"The Qi Martial Realm!"
The old man's cloudy eyes went wide, his face a mask of shock.
Outside the door, coiled in the shadows, Luo Zhen went still. He knew what that meant. After a martial artist hit the tenth level, the next great leap was the Qi Martial Realm.
It was a total game-changer. Reaching that realm meant the birth of true qi inside your body—a pure, destructive energy that amplified a warrior's power exponentially. A Qi Martial expert could crush a dozen tenth-level fighters with a single, casual blow.
For demonic beasts like him, it was the same principle, but the energy was called demonic qi. A beast that reached that stage underwent a fundamental transformation.
Listening from the darkness, Luo Zhen was floored. Just then, the conversation inside wrapped up.
The white-haired man bowed. "Second Young Master, please get some rest. I'll take my leave."
"Right," Zhou Hong nodded, then his eyes lit up with a sudden thought. "Those herbs we collected—guard them with your life! Don't let anyone get near them!"
"Don't worry, Second Young Master. I'll go check on them myself, right now."
With that, the old steward turned and headed for the door.
Luo Zhen moved like lightning. His serpentine body blurred, and he was gone, melting back into the deeper shadows of the courtyard.
A moment later, the door creaked open. The old man stepped out, carefully pulling it shut behind him. The light in the room winked out; Zhou Hong was going to sleep. The steward sighed, his breath a small cloud in the gloomy night air, and set off in a determined direction.
Luo Zhen gave him a twenty-yard lead before silently slithering out of his hiding spot.
So, that's the Zhou family steward, Luo Zhen thought, his tongue flicking the air. The one holding the keys to the kingdom. And he's heading straight for the 'carefully guarded' herbs.
This is too easy.
He could have found them on his own, of course. With his sense of smell, he could have pinpointed the most potent medicinal aroma in the compound within a day or two. But why waste the time? He had a personal guide.
The Zhou estate was a sprawling labyrinth of courtyards and buildings. Luo Zhen shadowed the old man, a silent ghost keeping the perfect distance. He watched the steward unlock gate after gate, moving deeper into the private sections of the residence.
Finally, the man stopped before a rustic, ancient-looking storehouse.
Luo Zhen froze. He inhaled deeply, and his mind reeled. The scent of powerful herbs was so thick here that it was almost intoxicating. The three-hundred-year-old specimens had to be inside.
The steward shot a nervous glance over his shoulder. Seeing no one, he produced a heavy bronze key and unlocked the door, slipping inside.
Luo Zhen didn't hesitate. He flowed up the side of the building, arching his body to peer through a high window.
Inside, the old man lit a candle, casting flickering shadows across the walls. He dragged a ladder out from a corner.
A ladder? What for?
The answer came a moment later. The steward propped the ladder against one of the heavy wooden rafters. Tucked high up in the ceiling, almost invisible in the gloom, was a woven bamboo basket suspended by a cloth strap.
The old man climbed up, carefully lifted the basket down, and peered inside. "Mm, all safe and sound."
Satisfied, he replaced the basket, put away the ladder, blew out the candle, and left, locking the door firmly behind him. He clapped the dust from his hands and walked away, humming softly.
Luo Zhen remained perfectly still in the darkness. He waited, suspicious the old man might circle back for a final check. He gave it a full thirty minutes. The steward never returned.
My turn, Luo Zhen thought, a thrill running through him.
He slithered up to the roof, nudging aside a few tiles with his head and slipping through the gap. Getting into a locked room was child's play for a snake. He could have squeezed under the door, found a crack in the window frame, or even burrowed up from the ground.
Once inside, he made his way silently across the rafters. The pitch-black darkness was no obstacle for him; his senses were perfectly adapted for the night.
Coiling his body around the beam for leverage, Luo Zhen lowered his head and peered into the basket. There they were. Five priceless herbs. Three were gnarled, ginseng-like roots, and the other two were fruits the size of a large egg, glowing with a faint, internal light.
No time to waste.
He struck, sinking his fangs into one of the ginseng roots. With a single, powerful inhalation, he sucked the entire thing down his gullet.
