Chapter 14

Seven days later, the effects of the Yin Xu Pill gradually faded, and Wei Shizhi's improvement was minimal. Yue Zhilan and the other three had refined their bodies, each experiencing a transformation as if reborn. Qi Yunhe, seeing this, nodded in approval.

That evening, the group camped in a mountain hollow. Qi Yunhe, having developed a taste for wild game, found the dry rations bland and ordered Wei Shizhi to hunt a few mountain chickens and rabbits to satisfy his craving. Wei Shizhi agreed, picked up his bow and arrow, and carried a hunting spear, heading into the dense forest.

Relying on his agility, he quickly crossed a mountain ridge. He didn't find any mountain chickens or rabbits but accidentally shot a large, fat deer. He cleaned it by the stream, tore off some bark to tie its limbs, and carried it on his back, heading back.

As the sky grew darker, the moon was bright and the stars sparse, casting long shadows. Wei Shizhi suddenly stopped, listening intently. Not far ahead, a faint, sharp hissing sound could be heard, followed by a sudden burst of light, like a lightning bolt in the night sea, which vanished instantly.

That dazzling light reminded Wei Shizhi of the sword strike by Deng Shouyi that severely wounded the old bear on Old Crow Ridge. He frowned, thinking, "Better to avoid trouble than to seek it. The other party's intentions are unknown, so it's best to stay away!" Just as he was about to take a detour, a man coughed and said in a hoarse voice, "Meeting is a form of destiny. Why don't you show yourself?"

Wei Shizhi laughed bitterly, realizing the other party was so alert and wouldn't let him go. He had no choice but to step forward, feeling uneasy.

The air was filled with a pungent, bloody smell. After a few breaths, Wei Shizhi felt dizzy, his vision blurred, and his limbs weakened. He was shocked and quickly dropped the deer, stopping in his tracks. His knees buckled, and he nearly fell to the ground. At this critical moment, his Lingtai acupoint suddenly throbbed, and primordial energy surged out, dispelling the discomfort. Wei Shizhi used the hunting spear to steady himself and looked up. About ten steps away, a python as thick as a bowl lay in a pool of blood, its belly split in two, its head on the ground. Beside the dead python stood a man in a green robe, tall and slender, with a dense canopy of trees blocking the moonlight, making his face indistinct.

He seemed somewhat disappointed and asked, "Are you a hunter in these mountains?"

Wei Shizhi's mind raced, and he opened his mouth to identify himself, but the last bit of primordial energy in his body was exhausted, leaving him tongue-tied and unable to speak. He slowly slid to the ground, leaning on the hunting spear.

A child's head appeared behind the man in the green robe, about seven or eight years old, with a topknot, and said in a childish voice, "Master, he's been poisoned."

Wei Shizhi realized that the python had been killed by the man in the green robe, and in its dying moments, it had spewed a deadly poison, which had affected him. The man in the green robe had initially thought the newcomer was a sword cultivator from Kunlun Mountain, hence his invitation. But finding only an ordinary hunter, he felt his efforts were wasted. He coldly glanced at Wei Shizhi a few times, said, "Let's go," and led the child away.

"Master, didn't you say that meeting is a form of destiny? Why don't you save him?"

The man in the green robe hesitated, stopped, and took a green pill from his sleeve, rolling it between his fingers before putting it back. "Saving him would go against my principles. I won't save him."

As they gradually moved away, Wei Shizhi felt a chill, the shadow of death drawing near. He listened to his own breathing and heartbeat, which grew more rapid and slower, respectively. Was he going to die? Would anyone come to save him? Images flashed before his eyes, like a fast-forwarded montage. It was said that in the last moments of life, one relives their experiences...

His vision grew dark, his pupils contracting to pinpricks. Wei Shizhi stared at the python's corpse, struggling to crawl forward. His limbs were numb and weak, and his Lingtai acupoint was dry, unable to produce any primordial energy. Using all his strength, he inched forward, each step feeling like an eternity.

Just before losing consciousness, Wei Shizhi finally reached the python's corpse. He stretched his stiff neck, opened his mouth, and bit into the foul-smelling snake meat, swallowing it with effort. A familiar warmth surged through him as the snake meat transformed into primordial energy, swirling into his Lingtai acupoint, pausing briefly before nourishing his body, gradually dispelling the snake venom.

After lying still for a long time, Wei Shizhi's limbs regained strength, but his primordial energy was rapidly depleted. He dared not stay longer and crawled away, his Lingtai acupoint nearly empty, gradually calming down.

Having narrowly escaped death, Wei Shizhi was mentally and physically exhausted. He sat on the ground, catching his breath for a long time.

The moonlight filtered through the branches, illuminating him. In that moment, death had felt so real, and fear and rage surged within him. He gritted his teeth, hating the cold-hearted man in the green robe, wishing to tear him apart and wear his skin.

The range of the poison was vast, and just a few breaths were enough to be fatal. It required a large amount of primordial energy to dispel it. The snake meat, though foul, was rich in primordial energy. If he hadn't had the presence of mind, he would have become a cold, lifeless corpse. Thinking of this, Wei Shizhi shuddered, realizing that the python was not an ordinary snake but a spirit snake!

He had traversed every mountain on Old Crow Ridge, hoping to find a spirit creature to continue his cultivation, but found nothing. Now, with the opportunity right in front of him, could he let it slip away?

Wei Shizhi jumped up, clenching his fists, his body trembling. "Either I climb to the top or I work at the bottom! Damn it, I'm going to take this chance!" He took a deep breath, held it, and charged toward the python's corpse without hesitation.

A moment later, he dragged the python's tail and rushed out again.

With no time to start a fire, Wei Shizhi opened his mouth and viciously tore into the snake meat, swallowing it raw. In no time, the python's body was reduced to a shriveled skin, which he discarded.

Blood stained Wei Shizhi's lips, and his mouth was filled with the foul smell, but he didn't care. A wave of heat rose in his stomach, and his body swelled. "Here it comes!" he growled, arching his back and slamming into a tree. With a loud "boom," dust and leaves flew, and the long-lost pain spread through his body, but Wei Shizhi laughed through gritted teeth.

The second acupoint, located above the Lingtai acupoint and named "Shendao," finally showed a slight loosening. Wei Shizhi exhaled a white mist, exhausted and ready to sleep. A voice deep within him repeatedly warned him not to sleep, no matter what. He struggled to the stream, buried the python skin in the soil, washed the blood from his face, and rinsed his mouth. He returned to the spot where he had eaten the snake meat and slammed into the tree, collapsing and snoring loudly.

Even if the sky fell, it wouldn't wake him!