"Hehe... Fangsi, here's a hint."
The beautiful woman in Allen's arms smiled.
"We met half a year ago at the Human-Demon Cult headquarters."
"Three days ago, you sent a letter to the cult asking for help."
"The other elders didn't bother to pay attention to you. Only I, kindhearted, wrote you a letter in reply."
"After all this, it's quite rude of you not to recognize me."
The gorgeous woman in Allen's bed spoke in a lazy voice, a hint of arrogance.
She sat up with an elegant and charming manner, her thick, wavy black hair draped over her shoulders, and she calmly stepped out of bed.
Right before the stunned Mistress Fangsi, she activated her fourth-level atavism.
The petite human girl transformed into a muscular, two-meter-tall demon.
Her entire body was entwined with black chains that wriggled like living snakes. Through the gaps in the chains, a faint cyan hue of skin could be seen.
Her enchanting face was not much different from before her atavism.
Except her long, splendid hair, not a single strand remained!
Her hairless head gleamed in the candlelight.
A tall, muscular, bald witch, her body entwined in chains.
This image was unmistakable!
"The Hell Chain Demon...it's you!"
Mistress Fangsi exclaimed, her eyes wide open.
"The new elder of the Human Demon Cult, Lady Sonia!"
Sonia, dragging chains that resembled a long knitted dress, walked slowly across the carpet barefoot.
"Fangsi, Fangsi, why did you have to offend my husband when you could have offended anyone else?"
Sonia paused and sighed.
A trace of helplessness crossed her enchanting face.
"Things have come to this, I can't protect you. Just kill yourself."
"Huh?!!"
Mistress Fangsi, who had been counting on Sonia for rescue, felt as if she had fallen into an icy cave upon hearing this!
Driven by her instinct for survival, she turned and fled for the door!
Just as she reached the door, she was forced to stop.
Two sturdy demon wolves, one black and one white, blocked the entrance.
Marrow the Hellhound.
Hugo the Winter Wolf.
They were much larger than when they had been in the mushroom garden!
Like Sonia, the two demon wolves had also advanced to the early fourth stage, their strength greatly increased!
The two wolves blocked the door, spewing flames and cold currents at Fangsi.
Mistress Naga hurriedly twisted her nimble snake body.
He dodged the fiery flames spewed by the hellhound.
His body withstood the cold air from the winter wolf, his expression unwavering.
There was no trace of freezing on his body.
Alan, observing this scene, raised his eyebrows in surprise.
He jumped off the bed.
At the same time, Heidi and Sonia also took action.
Heidi blasted another "lightning bolt," interrupting Mistress Fangsi's spellcasting.
Sonia swung out her activating chains, entangled them around Fangsi's tail, and forcibly dragged her back.
"Damn it!"
In her desperate situation, Mistress Fangsi screamed frantically!
The snake's body, as thick as a bucket, suddenly expanded rapidly!
The activating chains instantly tightened, showing signs of breaking.
Hound pace!
Alan's figure flashed, teleporting to the giant Naga Mistress.
Fourth-level Atavism, the Poison Demon Wizard!
A leopard-headed giant, fangs bared!
A majestic ten-meter-tall body, like a towering iron tower!
Even Mistress Fangsi, transformed into a giant python, pales in comparison!
Magic energy poured into his palm, condensing into frost.
Alan raised his right hand and, with lightning speed, grasped Fangsi's throat!
Ice Soul Burial!
The Naga Mistress broke the chains and was about to spit poisonous gas at the two wolves blocking the door when a giant hand gripped her throat, causing her eyes to roll back.
A puff of poisonous smoke was forcibly retracted.
Alan stared at Fangsi's neck, a strange expression on his face.
His power far surpassed that of the Naga Mistress.
It's perfectly normal to pinch someone's neck to stop them from spewing poisonous gas.
However, Allen's move wasn't just brute force...
The Ice Soul Palm, applied to Fangsi, was useless.
The extreme cold magic couldn't penetrate Fangsi's body.
The moment it touched her skin, it was dissipated by a mysterious force.
Mistress Fangsi struggled desperately!
The sturdy snake's body wrapped around Allen, attempting to strangle him.
Alan activated his "Soft Bone Armor," making his muscles and bones infinitely flexible.
His waist, squeezed by the giant python until it was as thin as the mouth of a teacup, remained unfazed.
"Strange! Water Naga, I've never heard of cold resistance?"
Alan pinched Fangsi's neck and lifted the human-faced python into the air, examining her with curiosity.
