Serpent Ancestor

Obsession, obsession... A powerful obsession cannot change life and death or reverse reincarnation, but it can let you take one last look at the world.

Xu Hei suddenly thought of the Dragon Subduing Pavilion and the old man sweeping the floor there. Could he also be a manifestation of a lingering obsession?

The demonic beasts imprisoned in the back mountain were all released by Xu Hei. Among them were some at the Foundation Establishment stage, some with spiritual intelligence, and a few at the Core Formation stage. They all looked at Xu Hei with gratitude.

Among them were the demonic beasts that had once helped Xu Hei in battle, including two lions and three wolves. However, apart from them, most of his old acquaintances had already passed away.

After finishing these tasks, Xu Hei left behind a destructive formation at this place. Once he left, the formation would activate and destroy the entire back mountain.

This place was a slaughterhouse for demonic beasts, filled with lingering resentment.

Xu Hei planned to destroy it, allowing the resentment to dissipate and the spirits of the dead to re-enter the cycle of reincarnation.

Leaving the back mountain, he returned to the interior of the Snake Catchers Sect.

Xu Hei glanced at the distant Dragon Subduing Pavilion and suddenly asked, ”What do you think of the old man guarding the pavilion?”

He was, of course, asking Ding Wang.Ding Wang answered without hesitation, ”The old man guarding the pavilion is quite mysterious. He repeats the same actions every day, and it’s said that he’s been doing so since ancient times. Although he poses no threat, every sect master has respected him and instructed others not to disturb him, always avoiding him.”

”No threat?”

Xu Hei pondered for a moment and asked no more questions. He simply bowed slightly towards the Dragon Subduing Pavilion and left from a distance.

Xu Hei would no longer probe into the secrets of the old man guarding the pavilion. Whether or not he posed a threat, his obsession was enough to command Xu Hei’s respect.

Deep underground in the Snake Catchers Sect.

This was the largest snake breeding base in the Central Divine Continent, housing millions of snakes. Ordinary snakes made up the majority, with about ten percent being snake demons.

Apart from a few wild-caught species, most were bred specifically for the disciples of the Snake Catchers Sect to use in their cultivation.

Ordinary disciples would kill and use the domesticated snakes for their cultivation, while wild snakes were reserved for the higher-ups.

”What do you plan to do with these snakes?” Hai Teng asked.

Xu Hei had come to the depths underground, which resembled a dungeon divided into many rooms, each housing a different species.

Most were bred species with little wild nature; some had even lost their teeth and muscle strength, losing their hunting instincts. Their bloodlines had naturally degraded, lacking even the remnants of Flood Dragon blood, with their own snake bloodlines being pathetically weak.

Xu Hei spread out his Divine Sense and fell silent.

”Are you going to release them?” Hai Teng asked again.

”Release them? These snakes have lost their hunting abilities. They’re like pigs raised in a pen; releasing them would be a death sentence!” Ding Wang sneered.

”However, with the Snake Catchers Sect destroyed and no one to feed them, they will die if left here.”

As he spoke, he approached one of the cages.

The snakes inside, upon seeing a human approach, instead of being wary or hostile, gathered around, flicking their tongues with eyes full of excitement.

The approach of a human meant food would be given.

They had developed this instinct.

Among the snake demons here, there were some with spiritual intelligence, but having lived and bred here for generations, they had long lost their wariness of humans, taking the arrival of food for granted.

Some snakes had even evolved behaviors to please humans, as this would earn them more food. Other abilities, such as venom, speed, and strength, which were deemed useless, were eliminated.

This was survival of the fittest!

Ding Wang took out a handful of pills, the beast food pills crafted by the Snake Catchers Sect, specifically used to feed demonic beasts.

He scattered them, and the snakes scrambled to devour them.

Xu Hei watched quietly.

He suddenly thought of the Frogman Clan in the Netherworld Mine—they could do nothing but mine.

And what could these snake demons do?

Wild demonic beasts would only become fewer as they were captured. Artificial breeding was the inevitable path, but they were no longer demons, having become another species altogether.

”Crack, crack, crack...”

With a thought, Xu Hei’s Divine Sense swept out, opening all the cage doors.

Afterward, he did nothing more, turning to leave the underground world.

He made the same decision as Jiang Chong.

...

Returning to the main square of the Snake Catchers Sect, the elders and disciples here had mostly been slaughtered by the Nine-Headed Worm, with only a few scattered old ones still resisting desperately.

These old ones, though not strong, managed to hold out by relying on the sect-protecting formation.

Seeing Xu Hei arrive, they knew they couldn’t hold out much longer and cursed, ”Wretched beast, today you destroy our sect, but in the future, a Demon Subduing Daoist will come to kill you!”

”Poof!!”

Xu Hei flicked out a flying sword, blasting the old man’s head apart.

”You released all the snakes underground. Do you think you’re saving them? No, you’re killing them. Millions of lives will die because of you. You’re a demon, a demon who kills his own kind!”

Another elder cursed.

”Poof!”

Hai Teng spat out lightning, shattering the old man as well.

”Humans are the spirits of all things. You will face divine retribution for killing people!”

Someone else roared in their dying breath, only to be slain as well.

The remaining elders were gradually killed by Xu Hei, and even the sect-protecting formation was obliterated by Xu Hei’s full-force attack. Humans, in their final moments, either uttered vicious curses or moral condemnations, but all were impotent rage.

