A Serpent Reborn and the Veins of the Earth

“You have a spirit-beast? Who? I didn’t see it?” The green-robed girl looked around, her heart faintly vexed. She was a Wanxiang great demon, after all. It was only because she was tired of roaming the world alone that she had wanted to settle down in the Yaolian Mountain region.

Ji Ning’s sudden appearance earlier, when she was being hunted by the Dragon Whale great demon—especially the past connection between them—had made her want to travel the world with him.

Who would have thought this Ji Clan brat would actually refuse?

“It’s Uncle White,” Ji Ning said. “Uncle White originally followed my father. After my father died, he has followed me ever since. The reason he hasn’t come over is that I’m currently undergoing the Yinglong Guard trial, which doesn’t allow spirit-beasts to be brought into Mount Yujue Wasteland.”

“Oh.” The green-robed girl nodded, but said nothing.

Ji Ning revealed a smile. “Although I already have a spirit-beast, since you’re so insistent on following me, I suppose I’ll begrudgingly accept you.”

“What do you mean, begrudgingly?!” The green-robed girl glared at him.

“Alright, let’s leave this place first.” Ji Ning glanced at the cracked wasteland around them. “The noise from our battle might attract other monsters.”

Mu Northson and Qingqing both nodded.

Immediately, a dragon-headed warship appeared out of thin air, and the three of them leaped aboard.

At their level of cultivation, they had long been able to fly through the air using their own power. However, flight speed was far inferior to controlling a magic treasure... and controlling a magic treasure wasn’t as effortless as riding a construct warship.

Swish!

The dragon-headed warship flew through the clouds and mist. Ji Ning produced a spirit-beast talisman, and the green-robed girl willingly became his spirit-beast.

On the warship, Ji Ning looked at the green-robed girl beside him. “I’ll call you Xiaoqing.”

“Fine.” The green-robed girl nodded. “From today on, I’ll be called Ji Qingqing. What do you think?”

Ji Ning was taken aback.

Beside them, Mu Northson couldn’t help but tease, “In the tribe where I grew up, when a woman with no surname married a man, she would usually take his surname.”

“Ji Ning, your junior apprentice-brother is quite naughty! I’m old enough to be your grandmother!” Qingqing glared.

Ji Ning laughed as well. “Alright, alright. You can be Ji Qingqing. From now on, you’ll follow me... If one day you no longer wish to, just tell me, and I’ll set you free.”

Influenced by his father Ji Yichuan, Ji Ning treated his spirit-beasts like brothers and sisters. He would never force a spirit-beast to its death or enslave it.

“You saved my life, so I’m sticking with you for good,” Qingqing said, pouting. “Besides, you’re growing even faster than I am... I want to see what you’ll become.”

“Xiaoqing, what happened to you after the battle at Eastmarsh Swamp back then? How did you end up here?” Ji Ning asked.

Mu Northson also listened intently.

Qingqing said, “After I comprehended Void Shuttle and escaped from Tie Muzhan that year, I quickly left the Yan Mountains... I began to roam the outside world. Relying on my talent for void-shuttling, I discovered some rare fruits and crystalline essences, and soon reached the Zifu stage. Afterwards, I went to White Dragon Mountain, drawn there by its reputation.”

“White Dragon Mountain?” Ji Ning blinked. “The White Dragon Immortal?”

Among the human powers, aside from the strongest Anchan Beishan Clan and the Yinglong Guard, there were eight major sects: the Black-White College, the Rift Sword Sect, the Hundred Flowers Immortal Realm, the Donghe Clan, the Lie-Dragon Clan, the Mulan Clan, the Heavenly Sage Cult, and the Blood God Cult.

These were the human powers.

The demon race also had its great powers, such as certain Immortals. The White Dragon Immortal was one of the more famous. She was a female dragon whose strength was immense. She taught without discrimination; she would accept almost anyone who came to her. And she had indeed trained many powerful demon experts, even producing Earth Immortals and Loose Immortals.

“I was valued quite highly at White Dragon Mountain, and was granted techniques,” Qingqing said. “After a few years of cultivation there, I reached the peak of the Zifu stage. My sect elders then ordered me to go out and wander, saying that the Skygreen Serpent race could only grow quickly through constant adventure. They sent me to Mount Yujue Wasteland. I’ve been here for over three years now, advancing from peak Zifu to the mid-Wanxiang stage.”

Ji Ning quickly asked, “What level is your Wanxiang phantasm?”

“I’m naturally valued by my sect, so it’s a bright moon hanging high in the sky,” Qingqing said confidently.

Ji Ning and Mu Northson exchanged a glance, both secretly startled.

Over three years...

From peak Zifu to mid-Wanxiang. Both knew how much elemental energy that required. Ji Ning had refined over two thousand catties of Primordial Liquid and had only reached the early Wanxiang stage.

“How many lucky encounters have you had in Mount Yujue Wasteland?” Ji Ning asked.

“Seven or eight, I suppose,” Qingqing said casually, then her eyes lit up. “Oh, right, I’ve already used up all the edible ones. But there are two places that might be very useful for you two.”

“Where?” Ji Ning and Mu Northson both grew eager.

Lucky encounters?

Aside from his narrow escape from death in the aquatic palace as a youth, Ji Ning had never really had any.

“I found a cold-sha vein and an earthfire vein,” Qingqing said.

“Cold-sha vein? Earthfire vein?” Ji Ning and Mu Northson’s eyes blazed with excitement. In unison, they asked, “Where?”

What were cold-sha and earthfire?

When Pangu split heaven and earth, many natural forces were born—water, fire, thunder, light, and so on.

