Zhang Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly. He discreetly closed the heavy door as though he hadn’t noticed anything unusual, then walked over to the ditation cushion and sat down. Before long, the sound of faint breathing intertwined with subtle spiritual energy drifted out from the cave mansion.
The surroundings gradually fell silent, appearing as tranquil as they usually did.
Two hours later, the sky had begun to brighten faintly. Zhang Yan, who had been sitting with his eyes half-closed, suddenly opened them wide, leapt to his feet without warning, and swiftly grabbed the lid of the nearby bronze cauldron. With a single stride to its side, he flipped the lid and slamd it down, sealing the large cauldron with a loud "clang."
Once the cauldron lid was secured, the vessel began to clatter and shake violently. Loud banging sounds emanated from the lid’s surface as if sothing inside was desperately trying to escape.
Zhang Yan had already surmised that the Snake Demon was hiding within the cauldron, but he had refrained from making a move until the creature beca complacent, striking only when the mont was ripe.
Now, he took two steps back toward the door, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on the large cauldron. His mind was tense; should the lid be forced open, he’d have no choice but to flee imdiately.
His concern, however, proved unnecessary. This bronze cauldron was, after all, a magic artifact ticulously forged by Shi Shoujing. It was designed to boil feral beasts alive—how could it possibly be pried open so easily?
The Snake Spirit had sustained severe injuries and sought refuge in another’s cave mansion. Initially, while inside the cauldron, it had remained on high alert, not daring to stir. However, Zhang Yan’s continued inactivity led it to presu its presence remained unnoticed. Fatigue eventually overca its vigilance, and that single lapse allowed Zhang Yan to exploit the opportunity.
The Snake Spirit thrashed about furiously for so ti, but no matter how much it struggled, the lid remained steadfastly immovable. Realizing the cauldron had peculiar qualities, the Snake Spirit reluctantly ceased its futile resistance, unwilling to continue wasting its energy.
Once the cauldron settled into silence, Zhang Yan approached its side and asked coldly, "You are the Snake Demon, aren’t you?"
The Snake Spirit replied, "Esteed Brother Daoist, may I ask why you’ve trapped in here?"
"You invaded my cave mansion stealthily and killed five disciples of the Mingcang Sect. Do you really need to spell it out?"
"Ah, so Brother Daoist already knows my background," the Snake Spirit sighed but still tried to plead its case. "I was rely fleeing my pursuers when I ended up here, driven into desperation. I hid in this cauldron out of necessity and ant no harm to you. I beg Brother Daoist to let go. I would be eternally indebted and promise future recompense."
Zhang Yan dismissively shook his head and said, "Your words are unconvincing, and besides, Brother Ning may not be far. Should I let you leave my cave mansion and you get captured, your death would be a minor matter, but I would find myself mired in trouble. Whether you intend harm or are innocent matters not—either way, I cannot let you go."
Suddenly, the Snake Spirit heard faint rustling noises and couldn’t help but cry out in alarm, "What are you doing?"
Zhang Yan chuckled, "This cauldron is nad the ’Refining Muddling Tripod.’ It’s exceptional at slow-cooking delicacies and extracting their essence. I suppose it’s ti to put it to good use today—with you being the main course."
The Snake Spirit panicked, thrashing wildly inside the cauldron again, but its efforts were as futile as before. In the end, it let out pitiful cries, "What will it take for you to spare ?"
A sly smirk crept across Zhang Yan’s face. This was finally getting interesting.
In truth, if Zhang Yan had truly intended to kill the Snake Spirit, there would’ve been no need for this extended dialogue. He simply wanted answers to so crucial questions.
"Let ask you—why did you trespass into Mingcang Sect’s domain?"
The Snake Spirit hesitated before replying stamringly, "It was to chase down those disciples—nothing more..."
"Hmph, do you take for a child? Such an obvious lie—do you think it will fool ? Mingcang Sect has clashed with the Three Pools Lake Demons for years. While there have been casualties on both sides, neither has ever launched an invasion into the other’s territory. Yet you pursued them all the way into the heart of my sect just to kill a few disciples weaker than yourself? Who is this lie ant to deceive?" Zhang Yan sneered, "Clearly, they must have discovered so secret you cannot afford to let slip. Why else would you go to such lengths?"
The Snake Spirit’s heart sank as it cursed its misfortune inwardly. Who would’ve thought a re Mingcang Sect junior would be so perceptive, piecing together the truth almost entirely? Worse still, the Snake Spirit was gravely injured, its transformation costing it vast amounts of True Qi, leaving it utterly drained and powerless against Zhang Yan’s probing.
Yet, even in its dire state, the Snake Spirit clung to a sliver of hope, refusing to admit the truth outright. Instead, it evaded the question, rambling on about irrelevant gossip between the two factions, hoping to distract Zhang Yan. However, he remained unmoved, lighting a fire beneath the cauldron and steadily adding wood to stoke the flas.
It didn’t take long before the cauldron’s temperature began to rise.
Even with the lid off, Zhang Yan found the process of quenching yuan barely tolerable. The Snake Spirit, though stronger in cultivation, was heavily injured, had depleted its True Qi, and was utterly devoid of spiritual energy. With the cauldron fire’s relentless assault, it finally couldn’t hold out and scread for rcy, "Stop! Stop! I’ll talk—I’ll talk!"
