Serpent Ancestor

Outside the Mountain Movers Sect, in an unremarkable small town.

Inside a tavern, a group of plainly dressed farmers sat around a table, drinking rice wine and whispering among themselves.

"Something happened to Li Yang," said a man with a bushy beard.

"Hmph, that man was always on the wrong path. It's a miracle he didn't betray us sooner. Don't count on him," a wrinkled woman snorted coldly.

"Master, what's the point of recruiting these rogue cultivators? None of them are reliable," a young man in coarse clothes muttered.

The bearded man sighed, took a large gulp of wine, and said, "I know Li Yang. He wouldn't betray us. I believe something unexpected happened to him."

A towering man with a soldier's bearing nodded in agreement, "In these times, it's hard enough to gather together. Let's not speak such discouraging words."

"In the future, there will be fewer and fewer like-minded people!" A bald man at the next table smiled bitterly and recited a Buddhist chant.

As the group chatted, the sky gradually darkened.

At this moment, everyone in the tavern looked out the window, towards the distant Mountain Movers Sect.

"Back when the Mountain-moving Patriarch was still around, the sect was so glorious. What a pity, what a pity."

…………

A hundred miles outside the Mountain Movers Sect.

A black snake flashed by and burrowed underground.

Xu Hei ultimately decided not to bypass the sect because he suddenly remembered that there was a spiritual vein beneath it, providing a continuous supply of spiritual qi that could aid in artifact refining.

Moreover, there was the heavy-pressure artifact refining chamber left by the first patriarch.

This was arguably the best place for artifact refining in the Southern Region's sects. There was no second place like it!

It was the only place where he had a chance to melt the ancient pill furnace. If he failed again, he would have to wait until he reached the Core Formation Stage to try again.

Originally, Xu Hei didn't plan to take such a risk.

But he had just refined eight Small Teleportation Talismans. If he chickened out over this, he might as well give up on exploring the great tomb and just go into seclusion to await death.

"There's some risk, but it's worth a try."

Xu Hei took out a jade disk for detection. Inside the Mountain Movers Sect, there was only one red dot symbolizing the Core Formation Stage, representing a patriarch in seclusion.

Judging by the brightness of the red dot, the person's life force wasn't strong, possibly due to injuries.

Xu Hei immediately sprang into action.

…………

At the foot of the Mountain Movers Sect.

Xiao Chou was climbing the steps. Although he could fly up the mountain with his cultivation, he seemed to prefer walking.

Along the way, some Qi Refining Stage disciples glanced at Xiao Chou, their expressions turning strange. After confirming it was him, they couldn't help but smile.

But whenever Xiao Chou looked over, they would stop smiling, put on serious faces, and pretend to be deep in thought.

"What's going on?" Xiao Chou wondered.

He had encountered this phenomenon more than once or twice on his way back. Every disciple of the Mountain Movers Sect who saw him had the same expression.

Were they mocking him?

Xiao Chou was very sensitive to ridicule and could spot it instantly.

"Hey! Kid, what were you laughing at just now?"

Xiao Chou grabbed a disciple and demanded.

"I wasn't laughing, senior. You misunderstood. I really wasn't laughing!" the disciple hurriedly replied.

Xiao Chou stared at him for a long time, but the disciple refused to admit it, so he had no choice but to let him go.

Finally, when Xiao Chou reached the mountain gate.

The gatekeeping disciple saw Xiao Chou and couldn't hold back any longer, bursting into laughter.

This laughter triggered a chain reaction. All the Qi Refining Stage disciples behind him clutched their stomachs and laughed uncontrollably, some even rolling on the ground with laughter.

"Is this the protagonist of that stone tablet?"

"That's right, just like his name!"

"I usually don't laugh unless I can't help it, haha..."

"......"

Seeing the people around him, Xiao Chou's face turned as dark as if he had eaten something foul.

At this moment, a tall elder appeared in the sky, looking down at Xiao Chou with eyes like lightning and an imposing aura. This was his master, Shi Longzi.

