Chapter 6: Swallowing the Snake's Tail

Upon entering the city, what met his eyes was not only the streets and buildings brimming with a retro charm but also a long row of stalls set up along the main road by many small vendors, each hawking their wares, creating a dazzling spectacle:

"Blood-stopping clover, effective for stopping bleeding and resolving stasis, only 50 copper coins per plant, in bulk!"

"Freshly hunted wind leopard, a mid-tier initial-grade mystic beast, 3 silver coins per foot for the skin, 10 silver coins per pound for the meat!"

"Rhinoceros armor bear's mystic crystal, this is a high-grade initial mystic beast's crystal, only one available, priced at 15 gold, buy now!"

...

As Chen Shen passed by a small stall tucked away in a corner, he suddenly stopped in his tracks!

"What's wrong, young master?" Ling'er asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing. I just remembered something I need to do. Ling'er, Old Shun, you two go home first. I'll be back shortly," Chen Shen said firmly.

The old and young man felt puzzled but obediently nodded and left.

Once the two figures had walked far enough away, Chen Shen casually approached the small stall in the corner, pointing at a few flower-patterned snakes in an iron cage and asked, "How much for these?"

The stall owner, who had been dozing off, perked up at the sight of a potential customer, despite the young age, the customer's attire was clearly noble. He immediately became animated, praising his goods: "Young master, you have a keen eye! The meat of the flower-patterned snake is smooth and delicious, perfect for a leisurely barbecue!"

The items the stall owner had put out for sale today were indeed rather unimpressive, mostly wild rabbits, snakes, and scorpions.

For ordinary people, these "wild delicacies" might be suitable for medicinal wine or a hearty meal.

However, for martial artists, such ingredients were not very appealing.

Martial artists valued the enhancement of their mystic qi cultivation. Eating the flesh of mystic beasts could strengthen their bones and consolidate their qi, but ordinary wild game like snakes and rabbits were considered inferior ingredients, not worth the attention of martial artists.

Now, someone had finally shown interest in his "inferior" goods, and from the customer's attire, he seemed quite wealthy. No wonder the stall owner was so excited.

Chen Shen smiled mysteriously and waved his hand generously, "I'll take all the flower-patterned snakes in this cage! What's your price?"

In fact, Chen Shen only truly wanted one of the flower-patterned snakes. Buying the whole cage was just to avoid drawing attention.

"Since you're so generous, I won't play games with you. The cage has seven flower-patterned snakes, I'll give you a deal at 5 silver coins!"

This was the difference between ordinary beasts and mystic beasts.

The wind leopard being sold nearby cost 3 silver coins per foot for the skin and 10 silver coins per pound for the meat! This cage full of flower-patterned snakes, weighing at least 30 to 40 pounds, was only 5 silver coins in total.

Chen Shen generously took out 10 silver coins, "I'll also take two wild rabbits from over there. Oh, and that meat knife on the chopping board, sell it to me as well!"

"Sure thing! Thank you for your business!" The vendor happily picked out two plump wild rabbits and handed them, along with the ordinary meat knife, to Chen Shen.

In the vendor's mind, this deal was incredibly profitable! The young master was very generous, paying double the price. Why not throw in two worthless wild rabbits and a meat knife as a bonus?

However, what the vendor didn't know was that the young man's excitement was a thousand, ten thousand times greater than his own!

...

It was noon, and the sun was high in the sky.

In a small tavern in the northern district of Nine Dragons City, a young man was holding a meat knife, working on a dead flower-patterned snake on a tea table, his face filled with immense anticipation!

If anyone else saw this scene, they would surely call him crazy or a psychopath.

But in reality, this snake, crudely dissected by unprofessional hands, was Chen Shen's greatest find!

When Chen Shen first entered Nine Dragons City, the vendor's cries had given him a very familiar feeling.

After much thought, he finally realized why: "Blood-stopping clover, wind leopard, and that rhinoceros armor bear. The appearance and names of these plants and animals are exactly the same as those in the game I tested in my previous life!"

Then, he coincidentally spotted a flower-patterned snake with a silver-white tip on its tail in this corner stall!

In the game he tested in his previous life, flower-patterned snakes were very common, and killing them didn't yield any experience. Only players who chose the "chef" skill would catch them for cooking ingredients.

However, a flower-patterned snake with a silver-white tip on its tail was a different story!

This type of flower-patterned snake, with its three inches of white at the tail, had an extremely magical effect:

Before reaching level 10, swallowing the three inches of white flesh at the tail could increase the character's defense by ten times based on their current attributes. After level 10, it would be ineffective. Chen Shen felt that his current cultivation was definitely below level 10.

The previous coincidences couldn't all be mere chance. If he swallowed the flower-patterned snake's tail, would it also bring him the corresponding benefits?

For example, greatly increased defense, impervious to blades and bullets, immune to water and fire?

If it was true, he would be in for a huge windfall!

But if it was false...

Chen Shen hadn't gotten a definitive answer from the Invincible System, but he ultimately decided to take the risk.

If he lacked the courage to make decisions on his own and relied entirely on the Invincible System, he would be no different from a puppet controlled by others.

Chen Shen understood that in this world where martial prowess was revered, the Invincible System could only be his best assistant, not his master. Otherwise, he would soon lose himself and become a puppet or slave to the system.

Taking a deep breath, the young man held his breath, closed his eyes, and opened his mouth— "Gulp!"

The bloody three-inch snake tail was placed in his mouth, not even chewed, and swallowed directly!

A foul smell burst from his nostrils, and his stomach churned violently!

However, this was not the worst part. The worst was just beginning: the energy contained in the snake tail entered his body and transformed.

Chen Shen immediately felt as if every vein in his body was being gnawed by countless insects!

Every inch of his skin felt like it was being seared by a hot iron, and his internal organs were being stirred wildly!

"Aaaaaah!"

The pain of swallowing the snake tail nearly killed him!

The young man's eyes were bloodshot, his body convulsing, and he screamed to the sky!

This was why Chen Shen had sent Old Shun and Ling'er away; he didn't want them to see his painful state and worry.

Chen Shen clearly remembered that in the game he tested in his previous life, he had also consumed a segment of a flower-patterned snake's tail.

There was a simple text description: "Swallow it, the energy will flow through the five organs, the six viscera, the thirty-three tendons, and the seventy-two meridians, causing unbearable pain!"

At the time, Chen Shen had only read the words without much emotional impact.

But now, he was experiencing this unimaginable pain firsthand!

Every second was a torment...