"I've got it!"
Inside the Tianzi No.1 guest room of the Miteer Merchant Association's relay station in Qingshan Town, Gu Han, who was within the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, sensed Ling Ying's soul fluctuations reappear and suddenly conceived a bold idea in his mind.
Brute force couldn't break through that energy barrier, and likely couldn't harm the Violet Nether Flame Serpent's body during its transformation process, but that didn't mean its soul couldn't be harmed.
What would happen if he were to destroy the Violet Nether Flame Serpent's current soul?
First: A completely new soul consciousness would be born from the Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python's body, like a newborn infant. At that time, he would serve as both mother and father, naturally having complete control over it.
Second: The body would decay without a soul, the transformation would cease, and he could immediately retrieve what the Violet Nether Flame Serpent had swallowed.
Third: The serpent's body would continue evolving normally, but with its soul destroyed and consciousness gone, it would become merely an empty shell - a "vegetative snake."
"Regardless of which scenario occurs, it's worth attempting. My possessions aren't so easily taken."
Although the Violet Nether Flame Serpent was a fifth-tier Magical Beast, it was still just a Magical Beast, only comparable to a Dou King. Its soul shouldn't be too powerful.
"This is feasible!"
Gu Han took out the Ice Toad Snow Pearl and Century Cold Jade, approached the Violet Nether Flame Serpent, sat on the Essence Crystal Jade Marrow, then placed his hand on the colorful energy crystal barrier and injected his own soul power.
To his surprise, his soul power entered as if encountering no resistance, completely unimpeded by the special crystal layer. It easily penetrated into the Violet Nether Flame Serpent's body and detected its soul fluctuations.
Soon, Gu Han felt himself entering a spiritual space. This space wasn't large, only about ten zhang in radius, with a Violet Nether Flame Serpent coiled at the very center, its eyes tightly closed in slumber.
As if sensing an outsider's gaze, the soul-form Violet Nether Flame Serpent opened its eyes, meeting Gu Han's gaze directly.
Its purple eyes showed just the right amount of confusion, quickly followed by shock: "You can actually enter the depths of my soul!?"
This was a place that even it could only perceive with difficulty during inner vision, unable to actually enter.
Today, it had only managed to achieve inner vision of its soul by borrowing the power brought by the Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python's transformation.
Yet upon arriving, it discovered Gu Han was already here.
"Your soul power is truly pitifully weak."
The soul-energy formed Gu Han, discovering he could still sense the Black Tortoise Shell, grew increasingly bold and began perceiving with full power.
This perception revealed that the Violet Nether Flame Serpent's soul realm hadn't even reached the early Mortal Realm stage - it was just an ordinary soul without any cultivation realm.
In this spiritual world, the gap between the Violet Nether Flame Serpent and himself was even greater than the cultivation gap between them in the external world.
Under normal circumstances, no one would allow him to touch them and invade with soul power.
But this Violet Nether Flame Serpent was severely injured and undergoing transformation, completely at his mercy.
Gu Han's look of regarding it as an ant provoked the Violet Nether Flame Serpent, who immediately spoke: "Human, leave quickly, or this king will..."
"Or what?" Gu Han directly interrupted the Violet Nether Flame Serpent's soul form, raising his hand in an arrow-shooting gesture.
The Heaven and Earth Energy from the external world could be manipulated by his soul power, forming into a bow and arrow.
With the assistance of the Essence Crystal Jade Marrow, Century Cold Jade, and Ice Toad Snow Pearl, a long bow quickly materialized, and a soul arrow imbued with icy power shot forth.
"Ah!"
Hit by the arrow, the Violet Nether Flame Serpent immediately let out a piercing shriek.
Feeling its soul power begin to dissipate, the serpent roared furiously, "Human, you're courting death! Stop this at once!"
"Ah, you bastard! I'll tear you to pieces!"
"Ah! Ah! Cease now, or I'll self-destruct and take you down with me!"
"Ah!!"
"..."
