The snake was very upset, the snake wanted to cry.
As a forr small power in the Divinity Transformation Stage, it had never fought such a frustrating battle.
It had always been the one using its multiple snake heads to fight fewer opponents; this was the first ti it was outnumbered.
Moreover, this opponent only seed to increase with each strike.
Its tail struck down, slicing a Fuji in half, yet two smaller Fuij appeared before it.
Each of these two Fuji held a Black Sword, raising their hands to pierce seven or eight holes into the snake’s body.
Fuji’s swordsmanship was extrely exquisite, truly inheriting Li’s traditions.
One sword transforming into thousands, perfectly complenting Fuji’s absurd cloning divine power.
As for the snake’s vaunted Poison Skill, each ti it used it, it was only t with bursts of praise.
"Delicious!"
"Sweet!"
"Not enough! Give more!"
The poison mist refined to target a cultivator was no different from fragrant wine in Fuji’s mouth.
Such was Fuji, with poison immunity maxed out.
When the snake once again beca a solitary figure, amidst the waves of Fuji appearing and disappearing before it,
it despaired.
"Isn’t she truly invincible among peers..." muttered Li Yueqi, who stood on the sidelines, dumbfounded.
Zhang Ze neither affird nor denied, offering no response.
Of course, Fuji had her weaknesses, which were her susceptibility to fire and lack of Yang Qi.
She was absolutely countered by the Buddhist Sect’s extrely firm and vigorous disciples.
But Zhang Ze wouldn’t speak of such things, nor would Li Yueqi.
And at this ti, the snake, battered and bruised all over, finally made up its mind.
Back then, it was once a regional overlord; since death was certain, it would die with so dignity.
Purple scales exploded, stirring a gust of violent wind that temporarily drove back the crowd of Fuji.
The purple-black Demonic Qi enveloped its body; the giant snake flew up, breaking through the rock layers overhead.
It left this once veiled sanctuary.
The Sword Qi left by Zhengyi in its wounds was provoked.
Vast Righteous Qi exploded from its body, instantly shattering it to pieces.
Rather than suffer the humiliation of being beaten to death, it would rather die under the Sword Qi of the Sword Sect’s Pavilion Master.
[The Snake with Three Heads, Cold City’s Demon Head, all incarnations were slain, task completed]
As the giant snake perished, a black token fell from mid-air, landing right at Zhang Ze’s feet.
Zhang Ze picked it up.
"Black King Order?"
The ever-loyal Song Qingpao had ntioned this in his previous essay.
He said that Qiu Jidan’s legitimate version lacked the domineering aura of Zhang Ze’s pirated one.
He used three hundred words to carefully describe the appearance of the legitimate Black King Order, and then five hundred words to boast about his predecessor’s abilities and status.
Song Qingpao sure knew how to provide emotional value to others.
While pondering about those two individuals, just coincidentally, the Black King Order in Zhang Ze’s hand flickered.
It was Qiu Jidan reaching out.
He opened his mouth and called out "Mom."
"Mom."
Zhang Ze: "?"
In the Snake Cave, everyone fell silent.
Zhang Ze looked at Li Yueqi, handing the Black King Order over, gesturing for her to respond.
Li Yueqi quickly shook her head, indicating she couldn’t be this "mom."
Zhang Ze looked at Fuji, and the Fujis instantly dived into the ground.
Hei Qu turned directly around, wagging its tail, showing its backside to Zhang Ze, indicating it was just here for a stroll.
In the end, it was the Spiritual Snake Qinghe that saved Zhang Ze.
Zhang Ze did not expect Qinghe could mimic human speech.
Qinghe recalled Madam Han Yao’s voice, tightened its throat, and humd a response, as if agreeing.
Then the Snake Cave fell into silence once again.
After a mont, Qiu Jidan began his speech.
"Today, I want to talk to you about sothing..."
In the next five minutes.
Hei Qu buried its head in the ground, covering its ears with its paws.
Li Yueqi had Qinghe wrap around her mouth, preventing herself from laughing out loud.
Zhang Ze squatted on the ground, covering his face with one hand, his body trembling slightly with suppressed laughter, toes awkwardly digging into his shoes.
Qinghe’s three eyes went blank, its head hung low, pretending it didn’t hear anything.
They were listening to Qiu Jidan’s confession.
Listening to Qiu Jidan recounting the shadows of his childhood, hearing him discuss his understanding of the mother-son relationship between himself and the two others.
