Volume 7 Chapter 73 - “Cocoon”

Even though many of them had been killed by the cultivators on the ground, the serpents were serpents. Starting with their ancient ancestors, they were at the top of the food chain. Even though they sensed danger, their innate instincts caused them to look down at the “food”.

The cultivators took in the energies of the world into their bodies. To them, the flesh of the cultivators was more delicious than ordinary beings, and even better to the increase in their power.

As their heads poked out of the clouds, these serpents started to exude large amounts of mist from their stony scales. Their attacking methods did not change from their previous fellows. They would directly summon tides from the air. This was not hard to deal with for a realm seven grandmasters but it took up a lot of energy. Especially because their scales were very hard. Even if the serpents just stayed in the air and waited for a sword to come and behead them, each strike would use up a lot of energy.

But looking at these enormous serpents who were summoning wind and rain with their enormous bodies obscuring the sky, Qing Yaoyin just reached out and flicked to create a wave of energy.

This wave of energy contained some pink medicine powder. The light in the dim yellow eyes of the serpents immediately changed, the cruel and bloodthirsty light turning to terror. In the next moment, these serpents did not spray the power in their bodies below, but flew up in a panic.

The dust mountains had been made by Ye Xiao using himself, the sword servants, and the many famed swords, not allowing entry or exit. The serpents danced wildly in the dust mountain, the energy of their enormous bodies colliding with the power of the dust mountains, creating many loud sounds, like giants were ringing bells in the sky.

“Taming is not as good as raising. As expected.”

Seeing such a simple thing causing these serpents to lose themselves into the dust mountains, and his master’s opinions of the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivators in the past, Qian Mu could not help but shake his head. Then his gaze landed on the remains of the cultivator from the branch of the old imperial academian whose spine had snapped in several parts. He worked really hard to finally squeeze some lifebond energy from his body.

A ball of black energy formed small gravestones at the tips of his fingers. A hole opened up in the ground under this cultivator’s remains. An even large gravestone rose and merged into the cultivator’s remains like it was intangible. Then, the body of the cultivator sank into the opening in the soil.

“I had not expected you to have such powerful ghostly methods.” Qing Yaoyin looked at the black-robed youth and praised from the bottom of his heart.

Qian Mu hung his head, he did not have any pride. He even corrected with some sadness, “Not my methods, what my master left to me.”

Qing Yaoyin smiled kindly. He looked at this junior who respected his elders with praise in his eyes.

“You came at the correct time. Maybe this thing would be of use.” Zhangsun Qianxue took a cocoon from her sleeve and handed it to Qing Yaoyin.

Qing Yaoyin stilled. This was really a cocoon. From the outside, it did not look any different from ordinary cocoons, but there was no cocoon in the world bigger than the size of a person’s fist. But more importantly, the silk that formed this cocoon were like fine threads of ice. The cold energy that spread caused frost to form in the surroundings.

“This is?” he unconsciously asked.

“Strictly speaking, this is from Min Mountain Sword Sect. He took it from the Min Mountain Sword Trials. Because he sensed it could devour cold nether energy to cultivate, he gave it to me,” Zhangsun Qianxue glanced at Qing Yaoyin, and then said, looking at Ding Ning.

Qing Yaoyin immediately frowned. “That black ice worm?” He took the cocoon that Zhangsun Qianxue handed over. He sensed even the stabbing coldness that even he could feel, and he felt disbelief.

Tantai Guanjian was completely stunned. In the past, he had sensed the coldness from Zhangsun Qianxue’s sleeve. But he only thought it was one of her weapons, or rather, the presence that naturally came from the method she cultivated. He had never thought that this powerful presence came from such a strange cocoon.

“I am also very curious.” At this time, Ding Ning’s voice sounded. He looked at the deeply frowning Qing Yaoyin and asked seriously, “What was set up deep in the heart of the Min Mountain Sword Sect… Or rather, what were you testing all the years in there.”

“Purely using some medicines to try to catalyze or produce some changes in bloodline.”

After a pause, Ding Ning asked, “But some low level beasts, no matter how they change, cannot completely change like this black ice worm. Being able to naturally devour suitable energy, especially the cold energy of the Nine Hell King Sword, this is something that even the strongest beasts in the abyss cannot achieve.”

Qing Yaoyin listened to Ding Ning’s words. He did not immediately answer his question and asked first, “When did this black ice worm start to form a cocoon, and what other changes occured before the cocoon?”

“After I went to Donghu, this black ice worm grew horns. At that time, it was possible to say that it was an infant cold serpent.” Ding Ning looked at him and said, “When I returned from Donghu to the Yin Mountain, this black ice worm started to form a cocoon.”

“So fast!” Qing Yaoyin’s expression grew serious, eyes shocked. Then he simply answered Ding Ning’s previous question. “We raised a Nether dragon.”

“A Nether dragon?” Ding Ning could not help but stop breathing.

Qian Mu may not have heard many things about the You Dynasty. He did not sense great shock, but even Zhangsun Qianxue could not stop her eyes from widening.

“We spent a lot of time, and used the Min Mountain to create a cold abyss. Then we studied many of the secret records of the You Dynasty to raise a Nether dragon.” Qing Yaoyin did not try to keep things a secret and said directly, “This black ice worm was one of the test subjects. It has some of the blood of the Nether dragon, primarily to observe its reaction and changes to some spirit medicines. It is not a surprise that it can absorb some energies to cultivate, but the reason for such a dramatic change should be because of the Nine Hell King Sword. The Nine Hell King Sword is the coldest sword in the world, and it should be related to the You Emperor and the Nether dragon to start with.” With that, he glanced at Qian Mu.

Everyone understood the meaning in his glance. Such an energy inheritance likely was similar to Teacher Yan and this Qian Mu’s inheritance.

“You raised this Nether dragon. What did you want to do?” Ding Ning took a deep breath and asked.

Qing Yaoyin was silent for a breath and then said, “Enter the imperial palace and kill Zheng Xiu.”

Everyone shook.

After many breaths of silence, Zhangsun Qianxue spoke, “So at this time, Baili Suxue should have gone to the imperial palace of Changling.”

“If he succeeds, Zheng Xiu will be dead.” Qing Yaoyin nodded. He could not help but look in the direction of Changling and said softly, “I hope he will succeed.”