"DING... Host has completely fused with the Human Awakener's ability, obtaining the Ice Frost Power."

Tu Xiao'an suddenly felt a change. From his thirty-meter-tall, majestic snake body, a deep blue aura of Qi erupted, roiling violently. Immediately, the surrounding temperature plummeted, a strange coldness seeping into the very bones.

This chill was different from the gloomy cold of the Snake Race's aura. It was a cold that reached the marrow and froze the soul, a cold that could freeze and solidify anything.

'Haha... Ice Frost Power. I've gained another Elemental Attribute Ability.'

Tu Xiao'an couldn't help but get excited. He now possessed three Elemental Abilities, making him unimaginably strong.

An Elemental Attribute Ability—if a person could possess just one and cultivate it to its peak, they could stand at the pinnacle of this world.

As Tu Xiao'an willed it, the deep blue aura erupting from his body spread across the ground. Everywhere it went, the land froze inch by inch, leaving not a single blade of grass alive.

For dozens of kilometers around, it was as cold as Antarctica. Countless creatures must have frozen to death.

This Ice Frost Power, in his own hands, seemed even stronger and more destructive than it had been in Leng Shuang's.

This was a matter of strength. His power had already crushed Leng Shuang's to begin with.

"Due to the Host breaking through his own shackles and his decisive slaughter, the Devouring System is fully activating..."

Suddenly, the System's voice echoed in Tu Xiao'an's mind.

'Fully activating?'

Before Tu Xiao'an could figure it out, a flashing virtual interface appeared in his mind.

Host Data Manifesting...

Host: Tu Xiao'an.

Identity: Pseudo Snake King (Enthroned)

Level: 28.

Evolutionary Energy Value: 0/1,000.

Faith Points: 29,800,000

Talent Attributes: (Conscious Insight) (Dominance Ability)

Skills: (Power of Thunder and Lightning) (Flame Power) (Ice Frost Power)

Tu Xiao'an looked at his new stats and noticed a clear difference. His Evolutionary Energy Value was now being defined as a "source" energy.

'What does this mean?' It meant that the high-level Spirit Monsters or Martial Cultivators Tu Xiao'an was now encountering—whether it was their powerful Life Force or their human essence—were all defined as a "source energy."

It was an upgrade.

Tu Xiao'an still didn't quite understand what "fully activating" meant, but he figured he would learn through experience.

He didn't dwell on it. The thirty-meter-tall, majestic Purple-Gold Giant Snake vanished, and a handsome young man appeared in its place.

'With so many Faith Points, I don't have to feel bad about spending them.'

'Right, the Rank Three Snake Flood Dragon.'

Tu Xiao'an quickly headed back to where he'd been before. When he arrived, he found a pool of blood on the ground, but the Snake Flood Dragon was nowhere to be seen.

'Looks like it took advantage of the time I was dealing with Leng Shuang to recover a bit of strength and escape.'

'Escape...?'

'Not happening.'

His real prize was this Rank Three Snake Flood Dragon. If it got away, all his work would have been for nothing.

His Consciousness Power swept out, blanketing the area. After a moment, Tu Xiao'an smiled faintly, already knowing where it was.

Ping'an Village was in ruins after the battle between the snake and the Flood Dragon. On top of that, Leng Shuang's Thousand Mile Ice Seal had completely destroyed all the houses in the village.

It was safe to say that Ping'an Village no longer existed; it was just a pile of rubble, like a demolition site.

Tu Xiao'an paid it no mind and started walking in a certain direction. Amidst the rubble, a well came into view.

This well was probably the only "cultural monument" of Ping'an Village left standing, having somehow survived the battle unscathed.

A gloomy, cold wind wafted out from it from time to time, and the well was full of water.

Tu Xiao'an glanced up at the slowly emerging moon, plopped himself down on the edge of the well, and said with a slight curl of his lips, "Celestial Master, come on out. Stop hiding."

The well remained silent, with only gusts of cold wind rising from within.

"I know you're hiding in there. And you should know that if I wanted to, I could make this well cease to exist in an instant."

