Chapter 53: Elder Han
Green light flickered as twelve green wooden swords soaked in serpent blood seemed to come alive, as if absorbing the blood essence. The green wooden sword bodies grew increasingly crystalline, losing some of their ancient quality and gaining more luster, as if transformed into green jade swords. However, the radiance they emitted was somewhat eerie—an emerald gloom resembling ghost fire. Finally, with a few soft "shua shua shua" sounds, they swiftly flew back and vanished into Elder Han's withered body.
He held the greenwood ruler and walked forward, arriving at the blood-soaked ground. With a light tap, he pried off the jade horn, then rummaged through the serpent corpse, pulling out a massive snake gallbladder dripping with blood. With bird-claw-like fingers, he pinched the gallbladder open, squeezed the bile into his mouth, and finally stuffed the gallbladder itself into his mouth, chewing it before swallowing.
"Sigh, though it's very bitter, for this body of mine on the verge of losing its vitality, it's truly a great tonic. The gallbladder of a serpent spirit is not common." His words were faint and ghostly, so much so that even Li Lin and Li Yun felt a chill run down their spines.
Afterward, he used extraordinary methods to refine the serpent blood and venom, wasting nothing. In the end, he gathered all the materials into a beam of green light, and in the blink of an eye, everything vanished.
"You kids are far too bold, actually coming here." Elder Han's hair was disheveled, covering his face, but one could imagine his gloomy expression from his cold tone. "Never mind you—even experts with surging divine power wouldn't dare venture deep into the ruins lightly."
"Uncle, I know I was wrong." Han Feiyu lowered his head, not daring to offer any excuse, seemingly very afraid of Elder Han. Li Lin and Li Yun also bowed their heads, not daring to look at the old man before them.
"Though you had some clever ideas, wanting to take advantage of the fierce birds and beasts fleeing to push deeper in, you forgot one thing: in this world, everything depends on strength. Without reaching an absolute height, even small schemes are useless." At this point, Elder Han's tone softened slightly. "A drastic change has occurred deep in the ruins. Even I must act cautiously, or else my life will be at risk. Alright, leave now and never return."
"Yes!"
Though they agreed, the three didn't leave immediately. Their eyes swept toward Ye Fan and Pang Bo, murderous intent blazing without any concealment.
"Still not leaving!" Though Elder Han's disheveled hair covered his face, two sharp beams shot out from between the strands, instantly chilling the three to the bone. They dared not linger and quickly strode into the forest.
Elder Han walked toward Ye Fan and Pang Bo. His body was as withered as dead wood, his black robes clinging to him like cloth wrapped around a short bamboo pole. Paired with his unkempt white hair, he appeared utterly sinister and terrifying. Like a ghost, he made no sound, his feet not touching the ground as he drifted forward, exuding a heavy aura of death.
Ye Fan and Pang Bo's hearts tightened instantly. This gaunt old man was too eerie. The two felt their scalps tingle. Now that they were outside the Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven, if he grabbed them to refine medicine, they would have no one to call upon for help.
Elder Han approached without his feet touching the ground, his cold laugh like a night owl's cry, making the hairs on their bodies stand on end. It hardly sounded like a sound from a living person.
"To escape from the jade-horned serpent's mouth and pick the Jade Serpent Orchid—not bad!" He nodded repeatedly, staring at Ye Fan and Pang Bo, shooting fierce glints from between his white hair as he scrutinized them.
Being praised by him like this made the two extremely uncomfortable. Especially when he said "not bad," it didn't feel like a compliment on their performance but rather an appraisal of their bodies. Ye Fan and Pang Bo felt a chill run through them. This Elder Han, like an old ghost, was running out of lifespan and seeking ways to refine the Resurrection Pill. His staring at them like this was hair-raising.
"Greetings, Elder Han."
Ye Fan and Pang Bo stepped forward to pay their respects. There was no way to escape now; the man could ride a divine rainbow and catch them in an instant.
"You seem afraid of me. No need for that. Actually, I like young people, especially those full of life and vitality." Elder Han's voice was low and hoarse. He took a few steps forward, glanced at Pang Bo, then fixed his gaze on Ye Fan, burning hot, as if appraising his own property.
Ye Fan nearly threw a punch right then. Pang Bo couldn't hold back either and was about to strike. But at that moment, Elder Han suddenly patted Ye Fan lightly on the shoulder, then drifted backward like a ghost, leaving the two behind.
"I have high hopes for you. Cultivate well from now on." His words were weak, full of deathly stillness. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from their sight, flying toward the depths of the ruins.
"What does that old undying mean?" Pang Bo looked puzzled. He had thought Elder Han was about to make a move, but instead, he left like this.
"That old thing..." Ye Fan's expression wasn't good. He cursed under his breath, "That naked gaze wasn't even concealed—unbridled and blatant. He seemed to treat me like his private property. Damn it, I curse him to be trapped and die deep in the ruins!"
Pang Bo suggested, "We should get out of here quickly, before that old undying makes a move. The farther, the better."
"Running or not, it's the same. If he didn't act directly, it must be because he's wary of Elder Wu Qingfeng. But judging by his attitude, he seems to have everything under control. I don't know what he's planning..."
In the distant forest, Han Feiyu was utterly baffled. He had thought his uncle would directly grab Ye Fan for medicine refining, but instead, he only paused briefly before drifting away lightly. Li Lin and Li Yun were gnashing their teeth. Seeing Elder Han far off, they whispered, considering going over to finish off Ye Fan and Pang Bo directly.
"Pang Bo is a sacred seedling. He probably has Elder Wu Qingfeng's mark on him. If we kill them, it might be traced back to us." In the end, the three left resentfully, suppressing their murderous intent and holding back.
Just then, a divine rainbow streaked across the sky, heading deep into the ruins.
"It's Elder Wu Qingfeng." Ye Fan and Pang Bo exchanged glances, showing joy.
At this moment, the depths of the ruins were undoubtedly dangerous, but Ye Fan and Pang Bo didn't retreat. Instead, they chose to continue forward.
"We won't go to the deepest part. Let's search the secondary depths. We might find a few spiritual herbs like the Jade Serpent Orchid." The two felt the danger was concentrated at the very core, where a shocking change had occurred. Other areas should be relatively safe.
The forest was silent. After advancing another dozen li, Ye Fan and Pang Bo saw many foundation stones and rubble. Even the vegetation couldn't fully cover these ruins.
During this process, they finally confirmed that not all fierce birds and beasts had fled. In several areas, they spotted creatures no weaker than the jade-horned serpent, all half-hidden in caves, restless and agitated.
"Thump"
Just then, the muffled sound from deep in the ruins rang out again. Ye Fan and Pang Bo felt their hearts jolt, as if something had grabbed their hearts, causing sharp pain. Though their physiques far surpassed ordinary people, they still felt discomfort, staggering back a few steps before steadying themselves, their faces pale with fear.
"What is that thing..."
"Did you notice? The intervals between these muffled sounds are getting shorter."
Not only that, but they also sensed an immensely vast life force emanating from the depths of the ruins.
"What do you think?" Pang Bo asked.
Ye Fan shook his head. "I have a ridiculous notion. I feel like some powerful creature, after sleeping for endless ages, is slowly waking up."
Pang Bo looked shocked. "You're not saying that muffled sound is its heartbeat, are you?"
Just then, the sound of breaking air came incessantly. Over a dozen divine rainbows streaked across the sky, charging toward the depths of the ruins.
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This is the first chapter. There are two more today.