As Xiao Hua shot deeper into the Nine Serene Spring, a faint glow gradually emerged within the oppressive darkness. His eyes narrowed, and his speed increased. A moment later, he arrived at the source.
An immense sandy surface stretched out before him. Countless fist-sized rock fragments littered the ground, each flickering faintly, their luster casting a pale brightness that illuminated the bottom of the spring.
"Finally… the bottom. He should be…over here."
Slowing his pace, Xiao Hua scanned the surroundings with sharp focus. Soon, he veered toward a certain direction. As he advanced, a faint and pained moan pierced through the suffocating waters and reached his ears.
"Ah... rescue... me..."
Xiao Hua's brows furrowed slightly, though the corner of his mouth curved into a faint smile. He halted mid-descent and lowered his gaze. Then, with a sudden clench of his hand, he thrust his palm toward the sandy ground below.
Boom!
The earth quaked as countless rocks scattered. From within, a colossal metal chain—thousands of feet long—emerged with a thunderous rattle. Xiao Hua grasped it with one hand, slowly pulling it free.
Rumble—!
The ground trembled again. One after another, three more massive chains rose, all converging toward a jagged, mountain-like outcropping at the bottom of the spring. For an ordinary expert, these chains were immovable, yet Xiao Hua remained still, making no attempt to move them despite having the strength to.
Instead, his sharp eyes locked onto the center of the formation—a massive cluster of black mud bound by the four chains. With a light wave of his sleeve, a surge of force swept out. The thick mud dispersed instantly, revealing the figure concealed within.
It was a man—his body desiccated and shriveled like a dried husk, his form scarcely more than skin stretched taut over bone. His appearance was closer to that of a corpse than a living being.
Xiao Hua's gaze swept over the shriveled figure. Though reduced to little more than skin and bone, he could still discern the aura of a two-star Dou Sheng lingering faintly around him. This was the target he had come to find—yet Xiao Hua made no immediate move to rescue him.
"Save me… save me! Free me, and I will command the entire Nine Serene Deep Ground Python tribe to serve under you!"
The desiccated figure suddenly snapped his eyes open. Madness flickered within the hollow depths of his gaze as he fixed them on Xiao Hua. His hoarse roar reverberated through the spring's depths, carrying with it a ghostly chill that seeped into the bones of any who heard it.
Xiao Hua remained calm, his expression unreadable. "So, you are of the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python tribe. Why are you imprisoned here?" His tone was mild, feigning ignorance, as though weighing whether such a man was worth saving.
"Hah… hu…"
The skeletal figure's breathing grew ragged, his earlier outburst having drained what little strength he possessed. Xiao Hua could sense the sinister flow of dark and cold energy coursing along the four colossal chains, ceaselessly sapping away his Dou Qi. The suppression did not kill him, but condemned him instead to linger endlessly at the brink of death—an eternal torment.
"No wonder he harbors such hatred toward Yao Xiaotian…" Xiao Hua murmured softly, his eyes narrowing. "To be shackled here, denied even the release of death… this method is truly ruthless. Even if he were to kill his younger brother, grief of his betrayal would still weigh upon him."
"I… am the tribe chief of the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python tribe, Yao Ming…" The skeletal figure rasped after catching his breath, his voice so hoarse it scraped the air like stone against shattered glass, sharp and grating to the ears.
"Rescue me. As long as you free me, I will accept any condition you demand!" His hollow eyes fixed desperately on Xiao Hua, brimming with a pleading light that revealed his torment.
"So, you are the former chief of the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python tribe…" Xiao Hua arched a brow, feigning surprise. "But I recall Yao Xiaotian declaring that the previous leader had perished. On that ground, he assumed the position of tribe leader."
"That wretch! That vile bastard!" Yao Ming's eyes flared crimson at the name. His body convulsed as if consumed by hatred.
"It was he who plotted against me, sealing me beneath this spring with treachery! Centuries… centuries have I suffered here, submerged in this endless dark and cold force. Every breath has been torment, every moment a blade carving through my bones. If heaven allows me to rise again, I—Yao Ming—will condemn him to a fate worse than death!" His roar echoed through the depths, a cry more beast than man, filled with madness and grief.
Xiao Hua's eyes narrowed, silent for a moment. This man had been tormented for centuries, forced to endure pain sharp enough to shatter the spirit of most. That he yet clung to life was proof of terrifying willpower—yet also of endless bitterness.
