Chapter 088: The Crimson Serpent Fruit

Witnessing Xu Xuan slowly move amid thousands of venomous snakes, forging a path as if dancing with them, the crowd was utterly entranced, as if in a dream.

“Follow him quickly,” Senior Brother Fei was the first to react, calling out a reminder.

An intangible aura radiated from Xu Xuan, extending several meters around him. Faint, wind-like whispers could be heard, yet they seemed to vanish as soon as they were perceived, as if mere illusions. This spiritual force subdued most of the surrounding snakes, while barely affecting the group of cultivators. Had Xu Xuan unleashed the full power of his ninth transformation, only those at the fourth level of Qi Refining would have managed to press forward unscathed.

Guided by Xu Xuan, the six of them retreated slowly. Where he passed, the snakes trembled and parted, opening a corridor. The other five followed anxiously.

“Stay close, don’t stray more than ten feet from me, and beware attacks from transformed venomous snakes,” Xu Xuan cautioned them lightly.

With this subtle use of the intimidating technique, he could maintain it for quite some time without imposing much strain on Yu Qin and the others.

Such a scene brought mixed feelings to Yue Mo and Le Feng, who were still locked in combat with the Snake King.

“Wait, we can’t abandon our fellow disciples,” Bai Pan suddenly called out to Xu Xuan.

His words caused hesitation in Jia and the others.

Xu Xuan paused, pondering, then replied, “If you’re willing to fight, follow my lead. I’ll control the surrounding snakes; the sword cultivators will deal with the transformed ones, and the immortal cultivators will assist Senior Brother Le and Senior Sister Yu Mo. How does that sound?”

The group nodded, surprised that Xu Xuan, merely a physical cultivator, understood the importance of teamwork among cultivators.

“Excellent, that’s the best strategy,” Senior Brother Jia agreed at once.

The two disciples of the Sword Sect, grateful, wielded their swords before and behind, slaying any transformed snakes that attacked.

Jia, Yu Qin, and Yang Xiaoqian unleashed immortal arts from afar, directing attacks at the Golden-Spotted Snake King, aiding Le Feng and Yu Mo.

The Snake King was so large that even inexperienced Yang Xiaoqian could strike it with ease.

“Snakes fear fire—use fire-based spells as much as possible,” Xu Xuan advised. He noticed Yang Xiaoqian had sent gusts of green wind at the Snake King without leaving a mark.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

The trio cast fire spells together—balls of fire, fiery serpents, and waves of flame struck the Snake King’s body.

Le Feng and Yu Mo, their pressure eased, launched a fierce, rapid assault on the Snake King.

In moments, several spots on the Snake King’s body were charred, others gashed half a foot deep, eliciting pained shrieks as its massive body thrashed violently.

Xu Xuan maintained the intimidating technique with precision, the wind-like whispering aura keeping most snakes paralyzed and away.

Victory seemed to tip toward the humans.

But the Snake King, possessed of considerable intelligence—it had already deceived them once—did not let matters rest.

Suddenly, its icy eyes locked onto Xu Xuan among the group.

Xu Xuan felt a chill run over his skin, his heart jolting with dread.

Boom!

The nearby rocks and ground trembled as the Snake King, enduring Le Feng and Yu Mo’s attacks, lunged at the group, its sights set on Xu Xuan.

“Not good! Scatter!” Xu Xuan cried, seeing the Snake King close the distance in an instant.

In the crisis, the group, terrified, fled in all directions.

Xu Xuan drew a deep breath, summoning a wild surge of energy that shoved Yu Qin and the others aside. In the next instant, he opened his mouth wide, his eyes flashing like cold lightning, unleashing a torrent of blood and spirit:

“Hya—!”

A concentrated wave of energy, roaring like thunder, blasted toward the airborne Golden-Spotted Snake King.

It was the Roaring Technique.

Snakes nearby were killed in droves, and Yang Xiaoqian, with her lower cultivation, was struck stiff, her ears ringing and heart aching. Yu Qin’s blood surged, but she quickly shielded her ears and heart with her spiritual power.

The force of the roar concentrated seventy percent of its power into the wave, striking the Snake King’s head directly.

Bang—!

The energy swept in all directions, and the Snake King’s massive body froze for a moment, then resumed normal movement.

If this blow had struck a third-level Qi Refining cultivator, it would have been fatal. But the Snake King, a beast rivaling a high-level immortal, would not be severely wounded by a mere physical cultivator.

