Chapter 133: Chapter 131: Cold Nether Snake

Su Qing followed them inside.

The world transformed in an instant.

As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but stones and a dim sky.

No one moved forward. The entrance to the Secret Realm was still right behind them.

Su Qing used his Magical Power to dry his clothes, and the others did the same.

"It will be very dangerous inside. Senior Sister Xu, let’s stick together."

"And Senior Sister Shangguan."

"Mmm, let’s stick together," Xu Ningying nodded.

Su Qing didn’t say anything, merely nodding. His hood moved with the gesture, signifying his agreement.

’The resources here aren’t important, unless they’re Spirit Fruits or something similar.’

Su Qing was more interested in finding the core of the Pocket World.

"Hmph. We’re already inside the Secret Realm. Muling, let’s go. A Small Secret Realm like this won’t have any real dangers," the male cultivator said with a scornful look around.

As he spoke, he grabbed Shangguan Muling’s arm.

Shangguan Muling frowned, clearly displeased. "Mu Yangfu, what do you think you’re doing? This is a Secret Realm! There’s safety in numbers when facing danger."

"It’s just a Small Secret Realm. What’s there to be afraid of? I’ve been in plenty of large Secret Realms. It’s nothing," Mu Yangfu said.

"Muling, let’s go!"

After being tugged a few more times by Mu Yangfu, Shangguan Muling relented and went with him.

"Sigh!" The female cultivator wanted to persuade them to stay, but couldn’t find the words.

’It really is dangerous!’ The last time she was here, she had run into a Demon Beast on par with a High Tier Qi Cultivation expert, which was why she’d gathered so many people to come with her this time.

’I already told them about this. How can they be so focused on treasure hunting the moment we get inside?’

"Jiang Yao, it’s fine. We’ll just go on our own."

"Su..."

Xu Ningying started to make an introduction, but Su Qing used his Magical Power to seal her lips.

Su Qing shook his head.

"Jiang Yao, just call him Su."

"He doesn’t want to reveal his identity."

Xu Ningying smiled, pointing at Su Qing. Then she turned to him and said, "As for any treasures inside, the three of us will split them. If there’s something you want, I’ll give up my share unconditionally. You and Jiang Yao can compete for it."

"Mmm," Su Qing nodded.

Hearing this, Jiang Yao couldn’t help but look at Xu Ningying. "Senior Sister Xu, who is he to you? You’d give up treasures for him!"

"Shh, he’s very strong. Much stronger than that Mu Yangfu."

"I asked him to come explore this Secret Realm with me and see what it’s like," Xu Ningying whispered in Jiang Yao’s ear.

Jiang Yao immediately turned her gaze to the cloaked Su Qing.

"Su, are you really that strong? If there’s a treasure you want, I can let you have it. Could you protect me, too?" Jiang Yao asked cautiously.

"Of course. As long as you don’t compete with me over treasures, protecting one of you or both is all the same," Su Qing said confidently.

As long as there was nothing at the Golden Core Realm, Su Qing was completely fearless.

Jiang Yao’s eyes flickered. ’Could this "Su" be at the High Tier of Qi Cultivation?’

"Follow me."

"I know a place where there’s something good."

Jiang Yao led the way, with Xu Ningying and Su Qing following her.

There was no water here at all.

Only a few glowing plants illuminated the path underfoot.

Su Qing sensed that in this place, using the Earth Escape Technique would likely fail, but the Earth Vein Resonance Technique would work.

The earth veins here were fluctuating abnormally.

"Be careful when we get there. There’s a High Tier Qi Cultivation Demon Beast over there. If the three of us can ambush it, the beast itself is worth several hundred Spirit Stones." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Mmm," Xu Ningying responded softly.

"Especially since it might be guarding a treasure," Jiang Yao said with some excitement.

She glanced from side to side.

Su Qing noticed that the path underfoot seemed to have gotten much softer.

The soil was practically turning into a marsh.

But Su Qing paid it no mind.

They walked for a while longer.

Jiang Yao stopped, pulling Xu Ningying into a hiding spot. Su Qing followed close behind them.

