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Qing Ya’s thought process was unquestionably different from other people's.
Even Su Yi was stunned, but then, he shook his head. “A yao like this has a mixed bloodline, and its foundations are innately insufficient. It's only thanks to the power of the Absolute Yin Spirit Vein that it could cultivate to this level at all. If it wants to undergo metamorphosis on its own… It’ll be harder than ascending the heavens.”
“Junior, you dare look down on me with your Grain Avoidance Cultivation?” The Profound Snowfiend Python’s aura intensified, becoming even more terrifying, and its bright red eyes shone with embarrassment, rage, and bewilderment.
“Big Sister Python, don’t be angry.” Qing Ya hurriedly tried to smooth things over. “If Big Brother Su Yi said something wrong, you can correct him.”
The Profound Snowfiend Python was at a loss once more. “????”
But against all expectations, after a moment’s silence, it said, “Your ‘Big Brother Su Yi’ was right. I’ve been here for three hundred years, and it’s true that I only cultivated to my current level by relying on the Absolute Yin Spirit Vein’s power. Furthermore, I’m well aware that I have little hope of ever taking on human form. Otherwise, I would have long since cast off this body and left this place. There’s… There’s no need to hide the truth.”
The python’s magnetic, raspy voice contained a newfound hint of melancholy.
Qing Ya said sympathetically, “Big Sister Python, don’t lose heart! The Daoist scriptures say that the heavens will never sever all paths and that nothing in this world is absolute. To cultivators like us, it’s even more important that we pursue the Grand Dao with staunch conviction. If we do, something will surely change to create an opportunity. That’s what they mean when they say ‘reaching one’s limits leads to change, and change leads to solutions.”
These words resonated with Yuan Heng, who sighed. “I spent almost six hundred years cultivating alone at the bottom of the Qinglan River. Although I developed firm, powerful foundations, despite my bitter hard work, I couldn’t undergo metamorphosis and become a true yao cultivator. Just as I was about to lose hope and give up on my pursuit of the Grand Dao, my master appeared and granted me the art of transformation and a cultivation technique. That’s the day I defied fate; meeting him changed the course of my life forever!”
As he said that last sentence, he lit up with excitement and gratitude.
Only fellow yao cultivators could possibly understand just how difficult it was to undergo metamorphosis. The mightier a yao’s bloodline and talent, the less hope they had of success. This was common knowledge.
The Profound Snowfiend Python was moved. “Who is your master?”
“My Big Brother Su Yi, naturally!” chirped Qing Ya.
“You?” The python was stunned; it seemed it dared not believe it.
Su Yi said calmly, “I don’t care whether you believe me or not. If you obediently lead us to where the Absolute Yin Spirit Vein is hidden, I wouldn’t mind giving you a chance at metamorphosis.”
The python was obviously excited; its massive, jade-like body slithered in circles. However, its bright red eyes were uncertain.
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After a long silence, Qing Ya couldn’t help but feel a bit frantic. “Big Sister Python, come on and agree already! Big Brother Su Yi is a man like an immortal, with unbelievable methods! With his guidance, you’d have a hard time failing at metamorphosis even if you wanted to!”
Su Yi rubbed his nose. Why does it sound like she’s goading me into action?
If the Profound Snowfiend Python’s attempt at metamorphosis fails now, won’t it be all my fault?
Ling Yunhe couldn’t help but chime in too. “Fellow Daoist, to cultivators, fate is of the utmost importance. Isn’t our meeting here today an act of destiny? The opportunity is right before your eyes. If you miss it, I’m afraid you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
He could tell that, unlike many other yao, the Profound Snowfiend Python’s aura wasn’t at all vicious or bloodthirsty. From beginning to end, it was restrained and courteous.
This was why Ling Yunhe spoke up to convince it.
“Come with me.” Finally, the Profound Snowfiend Python made up its mind and slithered into the cave.
Su Yi and company followed it.
The cave was dark and winding, with waves of cold energy. Were an ordinary cultivator to enter, they’d struggle to endure it even if they circulated their cultivation at full force.
However, it was nothing to Su Yi and his companions.
Before long, the python led them to a vast pool. Cold mists permeated the area surrounding the lake. As soon as they arrived, Qing Ya and Yuan Heng shuddered, and a layer of pale blue frost formed on their skin.
“You two shouldn’t get any closer. Otherwise, the cold will damage your foundations,” said Su Yi casually.
Qing Ya and Yuan Heng stopped in their tracks.
“The Absolute Yin Spirit Vein is beneath the pool,” said the Profound Spiritfiend Python. “You… Do you plan to extract it and take it with you?”
“Although the spirit vein is shockingly valuable, that doesn’t matter much to me,” said Su Yi. “I’m here to take advantage of this place’s extreme Yin qi as I comprehend the Dao.”
Absolute Yin Spirit Veins could only arise in places of extreme Yin!
To Su Yi, cultivating here was like finding a key to the door of Yin Dao Charm. Here, he could effortlessly seize a trace of the Dao Charm of Yin!
It was true that in his past life, Su Yi mastered the profound meaning of countless Grand Daos, including the Grand Dao of Yin.
However, when he reincarnated, all the power he’d once possessed left him, including his mastery over the Grand Dao. All that remained was his experience and knowledge.
Thus, when comprehending the charm of the Dao, he still needed to undergo a process to cross the threshold. He needed to pick up on the traces of the Grand Dao dispersed throughout creation and gain enlightenment into their profound truths.
Of course, once he crossed the threshold, the experience and knowledge of his past life meant he wouldn’t need to seek out any further enlightenment to comprehend the complete profound truths of the Dao Charm of Yin.
