"The quickest way into the Myriad Serpent Cave is naturally through the snow valley, but too many low-rank snow pythons nest there, making it all too easy to startle them,"
"The reason I discovered the Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit back then was that out in the wilds, I tracked an immature young python and followed it in through another opening."
"That entrance is very well concealed, and when I came to check on it last time, it hadn't been disturbed."
"Everyone has secret arts for concealing their aura, so push them to their utmost limit. Don't let the demon beasts detect us."
Inside the deep, dark subterranean tunnel.
The party of five advanced in silence.
Fu Jiusheng took the lead, occasionally using spiritual sense voice transmission to clear up doubts in their minds.
Luo Chen was still closely protected in the very center.
Listening to Fu Jiusheng's words, his spiritual eyes constantly swept over their surroundings.
Rather than a tunnel, it was more like a serpent path.
Slick slime coated the surrounding stone walls, making it evident that even now, demon beasts still slithered through this narrow passage.
"The Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit matures once every ninety years, and the sign of its maturation is the appearance of nine white patterns on the fruit."
"Danchenzi, you must pay close attention in a moment!"
"Once the white patterns begin turning black, it means the spirit fruit is deteriorating, turning from an elixir into poison. When they turn completely black, you must never, ever touch it with your bare flesh."
Listening to Fu Jiusheng's warning, Luo Chen calmly replied via voice transmission, "Thank you for the guidance, Fellow Daoist. I keep common sense like that firmly in mind."
After all, it was a spiritual medicine nurtured by the virulent venom of the Seven-Ring Snow Python.
Beyond its extraordinary medicinal efficacy, it naturally harbored extreme toxicity as well.
Suddenly, a rustling sound drifted over.
It was accompanied by the sound of stone being crushed and crumbling from the walls.
*Rustle, rustle, rustle...*
Hearing the sound, all five came to an immediate halt.
Each drew their aura back to the absolute limit and pressed flat against the sides of the stone wall.
Then, holding their breaths, they stared straight ahead.
Before long, they saw a snow python bearing three black rings slithering past.
As it crossed by, it paused for a moment and flicked out its massive serpent tongue, sniffing the air, before slithering away in confusion.
Only after it was gone did the five fully breathe a sigh of relief.
Watching the long silhouette vanish into the depths of the darkness, Fu Jiusheng sighed with emotion. "When I last saw that little python, it was only at the two-ring level. Now it has cultivated to three rings. I fear it isn't far from breaking through to the second rank."
According to the understanding and records of cultivators, with demon beasts like the Seven-Ring Snow Python, each ring corresponded to a minor human cultivation realm.
From what cultivators had observed, the strongest of this species ever encountered possessed only seven black rings, equivalent to an early third-rank demon beast—the early Golden Core stage for humans.
It was said their limit was merely seven rings.
This was tied to bloodline.
Human cultivators spoke of spiritual root aptitudes, while demon beasts were governed by bloodline.
The stronger the inherited bloodline, the higher their ceiling.
These Seven-Ring Snow Pythons inherited their lineage from a fourth-rank Demon Emperor, the White Bone Mystic Serpent, and had only partaken of a sliver of collateral bloodline.
Hence, they could only halt at the seven-ring level—early third rank.
"From birth, this type of demon beast enjoyed the protection of that White Bone Mystic Serpent, so their combat prowess isn't particularly strong."
"Even so, we still need to exercise caution."
"They excel most at constricting and crushing, toxic corrosion, and an instinct shared by most serpentine demon beasts—scent identification."
"Therefore, if battle breaks out later, the optimal approach is to control the distance and focus on ranged strikes. At the same time, we must be steady, accurate, and swift, preventing any news from leaking out."
Fu Jiusheng spoke once more, informing everyone of several traits of the Seven-Ring Snow Python clan.
Though everyone listened intently, someone eventually grew impatient.
"We've already been traveling underground for more than half a day. Just how much longer until we reach our destination?"
The one asking was Madam You Sha.
