"This venomous python is truly terrifying!" Yang Fan muttered, his body moving swiftly as he retreated, leaping into the air with light steps on the rocky walls, like a dragonfly skimming water. The life essence within him flowed continuously, and in just a few breaths, he managed to escape the deadly range of the serpent's attack.
The giant serpent reared half its body, its cold eyes gleaming with malice as it hissed menacingly. Pale green toxic mist seeped from its gaping jaws, filling the air with danger.
Despite the peril, Yang Fan had a reason for daring to confront such a formidable beast. As a skilled alchemist, trained in the nearly divine arts of the *Xian Hong Jue* technique, his body had undergone transformations that set him apart from ordinary men. Previously, he had ingested an "Essence of Red Poison" pill, a deadly concoction that would have felled lesser cultivators, yet he had emerged unscathed.
In the fragmented *Refining Qi* section of his manual, it was hinted that once he entered the Qi Refining stage, his body would gradually develop the qualities of the "Sacred Farmer's Constitution," though the full extent of its power remained a mystery, even to him.
Moreover, he had recently begun cultivating a rudimentary poison-resistance technique on his journey aboard the *Heavenly Flight Vessel*. This newfound skill bolstered his confidence in challenging this peak-ranked, first-level venomous python. The most dangerous attribute of the beast was its venom, but if Yang Fan could suppress that, victory would be half-won.
As the corrosive poison mist touched his skin, a sharp burning pain shot through him. The venom, potent enough to incapacitate an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator in mere moments, sought to invade his body and spread its lethal effects.
But to no avail.
Though the toxic mist seared his flesh, it failed to penetrate more than a mere fraction into his body. An average cultivator would have been rendered immobile within moments, their organs dissolving from within. But Yang Fan's skin, while scorched and burning, swiftly regenerated. His unique constitution offered resistance, and his innate vitality repelled the encroaching poison. Within a heartbeat or two, the venom evaporated, leaving his skin intact, though his clothing had suffered minor damage.
Seeing this, the serpent paused, its cold, calculating eyes reflecting shock. Half its deadly presence seemed to dissipate in that moment. The creature had never encountered a human immune to its venom, and it now regarded Yang Fan not merely as an intruder but as a formidable enemy.
"Hah! Unfortunate for you to encounter this humble alchemist," Yang Fan sneered, a calm confidence surging within him. His heart steadied, and even the poison-dispelling techniques he had prepared remained unused. It was clear now: his *Sacred Farmer's Constitution* had bestowed upon him an impressive immunity to venomous attacks. The poison that would have killed a normal Qi Refiner in seconds was useless against him.
"Go!" Yang Fan commanded, his eyes gleaming as he infused more spiritual energy into his Qingfeng Sword, a lower-grade spiritual weapon. The sword shimmered with cyan light and shot forward like a streak of azure lightning, aiming at the serpent.
*Clang! Clang!*
Sparks flew as the sword clashed against the serpent's tough scales. The venomous mist that swirled around the serpent's body provided a defense, and the creature's sinewy form coiled and struck back against the blade. Though the serpent was a first-level beast, it had reached the pinnacle of its rank. Its physical prowess was formidable, and it managed to withstand several of Yang Fan's attacks.
*Whiz!*
Yang Fan launched multiple strikes, yet the sword failed to deal any substantial damage. Realizing this, he withdrew his sword, knowing that he would need to conserve his energy. For now, a standoff ensued, a tense calm hanging in the air as both combatants assessed their next move.
The serpent tensed, its head trembling slightly, and from its eyes, a flicker of purple light emerged. Yang Fan felt a surge of oppressive energy bearing down on him, but he remained calm. He had to use this moment to recover his strength. Though his Qi Refining level was advanced, controlling a spiritual weapon like the Qingfeng Sword required a considerable amount of energy.
"Ah!" Yang Fan roared, channeling a surge of spiritual power into his sword. The blade's azure glow intensified, its size increasing slightly, as it emitted a low hum. The leaves on the surrounding trees rustled, despite the absence of wind.
The serpent sensed mortal danger. This strike contained Yang Fan's most concentrated force, an attack powerful enough to challenge even a Qi Refining cultivator at the peak of their abilities.
The serpent's head glowed with a radiant purple light, as it exhaled a dense, almost tangible, cloud of toxic mist. The vapor coalesced over the beast's head, solidifying into a barrier.
*Boom!*
Qingfeng Sword collided with the mist, and Yang Fan felt his spiritual energy rapidly draining as the resistance from the vapor diminished the force of his strike. The serpent coiled its body and lashed out, deflecting the sword and forcing it back toward Yang Fan.
With a flick of his wrist, Yang Fan called the sword back, gripping it tightly. His expression grew even more serious as he studied the serpent. Though the beast was wounded, with a large gash bleeding profusely down its flank, it managed to roll its massive body toward the safety of its cave, seeking to escape.
"Think you can flee?" Yang Fan smirked, giving chase. His confidence grew as he pursued the injured serpent, carefully keeping his distance while maneuvering Qingfeng Sword through the air to harry the beast.
He unleashed a barrage of fireball spells. Bright spheres of flame erupted from his hands, each one smashing into the toxic mist and dispersing it. Though simple, the fireball technique was effective against the poisonous fog, and with his heightened spiritual senses, Yang Fan could cast it repeatedly with ease.
After a grueling battle of attrition, Yang Fan's endurance triumphed. With a final, lethal strike, his sword pierced through the serpent's skull, ending the beast's life.
Panting slightly, beads of sweat forming on his brow, Yang Fan surveyed his victory. Without wasting any time, he drew his Fishgut Dagger and expertly dissected the serpent, extracting its venom sacs, fangs, and scales—all valuable materials for alchemy and poison crafting.
"This beast was far stronger than I anticipated," he mused, feeling a touch of awe as he looked over the serpent's remains. Though only a first-level beast, its strength rivaled that of multiple late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.
As he continued his work, his dagger encountered something hard inside the serpent's belly. Frowning, he dug deeper and pulled out a foul, stained object.
Curious, Yang Fan cleaned it off, revealing a strange, black-bound tome. His heart raced as he read the faded characters on its cover:
*"Nine Hells Magic Codex: First Volume."*
Yang Fan's eyes widened in shock. This was no ordinary book. In the cultivation world, most techniques were stored in jade slips, easily replicated and shared. But certain rare artifacts, like this one, were singular, uncopyable volumes passed down through the ages.
With trepidation, Yang Fan channeled his spiritual energy into the ancient tome and opened it.
*Snap!*
An overpowering wave of malevolent energy shot through him, and he recoiled, eyes wide with terror, tossing the book aside as if it had burned him.
"What an insidious, tyrannical magic art…" he muttered, pale and shaken, his gaze locked warily on the black tome that lay ominously on the ground.