Watching the demonic snake slither out of the cave, Jie Tiangong felt a surge of happiness and decided to leave his spot. He approached the cave silently, careful not to disturb anything.
Deep within the forest lay an enigmatic cave, its large opening concealing a vast and dark interior. Venturing inside meant unraveling a world of secrets and wonders, beckoning exploration into the unknown.
Finally, Jie Tiangong took his first step into the cave, and a sense of joy blossomed within him. "After waiting for more than half a year, I have finally entered this cave. If it weren't for that snake, I would have already claimed the treasure it holds."
As Jie Tiangong ventured deeper into the cave, he passed through a dark passage and entered a spacious interior. The gray-colored walls surrounded him, with a small hole in the center providing the only source of light. At the heart of the cave stood a small stone, upon which rested a yellow branch bearing a single red fruit.
The fragrance emitted by the red fruit aroused Jie Tiangong's curiosity. It possessed the characteristics of an extraordinary elixir. Animals that cultivated their abilities were known as ferocious beasts, while ghosts and evil spirits were referred to as spirits. Plants capable of cultivation were called elixirs.
Unlike ferocious beasts, which had useless parts, every part of transformed plants was valuable and filled with treasures. However, in terms of strength, transformed plants were weaker than ferocious beasts at the same level.
"It's real! There truly is an elixir in this small place! Hahaha, my luck is good. With this, I should have enough time to break through and become immortal."
Unable to contain his excitement, Jie Tiangong quickened his pace. However, as he approached the red fruit, he reminded himself to remain cautious in case the elixir was sentient and posed a threat.
He leaned on his staff, which resonated through the cave, exploring hidden cracks and crevices.
After tapping a few more times, he concluded that there was nothing else lurking within the cave, and his smile grew wider.
Standing in place, Jie Tiangong used his qi to control sound waves, ensuring he didn't take any chances. The air around him stirred as an invisible sound wave approached the red fruit.
The sound wave successfully touched the red fruit, and Jie Tiangong swiftly grabbed it.
"Why don't you celebrate?" A soothing and gentle voice, that of a young woman, sounded behind Jie Tiangong. But before he could turn his head, thin yet hard yellow branches pierced his chest, instantly destroying his heart.
The remaining branches began to absorb his vitality and cultivation base.
"What...?" Jie Tiangong died without understanding what had killed him, his eyes filled with resentment towards the cruel world that had snatched away his hope.
In the dense forest, Niu Chang was still tense after making the nerve-wracking decision to kill Shen Sanhua on the spot.
[Karma points acquired: 7413]
The sudden system notification bewildered him, but he refocused his mind on his current predicament.
Just then, he noticed a large demonic snake slithering among the trees, heading in his direction. The snake had a big head, and its cold reptilian eyes stared chillingly at Niu Chang.
The snake's speed gradually slowed as it realized Shen Sanhua was already dead. Without flicking its tongue, it gazed at Niu Chang's small frame.
Suddenly, Niu Chang received a notification about Jie Tiangong's death, causing his overflowing qi to abruptly vanish.
The demonic snake opened its mouth, almost as if it were laughing at this strange turn of events. It had not tasted human flesh in a long time, and now seeing Niu Chang's cultivation level drop significantly below the master stage, the snake hastened its approach.
'He's dead?' Niu Chang was confused, but then he received a new notification.
[Karma established with an unnamed snake.]
'Just a snake, how strong could it be?' Niu Chang couldn't help but ask, but he felt his qi increase to the same level he had when facing Jie Tiangong.
"This snake is that strong?"
Without wasting any time, Niu Chang quickly utilized his overflowing qi once again to protect his body.
The demonic snake, which had almost reached Niu Chang, appeared stunned. It was perplexed by how this small human had suddenly become stronger. It realized that Niu Chang hadn't hidden his cultivation level but that it had completely vanished.
Driven by the momentum it had built, the snake decided to attack Niu Chang, disregarding his sudden surge of qi.
Opening its unhinged jaw, the demonic snake covered Niu Chang's field of vision with its deadly maw.
Niu Chang initially thought of entering the snake's mouth and attacking it from within, but he quickly discarded the idea and dodged the attack.
However, before Niu Chang could regain his balance, he saw the snake's body curve, and its tail lashed out at him.
"Shit," Niu Chang cursed, raising his hands to defend himself.
Unlike the attacks of Shen Sanhua and Jie Tiangong, Niu Chang's body was sent flying like a kite.
The qi protection around his body couldn't withstand the impact, primarily because Niu Chang hadn't used any specific defensive skill. His hands were left swollen and red from the blow.
The first tree he encountered failed to halt his small body, and only the second tree managed to stop his momentum.
