Chapter 105: Hualong Fruit [Third Update, Requesting Monthly Tickets and Subscriptions]

“From now on, when Grandpa and my master come, no need to report—just let them in directly,” Xia Daoming said.

“Grandpa said the rules must not be abandoned!” Ji Wenli whispered.

“Fine, go get them in,” Xia Daoming waved wearily, secretly grumbling: Why do I feel like a lonely old man?

Soon, Ji Yuanzhen and Liang Jingtang entered, their expressions grave.

“Grandpa, Master, your faces look off—has something major happened?” Xia Daoming’s heart sank slightly.

“A group of refugees has arrived outside the city—they fled from Cuiling City. They say the rebel army, unable to take Yuancang City, has split forces and marched north, seizing able-bodied men and burning, killing, and looting. Over a month ago, they reached Cuiling City,” Ji Yuanzhen said, worry etched on his face.

“Cuiling City! Over a month ago!” Xia Daoming’s brow instantly knotted.

Cuiling City was a modest mountain town in the southeast of Mangzhou.

The cultivation technique and secret map he seized from Wuyun Fortress had been sold in Cuiling City.

Cuiling City lies roughly midway between Li City and the provincial capital, slightly closer to the capital.

If the rebels advanced northward from Cuiling City, they would likely reach Li City in no time.

“I’ve already sent several sharp-eyed youths out to gather intelligence!” Ji Yuanzhen said grimly.

“Good. From now on, monitor the rebels’ movements constantly. Also, recruit troops as soon as possible and begin training them.

Great rewards produce brave men—offer generous terms when recruiting. We have ample funds now.

As for the refugees, after screening them, if none appear suspicious, treat them well and settle them properly!” Xia Daoming said firmly.

Having barely seized Li City, and with the Xi family’s hidden spiritual fields, wells, and trees beneath Yun Cui Mountain tied to his future cultivation resources, Xia Daoming had no intention of surrendering it.

Moreover, with so many civilians in Li City, and now possessing some ability, he wished to shoulder part of the responsibility—he refused to let them be displaced, slaughtered, looted, or raped by the rebels!

“Myself and Master Liang share the same intention!” Ji Yuanzhen said.

The three then discussed further before Ji Yuanzhen and Liang Jingtang rose to leave.

“When the tree wishes for stillness, the wind refuses to cease! After finally seizing Li City and securing a foundation, I’d planned to bring Lian and the others here, play some cards, and rest for a few days—yet now I must rush back into Cangmang Mountain again!”

After Ji Yuanzhen and Liang Jingtang left, Xia Daoming felt heavier pressure—he decided to enter Cangmang Mountain the next day with potent medicinal herbs and pills, intending to strengthen his eighth-rank meridians to perfection during the journey.

—

Ten days later.

Cangmang Mountain.

Xia Daoming stood before a towering, solitary peak rising straight up over two hundred zhang.

The cliffs were sheer, rocky, with little vegetation—only ancient vines crept from crevices, climbing the rock face.

A waterfall cascaded down the cliff, forming a clear, bottom-visible mountain lake below.

Holding the incomplete secret map given to him by Liu Qiaolian, Xia Daoming carefully studied the marked location—and suddenly his eyes flashed bright.

Twenty to thirty zhang above ground, a strangely shaped boulder jutted outward from the cliff, upon which grew an ancient tree with gnarled roots and a trunk coiled like a dragon, its bark crimson as coral.

“That must be the Hualong Fruit Tree—but I don’t know if it’s borne fruit yet!” Xia Daoming narrowed his eyes, trying to focus, but the distance was too great, and the tree’s dense, radiant red leaves blinded him—he couldn’t see if any fruit hung upon it.

“Who cares if it has fruit—I’ll climb up first!” Xia Daoming gripped his Xuan Dragon Spear, leapt upward, using protruding rocks for leverage or driving the spear into the cliff like a spike—within a few bounds, the boulder and the ancient tree were within reach.

“Ha! Excellent! Over ten Hualong Fruits!” Xia Daoming’s sharp gaze quickly spotted more than ten fruits dangling among the branches.

Each fruit was apple-sized; eight glowed crimson like coral flames, shimmering with faint radiance under sunlight—their glow coalescing into a vivid, living crimson dragon coiling around them.

The other five were pink—likely not yet ripe.

A mountain breeze stirred the leaves, carrying a faint, sweet fruit scent that instantly sharpened Xia Daoming’s spirit.

But immediately after, a foul, putrid stench rode the wind—so nauseating, Xia Daoming nearly vomited.

Startled, Xia Daoming followed the odor.

What he saw sent ice through his veins.

Upon the jutting boulder, a colossal serpent’s head had emerged, dripping saliva.

The serpent’s head bore golden scales and crimson eyes—it was the same beast he’d encountered in the Yunyun Peach Illusion Array: the Jinlin Xuetong Snake.

But this serpent’s head was more than twice the size of the one guarding the array’s core in Gengyun Mountain.