Listening to him talk about how a mother-son relationship devoid of familial love should be handled in the future.
Implying between the lines that Madam Han Yao should know he has his own backing, not fearing her.
...
"I have no affection for you, nor any familial bond..."
"If you’re still not satisfied with , I’ll just leave Cyan Thorn."
"So please stop putting senseless pressure on , it’s quite pointless."
After Qiu Jidan finished speaking, a long silence enveloped the Snake Cave once more.
Qinghe nudged Zhang Ze with its tail, its three eyes glancing obliquely at the Black King Order in his hand.
Asking how Zhang Ze would respond.
Fortunately, Zhang Ze had experience in such matters. He sent the standard answer to Qinghe via sound transmission.
...
Yangguan Road, the small courtyard where Qiu Jidan lives alone.
He sat in the study, surrounded by various books borrowed from the Sword Hall.
"How to Get Along with Family," "Code of Conduct for Righteous Cultivators," "Sword Hall Rules," "Dark Psychology of Demonic Cultivators"...
"Be Kind to Others," "Heart of the Righteous," "The Strongest People are Those with Dreams," "Successful Us"...
Qiu Jidan looked at the Black King Order in front of him, waiting for a reply from the other side.
Finally, the slightly hoarse voice of Lady Han Yao sounded in his ear.
"Hmm, understood."
Listening to these emotionless words, Qiu Jidan let out a cold laugh, ending the call.
He knew Lady Han Yao was scared.
That afternoon, Qiu Jidan finished reading "Ethics and Morality" and "Independent and Dignified Immortal Cultivation" in the Sword Hall.
He was astounded, and the fear he felt upon receiving the note that morning vanished entirely,
Feeling transford inside and out, he courageously applied his newfound knowledge to make a call to Lady Han Yao.
He wanted to reclaim his dignity.
Now he felt like he had succeeded.
He was no longer a puppet under Lady Han Yao’s shadow.
Calming his emotions, he buried himself in paperwork again. Now, Qiu Jidan understood what it ant by "knowledge is power."
Those books helped him conquer his childhood fears.
Reading is truly useful.
The current Qiu Jidan loved reading.
"For the great cause of the Demon Path."
"Knowledge is power."
"Know thyself and thy enemy, and erge victorious in every battle."
Qiu Jidan silently recited in his heart, then opened "Heart of the Righteous," reading and taking notes simultaneously.
...
Cold City Snake Cave.
Zhang Ze and Li Yueqi exhaled a long breath once confirming that Qiu Jidan had severed the connection.
What an awkward situation.
Zhang Ze hated that he had ears.
Why did he have to listen to Qiu Jidan talk about those things?
Was that Qiu Jidan’s character setup? What happened to him today? Was he spooked by Song Qingpao?
Zhang Ze couldn’t understand, so he decided not to think about it anymore.
He put the Black King Order away, knowing that the affairs of Cold City would soon spread out.
Once the news of Han Yao’s death reached Yangguan Road, Qiu Jidan naturally would not contact this side again.
As for whatever story he might concoct in his mind, that was his own business.
Zhang Ze was neither concerned nor interested.
Now he found staying in the Snake Cave unbearably uncomfortable and wished to leave imdiately.
"I’m heading to the Taoist Temple; I’ll leave things here to you, Senior Sister Li."
"Hey, wait for , I’ll see you off." Li Yueqi also didn’t want to linger any longer.
...
After everyone left.
Li popped its head out from the ground, looked around to ensure no one was present, then crawled out from the earth.
With its hands behind its back, humming a tune, it headed towards the Second-Layer’s treasure room.
"Ti to eat, ti to eat."
...
Over at Zhang Ze’s side.
Arriving at the Taoist Temple, Li Yueqi placed Zhang Ze down, then gestured him forward.
"You go on your own, I’ll be waiting above."
"I’m afraid of overhearing things I shouldn’t."
She was truly afraid.
Zhang Ze looked at Chen Qin, who was dazing in the temple courtyard, and asked.
"Junior Sister?"
Chen Qin shook her head, "You go down by yourself, I’ll wait above too."
Ling Qiliu heard the noise and ca out from the temple’s main hall, greeting Zhang Ze.
Then she returned inside, whispering with her sisters, with no intention to accompany him down.
"It was understandable with Yueqi, but why are Junior Sister and the others behaving oddly too?"
With the Taoist Temple’s restriction now lifted, Zhang Ze stepped into the Secret Realm.
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