It dissolved instantly, unleashing a searing wave of heat that flooded every inch of his body. The sheer potency was staggering.
Just then, a familiar, disembodied voice echoed in his mind.
You have consumed one (1) 300-year-old Yellow Jade Ginseng!
+154 Experience Points Gained!
Experience threshold reached. Level up?
Luo Zhen was stunned. He knew it took 150 points to get from level seven to level eight. A single herb had done it.
This is the power of a 300-year-old treasure!
Suppressing his excitement, he focused his will. Yes! Level up!
A soft white light enveloped him, pulsing gently for a few seconds before fading. When it was gone, he could feel the change. His body was thicker, more powerful. His scales were tougher, his muscles denser.
Upgrade successful. Current Level: 8th-Level Demonic Beast.
Coming here was absolutely the right call, he thought, his eyes burning with hunger as he stared at the four remaining treasures.
He didn't hold back. One by one, he devoured the rest.
You have consumed one (1) 300-year-old Yellow Jade Ginseng. +156 Experience Points!
You have consumed one (1) 300-year-old Yellow Jade Ginseng. +151 Experience Points!
You have consumed one (1) 300-year-old Vermilion Fruit. +160 Experience Points!
You have consumed one (1) 300-year-old Vermilion Fruit. +167 Experience Points!
The notifications came in a rapid-fire burst, immediately followed by the prompt he was waiting for.
Experience threshold reached. Level up?
Yes!
Upgrade successful. Current Level: 9th-Level Demonic Beast.
Experience threshold reached. Level up again?
YES!
Upgrade successful. Current Level: 10th-Level Demonic Beast.
An uncontrollable surge of raw power erupted within him. It was so immense, so violent, he felt like he was going to explode. His body convulsed, expanding at an incredible rate.
He looked back at himself in shock. His scales, once small and unremarkable, were now the size of thumbnails, gleaming like polished obsidian. His body, once no thicker than a man's arm, was now as wide as a millstone. He was over thirty feet long.
This wasn't a snake anymore.
This was a monster. A true giant python.
The power... It's incredible! But I'm starving!
The massive increase in size and power came with a ravenous hunger. He slid off the rafter, landing with a heavy thud on the floor. The wooden beam groaned under his former weight; if he'd stayed up there a second longer, it would have snapped.
He turned his attention to the door. Flicking his tail, he sent it whipping through the air.
CRACK!
The door and its frame exploded into a shower of splinters. Luo Zhen slithered out into the courtyard, no longer bothering to hide.
Yellow Leaf Town had no real experts. Even at level seven, he could have dominated this place. Now, at level ten—the same level as the dreaded python of the Misty Marsh—he could wipe the entire town off the map without breaking a sweat.
But he wasn't interested in slaughter. He was interested in food.
He lifted his head, sniffed the air, and set a course for the kitchen.
The shattering boom of the door echoed through the silent Zhou compound, jolting everyone from their sleep. Lights began to flicker on all across the estate.
"What was that? What's happening?" Zhou Hong, the head of the family, demanded, clutching his chest where he'd been previously injured.
"Second Young Master," a servant stammered, "it was a huge crash, from inside the courtyard."
"Where's Steward Liu?"
"Right here, Second Young Master!" The old steward came running, his face pale.
"Steward, what in the world was—"
Before Zhou Hong could finish, a bloodcurdling scream tore through the night.
"AAAAAHHHH!"
"HELP! SOMEONE HELP!"
"PYTHON! THERE'S A GIANT PYTHON!"
"What?" Zhou Hong's eyes bulged. He stared in the direction of the screams, his mind refusing to process the words. "A python? Here? How is that possible?!"
Zhou Hong was in shock, but years of training as a ninth-level martial artist kicked in. He shoved his panic down and took command.
"Everyone, arm yourselves! Follow me!" he bellowed.
There was a frantic scramble as his men grabbed swords, spears, anything they could find. With Zhou Hong at the lead, they advanced as a wary mob, their torches and lanterns cutting through the darkness, moving towards the source of the commotion.
