"Hiss..."
Seeing Yang Ye launch another attack, the Giant Python King evidently grew furious. It swung its massive snake tail once again towards Yang Ye.
As the snake tail swept in, Yang Ye's gaze hardened. This time, he had no intention of dodging. A faint golden Qi surged within him, flowing towards his right fist. With a resounding shout, he fiercely pounded his fist against the snake tail of the Giant Python King.
Empowered by mysterious runic symbols and the pale golden Qi, prominent veins bulged on Yang Ye's arm, resembling wriggling earthworms. Faint golden light shimmered on his fist, and with each strike, sharp whistling sounds filled the air, creating an immensely formidable force.
"Boom!"
The fist collided with the snake tail, resulting in a muffled sound. Yang Ye was pushed back several steps, while the snake tail of the Giant Python King was sent flying back by his punch. Not only that, at the point of impact, the snake tail of the Giant Python King caved in completely, a testament to the strength behind Yang Ye's strike!
Witnessing the snake tail being sent flying, Yang Ye felt a surge of joy. Excitement flickered in his eyes as the Qi within him surged again. He charged forward, and his fists descended upon the Giant Python King like raindrops.
Observing Yang Ye steadily push the Giant Python King into retreat, Ba'er's eyes flickered with astonishment. She patted her chest and softly said, "My mid-grade Strong Force Talisman can only enhance his strength by two times, but when combined with his golden Qi, it's increased by at least five times. Grandpa was right. Among the Five Elements' Qi, the golden Qi's attack power is truly the most formidable."
Yang Ye grew increasingly exhilarated as he fought. His current strength was at least that of a thousand jin, and each punch that landed on the Giant Python King would create a fist-sized hole on its body. Before long, the Giant Python King was covered in injuries, and blood flowed profusely. Yang Ye himself also suffered numerous internal injuries. Every collision with the snake tail of the Giant Python King caused a powerful impact that reverberated through his body. Fortunately, he sensed a peculiar force constantly mending the hidden injuries within him; otherwise, he would have collapsed long ago.
"Boom!"
After a prolonged stalemate, Yang Ye seized an opportunity. He leaped forward and landed a fierce punch on the snake head of the Giant Python King. The Giant Python King let out a mournful cry, and its body trembled violently. Witnessing this, Yang Ye's fists accelerated their assault on the snake head, and before long, the Giant Python King ceased all movement.
"Phew!"
Seeing the Giant Python King lying on the ground, Yang Ye sat down heavily, gasping for breath. While he didn't feel much when the snake tail struck him several times earlier, the sensation of pain and exhaustion now washed over him like a tide, leaving him devoid of any strength.
At that moment, Ba'er ran to the side of the fallen Giant Python King and kicked it vigorously with her small feet while cursing, "You dared to chase after Ba'er, and now you're dead! Watch as Ba'er turns you into a refining material!" As she spoke, she took out a white jade bottle from her small pouch and aimed it at the Giant Python King. As soon as the bottle stopper was removed, a suction force surged out from within, and in an instant, the enormous body of the Giant Python King transformed into a small dot that vanished into the white jade bottle.
Witnessing this scene,Yang Ye was dumbfounded. He rubbed his eyes and took a closer look. The Giant Python King had truly disappeared. If not for the pool of blood on the ground, he would have thought that he had been fighting against thin air.
Ba'er put away the white jade bottle and walked over to Yang Ye. She reached into her pouch once again and took out a green talisman, which she slapped onto Yang Ye's body.
As the talisman landed on his body, it instantly transformed into a green light that surged into Yang Ye's body. Immediately, a peculiar force, just like before, began flowing rapidly within him. In no time, the fatigue he felt earlier vanished without a trace.
"You, are you a Rune Master?" Yang Ye looked at Ba'er carefully examining him and asked softly.
Upon hearing his question, a hint of pride appeared on Ba'er's lips. "Of course! I'm a genius, the only fourteen-year-old prodigious Rune Master in the Sword Sect who has reached the fifth rank. How impressive is that?"
Hearing Ba'er's admission, Yang Ye took a deep breath, his face filled with undisguised astonishment.