Zhang Yan remained unfazed, continuing his work, and barked coldly, "Speak!"
Pressed to the brink, the Snake Spirit had no choice but to reveal everything.
The Snake Spirit’s na was Luo Xiao. It admitted that while battling a Mingcang Sect disciple, it had unwittingly stumbled upon a hidden cave. Intrigued, it ventured further inside, discovering a previously undiscovered shell field. Overco with excitent at its fortune, it beca murderous when several Mingcang Sect disciples who had followed it caught sight of the lucrative resource. Fearing they’d spread news of the discovery, it resolved to kill them all, even chasing them deep into Mingcang Sect territory. However, Luo Xiao had never anticipated encountering Ning Chongxuan, whose pursuit forced it to flee into Zhang Yan’s cave mansion in desperation.
"A shell field..." Zhang Yan’s eyes lit up. This was the source of spiritual shells!
Spiritual shells were valuable and multifunctional: their golden pearls were indispensable for alchemy, their ground shells were used in crafting magic artifacts, and their radiant, spirit-filled luster made them a prized commodity for cultivators, often used as currency.
For the past decade, Mingcang Sect had fought relentlessly to seize control of such resources—it was no wonder Luo Xiao would risk all to eliminate witnesses. Even Zhang Yan felt tempted by the treasure.
Contemplating this, he asked, "Aside from you, who else knows of this shell field?"
"No one, no one," Luo Xiao hurriedly answered but then seed to think twice, quickly adding, "No one else can locate that site. Only I know of it."
Zhang Yan pondered for a mont before saying, "I could release you, but how can I trust you?"
Luo Xiao eagerly replied, "I’m willing to swear an oath..."
Zhang Yan shook his head, "Empty words cannot be trusted."
"I could enter a Dharma Contract..."
"Too troubleso. That won’t work."
Zhang Yan had so knowledge of Dharma Contracts, but he lacked the contract paper, red cinnabar charm pen, and wasn’t about to risk freeing Luo Xiao just for this. He imdiately dismissed the idea.
Growing desperate, Luo Xiao pleaded, "What do you want, then?"
Zhang Yan spoke slowly, "You must swear an Essence Blood Oath with ."
Luo Xiao gasped, "What?"
Zhang Yan pressed, "Could it be you find this thod unfeasible?"
Silence fell from within the cauldron.
Zhang Yan chuckled and threw more wood underneath.
Soon, Luo Xiao couldn’t bear the pressure any longer, screeching frantically, "Stop! Stop! I agree—I agree! Open the lid—I’ll bind my Essence Blood with yours..."
Zhang Yan laughed heartily, teasing, "Do you take for a fool? I, Zhang Yan, am well-versed in the Daoist Records. An Essence Blood Oath is bound by the Heavenly Dao; there’s no need for to open the cauldron lid. If you dare play tricks, I won’t hesitate to flay and dismber you!"
Realizing Zhang Yan was entirely unyielding, Luo Xiao could only comply, forcing a thread of True Essence Blood from its heart center. With trembling hands, it ford a spell and solemnly enacted the oath.
Zhang Yan’s body trembled as a slight mark seed to etch itself onto his soul. From then onward, the Snake Spirit’s thoughts and movents resonated clearly within his mind, signifying the Essence Blood Oath had taken effect.
He stepped forward, lifted the lid, and ignored Luo Xiao entirely, choosing instead to sit and ditate.
Shortly after, a tiny golden thread snake, barely a foot long, slithered weakly out of the cauldron. It leaned its weary head against the rim, surveying the room and casting several weak glances at Zhang Yan. Its gaze then fell upon a Daoist book nearby. It exclaid, "’Xuan Yuan Inner Secrets’? Who is plotting against you?"
Zhang Yan furrowed his brows and opened his eyes, asking, "Why do you say that?"
Luo Xiao sneered, "I’ve never seen this book myself, but its notorious reputation precedes it. It’s said to be an Ancient Orthodox Daoist text capable of unlocking ridians and breaking through realms within a re month. However, it carries a hidden flaw—celestial punishnt. After unlocking ridians, one must avoid hearing thunder for a month; otherwise, True Essence will be destabilized, destroying one’s Immortal Veins and severing the path of cultivation forever."
He muttered bitterly, "Were it not for the Essence Blood Oath binding our lives together, I wouldn’t bother warning you."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan broke into a cold sweat. If Luo Xiao’s words were true, even the Broken Jade in his possession might not save him from this trap!
Deeply uneasy, Zhang Yan asked, "How do you know this?"
"In the Demon Race, our cultivation differs from human cultivation. We face countless tribulations, large and small, early on and must learn to evade them. My elders ntioned this book to in passing."
Zhang Yan nodded in understanding and asked, "Since you know its hidden dangers, do you also know how to avoid them?"
Seeing Zhang Yan seek advice from him, Luo Xiao couldn’t resist showing off, boasting gleefully, "You asked the right demon! Others may not know, but I, Luo Xiao, am well-acquainted with the solution. After unlocking your ridians, simply dig a deep pit. When the thunder threatens, plug your ears, nose, mouth, and eyes, bury yourself inside, cover yourself with loose soil, and wait for seven days—this way, you’ll survive the tribulation unscathed!"
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