Fu Jiusheng stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her.
Madam You Sha froze, then offered a strained smile. "Don't mind me. Lingering in such a dangerous place for so long simply makes one feel somewhat stifled. Don't take it to heart, Fellow Daoist."
Fu Jiusheng shook his head instead.
Pointing at the wall behind him, his lips moved silently.
"We have already arrived!"
Staring at that wall, everyone was taken aback.
Yet in the next moment, when their spiritual senses quietly penetrated the wall and felt three surging auras, their spirits instantly lifted.
"The Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit is the treasure most valued by the King of the Seven-Ring Snow Pythons."
"It is said to possess the miraculous effect of helping serpentine demon beasts break through their realms!"
"Therefore, this place is a forbidden ground of the snow python clan, with three late second-rank great demon beasts permanently stationed to guard it."
"Although this place lies deep within the Myriad Serpent Cave, it is far removed from the gathering grounds of the ordinary clan members."
"This is precisely why I am confident that as long as we kill those three demon beasts, we can provide Fellow Daoist Danchenzi with a certain amount of time and space to refine the pills."
"And what we must do next is figure out how to silently slay three second-rank great demons without alerting the outside world."
That final sentence made several of them frown in difficulty.
They were all outstanding figures among rogue cultivators.
Even when facing cultivators of the same rank from major sects, they possessed the confidence to hold their own.
Being asked to slay second-rank demon beasts didn't feel overly difficult to them.
Yet to do so silently, without alarming a single soul...
Slaying that Mountain-Boring Earth Dragon earlier had caused no small commotion!
Seeing them troubled, Fu Jiusheng appeared completely unsurprised.
With a flip of his hands, a compass and dozens of formation flags appeared in his left hand, hovering above his palm, while a pale white talisman rested in his right.
"What are these?" Luo Chen asked, eyeing the two items with curiosity.
"This is the Divine Steel Solid Earth Grand Formation, mostly used by small sects when establishing their mountain gates to reinforce foundations. And this talisman is a third-rank Sound-Isolating Talisman. Once triggered, no sound below the third rank can escape its coverage."
Fu Jiusheng explained briefly before assigning tasks.
"First, I will activate the third-rank Sound-Isolating Talisman to ensure no sound leaks out. Then I will deploy the formation to ensure the terrain of the cave where the Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit grows isn't damaged, lest the spirit fruit be harmed by accident."
"When I make my move, Fellow Daoist Helian, Fellow Daoist Xiao, and Madam You Sha, the three of you must strike at the same time. Each of you pick a snow python and slay it like a thunderbolt before it can react!"
"Danchenzi, you won't be idle either. Act personally to shield the Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit, preventing the beasts from destroying the spiritual medicine in a cornered frenzy."
"Does anyone have any objections?"
The four exchanged glances with him, then nodded in unison.
At such a crucial juncture, there was no room for hesitation.
"Get ready!"
With a command from Fu Jiusheng, he channeled his spiritual power before their eyes.
The wall in front of him quietly melted away like thawing snow, without making a sound.
At that exact moment, the scene inside the cavern concealed by the wall was laid bare before everyone.
Three giant pythons, coiled into small black-and-white mountains in a triangular formation, encircled a small tree roughly two feet tall.
The instant the wall melted, the three giant pythons opened their eyes almost simultaneously.
As if awakened from hibernation, they glared together toward the five figures above.
Their fist-sized vertical pupils burned with fury.
*Hiss...*
*Hiss...*
*Hiss...*
Three hisses rang out simultaneously, as if attempting to alert the outside.
However!
Those sounds were completely blocked by the hazy white light emanating from the pale white talisman above the cavern.
Not only that.
One formation flag after another flew in all directions, rapidly sinking into the ground.
Fu Jiusheng sat cross-legged in midair, holding the compass.
Streaks of dark yellow radiance radiated outward from him, spreading across the entire cavern.
"Strike now! What are you waiting for!"
A low shout escaped his lips.