Although he possessed meager strength, he had some knowledge. He certainly knew what a Rune Master was.
Rune Masters held an extremely prestigious status in the Southern Domain. The items they crafted with runic symbols would drive countless cultivators crazy. For example, the talisman from earlier, which could instantly enhance a person's combat power without any side effects. Such a talisman could save one's life in critical moments!
Not only talismans, but Rune Masters could also inscribe strange runes onto weapons or armor, greatly increasing their power. The price of a weapon with Rune Master's inscriptions would immediately skyrocket tenfold or more!
Talismans and inscribed objects were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to the abilities of Rune Masters. It was rumored that they could also inscribe techniques, embedding various profound techniques onto weapons or armor. As long as a cultivator activated their Qi, the techniques on the objects would automatically activate. Of course, Yang Ye had never seen such treasures.
Not only had he never seen such treasures from Rune Masters, but he had also only encountered one Rune Master himself—the little girl in front of him. The reason why Rune Masters held such esteemed status was that they were extremely rare. He didn't know about other places, but in An Nan City, which had nearly a million inhabitants, there wasn't a single Rune Master.
But now, he had unexpectedly encountered one, and she had "consumed" many of those precious talismans. The thought made Yang Ye feel a pang of regret. Each of those talismans, if sold, would be enough for him to live comfortably for a lifetime!
"Why didn't you run just now?" Ba'er put away the bottle and looked at Yang Ye intently, asking seriously.
"What do you mean?" Yang Ye was puzzled.
"I mean just now. You're obviously weak, so why didn't you run? Why did you choose to fight that little snake?" Ba'er asked again, her young face showing an unusually serious expression.
"I ran because if I hadn't, you would have been swallowed by it!" Yang Ye smiled. He had considered running, but the kind act of this little girl before him moved him. If he had run away at that moment, he would have truly looked down on himself.
Ba'er looked at Yang Ye for a while, then smiled and said, "Many people used to try to please me, but I knew they had ulterior motives or wanted to flatter my grandfather. But you're different. You don't even know who Ba'er is, yet you risked your life to save me. Let's be friends! My name is Ba'er, and what's yours?"
"I'm Yang Ye!" Yang Ye also smiled. The little girl in front of him was around the same age as his sister and just as adorable. He genuinely felt a fondness for her. Then, as if he had thought of something, Yang Ye asked, "By the way, aren't Rune Masters supposed to be very powerful? Why..."
Upon hearing this, Ba'er blushed, fidgeting for a while before saying, "Well, even though I'm a Rank 8 Profoundist and possess Wood Attribute Qi, which is one of the Five Elements Qi, my combat prowess is the weakest among them. Also, I've never fought anyone before, so I don't know how to fight..." Her face reddened even more.
Hearing Ba'er's words, Yang Ye was completely shocked. Rank 8 Profoundist? This Ba'er couldn't be more than fourteen or fifteen years old. The talent she possessed was incredibly monstrous! However, upon hearing that Ba'er couldn't fight, Yang Ye's expression became somewhat strange. With such a heaven-defying talent, she couldn't fight...
Seeing Yang Ye's perplexed expression, Ba'er glared at him fiercely, then quickly changed the subject, saying, "By the way, you're supposed to cultivate quickly since you possess the Metal Attribute Qi within the Five Elements Qi. Why are you only a Rank 4 Profoundist?" She wanted to strike back at Yang Ye.
"Five Elements Qi? Metal Qi?" Yang Ye was still somewhat dazed. He had never heard of these terms before.
Ba'er didn't explain but instead asked, "Do you know why Rune Masters hold such esteemed positions?"
Yang Ye nodded and said, "They are highly respected. I've only heard about them before, but I've never seen one. It seems like An Nan City has never had one!"
"The reason Rune Masters are highly respected is that only those with Five Elements Qi can become Rune Masters. And among the Five Elements Qi, only one person appears among several million. Rarity increases value, so Rune Masters in the Southern Domain are highly esteemed. Understand?" Ba'er patiently explained.
