Chapter 086: The Mountain Forest Serpent's Den, Part Two

Such an opportunity could not be missed.

After learning of Le Feng’s purpose, Xu Xuan agreed without a second thought.

The chance to enter a secret realm was exceedingly rare, and the time allowed was only one month. Once this village was passed, there would be no such inn afterward; thus every chance within the realm had to be seized with both hands.

“Heh, then we set out tomorrow morning.”

Le Feng smiled faintly, his gaze drifting toward Yu Qin, who was seated cross-legged in cultivation upon the tree. Lowering his voice, he said with a hint of meaning, “Then I shan’t disturb Junior Sister Yu.”

“Very well.”

Xu Xuan nodded reflexively and watched him leave, but he suddenly caught the suggestive tone and expression in Le Feng’s words, and a trace of irritation rose in his heart.

He hurriedly leapt to the treetop and explained the matter to Yu Qin.

In terms of status and standing, Yu Qin was a direct disciple, while Xu Xuan was merely a guardian attendant; she ought to take precedence.

“Senior Brother, rest assured. This time I certainly won’t hold you back.”

Yu Qin’s lashes fluttered lightly as she smiled sweetly, her clear, flawless eyes rarely revealing such steadfastness.

Hearing this, Xu Xuan felt somewhat relieved. After this secret realm journey, Yu Qin should gain some maturity and progress.

Moreover, with her cultivation having broken through to the third stage of Energy Refinement, Yu Qin’s strength had indeed increased somewhat.

“Oh, right. Since you’ve now reached the third stage of Energy Refinement, I’ll teach you some immortal arts and combat experience.”

Xu Xuan sat beside her, memories of his past life’s cultivation knowledge, together with many experiences and insights, surfacing in his mind.

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

Yu Qin nodded obediently, her pure smile like a white lotus unstained by mud.

Then Xu Xuan carefully explained some experience in immortal cultivator combat, including a number of tricks for using immortal arts and techniques.

Gradually, Yu Qin listened with growing absorption, looking at Xu Xuan with ever greater wonder.

Xu Xuan was clearly only a body-refining mortal, yet he knew so much about cultivation knowledge and combat insight.

“All right. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask me.”

After speaking, Xu Xuan let Yu Qin ask questions.

Raising Yu Qin’s strength was equivalent to increasing Xu Xuan’s own chances of survival within the secret realm.

Yu Qin’s comprehension was indeed not bad; she asked several questions, each striking directly at the key point. Xu Xuan’s answers allowed her to understand them with ease.

“...I’ll teach you a few commonly used spells as well.”

The insights and memories in Xu Xuan’s mind seemed inexhaustible as he carefully explained them to her.

He actually possessed more profound and mysterious immortal arts, but he feared arousing Elder Lu’s suspicion upon his return, so he only taught her a few ordinary, commonly used ones.

Yu Qin’s talent was excellent, and with Xu Xuan’s explanation of experience and insight, she learned the spells with ease.

“Senior Brother is amazing.”

That night, Yu Qin was as delighted as a little sparrow, colorful radiance flickering across her small hands.

“By the way, you may use these spells freely, but keep it secret that I’ve taught you my experience and insights.”

Xu Xuan reminded her.

“Mm, I promise Senior Brother, I won’t tell anyone.” Yu Qin’s small face flushed red like the morning glow, and she hurriedly nodded.

...

The next morning, with the sky only just beginning to brighten, Le Feng led a group of five straight into the depths of the mountain forest.

The spiritual energy within the forest was pure and abundant. After walking only a short while, they encountered animals that had nearly become demonic along the way.

Xu Xuan’s spirit grew solemn; there must certainly be demonic beasts in this forest.

Demonic beasts were generally nonhuman races endowed with intelligence and spirituality, born with the ability to commune with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Of course, there was another kind of demonic beast: those that evolved later, such as the demonized bats in this secret realm.

As expected, they had not gone far when a demonized wild wolf sprang out ahead, rushing in from the side with frenzied bloodlust. From its aura, it was at least comparable to a first-stage Energy Refinement immortal cultivator.

Whoosh!

A crescent-shaped streak of purple light sliced through the void, precisely intercepting the demonized wolf’s path. With a muffled sound, the wolf’s body stiffened in place, its throat gushing blood as it collapsed dead to the ground.

The one who struck was neither Le Feng nor Brother Jia.

The gazes of the group fixed in astonishment on Yu Qin, disbelief showing on their faces. They had never imagined that less than ten days after entering the secret realm, she would already have made such progress.

Joy shone on Yu Qin’s little face. She glanced at Xu Xuan, her eyes seeming to carry gratitude before shyly lowering them again. The immortal arts and combat experience Xu Xuan had taught her yesterday had, to her surprise, achieved an immediate result.

Xu Xuan was pleased in his heart, marveling at her talent. In this way, the strength of the entire team had effectively increased.

On the other side, Yang Xiaoqian had only barely broken through to the second stage of Energy Refinement, making her the weakest in the group.

Looking at Yu Qin’s joyful and pure smile, Yang Xiaoqian, despite her shock, felt her gaze dim slightly.

They continued onward, and from time to time demonic beasts attacked, only to be dispatched cleanly and swiftly by the group.

After walking for quite some time, Brother Jia, who had been leading the way, suddenly stopped. “This is it.”

Looking carefully, they saw bloodstains before a large cave ahead in the mountain terrain, and on the ground lay the bodies of poisonous snakes, cleaved into several sections.

“We were still too late,” Le Feng said, his expression changing.

