Chapter 135: The Might of the Snake Skin, Advancing Once More!

"Splash!"

Luo Zijun did not hesitate at all; he immediately jumped onto the bank and ran for his life.

He didn't even have time to put on his clothes.

The green python in the pool seemed startled by his movements.

After reacting, it immediately broke through the water with a "whoosh," twisted its thick, long body, and quickly chased after him.

Luo Zijun was completely naked, running wildly.

But the green python chasing behind him was faster; it darted up like lightning, caught up to him in an instant, and lightly swept its thick, long body.

"Smack!"

Luo Zijun was sent flying away by the sweep.

By the time he fell heavily to the ground, the green python had already turned around, raised its python head, and slithered toward him.

Luo Zijun was already injured, and after being hit by that heavy sweep, he felt as if all the bones in his body were about to break, and he could no longer muster any strength to run.

Watching the green python approach with its scarlet tongue flicking, he felt a secret despair in his heart.

He never expected that he would die here.

Even less did he expect that he, the dignified Master Xu who rides snakes, would actually die at the hands of a snake—how sorrowful! How shameful!

"I am Xu Xian, and I am being swallowed by a snake..."

"Not the kind of swallowing that goes back and forth repeatedly, but a real swallowing—swallowed in one gulp, never to come out again..."

Just as he was mocking himself in his heart and preparing to close his eyes and wait for death, a bolt of lightning flashed through his mind!

Snake! Snake Skin!

He suddenly thought of the Snake Skin on his body!

Could it be that I, damn it, am also a snake?

He hurriedly took the silvery-white Snake Skin out of his Storage Bag, threw it over his body, and then, pretending to be a snake, began to endure the pain and shamefully writhe on the ground.

At this moment, the green python had already arrived in front of him, and just as it was about to open its mouth to swallow him, its body suddenly trembled, and its scarlet pupils shrank abruptly, as if it had suddenly sensed a terrifying aura.

It froze on the spot, then turned and ran.

"Whoosh—"

Fast as lightning!

In the blink of an eye, it had darted into the forest ahead and disappeared.

Seeing this scene, Luo Zijun stopped writhing, his face filled with an expression of disbelief.

This Snake Skin was actually useful!

That green Demon Beast python, which looked so fierce, was actually scared away by this Snake Skin of his in an instant!

One must know that this Snake Skin was his swaddling cloth from when he was a child; it was very old and should have lost its scent long ago.

He never expected it to have such powerful deterrent force!

From this, it can be seen how powerful the snake that shed this skin originally was.

At the very least, it might have been at the level of a Great Demon!

He lay on the ground, stunned for a while, then suddenly woke up, hurriedly got up, put away the Snake Skin, took his clothes out of the Storage Bag, and put them on.

He went back to the pool to pick up the clothes and Bamboo Hat he had just been washing, then quickly left the place.

There are so many snakes here!

Were there always many snakes here, or was it because of him?

Is he Xu Xian, so he is naturally attractive to snakes?

But that doesn't seem right either; even if he were naturally attractive to snakes, it shouldn't be this kind of snake, and certainly not a snake preparing to eat him.

His mind wandered as he walked.

He headed toward the outside.

Now that he was injured, if he stayed in this mountain forest any longer, he feared for his life.

Fortunately, the way was peaceful, and he made it out of the forest.

Hearing the noise coming from the market outside and seeing the martial artists there, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Hey, Brother Dongfang, why are you out so soon?"

Meng Hu was strolling through the market and was quite surprised to see him come out of the forest so quickly.

Luo Zijun said, "I ran into a snake demon and was almost eaten."

He did not intend to sell the snake meat on his body, but rather to take it back to eat and replenish his energy.

After all, he was about to break through to the next level and needed more energy.

The flesh and blood of this snake demon should be a great tonic; otherwise, that little golden-furred demon monkey wouldn't have gobbled it up without even wanting the demon core.

"A snake demon?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Hu understood: "No wonder, but it's already quite good that you were able to escape safely."

He then comforted him: "It's always like this the first time you come out. After coming out a few more times and gaining experience, if you encounter Demon Beasts with powerful auras, you must immediately avoid them or run away; never get close."

He imparted some more experience.

He asked, "Does Brother Dongfang want to wait until evening to return to the city together, or go back now? If you want to go back now, I can help you arrange another vehicle, but it will cost ten taels of silver."

