Serpent Ancestor

Everyone was taken aback.

Li Fei looked uncertain as he pointed at the carriage and said, ”Brother Hu, this...”

Lei Hu lowered his voice and said, ”How could I dare to neglect something from the immortal family? What was destroyed before was just bait; the real goods are in here!”

”I didn’t tell you earlier just to prevent any leaks.”

Hearing Lei Hu’s words, everyone showed signs of relief.

The goods weren’t destroyed; there was still hope!

Xu Hei was also quite surprised. He hadn’t expected Lei Hu to have a hidden card. He had to admit, while mortals might not have his perspective, their minds were quite sharp.

”However, if this batch gets destroyed again, we’re all doomed, and no one will escape!”

As Lei Hu said this, he gave Xu Hei and another guest a meaningful glance.

Everyone nodded in agreement.”No time to waste, let’s set off immediately and reach there before dark!” Lei Hu said seriously.

He gave a signal to the white horse pulling the carriage, and it started moving immediately. The horse’s steps were light and silent, understanding commands and following quietly, showing it was an old horse with considerable spiritual essence.

The group crossed a bridge that had a large hole blown in it. Fortunately, the structure was intact, and they quickly reached the other side by walking along the edge.

The journey was fraught with danger but ultimately safe.

After passing the most perilous section, everyone relaxed. Ahead was a main road, flat and open, completely safe.

”Damn, we finally made it through!”

”When we get to Sanli Town, I’m definitely going to let off some steam.”

Li Fei wiped the sweat from his forehead, cursing under his breath.

A Long, having survived the ordeal, sighed in relief but seemed somewhat distracted.

He looked at Li Fei and asked, ”Li Escort Leader, what did that female thief mean by traitor?”

”Hmm?”

Li Fei glared at him, his tiger-like eyes making A Long a bit intimidated.

”We’re just a bunch of escorts doing our job, why think so much?”

Li Fei said angrily, ”That’s right! We’re all from Zhao Kingdom, but what does Zhao Kingdom see us as? Ants, livestock, even less than livestock! If they want you dead, you’re dead!”

At this point, Li Fei stopped talking, and the atmosphere grew heavy.

A Long also fell silent, knowing Li Fei’s past—his mother was violated and killed by a tyrant, his father was framed and beaten to death when he went to report it. Li Fei was only ten at the time.

However, knowing that this batch of arms was to be delivered to the Ma Kingdom, threatening Zhao Kingdom, still made his conscience uneasy. After all, his younger brother was still studying, and his parents were honest merchants.

But A Long said nothing, just walked over to Xu Hei and smiled, ”Brother Xu, later I’ll show you the best place in Sanli Town. Tonight, we’ll drink to our heart’s content.”

Xu Hei nodded, ”Alright.”

...

The rest of the journey was smooth.

The Feihu Escort Agency successfully delivered the goods to the designated location, where a man in armor, clearly from the Ma Kingdom’s military, received them.

After receiving their reward, that evening, Xu Hei was taken to the largest high-class brothel in town, ”Spring Hall.” A Long called over six beautifully dressed women, three on each side, and they sat in a private room drinking, laughing loudly as if to vent their frustrations.

Xu Hei was also assigned a woman, said to be the star of Spring Hall, quite pretty, but to Xu Hei, all human women looked similar.

Xu Hei did nothing, just drank with A Long until A Long was thoroughly drunk, then dismissed the women.

”Brother Xu, do you know why no one dares to bully my family?” A Long said, his face flushed and voice slurred.

”Why?” Xu Hei asked calmly.

”Because our ancestor was an immortal!” A Long patted his chest proudly, ”Even though it was two hundred years ago, and that immortal might have passed, just this fact keeps the local tyrants and bullies from daring to mess with us!”

”Escort Leader Li says that in the eyes of immortals, we mortals are like ants, to be crushed at will. But aren’t those county officials and bullies treating us like animals too? What’s the difference?”

With that, A Long vomited, spilling alcohol everywhere, then grabbed the wine jug and continued drinking.

Xu Hei did not stop him, just watched quietly.

After drinking, A Long, eyes red, smiled and said, ”Brother Xu, you’re an immortal too, aren’t you?”

This made Xu Hei pause, a look of surprise in his eyes.

”A Long, you’re drunk,” Xu Hei replied.

”Haha, don’t pretend! With your smooth skin and such good skills, not a callus on your hands, I’ve suspected for a long time,” A Long laughed.

Xu Hei looked at his smooth hands, saying nothing.

”At first, I just suspected, but when those bandits came and set off the explosives, everyone nearby was killed, yet you were unharmed, I was sure.”

”I’m not the only one; Escort Leader Lei must have seen it too, but they pretend not to know,” A Long laughed.

Xu Hei nodded; he had too little experience dealing with humans.

He suddenly realized that compared to these mortals, he was just more advanced in cultivation and stronger. They were all survivors of life and death, none simple in these chaotic times.

”Brother Xu, how do you immortals view us mortals?” A Long asked drunkenly.

Xu Hei replied, ”Ants.”

He was telling the truth; along his journey, he never cared if his actions harmed mortals.

”Ah, I thought so,” A Long sighed, ”I really wish in my next life, I could cultivate too, and see mortals as ants.”

A Long rolled to the floor, falling into a deep sleep. He lived transparently; when oppressed, he didn’t think of resisting but of oppressing others.

Xu Hei knew it was time to leave. The moment his identity was recognized, he couldn’t stay.

Xu Hei opened the door and stepped into the corridor. From the next room, he heard Li Fei’s angry shouts, a woman’s cries, and the sound of a whip.

He continued walking and heard the sound of furniture breaking, as if a fight was happening.

Xu Hei left the brothel, his steps unceasing, heading east.

As he stepped out of Sanli Town, suddenly, behind him, the town erupted in flames, fire spreading everywhere, thick smoke rising, cries filling the air.

The brothel where Xu Hei had been was crushed by a giant handprint, and with a loud ”boom,” it was flattened.

Xu Hei stopped, seeing a white-bearded middle-aged man standing on a flying sword, glancing at Xu Hei before flying into Sanli Town, where the sword light whistled, and blood flowed like a river.