"This is indeed a pitiful fate…" Xiao Hua murmured, shaking his head slightly. "To think, the current tribe leader and his predecessor are bound by blood as brothers. Yet before the glitter of treasure and the weight of power, even the deepest ties may crumble into nothing but dust." His tone grew faint, tinged with a distant melancholy, as though recalling shadows of betrayal from another lifetime.
Fortunately, his sworn brothers and sisters were not like that. They had helped him shake off the trust issues he once harbored toward blood ties. With Lady Azure, Xue Yue, and Yu Ru Meng at his side, the wound of betrayal had long since begun to heal.
Yao Ming's features trembled; the madness in his eyes slowly thinned and composure returned. He could tell, from the way the young man looked at him, that Xiao Hua knew the ache of being betrayed by one's own kin. That recognition—however faint—kindled in Yao Ming a fragile, desperate hope.
He drew a ragged breath and spoke in a hoarse whisper. "I should have been the rightful chief of the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python tribe. Many elders favored me—there was no way Yao Xiaotian should have taken my place. He always showed respect to my face, but he was secretly scheming. He poisoned me, struck while I was weakened, and sealed me at the bottom of this spring."
Xiao Hua's expression remained calm. "You want me to rescue you," he said. "Do you realize what will happen once you reappear? Yao Xiaotian is the current tribe leader. He can marshal elders and allies—your return could bring you more danger than deliverance."
"Rest assured," Yao Ming rasped, a wary fire in his hollowed eyes. "I still possess the Nine Serene Profound Stick—the tribe chief's heirloom. Only the true chief can wield it. If you free me and I finish Yao Xiaotian, the elders will have no choice but to accept me as their leader. They will not dare oppose me."
"I can handle my foolish younger brother," Yao Ming spat through clenched teeth, "but my real worry is the First Elder—the one who helped him seize the tribe. He's the one who made my brother leader of the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python."
He paused, lifted his head, and fixed Xiao Hua with fever-bright eyes. "Those two are my greatest obstacles. Once they're gone, this tribe will be mine. Young friend, you would be my savior. I am no saint—but I keep my word. If you free me and I take control, I will do my utmost to repay any favor you ask of me."
"How can I trust you?" Xiao Hua asked bluntly.
Yao Ming opened his mouth to answer, but no words came. Trust could not be won in a few breaths.
Xiao Hua shook his head and offered a measured alternative. "Do this: surrender your soul to me voluntarily. Let me place a spiritual imprint on it. If you betray me, I'll trigger the imprint's seal. Even a Dou Sheng like you will be gravely injured—and your future advancement crippled."
He didn't mind the prospect of Yao Ming betraying him—after all, the man was only a two-star Dou Sheng now; dealing with him would not be a heavy burden.
But if Yao Ming could genuinely retake the tribe, that would turn a potential enemy into an ally for Zi Yan, relieving pressure on her front and undermining the plans of those three great dragon kings. Keeping the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python as a friendly force was far more valuable than simply killing its experts.
Xiao Hua did not press him. He understood—asking a man to hand his soul over was asking for his life. No one agreed to that lightly.
"Alright," Yao Ming breathed, voice raw. "I agree. I cannot endure this hatred any longer. I want to tear that bastard to pieces." He did not hesitate. The fury in his eyes was ancient and absolute.
"…Alright!"
Such a swift answer left Xiao Hua momentarily stunned before he nodded. He could not understand why Yao Ming had consented so easily—given the man's proud nature it was unexpected—but he supposed the centuries of bitterness had finally swelled into uncontrollable fury.
There was, however, another reason for Yao Ming's quick decision. When he looked at Xiao Hua he sensed an oppressive aura of danger — a power that could have ended him, yet Xiao Hua held back. That hinted Xiao Hua wanted something from him or from the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python tribe, and preferred not to deal through Yao Xiaotian, who was selfish and untrustworthy.
Moreover, such a formidable ally would be invaluable against his little brother and the First Elder. With Xiao Hua's help, his revenge seemed all but guaranteed. Having an expert of that caliber at his back was too beneficial to refuse; there was no reason for Yao Ming not to cling to so mighty a thigh.
Hearing Xiao Hua's response, Yao Ming drew in a deep breath as a glimmer flashed between his brows. A surge of invisible Spiritual Strength burst forth, condensing into a massive black serpent before him.
Seeing Yao Ming voluntarily summon his soul, Xiao Hua's lips curved into a faint smile. With a mere thought, a wisp of soul power carrying three sensations—scorching heat, biting prickles, and bone-piercing frost—shot out like lightning and pierced directly into the serpent's forehead. The black snake's body convulsed violently as the spiritual imprint sank in, before scattering apart and retreating back into Yao Ming's brow.