He wanted to find out what made her unique.
Heidi heard Allen mumbling to himself, and an idea struck her. She quickly leaned over and addressed his confusion.
"That vicious woman, Fangsi, carries with her the 'Snake Mother's Tears,' a treasure of our Water Naga clan. It can absorb cold air!"
"Snake Mother's Tears? Interesting."
Alan's curiosity shifted to this treasure.
Then Mistress Fangsi could die.
He wielded the 'Steel Ripping Rake' with both palms, a metallic luster emanating from his fingertips.
Puff!
Alan's ten fingers pierced through the snake's scales, burrowing deep into Fangsi's body.
With a sudden burst of force, he ripped the Naga Mistress in half!
Alan held a section of the still-twisting snake carcass in each hand.
He shook it twice.
Ding-ding-dang-dang!
Mistress Fangsi's belongings and jewelry fell to the ground.
Among them was a fist-sized spherical crystal, slightly bluish and emitting a coveted scent.
A unique ingredient!
Alan discarded the broken corpse and picked up the crystal.
He turned to look at Heidi, his eyes inquiring.
"Foster father! This is called the 'Tear of the Snake Mother.' Legend has it that it was formed from a tear of the great snake god Monasa!"
Heidi said sternly.
"The Snake Mother's Tears are a family heirloom of our Naga clan. Only the clan leaders of each generation are worthy of wielding them."
"Furthermore, the Snake Mother's Tears are said to possess miraculous powers!"
"Besides protecting against the cold, they can also tame snake-like monsters!"
Sonia came over in her pajamas and continued Heidi's words to Alan:
"Snake Mother Monasa, the chief deity of snakes and Nagas."
"In ancient times, the ancestor of sorcerers fought a great battle with the gods."
"Snake Mother Monasa, after her defeat, vanished."
"Since the Snake Mother's sacred relics remain and are still worshipped by the Naga clan, it proves that this snake deity is still alive."
Alan grew more curious as he listened.
He quietly activated the system to identify special ingredients.
The Naga clan's treasure, the Snake Mother's Tears, is also a special ingredient.
In reality, this crystal ball is formed from condensed sea salt.
It's simply been imbued with divine power, imbued with the worship and faith of generations of Naga people, and transformed into a sacred object, becoming exceptionally hard.
It's similar to the statues of the Four Gods of the Apocalypse, worshipped in Beast Cults!
Alan picked up the "Tear of the Snake Mother" and, under Heidi's astonished gaze, licked it.
Smack!
Alan smacked his lips, grinning with satisfaction.
Truly an ancient sea salt crystal imbued with divine power.
Salty yet fresh, its flavor lasts forever.
Ding ding—
"Eat special ingredient: Divinely infused sea salt!"
"Potential +4!"
"Spirit +1!"
Current Attributes: Constitution 42, Agility 28, Spirit 48
Potential Reserve: 19 points
…
"Godfather! Do not destroy the sacred object!"
Heidi couldn't help but scream in disbelief.
Alan smiled and reassured her not to worry.
"It's just a lick. It won't destroy the treasure."
"Uh, that's not bad!" Heidi breathed a sigh of relief, but a lingering fear remained.
She had thought Alan was going to swallow the orb whole.
Alan flipped through the system's built-in ingredient guide and found "Snake Mother's Tears."
The ingredient guide came with an identification report.
...
Tears of the Snake Mother (Holy Relic of Monasa)
The bearer gains the following benefits:
· Level 7 Cold Resistance (Immune to cold attacks up to level 7)
· Snake Transformation (Transforms into a python, naga, snakeman, lizard, or other creatures with snake bloodline at will)
· Become a Snake Friend (Charms snake creatures)
· Assists Meditation (Raises the purity of snake or poison sorcerer bloodline to 7%, granting superior aptitude)
...
What a powerful treasure!
Alan marveled inwardly.
"Tears of the Snake Mother" is even more powerful than the four statues worshipped by the Beast Cult!
With this relic, one could create a family of snake sorcerers...or even a cult gathering various snake monsters!
Alan fell into a long period of contemplation.
After a long moment, he came to his senses and turned to Heidi:
"Snake Mother Monasa, do you favor girls over boys?"
"Uh… I haven't heard of that!" Heidi shook her head blankly.
"Then why are most Naga clan leaders female?"
"Because females are smarter and more skilled at spellcasting than males!"
At this point, Heidi's confusion was no longer apparent.