"Ten taels of silver?"

Luo Zijun clicked his tongue in secret; this was too much of a rip-off.

For such a short distance, it costs ten taels of silver?

The money of martial artists is indeed easy to earn.

However, he was in pain all over and had no strength to stay here any longer, and since there were martial artists everywhere, he feared there might be danger, so he had to say, "I'll go back first; I'm a bit injured and need to go back to recuperate."

The fierce tiger nodded, asked no more questions, led him to the carriage at the very front, exchanged a few words with the driver, and then told him to pay and board.

Luo Zijun had no choice but to take out ten taels of silver, hand them to the driver, and then board the carriage.

They waited for a while longer.

A youth with dark skin also paid and entered the carriage.

The two exchanged a glance, said nothing, leaned against the carriage walls, and closed their eyes to rest.

Another half-stick of incense later.

The driver spoke up: "Sit tight, we are about to leave."

At this moment, a crisp voice suddenly rang out from outside: "Wait a moment!"

Luo Zijun immediately opened his eyes.

Just then, the carriage curtain was lifted, and a young girl in a red dress lowered her head and ducked into the carriage.

Upon seeing the figure wearing a Bamboo Hat and Mask inside the carriage, she was startled for a moment, then her pretty face immediately turned cold.

She sat down opposite him, her eyes coldly fixed on the figure before her.

Luo Zijun leaned back, closed his eyes, and remained motionless and silent.

The carriage began to move.

It moved slowly at first, then began to trot.

The three people in the carriage swayed back and forth.

At this time, the young girl in the red dress suddenly spoke in a cold voice: "What, just came out and already going back? Is your cultivation too low, and were you scared into wetting yourself by the Demon Beast inside?"

Luo Zijun closed his eyes to rest and ignored her.

The youth beside him opened his eyes, glanced at the two of them, and then closed his eyes again.

Xu Ziyin let out a cold snort, looked at him with flickering eyes, and suddenly asked: "How exactly was I poisoned, and what poison was it? Tell me!"

Luo Zijun remained with his eyes closed, saying nothing.

Xu Ziyin clenched her fists and mocked: "You are a grown man, yet you resort to secret poisoning when you can't win. Don't you feel ashamed?"

Luo Zijun finally spoke: "Young lady, are you talking to me?"

His voice had become a bit rougher.

Xu Ziyin said with icy eyes: "Yes."

Luo Zijun opened his eyes, looked at her, and said: "You must have mistaken me for someone else, young lady. I do not know you."

Xu Ziyin was stunned for a moment, stared at his Bamboo Hat and Mask for a few seconds, then sneered: "Dongfang Junnan, do you dare to do it but not admit it?"

"Dongfang Junnan?"

Luo Zijun was stunned for a moment and said: "Someone actually has such a name? Young lady, it seems you have indeed mistaken me for someone else. When I came out of the forest earlier, I saw two people dressed just like me. The person you are looking for must be one of those two."

Xu Ziyin's gaze was suspicious and uncertain as she sized him up again.

"Then what is your name?"

At this moment, she was somewhat unsure.

Luo Zijun said indifferently: "Dongfang Meinan."

The youth on the side: "..."

Xu Ziyin was stunned for a moment, immediately realized she was being played, and sneered: "If you really are a handsome man, then take off your Mask and Bamboo Hat and let me see if it's true. I'm afraid you're just an ugly monster with a face full of scars, which is why you hide it and dare not show your face."

Luo Zijun said: "It is precisely because I am too handsome and beautiful that I must cover up. Otherwise, if a willful and spoiled young girl like you couldn't help but throw herself at me to sleep with me, wouldn't that be very troublesome for me?"

"Hah, you really are shameless; your skin is thicker than a city wall."

Xu Ziyin sneered mockingly.

Luo Zijun glanced at her and said: "Regarding the matter of those five hundred taels of silver..."

"In your dreams!"

Hearing him bring up the incident in the forest, Xu Ziyin immediately clenched her fists, glared at him with hatred, and said: "I am already being merciful by holding back from tearing you to pieces right now, and you still dare to ask for those five hundred taels of silver? Hmph, with your mere Martial Artist First Realm cultivation, where do you get the nerve? Do you believe I can punch you into flying away?"

