"I'm not even fifteen yet, still a child. I absolutely cannot lose my Primordial Yang tonight."
"Being Xu Xian isn't that easy, especially when it's passive."
Gu Han's eyes narrowed slightly. With a thought, he returned to the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, leaving behind an illusory body on the large bed.
As his strength and soul power continuously improved, the phantom he created now possessed some differences—it could mimic his aura.
Those with soul realms below his couldn't detect that the phantom wasn't his true self, unless they made direct physical contact.
His soul perception had also grown stronger; for instance, he could sense Ling Ying on the rooftop ten zhang away.
Though her aura was concealed and her Dou Qi restrained, her soul presence stood out in his perception like a torch in the darkness.
At that ten-zhang distance, Ling Ying could cover it in a single breath with her strength, yet under normal circumstances, she wouldn't be detected by him—making it the perfect position for covert protection.
"So this is that Snake-People Race Dou Grand Master."
Gu Han sensed two soul fluctuations in the adjacent room—one strong, one weak, but both originating from the same source and neither insignificant.
Clearly, it was the female Snake-People Race Dou Grand Master and the soul of her Bonded Serpent Magical Beast.
"This soul aura feels somewhat eerie." Gu Han heightened his vigilance internally.
Meanwhile, in the neighboring room.
The Snake-People Race member Lisa, who had been sitting cross-legged in cultivation, suddenly opened her eyes and spat out a mouthful of blood: "Pfft."
In the next moment, a ripple of Dou Qi surfaced over her body, and her crossed legs swiftly transformed into a thick, lengthy green tail.
"Yue Xi, just you wait. Give me a little more time, and even your sister the commander, even Her Majesty the Queen, will become my servants."
Wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, Lisa reached into her upper garment and retrieved a multicolored pearl from between her ample bosom.
This was one of the Snake-People Race Sacred Objects—a Magic Core Crystal left behind by a Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python.
A Magic Core Crystal is not a Magic Core; rather, it forms when a Magical Beast, on the verge of death, infuses all its essence into its Magic Core. However, only a rare few ancient Magical Beasts can accomplish this.
The one in Lisa's possession wasn't a genuine Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python Magic Core Crystal, but an incomplete version left by the previous Queen Medusa, the mother of the current Queen Medusa.
While the former Queen Medusa had completed her Bloodline Transformation into a Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python during her attempt to break through to the Dou Ancestor realm, she couldn't withstand the Lightning Tribulation and was severely injured. Thus, she chose to convert all her internal essence into a Magic Core Crystal.
This incomplete Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python Magic Core Crystal was intended for the current Medusa to absorb when she grew strong enough to attempt a breakthrough to Dou Ancestor and undergo evolution, thereby increasing her chances of success.
Through meticulous planning and leveraging her special status within the clan, Lisa successfully stole this Magic Core Crystal and fled under pursuit by the Snake-People Race's powerful experts.
"Aside from Medusa, I am the most qualified to use this crystal."
Gripping the Magic Core Crystal, Lisa began swiftly forming hand seals with both hands.
In the next instant, a small energy serpent materialized before her, circled a few times in place, then slithered off in one direction.
"The delicacy is over there, is it?"
Lisa extended her snake-like tongue to lick her lips and immediately chased after the energy serpent's path.
To absorb the power within the Magic Core Crystal, her current level as a Dou Grand Master was insufficient.
It requires the Dual Cultivation method to absorb power through a man's body, but that would destroy his meridians, rendering him a cripple.
It is also through the energy generated by Dual Cultivation that Lisa can utilize the power of the Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python's Magic Core Crystal to conceal her aura, using a secret technique to temporarily transform her serpentine lower body into legs.
Queen Medusa disdains using Dual Cultivation to enhance her strength, keeping the Magic Core Crystal only for critical moments. But Lisa, as long as she can grow stronger, doesn't mind it—even if it comes at the cost of her appearance.
"Bang!"
The window was pushed open. Lisa left the room and silently arrived at the tavern opposite the Miteer Inn, entering one of the rooms.
"Who's there?!"
A burly, handsome man who had been sleeping on the bed suddenly opened his eyes.
He only felt a faint green light flash into the space between his eyebrows, and then he saw the room's window open. A woman with an enchanting figure, a bewitching aura, and a face of ethereal beauty tinged with a holy purity slowly "walked" in.
"Brother, your little sister wants to play with you. Are you willing?"
Lisa approached the burly man, placing a hand on his firm chest.
"Good, of course, no problem."
The man's eyes were filled with fervor and lust as he revealed a fanatical smile.
He had always been the one to pluck flowers; he never expected a flower to come to him today—and such a rare one at that.
"Bang!"
The window and door were shut, and the inn room instantly fell silent.
All of this was witnessed by Ling Ying and did not escape Gu Han's soul perception.
"To die beneath the peony, even as a ghost, is to be romantic."
Ling Ying had no intention of intervening in this matter.
With his background, status, and strength, as a death guard of the Ancient Clan, he had long been accustomed to slaughter and life-and-death situations. He wouldn't be stirred by unrelated matters or people, nor would he do anything unnecessary.
Gu Han also knew well the fate of those who acted self-righteously. Even though he knew Ling Ying was there as a safeguard, he didn't rashly interfere. Hidden within the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, he pondered carefully.
"What is that treasure that looks like a pearl? It seems to contain soul fluctuations, almost like pure soul energy."
"That small green snake also carries soul power. If I hadn't hidden in the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, would it have come for me?"
"To seek prey for Dual Cultivation—the Snake-People Race has such secret techniques."
"It's a pity there are only two opportunities to gain advantages; otherwise, I might have been able to gather some intelligence."
Gu Han contemplated ways to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
He preferred not to use Ling Ying as his trump card unless absolutely necessary. When Yao Lao was training Xiao Yan, he had said, "Unless it's a life-or-death situation, even if there's a sliver of hope, I will not intervene." And indeed, he had acted accordingly, fearing that Xiao Yan would become too reliant on external power.
Naturally, Gu Han couldn't allow himself to be inferior to Xiao Yan.
But relying on himself, with his cultivation at the nine-star Dou Fighter level, he wasn't even a match for that beautiful serpent's tail.
"This man seems to be a seven-star Dou Master."
Gu Han used his soul power to observe the fluctuating soul energy in the inn room.
Based on the experience he had gained from cultivating the Purple Qi Double Pupils combined with his soul power, he could discern the other's cultivation level.
If it was a seven-star Dou Master, striking at the critical moment of Dual Cultivation and employing a method akin to the "finale of the Qin Emperor," he might have a chance to severely injure or even kill the female serpent-person despite the level gap.
"It's a shame I don't know the Emperor-ranked technique 'Ghost Possession,'" Gu Han sighed softly. "Otherwise, I could take control and fight on his behalf."
At that thought, an idea suddenly sprang into Gu Han's mind.
"It's a bit far-fetched."
After a moment of sensing, Gu Han immediately returned to the outside world.
He executed the Serpentine Nine Steps, leaving the room as lightly as a gecko, then leaped over the wall and infiltrated the inn across the street.
This scene was witnessed by Ling Ying, who immediately became alert.
"This direction... Could it be that young friend Gu Han is going to..."
A dozen breaths later, Ling Ying's speculation was confirmed.
Gu Han had actually arrived just three meters away from the window of the room where the female snake-person had infiltrated.
"It seems young friend Gu Han has noticed the commotion caused by that female snake-person."
Ling Ying's gaze grew inexplicably complex.
"Coming here now to... eavesdrop?!"
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