"I beg you, please stop! I'm willing to acknowledge you as my master!"
As Gu Han shot arrow after arrow, the Violet Nether Flame Serpent kept dodging futilely while its body and mental space rapidly shrank.
Within just a few dozen breaths, the mental space had diminished to only three zhang in radius, with the serpent's soul reduced to mere inches.
Gu Han's soul form towered over the Violet Nether Flame Serpent's like a giant, capable of crushing it completely with a single hand, causing its soul to dissipate entirely.
"Your life is now completely in my hands."
"Spend your remaining time awaiting death in terror."
With a thought, Gu Han exited the mental space.
"Hiss!"
Returning to his physical body, Gu Han drew a sharp breath, feeling exhaustion for the first time since beginning his cultivation.
Continuously attacking with soul power, even with the aid of three rare treasures, had left him feeling utterly drained.
Still, he could have persisted until eliminating the serpent's soul completely. He stopped only out of concern that the Violet Nether Flame Serpent's body might turn into a corpse.
Thus he prepared two contingency plans: if he could make Qing Lin his sword-bearing maid, he would have her enslave the serpent when the time was right.
If that proved unfeasible, he would wait until the Violet Nether Flame Serpent evolved into a Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python before considering another attempt.
"Recovery first."
Gu Han visualized the Black Tortoise Shell while circulating the Ice Soul Mystic Classic to restore his condition.
Ten hours passed in the blink of an eye, bringing a new day.
Gu Han felt refreshed, with his soul power fully restored.
"The Black Tortoise Shell can also serve as a tonic for recovering mental energy."
A glint flashed in Gu Han's eyes as he chose to first check today's opportunity—or rather, intelligence.
[The female snake-person you killed was named Lisa, daughter of the former Snake-People Race guard captain who died protecting the previous Queen Medusa. She was also the direct granddaughter of the current Second Elder among the Snake-People Race's four great elders, and was engaged to Bai Liang, one of the eight commanders.
Using her status as a Snake-People Temple guard during a shift change, she stole the sacred Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python Magic Core Crystal. With secret assistance from her fiancé and grandmother, she escaped the snake-person tribe. To absorb the crystal's power, she practiced the Serpent Phoenix Secret Method, which distorted her appearance with the python's energy.
The Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python Magic Core Crystal originated from the previous Queen Medusa...]
Gu Han: !
So he had accidentally slain a female snake-person of extraordinary status within the Snake-People Race.
And this Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python Magic Core Crystal was essentially the final relic of Queen Medusa's mother.
"This must not be exposed," Gu Han thought inwardly, or it would mean serious trouble.
Fortunately, only Ling Ying knew about him killing Lisa.
Ling Ying knowing meant Gu Xun'er and Ling Xiao knew as well.
Surely there couldn't be a fifth person aware of this?
[Gu Xun'er, intending to cultivate a prodigy capable of surpassing the younger generation of the Ancient Clan, decided to increase her investment in you. She instructed Ling Ying to find an opportune moment to gift you the Earth Tier low-grade sword technique, "Mystic Ice Nine Swords Art."]
Gu Han: !
A sugar mommy indeed.
Not counting Zi Yan in the scenario of Zhu Kun's return, she was indisputably the number one rich and beautiful young lady on the Dou Qi Continent. Her methods were truly extraordinary.
An Earth-Rank Low-Level Fighting Skill, and he just invested it without hesitation.
"I think now is quite the right moment," Gu Han murmured inwardly.
Profound Rank Dou Skills were methods to confront opponents beyond one's level; high-level Profound Rank Skills, when used skillfully, could allow one to challenge opponents a rank higher under specific circumstances.
A Low-Level Earth Rank Exercise, however, was a true trump card for transcending ranks in battle.
"Continue cultivating."
Gu Han steadied his mind and resumed his cultivation.
It wasn't until the next morning that he prepared to go out.
Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted ahead.
"They're back! The mercenary group that took Little Fairy Doctor into the mountains has returned!"