Four figures instantly leaped into the cavern.
One headed straight for the center. Before his feet even touched the ground, a ball of blue-green spiritual power burst from his mouth.
It transformed into an inverted bowl that clamped down, covering the small tree.
Furthermore, his hands formed incantation gestures, and layers of azure light barriers separated an area of ten feet in the center of the cavern like crystalline glass.
This was Luo Chen's handiwork.
Seeing his actions, the three giant pythons grew thoroughly enraged.
Their coiled, mountain-like bodies uncoiled at once, revealing massive serpent frames.
Upon each snowy-white python body were six thick, pitch-black rings.
Six-Ring Snow Pythons!
Just as Fu Jiusheng had said, these were indeed three late second-rank great demons.
Moreover, the momentum of each was in no way inferior to a human great cultivator at the ninth layer of Foundation Establishment—their surging auras were even slightly more formidable.
"Unfortunately, what you're facing are cultivators!"
And cultivators who had prepared beforehand with intent to kill!
Luo Chen's gaze turned cold as he surveyed three sides.
The three figures charging forward recklessly could not shake his composure in the slightest.
With his strength, he could handle these three demon beasts entirely on his own.
Not to mention, he wasn't alone.
In the next instant, a sharp cry rang out.
"Vile beast, die!"
It was still that amber-red silk ribbon, but this time, it did not stretch across a hundred yards. Instead, it shrank to roughly the same size as the giant python.
Though its area had shrunk, its might had become far more concentrated.
*Crack!*
A midair lash sent the giant python charging toward Luo Chen flying several yards away, slamming directly into the cavern wall.
*Boom!*
A thunderous rumble resounded, yet it remained confined within the cave, unable to leak out in the slightest.
Madam You Sha pinched an incantation gesture with both hands.
From the Amber Vermilion Silk, a sudden shower of blood rained down.
The foul stench of that bloody rain was even more nauseating than the odor coming off the snow python.
The moment the blood hit the ground, it morphed into a blood flood dragon in the blink of an eye.
*Roar!*
With a roar, the blood dragon lunged to tear at the snow python.
Simultaneously, the main body of the Amber Vermilion Silk flew forward as well, seeking an opportunity to bind the python.
For a time, the snow python not only had to grapple with the blood dragon, but also face the terrifying corroding power of the baleful qi on the Amber Vermilion Silk.
Luo Chen furrowed his brows.
Was this the killing move of that dharma treasure?
A pre-prepared Drawing Water to Form a Dragon Technique could summon a spiritual dragon with strength comparable to the cultivator themselves.
Yet this woman's method of refinement had clearly taken an evil path.
Instead of refining it through proper spiritual power and mind, she had relied on external force, using the flesh and blood of living creatures to refine it.
Only in this way could she attain a degree of refinement rarely reached by Foundation Establishment True Cultivators.
It was nearly ninety percent!
Such an exceptionally high degree of refinement was something he had only ever seen once before on Tao Wan's Flowing Cloud Flying Sleeves from Azure Pill Valley.
"The defeat of this python is already a foregone conclusion. Madam You Sha will be able to slay it in just a few dozen breaths."
Luo Chen quickly judged the tilt of the scales of victory.
However, she was not the only one he was watching.
Reaching Great Circle in Bright Spirit Fiend Breaking allowed him to multitask across three focuses with ease.
Therefore, his spiritual sense kept watch over the other two battlefields at the same time.
"Oh?"
A soft murmur of surprise betrayed the ripple in Luo Chen's heart.
Because in the area where Helian Yun was fighting, the methods the man displayed instinctively put Luo Chen on guard.
Soul Breaking Nails!
Yet it wasn't just that single Soul Breaking Nail from before!
At this moment, three of them hovered in his hand!
The three black nails shot forward.
Amidst flashing black light, one pierced armor, sinking into the snow python's body.
Another pierced qi, pinning the vast demon qi accumulated within the snow python as though holding it by the tail, preventing it from circulating at all.
