Chapter 326

"Hmph, ignorant of heaven's height and earth's depth."

At this moment, a snake beast whose body was half-transformed, its skin pitch-black, instantly froze and snapped: "You, a mere human Alchemist, dare claim to comprehend the mysteries left by our Demon Saint? Hmph—even the head of our Tian She Empire's Alchemist Guild couldn't unravel its secrets. How dare a Fifth-Grade Alchemist like you speak so boldly? Step aside and don't disturb our cultivation here."

Humans and Snake Race are two different races; disliking humans is normal, especially here in the Tian She Mansion, the Holy Land of the Snake Race in the Northwest Region.

Moreover, Xiao Yan is an Alchemist—all beast races struggle to produce Alchemists due to weak Soul Force; disliking Xiao Yan is perfectly natural.

Although Xiao Yan had merely voiced his doubt, to these Snake Race ears, it carried a tone of mockery—they believed he was bragging, thinking it extraordinary that humans could produce Alchemists.

A sharp rebuke was meant to make this Alchemist understand his own limits.

Xiao Yan couldn't be bothered to spare the Snake Emperor another glance and paid no attention, but the hot-tempered Zi Yan jumped out instead.

"Huh?! What are you? Just a hairy snake—do you think I won't punch you to pieces?" Zi Yan crossed her arms, her face scowling with fierce cuteness, yet the powerful beast aura radiating from her was no illusion.

"You're a beast? You took a Transformation Pill?!" The Snake Emperor's eyes sharpened—Zi Yan's transformation was flawless; there was no doubt she had used a Transformation Pill.

"None of your business," Zi Yan gave him no respect whatsoever. A lowly Sixth-Rank snake beast like him? A few punches would settle it.

Xiao Yan merely waved his hand like shooing away flies. "Where did this idiot come from? Don't block my view."

"You!" The Snake Emperor's face darkened to an extreme.

He was a Sixth-Rank beast—even in the Tian She Mansion, he was a person of status. Now, to be humiliated by an unknown brat—how could he not rage?

"I am Wuyan, the new Emperor of the Winged Snake Clan, ruler of a thousand li of the Tian She Empire's territory."

"Never heard of you," Xiao Yan waved his hand, cutting off Wuyan's self-introduction. His indifference made Wuyan want to spit blood—he felt like punching cotton. He'd assumed naming his rank would intimidate this nobody.

"This kid's awfully arrogant," several onlookers shook their heads lightly. Many knew that offending the Tian She Mansion here would lead to no good end.

Xiao Yan paid no mind to what others thought. Instead, he carefully examined the cave entrance, asking as if casually: "Since no one's taken it, does whoever retrieves the item inside own it?"

Wuyan sneered. "Everyone in the Northwest Region knows the Serpent Saint Peak of the Tian She Mansion is a publicly accessible treasure site, blessing the entire Earth Domain. Whoever has the ability to claim what the Azure-Eyed Demon Saint left behind naturally earns it as the chosen one. Only ignorant children from remote places wouldn't know this."

As if catching Xiao Yan's weakness, Wuyan sneered again, pouncing like a dog attacking a drowning man.

In truth, Jia Xingtian, who understood Xiao Yan somewhat, frowned at this obvious feigned ignorance—he sensed something was off.

This guy never speaks without reason!

Having received Wuyan's answer, Xiao Yan subtly smiled, then ignored all the scornful glares and mocking laughs around him—and actually reached his hand into the black hole.

Seeing Xiao Yan truly attempt to pull something from the hole, the Snake Race beasts sneered repeatedly, convinced he was a fool.

"What a fool! For a thousand years, countless others have searched this cave—this hole was likely carved by wind and rain. He actually thinks he can reach in with his hand?"

"Hah! What a narrow-minded fool, a true country bumpkin. Where did this rustic even come from?" Seeing Xiao Yan's childish gesture—like a boy fishing by a river, reaching into rocks—many burst into laughter.

But how could Xiao Yan do such a stupid thing?

The cave contained nothing—just a hole about thirty centimeters deep, likely carved by a Dou Zun trying to forcibly break through the stone wall.

But this was a relic left by a Dou Sheng—how could it be easily seized? Hence, only the hole remained.

Xiao Yan reached in not to retrieve anything—but to conceal the Void Swallowing Flame!

Mao Wu slithered out from Xiao Yan's palm; Xiao Yan deliberately used Soul Force and his body to block the hole's entrance, preventing discovery.