Moreover, a fleshy bump protruded from its forehead—as if about to sprout twisted horns.

Its body was hidden behind the boulder, but Xia Daoming didn’t need to see it—he knew it must be monstrously thick.

“Ssh! Ssh!”

As Xia Daoming shuddered, the Jinlin Xuetong Snake opened its mouth and spat a clot of blood mist—transforming instantly into a barrage of blood arrows, flashing like lightning toward him.

“Damn it!”

Xia Daoming’s scalp prickled—he swung his Xuan Dragon Spear and the Wuyun Shield fixed to his arm to guard above, then leapt rapidly downward.

“Clang! Clang! Clang!”

Blood arrows rained down, striking the spear and shield repeatedly, exploding into clouds of blood mist with shocking force.

“Rustle!”

The rocks beneath Xia Daoming’s landing point shattered and tumbled down.

His body plummeted violently.

“Boom!”

Xia Daoming landed, cracking the earth, sending stones flying—two deep craters formed beneath his feet.

“Good thing it wasn’t higher—if I’d fallen from that height suddenly, even with my strong physique, I’d be dead or gravely injured!” Xia Daoming looked up at the boulder—the Jinlin Xuetong Snake’s head was extended, its terrifying crimson eyes fixed on him, its tongue flicking—his heart pounded with relief.

Soon, he glanced at the Wuyun Shield—its surface was covered in faint, dense indentations—he whistled in disbelief.

“It left marks on the Wuyun Shield? Is this still a Jinlin Xuetong Snake? It should be called a Jinlin Xuetong Jiao! No wonder no one from the Liu family who entered Cangmang Mountain ever returned! That single attack—if Xu the Old Scoundrel had been here, he’d be dead.”

As he thought, Xia Daoming raised his gaze again to the Jinlin Xuetong Snake, gently stroking his chin.

This serpent had evolved—its power far surpassed the one in Gengyun Mountain. It held the high ground, and Xia Daoming lacked flight techniques—he dared not charge up again as before.

Soon, he had a plan.

He gathered a pile of appropriately sized hard stones, then chopped thick branches from nearby trees, fashioning them into spears, stacking them up.

Then he carried them to a spot ten or so zhang high and, like a mischievous child, began hurling them relentlessly at the Jinlin Xuetong Snake.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

The Jinlin Xuetong Snake spat a clot of blood mist—each stone and spear exploded midair into shards and splinters.

Xia Daoming wasn’t discouraged—he kept throwing.

But the Jinlin Xuetong Snake was surprisingly patient—utterly unmoved.

Eventually, realizing the stones and spears posed no threat, it stopped spitting blood mist altogether—letting them land on its scales like mere scratches.

“Damn! This Jinlin Xuetong Snake is truly turning into a dragon—it’s so damn calm!” Xia Daoming stared, dumbfounded, as his carefully gathered stones and spears were exhausted, yet the serpent remained as still as a mountain.

But Xia Daoming couldn’t think of a better tactic yet—he went back and gathered more stones and wooden spears.

He still believed sincerity could move even stone!

Indeed, when his arms grew sore from throwing, the Jinlin Xuetong Snake began to grow restless.

At first, it had ignored him entirely; now, its crimson eyes occasionally glared at him with bloodthirsty fury.

Sometimes, it even launched futile volleys of blood arrows in his direction.

Yet it never left the Hualong Fruit Tree.

“Clang!”

Suddenly, sparks flew from the serpent’s scales—several scales were torn off by a spear.

Xia Daoming had broken his word—he’d thrown only wooden spears until now, but this time he’d split his Xuan Dragon Spear and hurled one segment.

The Xuan Dragon Spear was hard and sharp; even from below and at distance, the strike pierced deep—making the Jinlin Xuetong Snake thrash violently in pain.

“Rustle!”

Rocks tumbled from the cliff.

Finally, the Jinlin Xuetong Snake could no longer endure this insult—it slithered down the cliff, its body as thick as a water barrel.

Only then did Xia Daoming notice: the beast had grown legs beneath its belly.

“It’s truly becoming a dragon!” Xia Daoming thought, startled—already leaping away, he snatched up the fallen spear segment and reassembled it with the one in his hand.

“Kill!” Xia Daoming gripped the Xuan Dragon Spear and charged the Jinlin Xuetong Snake.

Before he reached it, a storm of blood arrows surged toward him.

“Clang! Clang! Clang!”

A blinding hail of light erupted—each blood arrow shattered on impact, dissolving into mist.

“Whoosh!”

A gale swept up the blood mist—a massive, golden-serpent body, thick as a giant tree, swept toward him.

Xia Daoming roared, unleashing all his strength, swinging his spear to block.

PS: During the public release, I’ve been posting too aggressively and didn’t save any drafts. This is the final chapter I squeezed out today. Tomorrow I’ll write tomorrow’s chapter—if I write smoothly, I’ll try to post another one during the day. I’ll do my best—readers, please help by voting for this book with monthly tickets during this time. Thank you very much.

(End of Chapter)