It was a reasonable answer, but Luo Ziyun just kept rolling her eyes, a speechless look on her face.

A teacher once posed a question to his class: "What does the saying 'poverty doesn't last past three generations' mean?"

One student stood up and answered, "I know, teacher. It means that if a family has been poor for three generations, then the next generation is sure to become wealthy."

The teacher was about to nod, but another student stood up to offer a different opinion. "Teacher, I don't think that answer is accurate. 'Poverty doesn't last past three generations' means there is no fourth generation. The third generation is so poor they can't afford to eat, let alone find a wife. Their family line dies with them, so how could there be a fourth generation?"

Hearing this, the teacher just kept rolling his eyes.

'Ancient Demon. A Demon from ancient times.' Tu Xiao'an thought that made perfect sense.

After rolling her eyes, Luo Ziyun explained with a sigh, "Ancient Demon doesn't just mean from ancient history. It refers to something far more distant. They were powerful beings that existed in the Ancient Times. Before humanity even learned to record history, before humans even appeared in this world, the Ancient Demons ruled over heaven and earth. They were the masters of this planet."

"So they're just Awakened Creatures, then?"

"No. They are beings that existed since the Ancient Times. They were the darlings of creation, a race possessing both intelligence and might. They didn't need to awaken; they were born with unparalleled power. Splitting mountains, sundering rivers, moving mountains, and filling seas... none of that was a big deal for them. If they wished, they could destroy an entire human city in an instant."

Tu Xiao'an was stunned.

"Earth's history spans billions of years, burying countless secrets and forgotten pasts. So many species have appeared, and quite a few have gone extinct. Take the dinosaurs, for example. They were another powerful species from long ago."

"But as powerful as the dinosaurs were, they were nothing more than food for the Ancient Demons—as common as humans eating chicken and duck today."

'So the dinosaurs were eaten into extinction by Ancient Demons?'

Luo Ziyun's expression was now completely serious. "Truthfully, the so-called 'awakening' of modern times is a result of diluted bloodlines and the scarcity of nature's spiritual energy. The blood of the Ancient Demons was supremely powerful. They had intelligence, might, and near-endless lifespans. They were born with terrifying destructive capabilities."

"Whether it's humans or other creatures today, all living things have their own unique racial Talents. After awakening, they gain certain abilities and Divine Techniques... but all of that is just playing with the leftovers of the Ancient Demons."

Tu Xiao'an said, "So you're saying we're actually the descendants of Ancient Demons? They're on the level of our ancient ancestors?"

"You could see it that way," Luo Ziyun continued nonchalantly. "As freakishly powerful as the Ancient Demons were, they've almost all vanished over the long course of history. Otherwise, there'd be no place for humanity."

"They were so badass and had nearly endless lifespans. How could they go extinct?"

"Because they were too proud. Too arrogant. None of them would submit to another; they all wanted to crush their rivals underfoot. They didn't understand the concept of recuperating their strength, nor did they establish order and develop peacefully like humans."

"So they just fought amongst themselves and drove their own species to extinction?"

'How impulsive.'

Luo Ziyun said, "Perhaps 'extinct' isn't the right word. More like 'unseen,' no longer appearing in the world. Even if some survive, they're just barely hanging on. Like that skeleton you saw."

Tu Xiao'an's heart skipped a beat. 'That was close, so close. Thank goodness I had the sense not to release that monster. I nearly caused a catastrophe.'

"You were right about one thing, though. A soup made from the bones of an Ancient Demon would be incredibly nourishing. If a Snake Spirit like you drank it, you might even complete your Ascension," Luo Ziyun said, winking mischievously at the floating Purple Gold Snake.

'Too valuable. I can't afford to drink that.'

'That might be the last surviving Ancient Demon. If I stewed it into a soup, wouldn't I be the one to drink the species into extinction?'

'Besides, any species on the verge of extinction on Earth is a protected species.'

'And Tu Xiao'an was a law-abiding citizen.'

"Humans have countless myths and novels about Ascension to become an Immortal, about flying through the skies and burrowing through the earth, about being ever-changing and omnipotent. None of it is entirely baseless fantasy. You must understand, nothing comes from a vacuum. There's always some basis in reality."

"Whether it's humans or other species today, they all carry remnants of the Ancient Demons' genetic bloodline. That's why they can gain immense power, or perhaps a Superpower, after they awaken."

At this point, Luo Ziyun was like a knowledgeable teacher giving a crash course to a novice like Tu Xiao'an.

After her explanation, Tu Xiao'an felt too embarrassed to keep holding a grudge about her fishing him out of the river like, well, a fish.

"You know so much. You must have lived for a very long time, right?" Tu Xiao'an couldn't help but ask.

"Are you calling me old?"

Furious, Luo Ziyun swatted at him, but Tu Xiao'an was nimble enough to dodge it easily.

"If Ancient Demons are so powerful, how could one have been suppressed?" Tu Xiao'an began to ponder the question.

'Besides, that thing said it had been suppressed for five hundred years. For a being from the Ancient Times, five hundred years is practically nothing.'

'A drop in the bucket.'

'That means it survived all this time, only to be suppressed more recently.'

"I don't know," she said, shaking her head. "This world is far more complex than you can imagine. You're just a Snake Spirit who hasn't completed his Ascension yet. You still have a long way to go."

'I know I haven't completed my Ascension, does she have to keep reminding me? A guy's gotta have some pride, you know!'

"Then what are you?" Tu Xiao'an suddenly asked.

"I'm a..." Luo Ziyun began, then stopped herself abruptly. A cold smirk immediately appeared on her gorgeous face. 'I almost fell for this Snake Spirit's trick.'

Tu Xiao'an said, "Why be so mysterious? Just be open about it like me. Maybe we could even hang out and have some fun."

"You call that being open? Your Cultivation is just too low, so I saw right through you."

Luo Ziyun gave a dazzling smile. "If you're so capable, why don't you try to see through me?"

This was a provocation. A blatant, naked provocation.

'Hmph! Just wait until this Snake King truly completes his Ascension. I refuse to believe I won't be able to see what kind of monster you are then.'

In any case, Tu Xiao'an was now certain of one thing: this mysterious woman was definitely not human.

Suddenly, he connected the dots to a frightening possibility and blurted out, "Don't tell me... you're an Ancient Demon, too?"

'How bored would a woman as unfathomably mysterious as her have to be to open a noodle shop? And one that specializes in catching Awakened Creatures for soup, no less.'

'It must mean she's lived so long she's bored with life and just looking for something, anything, to pass the time.'

Luo Ziyun fell silent for a moment. She gave the Purple Gold Snake a long, hard look and said viciously, "If I were an Ancient Demon, I'd snatch you up and stew you into snake soup right this instant."

Tu Xiao'an watched her intently. 'This woman is definitely suspicious.'

Now that Tu Xiao'an knew what was inside the Barrier, his mind started churning with new ideas. 'If that skeleton is an Ancient Demon, that means it's even more precious than a Divine Beast.'

'If I somehow managed to subdue it... man, the bragging rights would be off the charts.'

'And it's not impossible, either. The Ancient Demon has been suppressed for so many years; its Cultivation must be drastically reduced—not even a tenth of its original power could remain.'

'If I go over there and subdue it, the system rewards alone would be astronomical.'

'Wait, wait. I'll wait until I complete my Ascension first. For now, I'll just keep this treasure trove of a secret tucked away in my heart.'

'I'll come back to dig it up when I'm strong enough.'