Serpent Ancestor

Huang Yu, Qi Refining Stage Level Seven, Inner Disciple.

Unlike the other charming female disciples, Huang Yu's appearance was quite plain. Her skin was sun-kissed wheat color, her features were good but she never dressed up, and she wore no accessories.

Huang Yu grew up in a farming family, herding cattle and working the fields. If it weren't for her rare Earth Spiritual Root, which caught the eye of a Purple Mist Sect elder, she wouldn't have become a cultivator.

The elder had predicted that with Huang Yu's talent, she would reach Foundation Establishment within three years, becoming the greatest Chosen of the Purple Mist Sect in the past century.

However, five years after joining the sect, Huang Yu was still only at the seventh level of Qi Refining Stage.

The reason was simple: she was unwilling to cultivate the Purple Mist Technique and looked down on the male cultivators who tried to curry favor with her. She never tried to please anyone.

Gradually, she was ostracized by her peers and forgotten by the elder, becoming just an ordinary disciple.

"Huang Yu, why are you covered in wounds again?"

"Huang Yu, you work so hard to hunt demonic beasts and obtain Inner Cores, wouldn't it be easier to dual cultivate with me?"

"Such great talent, completely wasted!"

"......"

Every time she returned from hunting demonic beasts, battered and bruised, she would be mocked by some of the other female disciples.

They banded together, constantly discussing how to gain benefits from the male disciples and how to attract the Chosen from other sects.

Huang Yu, however, was always alone, silently shouldering her weapon and heading to the mountains.

From being exceptionally talented and highly regarded to being misunderstood and unappreciated, to becoming ordinary, it only took Huang Yu five years.

Now, no one paid attention to her rare Earth Spiritual Root anymore. The once greatest Chosen was now just a joke.

But today, Huang Yu's eyes were unusually bright.

"Three hundred thousand contribution points. As long as I get these points, I can reach Foundation Establishment within a year."

"Then, after accumulating for another two years, I can exchange for the Mountain Severing Abyss technique and leave the Purple Mist Sect! This is my chance, perhaps the only one in my life. I must find that demon."

Huang Yu held a Life Detection Talisman, moving through the outskirts at the fastest speed, even more diligently than the Foundation Establishment elders.

She knew that the target must be hiding somewhere underground at the edge, trying to break the outer formation.

…………

At the same time.

Xu Hei's little lizards had already spread out, connecting to his Divine Sense and sending back images one by one.

He saw many female cultivators holding white talismans, moving around.

"Life Detection Talismans!" Xu Hei was startled.

He had heard Hei Huang mention before that besides Revealing Dust, Life Detection Talismans could also detect Invisibility Talismans.

"Xu Hei, keep an eye out and don't let anyone get within ten meters of us."

At this moment, Hei Huang was focused on a point on the light barrier, carefully studying it, his voice serious.

"I understand."

Xu Hei took a deep breath, his eyes fierce.

Killing someone in this situation was extremely risky, but if anyone dared to approach, he had no choice.

Time slowly passed.

The Purple Mist Sect was vast, but with a hundred people moving at high speed, one area after another was being cleared, leaving fewer unexplored areas.

Xu Hei wasn't idle either. He had set up numerous puppets within the Purple Mist Sect.

Whenever someone approached this area, he would use the puppets elsewhere to create a distraction and lure them away.

Many female disciples, startled, hastily crushed their talismans, attracting He Luohua's attention. When he found out he had been tricked, he was furious.

"Puppets! Again with the puppets!"

"This demon is truly cunning, but it confirms one thing: he's definitely hiding underground!"

"Keep searching! Don't miss any corner, even the places we've already searched, search them again!"

He Luohua threw out dozens more Life Detection Talismans, pulling in more people to join the search team.

More and more people joined the search.

Whenever someone got close, Xu Hei would use the puppets elsewhere to lure them away. He even used the puppets to kill some people, managing to avoid danger, but his puppets were dwindling.

Out of nearly a hundred, only ten large ones were left.

"Almost there, just half an incense stick's time left. Hang in there, little Xu," Hei Huang said excitedly.

"I know," Xu Hei replied.

Finally, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator approached, Xu Hei used all his remaining puppets to successfully drag the cultivator away and lure them elsewhere.

Now, Xu Hei had no puppets left.

Only a small snake for reconnaissance, with no combat ability.

"Damn it! Too few puppets. I should have prepared more."

Xu Hei cursed inwardly, but in reality, he had already used up all the puppet materials he had collected, unless he hunted down more disciples from the Heavenly Puppet Sect.

Time ticked by.

Xu Hei could clearly feel Hei Huang's eyes shining, his hands moving faster, clearly about to break through.

"Almost there, Xu Hei. When I give the signal, charge over here without hesitation."

Hei Huang reminded.

"I understand."

Xu Hei nodded.

At this moment, Xu Hei's snake sensed a human presence approaching.

Xu Hei's eyes flashed coldly. At this critical moment, someone was coming.

His snake adjusted its position and looked over, and he was stunned.

Approaching was a female disciple, different from the others. She had short hair, plain clothes, no decorations, and wheat-colored skin. From a distance, she looked like a man.

Xu Hei had noticed her early on. She had been lingering in the distance, often glancing this way but never approaching.

Until now.

She held a Life Detection Talisman, her body covered in layers of brown armor. Xu Hei recognized this spell as thick earth armor.

Around her, five rotating shields appeared. This was the Earth Shield.

Fifty meters, thirty meters, twenty meters...

Xu Hei's eyes turned cold. No matter who she was, he couldn't let her get within ten meters. He was ready to use Earth Spike and Black Gold Scales.

Qi Refining Stage Level Seven, no matter how many defensive measures, could be killed in one strike, no doubt about it!

Previously, he had only used puppets. This time, he might expose himself.

But he had no choice. Sooner was better than later. He needed to buy this last bit of time.

Fifteen meters, thirteen meters...

Xu Hei took a deep breath. Just as he was about to act, the plain-looking girl suddenly stopped.

At this moment, her face turned pale, sweat beads the size of beans appeared on her forehead, dripping down.

Her legs were weak, her head dizzy. This was a sign of extreme danger!

Huang Yu, unlike others, had wandered in life-and-death crises countless times, honing a very keen intuition.

She had long sensed something was wrong here. Whenever someone approached, they would leave due to various accidents. She was seventy percent sure the demon was hiding nearby.

But now, at this final moment, she didn't dare move forward.

"Three hundred thousand contribution points, three hundred thousand!"

"But if I die, what use are those points to me?"

Huang Yu's face was pale, her breathing rapid, her plain white robe soaked in sweat.

Calmness and humility were the first elements of survival!

Arrogance and pride were the causes of death!

She wasn't like the other female disciples, sheltered flowers. She had experienced life-and-death battles and knew the value of life.

Huang Yu took a deep breath and stepped back.

At that moment, the Foundation Establishment female cultivator, who had just been lured away by ten puppets, flew over on her sword. She glanced at Huang Yu and said, "Huang Yu? Have you searched over there?"

The newcomer wasn't alone. Behind her was a weathered old woman, the Grand Elder of the Purple Mist Sect, a late-stage Foundation Establishment powerhouse.

She was also the strongest in the search team.