They found Luo Zhen in the kitchen.
Or rather, what was left of it. The Zhou family kitchen was enormous, the size of a small house, and it had been stocked to the brim with prepared chickens, ducks, fish, and mounds of pastries. Luo Zhen had inhaled it all—raw, cooked, it didn't matter. The gnawing hunger in his belly was finally gone, replaced by a pleasant warmth.
He was just slithering out, feeling satisfied, when Zhou Hong and his men rounded the corner.
The torchlight fell upon him, and the courtyard was filled with the sharp, collective gasp of dozens of men.
There, illuminated by the flickering flames, was a nightmare made real. A colossal black python, as thick as a grinding stone, coiled in the center of the yard. Its scales shimmered like polished jet, and a single, startlingly crimson line ran down its spine from head to tail, giving it an alien, terrifying beauty. The sheer demonic presence rolling off it was a physical force, pressing down on them, stealing the air from their lungs.
"Gods above... It's huge," Zhou Hong whispered, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. He was the strongest man here, the most experienced, and he was terrified.
His men were on the verge of breaking.
Luo Zhen didn't even move. He simply swept his narrow, reptilian eyes over the crowd. That was enough. A dozen men dropped their weapons and fled, screaming into the night. Many of those who remained were shaking so badly they could barely stand. One or two had lost control of their bladders.
"Hold your ground! Do not panic!" Zhou Hong roared, his voice betraying a tremor he couldn't hide. "It may be a monster, but it's not invincible! All warriors level five and above, form a line! If it attacks, we strike as one!"
His words had some effect. The remaining men steadied themselves, gripping their weapons tighter and inching forward, creating a loose semi-circle around the beast.
Luo Zhen was amused. He could end this pathetic display in a heartbeat. A single sweep of his tail would pulp them all.
And then, the corner of his mouth tilted upwards in a distinctly human-like smirk.
"S-Second Young Master! Look!" one of the servants shrieked, pointing with a trembling finger. "The python... It's smiling!"
A wave of confused murmurs passed through the crowd as all eyes snapped to Luo Zhen's face. It was true. The monstrous serpent was smiling at them.
"My heavens, it's a spirit!"
"It has consciousness!"
"It's like a person!"
The revelation sent a fresh wave of terror through them. A powerful beast was one thing. An intelligent one was something else entirely. Demonic beasts were supposed to be primal creatures of instinct. For one to display human emotion meant it had formed a demonic spirit—it had awakened.
And an awakened beast was a catastrophe beyond their wildest nightmares. They all knew the stories. Not even a hundred Qi Martial masters could stand against such a creature.
"Second Young Master, what do we do?" a warrior stammered. "It's... It's intelligent!"
Zhou Hong swallowed, his throat suddenly bone-dry. "Everyone, stay calm," he said, forcing the words out. "It hasn't attacked. That has to mean something. It might not be hostile. If we can talk to it..."
A flicker of hope ignited among the men. He was right. A normal beast would have either attacked or fled by now. This one was just... watching them.
Maybe they didn't have to fight.
Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Zhou Hong stepped forward from the crowd, holding his torch high. He looked up at the massive, coiled creature.
"Honored Python," he began, his voice shaky but respectful. "Can you... Can you understand me? If you can, please nod your head."
The entire courtyard held its breath, watching.
Slowly, deliberately, the enormous serpentine head dipped in a clear, unmistakable nod.
The crowd erupted in a chaos of panicked whispers. Zhou Hong felt a dizzying mix of terror and elation.
"Since you possess such wisdom," he pressed on, choosing his words with extreme care, "your power must be beyond anything we can comprehend. You've shown us mercy by not attacking, and for that, we are grateful. We people of Yellow Leaf Town have never encountered you before, and we swear we have done nothing to offend you. We humbly ask... could you please find it in your heart to leave our town in peace?"
Luo Zhen's eyes narrowed slightly.
The tiny movement sent a jolt of fear through Zhou Hong. "Of course, we would not ask you to leave empty-handed!" he added hastily. "We will offer you tribute! Whatever you desire! We only beg that you spare us!"