Luo Zijun closed his eyes and couldn't help but sigh: "People nowadays, regardless of gender or age, have lost their integrity and spirit of contract. They don't know that the consequences of this will be very serious, very serious... serious enough to lead to regret that cannot be mended."

"Hmph, then we shall see when the time comes who ends up regretting it!"

Xu Ziyin looked at him with contempt.

Luo Zijun kept his eyes closed and said nothing more.

Xu Ziyin glared at him with hatred for a while and also said nothing more, only thinking secretly to herself: If you have the ability, don't leave the city next time! If I run into you... no, this bastard is wearing a Bamboo Hat and Mask right now, so I didn't see his appearance at all. If he doesn't wear these things next time, or changes into another set of gear, wouldn't I be unable to recognize him?

Her gaze flickered for a moment, and she pondered secretly again: After entering the city later, I must follow behind him and find out where he lives and what his identity is. That way, I can take revenge and wash away the shame at any time. Or, if I find an opportunity later, I can just beat him up right now inside the city.

"Crack!"

Outside the carriage, the driver swung his whip, lashing the horse's rear.

The carriage reached the main road and sped along.

Soon, it entered the city gate and slowed down inside the city.

It traveled through a few more streets.

The carriage stopped at a crossroads, and the driver said: "Three guests, please get off here. It is too congested ahead, so this old man will not go any further."

The three opened their eyes, exchanged a glance, and got off the carriage.

Luo Zijun turned into a small alley, passed through it, and walked onto the street in the south of the city.

Soon, he turned into another small alley.

This alley was very long, very dirty, and few people passed through it.

Luo Zijun slowed his pace.

The wind brushed past his hair, flying behind him, silent and soundless.

Just as he was about to walk out of the alley, he suddenly stopped his steps.

He turned around and looked behind him.

But the alley was empty, silent, and without any abnormality.

Another moment passed.

At the corner of the wall ahead, a red shadow suddenly stumbled out, trembling with a pale face: "You... you poisoned me again..."

Before she could finish speaking, her body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground.

Luo Zijun patted the remaining medicinal powder from his hands, waited a while longer, then walked over, grabbed the sash at her waist, and hoisted her up. He looked left and right, discovering a small hut in the corner nearby; it appeared to be a woodshed.

He carried her over, pushed open the door, and found it was indeed piled full of chopped firewood.

"Creeeak..."

He threw the now completely limp young woman onto the thatch on the floor and then closed the door.

The light in the room immediately turned dim.

Xu Ziyin lay limply on the ground, speaking with a deathly pale face: "What... what are you doing? I... I wasn't following you..."

Luo Zijun walked over, squatted down beside her, stared at her pretty face for a moment, and said: "Miss Xu, I am a man, and a normal man who practices martial arts every day with a vigorous fire. You know, I need to vent my fire every day..."

Xu Ziyin trembled and said: "I... I... I have an illness..."

Luo Zijun said: "What illness?"

Xu Ziyin's deathly pale face suddenly flushed red, she secretly gritted her teeth, and said tremblingly: "Venereal disease, all sorts of diseases..."

!

Luo Zijun said: "What a coincidence, I go to the Brothel often, and I have those diseases too."

Xu Ziyin shuddered all over, her eyes filled with terror.

Luo Zijun reached out his hand and began to slowly untie the sash at her waist, saying: "Miss, this slender waist of yours is truly thin. Every time I see it, I can't help but want to touch it."

Xu Ziyin immediately cried out: "Don't... don't touch me, I'll give you money..."

Luo Zijun looked at her and said: "I remember when we were in the carriage just now, when I brought up the matter of money, didn't you say I was dreaming? And you were quite fierce, wanting to punch me flying."

After speaking, he untied her sash, placed her two arms above her head, and used her sash to tie her hands to the wooden pillar of the hut.

Xu Ziyin was so scared that she shed tears: "I... I was wrong... I really will give you money, I swear..."

Luo Zijun asked: "How much money?"

Xu Ziyin cried: "Five hundred taels, I'll give it to you next time we meet."

Luo Zijun began to untie his own sash and said: "It was five hundred taels this morning; is it still five hundred taels now? Forget it then. Asking for that five taels of silver isn't as good as wanting your flower-like, delicate body. After all, you are so beautiful, your skin is so tender, and you should still be a virgin. Even if I took five hundred taels to a Brothel, I might not find a clean little girl like you."

