286: Chapter 286: The Serpent King Recognizes His Ancestor

"What is this aura?"

Lion Cangqiong's mane stood on end, and his golden flames were suppressed by that decaying aura, flickering on and off.

His slit pupils were filled with wariness; he lowered his body slightly, ready to pounce at any moment.

"It is not spiritual power, nor is it Demonic Qi, but rather... Death Qi."

On Feng Tian's colorful feathers, the Nirvana Fire flickered as if resisting something.

Her amber eyes were filled with gravity, and her wings spread slightly.

"A Seal... it is the aura of a Seal." Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong's hand pressed onto his sword hilt, his thumb gently stroking the patterns on the scabbard.

His Sword Intent circulated around his body, resisting the erosion of that decaying aura.

"There is something inside here. So, he was the one behind all of this."

The vortex in Sparrow Emperor's blood-red eyes spun faster and faster, and his body trembled slightly, unsure whether from excitement or fear.

"Such a powerful aura..."

City Lord Li Qingge held the unconscious Old City Lord Li Cang and retreated to the entrance of the Stone Chamber.

His face was pale, and cold sweat rained down his forehead, but his voice remained relatively calm.

"Everyone, be careful. There is something wrong with that bead."

"Boom—!"

As soon as he finished speaking.

With a deafening boom, a massive figure slowly condensed in the center of the light.

The Nine-Headed Snake Emperor.

The strongest of the Yao Race, slain by Li Qinglian ten thousand years ago.

Its remnant soul had been sealed in these ruins for ten thousand years, devouring the cultivation and life force of countless Cultivators who entered the ruins, finally condensing into a physical form.

"Cultivation World, your Emperor has returned..."

All nine heads spoke at once, their voices hoarse, ear-piercing, and terribly unpleasant.

The voice echoed throughout the Stone Chamber, shaking loose rubble from the dome, which fell with a rustling sound.

An invisible pressure erupted from its body, vast as a mountain and deep as a sea, suppressing every Body Integration Stage Cultivator present until they could not breathe.

Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong's pupils contracted sharply.

His fingers tightened fiercely on the sword hilt, his knuckles turning white.

His entire Sword Intent was screaming a warning, and that decaying aura made his very Sword Heart tremble.

Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, and said in a deep voice.

"The Nine-Headed Snake Emperor... the Yao Emperor who was slain by Li Qinglian ten thousand years ago is actually still alive."

"Its remnant soul has been sealed here all along."

Lion Cangqiong's golden mane stood on end, his slit pupils filled with wariness.

He subconsciously took half a step back, then forced himself to stop.

He was the Old Ancestor of the Golden Lion Clan; he could not show weakness in front of others.

But his voice betrayed him, carrying a trace of trembling.

"Impossible! Back then, Li Qinglian killed it with a single sword strike, even destroying its Divine Soul! How could it appear again? The records from ten thousand years ago cannot be false!"

Feng Tian's colorful feathers stood on end, and the Nirvana Fire burned even brighter on her tail feathers.

Her amber eyes were filled with gravity, and her wings spread slightly, ready for battle at any moment.

"Perhaps Li Qinglian did not completely kill it back then, but only sealed it."

"For ten thousand years, it has been devouring Cultivators who entered the ruins, accumulating strength, waiting for resurrection."

"Those missing Cultivators, those Prodigies whose Soul Lamps were extinguished, were all devoured by it."

The vortex in the Sparrow Emperor's blood-red eyes spun even faster. His blood was boiling; his Guixu Heaven-Swallowing Divine Ability had an instinctive reaction to the Nine-Headed Snake Emperor's aura.

He crouched on a stone pillar, wings folded, like a mass of solidified darkness.

"Its aura... is stronger than all of us. Even as a physical body condensed from a remnant soul, it far exceeds the Body Integration Peak."

"Old City Lord Li Cang, Family Head Zhao Tiangang, Lei Tian, and Chi Tian have all had their cultivation devoured by it."

City Lord Li Qingge held the unconscious Old City Lord Li Cang.

His face was pale, and cold sweat rained down his forehead.

His father, the Body Integration Peak Old City Lord Li Cang, had been crippled by this Yao Emperor in a single move.

He, at the Body Integration Middle Stage, would just be throwing his life away if he went up.

"Its core is in the law seed. Destroy the law seed, and it will be finished."

The Nine-Headed Snake Emperor's nine heads lowered simultaneously, its blood-red slit pupils sweeping over everyone present.

