Serpent Ancestor
Chapter 438: Snake Catchers Sect, four snakes kill into the mountain gate

Central Divine Continent was engulfed in war.

Along the way, Xu Hei heard discussions about the Qin Emperor's passing and the incompetence of the Second Qin Emperor, but he had no interest in these matters. The affairs of the human world were irrelevant to him; he had his own mission.

...

Wu Mountain Range.

Compared to when Xu Hei left, the place had changed drastically. Large areas of forest had been cut down, the land cultivated, and countless demonic beast tribes driven out and slaughtered.

The Heavenly Puppet Sect had undertaken massive construction, building five cities in the area.

This was because it was the location of Wuyou City.

Wuyou City had been destroyed for several years, but the excavation of the city never stopped. Occasionally, valuable items were found, spurring rapid economic development.

The small gathering point established outside the city had grown into a large city.

The rapid development wasn't due to the strength of the Heavenly Puppet Sect but because of the involvement of the Divine Puppet Sect.

With such a powerful entity secretly supporting it, the changes in this place were inevitable.

Of course, the Heavenly Puppet Sect had no interest in the disputes of the Qin Kingdom's secular world. After Qin Xuanji gifted his million puppets to accompany the Qin Emperor in burial, he owed the Qin Kingdom nothing.

The fall of the Qin Emperor was one reason, and the Heavenly Puppet Sect's withdrawal was another, accelerating the decline of the Qin Kingdom.

Xu Hei and his companions flew overhead, his Divine Sense sweeping the ground below, his brow slightly furrowed.

"Is this still the Wu Mountain Range?"

Xu Hei looked at the once-familiar place, filled with deep confusion.

The mountains had vanished, cities dotted the landscape, and vast plains stretched endlessly. It had only been three or four years since he left, yet such dramatic changes gave Xu Hei an unreal feeling.

The former location of Wuyou City was shrouded in a layer of mist, the mist of Wu Mountain, the only thing remaining, but confined to the area of Wuyou City.

Xu Hei leaped through the mountains of Wu, unable to find a single familiar face. The once-thriving demonic beast groups had all disappeared.

"Where have they all gone?"

Xu Hei returned to the former elephant tribe of Man Jin, but there were no elephants, not even land, only a vast lake.

On the shore, two fishermen were fishing.

Xu Hei had come back for revenge, visiting friends was just a side trip, but he hadn't expected such drastic changes.

He landed beside the fishermen and asked, "Old man, did a group of elephants live here before?"

These two old men were not ordinary; their cultivation had reached the early Core Formation stage, making them formidable figures in the Central Divine Continent.

They quickly stood up, put away their fishing rods, and looked warily at the suddenly appearing young man in black robes.

"What elephants?"

One of the tall, thin old men frowned and said, "I don't understand what you're talking about!"

The other short, fat old man discreetly produced a Talisman in his palm, while powder spilled from his sleeve, forming a toxic mist that drifted with the wind.

Xu Hei's brow furrowed tightly. Had people become so treacherous in just a few years?

"Brother Xu, asking like this won't work, watch me!"

A cold laugh suddenly came from behind the two old men, and it was the Nine-Headed Worm standing behind them.

"Snap!"

The short, fat old man crushed the Talisman in his hand without hesitation, and the Talisman turned into a beam of light shooting into the sky, only to be swallowed by one of the Nine-Headed Worm's heads.

The two men's faces changed drastically, and before they could react, another head of the Nine-Headed Worm shot out, transforming into a rope that wrapped around their necks and lifted them up.

"Each of my nine heads has a special ability, and now it's the sixth head's turn, Spirit Control Technique!" the Nine-Headed Worm explained.

At this moment, his sixth head emitted waves of black light that entered one man's forehead, causing the short old man's eyes to lose focus, falling into a dazed state.

The Spirit Control Technique could forcibly control a person's mind, a secret technique inherited from the Nine-Headed Snake's bloodline.

"Spare me, I'm from the Qin Kingdom..."

The other man finally thought to beg for mercy, but halfway through his words, he was also controlled by the Spirit Control Technique, his eyes becoming vacant.

Xu Hei remained expressionless and asked, "Three years ago, did an elephant herd live here?"

"I don't know."

Both men shook their heads.

Xu Hei frowned and asked, "Who are you, and what happened here?"

The two men, eyes blank, answered like zombies.

One was a high-ranking official of the Qin Kingdom, and the other was a secret agent of the Tianwang Organization. They were meeting here to discuss confidential matters when Xu Hei stumbled upon them, prompting them to think of silencing him.

As for what happened here.

Three years ago, the Heavenly Puppet Sect settled in this area, undertaking massive construction, and Wu Mountain had long changed beyond recognition. They couldn't remember anything about the Elephant Tribe or Lion Tribe.

"I see." Xu Hei's face was expressionless.

Given this development, the demonic beasts living in Wu Mountain were likely facing extinction.

He knew there was a guardian deity deep in Wu Mountain, known as the Demon Lord, but he didn't know what had happened to him, why he couldn't protect the demonic beast tribes.

