The eyeballs of the gigantic serpent spirit were bigger than a lantern. Its horrifyingly bloodshot eyes shone with murderous intent.
Jiang Chen remained calm in the face of the evil spirit blocking his way. It wasnât the first time he faced down a giant monster. He wasnât afraid in the slightest.
The serpent suddenly opened its mouth wide.
Huff!
A whiff of filthy breath shot viciously towards him, the pungent smell repulsive enough to make one wish for the mercy of death.
He instinctively knew that it was highly poisonous. However, no poison in the world could harm him thanks to his Golden Cicada bloodline. With a simple wave of his sleeve, he diverted the gust of air.
It dispersed and rotated around him in continuous circles.
He shot a ray of light from his Evil Golden Eye at the enormous serpentâs lantern-like pupils, splitting the air like keen swords.
The spirit hadnât taken the humanâs attack seriously at first, but it realized how powerful the attack was when the sharp golden light drew close. It tilted its head, narrowly preventing the light from taking its eyes.
The two rays of light cut into the center of its forehead instead.
Splurt.
Blood spurted violently out of the two cuts.
His Evil Golden Eye could attack not only the consciousness, but also apply physical force. It alone was powerful enough. With the seal on his consciousness strengthening it, its effects were boosted greatly.
The secret methods benefitted the most from the seal: the Evil Golden Eye, Godâs Eye, Ear of the Zephyr, Psychicâs Head, and Boulderâs Heart. Any having to do with the consciousness were also greatly enhanced.
The injury enraged the serpent. It threw back its head with a screech, its eyes violently bloodshot and killing intent surging.
Its enormous body scurried to and fro with its mouth opened wide. A blood red ribbon looped around Jiang Chen like a rope of flesh, who calmly inflicted a series of slashes with the Supernova Point.
The tongue was surprisingly tough. Even the powerful Supernova Point was unable to slice through it, leaving only a shallow cut in its wake. And, the cut instantly healed with the serpentâs saliva.
Jiang Chen was dumbfounded by the bizarre scene. The serpentâs tongue was even tougher than the stone mountain!
Although the Supernova Point wasnât his strongest martial method, it could inflict considerable damage to a single enemy. Even an empyrean expert wouldnât dare take the point head-on.
The serpentâs tongue was even tougher than its skin?? Heâd managed to puncture its forehead, but the Supernova Point had only left a glancing blow on its tongue. He finally understood why the ninth cave was so intimidating, and why no geniuses had managed to pass it.
Even without the giant serpent spirit, the series of dangers heâd encountered so far were more than what most people could deal with. The serpent and its descendents were all venomous, and the entire area was covered in poison.
If he hadnât been of the golden cicada bloodline, he wouldâve long since been knocked out by the poisonous fumes. He wouldnât even be able to fight.
The serpentâs tongue whipped at him with great velocity, an agile band. Fortunately he was adept at movement.
By distracting the serpent with the Pentecolor Divine Swords, he was able to stand his ground against it, albeit with some difficulty. The serpent continuously breathed out foul odor as it attacked with its tongue.
Its poisonous breath was obviously its greatest strength, and it happened to be the one thing Jiang Chen was immune to. He knew if he could hack through the serpent, heâd be close to exiting the cave.
That was easier said than done, however.
Jiang Chen observed the serpentâs behavior and the surrounding landscapes as he fought. He couldâve made quick work of the serpent by summoning the Confounding Puppets, or at least hold down the serpent long enough for him to pass through safely.
However, there must be many watching him outside the Nine Winding Caves. He didnât want to show all the cards he had. That was why he had such a difficult time fighting the serpent.
......
The first prime kept her eyes on everything happening in the cave. She closely watched Jiang Chenâs fight with the serpent.
