768: Chapter 768 Lu Xueqi and Biyao (147)

"Perfected Zixia, in this Zixia Secret Realm, is there a guardian similar to the Nether Messenger in the Qingyun Secret Realm?" Fairy Yuehua asked while hurrying along, feeling unavoidably worried.

In that battle in the Qingyun Secret Realm, she had already witnessed how powerful the fragment's guardian was; if not for Su Han risking his life to unleash the "Chaos Unification" and burning his own body as the price to hold back the Nether Messenger, she would never have been able to obtain the fragment.

Now that Su Han was not by her side, she had to face the unknown dangers of the Zixia Secret Realm alone, and she could not help but feel apprehensive.

Perfected Zixia's expression was grave as he slowly said, "According to the records in the Sect's ancient books, sealed within the Zixia Secret Realm is an ancient Vicious Beast—the Purple Gold Python. This Purple Gold Python is immensely powerful; it is said to have lived for ten thousand years, with unfathomable cultivation, at least at the Peak of the Soul Transformation Stage. Back then, the founding Ancestral Master of the Zixia Sect only managed to barely Seal it within the Zixia Secret Realm by relying on the ultimate Profound Truth of the Zixia Divine Art, and placed the second fragment of the sealing method inside the Zixia Divine Palace guarded by the Purple Gold Python. To obtain the fragment, one must first defeat the Purple Gold Python, or find a way to bypass its watch."

"A Purple Gold Python at the Peak of the Soul Transformation Stage..." Fairy Yuehua's heart jolted. Her current cultivation was only at the Peak of the Nascent Soul Stage, still a step away from the Soul Transformation Stage. With her current strength, she could not possibly be a match for the Purple Gold Python. Even with Perfected Zixia and fifty elite Disciples of the Zixia Sect, it would likely be very difficult to contend with an ancient Vicious Beast that had lived for ten thousand years.

Perfected Zixia saw Fairy Yuehua's worry and said, "Girl Yuehua, you need not worry. The ancient books record that although the Purple Gold Python is powerful, it has a fatal weakness: every hour, it falls into a brief slumber that lasts about the time it takes for one incense stick to burn. As long as we seize this opportunity to sneak into the Zixia Divine Palace, obtain the fragment, and immediately exit the Secret Realm, we can avoid a direct confrontation with the Purple Gold Python."

"It sleeps once every hour, for the duration of one incense stick..." Fairy Yuehua calculated quickly in her heart. Although this time was not long, if they moved quickly enough and coordinated well, it should be enough to enter the Divine Palace and obtain the fragment. She nodded and said, "Very well, Perfected Zixia, we shall act according to this plan. After entering the Zixia Secret Realm, we will first observe the Purple Gold Python's sleeping pattern, identify the right moment, and then act."

"Hmm." Perfected Zixia nodded and said, "I have selected fifty of the Zixia Sect's most elite Disciples. They are all outstanding members of the Zixia Sect's younger generation, with cultivation above the Nascent Soul Stage, and are skilled in formation setting and stealth; they should be able to help."

As they spoke, the group had arrived deep within the Zixia Mountain Range. A massive stone gate appeared ahead, covered in complex runes that emitted a faint purple light. This stone gate was the entrance to the Zixia Secret Realm; behind it lay the sealed Zixia Secret Realm, and the ancient Vicious Beast, the Purple Gold Python.

Perfected Zixia stepped forward and formed a hand Seal. A purple light shot from his hands and merged into the stone gate. The runes on the stone gate began to flicker violently, emitting a low rumbling sound. Then, the stone gate slowly opened, revealing a deep passage filled with thick purple mist, obscuring the view of what lay within.

"Everyone, be careful, follow me closely, and do not get separated." Perfected Zixia said, leading the way into the passage. Fairy Yuehua and the fifty Zixia Sect Disciples followed, walking along the passage toward the depths of the Zixia Secret Realm.

The passage was long and winding, seemingly endless. The deeper they went, the thicker the purple mist in the air became, and the Spiritual Qi grew increasingly violent. Faintly, they could hear low roars of a beast coming from the depths, causing the entire passage to tremble slightly. The roars contained a powerful pressure that filled Fairy Yuehua and the Zixia Sect Disciples with an instinctive fear and oppression.

Fairy Yuehua took a deep breath and circulated the Moonlight Power within her body to resist the pressure, thinking to herself, "Is this the pressure of the Purple Gold Python? It is truly powerful; a mere roar is enough to instill fear in one's heart. If we were to face it directly, I fear I wouldn't even have the courage to strike..."

After walking for another half an hour, the passage finally came to an end. The area ahead suddenly opened up into a massive underground space. This space was several times larger than the palace in the Qingyun Secret Realm. The ceiling was embedded with countless fist-sized Night-Shining Pearls, emitting a soft light that illuminated the entire space. In the center of the space stood a towering palace, purple throughout and emitting a faint purple glow; it was the Zixia Divine Palace.

In front of the Zixia Divine Palace, a massive python was coiled—the Purple Gold Python. This Purple Gold Python was enormous, dozens of zhang in length, its body thicker than a water vat. Its entire body was covered in purple scales, each as large as a palm, shimmering with a cold metallic luster under the light of the Night-Shining Pearls. On its head grew a single golden horn, and its eyes, like two giant lanterns, flickered with a cold, eerie light. From its blood-red maw, it continuously exhaled purple mist, emitting a nauseating, fishy stench.

At this moment, the Purple Gold Python was coiled on the open ground in front of the Divine Palace, its eyes tightly shut, seemingly asleep. Its breathing sounded like thunder, causing the entire space to tremble slightly. The surrounding air was filled with thick purple mist—the poisonous mist exhaled by the Purple Gold Python. It was highly toxic; an ordinary person inhaling a single breath would die instantly.

"The Purple Gold Python is asleep!" A Zixia Sect Disciple saw this scene, a joyful expression on his face, and said in a hushed voice, "Perfected Zixia, let's act now! While it's asleep, we can sneak into the Divine Palace and obtain the fragment!"

"Wait." Perfected Zixia shook his head and said in a low voice, "Do not be hasty; observe first. The ancient books record that the Purple Gold Python only falls into a slumber once every hour, and each slumber lasts for the time it takes for one incense stick to burn. We do not know how long it has been sleeping; if we act rashly and it suddenly wakes up, we will all die here."

Fairy Yuehua nodded and said, "Perfected Zixia is right. Let us retreat to the passage first, observe the Purple Gold Python's sleeping pattern, and then act when the timing is right."

The group quietly retreated back into the passage, hiding within the purple mist and observing the Purple Gold Python from afar. Time ticked by, and after about the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, the Purple Gold Python's body suddenly moved. Its tightly shut eyes snapped open, and its two lantern-like eyes flickered with a cold, eerie light as it scanned its surroundings. It opened its blood-red maw and let out a deafening roar that caused the entire space to tremble violently, knocking several Night-Shining Pearls from the ceiling.

"It's awake!" Fairy Yuehua was startled and said in a hushed voice, "From the time it was asleep just now until it woke up, it was exactly the time it takes for one incense stick to burn. (End of chapter)"