Chapter 411: Side Effects of the Dream Serpent Skill

Before the statue of Nüwa.

Zi Xuan tightly clasped her chest with both hands; her clothes exploded in an instant, her hair turned crimson, her body completely naked, and from her waist down, she transformed into a serpent’s tail.

This is the “Dream Serpent” of the Nüwa clan.

It is also the mark of the Nüwa clan’s power maturing.

As for the clothes bursting—Zhao Ling’er’s transformation also tore her clothes, let alone Gu Qing studying the Nüwa clan’s body; this bursting is normal, and clothing would only hinder research.

“Don’t be nervous.”

Gu Qing reached out and gently grasped the serpent tail, saying: “I have some understanding of serpent physiology.” As he spoke, his power seeped in, and he applied Good Deeds to record every change within Zi Xuan’s body; as his power flowed, he first memorized the flow of her blood and the movement of her true qi.

“Are you done yet?”

Zi Xuan asked, flustered and annoyed.

Even with Lin Yeping, she had never appeared in this form inside her chamber; now alone with Gu Qing, she feared he might develop some strange curiosity.

“Almost done, almost done.”

Gu Qing stood behind Zi Xuan, observing the meridian flow along her back, and sensing the acupoints and meridians in her human-head, serpent-body state.

After this meticulous examination, Gu Qing transformed—his lower body also became a serpent tail, slithering slowly through the room; this sight filled Zi Xuan with both shock and delight, for she had never imagined a male member of the Nüwa clan could exist.

“I merely imitated a form.”

Gu Qing circled around Zi Xuan, saying: “The essence of the Nüwa clan lies in bloodline; without that blood, even if you mimic their qi circulation, you cannot unleash their abilities.”

Although Gu Qing possessed the Seventy-Two Transformations, this transformation was still imperfect.

“Of course.”

Zi Xuan spoke with pride: “I am, after all, a descendant of Nüwa.” As a member of this clan, if Zi Xuan did not stir emotion, she would be no different from a divine being.

“But I also have a transformation technique.”

Gu Qing activated the Diamond Unbreakable Divine Art for the first time in a long while; after studying the Chan Sect, Jie Sect, and the Nine-Return Sun Scripture, this scripture had evolved—now his entire body faintly glowed golden, and when he struck his arms together, a deep “thud-thud” echoed.

Zi Xuan circled near Gu Qing, deeply curious.

Gu Qing smiled faintly, dismissed the Diamond Unbreakable Divine Art and the serpent transformation; his clothes remained intact, everything perfectly normal.

Seeing this, Zi Xuan also dismissed her Dream Serpent state—and screamed.

Her clothes had truly exploded; when her serpent tail reverted to legs, her hands, which had been shielding her chest, were no longer enough to cover herself, forcing her to scream and frantically cover up and down.

“Cover your face!”

Gu Qing said.

Zi Xuan quickly covered her face with both hands—but as soon as she did, her entire body was exposed, and she realized her mistake; she twisted her body, transformed back into the Dream Serpent, and slipped into the inner chamber. Moments later, she reappeared dressed, and kicked Gu Qing hard.

“This is human wisdom.”

Gu Qing teased Zi Xuan: “When you don’t know what to cover, cover your face to preserve your dignity.”

“Can I preserve my dignity by covering my face in front of you?”

Zi Xuan wanted to bite him.

“Shut up!”

Gu Qing immediately snapped: “To serpents, this is courtship.”

“That’s for male serpents!” Zi Xuan retorted.

The Manzhou and Tangmen both excel in poison, but in the setting of Immortal Sword III, Manzhou’s poison is from snakes and insects, while Tangmen’s is from plants; Zi Xuan, hailing from Manzhou, knew serpent behavior intimately.

Gu Qing gently bit Zi Xuan’s hand.

This was courtship.

Zi Xuan, who had been angrily ready to argue, fell silent, looked at Gu Qing, sensed something amiss, pushed open the door, and left.

Nüwa Temple.

“This is Hundred Blossom Tea.”

The Puppet Granny brought tea, studying Gu Qing and Zi Xuan.

Zi Xuan took the Hundred Blossom Tea and handed Gu Qing a bowl, saying: “Hundred Blossom Tea is a rare delicacy of Manzhou; outsiders rarely get to taste it.” Then, without looking up, she fixed her gaze on Lin Qing’er.

Gu Qing lifted the tea, blew on the broth, took a sip, studied the deep red liquid, and exclaimed in surprise: “How come there are four petals?!”

Hearing this, Zi Xuan looked into the teacup—both bowls floated four petals; instantly flushed and furious, she shoved the bowl away and glared at the Puppet Granny.

Hundred Blossom Tea is how Manzhou maidens express affection; if a man visits and the maiden accepts, four petals float in the tea—meaning “twin lotus,” “phoenixes flying together”; if three petals, it means rejection—tell the man to leave.

The Puppet Granny’s meaning seemed clear: she approved of the marriage.

“I just put them in; I didn’t think that much.”

The Puppet Granny sighed helplessly.

Zi Xuan glared fiercely.

The Puppet Granny leaned close to Zi Xuan and whispered: “You’ve always wanted a lasting love—perhaps it has come to you in another way.”

Gu Qing is of great use to the Nüwa clan; the Puppet Granny wanted to bind him here.

“You want me to switch men?”

Zi Xuan bared her teeth slightly.

She knew her current life with Xu Zhangqing might end badly, and had already begun preparing for the next life—but for Shenggu to tell her to move on directly was unbearable.

But truth be told, Gu Qing did seem to fulfill Zi Xuan’s condition for lasting love.

“After creating humans, Nüwa established marriage rites on earth, becoming the deity who governs fate and unions.”

The Puppet Granny said: “Perhaps the great Nüwa is secretly protecting us, which is why the Nüwa clan has changed so greatly now.”

Zi Xuan remained silent.

Such silence was deafening to Chong Lou; with a thought, he swung his Flame Wave Twin Blades, shattering the boundary between the Demon Realm and the mortal world, arriving directly in the mortal realm—such an act was unthinkable to immortals, demons, and gods of the Six Realms.

To travel between the Divine and Demon Realms to the mortal realm, one must use the Divine-Demon Well or the Nine Springs of Shennong; Chong Lou’s effortless passage was true, unyielding power.

Shushan, Demon-Sealing Pagoda.

Whenever Chong Lou grew angry, the Demon-Sealing Pagoda suffered.

The pagoda was filled with labyrinths; Chong Lou had no patience to walk, so atop it, he raised his arms and tore open a passage, leaping inside to stand before the Demon Sword.

That strike stirred the demons and monsters within, causing them to flee in panic toward the mortal realm—but Chong Lou paid them no mind; he only stared at the Demon Sword and reached out to draw it.

At that moment, Chong Lou thought of his opponent in the Divine Realm.

Yet in this mortal world, after a thousand years, General Feng Peng’s reincarnation had endured countless trials and now wandered as a lowly shopboy in the Yong’an Pawnshop; though clever and skilled in appraising antiques, he had no combat ability.

He must be carefully cultivated.

(End of Chapter)