Chapter 160: 160 Epilogue (If Line)

◎Clingy Little Snake◎

The South Pole Sea.

This was a place of chaos and disorder, where immortals and demons coexisted, constantly fighting over the only patch of spiritual essence. Conflicts and slaughter were commonplace, and upon entering the South Pole Sea’s territory, a dense aura of evil immediately assaulted one’s senses.

The region was chaotic, with buildings and pavilions standing haphazardly against the sky or mountains. On the sea, there were exquisite, different-looking sea markets, built for noble visitors to enjoy themselves. Clearly, it was not a good place.

Sang Li walked through it with Big-Eyed Cub. Along the way, there were many watchful gazes, but she was enveloped in an immortal aura. Anyone intelligent enough could see that she was not someone to be easily provoked, so they encountered no disturbances and the journey proceeded smoothly.

Soon after entering the South Pole Sea, the conch responded much more frequently. Unable to pinpoint the exact location, Sang Li could only search aimlessly like a headless fly. After a month of no results, she once again followed the conch’s aura into Yaoyue Peak.

Yaoyue Peak was the only mountain in the South Pole Sea, home to countless demonic beasts. Many cultivators risked danger for their demonic cores, but while many entered, few ever left.

Yaoyue Peak was Sang Li’s last chance. If there was no news of Ji Hengyu here either, then even that faint hope would truly be gone.

As Sang Li was about to enter the peak, she was stopped by the old mountain guardian at its base.

“Are you from outside this mountain?”

The old man wore a bamboo hat, was short in stature, with a white beard that reached the ground. He appeared unremarkable, but being able to walk safely here suggested he was no ordinary mortal.

Sang Li had deliberately concealed her aura. Hearing his question, she nodded. “I’m looking for someone.”

People came to Yaoyue Peak daily, and people died there hourly. Occasionally, relatives and friends would come searching for missing individuals, but in the end, it was always fruitless.

The old man shook his head. “If the person you’re looking for truly entered the peak, I fear they are in grave danger.” He advised, “Before night falls, I urge you to return quickly.”

Sang Li looked up at the sky and asked, “Master seems to know this place very well?”

The old man said, “A month ago, I could still guide you, but Yaoyue Peak has been plagued by strange occurrences recently. Even the highest-ranked demon slayers dare not enter easily. Listen to an old man’s advice, go back quickly.”

Sang Li frowned. “What strange occurrences?”

He sighed. “It’s hard to say. Half a year ago, there was a celestial anomaly, and then countless demonic beasts vanished overnight. Even the cultivators who entered left no bones behind. Perhaps a great demon...”

Before the old man could finish, Sang Li brushed past him, her back resolute, plunging into Yaoyue Peak. He shook his head, sighed helplessly, and then descended the stone steps.

Sang Li was not afraid of the so-called celestial anomaly; instead, she felt a subtle hint of joy. The conch had responded for the first time half a year ago. If the old man’s words were true, Ji Hengyu’s remnant soul might very well have fallen here!

Sang Li couldn’t help but think with delight: What would Ji Hengyu be like after losing his lifelong cultivation? Would he remember her, and would he be bullied by others? All sorts of questions swirled, making Sang Li both excited and anxious. She looked forward to seeing him, yet worried that this hope would come to naught.

Soon, night fell. A red moon hung high overhead, casting a deep, dark pall over everything.

Danger surrounded her. The Big-Eyed Cub in front of her showed signs of unease. For safety, Sang Li decided to rest on the spot and continue her search at dawn.

She chose a spot near a river, lit a fire, casually caught a few wild beasts for Big-Eyed Cub to fill its stomach, and leaned against a tree to rest.

While resting, she suddenly heard a commotion. The forest was rustling with the frantic escape of wild beasts and birds. The Big-Eyed Cub beside her also grew restless, mumbling something unintelligible. Sang Li only caught the word “danger.”

She narrowed her eyes, seeing a wild wind stirring, and countless dark figures swarming haphazardly towards one spot.

Sang Li’s heart stirred. She got up and followed. Big-Eyed Cub, seeing this, anxiously tugged at her sleeve.

“Don’t worry.” Sang Li soothingly stroked Big-Eyed Cub’s head, then blended into the beast crowd under its worried gaze.

Through the depths of the forest, they reached a certain cave entrance.

The state of the beasts was very strange; their eyes were empty and lifeless, as if they were under some kind of enchantment. Sang Li cast a protective spell on herself to prevent Big-Eyed Cub from being implicated, temporarily tucking it into her sleeve. She then quietly followed the main group.

The cave was pitch black, nothing could be seen, and the smell of blood was overpoweringly strong. Fearing to disturb any demons within, Sang Li didn’t light a lamp. As she walked, she vaguely stepped on something. She lowered her head and used spiritual energy to probe: it was the carcass of an animal, without any visible wounds, but its essence was stripped away, its soul scattered, as if something had forcibly drained its spiritual power.

Sang Li’s expression immediately turned solemn. The old man’s words were true; a great demon had indeed been born within.

Despite this, Sang Li still did not give up on moving forward. She heightened her vigilance, summoned the Painted Bone Feather, and continued onward. Suddenly, a red light approached. It was a pair of scarlet beast eyes burning with ghostly fire. Sang Li’s heart skipped a beat. The next moment, a giant tail swept over, and the demon opened its gaping maw, revealing four black fangs dripping with venom.

Just as the monster was about to bite, the Painted Bone Feather swiftly detached from her hand. After four or five moves, the Painted Bone Feather transformed into an ice blade and struck the giant snake precisely at its vitals.