Inside the small cave, Mao Wu—now evolved into Earth Sub Flame—unleashed full power. Something truly lay within, sealed by a peculiar force.

But seals? How could they possibly stop Mao Wu? It possessed the power of Void Swallowing Flame!

Before evolving into Earth Sub Flame, it might have taken long—but now, carving a void-space hole for Xiao Yan's hand to pass through was no challenge.

If it evolved into Heavenly Emperor Fire, it wouldn't just carve a small hole.

Meow!!! Void Swallowing Flame, Earth Sub Flame, fully activated—Black Flame ravenously devoured and burned. After roughly two minutes, a fist-sized hole appeared.

Snap! Xiao Yan's right hand seized something hard, his eyes sharpened—and he yanked his hand out.

Xiao Yan had planned to take it silently—but he realized he'd overestimated. As he retrieved the item, a streak of azure light erupted from the stone tablet, shooting straight into the heavens.

"Eh?! Ah!" Wuyan's mocking words died mid-sentence. His mouth hung wide open, speechless.

In fact, at that moment, every single person's mouth hung open. All stared dumbfounded at Xiao Yan—or rather, his glowing right hand—unable to believe what they saw.

Countless mouths gaped wide enough to swallow goose eggs, frozen in shock, unable to close.

Even Jia Xingtian was stunned—he couldn't believe it. This was absurd, impossible! Even Dou Zuns had tried and failed—how did he do it?!

Yet this impossible thing had just happened. Those who witnessed it on Wudao Peak felt it was utterly unnatural.

"T-this is too insane! H-he just… reached in?!?!?" Someone couldn't believe his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating, dreaming.

You really just reached in with your hand and pulled something out!

One person hallucinating? Maybe. But everyone here? All dreaming together? That meant this was real.

Finally snapping out of shock, those who had mocked Xiao Yan now burned with shame. Xiao Yan had shown the entire Tian She Mansion: those who can't take treasure are pathetic!

It was a slap across their faces— their Ancestor's treasure had been taken by an outsider… a human!

Boom! As Xiao Yan retrieved the item, the stone tablet shattered and collapsed, as if stripped of all power, reduced to rubble.

At this point, even the dumbest knew: Xiao Yan had truly taken the item inside.

Xiao Yan sighed inwardly—he'd hoped to profit quietly, but now trouble was unavoidable.

At this moment, as the azure light shot skyward, everyone in the Tian She Mansion saw it.

"Hm? What's that?"

"That direction—it's Serpent Saint Peak!"

"Could it be… a disciple has obtained the Demon Saint's Cultivation Method or Dou Technique?"

"Could it be the new Holy Maiden?"

At that moment, Qing Lin, having just finished bathing and changing, looked toward the azure light and murmured: "How is this possible? Only Qi San Hua Tong can retrieve what's inside."

Qing Lin had once visited Serpent Saint Peak. Using Qi San Hua Tong, she knew this was a trial left by the Azure-Eyed Snake Saint—only when Qi San Hua Tong was perfected and her Cultivation Realm reached High Dou Zong could one claim the item.

"Could there be another person with Qi San Hua Tong?" Qing Lin was baffled—how had someone else stolen it?

In the central cave mansion of the Tian She Mansion, a strikingly handsome man suddenly turned toward Serpent Saint Peak, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Qing Lin? No—it can't be her. She went there recently and still couldn't retrieve the item."

This man was unquestionably She Tianhao, the current Sect Master of the Tian She Mansion.

"Send someone to check the situation immediately!"

"Yes!"

At that moment, Xiao Yan, at the center of everyone's gaze, slowly opened his right hand, no longer hiding—it was impossible to hide anyway.

When Xiao Yan opened his palm, a ring appeared before everyone's eyes; the ring was set with a green gem, and this gem clearly was no ordinary thing.

Xiao Yan toyed with the beautiful ring; it was not a Storage Space ring, and the true importance lay not in the ring itself, but in the green gem embedded upon it.

This was no ordinary gem—even Xiao Yan did not know what it was, only that it was certainly extraordinary.

After admiring and playing with it for a while, Xiao Yan slipped the ring onto his finger, then glanced sidelong at the Black-Eyed Snake Emperor with casual indifference: "Who was it just now shouting so loudly that they couldn't possibly get the item? Sigh—clearly it was placed right at the cave entrance for you to take, yet you fools didn't even try. You still had the nerve to boast before me about not knowing heaven's height or earth's depth, about being a frog at the bottom of a well. If I were your Ancestor, I'd probably have been enraged to death—turning down a free gift." Xiao Yan had always been sharp-tongued; after all, he had refined the Netherworld Poison Flame, and he never showed mercy to his enemies.