"Master!" Xiao Chou quickly bowed.

"Xiao Chou, you have disgraced the sect and have been expelled. You are not to step foot in the Mountain Movers Sect again. Leave!" Shi Longzi glanced at him coldly, not giving Xiao Chou a chance to speak, and disappeared.

Xiao Chou stood there, stunned.

The laughter behind him grew even louder.

…………

It was noon.

Xu Hei had been wandering around the foot of the mountain for half a day, looking for a disciple to blend in with.

Suddenly, Xu Hei heard loud laughter coming from above.

Looking from a distance, he saw a dejected disciple standing at the mountain gate, surrounded by countless people laughing at him.

That person being laughed at looked somewhat familiar.

Xu Hei stuck on an Invisibility Talisman and approached, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Xiao Chou?"

Xu Hei wasn't mistaken. It was indeed Xiao Chou. Wasn't this guy supposed to be dead?

In that situation, rushing into Chuyang City to defend it was practically suicide.

Xu Hei observed for a moment and confirmed it was indeed Xiao Chou. This scene felt familiar. When he first arrived at the Purple Mist Sect, this guy was also being laughed at by a group of people.

Now, despite his increased cultivation, he was still being laughed at. Truly a unique talent.

"Forget it, I'll help you out."

Xu Hei took out an Awakening Pill and slightly activated his true qi.

In an instant, a nauseating stench spread out, causing all the disciples nearby to clutch their heads and vomit. Some even rolled down the steps.

"What the hell is that smell?"

"So disgusting! Damn it!"

The gatekeeping disciple turned pale, clutching his stomach and vomiting.

In just a few breaths, all the disciples nearby fled in panic, not a single one remaining.

Only Xiao Chou stood there, turning his head to look at the source of the smell.

This once extremely foul odor now felt oddly familiar.

"Is it... Senior Hei?"

Xiao Chou looked towards the empty void.

Xu Hei transmitted his voice, "How did you know it was me and not someone else?"

Hearing this voice, Xiao Chou's eyes immediately welled up, his nose tingling, almost bursting into tears.

Xu Hei was puzzled.

Why are you so emotional? Did the smell make you cry?

Xu Hei quickly put away the Awakening Pill.

Xiao Chou, holding back his tears, said, "This Awakening Pill, although it smells bad, actually... well, it still smells bad."

He wanted to say it smelled good, but found he couldn't lie.

Xu Hei, not wanting to waste time, climbed up to Xiao Chou and said, "Get into the mountain. I need to go to the artifact refining chamber of the Mountain Movers Sect."

Xiao Chou nodded repeatedly, "Yes!"

He took out the elder token of the Mountain Movers Sect and walked to the mountain gate.

At this moment, the gatekeeping disciple had recovered and shouted at Xiao Chou, "Xiao Chou, you've been expelled from the sect. How dare you..."

Before he could finish, Xiao Chou's eyes turned cold, and he slapped the disciple from a distance, sending him flying with a powerful gust of wind.

"Smack!"

The crisp sound of the slap echoed as the gatekeeping disciple was sent spinning through the air, crashing to the ground with a broken tooth and a bright red handprint on his face, blood flowing.

"Let me through, or I'll kill you!"

Xiao Chou's eyes were icy as he pressed the token against the mountain gate's barrier.

"Yes, I'll let you through right away!"

The gatekeeping disciple didn't dare to stop him and opened the passage, allowing Xiao Chou to enter the mountain.

Xiao Chou quickly disappeared into the distance.

Watching Xiao Chou's departing figure, the gatekeeping disciple's eyes turned cold, and he gritted his teeth, "Xiao Chou, you brought this on yourself. Don't blame anyone else!"

"Your master showed mercy by only expelling you. Otherwise, with the crimes of killing Elder Qiu Hua, two enforcers, and five Foundation Establishment Stage members of the Qin army, you'd be dead a hundred, no, a thousand times over! Just wait until the other elders come after you. Let's see how you handle it!"

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