1: Chapter 1 Reincarnation as an Emerald Serpent
"I can't move..."
"Have I been kidnapped!?"
"No, please! We live in a society ruled by law; kidnapping me won't end well for you!"
Regaining consciousness, Xu Qing struggled desperately. He felt his entire body tightly wrapped, and everything before his eyes was pitch black.
He suspected he had been tied up hand and foot and stuffed into a sack.
*Puchi.*
As he struggled, a glimmer of light appeared in the darkness; it seemed he had burst through the sack.
"Finally, I'm out!"
"Hiss!"
Xu Qing scrambled toward the light and broke free from his constraints.
The scent of freedom rushed over him.
[Ding! Achievement Unlocked: Breaking Out of the Shell]
[Reward: Dao Cultivation +1 Year]
"Who! Who's talking!?"
"I'm warning you, we live in a society ruled by law! Kidnapping is easily discovered!"
"Surrendering for a lighter sentence is your best option!"
Xu Qing shook his green head, his large eyes filled with "bluster masking inner fear."
But before he could find the kidnapper, he felt a wave of warmth through his body, as comfortable as soaking in a hot spring.
The air in front of him distorted.
A transparent panel appeared out of thin air.
[Name] Xu Qing
[Race] Emerald-Green Snake (Yao)
[Bloodline] Mortal Grade
[Affinity] Wood
[Dao Cultivation] 1 Year / 10 Years
[Rank] Spirit Opening Demon Beast
[Cultivation Technique] None
[Skill] Constrict Lv1
[Innate Divine Ability] Insight Lv1 (Can perceive the Dao Cultivation of others)
[Evolution Bar] 0/10
[Evolution Path] Green Snake
[Tip] Killing living beings grants Dao Cultivation and item rewards.
[Description] A relatively common type of snake. Non-venomous and docile. Often mistaken for the venomous Bamboo Pit Viper and killed by humans with stones. Very low danger level. Feeds on worms and insects.
"..."
"I've transmigrated? Like those popular stories online? The kind where you're reincarnated as an animal?"
"This has to be fake! This isn't something to be happy about!"
"Wait a minute... Race: Snake? Don't tell me I've become a snake!"
Xu Qing was so startled that his scales stood on end.
Having read countless novels, he had seen many reincarnation stories; turning into various animals was quite common.
Before he could even examine his Golden Finger, he hurriedly turned his head to inspect his current appearance.
Emerald green scales covered his long, slender body—smooth and delicate, like pieces of jade.
Perhaps because his mindset and aesthetics were adapting to being a snake, he didn't feel the fear he would have in his past life.
Instead, he found it quite beautiful.
He felt a sense of pride: "As expected of This Snake, these scales really are delicate and beautiful."
He quietly admired his scales for a while, immersed in the feeling of how good-looking he was...
"No, I'm not a narcissistic snake!"
Xu Qing shook his head and snapped out of it. The most urgent task was to figure out his surroundings.
As everyone knows, both snakes and modern college students are nearsighted.
Perhaps due to the boost from his Dao Cultivation, Xu Qing's eyesight was slightly better.
He could only make out that he was in a dark, narrow cave with a bit of light filtering in.
Aside from that, he couldn't see much else.
Xu Qing hesitated, then slithered toward the cave exit while flicking his tongue.
He needed to determine if this world was still Earth.
However, based on the panel's description, he had already prepared himself for the possibility that he wasn't on Earth.
After all, things like Cultivation Techniques and Dao Cultivation didn't seem like things that could exist on Earth.
Emerging from the cave, the light was a bit blinding.
Yet the green snake reared up his front half, silently staring at the sky, motionless in front of the cave.
"...So I really am not on Earth anymore?"
High in the sky, two suns hung side by side, radiating brilliant light.
"Regardless of where I am, I'm so hungry."
A large, wriggling earthworm passed by.
It looked exceptionally plump and juicy.
"..."
"Don't blame me for being ruthless!"
He slithered over quickly and swallowed it in one gulp.
It felt like eating noodles, and the taste wasn't bad.
His large eyes were full of intoxication.
[Ding! Killed Earthworm]
[Dao Cultivation +0.5]
[Evolution Points +2]
[Achievement Unlocked: First Hunt]
[Reward: Snake Clan Cultivation Technique "Hundred Snakes Breathing Method"]
"Hmm, a Cultivation Technique too? Is this a standard newbie reward?"
