The moment they approached this area, Ye Fan and Pang Bo were startled. Hundreds of Poison Dragons as thick as wooden barrels were hissing and flicking their tongues, their toxic mist spreading everywhere, corroding a vast stretch of forest beyond recognition. Furthermore, from deep within the dense forest came wave after wave of low, rumbling roars — countless large predatory beasts prowling among the trees.

For unknown reasons, they were not attacking each other. All were frantically agitated, endlessly gathering in this area — more and more of them, like a surging tide, flooding outward from within. The vast majority of the fierce beasts could not even be named.

The sky above had also gathered an enormous number of exotic birds, ceaselessly wheeling at low altitude. Each one was several meters in length — a dense, dark mass blotting out the sky and covering the sun.

“What has happened?”

Both Ye Fan and Pang Bo were greatly astonished. What they witnessed before them was truly staggering — a vast horde of savage beasts and endless fierce birds had massed in this area, all of them in a state of frantic agitation, surging like a raging flood.

Ye Fan observed for a time and said, “I believe they have all retreated outward from deep within the ruin.”

“Could it be because of the battle between the Lightning Bird and the Scale Ape King, which disturbed all the other fierce birds and savage beasts and drove them out here?”

“Hard to say. Even if beast kings were locked in battle, it should not be enough to drive out so many exotic beasts and spiritual birds.”

“How do we get past? With so many fierce birds and savage beasts, packed together like a flood tide, our path is completely blocked.”

“We’ll find a way to go around them. This is absolutely an opportunity. I believe there must be a vacuum zone within — the very deepest area may have a supreme beast king engaged in battle, or perhaps some other upheaval has occurred, driving the vast majority of fierce birds and savage beasts to the outer fringes.”

The two walked around for more than a dozen li before finding a sheer cliff. They climbed up using the hanging vines, then successively scaled several precipitous cliffs, and finally descended along the old vines, at last successfully making it into the depths of the dense forest, having bypassed the flood of fierce beasts and wild birds.

“It’s so quiet in here.”

This territory was filled with towering ancient trees, tangled old vines, and lush, verdant growth — and yet it was utterly silent, as though all living creatures had fled. A dead silence, without a single sound.

“What has happened in the depths of the ruin? Even a battle between beast kings shouldn’t lead to this — I believe it must be some other reason! Otherwise, how could every single fierce bird and savage beast have fled?” Ye Fan and Pang Bo were somewhat uneasy and uncertain, but ultimately pressed onward. Before long they had gone more than a dozen li deeper. The ancient trees grew ever more stately and gnarled — a completely primordial landscape.

Ssssss…

From within a forest of scattered rocks came a soft hissing sound, as though some serpent was flicking its tongue. Five-colored mist billowed in that place, and waves of rank, fetid odor drifted over.

“A giant serpent!” Pang Bo let out a low exclamation.

There in the scattered rock forest was a giant serpent as thick as a water vat, coiled amidst the rocks, continuously spewing five-colored toxic mist from its mouth — intensely agitated and uneasy.

“This is no ordinary serpent — it has grown a jade horn on its head!”

The giant serpent, as thick as a water vat, was covered in palm-sized scales of brilliant, vivid colors, their lustrous patterns gleaming in the sunlight. Most extraordinary of all was the jade horn growing from its head — flowing radiance continuously cascaded down from it, like strands of colored silken thread, gleaming and glittering, pouring into its skull.

“This serpent that has grown a horn has already attained spiritual intelligence. It has learned to inhale and exhale the essence of the sun and moon. If claws were to grow from its underside, it would be what legend calls a Flood Dragon.”

Both of them felt a jolt of wariness in their hearts. Not all the fierce beasts had retreated. Some formidable presences had remained. Yet this giant serpent was also very agitated — seemingly wanting to flee, but somewhat hesitant and irresolute.

Suddenly, from deep within the ruin came a faint, dull sound — like a colossal drum being struck, carrying over from a great distance.