The presence of an intelligent demonic python was like having a sword hanging over the entire town. It might not kill them today, but who was to say what it would do tomorrow?
Luo Zhen let the silence stretch, his cold gaze sweeping over the terrified humans. Then, with a sudden, fluid motion, his tail shot out and wrapped around a thick wooden beam that had been knocked loose from the kitchen. He lifted it like a pen.
And then, in the dirt of the courtyard, the giant serpent began to write.
The torchlight illuminated the characters as they formed, etched into the ground by the massive piece of timber.
I CAN SPARE YOU. BRING ME MEDICINAL HERBS.
The writing stopped. But for the men of the Zhou family, the world had stopped with it. They stared, mouths agape, at the line of text in the dirt. Zhou Hong was frozen, his mind completely blank.
Python could write.
It was impossible. Unthinkable. A beast that could understand them was a legend. A beast that could communicate back, that could write... this was something that shattered their entire understanding of the world.
And the script... it was perfect. Elegant. The strokes were more beautiful than anything a master calligrapher could produce.
It was as if this monster had been to school.
For a long moment, no one moved. The only sound was the crackling of torches. Finally, Zhou Hong snapped out of his trance.
He whirled around, his face pale but resolute. "You heard him!" he yelled at his men. "Our honored guest wants medicinal herbs! Go! Now!"
"Yes, yes, sir!" they stammered, breaking into a frantic rush.
"Check every house, every family!" Zhou Hong shouted after them. "Tear this town apart if you have to! Bring every last herb you can find as tribute!"
He turned back to Luo Zhen, his expression now one of complete subservience. "Great One, please be patient. They are fetching your tribute now."
Luo Zhen gave another slight nod. Zhou Hong's heart hammered against his ribs. Every human-like gesture from the creature sent a fresh spike of fear through him. This was no mere beast. This was something ancient, something unknowable.
It felt like an eternity, but within half an hour, his men started to return, their arms laden with sacks and bundles. They piled their offerings on the ground in front of Luo Zhen.
With a flick of his tail, Luo Zhen sent a gust of wind that blew the sacks open, revealing a motley collection of herbs. He scanned them with a critical eye. Most were common, less than fifty years old. A handful, just a few, were a century old.
At his current level, even a hundred-year-old herb was practically useless. The rest were just weeds.
Lazily, he dipped his head and inhaled, sucking the few century-old herbs into his mouth.
Consumed 100-year-old Wild Ginseng. +28 Experience Points.
Consumed 100-year-old Red Mountain Fruit. +30 Experience Points.
...
He ignored the notifications. They were trivial. Instead, he fixed his cold gaze on Zhou Hong.
The man flinched as if struck. "Great One," he stammered, "is there... is there something else you require?"
Luo Zhen picked up his wooden beam again and wrote in the dirt.
THESE ARE WEAK. I AM NOT INTERESTED.
Zhou Hong stared at the words, then slapped his own forehead. "My apologies! My memory! Please, wait right here. I have some... higher quality specimens stored away."
He turned and hurried off in the direction of the old storehouse.
A few minutes later, he returned, his face a mixture of dejection and rage.
"Honored Python," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "I... I don't know how to tell you this. I recently spent a fortune acquiring several herbs, each over three hundred years old. I went to retrieve them for you, but... they're gone. The storehouse is destroyed, and the herbs have vanished."
As he spoke, a terrible suspicion began to dawn on him. He trailed off, his mouth hanging open as he stared at the giant serpent before him.
Luo Zhen simply wrote another line in the dirt.
I ATE THEM.
"Ah," Zhou Hong said, his face a carefully controlled mask. "That... that would explain the collapsed building. Well, Great One, that was everything. The herbs on the ground are all that Yellow Leaf Town possesses. Since they are not to your liking, perhaps you would consider..."
He trailed off hopefully. He'd finally grasped the situation. This hyper-intelligent python wasn't a mindless killer; it was a connoisseur, a collector of power. And they had nothing left to offer.
Luo Zhen remained silent, his gaze pinning Zhou Hong in place.