And the final black nail plunged straight into the snow python's glabella.
*Pfft!*
With a soft sound, the snow python let out a mournful hiss and collapsed limply to the ground.
Inside its body, dark light surged repeatedly.
In just a few breaths, the black nail that had burrowed into its body suddenly shot out from its tail.
Helian Yun beckoned with his hand.
The three black nails returned to his grasp.
That snow python was already as dead as could be.
Noticing Luo Chen's gaze, he smiled faintly.
"Just a trivial trick. Forgive me if I've made a fool of myself before Fellow Daoist."
An instant kill!
This was a true instant kill!
Compared to Madam You Sha's protracted struggle, Helian Yun's sequence had decimated a demon beast of the same rank with crushing ease.
This was hardly any "trivial trick."
Luo Chen nodded solemnly, assessing how he would defend against that set of black nails if he were ever to battle Helian Yun.
Armor Piercing Nail, Qi Piercing Nail, Soul Breaking Nail.
No wonder this man had managed to survive the battlefield of Mount Thunder Accumulation completely unscathed.
To think he possessed such methods!
From what he could see, although this set of black nail dharma treasures were only low-grade, their potential likely went far beyond that.
Luo Chen temporarily suppressed his wariness toward the Grand Elder of the Lianyun Merchant Alliance and looked toward Xiao Sanren's battlefield.
In truth, there was no need to look at all.
From the start of the battle, that peculiar flute music had drifted over incessantly, thread by thread.
Standing outside the fray, the others could not feel the flute's true power.
Yet Xiao Sanren's opponent—that Six-Ring Snow Python—had long since frozen in place.
As the flute music grew increasingly rapid, the Six-Ring Snow Python suddenly moved!
Yet instead of attacking Xiao Sanren, it reared its head high.
Xiao Sanren shifted, his toes lightly tapping atop the serpent's head, looking down upon everyone from above.
Beneath his feet, the Six-Ring Snow Python's eyes were dull and lifeless.
Seeing this, Helian Yun, who had just been feeling rather pleased with himself, underwent a drastic change of expression.
"Fellow Daoist, your..."
Xiao Sanren smiled faintly. "Though demon beasts like this have awakened their spiritual wisdom, before cultivators like us, they are no different from three-year-old toddlers. It is merely a modest art of bewitchment, hardly worthy of great halls."
"Conversely, if it hadn't awakened spiritual wisdom and acted entirely on instinct, I might truly have had no way to deal with it."
Faced with these modest words, reasonable as they sounded, Helian Yun and the others did not dare take them lightly.
Luo Chen frowned even deeper. His current situation shared a certain similarity with these demon beasts.
Both possessed powerful physical bodies, but relatively weaker foundations in their divine souls.
While they were conversing, Madam You Sha over on her side finally finished off her opponent as well. Drenched in delicate sweat, half of the snow python's corpse remained behind.
It seemed the technique of the Amber Vermilion Silk to devour flesh and blood had its limits as well!
Luo Chen looked around, his gaze sweeping over the four individuals one by one, and understanding finally dawned on him.
No wonder they had dared to team up with him despite his resounding reputation.
Believing in his gentlemanly name was one thing.
Having ample confidence in their own methods was another.
Be it the three soul-breaking nails, this soul-snatching flute music, or Madam You Sha's baleful silk dharma treasure, all faintly countered his powerful physique.
As for Fu Jiusheng, he had relied on his realm of Foundation Establishment Great Circle from start to finish.
He hadn't revealed much of his other methods.
Presumably, he held several trump cards of his own.
After quickly assessing where their confidence lay, Luo Chen watched as the four gathered around.
Their gazes fell upon the azure light barrier beneath Luo Chen.
With a thought, Luo Chen waved his hand to dismiss the glass barrier and the spiritual qi shield.
The little tree, barely two feet tall, instantly appeared before everyone.
The tree was not tall, nor were its branches lush.