The moment it returned, Xiao Hua clearly sensed the fluctuations in Yao Ming's soul. With but a single thought, the imprint—woven from the Primordial Heaven Lightning, Heavenly Genesis Flame, and Celestial Ancient Frost—could erupt in terrifying force, shattering Yao Ming's soul into fragments.
"Now, let's set you free," Xiao Hua said with a faint smile.
His words drew a rare flash of joy across Yao Ming's face, yet Xiao Hua ignored it. Instead, his gaze shifted, following the heavy chain embedded deep within a dark-black, mountain-like outcropping.
Though barely a hundred feet tall, the cold, oppressive power it radiated was quite overwhelming. Even an ordinary Dou Sheng, protected by a Heavenly Flame, would find their body trembling uncontrollably beneath its chilling might.
Yet it did not make Xiao Hua falter in the slightest. With the protection of the Celestial Ancient Frost, he was utterly impervious to any chilling energy, no matter how overwhelming.
Bang!
With a sweep of his sleeve, Xiao Hua ruthlessly struck the mountain-like body with his palm—without Dou Qi, relying solely on his physical strength.
Yao Ming was stunned. To him, this was sheer madness. Who would dare strike the Yellow Spring Yin Rock with bare flesh?
Kacha—!
He wanted to cry out a warning, but his words froze in his throat. A resounding crack echoed in the air. His gaze snapped toward the mountain, only to see a deep palm imprint etched upon its surface, from which enormous fissures spread outward like a spider's web.
Bang!
Within a few breaths, the mountain collapsed, fragments scattering, and revealed a circular object within—its surface harder and more resilient than stone. Yet in the very next moment, it too shattered into countless pieces beneath Xiao Hua's strike.
Yao Ming's jaw hung open, unable to close. None knew better than he the terrifying durability of the Yellow Spring Yin Rock. After being tempered by the dark, frigid spring for untold ages, it had become unimaginably hard, almost indestructible. Even if he regained his full strength, breaking it would still be nearly impossible.
And yet, the young man before him had destroyed it so casually—with no technique, no Dou Qi, only the sheer might of his physical body.
"Just what kind of person have I allied myself with…?" Yao Ming muttered in shock, his gaze fixed in disbelief upon Xiao Hua's tyrannical physical strength. Yet beneath the astonishment, a surge of joy welled up within him.
To have such a figure as his ally was fortune beyond measure. More importantly, he would soon be rid of those four accursed chains and reclaim the freedom stolen from him by this wretched imprisonment.
"Little brother… your day of reckoning is near…" he whispered, his voice low and chilling, saturated with killing intent.
Unmoved by the turmoil surging within Yao Ming's heart, Xiao Hua continued without pause. Three more times, his palm struck out, each blow shattering those pellet-like cores, all with nothing but the might of his physical body.
…
Within the depths of the Underground Serene Snake Network stood a majestic palace.
Inside, the palace bustled with activity. The leaders of countless Snake-People tribes had gathered, their laughter echoing loudly through the vast hall.
At the throne's center sat a man garbed in black. His appearance was handsome, yet an aura of icy malice lingered between his brows. Though his eyes were half-shut, a flickering glint revealed itself within. Those pupils resembled venomous serpents—silent, lethal, and cold enough to send shivers crawling through the hearts of all who dared meet them.
Two women with beguiling figures tended the man, their hands kneading his shoulders as his large palm roamed over their soft, supple bodies. A dreamy haze crept into their eyes; both of them looked unusually alluring.
"Huh—?"
The man in black suddenly opened his half-lidded eyes. Surprise flashed across his face. "The seal has been broken?"
"Tribe Chief, what is it?" an elder asked, a bright-red venomous snake coiled over his shoulders. He frowned.
"The seal suppressing Yao Ming has been broken." The man in black rose to his feet, his expression cold as he leaned forward and murmured something into the elder's ear.
"What? How is that possible?" The elder's face went pale. He hastily swallowed his shock and cast a quick look around the hall at the assembled elders and tribe leaders.
"Go at once," he said in a low voice. "If Yao Ming escapes, it will be the ruin of us both. I will stabilize things here and rush to support you."
"Relax. He will not be able to rise again." The black-clothed old man smiled sinisterly.
"It is not him I am worried about," the elder replied, shaking his head. "Yao Ming could never have shattered the mountain while bound in chains. Someone must have aided him."
His eyes darkened as he continued, "For another to enter the Nine Serene Spring unnoticed… that is far more alarming than Yao Ming himself."