The silence stretched. Zhou Hong began to sweat again. "Great One, I swear, this is a poor town. We have nothing else of value," he pleaded, his voice cracking. "Please, I beg you, spare Yellow Leaf Town!"
With that, he fell to his knees.
Seeing their leader prostrate himself, the other men hesitated for a second before dropping to their knees as well. Bowing to a beast felt wrong, but bowing to a beast that could out-think and out-write any of them... that felt terrifyingly appropriate.
Luo Zhen watched the pathetic display, his tongue flicking the air. He had no real desire to kill them. They were no threat, and they were telling the truth—this town was a resource-poor backwater.
He was about to leave when Zhou Hong suddenly gasped.
"Wait!" he cried, scrambling to his feet. "I know a place! A place that definitely has what you seek!"
His eyes were wide with a desperate, manic energy. "Fifty miles from here, there's a swamp. The Misty Marsh! There's a spirit herb growing there!"
He was talking quickly now, the words tumbling out. "The marsh is guarded, but the strongest creature is just a tenth-level python—nothing compared to your power! You could crush it and take the herb for yourself!"
He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "But you must go now. The herb is about to mature, within the next few days. If you're late, that lesser python will surely devour it."
Luo Zhen's mind reeled. A spirit herb?
He was no longer ignorant. He knew a "spirit herb" was a treasure that had aged for at least five hundred years. At that point, a plant underwent a qualitative change. The leap in potency between a 499-year-old herb and a 500-year-old spirit herb wasn't just one year—it was a chasm. The difference was like a spark compared to a star. One spirit herb contained more power than ten of the herbs that were almost as old.
He picked up his log and wrote.
IS THIS TRUE?
"Every word!" Zhou Hong insisted. "We even sent a team to scout the marsh recently to assess the python. It discovered us, and... well, I was the only one lucky enough to escape, and I was badly wounded."
WHY ATTACK IT? Luo Zhen wrote.
"For our own survival," Zhou Hong admitted. "The marsh sits on the only road out of town. If that python grows stronger after eating the spirit herb, it could block our trade or even attack us directly. We'd be trapped, at its mercy. We decided it was better to strike first." He added, with a hint of greed, "And, of course, if we succeeded, the herb would have been ours."
It made a brutal kind of sense.
"So, Great One," Zhou Hong asked cautiously, "will you go to the Misty Marsh? A 500-year-old spirit herb... surely that would be of use to you?"
Luo Zhen looked at the man, a hint of amusement in his cold eyes. He saw the scheme as clear as day: send the new monster to kill the old monster. Best-case scenario for them, the two pythons killed each other, and the humans could swoop in and claim the prize.
It was a clever, desperate gamble.
He gave Zhou Hong and his kneeling men one last, long look. Then, with a powerful sweep of his tail, he turned and slithered away, disappearing into the blackness of the night.
Silence descended on the courtyard.
"Second... Second Young Master," one of the men finally whispered. "It's gone? It just... left?"
"It's gone," Zhou Hong confirmed, staring into the darkness, his body finally slumping with relief. A collective sigh went through the crowd as the crushing pressure of Luo Zhen's presence lifted.
After a moment, another man asked, "Do you think it will go? To the Misty Marsh?"
Zhou Hong thought about it. "I believe so," he said. "For all its intelligence, the demonic aura it projected wasn't overwhelmingly powerful. Strong, yes, far stronger than us, but not unimaginably so."
"What does that mean?"
A slow, cunning smile spread across Zhou Hong's face. "It means its level isn't as high as a true ancient spirit. It means a 500-year-old spirit herb is still a prize worth fighting for. Now, we wait and see what happens."
"But, sir," another man worried, "what if this black python wins? A creature that powerful and that intelligent would be an even greater threat!"
"You don't understand," Zhou Hong said, turning to him. "A mindless beast is a natural disaster. It kills on instinct. But an intelligent one? An intelligent one can be reasoned with. It can be negotiated with."
He paused, a dangerous glint in his eye. "And if you treat it with enough respect... You might even turn it into your protector."