Serpent Ancestor
Chapter 435: Obtain transformation, the freedom you desire

This was a complete annihilation, even the Elemental Infant couldn't escape.

The Great Star Sword Formation, terrifying beyond measure!

Xu Hei witnessed the entire process from the outside, feeling utterly shocked. A newly emerged Demon Lord at the peak of the Elemental Infant stage was instantly killed just like that!

Although this peak Elemental Infant stage was somewhat exaggerated, the foundation was still there, yet it vanished in an instant, leaving Xu Hei with a sense of unreality.

After executing the sword formation, Yu Jianqiu's body suddenly became somewhat transparent, and the golden glow of Huangfu Duanlong's golden skeleton dimmed significantly.

It seemed that this sword formation had also taken a great toll on them.

"Transparent?"

Xiong Dabao was suddenly startled and hurriedly said, "Master, what's happening to you?"

He never knew that Yu Jianqiu was acting through an external incarnation, and only now did he realize, his face turning pale.

Meanwhile, Xu Hei's gaze remained fixed on the bloodstains on the ground, his eyes narrowing.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, a drop of black blood shot up into the air, darting towards the secret chamber's door at lightning speed, like a ghostly shadow.

This was left behind after Xu Qingzhi was sliced into pieces; the Undying Demon Lord truly lived up to his name.

"Roar!"

But Xu Hei was prepared. A Dragon Shatter Roar directly obliterated the blood into nothingness.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Suddenly, the blood on the ground seemed to come alive, all of it shooting up and rushing towards the outside of the secret chamber, numbering in the hundreds or thousands of drops.

Sneaking away didn't work, so it tried to force its way out. With such a quantity, Xu Hei couldn't possibly handle it all.

"You think you can escape? Sword formation, activate!"

With a low shout, Xu Hei activated the Twelve Zodiac Sword Formation once again. The blood rushed into the sword net and was shredded into nothingness. Faintly, there were sounds of screams.

It turned out that Xu Hei had been setting up a formation at the door all along, leaving a backup plan.

No matter if it was futile or who the opponent was, Xu Hei was always prepared.

What if it came in handy?

Undying was the trait of the Undying Demon Lord, but this trait could no longer be utilized. Under Xu Hei's airtight backup plan, everything would turn to dust, never to exist again.

In fact, he had a second backup plan, which was poisonous insects, lying in wait outside the sword formation. If any managed to escape, they would be pursued by the insects.

However, Xu Hei didn't want any to escape. He controlled the sword formation with all his might, leaving no room for error, determined to obliterate the target!

"What do you think of this young man?" Yu Jianqiu asked with a smile.

Huangfu Duanlong didn't speak, only letting out a long sigh.

Then, he nodded.

Seeing the unfavorable situation, Jiang Chong had already left.

After Xu Hei finished clearing all the black blood, a gentle force grabbed him and pulled him into the secret chamber.

The one who grabbed him was Yu Jianqiu, and Xu Hei didn't resist.

At this moment, the golden skull stood before him, the red glow in its hollow eye sockets dissipating.

"You are Xu Hei," Huangfu Duanlong said calmly.

Xu Hei first glanced at Yu Jianqiu, who nodded calmly.

Feeling reassured, Xu Hei quickly said, "Xu Hei greets the senior."

Huangfu Duanlong raised his withered hand and grabbed one of his ribs, the very rib that Xu Qingzhi had tried to seize earlier.

With a "crack," the rib was broken off.

"Flood Dragon, Xu Hei, I, Huangfu Duanlong, the eighth-generation sect master of the Dragon Subduing Sect, bestow upon you a great fortune!"

Holding the rib, he struck it fiercely onto Xu Hei's forehead.

"Buzz!!"

The scenery before Xu Hei instantly changed, as if he had fallen into an illusion, with golden light everywhere and a vast amount of information surging into his mind.

Huangfu Duanlong sat cross-legged.

"They say those who slay dragons eventually become evil dragons."

"I wonder if I count as an evil dragon."

His voice carried a hint of helplessness and sorrow.

If the ancestors of the Dragon Subduing Sect knew that he, Huangfu Duanlong, had left the final inheritance to a Flood Dragon, to their nemesis, they would probably descend with divine punishment, obliterating his soul, never to reincarnate.

But he knew this was the right choice.

If the Dragon Subduing Sect truly had an evil dragon, let him be that evil dragon.

"I, Huangfu Duanlong, am ashamed before my ancestors!"

Huangfu Duanlong knelt on the ground.

His skeleton remained kneeling, facing the direction of the Dragon Subduing Sect.

His form was forever frozen, the faint golden light on his body completely dissipating, turning him into ordinary white bones, no longer possessing any magic.

Yu Jianqiu quietly watched, saying nothing, and sat cross-legged at the entrance of the secret chamber.

He was there to protect Xu Hei!

"Master, why are you transparent, where is your true body?" Xiong Dabao's eyes were red.

"Just a minor issue, nothing to worry about," Yu Jianqiu said calmly.

In Xu Hei's consciousness.

He was witnessing a long and magnificent life, countless scenes flashing before his eyes, like a carousel.

It was the life of Huangfu Duanlong.

Huangfu Duanlong held nothing back, imparting everything he knew to Xu Hei.

However, the information was overwhelming, and for Xu Hei to fully absorb it, it would take at least a year.

Xu Hei first stored the majority of the memory inheritance, turning it into a memory light cluster, then focused his consciousness on the final moments of Huangfu Duanlong's life.

It was a battle with the Earth Flood Dragon, Mo Cang.