"What in the world do you want?" From the depths of the well came Celestial Master Zhang's furious and exasperated voice.

Hearing this, Tu Xiao'an chuckled. "I just want to invite the Celestial Master to come out and meet me. Tell me, are you, a magnificent Rank Three Snake Flood Dragon, actually afraid of meeting a Rank Two Snake Spirit like me?"

"Or could it be... that I beat you so badly you're scared?"

"Hmph! Nonsense! If you want a fight, then this Celestial Master will accompany you another day."

Tu Xiao'an's face darkened. 'Another day?'

'Wait for you to recover from your injuries before we fight? As if I have nothing better to do.'

"Celestial Master, my patience is limited. Stop wasting time and come out."

In the previous battle, both Tu Xiao'an and the Snake Flood Dragon had been heavily injured due to Leng Shuang's sneak attack.

But Tu Xiao'an had a Snakeberry and recovered instantly. Besides, his physical fortitude was already monstrously tough.

The Snake Flood Dragon, however, was not so lucky. It was already impressive that it had managed to crawl to this well.

It was only normal that it wouldn't come out. Come out, only to be eaten by Tu Xiao'an?

The well went completely silent.

A sharp glint flashed in Tu Xiao'an's eyes. He held out a fair hand, and a ball of scorching flame appeared, which he tossed directly into the well.

Instantly, a vast white mist rose up as the well water evaporated in a flash, leaving it completely dry.

The well was very deep. Tu Xiao'an suddenly recalled that the boy who was thrown in and the village belle who jumped in were never found. Moreover, this well was where the Snake Flood Dragon used to practice its Cultivation.

'Then there must be more to it than meets the eye. It's not that simple.'

"Still not coming out? You want me to come in and find you?" Tu Xiao'an said, though inwardly he was pondering something else.

He was thinking about how to deal with this Rank Three Snake Flood Dragon. Would it be better to subdue it, or would devouring it directly yield greater benefits?

Having a Rank Three Snake Flood Dragon as a pet would be unbelievably cool. If it evolved into a Dragon in the future, a snake having a Dragon as a pet... that would really be something.

Besides, Rank Three Creatures weren't easy to come by. Eating it directly seemed like a bit of a waste.

After some thought, Tu Xiao'an decided to figure it out later. However, the Snake Flood Dragon hiding below still refused to appear.

"Celestial Master, do you really want me to destroy this well? I'm trying to respect the dead. I just don't want to disturb the eternal rest of Xiaofeng and your child."

As soon as he said this, a terrifyingly dreadful aura rushed out from the dry well.

Immediately after, a Snake Flood Dragon just over three meters long tumbled out and floated directly in front of Tu Xiao'an.

"Snake Spirit, don't push me too far!" Celestial Master Zhang's voice came from the Snake Flood Dragon's mouth.

Tu Xiao'an laughed. "You can't even take human form right now, can you?"

The Snake Flood Dragon fell silent. Its body was covered in wounds, which said it all. It didn't have much fighting power left.

Tu Xiao'an took a deep look at the floating Snake Flood Dragon.

"DING... Rank Three Snake Flood Dragon, Level 30. Devouring it will grant 3,000 Evolutionary Energy."

'Three thousand?'

'Based on the old Evolutionary Energy Value, a Rank Three Creature like this should have given me tens of millions of Energy Value at least.'

Devouring this Snake Flood Dragon, it seemed Tu Xiao'an would at most gain a little over one Level.

'He probably couldn't even make it two Levels.'

'These numbers seem a bit off, don't they?'

'Devour a Rank Three Snake Flood Dragon just to go up one or two Levels?'

'That's even worse than a single Snake King's Left Eye.'

What Tu Xiao'an didn't know was that his strength had increased too quickly. He himself was no weaker than this Snake Flood Dragon.

Furthermore, if he were to use Insight on a Level 29 Human Martial Cultivator like Leng Shuang, the 'source energy' value would only be a few hundred.

In reality, three thousand was already an outrageously high amount.