Having just swallowed the earthworm, Xu Qing manipulated the panel with his tail and clicked to learn the technique.
After becoming a snake, his tail had become his most flexible part.
[Automatically learning "Hundred Snakes Breathing Method"]
[Progress: 1%... 10%...]
Unfamiliar information began to surface in Xu Qing's mind.
The "Hundred Snakes Breathing Method" was created by a Great Snake Yao. It is of the Wood attribute and allows one to absorb the essence of the sun and moon from the world, converting it into Dao Cultivation.
Xu Qing suspected it was a common, low-tier technique.
According to the description in the breathing method, Dao Cultivation supports the casting of Spells and Demonic Techniques.
Yao with less than ten years of Dao Cultivation are Spirit Opening Demon Beasts.
Those with ten to a hundred years are Qi Refining Minor Yao.
Those with a hundred to three hundred years are Foundation Establishment Great Yao.
Those with three hundred to a thousand years are Demon Core Demon Generals.
Those with a thousand to three thousand years are Yao Infant Yao Kings.
Those with three thousand to ten thousand years are Soul Transformation Yao Emperors.
Dao Cultivation is accumulated through Cultivation; one doesn't gain ten years of Dao Cultivation simply by living for ten years.
Xu Qing attempted to circulate the Cultivation Technique.
A green spiritual light seemed to swirl within his large eyes.
From Xu Qing's perspective, tiny green specks of light appeared around him, gathering and being consumed with every breath he took.
[Dao Cultivation +0.01] [Evolution Points +0.02]
After breathing for about ten minutes, the panel finally changed.
"So slow!"
"I'd be better off hunting with this time!"
Xu Qing shook his head and stopped his Cultivation.
After all, he had a cheat. To have a cheat and not use it, instead Cultivating normally, would be a disgrace to transmigrators throughout history.
Xu Qing slithered slowly through the forest in an S-shape, flicking his tongue.
Flicking his tongue helped him locate heat sources.
Besides, keeping his tongue tucked in felt very uncomfortable.
In just this short time, he had completely adapted to being a snake.
...
[Ding! Killed Earthworm]
[Dao Cultivation +0.5, Evolution Points +2]
[Evolution Points full. Ready to evolve at any time.]
He had practically plowed the surrounding ground, pulling out and eating every single earthworm.
"I'll head back to the cave before evolving."
Not knowing how long the evolution would take, it was safer to do it in a secure place.
Returning to the cave, he coiled up and opened the System panel.
A day of hunting had maxed out his Evolution Points; he could evolve at any time.
"Begin evolution."
[Ding! Executing command.]
A warm green light enveloped Xu Qing.
He could feel his body gradually lengthening and thickening, while a horny layer quickly began to form on his skin.
His green scales emitted a cyan glow beneath the horny layer.
Over time, the horny layer began to crack and fall off, and the glow faded.
A sense of comfort spread throughout his body, making him want to stretch out in the cave.
But he soon realized that the once spacious cave now felt too small for him to stretch.
"Did the cave get smaller? No, I got bigger."
Xu Qing turned his head to inspect his body.
His scales still shimmered with a beautiful luster, like pieces of jade.
His body was significantly thicker and longer, yet his proportions remained slender and elegant.
He hadn't become bloated or lost his shape.
He estimated his current length to be around 1.5 or 1.6 meters, twice as large as before his evolution.
"As long as I'm still good-looking."
Xu Qing wagged his tail happily, clearly quite satisfied with his appearance.
[Name] Xu Qing
[Race] Green Snake (Yao)
[Bloodline] Mortal Grade
[Affinity] Wood, Wind
[Dao Cultivation] 5 Years / 10 Years
[Rank] Spirit Opening Demon Beast
[Cultivation Technique] "Hundred Snakes Breathing Method"
[Skill] Constrict Lv2, Wind Blade Lv1 (Fires a Wind Blade from the tail, dealing cutting damage)
[Innate Divine Ability] Insight Lv2, Great Strength Lv1 (Significant increase in strength)
[Evolution Bar] 0/20
[Evolution Path] Green Python (Mortal Snake. A fairly rare python species. Meat is very delicious. Highly aggressive and possesses spirituality. Even low-level Cultivators need to take it seriously.)
[Description] A relatively rare type of snake. Possesses some aggressiveness. Non-venomous. Meat is delicious. Green Snake Gall is a fairly precious medicinal ingredient.