"Cough." Niu Chang felt his insides in disarray, but they quickly healed thanks to the powerful vitality provided by the system.
After a few breaths, Niu Chang was back to his peak condition. 'This snake is different from a human. Although its qi cultivation is almost on par with the old man, its physical body is on another level.'
Niu Chang moved his body to confirm his conjecture. In response to the strong physical attributes of the snake, Niu Chang also improved his physical attributes one level above those of the demonic snake.
Knowing he could win this fight, Niu Chang smirked unconsciously. 'Isn't it just another mortal? I want to see how this stupid snake exhausts itself.'
Having experienced two battles beyond his current level and with his overflowing qi, Niu Chang had grown accustomed to this level of combat. His mentality had also been influenced.
Now, facing this demonic snake, he no longer felt any anxiety or fear. Instead, he would take his time to learn more about this unfamiliar cultivation level.
The demonic snake turned its head, preparing to launch another attack. It slithered at high speed and once again opened its mouth, attempting to devour Niu Chang in one bite.
Niu Chang snorted and forcefully controlled the overpowering qi around his body, condensing it in his hands.
Without hesitation, he ran towards the demonic snake. He once again felt that rush of adrenaline he had experienced when massacring the bandits.
"HAHAHA, come and meet your grandpa!"
The demonic snake sensed that something was amiss with this little human, but it didn't perceive any serious danger from Niu Chang. It continued its advance.
Niu Chang evaded the gaping mouth and punched the snake's side.
Similar to his attack on Shen Sanhua, the qi around his fist exploded, but its power was weakened due to Niu Chang's limited mastery of qi.
The scales of the demonic snake were incredibly tough, and Niu Chang's punch merely left a slight dent.
Just like in the previous attack, the snake coiled its body and lashed out with its tail towards Niu Chang. However, this time was different. Niu Chang gathered additional qi in his right hand and confronted the tail head-on.
Thanks to his experience with Shen Sanhua, he was able to adjust his footing when facing an enemy stronger than himself.
The fist and tail collided, causing another qi explosion.
But Niu Chang was only pushed backward, leaving long trails on the ground. He stomped his feet heavily to maintain his position.
A wide smile spread across his face, and his fighting intent reached its peak.
'System, increase the proficiency of Closed Loop Protection to perfection.'
Even in the midst of an intense battle, Niu Chang was able to see a few steps ahead and prepare for the worst.
He could increase his proficiency in Impact to enhance his attack power or focus on the Rapid Leaf Step to improve his agility. However, those options were useless against an enemy at the level of Jie Tiangong and Shen Sanhua, or even the snake in front of him.
Thus, it was better for Niu Chang to enhance his defense and avoid being killed by a single powerful attack.
[Congratulations on increasing the proficiency of Closed Loop Protection to perfection.]
Without concern for the number of karma points he had accrued, Niu Chang absorbed the information and understanding of Closed Loop Protection.
Closed Loop Protection was the defensive skill Niu Chang had conceived while contemplating on his bed that morning.
He had taken yesterday's idea of utilizing his excessive qi to create an endless, resource-consuming qi protection, resulting in the most powerful defense.
The demonic snake ceased its advance on Niu Chang, feeling pain in its tail. Both combatants had launched ruthless attacks without holding back, and now they were suffering their own backlash.
The scales around the snake's tail were deeply dented, and some even fell off its body.
Niu Chang was not in a better condition. His right hand was unrecognizable, with numerous fractures and open wounds. However, it healed rapidly.
The qi around Niu Chang's body surged, gradually taking shape. A glimmer of light shone in his dim eyes, and he found that he had already assimilated more than half of the information he had absorbed.
Moving his newly reconstructed hand, Niu Chang observed the silent demonic snake that made no further movements.
The white qi tinged with red grew brighter, and a smile crept onto Niu Chang's face.
For a moment, the snake's vertical pupils dilated, but it quickly returned to normal, shaking its head.
Niu Chang needed more time to digest the information about Closed Loop Protection, so he simply stood there and repeatedly used Captivating Smile Under the Shade and Red.
With its limited intelligence, the demonic snake naturally fixated its eyes on its prey. Even after being mildly affected by Niu Chang's skill, it continued to face him without any significant problem.
It was both a blessing and a curse. The low mastery of Niu Chang's skill only caused a minor disturbance, keeping the snake fixated on him.
As Niu Chang continued to activate Captivating Smile Under the Shade and Red, his understanding of Shrine Maiden Under the Sacred Tree gradually improved at a slow pace.
The feelings in his heart and the nuances in his mind slowly transformed into a better understanding that could be described with words and letters.
The red qi also brightened gradually, and the silhouette of cherry blossom petals took on a clearer shape.