Outside the ruined city, the yellow sand turned into quicksand as the Snake King surfaced from the depths of the sea of dunes.
"Fellow Daoist Lu and Fellow Daoist Cold Lizard haven't arrived yet?"
Qin Sang scanned the area and found only the Snake King.
The Snake King nodded, saying with a trace of worry, "This king arrived not long ago as well, and I have heard nothing of them. When they broke out back then, they were bound to encounter obstructions..."
"The combined secret art that Fellow Daoist Cold Lizard and Fellow Daoist Lu displayed at the end was extraordinary. If their only aim was to preserve their lives, it shouldn't be difficult."
Qin Sang recalled the aura Cold Lizard had revealed at the final moment, as well as the astonishing might that erupted from the snow pearl, which seemed to pool the cultivation of two beings into one.
Had it been him in that position, he too could only have yielded before its brunt just as Old Demon Ye had.
Hearing the wariness in Qin Sang's voice, the Snake King's expression relaxed slightly, and he chuckled. "Mingyue, do you know why Fellow Daoist Cold Lizard and Fellow Daoist Lu can merge their cultivations into one? In truth, Fellow Daoist Cold Lizard used to be Fellow Daoist Lu's spirit beast. Having lived side by side through days and nights, they long since comprehended several combined attack secret arts. It was only because Fellow Daoist Lu was gravely injured and unable to execute them that our situation deteriorated so badly. Only at the very last moment were they forced to resort to it, and the two of them must have paid a steep price..."
"Fellow Daoist Cold Lizard was once a spirit beast?"
Qin Sang was astonished; he truly hadn't realized.
"That was in the past. Fellow Daoist Lu has an easygoing temperament. After Fellow Daoist Cold Lizard underwent metamorphosis, Lu took the initiative to undo the binding on him and treat him as an equal. In fact, it was Lu who went out of his way to find the opportunity for Cold Lizard to transform. As a result, not only did Cold Lizard harbor no resentment over having been enslaved, he felt deeply grateful to Lu. If things took a bad turn, Cold Lizard would undoubtedly fight to the death to see Lu safely out..."
The Snake King recounted this obscure past.
As a demon, he thoroughly detested the human race's enslavement of spirit beasts, yet in his words, there was immense admiration for Cultivator Lu.
Qin Sang could not help but feel respect stirring in his heart as well.
Back then, Cultivator Lu had only been in the early Nascent Soul stage. Possessing a spirit beast in the Metamorphosis stage was practically equivalent to doubling one's strength, yet he had simply let it go.
Moreover, Cold Lizard had been subdued by Cultivator Lu during his Foundation Establishment stage and had harbored no rejection toward him.
Qin Sang asked himself whether he could have done the same and found it difficult to imagine.
With such detachment from external gains, it was no wonder Cultivator Lu could break through to the mid-Nascent Soul stage and become one of the premier experts in the Beichen Realm.
"Let's wait a little longer."
Qin Sang also wanted to meet this Cultivator Lu. Looking at the Snake King, he asked, "What about your injuries...?"
The Snake King offered a wry smile. "I'm afraid I'll need to return and recuperate in seclusion for several decades to recover. I only hope Fellow Daoist Lu and the other managed to bring out that scale; otherwise, this venture truly came at an enormous loss."
Only then did Qin Sang learn of their full experience from the Snake King.
After finding the entrance to the ancient great demon's cave dwelling, they had expended tremendous effort to gradually unravel the ancient restrictions. Just as Cultivator Lu obtained a snake scale recording a secret art and an ancient treasure, he suffered a sneak attack from a snake spirit. That commotion alerted Jiang Chenzi and the others at the blood lake, triggering the disaster.
"Snake King, what do you make of Old Demon Ye and that blood lake?" Qin Sang asked, shifting the topic, and shared his own speculations.
"It was my first time clashing with Old Demon Ye as well. If he truly is an incarnation at the peak of the mid-Nascent Soul stage, as you said, then the strength Old Demon Ye displayed is likely merely the tip of the iceberg. His schemes are anything but small!"
The Snake King wore a solemn expression, growing even warier of Old Demon Ye.
"As for the blood lake, I've never been to Wuya Valley and know little about it. However, I can testify on your behalf before the Two Domains Alliance. Old Demon Ye hunted us for so long—no matter what he seeks to accomplish, how could we let him get away with it so easily?"
