The Serpent Venerable

"Don't even think about it!" A cold and stern shout echoed, as Ruolin slightly turned her head away, refusing to glance at Li Yi again.

Li Yi revealed a flawless smile, impossible for anyone to criticize, and softly said, "You may think this way now, but what about in a few days? I don't know. I have no other skills, but making people willingly reveal a bit of information is not at all difficult for me."

Ruolin simply closed her eyes, too lazy to even spare him a glance.

Li Yi slightly shook his head. Although he wanted to unearth the combat technique Ruolin had used, it wasn't a matter of urgency. He had plenty of time to slowly deal with her.

Thinking this, Li Yi casually pulled Ruolin's hand behind her back and tied her hands and feet with ropes. He then applied some high-quality medicinal herbs to dress her wounds. Afterward, he patted Ruolin's head and said indifferently, "You might want to think it over. If you obediently teach me the combat technique you just used, I might let you go. If you refuse, killing you wouldn't be too difficult. You should understand this better than I do."

Ruolin remained silent.

Li Yi didn't mind. He chuckled, turned around, and looked at the weapons bundled together on the ground. The rich aura of blood and evil emanating from the weapons stirred the Yuanqi inside him.

After hesitating for a moment, he moved all the weapons to the edge of the pond where he practiced. With a flick of his wrist, he threw the weapons into the pond. Soon, a dense aura of blood and evil slowly diffused from the pond, subtly merging with the surrounding elemental energy.

Li Yi stopped considering other matters. He leaped onto a stone platform, sat down cross-legged, and as the Tianmo Nine Transformations technique circulated within his body, the blood and evil aura in the air surged towards him.

After an unknown period, Li Yi exhaled deeply and slowly opened his eyes. He could feel that the Yuanqi inside his body had more than doubled in strength. Although it was just one session of cultivation, it seemed more effective than several days of previous practice.

His stagnant cultivation seemed to have progressed significantly with the increase in Yuanqi. However, lacking experience, Li Yi couldn't determine his current level of Yuanqi.

A dense Yuanqi slowly emanated from Li Yi's fingertips. This time, the originally black Yuanqi faintly contained traces of blood, subtle yet undeniably present.

Li Yi stared at the Yuanqi for a moment before shaking his head and murmuring, "This Tianmo Nine Transformations is strange. Absorbing the aura of blood and evil enhances cultivation, but it makes the Yuanqi impure. Such a rapid method of cultivation is fast, but it's not good for the foundation. If used occasionally, it can boost cultivation, but long-term use... might affect future achievements..."

"Hmph, an ignorant child. Each method of enhancing Dou Qi has its characteristics, developed after long periods of exploration by predecessors. Methods that affect future achievements have long been discarded. The traces of blood in your Yuanqi are due to the unique nature of your cultivation technique. You can't see it now, but when you form your Dou Qi vortex in the future, if even a trace of it transforms into blood Qi, your cultivation will increase. You see such an immense benefit as a detriment to your foundation?"

As Li Yi was lost in thought, a cold and mocking voice suddenly entered his ears. The voice was ancient and had an indescribable quality that sent chills down one's spine.

"Who's there!"

Li Yi shouted sharply, quickly standing up and scanning his surroundings. Obviously, there was no one around.

But Li Yi was certain he hadn't misheard. That voice was so peculiar, it couldn't have come from an ordinary person...

"Hehe, no need to look, I'm right in your arms." A faint laughter sounded again, and this time Li Yi clearly heard it coming from within his embrace.

Li Yi's expression changed dramatically. Finally, he reached into his chest and pulled out the ring he had just taken from Ruolin, looking at it closely and asking in a low voice, "Is it you speaking?"

A low chuckle came from the ring, "Not bad, quick reaction, and not scared at all. It seems, young man, you indeed have potential."