Of course, Man Jin and the others might have migrated deeper into Wu Mountain. After all, the wilderness was vast, and humans couldn't occupy every part. They only occupied the area around Wuyou City and the outskirts of Wu Mountain.

"However, back then, the Snake Catchers Sect did capture a batch of demonic beasts and even hunted a snake. Because the Qin Kingdom was involved, I remember this," the Qin Kingdom elder suddenly said.

"What?" Xu Hei's face darkened.

Without hesitation, he sped toward the Snake Catchers Sect, with the Nine-Headed Worm casually killing the two men and throwing them into the lake, following behind.

...

Snake Catchers Sect.

The Snake Catchers Sect had declined significantly compared to the past. In that battle, many elders and disciples were killed or injured, with seventy percent falling at Xu Hei's hands.

The remaining thirty percent either left or fled due to external forces' encroachment. Only Xu Qingzhi's lingering influence and some hidden resources prevented their destruction.

Later, they played a significant role in helping the Heavenly Puppet Sect with land development, reaping substantial rewards and entering a period of rapid growth.

This barely compensated for a small portion of their past losses.

Recently, they received another opportunity, a chance to change their fate.

"Elders, the destruction of Qin is this year. You won't need to take action, just capture some stragglers. In the future, the territory of the Southern Region will be under the Snake Catchers Sect's control. How about it?"

Little Overlord Xiang Fei personally visited the Snake Catchers Sect to seek cooperation.

Once again, it was time to choose sides.

When the Chu Kingdom still existed, they were forced to choose sides, and because of their indecision, they missed a great opportunity and were instead resented by the Qin Kingdom.

This time, the elders didn't hesitate and sided with the Xiang Family Army.

"Brother Xiang, the world has suffered under Qin for too long. Qin Xuanji is despicable, forcing us into such a situation. It's truly hateful!"

"We are willing to serve!"

All the elders responded in unison.

It must be admitted that the Snake Catchers Sect made the right choice this time. If nothing unexpected happened, when they stormed the Qin Kingdom's Capital City, the Snake Catchers Sect would undoubtedly get a share of the spoils.

This was their chance to rise, and if they seized this opportunity, they could definitely turn their fortunes around!

That night, the Snake Catchers Sect held a banquet to entertain the Xiang Family Army.

For this banquet, they spared no expense, planning to slaughter some demonic beasts they had captured years ago to serve as dishes. These were delicacies that couldn't be bought with money, and other sects might not even have them!

...

In the cage at the back mountain.

Man Jin lay on the ground like a corpse, shackled by chains. His two tusks had been removed, and he was barely breathing. His once indestructible skin was covered in scars.

These wounds had been there for years, never healing, staining the cage with blood.

The only reason he hadn't died was because he had one last wish.

He wanted to see his child.

Back then, to protect the young elephants of the herd, he decided to sacrifice all the adult elephants, including himself, to divert the enemy.

He didn't know if he had succeeded or if the young elephants had been discovered.

During that roundup, his wife died, and the rest of the tribe suffered heavy casualties. Only he had his meridians sealed, lingering on until now.

But he had a premonition that today, his life would also come to an end.

A muscular man approached the cage. He was the butcher of the Snake Catchers Sect, responsible for slaughtering demonic beasts and skinning and deboning them.

It was said that he could remove a demonic beast's skeleton intact without cutting a single piece of meat. His skills were exquisite, earning him the title of the modern-day Butcher Ding, with countless accolades.

Seeing this man, Man Jin knew his life was over.

"You were originally kept for a purpose, maybe to lure out that snake, but to entertain the Xiang Family Army, you'll have to be sacrificed," the butcher said, letting Man Jin die with understanding.

"If you want to eat me, let's see if your teeth can handle it!" Man Jin retorted defiantly.

"That's none of your concern!" the butcher sneered.

He was about to open the cage and drag him out for slaughter.

"Boom!!!"

Suddenly, a thunderous sound echoed in the sky, as if something had struck the Snake Catchers Sect's Formation, causing the entire sect to shake as if an earthquake had erupted.

"What's happening?" The butcher looked into the distance.

"Boom!!"

Another deafening sound followed, reverberating across the land like a meteor falling, shaking the heavens and earth.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Some Ancestors in seclusion awoke from the depths of the back mountain, rising into the sky, heading toward the sect's main gate. This made the butcher, who was holding a knife, immediately realize that something was wrong! An enemy had intruded!

Snake Catchers Sect, main gate.

"Boom!!!"

Another strike came crashing down, and the outer sect's Formation was covered in cracks, growing larger, like shattering glass, filling half the sky.

All the elders and disciples rushed out, looking in fear toward the horizon.

Before they could take action, there was a loud crash, and the Formation shattered, leaving a huge hole in the sky.

From the time the commotion started to when they arrived, it had only been two breaths, and the Formation was already shattered! What an astonishing feat!

Outside the hole stood four figures, their eyes like ice, looking down at the scene below.

"What's going on?"

Xiang Fei and others also came out, looking at the four figures, their pupils contracting.