Chapter 526: A new card, a Longevity Card!

The wounds on its body were increasing, and the speed of its healing could no longer keep up with the speed at which new wounds appeared.

Although Chen Mu had also been struck several times, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, his eyes were growing brighter and his sword intent more intense. He seemed to know neither fatigue nor pain, each strike more fierce and heavy than the last.

"Roar!!"

The Ink Jade Single-Horned Python let out a roar filled with unwillingness and terror. It finally realized that the close-quarters combat power and fighting will of the human before it were even more terrifying than its own.

If it continued to fight, it would surely die!

A flash of cunning and ruthlessness crossed its scarlet vertical pupils. It suddenly opened its blood-stained maw, but not to attack Chen Mu; instead, it aimed at the Spirit Lake below and the ancient tree at the heart of the lake.

It intended to detonate the dense wood-attribute spiritual energy of this place along with a portion of its own origin, creating a destructive explosion to severely injure Chen Mu and perhaps even destroy the "Spring Key"!

However, at the very moment it was distracted, its internal energy fluctuating violently as it prepared for this act of mutual destruction—

A subtle, almost imperceptible ripple in space quietly spread out behind its hideous head.

Following that, a tiny point of gray light, like the fang of a venomous snake, silently pierced out from the void. It was incredibly precise, striking the core node where the Ink Jade Single-Horned Python’s hindbrain connected to its spine—a spot covered by thick scales, yet the weakest point connecting its soul and physical body!

This gray light looked unremarkable, yet it contained a terrifying aura that made even the Ink Jade Single-Horned Python’s soul freeze.

It was the terrifying power formed by the perfect fusion of the two extreme forces of supreme yin and supreme yang, turning into chaotic return to nothingness.

The Yin-Yang Sword Qi of the "Two Forms Sword Qi"!

In the heat of the frontal battle, Chen Mu had used his exquisite movement technique and control over space to quietly separate a strand of sword qi containing the essence of the "Two Forms Sword Qi," hiding it in the void to wait for an opportunity, and then launched this fatal strike.

This was not a fair duel, but the most ruthless and fatal ambush in a life-and-death struggle.

The timing was grasped to perfection, at the very moment when the Ink Jade Single-Horned Python’s old strength was spent, its new strength had not yet been born, and it was distracted.

Pfft!

A soft sound, like a hot needle piercing into a block of ice.

That point of gray light pierced through the seemingly indestructible scales and bone of the Ink Jade Single-Horned Python’s hindbrain without any resistance, sinking into its body.

Time seemed to stand still for an instant.

The Ink Jade Single-Horned Python’s massive body stiffened abruptly, its scarlet vertical pupils widening instantly, filled with endless astonishment, confusion, and incomprehensible fear.

Its open giant mouth remained in the posture of a roar, and the violent energy within its body had not yet had time to detonate.

The next moment, the gray light spread wildly within its skull, along its spine, eroding and annihilating everything.

The Ink Jade Single-Horned Python’s soul was extinguished!

Its massive body fell from mid-air, hitting the ground with a loud "boom" that shook the earth as if by an earthquake, kicking up countless dust that flew into the sky.

[Corpse discovered, do you wish to loot it?]

"Yes!"

With the card in hand, Chen Mu quickly checked it.

A Longevity Card!

Another new card.

As the name suggests, this type of card can increase one's lifespan out of thin air.

The Longevity Card he had just looted could instantly increase a person's lifespan by 1,250 years!

The problem was that Chen Mu was only in his early twenties.

The lifespan of the Heavenly Palace realm was a full five hundred years.

The lifespan brought by his own cultivation realm alone was enough for Chen Mu to live for several hundred years.

A Longevity Card...

He had absolutely no use for it!

Between heaven and earth, the violent energy turbulence and the destructive aftermath of the impact quickly subsided after losing their source.

The water of the Spirit Lake slowly receded, and the anomalies in the sky gradually dissipated, leaving only a devastated land and the smell of scorched earth and destruction lingering in the air, proving the reality of the earth-shattering battle that had just occurred.