For example, when Ji Ning attained his Fiendgod body, the supreme stars—the Taiyin Star and the Sunstar—had sent down a sliver of Taiyin True Water and Sunstar True Fire, forging his Fiendgod body. That single sliver of Taiyin True Water and Sunstar True Fire, if used in battle, could kill even an Earth Immortal at a touch.

That was the power of the supreme stars. That was why even Immortals could not interrupt or destroy the process of breaking through to the Xiantian stage.

Fire, from low to high, could be divided into human fire, earthfire, skyfire, and true fire.

Human fire was simply the mundane fire of the mortal world, the most common type.

Earthfire... was a special type of flame born from deep within the earth. In theory, a Zifu Disciple could absorb a wisp of earthfire into their Zifu to nurture it. However, the danger was too great. Most cultivators waited until the Wanxiang stage to absorb earthfire, nurturing it in their Zifu over a long period.

Earthfire had nine grades, from the low ninth grade all the way up to the high first grade!

Ninth, eighth, and seventh grades were low-grade. Sixth, fifth, and fourth were mid-grade. Third, second, and first were high-grade.

First-grade earthfire represented the peak of earthfire.

Once one reached the upper three grades, one could then absorb a wisp of ‘skyfire’ and evolve their earthfire into the ‘skyfire’ level.

The same held true for water.

Water was also divided into human water, earth water, sky water, and true water. Human water naturally needed no explanation—it was just common water. Earth water was essentially ‘cold-sha.’

Whether one wanted to nurture earthfire or nurture cold-sha, they would need to find an earthfire vein or a cold-sha vein naturally formed deep within the earth. By absorbing enough earthfire or cold-sha into the body and ‘planting’ the seed, a flame seed could take root, allowing one to begin nurturing earthfire. Without finding an earthfire vein or cold-sha vein... there was simply no way. These were treasures of the natural world, found only by chance.

“They’re right here in Mount Yujue Wasteland. The cold-sha vein is closer, the earthfire vein is farther,” Qingqing said directly.

“Qingqing, you’re amazing.” Mu Northson was both excited and deeply impressed. “We haven’t been able to find a single one, and you easily found two.”

“Heh heh, there are places you ordinary people would never dare to go. I would just use spatial void-shuttle to slip inside and carefully investigate... After enough investigations, I naturally found them,” Qingqing said proudly. “Where humans rarely tread, treasures are naturally born over time.”

Ji Ning quickly asked, “What kind of cold-sha is it? What kind of earthfire?”

Cold-sha and earthfire were umbrella terms.

Earthfire could be divided into over a hundred types, such as ‘Yin Flame Earthfire’ and ‘Cyan Thunder Earthfire.’ Even skyfire could be divided into many types, and true fire—whose inconceivable power could terrify even Immortals—could also be divided into several.

“At White Dragon Mountain, I got a copy of the ‘Miscellaneous Records of Heaven and Earth Treasures.’ It recorded spiritual fruits and herbs, but not these earthfires and cold-shas. You’ll see when we get there.” Qingqing said quickly, “That cold-sha vein... I estimate it can still be used three to five more times. That earthfire vein is more dangerous; it can probably only be used once or twice.”

Absorbing earthfire and planting it within the body was a mining process. A single cold-sha vein could only sustain a few extractions before being depleted.

“I lean toward water and wood. I’ll choose the cold-sha,” Mu Northson said.

“I cultivate the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens.” Ji Ning smiled. “My body was born from Taiyin True Water and Sunstar True Fire. As for the cold-sha and earthfire... I’ll go extract from both.”

“Good. Let’s set out.” Qingqing stood at the railing, glanced down, and pointed north. “Head that way.”

“Alright.” Mu Northson agreed.

The dragon-headed warship immediately moved in the direction Qingqing had indicated.

Ji Ning was also filled with anticipation.

His divine runes already possessed the ability to control water and fire. If he also nurtured earthfire and cold-sha within his body, then when they were combined, at the very least, the power of his Water-Fire Lotus would increase greatly. He would also gain other new techniques. If he nurtured earthfire and cold-sha to a high enough level, they would absolutely be no weaker than a divine ability.

While Ji Ning and his group were heading toward the cold-sha vein’s location, a secluded mountain cave within a desolate, low mountain range...

“Whoosh.”

A figure in a golden robe slowly opened his eyes. “I’m finally fully healed.”

“The six of us—Beihe Zhou and I—joined forces, yet in the end, we still failed. Fortunately, I had the protective treasure I obtained from that lucky encounter six years ago, which allowed me to flee. I wonder if the others are alive or dead.” Dongyi thought to himself. Every time he recalled that battle, he felt both lingering fear and rage.

He had long heard of Ji Ning’s reputation, knowing he was a monstrous genius. But he had never imagined that six elite Wanxiang adepts, all true elites, would be so utterly crushed.

“That secret divine sense art... I still don’t know if it was Ji Ning or Mu Northson who cast it.” Even now, Dongyi still couldn’t figure out which of the two had used that divine sense technique.

“This mountain cave is extremely secluded. It’s the most hidden one I’ve ever found. I’ve been recuperating here for so long without anyone finding me.” Dongyi secretly rejoiced. “It seems there’s even an underground river beneath this cave.”

Dongyi moved, following the winding tunnel deeper.

Following the underground river, he continued to explore.

Soon, he felt an increasing heat. Gradually, he noticed a crack in the deep earth where a faint, golden-tinged flame burned, hot and fierce.

“An earthfire vein!” Dongyi exclaimed in surprise.