turning into a vast open space, as if to destroy everything.

Zhou Qing’s heart was shaken, but the greed in his eyes grew stronger.

The moment the ”Stop” character above his head disappeared, Xu Hei’s Black Dragon Pagoda crashed into his back.

”Poof!”

The blood-colored armor shattered, and Zhou Qing spat blood, flying forward. Half of his body erupted with blood light, flesh scattered, and countless vines took the opportunity to burrow into his body again, frantically devouring what little life force he had left.

”I’m at the late Core Formation stage. Do you think you can kill me with just this?”

Zhou Qing was injured again, covered in blood, his life force waning, but madness surged in his eyes.

A mid-stage Core Formation corpse puppet, dead for who knows how many years, plus a Foundation Establishment stage demonic beast using a high-level magical treasure.

No matter how capable you are, what can you do to him?

The difference between stages in Core Formation is vast! Besides, you have trump cards, and so does he!

At this moment, the talisman on Zhou Qing’s body burst with brilliant blood-colored light, soaring into the sky, sweeping across a vast area. The surrounding rocky region instantly turned to dust, melting upon contact with the blood light, vaporizing without a trace.

All the vines vanished without a trace, even the corpse puppet sensed a hint of danger, but she didn’t fear, instead charging forward, releasing more vines to slay Zhou Qing.

”Futile resistance, useless!”

Zhou Qing was slightly surprised by the corpse puppet’s advance, but he was already in a killing frenzy, the talisman on his body shining, unstoppable.

”Poof!!”

The corpse puppet’s arm turned to nothingness, her head like it was being roasted, skin cracking, bones exposed, and the bottle shattered.

Even Xu Hei’s Black Dragon Pagoda, charging forward, was repelled by the blood light, landing in the distance.

Xu Hei, having used the Black Dragon Pagoda repeatedly, was nearly out of true qi. He took out the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, releasing a ”Seal” character and a ”Weak” character, but it was just a drop in the bucket.

Zhou Qing’s talisman was terrifying, destroying all nearby spells, almost entering an invincible state, a method he had never used before.

This was the late Core Formation stage!

Xu Hei’s trump cards were nearly exhausted, but it was still not enough to kill a late Core Formation stage cultivator!

”Should I use Ji Ying? But sending Ji Ying up is surely a dead end!”

Xu Hei was anxious, having exhausted all his means, set up layers of traps, seized every advantage, yet still couldn’t overcome the opponent.

This was the gap in raw strength, no matter how many tricks you have, I can break them with sheer force!

If it were a slightly weaker late Core Formation stage, he might have succeeded, but the opponent, being the second ancestor of the Zhou Family from the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, had not only formidable strength but also numerous magical treasures, not fearing him at all.

For example, the blood-killing sword formation composed of nine blood-colored flying swords was a set of magical treasures not weaker than the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book!

And the blood-colored armor on him, withstanding the corpse puppet’s attack without moving, making it impossible to kill him.

The talisman he unleashed afterward was even more devastating.

Zhou Qing had lived for five hundred years, with higher cultivation and deeper foundations than Xu Hei. How could Xu Hei outsmart him?

Xu Hei was already in despair. Just as he was about to give up and choose Plan A, a sudden inspiration struck him, reminding him of the gray talisman left by Xuan Yangzi.

This talisman, placed with the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, was still unknown, but it might be useful!

However, facing such a powerful opponent, Xu Hei didn’t hold much hope. He took out the gray talisman, infused it with spiritual qi, and threw it towards Zhou Qing.

Then, without looking back, he used his last bit of true qi to retrieve the Black Dragon Pagoda and turned to flee.

Xu Hei had done his best. If he couldn’t win, he couldn’t win. There was nothing shameful about it. The opponent had lived a hundred times longer, with more experience, higher cultivation, and overwhelming in every aspect. Losing was not surprising.