"Are you saying that my Qi is the Five Elements Qi?" Yang Ye's eyes lit up. The identity of a Rune Master was much more prestigious than that of a disciple of the Sword Sect. If he became a Rune Master, even the lord of An Nan City would treat him with great respect, let alone the Liu family.
Ba'er nodded and said, "It should be. The Metal Attribute Qi within the Five Elements Qi is golden, and yours is also golden. So you should be able to become a Rune Master! Moreover, the Metal Attribute Qi is the most powerful among the Five Elements Qi. I never expected to encounter someone like you!"
Upon hearing this, Yang Ye first felt delighted, but then he furrowed his brows and calmed down. The golden color of his Qi was a faint golden color transformed by the little vortex. Was his Qi truly the Five Elements Qi?
"Ba'er, you mentioned that only those with Five Elements Qi can become Rune Masters. Why is that?" Yang Ye asked in a serious tone.
"Because only the Five Elements Qi can survive outside the human body!" Ba'er explained. "Ordinary Qi dissipates in the air once it leaves the body, unless there is a special technique to sustain it. But the Five Elements Qi is different. It can exist in the air without dissipating as long as it's not deliberately disrupted. Do you understand?"
After listening to Ba'er's explanation, Yang Ye pondered for a moment. He then allowed his Qi to surge, using his finger as a pen, lightly drawing a line on a nearby stone. Instantly, a golden line appeared on the stone. Seeing this, Yang Ye's face filled with joy. He wasn't certain if he possessed the Five Elements Attribute, but he was certain that his Qi met the requirements to become a Rune Master.
Observing Yang Ye's excited expression, Ba'er hesitated for a moment. Recalling Yang Ye charging towards the Snake King earlier, she made up her mind and reached into her pocket, pulling out a scroll and handing it to Yang Ye. She said, "Junior disciple, this scroll is the 'Basic Rune Technique.' It's different from other basic rune techniques because it contains countless insights recorded by my grandfather. I've already mastered most of it, so now I'm giving it to you. Don't give it to anyone else, understand?" As she spoke the last sentence, Ba'er's expression appeared solemn.
Hearing her words, Yang Ye was deeply moved. After hesitating for a moment, he accepted the scroll and looked at Ba'er earnestly. "Thank you. Rest assured, I won't give it to anyone else." This was an opportunity, an opportunity to become a Rune Master. He didn't want to let it slip away.
Ba'er nodded and then whispered, "Grandfather went to the Great Qin Empire, so I can't take you back to the Rune Peak. When he returns, I'll have him assess your aptitude as a Rune Master. If it's good, I'll ask him to accept you as his disciple. Even if it's not, you can still stay with me. Ba'er is quite formidable, too!"
Upon hearing Ba'er's words, Yang Ye felt touched. Ba'er not only gifted him with the precious "Five Elements Rune Technique," but she also planned to introduce him to her grandfather. This little girl truly regarded him as a friend!
"Junior disciple, remember, don't neglect the cultivation of your cultivation realm just because you can become a Rune Master," Ba'er earnestly advised. "You should know that the more refined your Qi becomes, the better the effect of the runes you create. Moreover, creating runes requires a significant amount of Qi consumption. With the amount of Qi you currently possess, you can only create a few at most. Understand?"
Yang Ye nodded and said, "I know that. My goal is to become an Inner Disciple!" While the profession of a Rune Master was prestigious, he had never given up on becoming a powerful cultivator. He needed strong power to better protect his mother and sister. As for becoming a Rune Master, it was still a distant goal for him.
"An Inner Disciple? That's good too!" Ba'er smiled and then looked up at the sky. She realized it was getting late. After some thought, she took out two white jade bottles and a rune brush from her pocket and said, "These contain the essence of spirit beasts and herbal juices. You can use them to practice according to the 'Five Elements Rune Technique.' I'll come find you to play after some time. I'll be leaving now!" After saying that, she waved her small hand at Yang Ye and then turned around, with her hands behind her back, hopping away towards the valley entrance.
Watching Ba'er's figure disappear at the valley entrance, Yang Ye smiled and then unfolded the scroll in his hand...
"The Five Elements Rune Technique, the Path of Runes..."