"The big snake is over there. It hasn’t left. It must be guarding a treasure."

Su Qing saw it.

It was a snake thicker than a water bucket, its body covered in Ice Crystal Scales. Wherever it slithered, the moisture on the ground turned into a thin layer of ice.

The aura of a High Tier Qi Cultivation beast.

"Let’s ambush it in a moment!" Jiang Yao was eager to try. A Tripod Cauldron, which was a Magical Treasure, appeared in her hand.

Su Qing was stunned. ’A Magical Treasure!’

It possessed a unique power that seemed very similar to Su Qing’s Five Elements Earth Sacrifice Refining Method.

"Okay." Xu Ningying nodded, taking out a Tier One Middle Grade Magical Artifact.

She looked at Su Qing and said, "Let the two of us try first. If we can’t handle it, you can step in. Is that okay?"

Su Qing nodded. "Fine. But make it quick. I don’t want to wait long."

Jiang Yao was baffled. "Why don’t we all just attack together? Why does he have to go last?"

"For experience. The two of us have never fought a Demon Beast before," Xu Ningying said, gesturing toward Su Qing. "Besides, this guy is really strong."

"But we’re both just at the Middle Tier of Qi Cultivation. Can we really win?"

"We still have him, don’t we?"

While talking, Xu Ningying and Jiang Yao kept a close watch on the snake.

The snake’s head suddenly turned, no longer paying attention to their position.

With perfect coordination, both Jiang Yao and Xu Ningying began to form their technique seals.

"Wood Snake Technique." Jiang Yao tossed two seeds imbued with Magical Power onto the snake’s body.

The Magic activated instantly, and the seeds began to grow frantically, embedding themselves in the Ice Snake’s scales.

"Blazing Sun Sword."

"Go." Xu Ningying’s Magical Artifact flew out—it was the Sword Control Technique.

’No, that’s not it. It’s because of the Magical Artifact. It can actually communicate with Spiritual Power.’

A scale was pierced, and the blade sank into the snake’s body.

Only then did the Ice Snake notice the two—no, three—people.

It opened its great maw, and a frigid stream of ice shot out from its mouth.

It shot toward the two of them.

As the Magical Artifact flew back to Xu Ningying, the Ice Snake whipped its tail at them.

The scales on its body, like sharp blades, sent them both flying, leaving them covered in wounds.

Bits of ice crystals clung to their bodies.

Suddenly, a sword flew out from behind the two of them. It pierced through the snake’s head down to its vital spot, then retracted back into Su Qing’s Dantian.

"The big snake is dead?" Jiang Yao was stunned. The pain racking her body made her realize that a High Tier Qi Cultivation Demon Beast might be even stronger than a Cultivator.

In just a single exchange, both of them had been injured.

"All right, heal your injuries."

"Is this the best Middle Tier Qi Cultivation can do? Why don’t you learn a proper Immortal Cultivation trade? Whether it’s Talismans or Arrays, it would serve you well, no?"

Su Qing was perplexed. ’These two girls got injured in a single exchange?’

He could also sense that the ice crystals on their bodies were poisonous.

"Oh, great prodigy, you think everyone is you?"

"An Immortal Cultivation trade? I can barely manage Immortal Cultivation as it is, how could I possibly learn a trade? Even the Entry Level stuff is so difficult." Xu Ningying had been grateful, but after hearing Su Qing’s casual remark, her anger surged.

"Stop talking. Expel the cold poison from your body. And you, the other girl, don’t just stand there watching."

"Ah!" Jiang Yao hadn’t noticed. Sensing it now, she realized it was indeed poison and immediately stopped watching the show to start expelling it.

Xu Ningying also sat down on the spot to meditate and expel the poison.

...

[Corpse of the Cold Nether Snake: The corpse of a Demon Beast bearing the potent Cold Nether poison. It remains highly toxic even in death and possesses the Cold Nether bloodline...]

[Synthesis Available]

There was a long description of the corpse, but Su Qing didn’t read it carefully.

Su Qing hadn’t examined it closely when it was alive; he only gave it a quick look after it was dead.

...