"Male Nagas, aside from being stronger, are inferior to females in every other way, making them less qualified for the position of clan leader."
"But there are exceptions, aren't there?" Allen asked.
Heidi shook her head and answered truthfully, "Anyway, I've never heard of any Naga clan having a male as clan leader…"
"Heidi, you'd better think about this again."
Sonia interjected with a half-smile.
"Godmother, what do you mean...?"
Heidi wasn't stupid. She quickly grasped her godmother's hint and beamed.
"Godfather! Now that Fangsi is dead, the Water Nagas of Moon-Watching Island need a new leader!"
"Godfather, you are wise and brave, and your benevolence is unparalleled!"
"In my opinion, no one is more suitable to lead our Naga tribe than you!"
"Isn't that appropriate?" Allen hesitated. "After all, I'm not of Naga descent. I only have a hint of poison blood..."
"That's enough!" Heidi said, rushing in. "Poison and snakes are inseparable! Poison sorcerers and our Naga tribe share a close bloodline, both descendants of the ancient, great Snake Mother!"
"Alan, since Heidi has said so, why don't you take on the role of Naga leader and lead the Naga tribe back to its former glory? Perhaps you'll even receive the Snake Mother's divine grace, which would be a wonderful thing."
Sonia advised with a smile.
Alan nodded reluctantly.
"Since you all say so, I'll give it a try."
He then pocketed the "Snake Mother's Tear," symbolizing his status as clan leader.
Alan didn't have the time to personally manage the Naga tribe; he was only the clan leader in name.
The daily affairs of Moon-Watching Island were left to Heidi, the acting matriarch.
Fang Si was dead, but the relationship between the Moon-Watching Island Water Nagas and the Human-Demon Cult must be maintained.
Heidi replaced Fang Si as the liaison for the Human-Demon Cult.
Nominally, the Nagas remained allies of the Human-Demon Cult.
In reality, they only obeyed Alan and Sonia.
Sonia's trip to Silvermoon Island was a spur-of-the-moon decision.
Helping Alan resolve the trouble caused by Mistress Fang Si meant she had no time to stay long; she had to return to the cult headquarters early the next morning.
After a brief reunion, it was time to part again.
Both were reluctant to leave.
Before parting, Allen gave Sonia an anti-aging potion.
This made Sonia even more reluctant to leave!
Before dawn, she pulled Allen into bed again.
After a quick moment of intimacy, they stopped indulging in lust and began practicing together.
Through group meditation, Allen instilled the fifth-level soul-soothing meditation technique in Sonia, completely eliminating her potential for demonic possession.
Sonia's status in the Human-Demon Cult had now risen to the level of Elder, making her eligible for the "Intermediate Insect Control Spell."
Using group meditation, she instilled the "Intermediate Insect Control Spell" and various other spells she had awakened into Allen.
Alan easily mastered the "Intermediate Insect Control Spell."
Of the spells Sonia instilled in him, he only learned one, the 4th-level "Monster Charm."
The other spells were incompatible with his bloodline, and the chances of awakening them were too low.
The same was true in reverse.
Of the martial arts skills Allen instilled in her, Sonia had only learned one, "Telepathy."
After contemplation, Sonia revealed to Allen the latest news regarding the Civil War.
The Human-Demon Cult is obsessed with the Mushroom Garden Secret Realm.
They are negotiating with the North Island Federation to collaborate on retaking the Mushroom Garden.
If the negotiations are successful, Sonia will return to the Mushroom Garden to join the war.
"Alan, if you have friends in the Mushroom Garden Secret Realm, it's best to notify them and evacuate that troubled area as soon as possible!"
Before leaving, Sonia sternly warned.
"If we don't leave now, it will be too late to leave once the Human-Demon Cult and the Northern Island Federation's warlocks surround the Mushroom Garden."
Alan nodded, taking note of her advice.
Julie and Feilin had once trained in the Mushroom Garden.
Whether they were still there was unknown.
To be on the safe side, Alan felt it necessary to send a letter to the Griffin siblings, reminding them to make early plans.
The Mushroom Garden and Silvermoon Island were thousands of miles apart.
Correspondence wasn't easy.
After seeing Sonia off, Alan pondered.
I hadn't been able to awaken a communication magic stronger than the 0-ring "Telepathy." It was hard to say whether it was a bloodline issue or just bad luck.
That was the nature of warlocks.
The spells you desired and the spells you awakened were often vastly different.
There's no textbook laying around for you to choose your desired spell.