But Xu Xuan had anticipated this. As soon as he finished the Roaring Technique, he dropped forward, his stance shifting like dragon and snake.

In an instant, a low, dragon-like resonance echoed through the void, causing everyone’s hearts to tremble, their souls quivering as if lesser beings before a higher existence.

“This power—it’s like…” Senior Brother Jia stared at Xu Xuan in disbelief.

Yang Xiaoqian and Yu Qin’s faces paled, their breathing labored, minds unsettled, and their gazes toward Xu Xuan grew more complicated.

The two Sword Sect disciples felt the oppressive aura, their every movement hindered, barely able to resist even with all their spiritual power.

The full force of the intimidating technique now focused on the Snake King.

Still reeling from the Roaring Technique, the Snake King was immediately subdued by the intimidating technique, its body rigid for another instant.

The Roaring Technique struck first with a powerful sonic blast, then the intimidating technique subdued it—the combination was flawless.

Though it was not enough to kill or severely wound the Snake King, it stunned it for two or three breaths.

In a life-and-death battle, even a single breath can determine the outcome.

Le Feng and Yu Mo, catching up from behind, were not to be underestimated.

“Go!” Le Feng threw the Wind and Fire Fan, which expanded in the air, conjuring a blue flame wave over twenty feet long that smashed down on the Snake King’s head.

Boom!

Half of the Snake King’s head exploded, and its upper body was engulfed in raging flames.

Yu Mo struck even more fiercely, leaping into the air, her sword transforming into a dazzling icy streak, like a winter blade, piercing precisely into the Snake King’s vital spot.

Squelch!

The Snake King’s enormous body convulsed violently, then was swallowed by the raging fire.

Even so, the Golden-Spotted Snake King rolled and screamed on the ground, shaking the mountain walls with thunderous crashes, terrifying all present.

After a long struggle, it finally lay still, reduced to a charred corpse within the flames.

With the Snake King slain, the venomous snakes scattered in panic, and the few transformed snakes were swiftly dispatched by the group.

After the fierce battle, everyone was exhausted.

Xu Xuan’s face was pale as he stood beside Yu Qin to meditate. She handed him a precious Restoration Pill.

Yu Mo approached gracefully, gratitude on her face. “Thank you, Junior Brother, for your timely intervention. You must be Xu of the Wind Feather Sect.”

“I am indeed,” Xu Xuan replied, surprised she knew his name, and met her gaze—she was as elegant as cold mist.

“To be praised by our own Senior Brother Nie is a first on Star Feather Mountain. Your strength as a martial cultivator is truly exceptional,” Yu Mo’s eyes sparkled with admiration and gratitude.

Martial cultivator?

Xu Xuan did not explain. Once his energy recovered a bit, he smiled gently. “Now that the Snake King is gone, we can explore deeper into the snake den.”

The others rose, forcing themselves to press on.

The strange Kirin Stones embedded in the rock walls were abundant, but the group left them for now and ventured deeper.

“Ah, this is ‘Five-Spice Poison Grass,’ usually only found in snake dens,” one Sword Sect disciple soon discovered.

“Heavens! There’s a Fire Jade here—an excellent material for crafting fire-type treasures.”

Everyone found something.

Xu Xuan and Yu Qin were no exception, each gathering some rewards. The deeper they went, the richer the spiritual energy became.

Yu Qin released her Three-Spirit Sparrow, following its sense of smell forward.

Soon, the pair reached a red rock wall deep in the snake den. Here, it was exceptionally dry, with no sign of snakes.

Xu Xuan was struck by a wave of heat—the red rock wall was clearly extraordinary.

His gaze fixed upon a vivid red, snake-shaped fruit hanging on the wall. Memories from his previous life surfaced—he recognized it instantly, his heartbeat quickening, his face alight with joy.

“Haha… A rare, fierce, poisonous fire-type spiritual material! It’s perfectly suited for your constitution, the ideal item to break through to the tenth level of physical cultivation,” came the voice of his remnant soul from his past life, stirred by the fruit’s aura.

“Scarlet Snake Fruit!”

A melodious voice called out from behind—a woman from the Sword Sect.

“Scarlet Snake Fruit? Heavens! Isn’t that the finest among grade-three spiritual materials?” Bai Pan and another Sword Sect disciple were stunned, unable to tear their eyes from the fruit.

(First chapter, seeking recommendations. It’s the start of the month, many books are competing for monthly votes. Immortal River still has three or four days before it’s released, so I’m writing for free more days than others. If you could leave a monthly vote for this book, I’d be deeply grateful!)