Yet the fruit hanging from its branch thoroughly captivated everyone's gaze.
"One, two, three... nine!"
"The Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit!"
"Haha, not a fraction off from what this old man predicted! It has indeed just matured!"
In a rare display, Fu Jiusheng showed ecstatic delight.
The other three were also overjoyed.
Immediately after, all four turned their gazes onto Luo Chen.
"From here on, everything depends on Fellow Daoist Danchenzi."
"Do you have confidence?"
"We will protect you. You must refine the Nether Origin Pill!"
"If there are any other requirements, you can state them in advance!"
Faced with their fervent gazes, Luo Chen pursed his lips and reached out.
*Thud!*
A vessel resembling both a pot and a furnace appeared before everyone.
He pinched a seal and pointed, injecting spiritual power.
The Shangshu Cauldron expanded instantly, growing ten feet tall in the blink of an eye.
Seeing this, surprise flickered in their eyes.
A dharma-treasure-grade alchemical cauldron!
It seemed that for this pill refinement, Luo Chen had also come thoroughly prepared!
Ignoring their surprise, Luo Chen moved his hand again.
A palm-sized array disc appeared in his hand.
Before their eyes, he inlaid five medium-grade spirit stones into it.
At this sight, their expressions changed.
"It isn't that I distrust you all, but when an alchemist is at work, bystanders and interruptions are what they dread most,"
"This array disc of mine only bears an inscribed second-rank warning formation."
"I hope you will not disturb me while I am refining the pills."
Luo Chen smiled faintly.
The four stared at him, speechless for a long time.
After a while, Fu Jiusheng shook his head and said, "Fellow Daoist Danchenzi, focus on refining the pills. I will go set up the Five Elements Maze Formation so we aren't discovered by other demon beasts in the Myriad Serpent Cave."
He departed with such open-mindedness.
Yet the other three still hesitated.
Madam You Sha could not resist asking, "If there are extra Nether Origin Pills after the batch is completed, what if you hoard them for yourself?"
Luo Chen countered, "Do you not trust me?"
Madam You Sha choked on her words.
Luo Chen sneered. "We've already come this far, and you're still this suspicious? Isn't that a bit inappropriate? If I intended to deceive you, wouldn't adding a little something extra into the Nether Origin Pills cause all your efforts at Core Formation to fall short at the final hurdle?"
Madam You Sha's face instantly turned livid.
Xiao Sanren shook his head. "It seems we must trust him whether we want to or not. Danchenzi, focus on refining the pills. In the meantime, I'll command this surviving Six-Ring Snow Python to go scout the situation outside."
Helian Yun said nothing more.
For this operation, he had invested the most effort. Whether serving as the intermediary connecting all parties or preparing all the supplemental ingredients in advance, he had bled profusely.
All of it was just for a single Nether Origin Pill!
Whether Luo Chen hoarded any had little to do with him.
He only needed one!
Seeing the others leave to guard against demon beasts, Madam You Sha's expression shifted between pale and flushed. In the end, under Luo Chen's mocking smile, she could only stomp her foot.
"My apologies. It was this concubine's fault!"
With that, she also put some distance between herself and Luo Chen.
Luo Chen chuckled and tossed the array disc onto the ground.
The warning formation specially crafted for him by Min Longyu abruptly expanded, and layers of dense mist enveloped him within.
Only at this moment did Luo Chen finally breathe a sigh of relief, his gaze resting somewhat entranced upon the Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit.
"Everything is prepared. Third-rank pill, here I come!"
Opening his mouth, a streak of green light descended beneath the Shangshu Cauldron. With a sudden tremor, the green light erupted into a burst of raging flames.
It was none other than the Wither-Bloom Fire!
He had already refined it into his source true fire.
This way, he only needed to inject a tiny amount of spiritual power to easily control the size of the flame.
There was no need to use Foundation Establishment True Fire to refine the pills, which allowed him to preserve his strength to the greatest extent.