Mo Cang looked similar to Mo Xuan, but his body was earth-brown, with triangular scales, a high ridge on his back, and four claws under his belly, resembling a slender lizard.

Just like in the pictures.

"Huangfu Duanlong, you actually left the inheritance to a descendant of my clan, haha, what were you thinking, did a donkey kick your brain?"

Mo Cang lay on the ground, a mocking voice emanating from him.

Huangfu Duanlong said, "Judge by the heart, not by the actions, this has nothing to do with you!"

"Haha, what happened to force you into this, were you possessed by an inner demon?" Mo Cang mocked.

The two did not engage in a battle but exchanged taunts, leaving Xu Hei bewildered.

At this moment, Mo Cang's massive head turned, looking towards Xu Hei.

"You've arrived," Mo Cang said with a smile.

Xu Hei was taken aback, unsure how to respond.

"I've arrived," Xu Hei replied.

Mo Cang looked Xu Hei up and down, making a clicking sound.

"Complete Five Elements, and an exceptional Earth Spiritual Root, tsk tsk, but to gain my Mo Cang's divine ability, an exceptional Earth Spiritual Root isn't enough, I'll upgrade it to a heavenly grade for you!"

As Mo Cang spoke, a thick light enveloped Xu Hei, and his form quickly sank, descending deep into the earth.

Beneath the earth, the pressure increased dramatically, and Xu Hei felt as if he had returned to the Spirit Communion Stage, the initial stage of physical body training.

Originally, as Xu Hei's cultivation improved, this method had become ineffective for him, but in this memory inheritance space, Xu Hei felt a familiar sensation once more.

"Spiritual roots are divided into lower, middle, upper, and exceptional grades, and above exceptional, there is heavenly grade! However, heavenly grade spiritual roots are not innate; they require postnatal tempering, using the intent of the earth to enhance oneself, supplemented by heavenly materials and earthly treasures, to achieve!"

"With heavenly grade Earth Spiritual Roots, you qualify to perform earth-based divine abilities."

"However, earth is just the beginning."

"Xu Hei, your foundation is good, complete Five Elements, which will be crucial for your future ascension!"

…………

Netherworld Mine.

After Jiang Chong left, he returned to the miners' location, where the Frogmen were gathered, nervously watching this outsider.

"No one is born a slave; I will take you away!"

Jiang Chong, ignoring the distant battle, immediately struck with his spear, using the Wave-Cutting Spear Technique, piercing the void ahead, causing ripples in the space.

His strength was not weak, at the mid-Elemental Infant stage, but facing an evil organization like the Sea God Sect, he couldn't fully exert his power.

If he were up against a normal opponent, he wouldn't be at a disadvantage. In the past, he had fought on the outer battlefield, battling many cultivators of the same level.

"Boom!!"

A crack appeared at the edge of the formation, and seeing hope, Jiang Chong was about to continue his attack.

Suddenly, an anxious voice came from behind.

"Senior, what are you doing? Please stop!"

The speaker was the Frogman elder who had guided Xu Hei earlier.

"I'm granting you freedom!"

Jiang Chong didn't want to associate with evil, and as a righteous person, he needed a justifiable reason to act, and freeing these slaves oppressed for five hundred years was the reason he gave himself.

"No, I don't want to leave, please stop!" The Frogman elder quickly shook his head.

"Why?"

A Frogman child stepped forward, shouting.

"I don't want to dig mines all my life. If there's a new world outside, it must be better than here!"

Another child stepped forward.

These were the two most outstanding talents among the Frogman Clan, reaching the late Foundation Establishment stage at a young age. But staying in such a place, they would likely remain at the late Foundation Establishment stage for life.

They had previously gathered together, speculating about the outside world, concluding that it must be beautiful.

Although in the Netherworld Mine, they had enough to eat and wear, and occasionally enjoyed spirit stones, the outside world must be better.

"That's right, I want to go out too!"

"Me too!"

More and more young Frogmen stepped forward, casting grateful glances at Jiang Chong.

These looks brought some comfort to Jiang Chong's sorrowful heart.

Although he acted alongside evil, at least he did something good, at least in his view.

"Boom!!"

Jiang Chong struck again with his spear, the crack widening, finally enough for a Frogman to pass through.

"You can leave now." Jiang Chong said with a bitter smile.

"Thank you, senior!"

"Senior's great kindness will never be forgotten!"

The young Frogmen bowed, saluting Jiang Chong.

Jiang Chong didn't hesitate any longer, entering the crack and disappearing, followed by the young Frogmen, who rushed through the crack, heading towards what they believed to be a vast and bright sky.

Frog Thirteen, that was his name.

For generations, his family lived in the Netherworld Mine, evolving night vision abilities, but in doing so, they became isolated from sunlight.

When he saw the light he had never seen before above him, he swam upwards without hesitation, using all his strength, getting closer and closer to the sea surface, the light growing brighter.

Frog Thirteen had never been so excited.

Finally, he broke through the surface, coming into the sunlight, escaping from the dark Netherworld Mine.

The sunlight warmed his body, a very comfortable feeling.

The only discomfort was that it was a bit dazzling.

"Huh? Why can't I see?"

Frog Thirteen suddenly paused, looking around blankly, but seeing nothing.

Unknowingly, at the moment he saw the sunlight.

He went blind!

Permanently blind.

…………

Frog Thirteen was lucky; at least he saw the light and knew what the outside world was like.

As for the two companions who came out with Frog Thirteen, they didn't even have the chance to see the sunlight before becoming food for the outside demonic beasts.

Their evolved claws and small bodies were good for nothing but mining.