Dugu Feng's eyes widened. Even this matter tied back to the Clear Sky Sect.
Years ago, when Clear Sky withdrew, the bloodshed and reshuffling of powers across the continent had been brutal. Most major families had been dragged in.
And from what Feng knew, the aftershocks hadn't stopped. By the time of the Soul Master Tournament, Elephant Armored Sect no longer stood close to the Four Element Academies. Instead, they leaned toward Spirit Hall.
Even Huo Wu once admitted—Spirit Hall had been courting them relentlessly. The only reason they hadn't submitted was their stubborn pride.
All of this was Bibi Dong's hand at work. Since seizing the Pope's seat, she had been dismantling and reweaving the balance of power.
If Elephant Armored Sect has already bent the knee, then Spirit Hall's people may appear here too…
The possibility set his mind racing.
He spoke quietly: "If Old Scorpion could shadow Huyan Lie long enough to discover his target was a soul bone… how did he fail to react before being struck down? Could it be that once they entered Sunset Forest, Huyan Lie's reinforcements arrived and caught him?"
It was a warning, subtle but sharp—he didn't want Old Snake to be caught off guard.
Old Snake blinked, then gave a sly grin. "Heh… Feng'er, you thought the same as I did. Not bad, not bad. The more I see you, the more I believe our clan will flourish under your lead."
I believe your nonsense, Feng cursed inwardly. Old chatterbox, sly to the bone.
Seeing him ignore the flattery, Old Snake's face grew solemn. "From here on, caution is everything. Remember the Serpent's Breath technique? Still your breath, seal your pores. From this point onward, Sunset Forest is our hunting ground."
"I know." Feng nodded. He had practiced Serpent's Breath for two years, perfecting the stillness of winter hibernation.
Their pace slowed. The deeper they went, the more powerful beasts they encountered.
But none dared cross their path. Old Snake's venomous aura leaked outward, a frost of poison so sharp that even proud soul beasts shrank back. In the food chain of Sunset Forest, poisonous serpents were kings.
Then, a scene stunned Feng.
Old Snake paused before an ancient tree. At its roots yawned a hollow, large enough for a man to crawl through.
Moments later, a five-thousand-year Jade Phosphor Serpent slithered out. Its eyes gleamed with wisdom.
And Old Snake… was communicating with it.
This happened again and again.
Don't tell me these are all his… pets?
As if reading his mind, Old Snake whispered, "These soul beasts are my friends. I once trained in Sunset Forest for years, forging bonds with the serpent kings. They see me as kin."
Feng twitched. So this is what 'local snake' really means… literal local snakes.
Still, he had to admit—it gave them an overwhelming advantage. With the serpent kings guiding them, they could track any movement in the forest with ease.
By dusk, they had their trail.
Perched high in a tree, Feng blended into shadow. Old Snake circled below, seeding poison through the undergrowth.
"My friends say Huyan Lie is close. Perhaps tonight, we wait for prey." Old Snake's lips curved into a chilling grin.
Together, they produced rations from their soul guides—serpent meat. Eating in silence, they prepared themselves.
Feng felt his Pill Pearls stir. During his soul ring absorption, they had devoured a portion of energy as well. The green within them had grown denser.
On impulse, he guided the warmth of one Pill Pearl into his arms.
Two Emerald Nine-Section Serpents coiled at his wrists hissed happily, basking in the energy wrapping their bodies.
My body already thrives on one Pearl's nourishment. The other… let it raise them instead. Only when they grow into thousand- and ten-thousand-year soul beasts will they truly be of use.
He sank deeper into meditation. Poison spread through his veins, pain followed, and then—
His body jolted.
Pain stabbed from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
Poison outbreak.
At third watch of the night.
But this time, the agony was far worse. Absorbing the soul ring had strengthened his serpent martial spirit, fusing more poison into his blood and marrow. His outbreaks would only grow fiercer.
This was the curse of the Poison Path. Each poisonous soul ring made them stronger… but each also made their outbreaks deadlier.
His vision blurred. His body writhed in torment.
On his wrists, the two serpents suddenly struck, fangs sinking into his skin. Their venom mingled with his, sharing in his agony.
The Pill Pearls spun violently, drawing the poisons out and refining them. In turn, the serpents absorbed slivers of his Jade Phosphor poison, growing stronger through pain.
A cycle of venom and purification. Symbiosis of master and pets.
Feng endured until, at last, the waves of pain receded. He exhaled shakily. His first outbreak as a soul master—survived.
Then—
Sha-sha.
A faint rustle broke the silence. Someone was near.
Instantly, Feng's body tightened. He slipped into Serpent's Breath, every pore sealed, his presence vanishing into the night.
He was a hibernating serpent. Silent. Patient. Deadly.
Eyes narrowed, he peered through the dark.
Hundreds of meters away, a figure burst into view.
A tall, broad-shouldered man in black, racing through the forest.
Murderous aura poured from him like a storm, as though he had just slaughtered his way free of battle.
And in his hands—
A massive blade, longer than his own height.
The steel glowed faintly in the night, crimson stains glinting along its edge.
This was no mere weapon.
This was a blade that had tasted countless lives.
A killing blade.