Serpent Ancestor

The Snake Catchers were a folk organization in the southern part of the Chu Kingdom, known among mortals for capturing snakes.

However, in the eyes of cultivators, this was actually a sect dedicated to cultivation.

This sect had a heritage spanning thousands of years. In ancient times, it was once a flourishing and powerful sect known by the domineering name—Dragon Subduing Sect!

Over the long course of history, the Dragon Subduing Sect gradually declined, and its disciples dwindled. After the fall of the eighteenth sect leader, no one could cultivate the Dragon Subduing Technique to its highest level.

Thus, they had to lower their status by two levels and rename themselves the Snake Catchers Sect, with their disciples calling themselves Snake Catchers.

If they didn't change their name, they feared that the name Dragon Subduing Sect would attract some terrifying entities, bringing disaster to the sect.

…………

Recently, an astonishing piece of news had been circulating among the cultivators in the Chen Family Town area.

"Have you heard? A thousand-year-old snake demon has appeared in the mountains, almost wiping out the Snake Catchers in the area!"

"I heard that six out of the eight disciples under Chen Daoling were killed. He personally went to seek revenge and was severely injured, almost dying. He aged twenty years overnight!"

"My God! Chen Daoling is a cultivator at the half-step Foundation Establishment stage!"

"You don't know, that day Chen Daoling took a Divine Pill, gaining the true power of Foundation Establishment, but he still lost."

"That's terrifying. We better stay out of those mountains!"

In the tavern where cultivators gathered, almost everyone was discussing this matter, talking fervently and in shock.

Not only were the cultivators talking about it, but even among the mortals, there were rumors about an old snake demon appearing in the mountains.

The rumors spread far and wide, and over time, even a portrait of the old snake demon appeared, described in an almost mythical manner!

In the portrait, the old snake demon was pitch black, with ink-like scales, a row of black-gold scales on its tail, pale golden pupils, and a round head, looking no different from the previous Old Snake King.

Whether the rumors were true or not, everyone decided to avoid such snakes if they saw them.

Some people believed that the old snake demon's heinous crimes would surely alert the Snake Catchers' headquarters, and they would send powerful cultivators to capture it, so it wouldn't be able to cause trouble for long.

In the private school in Chen Family Town, Wang Xiaoniu and his sister looked at the portrait of the old snake demon, covering their mouths in surprise.

"So the Old Snake King is that powerful!"

Wang Xiaoniu was secretly shocked. As for the rumors that Xu Hei was a ruthless killer who ate countless people, he didn't believe it at all because he had seen with his own eyes that Xu Hei didn't eat people.

…………

After returning, Xu Hei immediately went into seclusion to heal his injuries. It took him three full days to completely recover.

Afterward, he took out Mu Lei's storage bag and placed it on the ground.

Xu Hei glanced at the big black dog in the distance and said, "Can you step aside for a moment?"

"Heh! Just some trash, and you treat it like treasure. I wouldn't want it even if you gave it to me," the big black dog mocked.

Xu Hei gave him a deep look and didn't avoid him, taking out the items from the storage bag.

Mu Lei's treasures were far more abundant than Mu Yun's! They filled the ground completely.

Eight bottles of pills, a thunder seal, several talismans, a large amount of medicinal herbs, a small pill refining furnace, and numerous spell jade slips.

Additionally, there was a palm-sized stone emitting a faint milky white glow, with a slight spiritual qi fluctuation.

"A spirit stone!"

The big black dog's eyes lit up, and it was about to grab it with its paw.

Xu Hei reacted quickly, using his divine sense to instantly retrieve all the items, swallowing the storage bag into his abdomen, and stepping back a bit, watching the dog warily.

The big black dog was stunned, awkwardly retreating and snorting, "Hmph, I was just curious, just wanted to take a look. I don't care about it."

Xu Hei quietly watched him, saying nothing.

The big black dog scratched its head, feeling extremely embarrassed, and turned to leave.

…………

Days passed by.

Xu Hei's life remained simple. Besides practicing spells, he would catch some prey for a meal.

His comprehension was extremely high. Any spell he could practice, he could use it proficiently within three days.

The Gravity Technique was his main focus. Through repeated practice, he had achieved a small success, able to use it within a five-meter range.