Seeing the Snake King gritting his teeth, Qin Sang smiled faintly. "My thoughts exactly."
They entered the temporary cave dwelling opened by the Snake King and waited for several days.
Suddenly, the Snake King snapped his eyes open. Sweeping his divine sense outward, he drew in a small sand lizard that had been roaming outside.
Peculiarly, as soon as the sand lizard entered the cave dwelling, it ceased its struggles. Its eyes gradually turned a deep, profound blue.
"Knowing both Daoists are out of danger, Lu can finally rest easy."
The sand lizard opened and closed its mouth, emitting Cultivator Lu's voice.
"Fellow Daoist Lu!" The Snake King looked delighted. "How are you and Fellow Daoist Cold Lizard doing?"
"Cold Lizard is not in good shape. To get me out, he detonated his magic treasure and nearly self-destructed as well. I managed to snatch away his refined soul, and we'll have to find a solution later. As for me, though the injury didn't damage my foundation, it's not something that can heal in a year or two. It's inconvenient for me to meet you both in person, so I can only rely on this little creature to deliver my message."
Cultivator Lu spoke heavily, with a hint of apology in his tone.
Qin Sang and the Snake King expressed their understanding.
Next, the sand lizard spat out a snake scale. "I shall accept that magic treasure on Cold Lizard's behalf. Recorded upon this scale is an ancient secret art originating from the snake clan, which suits Fellow Daoist Snake King best, though it doesn't strictly demand snake bloodline. Fellow Daoist Mingyue should be able to cultivate it as well. My deepest thanks to Fellow Daoist Mingyue for lending a helping hand this time; this secret art is a modest token of my gratitude. Once Cold Lizard and I have recovered, we will surely visit in person to express our thanks."
Qin Sang did not claim credit. "I merely happened to be there at the right time."
After a few more words, the blue hue in the sand lizard's eyes faded, restoring its own rudimentary intellect. It leapt down from the Snake King's hand and scurried off, vanishing into the yellow sand.
Impatient, the Snake King pressed the scale to the space between his brows. After perusing it, he passed it to Qin Sang.
Qin Sang did not hold back. Upon examining it, he found it to be a secret art related to the power of bloodlines. Unless he could fully fuse with the Azure Luan blood essence in the future, he wouldn't be able to cultivate it.
Still, he could bring it back to the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea. Neither the Snake King nor Cultivator Lu had placed any restrictions on passing the secret art to juniors.
As for the white copper Qin Sang had snatched, Cultivator Lu and the Snake King never made mention of it.
"I've refined medicinal pills and temporarily suppressed my injuries. Let us head back," the Snake King suggested.
Qin Sang naturally had no objection.
On their return journey, Qin Sang and the Snake King were in no rush.
Relying on the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's restriction-breaking ability, they ventured in and out of various secret realms and forbidden zones across the desert. With the two of them joining forces, very few things posed a threat to them.
Had the Snake King not been injured, they would undoubtedly have been even bolder.
Although Qin Sang failed to find any Killing Sword fragments, Fat Chicken gained immense benefits.
Though it had always followed Qin Sang, he hailed from the human race and could offer little guidance regarding demon cultivation.
The Snake King was different. With just a few passing remarks, he struck right at the true essence of demon cultivation, allowing Fat Chicken to benefit immensely. Combined with its profound prior accumulation, it finally experienced an epiphany and broke through directly to the late Demon Core stage, leaving even the Snake King rather astonished.
"The lad has fine talent. No wonder you keep him by your side, Mingyue. The Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea truly abounds in outstanding talents... Is he betrothed yet?"
Catching the look in the Snake King's eyes, Fat Chicken felt its feathers stand on end.
*Snake King, you don't happen to have another niece, do you?*
Qin Sang silently complained in his mind. Why was this old fellow so fond of playing matchmaker?
The Snake King grinned. "This king doesn't just have nieces—I also have an unmarried daughter, though her cultivation is on the lower side! But if this match succeeds, your Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea can't take all the benefits again. The young couple must come to my Mount Hualong."
"The young generation will find their own blessings..." Qin Sang said placidly.
Fat Chicken breathed a massive sigh of relief. Brother White Crane was more than enough to handle political marriages.
Chapter 1217