After taming the Naga, Allen planned to enter the Silver Moon Secret Realm and retreat until he reached the late Fourth Stage.
In life, sometimes you have to accept your fate.
If he still couldn't awaken advanced communication magic after reaching the next level, Allen wouldn't count on it awakening spontaneously.
Simply give him a shot to save himself the trouble!
…
The next day.
After seeing Sonia off, Allen returned to the Silver Moon Secret Realm to visit Pantheon and Tanya.
With the best training resources and the careful guidance of White Tiger Martial Master, the father and daughter were making rapid progress.
In four years, Pantheon was confident he'd reach the late Fourth Stage.
Tanya's talent was even more terrifying!
After four years of retreat, a breakthrough to the Fifth Stage was a sure thing!
Four years in the secret realm is only one year in the outside world.
By then, the war will likely not be over yet; there's still time!
Alan himself began his retreat.
…
Time flies, the days and months pass by like a shuttle.
Alan has been cultivating in the secret realm for two years.
Converted to outside time, only half a year has passed.
The bloodline of the Poison Demon Wizard, the ancestor of his own creation!
The rapidity of his cultivation progress terrified even Alan himself!
After only two years of retreat, Alan successfully advanced to the late fourth stage.
All attributes improved across the board!
Current attributes: Constitution 43, Agility 29, Spirit 49
Alan's venom glands evolved again.
Through bone spurs, he absorbed the poison from the outside world.
The potion is stored in the poison gland.
After a period of time, the potion's components can be decomposed.
In other words, give Alan a bottle of medicine, and he can analyze the potion's formula!
With the formula, he can find a way to imitate it.
On the other hand, as long as the ingredients are gathered according to the recipe,
The subsequent alchemy process is also effortless.
With a spit, the medicinal ingredients automatically react, synthesizing a perfect potion!
The poison gland + the Gluttony system form a complete generic drug production line!
Alan's image as a "potion master" is now even more solid!
After advancing to the late fourth stage, Alan awakened two spells.
Unfortunately, communication spells are not among them...
Alan sighed.
"Looks like there's no escaping this needle."
Alan's two newly awakened spells were both 4th-level.
"Wall of Fire" creates a wall of fire that burns continuously and can erupt in one direction.
The length, width, thickness, and duration of the fire wall all depend on the caster's mental attributes.
By maintaining concentration while casting, one can also control the shape of the fire wall.
For example, it can be stretched into a straight line or formed into a circle.
"Wall of Fire" combines crowd control and sustained damage, making it very practical!
For Alan, "Wall of Fire" holds a special meaning.
So far, it's the only fire magic he's awakened!
Using "Wall of Fire" as a foundation and integrating it with other martial arts through the system, it's possible to create even more powerful fire-based martial arts!
Just like "Thunder Wave" to "Thunder Explosion Wave" and "Moonlight" to "Moon Shadow Bullet."
In reality, with Allen's warlock bloodline, the probability of awakening fire magic is very low.
Awakening "Wall of Fire" is like winning the lottery!
On the other hand, another 4th-level spell seems quite reasonable.
"Parasite" transforms the caster into a misty pathogen that infects and parasitizes the host, turning it into a puppet.
The caster can remain parasitic within the host permanently.
Until the host dies or voluntarily removes the parasite.
The pathogen transformed by "Parasite" resembles a hazy mist, equivalent to "Gaseous Form" combined with "Poison Cloud."
If the inhaler is not physically strong, they will be infected with the pathogen, unknowingly becoming parasitic and at the mercy of the host.
However, "Parasite" also has some weaknesses that are difficult to overcome.
The level of the pathogen the caster transforms into is proportional to the sorcerer's rank.
Alan is a 4th-rank sorcerer, and his pathogen form is also 4th-rank.
If a creature possesses a virus resistance of 4th-rank or higher, Alan's "Parasite" spell will inevitably fail!
Furthermore, the pathogen form can be killed by drugs or spells specifically designed to treat and detoxify.
For example, if a parasite is inhabiting someone's body and they happen to drink an antiviral potion...
The sorcerer in pathogen form will be expelled from the host at best, or completely eliminated, leaving no trace!
Therefore, the "Parasite" spell carries significant risks and must be used with caution!
After practicing his two newly awakened spells, Alan's thoughts returned to the venom gland.
This new ability, "Prescription Analysis," sparked an inspiration.
Perhaps it could help Master Shiva break through his bottleneck in cultivation!