All he’d have to do was repeatedly temper and refine its power.
“Comprehending the Grand Dao?” The Profound Snowfiend Python was confused. It had lived here for three hundred years, and aside from using the Absolute Yin Spirit Vein to temper its cultivation, it had never sensed any trace of anything like “the subtleties of the Grand Dao.”
Su Yi’s companions were stunned too. They obviously hadn’t anticipated that Su Yi wasn’t here to claim the Absolute Yin Spirit Vein either.
Su Yi didn’t explain; he’d always been too busy to waste words on things like “explanations.”
“Everyone, wait here for me.” With that, Su Yi walked over the lake and sat cross-legged above it. The chilly white mists immediately enveloped his tall, lean figure, coating his hair and eyebrows in frost.
When the Profound Snowfiend Python saw this, a complex light shone in its bright red eyes. Isn’t this guy afraid I’ll seize this opportunity to ambush him?
Ling Yunhe glanced at the serpent, then quickly retracted his gaze. Su Yi might well be doing this on purpose. This is, perhaps, a test to see if the snake harbors ill intentions. If it does, it’ll die without a doubt.
But if it doesn’t, it’ll receive Su Yi’s guidance regarding metamorphosis. What choice will it make in the end? It’ll have to decide for itself.
Ling Yunhe knew better than to spill the beans, so he said nothing.
A long time passed, but the Profound Snowfiend Python did nothing.
Qing Ya was starting to get bored, and she couldn’t help but ask, “Big Sister Python, you spent three hundred years cultivating here. Wasn’t that awfully dull?”
The Profound Snowfiend Python looked at Qing Ya, a hint of gentleness in its daze. “Cultivating in pursuit of the Dao has always been a matter of protecting one’s Dao Heart and enduring loneliness. I aspire to seek the Dao; I naturally don’t find it boring.”
It paused, then added, “My name is Bai Wenqing, not ‘Big Sister Python.’”
“Oh~!” said Qing Ya gleefully. “Then I’ll call you Big Sister Bai from now on.”
“Mm,” said the python. “Little Sister, what do you call yourself?”
“Qing Ya! ‘Qing’ as in clear, and ‘Ya’ as in ‘bean sprout.’ When I was little, people used to call me Little Bean Sprout, but no one calls me that anymore.”
“That’s because you’ve grown up.”
A human and a snake were happily chatting away. When he saw this shocking scene, Yuan Heng sighed. It seems Qing Ya has an innate affability.
She can converse naturally with both Master and the Profound Snowfiend Python, and everything she says and does is completely straightforward; it’s like she doesn’t even know what awe is.
Ling Yunhe, however, had long since grown accustomed to this sort of thing.
Qing Ya was like this back in the sect too. It didn’t matter whether she spoke to illustrious experts or disciples of far inferior status, or even to the wandering birds and beasts. All of them were delighted to make her acquaintance.
Su Yi was still hovering over the lake, his expression tranquil. It seemed he was completely unaware of any of this.
….
Near Cold Emerald Valley.
Time flew by. The gathered members of the Yuanyang Spirit Sect all waited under Yan Junshan’s leadership.
The purple-robed middle-aged man whispered, “Sect Master, it’s already been four hours since that group from the One Sky Sword Pavilion entered the valley, but there hasn’t been even the slightest disturbance. Should we go in and take a look?”
The others were starting to run out of patience too.
The problem was that there had been no sign of movement since Su Yi’s group first entered the valley. Had the vicious creature guarding the cave killed them? Or had they long since run off with the cave’s good fortune? There was no way of knowing.
“Let’s wait a little longer,” said Yan Junshan gravely.
Suddenly, Lai Changxiao’s eyebrows rose. “Members of the three sects have arrived."
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Shortly after he said this, two streaks of light flew over. One was a silver-robed middle-aged man carrying a jade fan, while the other was a beautiful older woman in a palace dress.
When they appeared, their mighty auras instantly enveloped the surrounding area, forcing away the nearby icy mists. Their presences were so impressive that some of the weaker Yuanyang Spirit Sect disciples found it difficult to bear.
“The Flying Spirit Sword Manor’s third high elder, Qiu Mochi, and Grand Elder Lian Lengyue!”
The disciples of Yuanyang Spirit Sect recognized these new arrivals at a glance, and they couldn’t help but feel startled.
The Great Xia’s territory was divided into thirteen provinces.
Of them, the Southern Skies Province was nearest to the Cloud Python Mountains.
There were more than ten factions of cultivators within the Southern Skies Province’s borders, and the Flying Spirit Sword Manor was solidly in the top five.
These two new arrivals were among the Flying Spirit Sword Sect’s top experts. Qiu Mochi was an early-stage Gathering Stars Realm cultivator, while Lian Lengyue was at the peak of the Origin Palace Realm.
They were just two people, but it absolutely wouldn’t pay to underestimate their strength.
It’s worth noting that, of the Yuanyang Spirit Sect cultivators present, only Lai Changxiao was in the Gathering Stars Realm.
“Fellow Daoists, if you please.” Sect Master Yan Junshan greeted them with a smile, and the three of them exchanged pleasantries.
Before long, something boomed in the distant skies, and saber light streaked over like lightning, arriving before them in a flash.
With a flash of light, a saber wielder in a gray shirt appeared.
The man’s hair hung loose, and his gaze was sharp and indifferent. As soon as he appeared, his overflowing saber qi soared into the heavens, splitting the skies and carving a long rift in the clouds!
“The Profound Green Saber Sect, the Rampaging Thunder Saber Monarch, Qi Chongzi!”
The entire area was in uproar, and the sound of gasps rang out.