Subsequently, one pre-processed medicinal herb after another flew out of Luo Chen's storage bag, falling into the Shangshu Cauldron.
As for the refinement of the Nether Origin Pill, Luo Chen had already begun practicing it nine years ago.
By the fourth year, feeling that his accumulation was sufficient, he had finally used the system to initiate it.
For this, Luo Chen had spent a total of forty achievement points.
Such a massive consumption of achievement points was second only to completing the Heavenly Roc Transformation to deduce the Convergence of Myriad Paths.
That time, it had cost forty-five achievement points.
The reason it cost much less this time was that the pill recipe for the Nether Origin Pill was complete, and Luo Chen had a deeper foundation in alchemy than in body refinement.
Even so, it had still been an enormous expenditure.
"I hope it won't disappoint me!"
Luo Chen murmured softly. With a thought, his hands repeatedly formed spiritual seals, and wisps of extraordinarily pure wood spiritual power poured from his fingertips.
Then, swirling around the small tree, they traced out ribbons of spiritual light.
Pure Heart Hand at Great Circle proficiency!
With this alchemical art, he could pick the Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit flawlessly, preventing it from spoiling the moment it left the branch.
Once the plump fruit was plucked, it was guided by the Pure Heart Hand to descend gently into the Shangshu Cauldron.
A white pattern suddenly wriggled.
One-ninth of the medicinal potency instantly transformed into a small serpent, darting into the other already-refined medicinal liquids.
As the two gradually merged, the rudimentary form of the Nether Origin Pill seemed on the verge of emerging.
Yet Luo Chen knew that this was merely the beginning!
***
Time slipped by bit by bit.
Inside the spirit fruit cavern, the four waiting cultivators went from quiet patience at the start to restless anticipation.
Without them realizing it, an anxious atmosphere had begun to spread.
"It's been three days!"
"Has he still not succeeded?"
"Wait a bit longer! It's a third-rank pill after all; how could it be done in one breath?"
"But this is taking too long!"
"The remnant soul in the snow python I was controlling couldn't hold out any longer and completely perished. Before it died, I saw the situation outside. Quite a few snow pythons are slithering about in agitation, as if something big is about to happen out there."
"Speaking of which, it's strange. The route I took earlier had been confirmed safe multiple times. Yet this time entering the Great Snow Mountain, we encountered intercepting demon beasts one after another. Those beasts clearly weren't migrating with a purpose; it looked more like they were fleeing in panic toward the outside of the Great Snow Mountain."
"I fear some change we know nothing about is taking place deep within the Great Snow Mountain."
"If there truly is a change, then the Seven-Ring Snow Python occupying the Myriad Serpent Cave will definitely not give up on this mature Nine-Pattern Snake Saliva Fruit. If Luo Chen still hasn't succeeded, unexpected trouble might arise!"
"Be patient. Let's wait a bit longer!"
"Indeed. I've cultivated for two hundred and thirty years; what's a few more days?"
Soft murmurs of conversation arose among the four from time to time.
They kept their voices extremely low, fearing they might disturb Luo Chen inside the formation.
Yet no matter how much composure they possessed, the restlessness on their faces could not be concealed in the slightest.
After all, this concerned an opportunity for Core Formation!
And amidst this anxious anticipation...
The fifth day finally arrived.
At the same time, an exotic fragrance of pills suddenly wafted up from the very center of the cavern.
The hearts of the four stirred, their eyes turning toward it in unison.
As the vast clouds of mist dispersed, a figure appeared before them, holding four dark, shadowy pills in his palm.
Those four pills instantly drew everyone's attention.
The medicinal potency was restrained to the utmost limit, making it impossible to tell whether it possessed the power to help one break through to the Golden Core stage.
Yet the occasional phenomenon of flashing azure-blue electric sparks caused all four of them to blurt out in unison:
"Azure lightning floats, nether sea engenders origin!"
Luo Chen smiled freely. "I did not disappoint your hopes. The pills are accomplished!"
Chapter 443