Li Yi frowned for a moment. Given his nature, he wouldn't easily believe such things, but he was always calm and wouldn't lose his composure so quickly. He didn't ponder why the ring could talk but instead said with a furrowed brow, "It's because of you that Ruolin was chased, right? It seems this ring is indeed not ordinary."

"Smart," a light laugh followed, "But I am not the ring. This ring is merely my current abode..."

As he spoke, the ancient ring slowly floated up from Li Yi's palm. A wisp of blood-colored light shot out from it, quickly coalescing into a semi-transparent old man in a blood-colored robe.

The old man's face was indescribably weathered, appearing like an extremely ordinary elderly man. However, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle, and his faint smile carried a chilling murderous aura. Though he was merely floating in mid-air, he inspired a compelling urge to worship.

Li Yi stared at this bizarre scene for a moment, his facial muscles twitching slightly. After a moment of hesitation and curiosity, he asked tentatively, "A spirit?"

"Hahaha, what an interesting young man," the elder laughed heartily, "I, the Serpent Venerable, have been asleep for many years, and upon waking, I encounter such an intriguing fellow. It seems my emergence this time was not in vain, much better than hiding here and there."

"Serpent Venerable?" Li Yi frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly as he sized up the Serpent Venerable with a peculiar gaze, "Well then, what brings you out, elder? If it's about me taking this ring from Ruolin, I can return it to her."

"Ruolin? That little girl who stole the ring?" The Serpent Venerable seemed to smirk, "What does such an ignorant little girl have to do with me? But after all, she did bring me out of that place, so I owe her that favor. Thus, cunning boy, I won't interfere if you coerce her into teaching you the middle-grade Zhuque technique. But if you intend to silence her by killing, then don't blame me for being unkind!"

Li Yi rolled his eyes inwardly at the arrogant elder, feeling no fondness towards him. As for fear, he didn't feel much, just more curiosity. But he decided to skip over all this for now. At the moment, his eyes burned with eagerness, "The technique she used is a middle-grade Zhuque?"

"Just a middle-grade Zhuque, could I possibly mistake it?" The Serpent Venerable replied indifferently.

"Very well," Li Yi nodded, "then I am even more determined to acquire it, but I won't harm her life."

The Serpent Venerable nodded slightly, but his mysterious gaze remained fixed on Li Yi. His eyes seemed to ignite with blood-colored flames, and after a moment, he spoke coldly, "This Tianmo Nine Transformations on you... who taught it to you?"

As he spoke, an invisible pressure seemed to squeeze towards Li Yi, making his whole body tense and his breathing heavy. For a moment, Li Yi even felt that he had no chance against this strange old man. It was surprising, considering Li Yi's resolute mind, honed in his previous life in the dark world.

"It was left behind by my mother," Li Yi replied after swallowing hard.

"Your mother?" The Serpent Venerable's aura gradually receded. He fell silent for a moment, seemingly pondering, then finally chuckled lightly, "Well then, since you have the opportunity to practice the Tianmo Nine Transformations, it's your own fortune. Why should I pry?"

Li Yi was momentarily stunned, then a nearly impossible thought crossed his mind. Hesitating, he slowly said, "Could it be that this Tianmo Nine Transformations has something to do with you, elder..."

"Young man, the more you know, the quicker you die. I believe you understand this principle, right?" The Serpent Venerable suddenly laughed ominously.

A bitter smile crossed Li Yi's mind. He was used to threatening others; when did it start happening to him?

However, his killer instincts told him that even if this old man was just a spirit, killing him would probably be as easy as squashing an ant. The Dou Shen Continent was filled with countless strong individuals, and the Serpent Venerable was undoubtedly one of them. As for why he ended up as a mere spirit residing in a ring, that was none of Li Yi's concern.

"Young man, I see you're smart and have the rare opportunity of practicing the Tianmo Nine Transformations, which means you have a destiny with me... So, I want to ask you, are you interested in making a deal with me?"

As these thoughts raced through Li Yi's mind, the Serpent Venerable's chilling voice rang out once again.