That day, the only injury he suffered was from being squeezed by the opponent's Gravity Technique.

"That old man's Gravity Technique could attack me from a hundred meters away. I must reach that level too!" Xu Hei resolved fiercely in his heart.

During this period, the big black dog occasionally sat cross-legged nearby, with black qi emanating from its head and a faint glow from its body, seemingly practicing some cultivation technique.

Xu Hei completely ignored it, acting as if the dog didn't exist.

"Disciple, if you keep eating this stuff, when will you ever break through?"

One day, Xu Hei was devouring a wild boar when the big black dog suddenly appeared beside him, mocking him.

Xu Hei glanced at him and ignored him, continuing to eat the boar.

The big black dog continued to mock, "This junk food, even a dog would shake its head at it!"

"Then what should I eat?" Xu Hei asked irritably.

"Obviously, top-grade demonic beasts and top-grade spirit medicine," the big black dog sneered.

"The demonic beasts around here are few in number. Eating them won't improve much, and we need them to keep an eye on humans," Xu Hei said. He was already at the mid-stage of the Spirit Realm, and eating low-level demonic beasts had little effect.

The big black dog looked at him for a long time, then smiled meaningfully.

Without saying anything, it disappeared in a flash.

Xu Hei was slightly stunned and immediately spread out his divine sense.

Within a hundred meters, there was no sign of the black dog, not even a trace of its aura.

"Did it leave?"

Xu Hei was puzzled.

He searched around the mountain but couldn't find any trace of the black dog, its aura completely gone.

Still feeling uneasy, he waited for a day, but the big black dog didn't reappear.

Xu Hei finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Having such a mysterious presence wandering around made him uneasy. Now, it seemed to have left.

Xu Hei returned to his cave, took out Mu Lei's storage bag, and began sorting through the items.

He spent an hour removing the divine sense imprint from the thunder seal and left his own imprint.

He arranged the pills, talismans, and miscellaneous items in a row.

He now had two storage bags. The first storage bag was for precious items, top-grade pills, top-grade talismans, and magical treasures.

The second storage bag was for mid-grade and low-grade items that weren't very useful to him.

There were also many materials he didn't recognize, metallic substances, herbs, and scraps, which Xu Hei piled in a corner.

He paid special attention to the spirit stone, placing it in the first storage bag.

Finally, he placed Mu Lei's jade slips on the ground and used his divine sense to examine them one by one.

At first, they were basic spells that Xu Hei had already learned and found of little value.

But the later jade slips made Xu Hei's eyes light up.

"Miscellaneous Talks on Spirit Medicine, Forty-Five Essays on Spirit Medicine, Pill Refining Notes..."

Xu Hei skimmed through them, his heartbeat quickening, and his breathing becoming slightly rapid.

Knowledge about pills and spirit herbs.

These were exactly what Xu Hei craved!

Although he had some knowledge about spirit medicine and herbs in his memory, it was only superficial.

The jade slips, however, contained very detailed information.

For example, the Serpent Fruit Tree, which Xu Hei only knew by name but not its true value, was detailed in the jade slips.

"Serpent Spirit Fruit, low-grade spirit medicine, can give snakes an eighty percent chance to transform into demons. Taking three at once gives a twenty percent chance to break through to the mid-stage. It can be used as a main ingredient for Rejuvenation Pills and Rejuvenation Elixirs..."

"Serpent Spirit Fruit Tree, high-grade spirit medicine, its branches, bark, and trunk all have strong medicinal properties. Do not consume raw, or it will cause the body to explode. Must be refined into Small Foundation Establishment Pills..."

"Earth Flame Vine, mid-grade spirit medicine, absorbs the essence of sunlight, containing violent fire-type spiritual qi..."

"......"

Xu Hei devoured the information eagerly, spending two full hours to finish reading.

This knowledge came at the perfect time, greatly enriching Xu Hei's understanding and vision.

Mu Lei was skilled in pill refining, and his storage bag contained a small pill refining furnace and many dried spirit herbs for use.

Xu Hei had no immediate plans to learn pill refining. He still had many pills, and he could study it slowly after consuming them.

Just then, Xu Hei suddenly froze, quickly putting away all the treasures.

A black shadow flashed in front of him, and the big black dog returned.

This time, it had two colorful feathered birds in its mouth, which it placed on the ground.