The snake corpses on the ground and the several sharp sword marks confirmed his words.

Le Feng took the lead and rushed into the cave. As they moved forward, snake corpses could occasionally be seen.

After advancing for a short while, sounds of fighting faintly came from deeper within the snake den.

The five quickened their pace. When they reached a certain point, the view suddenly opened up before them: level ground, wide space, and passages leading in all directions.

The rock walls all around resembled overlapping scales, shimmering with a strange light and exuding an inexplicable, seductive aura.

Strange Scale Stone!

The hearts of the group stirred, and they all abruptly halted.

But at that very moment, a fierce shriek came from deep within the cave, and a powerful wave of air, wrapped in a layer of green mist, surged out.

Everyone could sense a formidable aura; it was probably no weaker than the demonized Bat King from before.

“Be careful, the mist is poisonous.”

Brother Jia cried out softly. Fortunately, the group had been prepared before entering the snake den; they immediately took antidotes and held their breath.

Clang, hiss, hiss...

The sounds of battle from deep inside the cave drew nearer.

Soon, two Sword Sect disciples burst out from the depths of the snake den, looking utterly disheveled. Behind them, over a hundred snakes of varying sizes were fiercely in pursuit, among them more than a dozen demonized poisonous snakes.

Seeing the army of snakes charge out, Le Feng and the others were startled as well.

“Save us!”

The two Sword Sect disciples cried out.

Le Feng and Xu Xuan exchanged a glance. The former slashed with one hand, and a swath of cyan flame swept across at a height of a foot above the ground, immediately scorching more than a dozen poisonous snakes; the rest were temporarily driven back and dared not approach.

The two Sword Sect disciples leapt closer. One of them, a handsome and fair youth, hurriedly clasped his fists in gratitude. “I am White Pan of the Sword Sect. Many thanks for your aid.”

“It was nothing,” Le Feng said with a faint smile.

Seeing the Sword Sect youth before them, Yang Xiaoqian was struck speechless for a moment, astonished beyond measure. She had not expected that the Sword Sect would also have such a handsome youth, one whose appearance could rival Le Feng’s.

The several of them joined forces, and with the deterrence of their spells, the poisonous snakes were temporarily forced back and dared not come near.

“I hope all of you can save Senior Sister Rain Ink. She is fighting the Snake King.”

White Pan’s face was full of pleading.

As soon as the words left his mouth, a shrill hiss rang out from deep within the cave. Windy, chilling currents swirled around, and a frightening aura surged from within.

“The Snake King!”

Le Feng and the others looked at one another, and retreat began to stir in their hearts.

Xu Xuan’s expression also changed. If it was truly a Snake King, then it was likely an existence on the same level as the earlier demonized Bat King.

But no sooner had the words been spoken than the passage ahead shook with a thunderous rumble. A giant snake seven or eight meters long and as thick as a water barrel came chasing out after a graceful, light figure.

The woman was none other than the Sword Sect’s Rain Ink. Her lovely form leaped and floated along the rock wall as her flying sword swept up a blaze of dazzling sword radiance. Like autumn rain, a curtain of sword qi fell in a fine, pattering shower, enveloping the giant golden-spotted serpent. The portion of sword qi that struck the ground immediately left small holes an inch deep. Such fierce attacks were enough to make one shudder.

Yet the golden-spotted giant snake’s body shivered with gold light, and it spat out green mist. The massed sword qi was corroded and devoured, while the serpent itself writhed in with savage strength.

Whoosh—

Rain Ink’s figure flashed away like drifting mist, narrowly avoiding the golden-spotted Snake King’s pounce at the last heart-stopping instant, a sight that made everyone’s hearts leap into their throats.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...

Suddenly, the poisonous snakes and demon snakes that had originally been pursuing the two fair Sword Sect disciples immediately turned back to attack Rain Ink.

Attacked from both sides, she was in grave peril.

Even Rain Ink’s sword technique, as ethereal as autumn rain, was driven into desperate straits.

“We can’t leave Senior Sister Rain Ink behind.”

White Pan clenched his teeth and, together with the other Sword Sect disciple, charged back to rescue Rain Ink. The situation descended into complete chaos.

“Move!”

Le Feng made a decisive decision, summoning his mid-grade magical artifact, the Wind-and-Fire Fan, and leading the five into the snake horde.

Though sword cultivators’ attacks were formidable, against a swarm of poisonous snakes, immortal techniques were still more effective.

In the blink of an eye, swathes of poisonous snakes were annihilated, and it seemed only the Snake King remained as a lone commander.

Everyone showed delight, and with Rain Ink and Le Feng as the main force, they launched a fierce assault on the Snake King.

Though Le Feng’s cultivation was not on par with Rain Ink’s seventh stage of Energy Refinement, the fire-based immortal arts and magical tools he wielded seemed to restrain the Snake King.

Unable to withstand the group, the Snake King retreated repeatedly, fleeing toward the labyrinthine depths of the snake den.

“After it!”

White Pan cried out in great joy, shooting Le Feng and the other five a grateful look. “There are many natural treasures in this hidden cave; even if we kill this Snake King, the parts of its body will be extremely valuable.”

Their fighting spirit surged, and all of them charged together into the depths of the snake den.

Yet Xu Xuan felt that something was not right. The Snake King was not without the ability to fight to the death; in its retreat, it seemed to still have some reserve strength.

“Something’s wrong.”

Xu Xuan let out a cold shout, stopping the few who had been blinded by victory.

“What is it?” Everyone looked at him in confusion.