Chapter 347

Wang Yu reached out one hand, and the flames before him dissolved into a wisp of blue smoke and vanished; at the same time, his flying boat shrank to miniature size and flew automatically into the storage pouch at his waist, while the white flames swirling around his body rolled once more, transforming into a white fireball that shot off in another direction.

For long-distance travel, he still used an ordinary flying boat, but for short-range flight, he generally relied on the Fire Dash technique fueled by the Crimson Sun Great Art.

As a second-rank dash technique, its speed and agility at close range far surpassed that of a first-rank flying boat.

Yet, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator now, he ought to replace his flying artifact with a second-rank one; otherwise, if he encountered a powerful enemy, he might not even be able to escape.

As Wang Yu pondered this, he arrived before the entrance of a cave dwelling in the middle section of Tianzhu Mountain.

The cave's entrance was entirely glossy green, emitting a strong, peculiar fragrance—as if crafted from some rare spiritual wood.

Nearby, on the open ground, lay a spiritual herb garden spanning several mu, guarded by several gray-furred spiritual monkeys as tall as adult humans.

Upon seeing Wang Yu land, the monkeys let out warning cries; two of them gripped wooden clubs as thick as bowls and swung them menacingly to drive him away.

Wang Yu ignored them entirely, simply opened his mouth and spoke silently toward the cave entrance.

"Master Li, Wang Yu has come as invited, to pay his respects." Moments later, a booming voice echoed from within the cave.

The cave door opened, and out stepped an old man with snow-white hair and eyebrows, his face wrinkled, eyes dull, appearing as if he were eighty or ninety years old.

"Master Li, how have you come to look like this?" Wang Yu was stunned upon seeing the old man.

"Heh, you've reached Foundation Establishment already—why call me Master Li anymore? Just address me as Senior Brother from now on. As for this appearance, it's nothing much—just that my lifespan is nearly exhausted."

Lifespan nearly exhausted!

Wang Yu froze.

The last time he'd seen this "Master Li," the man hadn't seemed anywhere near death's door—how could he have deteriorated so drastically in just over a decade?

"Senior Brother Li, you…"

Wang Yu suppressed his doubts and tried to ask more, but "Master Li" waved a hand to cut him off.

"Whatever it is, let's discuss it inside—the open air isn't suitable for talking."

With that, the old man turned and walked into the cave.

After a brief hesitation, Wang Yu followed him in.

For some reason, he sensed the man carried heavy burdens.

Once the two had taken their seats, host and guest respectively, in the cave's main hall.

Master Li pulled out a crystal-clear token from his robes and tossed it onto the ground before him.

"Puff."

A faint, ghostly formation shimmered into existence on the floor, and the token vanished into it.

The next instant, the entire cave rumbled loudly; a vast, milky-white energy curtain materialized out of thin air, enveloping the entire dwelling.

This "Master Li" had activated the cave's most profound sealing array.

Not only that—he withdrew another pale golden talisman from his person and tore it open.

A stream of golden aura burst forth from the talisman, vanished in an instant, yet faint chanting echoes reverberated through the surrounding void—soon fading to near silence.

Wang Yu, watching the air around them, could not help but be moved.

Aside from the cave's activated seals, that golden talisman was unmistakably a second-rank sealing talisman—and not an ordinary one at that.

Why had this "Master Li" consumed such an expensive talisman without saying a word?

"I'm about to show you something—but it must not be known to any third party," Master Li said solemnly, each word deliberate.

"Senior Brother Li, you're making me nervous—could I possibly refuse to look?" Wang Yu replied with a bitter smile.

"Wang Junior Brother, rest assured—the thing I show you will benefit you alone, bring no harm. My reason for this is simply to propose a deal with you. If it doesn't suit you, you're free to refuse."

"Oh? If Senior Brother Li says so, I suppose I have no choice but to listen." Wang Yu frowned slightly, then conceded.

"Follow me, Wang Junior Brother," Master Li rose and walked toward a small door at the rear of the hall.

Wang Yu raised his eyebrows and followed.

Moments later, he stood in a vast underground cavern, at its center a massive black cage towering several zhang high.

As a metallurgist, Wang Yu needed only one glance to recognize the cage as forged from iron essence; atop it was affixed a mysterious talisman crackling with faint lightning.

Inside the cage lay a snow-white serpent, as large as a house, its body covered in icy scales, its head deeply buried within its massive coils.

"This is…"

Wang Yu stared at the familiar serpent, his heart stirred.

"Junior Brother, do you remember the little white blood I took from you all those years ago?"

"Over a decade ago, I infused that blood into a non-rank beast snake—and through careful feeding, soon discovered something extraordinary. All these years I've secluded myself precisely to study it," Master Li said, gazing at the serpent as if it were a priceless treasure.

"What discovery? Is this the snake you infused the blood into?" Wang Yu, sensing the white serpent's late-stage Qi Condensation aura, asked instinctively.

"Of course not. The original one died over a decade ago. This one is merely its thirteenth-generation descendant."

"Thirteenth? Wait—you said originally it was a non-rank beast snake?"

"Correct. This one hatched from an egg of that original non-rank snake, and it too carries the White Blood within its veins."

"I recall giving you only a small vial of White Blood?" Wang Yu was even more astonished.

"Do you think I've spent all these years studying beasts for nothing? I have ways to refine and restore the essence from a beast's body. But tell me—how long do you think it took this serpent to reach its current realm from birth?"

"A non-rank beast snake should take at least thirty or forty years to reach late-stage Qi Condensation—could this serpent have some special talent?" Wang Yu stared at the cage, hesitating.

"Heh. One and a half years. Not just this one—all twelve predecessors reached late-stage Qi Condensation in the same time."

"Impossible? In one year, this serpent hasn't even passed its juvenile stage!"

"Wang Junior Brother, what is the lifespan of a non-rank beast snake?"

"Low-rank snakes live about sixty to seventy years; non-rank ones? At most thirty or forty," Wang Yu replied swiftly—he, as a True Disciple of the Four Symbols Sect, knew such beast details intimately.

"Then tell me—how much lifespan does this serpent have left?" Master Li replied with deep implication, then pinched a hand seal and cast a spell toward the talisman above the cage.

The talisman roared, and a thick bolt of lightning shot out, striking the white serpent's body squarely.

A pained hiss echoed as the serpent's massive head suddenly reared up from its coils and slammed violently against the cage.

"Zi-la!"

The talisman on the cage's top erupted with countless lightning bolts, spreading across the entire cage, instantly electrocuting the serpent until it trembled violently, its scales charred and blackened.

The white serpent collapsed, utterly paralyzed, unable to move.

"Huh?"

Wang Yu scanned the serpent's aura with his spiritual sense—and was stunned once more.