As he spoke, he took off his own belt, grabbed one of her small feet from under her skirt, and began looking for other wooden sticks.

Xu Ziyin was covered in tears, hurriedly trembling: "One thousand taels! I'll give you one thousand taels! Don't, don't tie me up, woo..."

Luo Zijun looked at her and said: "One thousand taels? Let me think."

He pretended to ponder for a moment and said: "One thousand taels is indeed not bad. However, what if you go back on your word again?"

Xu Ziyin immediately cried: "I... I swear, I will never go back on my word... If I go back on my word, I... I'm a little dog!"

Luo Zijun stared at her very seriously for a while, then continued to tie her feet, saying: "No, I don't believe you anymore."

While tying them, he stroked them, clicking his tongue: "This foot of yours is small and delicate, fitting perfectly in one hand. Later, I must take off your shoes and socks and put them on my shoulders to admire them properly."

Xu Ziyin wailed: "I swear, I swear... I beg you to believe me one more time..."

Seeing her crying so sorrowfully, Luo Zijun thought for a moment and said: "How about this, you bark like a little dog a few times first. I'll see your sincerity and then consider it."

Xu Ziyin was crying "woo woo," and tears rolled down immediately.

Luo Zijun waited a while longer, then continued to tie her small feet, casually lifting her red skirt upward.

"Woof... woof... woof woof woof... woo woo..."

Xu Ziyin finally barked in shame amidst her fear and despair.

After barking, she began to cry "woo woo woo."

Luo Zijun stopped his movements, looked at her, and said: "A few more times, no 'woo woo' allowed."

Xu Ziyin trembled all over, closed her eyes tightly, and tears fell pitter-patter. As if giving up on herself, she opened her small mouth and suddenly barked in a series: "Woof woof woof... woof woof woof... woof woof woof..."

"Well barked. It seems, Miss, that you are very sincere."

Luo Zijun looked very satisfied, immediately untied her small feet, put away his own sash, and said: "Since that is the case, I will believe you one more time, Miss."

After speaking, he went over to help her untie her hands and placed the sash on her face.

Then, he stood up and left.

After he walked out of the hut and the door closed, Xu Ziyin finally couldn't hold back and wailed loudly.

Not long after, the door was pushed open.

Wiping her tears, she stumbled out of the hut, looked at the alley ahead, clenched her fists, and gritted her teeth: "If I do not avenge this insult, I, Xu Ziyin, swear I am not human!"

Luo Zijun did not go anywhere else and returned directly to the Anguo Mansion.

When he returned to the small courtyard, Xiaohuan and Zhiyuan were sewing robes in the corridor. He greeted them and said: "I'm going to my room to sleep for a while, I won't see anyone."

Xiaohuan nodded quickly: "Oh."

Both of them were very puzzled as to why the Young Master looked so unwell.

Luo Zijun returned to his room, lay down on the bed, and soon fell asleep.

He slept through this nap until dark.

When he woke up, the two Young Maids immediately came over to ask if he was sick.

Luo Zijun said: "It's nothing, just tired."

He got out of bed and gently stretched his limbs, discovering that apart from the spot on his back where the snake tail had struck him, which still hurt a little, the other places didn't seem to hurt much anymore.

It seems a martial artist's physique is indeed powerful, and their recovery ability is not something an ordinary person can compare to.

At this moment, his stomach was growling with hunger.

He instructed Xiaohuan and Zhiyuan to stay in the room, then went to the kitchen himself, lit a fire to boil a pot of water, took several pieces of snake meat from his Storage Bag, put them into the water, and covered the pot to boil.

He decided to boil all the snake meat he had harvested this time and then rub a layer of salt on it so it could be stored for longer.

After the first pot of snake meat was boiled, he couldn't wait to take a piece, rub some salt on it, and began to wolf it down.

The second pot had already begun to boil.

He boiled five pots in succession before all the snake meat was finished.

After coating the surface with a thick layer of salt, he packed it all into his Storage Bag.

Demon Beast meat is not only rich in energy but also very filling.

Luo Zijun only ate one large piece before he couldn't eat any more; at this moment, it felt as if a ball of fire was constantly burning and flowing in his abdomen.

