Serpent Ancestor

”The aura is indeed strange. Has he learned some kind of Immortal spell to try and scare me?”

Hai Meng’s eyes flickered with suspicion about Xu Hei’s motives.

Before long, the terrifying aura abruptly ceased.

Xu Hei ultimately stopped at the last step, unable to fully unlock the first Dragon Vein, just a bit short.

With so many people around, even releasing a little aura drew attention. If he truly unlocked it, who knows what might happen.

He didn’t want to make it public knowledge.

Not all sea beasts were simple-minded; there were cunning ones like Hai Meng.

Reflecting on his actions over the past few days, Xu Hei realized he had been too conspicuous, constantly in the spotlight since arriving here.

This was not a good sign.

But there was no choice. To become stronger, consuming whale meat was necessary, and it was only a matter of time before he attracted attention.”I want to keep a low profile, but my strength doesn’t allow it,” Xu Hei sighed inwardly.

After a brief thought, Xu Hei dismantled some whale vertebrae, storing them in his Storage Bag, intending to refine some bone marrow later in a secluded place to officially unlock the first vein.

He didn’t dare take too much, knowing his limits. If he took it all, it would surely incite public outrage.

The principle of matching strength with resources applies everywhere.

This place had never been monopolized by any family, suggesting some kind of restraint.

Xu Hei acted discreetly, swallowing a few vertebrae before leaving in a hurry.

”Follow him!”

Hai Meng and three sea snakes quickly left, trailing behind Xu Hei.

Leaving the trench, Xu Hei sped upward, holding the Water Control Pearl in his mouth, easily detecting the pursuit behind him. The sea snakes made no effort to conceal themselves, blatantly following him.

Xu Hei immediately halted, and the sea snakes stopped too, maintaining a safe distance.

”Courting death!”

Xu Hei’s gaze turned cold, and he dove towards the sea snakes. However, they quickly retreated at an astonishing speed, returning to the trench’s bottom, hiding behind the whale’s corpse.

They had no need to fight Xu Hei, avoiding unnecessary risks.

Xu Hei didn’t continue the chase. With a swift turn, he used Ever-changing Fish and Dragon along with the Water Control Pearl to control the sea, shooting away like an arrow, disappearing above the trench in an instant.

”What speed!”

The three sea snakes were shocked.

Hai Meng’s eyes flashed with surprise, murmuring, ”He’s got some skills, but he’s fallen into my brother’s Ten Thousand Mile Soul Chasing Lock. It won’t matter where he runs!”

One of the sea snakes beside her asked, ”Should we still follow him?”

”No need, my brother will handle him. You’d just be a burden!”

Hai Meng’s eyes flickered. After Xu Hei was far away, she left the trench, quietly following behind.

…………

After leaving, Xu Hei circled nearby, leaving various misleading scents, then created a clone, splitting in two different directions.

However, after half an hour of this, he still felt a sense of being locked onto.

This feeling, faint yet persistent, had been with him since leaving the trench, as if he had hit a layer of Divine Sense membrane, constantly tracked to the ends of the earth.

”Something’s wrong! There’s no Divine Sense membrane in that trench. Who’s locking onto me? What method are they using?” Xu Hei pondered internally.

This was definitely not Hai Meng’s doing; she wasn’t that strong!

It was highly likely her so-called brother had made a move.

Faced with this unknown tracking method, Xu Hei didn’t take it lightly, speeding up and considering whether to return.

He had left many killing formations on the island, but if the opponent truly had late-stage demon core cultivation, those formations might not be effective.

”Better find a place to test things out first.”

Xu Hei made a decisive decision.

Since he couldn’t avoid this battle, he might as well face it head-on.

But not here, where the ocean was full of dangers, and a big threat could emerge at any moment. He didn’t want to put himself at risk.

After a brief contemplation, Xu Hei changed direction, heading towards the dolphin territory.

It wasn’t far, near his Cave Dwelling. If he couldn’t win, he could return to the island, using formations for assistance, waiting for the right moment to strike.

He didn’t fully trust the dolphin clan, but he had reasons that compelled them to be friendly.

Two hours later.

Xu Hei arrived at the dolphin clan’s location, a coral reef area, scattered with rocks, picturesque. The dolphins’ territory wasn’t fixed, occasionally migrating, and this season, they were here.

”Brother Xu Hei, welcome, welcome!”

As soon as Xu Hei arrived, Bopu appeared out of nowhere, patting his belly with his fin, making a drum-like sound.

”Welcome, welcome!” Boqi also appeared, patting her belly, creating a slapping sound, their unique welcoming ritual.

Additionally, there were two young dolphins Xu Hei hadn’t seen before, performing the same ritual.

”Someone’s after me. I might be in for a big fight,” Xu Hei stated bluntly.

”Huh?” Bopu was taken aback, whispering, ”Are you confident?”

”Not sure, but at least it won’t be too ugly,” Xu Hei replied earnestly.

Bopu immediately patted his chest, ”Don’t worry, on my turf, even a Flood Dragon has to bow. We’ve got your back!”

”We’ve got your back!” Boqi echoed excitedly, seemingly only capable of repeating.

Xu Hei nodded, settling on a rock, quietly waiting for the opponent to arrive.

He sensed a powerful aura within the dolphin territory, though very weak, appearing and disappearing, likely their poisoned elder.

Xu Hei had antidote pills left by Xu Bai, along with various ancient Spirit Medicines, capable of curing all poisons. This was his leverage!

Xu Hei calmed his mind, waiting for about an hour.

In the distance, suddenly, ocean waves surged, rolling in, like a raging sea, a giant abyssal mouth, various celestial phenomena appearing.

These phenomena weren’t real, but a manifestation of a spell.

Simultaneously, a vast, boundless aura, accompanied by terrifying pressure, approached from afar, as if facing a real Flood Dragon, making resistance impossible.

Xu Hei opened his eyes, not showing fear but excitement instead.

”They’re here!” Xu Hei exhaled, staring into the distance.

At the horizon, a blue light flickered continuously, spanning thousands of meters in an instant, arriving in the distant sky.

It was a thirty-meter-long sea snake, not overly large, its scales a deep blue, like the patterns of the sea, magnificent, its head held high, exuding an innate regal majesty, overlooking all beings.

Just a glance gave Xu Hei a sense of urgency; this was undoubtedly a formidable opponent.

The sea snake clan’s prodigy, Hai Teng.

This was a sea overlord, destined to be a king by both temperament and talent!

Upon appearing, Hai Teng immediately locked eyes with Xu Hei, his deep gaze lingering for a while, nodding in admiration, ”Not bad!”