Ch. 50 - Jade Serpent Orchid

As soon as they approached the area, Ye Fan and Pang Bo were startled, hundreds of Vile-Dragons, each as thick as a water barrel, were flicking their tongues and spewing poisonous mist. The entire forest had been corroded into a ruined wasteland. From the depths of the dense forest came low, rumbling growls; countless massive beasts were pacing through the woods.

Strangely, they weren’t attacking each other. All of them seemed extremely restless, gathering in greater and greater numbers like a surging tide flowing outward. Most of these fierce beasts were unidentifiable.

In the sky, a massive flock of vicious birds was circling low, each several meters long, casting a shadow over the land like a black cloud blotting out the sun.

“What’s going on?”

Both Ye Fan and Pang Bo were stunned. The sight was shocking, an overwhelming tide of wild beasts and ferocious birds all congregating in one region, all of them agitated and chaotic.

Ye Fan observed for a while and said, “I think they’re all retreating from the deeper parts of the ruins.”

“Could it be because of the battle between the Lightning Bird and that Scale-Ape King? Maybe they disturbed the others.”

“Hard to say. Even if it were two beast kings fighting, it shouldn’t drive this many magical beasts and spirit birds out.”

“So how do we get through? There are so many creatures packed together like a tide, it’s completely blocking the way.”

“We’ll circle around. There’s definitely an opportunity here. I think the innermost region must be empty right now. Perhaps a battle between supreme beast kings or some other event scared everything to the edges.”

The two circled around more than ten miles, reaching a sheer cliff. Using hanging vines, they climbed up, scaled several more cliffs, and finally rappelled down on the other side, successfully entering the deep forest, avoiding the beastly tide.

“It’s so quiet here.”

Inside this area, towering ancient trees and thick vines surrounded them in lush green. But it was eerily silent, as if all life had fled, deathly still, without a sound.

“What happened in the depths of the ruins? Even if two beast kings were fighting, it shouldn’t be this empty. Something else must be going on. How could everything flee like this?” Ye Fan and Pang Bo were both unsettled, but they pressed on. Soon they had ventured over ten miles in, and the forest became even more ancient and primal.

“Ssshhh...” In a rocky thicket, they heard hissing, like a snake flicking its tongue. A multicolored mist spread out, carrying a foul stench.

“Giant serpent!” Pang Bo whispered.

In the rocky forest lay a massive serpent, as thick as a water vat, coiled among the stones. It was spewing clouds of five-colored poison mist, and it seemed anxious and restless.

“It’s not an ordinary snake, it has a jade horn!”

The serpent’s scales were as large as a palm, shimmering in vivid colors under the sunlight. But what stood out was the jade horn on its head, glowing with threads of colored light that flowed into its skull.

“This horned snake has become a spirit. It’s already absorbing the essence of the sun and moon. If claws grow under its belly, it would be a true flood dragon.”

The two were tense. Clearly not all the beasts had fled, some powerful ones had stayed behind. This horned serpent, though anxious, seemed hesitant to leave.

Suddenly, a dull, distant boom echoed from deep in the ruins, like a giant drumbeat from far away.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo both felt a strange panic rise within them. At that moment, the horned serpent also shuddered, then quickly slithered deeper into the rocky forest.

“A serpent’s den!”

It was the creature’s lair. It dashed into a large black hole and did not reappear. As the poisonous mist dispersed and the foul odor faded, the rocky forest became visible again.

“This must be the jade-horned serpent the teaching elder once mentioned!” They hadn’t made the connection at first. But seeing the dark serpent den, it all came back.

“I remember the elder saying that jade-horned serpents evolve after over a century of absorbing the sun and moon essence, and that a rare herb called Jade Serpent Orchid grows near their dens...”

Both had vague memories. Though the elder often taught arcane techniques, he also covered other knowledge, scriptures, weapons, and medicinal herbs. Ye Fan and Pang Bo had focused on cultivation and hadn’t paid much attention. Before this trial, they had crammed a bit, or they might not have recognized much at all.

“It is Jade Serpent Orchid!”

They were both excited. At the mouth of the serpent’s dark den, they saw three strange plants, each about the height of a palm. Their stems were pure white, translucent like jade, resembling three upright white snakes. They bore white jade-like leaves and a radiant jade orchid flower at the top.

The three plants were clearly rare and extraordinary. Glimmering light flowed along them, and a faint fragrance drifted on the wind.

“Yes, definitely Jade Serpent Orchid!”

Hearing its name brought the elder’s lecture vividly back to mind. The herb’s value was immense.

Legend had it that as the old serpent absorbed the sun and moon’s essence, the dense spiritual energy around its den became toxic to most plants. Even common spiritual herbs would disintegrate over time. Only a strange orchid could survive there, absorbing that same energy. After over a century of cultivation, it would evolve into a plant shaped like the old serpent, thus earning the name Jade Serpent Orchid.

It had powerful detoxifying properties, capable of curing many poisons, and, being born beside a venomous creature, fit the rule that where poison lies, so does the antidote. Moreover, it absorbed life essence for a century, making it a prized treasure for cultivators.

They restrained their excitement. It was said that the old serpent prepared the herb for itself. Once the orchid matured into its final snake-like form, the serpent would consume it. Anyone who tried to take it would face its wrath.