After Ye Fan and Pang Bo heard that dull sound, for some inexplicable reason, their hearts were filled with a sense of dread. And at this moment, the giant serpent with the jade horn involuntarily shuddered several times, then suddenly coiled its body and moved rapidly, charging deep into the rock forest at speed.

“The serpent’s lair!”

The rock forest was its den. It charged in a state of frantic agitation into a great black cavern and refused to come out again. The five-colored toxic mist dispersed, the rank odor drifted away, and everything within the rock forest became clearly visible.

“That should be the jade-horned serpent the teaching elder mentioned!” At first neither of them had made the connection, but once the toxic mist dispersed and they caught sight of the dark, gaping serpent hole deep within the rock forest, certain things came to mind.

“I remember the teaching elder saying that this kind of jade-horned serpent takes more than a hundred years of inhaling and exhaling the essence of the sun and moon before it evolves into this form. In its habitat, there grows a rare spiritual medicine called ‘Jade Serpent Orchid’…”

Both had some recollection of this, but their memories were not very clear. Apart from teaching mystical techniques, the teaching elder had also passed on a great deal of other knowledge over these months — explanations of cultivation texts, weapons, and spiritual medicines, among other things. Ye Fan and Pang Bo had focused primarily on cultivation and had not devoted too much effort to other knowledge. Before this training excursion, they had crammed through the relevant texts, or they would have been able to identify many of the medicinal herbs by sight but might not have recognized them quickly enough.

“It really is a Jade Serpent Orchid!”

Both Ye Fan and Pang Bo were greatly excited. There at the entrance to that dark serpent hole, they saw three strange plants about the height of a palm. Their forms were white as jade, crystalline and translucent throughout — at first glance, they looked like three small white serpents standing upright, hung with a few white jade leaves, and bearing a radiant white jade orchid flower at their tips.

The three plants were very strange, but one could tell at a glance that they were extraordinary — faint flowing radiance shimmered upon them, and from them drifted an intermittent gentle fragrance carried on the breeze.

“That’s right, they’re Jade Serpent Orchids!”

Upon actually seeing the Jade Serpent Orchids with their own eyes, the teaching elder’s words seemed to resound once more in their ears. The two immediately recalled the precious value of this plant.

It was said that when an old serpent inhaled and exhaled the essence of the sun and moon, the surrounding area would be permeated with spiritual energy — but ordinary plants could not bear it at all, and even spiritual herbs would over time crumble to dust. Only one kind of extraordinary orchid could survive. Following along as the old serpent inhaled and exhaled the essence of the sun and moon to absorb the spiritual energy, and after more than a hundred years of being bathed in this spiritual energy, it would amass a great quantity of solar and lunar essence and transform into a strange plant resembling an old serpent in shape. This was why it was called the Jade Serpent Orchid.

It possessed extraordinary detoxifying properties, capable of neutralizing many kinds of rare poisons in the world. Growing beside a serpent’s hole, it matched well the principle that beside venomous creatures there must be herbs that counteract poison. Beyond this, having inhaled and exhaled the essence of the sun and moon alongside the old serpent, it had amassed a great quantity of Life Essence, making it greatly coveted by cultivators.

The two suppressed their impulse and did not dare rush over to pluck them directly. It was said that the old serpent had prepared these for itself — once the Jade Serpent Orchids had fully transformed into the likeness of an old serpent, it would swallow them. If anyone harbored designs on the Jade Serpent Orchids, the old serpent would fight with all its might.

“The old serpent has already transformed into a jade-horned serpent, but these three Jade Serpent Orchids have not fully transformed into the likeness of an old serpent — they have not completely matured yet.”

“How do we go about picking them…”

“I think this old serpent was just now frightened and has retreated deep into its lair, not daring to come out for the time being. If we quietly slip over, we should be able to successfully pick them.”