Chen Mu stood in mid-air, retracting the Trap Dragon Sword into his palm space.

His face was slightly pale, and his breath was slightly chaotic; clearly, the great battle and the final sneak attack using the "Two Forms Sword Qi" had consumed a great deal of his energy.

He exhaled a breath of turbid air, his gaze sweeping calmly over the thousand-foot-tall ancient tree and the altar below.

Bamboo Green Daoist and Ning Ning Zhixi still stood stiffly in place, their eyes hollow, looking at the corpse of the Ink Jade Single-Horned Python, and then at the green-robed figure in the sky whose aura had begun to calm.

Shock!

A silent shock drowned out all their thoughts.

Close-quarters combat, hard-hitting a Heavenly Palace realm fierce beast, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth, and finally completing a fatal strike to end everything...

The strength, combat wisdom, and ruthless decisiveness displayed by Chen Mu had completely exceeded the boundaries of their imagination.

The two remained silent for a long time, as if they had lost the ability to speak.

It was not until Chen Mu’s figure swayed slightly and he landed back on the shore, coming before them, that the two woke up as if from a dream.

"Chen... Young Master Chen..."

Bamboo Green Daoist’s voice was dry, and she bowed deeply. This time, she almost buried her head into the ground; the awe in her heart could no longer be described in words.

Ning Ning Zhixi also hurriedly bowed, her delicate body trembling slightly. In her beautiful eyes, besides shock, there were added a few indescribable complex emotions—it was awe, it was gratitude, and perhaps, a trace of yearning and palpitation for absolute power that even she herself had not noticed.

Chen Mu waved his hand, signaling them to rise, his gaze already cast toward the altar at the heart of the lake.

"The aftermath is gradually subsiding, go and take the token."

The three of them arrived before the altar once again.

The soft cyan light ball was still suspended, and the "Spring" character token within it had completely solidified.

This time, there was no more obstruction.

Ning Ning Zhixi stepped forward, carefully extending her hand.

The cyan light ball seemed to have spirituality, actively falling into her palm. The light faded, turning into that warm, cyan-jade "Spring" character token.

The moment she grasped the "Spring Key," the token vibrated slightly, and a clear piece of intentional information was transmitted directly into her mind.

"Keys of the Four Seasons, three of four obtained. The final key, 'Autumn,' is hidden in the extreme west, deep within 'Golden Maple Valley,' beneath the 'Sunset Broken Stele.' Bring the Spring, Summer, and Winter keys there, and the broken stele will reveal the entrance itself. Once the four keys are gathered, on the day of 'Frost Descent,' you can sense the location of the 'Four Seasons Secret Treasury' and use the keys to open it."

The information was simple and clear, only informing them of the location of the "Autumn Key" and that after gathering all four keys, they needed to sense and open the treasury on the "Frost Descent" solar term.

Ning Ning Zhixi relayed the information to Chen Mu and Bamboo Green Daoist.

"Golden Maple Valley... the extreme west... that should refer to the Western Heaven Path."

Bamboo Green Daoist pondered and said slowly, "The 'A-Wood Spirit Core' has a weak response to the Western metal-attribute evil energy, but the general direction can be distinguished. Once we reach the Western Heaven Path, it will be enough to lock onto the specific location. The Frost Descent solar term... this year's Frost Descent is in late September, still several months away. The time is quite ample."

Chen Mu nodded.

"Since the clues are clear, let us first leave the ancient ruins and head to the Western Heaven Path to obtain the 'Autumn Key.' We will decide our next steps after that."

He looked at the thousand-foot-tall ancient tree. This tree had also been affected by the aftermath of the battle, with some branches and leaves broken, but the main trunk remained upright, and its vitality still persisted.

"Let's go."

Chen Mu turned and flew toward the entrance of the ancient ruins.

Bamboo Green Daoist and Ning Ning Zhixi hurriedly followed closely behind.

They exited the East Forest ancient ruins.

The three of them did not linger at the entrance of the secret realm. After identifying the direction, they galloped toward the west...