”What a pity, such a good opportunity, but even if he doesn’t die, he’ll be severely injured...” Xu Hei calculated his gains and losses in his mind.

But at that moment.

Zhou Qing, who had been arrogant and laughing wildly, suddenly fell silent as if his throat had been choked.

He stared at the gray talisman flying towards him, his eyes nearly popping out, wondering if he was seeing things.

But then, focusing his mind, he immediately cried out in horror.

”The Minor Annihilation Talisman?!!”

Zhou Qing’s voice was filled with unparalleled shock. Without hesitation, he abandoned the idea of killing the corpse puppet and turned to flee, rushing towards the shattered space behind him.

All the blood light was retracted, gathering behind him, forming layer upon layer of protection, binding thickly.

Even the blood-killing sword formation was retracted, forming a shield-like defensive posture.

At this moment, the corpse puppet’s remaining body was almost gone. In her dying moments, she endured immense torment from the blood light, the bottle shattered, but there was a hint of relief in her eyes.

Scenes from her life flashed before her eyes like a carousel, and as the Minor Annihilation Talisman drew closer, she smiled.

”Senior Brother, thank you...”

The corpse puppet lunged forward, her remaining body blooming with vibrant flowers, forming a floral barrier that bound Zhou Qing.

Countless vines extended once more, wrapping Zhou Qing layer by layer, holding him firmly in place.

Zhou Qing couldn’t move, his eyes filled with mad hatred and unwillingness.

He was already at the end of his strength, his lifespan exhausted. Even if he escaped, he would soon die, but he couldn’t accept being outsmarted to death.

”Damn it! Why does this corpse puppet obey you? I refuse to accept this! I refuse!”

Zhou Qing stared at the approaching Minor Annihilation Talisman, his unwillingness turning to despair. He was about to destroy all his magical treasures, preferring death over leaving them for the opponent.

Suddenly, as if finding a lifeline, he took out a jade-green pill and swallowed it without hesitation.

It was the Longevity Pill!

He had doubted its authenticity, but at this moment, if he didn’t take it, he’d never have the chance.

As the pill entered his mouth, a surge of vitality spread, rejuvenating Zhou Qing’s withered life!

Zhou Qing’s graying hair turned black again, his dry skin regained its luster, his flesh swelled, and his body was revitalized.

”Hahaha, it’s the Longevity Pill, it really is the Longevity Pill! Hahaha, I’ve achieved immortality!”

He laughed wildly to the sky.

The Minor Annihilation Talisman exploded, a gray mist sea tearing the space apart, spreading towards Zhou Qing. Wherever it passed, the void crumbled, inch by inch, turning into a world of nothingness.

But Zhou Qing was no longer afraid. His body rose, carrying the countless plant vines binding him, bursting out of the shattered world, landing outside the cave dwelling.

When he wanted to pursue Xu Hei, he found himself unable to move.

His feet took root, embedding into the soil, his legs turned to wood, unable to move, even his Golden Core left his body, becoming a fruit hanging at his waist.

”No! How can this be? I want immortality, how can I become a tree?”

Zhou Qing couldn’t believe it, trying to break free, but he couldn’t.

Life force uncontrollably released, his legs, abdomen, torso, arms, all turned to wood in a few breaths, unable to move, his cultivation seemingly vanished, spells and magical treasures unusable, leaves sprouting from his head.

”Ah!!!”

Zhou Qing’s remaining head screamed to the sky, hoarse and desperate, unable to stop his transformation into a tree.

Xu Hei stood not far away, eyes wide, silently watching the now-crazed Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing’s entire body turned into a tree-like form, his hysterical expression forever frozen.

In an instant, he became a tree.

”Crack, crack, crack...”

A series of cracking sounds echoed in the empty Blood Corpse Cave.

Under Xu Hei’s watchful eyes, Zhou Qing slowly grew, becoming a ten-meter-tall humanoid tree, standing majestically, awe-inspiring, and imposing.