“That’s a bit risky. Let’s wait a moment. If that dull, muffled sound from deep within the ruin rings out again, we’ll make a swift dash over, pick them, and immediately make our escape.”

“Good — let’s patiently wait a little while.”

After the two finished discussing, they concealed themselves within the rock forest. Although they did not know what was occurring deep within the ruin, they felt that this state of affairs should still be continuing and that the dull sound from before would ring out again.

Sure enough, in less than a quarter of an hour, the muffled sound rang out three times in succession. Ye Fan’s and Pang Bo’s hearts were filled with dread — an extraordinary feeling, as though their very souls were trembling involuntarily.

The two steadied their minds, then charged forward at speed, pulling the three Jade Serpent Orchids from the entrance of the serpent hole and fleeing into the rock forest without looking back.

Having run for several li, they finally stopped — and by this time, from behind in the direction they had come, a rumbling sound reached them. That rock forest seemed to have been struck by an earthquake, which clearly meant the old serpent had charged out.

Boom!

Once more a dull, muffled sound came from deep within the ruin. The hearts of both Ye Fan and Pang Bo clenched violently along with it, a sharp pain flaring in their chests — yet it was precisely this muffled sound that silenced the rock forest where the old serpent was.

“Good thing we succeeded. I was truly afraid that old serpent would give chase. It has already attained spiritual intelligence — ordinary powerful cultivators cannot deal with it, to say nothing of us.” The two sat down on a large bluestone slab and wiped the cold sweat from their brows.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo carefully examined the Jade Serpent Orchids in their hands. They truly looked just like an old serpent bearing leaves and topped with an orchid flower — even the stem was covered in patterns resembling scales, translucent throughout, as though carved from fine mutton-fat jade. The heart-refreshing fragrance surged straight into one’s five viscera and six bowels.

“A pity they haven’t fully matured yet…”

“Count your blessings — things like this are a matter of chance and cannot be sought after.”

“It’s said they have amassed a great quantity of Life Essence. I wonder what the true effects will be.”

“Find a safe place and try taking one.”

Neither of them would dream of exchanging the Jade Serpent Orchids with the Spirit Void Cave Heaven’s elders for Hundred Herb Fluid. This kind of thing must certainly be many times stronger than Hundred Herb Fluid — the essence refined from a hundred kinds of medicinal herbs.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo seized some vines and climbed up a sheer cliff. The vegetation here was lush, yet there was no trace of beast or bird — utterly silent.

“Take the Jade Serpent Orchid, and we won’t need to worry about serpents and poisonous insects even if we encounter them later.”

After a brief discussion, Ye Fan decided to take one first and see what the effects were. His constitution was more special — he had no worry of the medicinal power being too intense and piercing through his Sea of Bitterness.

Ye Fan bit off half of a Jade Serpent Orchid in one mouthful. Fragrance immediately billowed outward — the entire clifftop was filled with clear, fresh perfume. His mouth was saturated with rich, mellow fragrance, and he felt all the pores across his body opening wide. The surrounding air was permeated with spiritual energy. The severed Jade Serpent Orchid was wafting outward with streams of Life Essence, fine rays of rosy light flowing and circulating. Ye Fan quickly put the remaining half into his mouth as well.

After that, he immediately sat cross-legged and began to circulate the mystical techniques recorded in the Scripture of the Dao, motionless as a fossil. Before long, Ye Fan’s breathing suddenly became rapid and urgent. His complexion became as red as blood — blood vessels bulging, skin flushed crimson — and then faint glimmers of light began to seep from the surface of his body.

Pang Bo was very tense, watching silently. He could sense a tremendous spiritual energy battering against Ye Fan’s flesh and viscera.

One could even clearly hear Ye Fan’s blood surging with a rumbling sound, like a great rolling river charging onward. A powerful Life Essence was circulating within his body, continuously flushing through his flesh and blood, the radiance overflowing outward.