Its gaze paused on Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong, then shifted to Lion Cangqiong, and finally rested on the Snake Emperor.

The contemporary Clan Chief of the Nine-Headed Snake Clan.

"Junior of the Nine-Headed Snake Clan, upon seeing this Emperor, why do you not kneel?"

Its voice carried the majesty of a Yao Emperor from ten thousand years ago, brook no argument.

The Snake Emperor's seven heads hung low, his twenty-seven eyes filled with complex expressions.

He was the Clan Chief of the Nine-Headed Snake Clan, having cultivated for thousands of years and holding great power among the Yao Race.

But in front of the Nine-Headed Snake Emperor from ten thousand years ago, he was indeed just a junior.

The blood of the Nine-Headed Snake Emperor flowed in his veins, and he could sense that ancient and pure pressure emanating from the other party.

The Snake Emperor was trembling at this moment, his heart pounding wildly.

He looked at the Nine-Headed Snake Emperor for a moment, then at Lion Cangqiong, Feng Tian, Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong, and the Sparrow Emperor.

Lion Cangqiong sensed something was wrong, his golden slit pupils staring fixedly at the Snake Emperor.

His mane stood on end, and the golden flames burned even brighter.

Although he was injured, his Battle Intent remained.

His voice was cold and sharp: "Snake Emperor, what do you mean? Do you intend to defect to it?"

"It is not a member of the Yao Race now; it is an alien entity."

Feng Tian also frowned, her colorful feathers slightly ruffled, the Nirvana Fire flickering on her tail feathers.

Her left wing was still numb, but her tone was cold.

"Snake Emperor, do not forget your identity. You are the Clan Chief of the Nine-Headed Snake Clan, but you are also a member of the Yao Race."

"Do you intend to betray all the Yao Race?"

Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong did not speak, but his Sword Intent had already locked onto the Snake Emperor.

His hand pressed onto his sword hilt, his thumb gently stroking the patterns on the scabbard.

As long as the Snake Emperor made the slightest move, his sword would strike.

The vortex in the Sparrow Emperor's blood-red eyes spun; his voice was low: "Snake Emperor, think clearly. If you defect to it, will it really treat you as one of its own?"

"You are merely its pawn. Once it unifies the Cultivation World, the first one it will eliminate is you."

"Because it does not need a second leader of the Nine-Headed Snake Clan."

The Snake Emperor's seven heads rose simultaneously, a flash of determination in his slit pupils.

He took a deep breath, and then suddenly moved.

Not pouncing toward the Nine-Headed Snake Emperor, but toward Lion Cangqiong.

"Bang!"

The Snake Emperor's tail lashed against Lion Cangqiong's waist.

Caught off guard, Lion Cangqiong was whipped away, slamming into the stone wall and spitting blood.

He struggled to climb up, glaring furiously at the Snake Emperor: "Snake Emperor! You are crazy! What are you doing!"

The Snake Emperor did not answer.

He turned and pounced toward Feng Tian, his seven heads opening their mouths simultaneously, spitting out poison mist, poison fire, poison smoke, poison needles, poison threads, poison miasma, and poison lightning.

The seven types of attacks covered the sky and earth, shrouding Feng Tian.

Feng Tian flapped her wings, and the Nirvana Fire turned into a sea of fire, blocking most of the attacks, but a poison needle pierced through the flames and struck her left wing.

Her left wing went numb instantly, and the Nirvana Fire dimmed slightly.

"Snake Emperor! What are you doing!"

Feng Tian shouted sharply, her voice filled with anger and confusion.

The Snake Emperor ignored her. He charged toward the Nine-Headed Snake Emperor, his seven heads raised high, shouting hoarsely.

"Old Ancestor! It is me! I am the current Clan Chief of the Nine-Headed Snake Clan! I respectfully welcome the return of the Old Ancestor!"

He rushed in front of the Nine-Headed Snake Emperor, his seven heads lowering simultaneously, his body prostrating on the ground like a submissive snake.

The Nine-Headed Snake Emperor's nine heads laughed simultaneously, the laughter sharp and ear-piercing, echoing in the Stone Chamber.

"Good, good, good. The Nine-Headed Snake Clan still has a loyal junior like you; this Emperor is very gratified."

One of its heads lowered, its slit pupil staring at the Snake Emperor.

"You have done very well. Once this Emperor unifies the Cultivation World, you will be the first general under this Emperor's command."

The Snake Emperor's body trembled, not knowing if it was from excitement or fear.

"Thank you, Old Ancestor!"