Accompanying the thunderous crash as it fell to the ground, the previously dormant animals around them also instantly broke free from control. Upon regaining consciousness, they frantically struggled, scrambling to escape the death cave.

Sang Li suddenly realized; it seemed this giant monster had been controlling them to come here to their deaths.

Once the danger was gone, Sang Li immediately lit a lamp. The successive bursts of light illuminated the deep cave, and the sight that met Sang Li’s eyes made her gasp.

The cave was about a hundred zhang deep, its four walls honeycomb-like with large and small nests. All of them contained the carcasses of snakes, mixed with various wild beasts and several human skeletons. It looked like an animal graveyard, and even in a place like the South Pole Sea, this scene was truly horrifying.

But... where was Ji Hengyu?

The conch wasn’t responding, which meant Ji Hengyu wasn’t here at all, or perhaps it was one of the dead ones here? This thought immediately tensed Sang Li’s nerves.

But how could that be? Ji Hengyu was from the Kui clan, the God of War of the Six Realms. How could he fall so easily?

The panic in her eyes was evident; she didn’t even notice the dark shadow gradually approaching from behind.

The Big-Eyed Cub hidden in her sleeve sensed something. It suddenly opened its eyes, leaped out of the sleeve without thinking, transformed into its original form, and slammed the little thing under its paw.

“Roar—!”

Big-Eyed Cub was about to bite down when Sang Li finally snapped back, suddenly realizing something. She hastily called out, “Wait a moment!”

Big-Eyed Cub tilted its head and slowly released its paw.

Sang Li walked over. After being pressed earlier, the creature seemed half-dead. It was a very, very small white snake, about the length of an adult man’s palm. It lay weakly on the ground, its slightly narrowed bright eyes squinting at Sang Li.

Sang Li paused to examine it closely. The moment her gaze met its vertical pupils, her heart clenched violently.

The conch, always by her side, suddenly emitted a faint glow, its light flickering, as if persistently reminding her of something.

Sang Li was afraid that all of this was her illusion or delusion.

She softened her breathing, carefully picking it up from the ground. The small snake’s pupils constricted abruptly, its tail hooking up, a clear warning. But Sang Li didn’t care at all.

Her thumb gently stroked the pure white, cool silver scales. Since the young snake hadn’t fully grown, even its scales were soft. She also touched the tip of its tail, which was also soft, but this action clearly angered the little snake. It opened its mouth, its small, sharp teeth biting her fingertip, and in an instant, two drops of scarlet blood emerged.

Sang Li’s fingertip paused. She tapped its head, noticing the widespread mess and the dead giant snake. If she hadn’t arrived in time, with Ji Hengyu’s small body, he probably wouldn’t have survived.

How pathetic. He was clearly... such a formidable Heavenly Scale Lord.

Sang Li suppressed the urge to cry and offered her finger. “Are you hungry? Then hurry and eat some.”

The little snake’s eyes, clear with confusion, flickered with obvious bewilderment. When its gaze met her moist eyes, its emotions shifted. The tail that had been wildly shaking from impatience gradually steadied, its expression seemed thoughtful, and finally, it closed its eyes, coiling its body into a circle in her palm, slowly closing its eyes.

Sang Li didn’t know where to put such a tiny Ji Hengyu. Keeping him in her hand was inconvenient, on her shoulder wasn’t safe, and definitely not in her sleeve—that was Big-Eyed Cub’s spot, and they would fight. After much thought, she pulled open her robe and hid him against her chest.

The sudden warmth and heat made the little snake’s pupils constrict again. After a violent squirm, Sang Li held it firmly, earnestly coaxing, “Ji Hengyu, you must be good.”

Ji Hengyu?

The little snake realized she was calling him. It unhappily flicked its tongue. Its body pressed against her chest, feeling the burning light of her heart, and knew her heart’s blood must be wonderful.

A flash of greed passed through its eyes, but before it could even open its mouth, Sang Li pulled it out from her chest.

—And conveniently handed it a bead.

“Oh, I forgot. This is the demon core taken from that evil creature. Hurry and eat it. Once you eat it, you’ll grow up.”

Sang Li held up the red demon core, her eyes clear and bright, her face full of eagerness.

Ji Hengyu first looked at her face, then at the giant snake behind them, whose abdomen had been cut open to retrieve the core. To be precise, that was his loyal servant.

Every demon king would have a most loyal servant. The servant would anticipate their master’s birth in advance. To ensure the demon king’s smooth growth, the servant would prepare half a year or a year in advance, for example, by luring various demonic beasts or animals to provide spiritual energy and food for the demon king.

Such servants generally had five hundred to nearly a thousand years of cultivation.

She could easily kill his servant. Clearly, the newly born demon king was not her match.

After a brainstorming session, Ji Hengyu obediently swallowed the snake core, deciding to recuperate his strength. It wouldn’t be too late to eat her after he had transformed into human form.

Seeing him eat obediently, Sang Li was very happy. She held Ji Hengyu, looking at his small, tiny body, and said with a smile, “Ji Hengyu, don’t worry. This time, I’ll protect you. I’ll make sure you grow up well, even bigger than before!”

The little snake had just eaten and was drowsy. He finally understood. This woman was so attentive to him, calling him “Ji Hengyu, Ji Hengyu.” She clearly mistook him for someone else. But that was fine too. His loyal servant had just been killed by her, so using her to forage for him felt even more justified.

Hmm, not bad.

Perfect.