Not until half an hour later did the roaring sound within Ye Fan’s blood vessels cease. His breathing gradually lengthened, his pulse stabilized, and his entire being became far more animated.

Boom!

Suddenly, at this very moment, Ye Fan’s Sea of Bitterness erupted with blazing streams of golden light — divine rainbows in every direction, brilliant radiance dazzling beyond description.

“Here it comes!” Pang Bo was somewhat excited.

The scene witnessed before reappeared. Ye Fan’s Sea of Bitterness transformed into a golden ocean. Wave after wave of tsunami sound rumbled out — like ten thousand soldiers and horses charging at full gallop, deafening beyond measure.

Waves of fury crashing to the heavens, blinding golden light, an endless ocean churning and undulating, sweeping upward to the high heavens — blazing divine radiance scattering across the sky in all directions.

Boom, boom, boom!

Lightning flashed and thunder rolled. Strokes of golden lightning split the sky, ten thousand peals of thunder resounding through the heavens. Within that destructive force was contained boundless vitality — vigorous life surging and pulsing amidst the dancing arcs of electricity.

The golden ocean, with its monstrous, sky-crashing waves, intertwined with the blazing lightning, forming an extraordinary world of infinite divine radiance.

The deafening roar of the tsunami reached them. Even though Pang Bo had witnessed this before, at this moment he was still somewhat dazed. The golden Sea of Bitterness seemed to possess a strange power, vibrating endlessly.

Ye Fan’s Sea of Bitterness blazed with brilliant splendor, causing all the surrounding scenery to shimmer with divine radiance.

A full two hours passed before everything gradually calmed. The golden light drew inward, the roar of the waves disappeared, and Ye Fan’s Sea of Bitterness returned to stillness. His entire being suddenly became much more transcendent and ethereal — possessing the bearing of an immortal, appearing to have shed all worldly ties.

Half an hour later, Ye Fan opened his eyes. It was as though two bolts of lightning flashed past. His eyes shone with brilliant divine light, his spirit full and vigorous, his blood and energy robust.

“How do you feel?”

“I feel wonderful. The Sea of Bitterness has grown larger.” Ye Fan began to circulate the mystical techniques recorded in the Scripture of the Dao, and immediately a point of golden light blazed at his Sea of Bitterness. The sesame-seed-sized Sea of Bitterness had grown to the size of a soybean, like a divine lamp fixed in place there.

“This speed of expansion… is truly astonishing!” While Pang Bo was overjoyed for Ye Fan, he was also greatly startled. This time, Ye Fan had expanded his Sea of Bitterness in one stroke by many times over.

The golden Sea of Bitterness pulsed with fine threads of divine power, making Ye Fan feel infinitely at ease in his every movement. The fine threads of divine radiance drifting from the Sea of Bitterness were nourishing his flesh and blood. Ye Fan circulated the mystical techniques of the Scripture of the Dao, and a stream of golden divine radiance burst forth from his Sea of Bitterness, shooting out along his fingers — with a faint shhk, it pierced straight through a towering ancient tree before them.

Pang Bo was immediately dumbstruck. “You… you can actually launch an attack similar to a ‘Divine Mark’!”

“The Jade Serpent Orchid is truly extraordinary. The Life Essence it contains is many times more potent than those dozens of bottles of Hundred Herb Fluid from before!” Ye Fan marveled with deep feeling. This time, he had expanded the golden Sea of Bitterness with exceptional smoothness.

Pang Bo also showed an expression of excitement. “This training excursion was not made in vain after all. We’ve gained these three spiritual medicines — they must be worth more than the total gains of everyone else combined.”

“I truly don’t know what has happened deep within the ruin. Shall we continue going deeper?”

“Of course we press on. Let’s go in further — there may still be more gains to be had. The fierce birds and savage beasts have all fled. This opportunity is rare! And deep within the ruin, some astonishing change may be taking place — for us, perhaps this is an extraordinary stroke of fortune.”