Clearly, the snake meat had taken effect, and the energy was continuously gathering in his abdomen.

Luo Zijun immediately tidied up, went to the pavilion in the backyard to sit, and began to circulate his internal cultivation technique to quickly digest that energy.

Waves of heat surged from his Dantian Sea, flowing toward his limbs, bones, and every meridian and acupoint.

His whole body became warm and comfortable.

Whether it was due to his cultivation or the scent he breathed out after eating the snake meat, the mosquitoes that had been buzzing in the backyard had all vanished without a trace.

Luo Zijun continued to circulate his technique to cultivate.

In his Dantian Sea, that Inner Strength Seed suddenly began to flash with light rapidly.

His Internal Energy began to surge out involuntarily, following the various meridians and acupoints, flowing toward those thirsty, pulsing meridians and acupoints.

Streams of scorching hot air gathered rapidly in his abdomen.

At the same time, the flesh and skin all over his body began to twitch and tremble uncontrollably.

Luo Zijun felt a surge of joy in his heart; he was about to advance!

A single piece of snake meat actually had such an effect!

Not daring to be careless, he immediately held his breath and focused, beginning to urge the Internal Energy in his Dantian Sea to surge up and rush toward that blocked acupoint.

"Swish!"

With each successive impact, the flesh and skin all over his body twitched and ached incessantly, as if undergoing a stronger and deeper tempering.

The energy gathered in the Dantian Sea was being constantly consumed.

The Internal Energy was like a tide, vast and mighty, and soon only a little remained.

And the energy gathered from that piece of snake meat was also about to be exhausted.

At this moment, the flesh and skin all over Luo Zijun's body felt as painful as if pricked by needles, as if they were about to tear apart, and the pain made his whole body tremble.

However, he did not dare to stop, and once again urged the energy within his body to rush toward that barrier.

"Boom!"

After two more rounds of fierce impact, that barrier finally shattered.

A humming sound resonated within his body and in his mind.

Immediately, a continuous stream of energy began to pour out from the opened acupoint, rapidly flushing and irrigating the meridians that had just been in such excruciating, tearing pain.

Waves of chillingly comfortable, shivering-inducing air surged into his scorching limbs and bones.

The empty Dantian Sea was filled with vast energy in the blink of an eye.

His flesh and skin felt as if they had been renewed; the pain was gone, and it felt as if he were suddenly filled with new strength!

In the Dantian Sea, that Inner Strength Seed suddenly grew a circle larger.

A strange and powerful force instantly filled his entire body!

Advancement successful!

Martial Artist Second Realm!

At this moment, a sense of heroism surged in his heart, and it felt as if the whole world had taken on a new look.

He clenched his fists, feeling that his strength had increased significantly, and at the same time, all his senses had become much sharper.

"Swish!"

He threw a punch, the wind whistling; it was incomparable to the momentum from before.

Not daring to get carried away, he immediately closed his eyes again, circulated his technique, and began to guide and soothe the restless power that had just formed within him.

After a long while, the power within his body finally calmed down.

However...

The fire in his abdomen had not disappeared; instead, it seemed even more vigorous.

At the same time, the energy throughout his body was hot and scorching, too abundant, as if it were about to overflow.

Luo Zijun closed his eyes, wanting to rely on the power within his body to forcibly calm it down, but he found it was of no use; instead, it stirred that desire to become even more intense.

It seemed there was only one way.

He took a deep breath, stood up, and threw a punch with a "swish," feeling that his body was now overflowing with strength, enough to kill several cows with one punch.

Returning to his room, the room was empty.

From the room next door came the giggles of the two little girls playing and frolicking on the bed.

The young girl's giggles were like a gentle, teasing spring breeze, stirring the flowers and plants that had just awakened from the winter, making them perk up and begin to grow wildly with their heads held high.

Luo Zijun stood in his room for a while longer, then suddenly turned around and went to the room next door.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

He raised his hand to knock on the door, wanting to tell them to keep their voices down, but after hearing the two little girls' playful, delicate moans and gasps, he immediately "coughed" and said, "Xiaohuan, Zhiyuan, are you two cold sleeping at night?"

It was quiet inside for a moment.

Xiaohuan asked in confusion, "Young Master, we aren't cold. In this weather, how could we be cold?"

Luo Zijun was silent for a moment and said, "I am cold."

(End of chapter)