Speak the harshest words, strike the hardest blow.

Since these Snake Race beasts had just mocked and tried to humiliate him, Xiao Yan now delivered that slap with utter indifference.

At this moment, many among those who had mocked Xiao Yan earlier felt their faces burn with shame; many had laughed at him just now, and now this slap came back so swiftly—it was poetic justice!

Of course, some clever individuals quickly realized: if Xiao Yan had simply reached in with his bare hands and pulled it out, that was impossible—he must have done something!

"Bold words indeed!" The Black-Eyed Snake Emperor's face darkened. As Clan Leader of the Black-Eyed Snake Race and an Elder of the Sky Serpent Sect, to be slapped by this unknown brat—how could he swallow such humiliation? Worse still, Xiao Yan now possessed something valuable, and this item must remain within the Sky Serpent Sect.

Instantly, he devised a plan and sneered: "Ignorant brat, you've found one Treasure and think yourself invincible? Today, I shall teach you a lesson on behalf of your elders—let you know that human Alchemists are nothing but useless trash."

Xiao Yan coldly smiled, understanding perfectly. He flicked a finger at the Black-Eyed Snake Emperor and said: "If you want a beating, fine—today I'll beat you so badly even your mother won't recognize you."

Xiao Yan's provocation instantly enraged the Black-Eyed Snake Emperor, yet inwardly he rejoiced: if he could find an excuse to seize Xiao Yan, the rest would be entirely up to the Sky Serpent Sect. His expression turned fierce, and he roared: "Ignorant brat! Today I shall make you suffer for your insolence!"

As soon as he spoke, five fingers shot out, black mist surging like a tidal wave.

In that instant, the Black-Eyed Snake Emperor struck—five fingers spread wide, like a Sea Giant Python lunging straight for Xiao Yan's head, terrifying Battle Spirit pressure crashing forward.

But Xiao Yan did not move at all; instead, he clasped his hands behind his back, appearing utterly defenseless.

Of course, Xiao Yan had no intention of letting himself be slaughtered—he knew that such matters must be left to the "professionals."

"Ha! You stinking snake dares to strike first!" Seeing the opponent act first, Zi Yan was delighted. In a flash, she appeared beside Xiao Yan, purple light exploding.

Zi Yan bared her teeth in a grin, her right hand radiating thick purple light, the space around her fist warping.

"Get lost!!" At the attack surging like a raging python, Zi Yan laughed loudly and slammed her right fist forward—purple light erupted, Dragon Qi rolled like a divine dragon descending, boundless Dragon Might sweeping across heaven and earth, utterly tyrannical and ferocious.

Boom! A deafening crash, followed by the crack of shattering bones—the Black-Eyed Snake Emperor's entire arm, at the peak of Battle Emperor strength, instantly turned to blood mist. Before he could even scream, he was blasted backward, flying through the Sky in a beautiful parabolic arc, dead or alive, unknown.

This scene unfolded too quickly for anyone to react.

The Black-Eyed Snake Emperor was a Battle Emperor of the Sky Serpent Sect! Even if he wasn't the strongest among its Elders, he was still a formidable force—yet before this adorable little girl, he couldn't even withstand one blow, his arm shattered!

Zi Yan had only just entered Battle Emperor rank—this was a battle of equal levels—and yet the Sky Serpent Sect's Battle Emperor couldn't even block one punch! If this got out, no one would believe it!

"Dragon Might?!"

"Did I just sense Dragon Qi?"

"My god, what is this girl's true form?!"

Naturally, the Dragon Clan had many kinds—not all with Dragon Might were invincible; some beasts, like the Deep Sea Serpent Beast, carried only a trace of Dragon Blood.

But without doubt, Zi Yan's true form was certainly extraordinary.

Zi Yan defeating her opponent with one punch was no surprise to Xiao Yan—if the Grand Void Dragon Clan couldn't crush an opponent with one punch, he'd look down on them.

Xiao Yan sensed something, his gaze slowly turning toward the horizon; when he saw the approaching figure, he smiled with deep meaning.

"Long time no see, Eight-Winged Black Snake Emperor. You seem to have improved a bit."

(End of Chapter)