Thus, the Snake Catchers Sect ceased to exist.

Some snake demons took the opportunity to slip out, escaping into the wild.

When the Snake Catchers were around, they had food, but what would they do when hunger came?

From the moment Xu Hei decided to destroy the Snake Catchers Sect, their fate was sealed.

So, was it Xu Hei who killed them?

Even Xu Hei himself didn’t know the answer.

But one thing was certain: these domesticated snakes would not be grateful to Xu Hei. In their dying moments, they would probably hate the one who destroyed the Snake Catchers Sect.

”Xu Hei, look at this!”

Suddenly, a sharp call from the Nine-Headed Worm pulled Xu Hei back from his thoughts.

One of the Nine-Headed Worm’s heads had brought back a lamp, presenting it to Xu Hei.

At the center of the lamp, a soul fire was burning slowly, emitting a dim light.

Xu Hei stared at the soul fire, then at the astonished Nine-Headed Worm, and suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. He quickly asked, ”What is this?”

The Nine-Headed Worm took a deep breath and said solemnly, ”Soul Lamp!”

”The soul lamp of the current sect master of the Snake Catchers Sect, Xu Qingzhi!”

The Nine-Headed Worm’s eyes were filled with disbelief as it said, ”Xu Qingzhi is not dead!”

Xu Qingzhi is not dead!

Xu Hei grabbed the soul lamp and pulled the only living person, Ding Wang, in front of him, asking, ”Is this really Xu Qingzhi’s soul lamp?”

”Yes, it is,” Ding Wang replied with a puzzled expression. ”The sect master’s soul lamp has never gone out.”

Xu Hei looked at Ding Wang, then at the Snake Catchers Sect, which had been slaughtered to the last man, and suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

Xu Qingzhi wasn’t dead, so what was the existence he had killed back then?

...

Three days later.

A great fire broke out in the Snake Catchers Sect, burning for seven days and reducing everything to ashes.

Hearing the news, many cultivators rushed over to watch, and some bold ones ventured into the Snake Catchers Sect to loot, hoping to find something useful.

At the same time, the cities and branches of the Snake Catchers Sect outside were all subjected to devastating attacks.

Rock Serpent City, Green Snake City, Giant Python City, and seven other cities were all destroyed by Xu Hei’s team, shocking the entire nation.

The Snake Catchers Sect, passed down since the ancient Dragon Subduing Sect era, had survived until now, only to be destroyed in a matter of days.

How could such news not be shocking?

Xuan Yangzi stood on a hill, looking at the city reduced to ruins in the distance, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Three years, he had prepared for three whole years! Prepared to deliver a fatal blow to that snake, only to suddenly hear that the Snake Catchers Sect had been destroyed by Xu Hei.

How was he to seek revenge now?

The thought of revenge vanished without a trace, and he didn’t even dare to think about it, fearing that Xu Hei would discover him through secret techniques.

He took out the communication talisman Han Te had left him, desperately trying to activate it, but received no response.

He couldn’t even contact Han Te.

Xuan Yangzi, filled with despair, left alone, never to return.

...

Wu Mountain Range.

In front of Xu Hei floated a drop of blood. He inscribed various complex runes, merging them into the blood, and muttered, ”Blood Source Tracking Technique!”

This was a secret technique he had looted from the Snake Catchers Sect, allowing him to track down close relatives through bloodlines.

However, this technique consumed a significant amount of his soul power.

After a moment, the blood disappeared, and Xu Hei suddenly felt a faint sense of direction, pointing him to a location deep within Wu Mountain.

”Let’s go!”

He flew towards the destination.

That drop of blood belonged to Man Jin, and Xu Hei used the secret technique to find Man Jin’s descendants.

Fortunately, Xu Hei succeeded, he found them.

Unfortunately, there was only one.

...

Deep within Wu Mountain, this was a wilderness where humans could not tread.

The ground was covered with poisonous insects and miasma, shrouded in mist, with natural formations occasionally disrupting directions. Even Core Formation cultivators could get lost.

The Heavenly Puppet Sect had only occupied the area around Wuyou City, not daring to venture into such dangerous depths.

Xu Hei spread out his Divine Sense, discovering many fierce great demons along the way. Core Formation stage was the norm, and there were even some late Core Formation stage demonic beasts, close to the Elemental Infant stage, ruling over regions as kings.

Xu Hei did not conceal his aura, advancing at full speed, accompanied by three bodyguards.

Wherever they passed, demonic beasts lay low, fearing discovery.

The Elephant Tribe was one of the royal clans deep within Wu Mountain.

Only demon clans with demon emperors could be called royal clans. It was said they had the bloodline of ancient dragon elephants, born as noble Foundation Establishment demonic beasts, allowing them to dominate the perilous wilderness.

Man Qing was an ordinary female wild elephant with an unremarkable bloodline. The only reason she could live among the Elephant Tribe was that she had been saved by the young princess of the Elephant Tribe, who brought her back as a servant.

The Dragon Elephant Princess saved her not for any complex reason, but simply out of pity, feeling compassion for the severely injured Man Qing and bringing her back.

In the Elephant Tribe, though Man Qing held a low status and often suffered bullying, she managed to survive.

Her siblings, however, did not survive.