The black-clothed man's expression grew grim, but he could not refute it. After a brief pause, his figure flickered, vanishing from the throne.
"Ha ha, an elder has come to report urgent news. The Tribe Chief has gone to receive him. Everyone, please continue." The elder rose with a smile, steadying the mood within the grand hall after the sudden disappearance of the black-clothed man.
…
With the final seal shattered, Xiao Hua waved his sleeve, sending forth a gentle force to support Yao Ming, who was on the verge of collapse. "You've only just regained your freedom, yet your Dou Qi is utterly exhausted. Right now, even a mere Dou Zong could take your life."
"Ha ha! Who would have thought that I, Yao Ming, could endure until this day?" Though his body was frail, his laughter rang with excitement. His eyes locked onto Xiao Hua as he spoke, "Young master, may I know your name?"
"Xiao Hua, Mansion Master of Moonlit Chaos Mansion. You may address me as Mansion Master Xiao." Xiao Hua replied with a faint smile.
"Mansion Master Xiao, I, Yao Ming, am eternally grateful for your life-saving grace. I will never forget how you rescued me. Once I reclaim my revenge, I swear the entire strength of the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python tribe shall be at your disposal—whatever request you make, I will see it fulfilled!" Yao Ming's gaze locked onto Xiao Hua, his voice deep and resolute.
Though his body was frail and drained, his excitement was unmistakable. He laughed heartily, eyes brimming with anticipation.
He was curious about this so-called Moonlit Chaos Mansion, yet the joy of imminent freedom outweighed his questions. For now, he focused solely on Xiao Hua, awaiting what came next.
Xiao Hua smiled faintly, sensing the sincerity within Yao Ming's words. Though this gratitude was born from hatred toward Yao Xiaotian, Yao Ming was not one to betray someone who had aided him.
With a flick of his finger, a jade bottle of medicinal pills shot through the air, landing in Yao Ming's hands. "Take these to restore your Dou Qi. There's no doubt your brother has noticed your escape. Recover your strength first—don't waste it basking in freedom just yet."
"Ha ha. Mansion Master Xiao is absolutely right!" Yao Ming nodded and swallowed the pills without ceremony. He understood he stood no chance against Yao Xiaotian in his current state.
Yet worry did not cross his face. Though he could not fully perceive it, he already sensed the young man's overwhelming power—there was no need to panic. If Yao Xiaotian came, he would merely be seeking his own death. Still, Yao Ming hoped he would be the one to end Yao Xiaotian's life.
…
While Xiao Hua waited for Yao Ming to recover, Ming Cheng and Mei Ling lifted their heads and stared into the distance.
"Looks like he's finally arrived…" Ming Cheng said with a smile, feeling his aura being locked on by an approaching enemy.
"Don't kill him yet. His life and death are already reserved for the one within the spring…" Mei Ling murmured, turning away with a faint air of boredom.
A spatial ripple tore through the air the moment her words faded. In the next breath a figure in black appeared, suspended before Ming Cheng and Mei Ling. The man's eyes were dark and vicious as they fixed on Ming Cheng.
"You bastard. You must be connected to the idiot who released my death-seeking brother…" he snarled, his voice thick with killing intent.
Ming Cheng said nothing. He simply stared back with an unreadable calm.
The man in black snorted at the silence, as if Ming Cheng's composure were cowardice. His gaze swept the group and froze on Cai Lin. A greedy and lustful light flashed across his face; he licked his lips.
"Hahaha—so it is the Heaven-Swallowing Python, and it has awakened, returning to its ancestral bloodline." He laughed, relish dripping from his words. "I feared the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python had become impure, that no woman worthy of bearing my offspring. What a gift to find at my doorstep!"
He turned his attention to Mei Ling, Xun Er, and the Little Fairy Doctor. "Each of them is a beauty to rival the next. Little bastard, since you sided with the fool who ruined my plans, this king will bury you in this spring—no matter where you came from. And I will take care of these three beauties as my prize. That is the price you will pay for your recklessness."
The man in black smiled—a cold, vicious curve—and glared at Ming Cheng.
Ming Cheng's eyes went cold, a sliver of killing intent sharpening his gaze as he heard his sworn sister and the three younger sisters-in-law insulted. He had intended to capture that bastard for Yao Ming, but he would not sit idle while anyone disparaged those he treated as family.
Just as he moved, a voice thundered from behind, and a pillar of water surged up several meters into the air.
"Yao Xiaotian, you little bastard—today I'll tear you into ten thousand pieces and cast you into the Ten Thousand Snake Cave!"
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