âWhatâs happening, First Prime? Has Shao Yuan entered the serpent tribeâs territory?â
âOh, he wonât be able to defeat the serpent spirit.â
âHe should be proud of himself for escaping the stone mountain alone. Throughout history, none of the cultivators entering the ninth cave were able to pass that region. Shao Yuanâs record is already unparalleled, rightâ
âThatâs right. I hope the young man will bring us the ultimate miracle.â
The first prime looked ahead deeply. âThe young man seems helpless against the serpent spirit, but the serpent seems incapable of taking him out either.â
âWhat? The serpent canât take him out? Isnât the serpentâs poisonous gas very powerful? Is its army of descendents unable to deal with him either?â
âThat canât be. The whole region is the death zone. Itâs covered in snake venom. No one can pass through the area. Has the serpent gone easy on him and not attacked with the poisonous miasma?â
The elders didnât have their mindâs eye open and couldnât see what was happening in the cave.
âHaha, the serpent has attacked him with poisonous air many times, but the young man has a mysterious method of defense that protects him against poison.â
The elders were dumbfounded. It wasnât rare for a cultivator to know anti-poison methods, but most of them only worked for a short period of time. Their effects would wear off after prolonged exposure to poisonous gas.
âElder Ziju, what do you think is the method that protects Shao Yuan from poisons for so long?â The first prime was very curious. Methods against poison were something all cultivators cared about. Even someone at her level wouldnât say she was invincible against all poisons.
There was a great variety of poisons in the world. The same poison could have drastically different effects in different hands.
A poison that didnât work on an empyrean expert when used by a great emperor, could threaten the former in the hands of another empyrean expert.
At the same time, even the most powerful cultivator wouldnât claim to be immune to all poisons; none in the Eternal Sacred Land at least. The same was true for Ziju Min, recognized as the figurehead in pill dao.
Thus, Ziju Min didnât immediately respond. He thought for a good moment. âThere are many ways to defend against poisons - pills, magical items, or antidotes. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. However, itâs almost impossible to be immune to all poisons. Itâs said that there was a bloodline in the ancient times that granted immunity. However, thereâs never been such a case on Myriad Abyss Island.â
âA bloodline that grants immunity to all poisons? Is there a human bloodline like that?â
âBloodlines of the human race are complicated. Our bloodline is flexible and able to incorporate many others of the ancient times as our own. If a human bloodline has been mixed with that of an ancient race, the power may awaken after some generations.â
The first prime smiled. âIs Shao Yuanâs immunity from his blood,a pill, or some treasure?â
Ziju Min didnât have an answer.
The first prime didnât push. âWhy do I have a feeling that this isnât Shao Yuanâs full power?â she commented suddenly. âHe seems to be pulling his punches even as he fights the serpent. The young man is more extraordinary than we imagine.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Her comments surprised the others and they exchanged looks.
âWhy would a talented young man like him have remain unnoticed before?â someone spoke up. âIt seems suspicious.â
âI agree. Shao Yuanâs history is an odd one. He appeared on the Bluesmoke Isles as a nobody and latched onto House Yan. He then came to us after a short period of time. I feel like thereâs someone pulling the strings behind the scenes.â The ones who spoke were Ziju Minâs rivals.
They were insinuating that Shao Yuanâs backstory was suspicious, and that he might have joined the Eternal Sacred Land with a hidden agenda.
Ziju Min looked at them, but surprisingly didnât say anything.
The first prime smiled. âDonât overreact. If Shao Yuan has joined us with ulterior motives, he wonât succeed. As long as he isnât a spy from our enemy factions, we must devote everything we have to support him. His potential is unrivaled. Besides, I donât know what faction would be generous enough to send a genius like him out as a spy.â
Factions hostile to one another did plant spies, but the spies were always of mediocre talent.
If a spy was too remarkable, itâd be a great loss for the faction once the spy was exposed. In addition, talented people attracted too much attention. Itâd be difficult for a spy like that to do his job.
Regular disciples who were unremarkable in every which way were the ones most suitable for going undercover.
Ziju Min bowed slightly to the prime lord and promised with heretofore unseen conviction, âThis subordinate canât guarantee that the young man has no personal agenda, but I can promise that he is no spy.â