“The serpent has already become a jade-horned spirit, but these three orchids haven’t fully matured yet.”

“How do we harvest them?”

“I think it was frightened and won’t come out soon. If we sneak over quietly, we might succeed.”

“Still risky. Let’s wait. If that deep rumble sounds again, we’ll rush in, grab the orchids, and flee.”

“Agreed. Let’s be patient.”

They hid in the rocky forest. Although they didn’t know what was happening deeper in the ruins, they felt it wasn’t over. That drum-like sound might repeat.

Sure enough, within fifteen minutes, three more dull booms echoed. Both Ye Fan and Pang Bo felt a strange fear, an unexplainable tremble in their souls.

They steadied their minds and dashed forward, plucking the three Jade Serpent Orchids and fleeing at full speed.

They ran for several miles before stopping. Behind them came the roar of crashing stones, the rocky forest was shaking as if in an earthquake. The serpent had clearly emerged.

Boom!

Another deep rumble from the ruins made their hearts pound and ache, but it also calmed the serpent, it did not chase them.

“Whew, we made it. If that serpent had come after us, we’d be done for, it’s a spirit beast. Ordinary experts couldn’t handle it, let alone us.” They sat on a boulder, wiping cold sweat.

Ye Fan studied the orchids, each one resembled a snake, complete with leafy appendages and a jade flower. Even the stems had scale-like patterns and shimmered like carved jade, emitting a fragrance that seemed to cleanse their entire being.

“Too bad they’re not fully matured.”

“Still, we should be grateful. This stuff is extremely rare.”

“They’re said to hold immense life energy. I wonder how effective they really are.”

“Let’s find a safe place and try it.”

They would never trade the Jade Serpent Orchid for bottles of Hundred-Grass Liquid, it was far more potent than anything distilled from a hundred herbs.

They climbed a secluded cliff covered in lush vegetation but completely silent, no birds or beasts.

“Once we take the orchid, we won’t have to fear poison beasts anymore.”

They agreed Ye Fan should try one first. With his special constitution, there was no danger of the medicinal energy harming him.

Ye Fan bit into half the orchid. Fragrance filled the air, wafting across the cliff. His body flushed with warmth, every pore opening as if his entire being were breathing. The broken half continued releasing life essence, glowing with faint lights. He quickly ate the rest.

He immediately sat in meditation, running the arcane method from the Dao Scripture, becoming as still as stone.

Soon, Ye Fan began breathing heavily. His face turned red, veins bulged, and his skin flushed. Light shimmered from his body.

Pang Bo watched nervously. He sensed an immense flow of spiritual energy surging through Ye Fan’s blood and flesh.

It sounded like rushing rivers, his blood roaring with vitality. The life essence surged within him, washing through his body, and even overflowing as glowing light.

After half an hour, the sound faded. Ye Fan’s breathing slowed, his pulse steadied, and his body seemed lighter and more refined.

BOOM!

Suddenly, Ye Fan’s Bitter Sea erupted with golden light. Divine rainbows burst forth, brilliant and dazzling.

“It’s happening!” Pang Bo was thrilled.

The scene repeated, Ye Fan’s Bitter Sea became a golden ocean. Waves roared like an army charging into battle, deafening.

Waves surged skyward, golden light filled the air, and the endless ocean heaved and rolled. Thunder crashed and golden lightning split the sky, powerful yet brimming with life.

The golden sea and blazing lightning merged into a realm of divine radiance.

Even though Pang Bo had seen it before, he was still stunned. The golden Bitter Sea pulsed with strange power, vibrating ceaselessly.

Ye Fan’s golden sea bathed the entire cliff in sacred light.

Two hours passed before everything gradually calmed. The golden light receded, the waves fell silent, and Ye Fan’s Bitter Sea returned to quiet. His entire being now radiated a refined, transcendent aura.

Half an hour later, Ye Fan opened his eyes, two flashes of lightning passed through his gaze. His eyes were sharp and clear, his spirit energized, and his body full of vitality.

“How do you feel?”

“Excellent. My Bitter Sea expanded!” Ye Fan activated the Dao Scripture’s method. A point of golden light lit up, what was once the size of a sesame seed was now like a soybean, glowing like a divine lamp.

“This kind of progress is amazing!” Pang Bo was happy and shocked, Ye Fan’s Sea had grown several times over.

Golden spirit energy flowed through the sea, and Ye Fan felt incredibly comfortable. The divine light nourished his flesh and blood. He channeled the mystical method, and a golden ray shot from his fingertip with a swoosh, piercing a nearby ancient tree.

Pang Bo’s jaw dropped. “You... you can already unleash attacks like god-runes?!”

“Jade Serpent Orchid is truly remarkable. Its life essence is many times more potent than those dozens of bottles of Hundred-Grass Liquid,” Ye Fan said with awe. His cultivation had gone incredibly smoothly this time.

Pang Bo was equally excited. “This trial was worth it. These three herbs are worth more than everyone else’s gains combined!”

“I still wonder what happened deep in the ruins. Should we keep going?”

“Of course. Let’s push further. With the beasts all driven out, this might be our best chance. Something incredible could be unfolding in the ruins. It could be our greatest opportunity yet.”

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