Green light shimmered as the twelve greenwood swords, now soaked in serpent blood, seemed to come alive. They appeared to be absorbing the blood essence. The swords became increasingly lustrous, less ancient, more jade-like, glowing with a strange, ghostly green light that resembled will-o'-wisps. With a few soft "swish swish swish" sounds, they quickly flew back and vanished into Elder Han's shriveled body.
He walked forward, holding a greenwood ruler, stepping into the pool of blood. With a light tap, he knocked the jade horn off the snake's head. Then he rummaged through the corpse, pulling out a massive snake gall, bloodied and glistening. With claw-like fingers, he punctured the gallbladder, squeezing the bile directly into his mouth. Then he stuffed the entire organ in, chewed it thoroughly, and swallowed it.
"Sigh, it's extremely bitter, but for this dying body of mine, it's a great tonic. A serpent demon's gall is rare," he said in a chilling tone. Even Li Lin and Li Yun felt creeped out.
Next, he used strange techniques to extract the snake's blood, venom, and other useful parts, wasting nothing. With a wave of green light, all materials vanished into his possession.
"You're all far too bold, daring to come here," said Elder Han, hair disheveled and face hidden. But his words were cold as ice, suggesting a grim expression. "Not even those with abundant godpower would dare tread so deep into the ruins lightly."
"Uncle, I know I was wrong," Han Feiyu lowered his head without any excuse, clearly terrified of Elder Han. Li Lin and Li Yun also bowed their heads, not daring to look at him.
"You may have had a clever little plan, thinking you could sneak in during the chaos of beasts fleeing, but you forgot something: in this world, everything depends on strength. Without true power, tricks are meaningless," Elder Han said. His tone then softened a bit. "The depths of these ruins are undergoing great changes, even I must tread carefully, or my life may be in danger. Leave now. Do not return."
"Yes, sir!"
The three agreed but didn't immediately leave. They glanced toward Ye Fan and Pang Bo, eyes full of killing intent.
"Still not leaving?" Elder Han's hair parted slightly as two beams of sharp light shot from within, chilling them to the bone. Without another word, they fled into the woods.
Then, Elder Han turned toward Ye Fan and Pang Bo. His body was like dried wood in black robes, looking like cloth wrapped around a thin bamboo stick. His white hair hung in tangles, making him appear ghostly and terrifying. He made no sound as he floated forward, not touching the ground, radiating the aura of death.
Ye Fan and Pang Bo instantly grew tense. This old man was too sinister. They felt their scalps tingle. They weren't within Desolate Spirit Grotto-Heaven anymore, if he wanted to use them for alchemy, no one would come to their rescue.
Elder Han floated silently before them. His laugh was like an owl screeching in the night, raising the hair on their backs.
"To escape from the jade-horned snake and even harvest the Jade Serpent Orchid, impressive!" He nodded repeatedly, staring at the two. Beams of fierce light shot from his white hair as he examined them.
Being "praised" like this made both of them uncomfortable. Especially when he said "impressive", it didn't sound like admiration for their actions, but rather a greedy appraisal of their bodies. They felt creeped out. Elder Han was clearly at the end of his lifespan, likely trying to concoct a revival pill. The way he looked at them sent shivers down their spines.
"Greetings, Elder Han," Ye Fan and Pang Bo greeted him, knowing escape was impossible. Someone capable of riding a divine rainbow could catch them in an instant.
"You seem scared. No need for that. I like young people, especially those full of vitality," Elder Han said hoarsely, taking a few steps closer. He looked at Pang Bo briefly, then focused intensely on Ye Fan, his gaze burning, like he was eyeing personal property.
Ye Fan nearly threw a punch, and Pang Bo was ready to act as well. But just then, Elder Han suddenly…
…lightly patted Ye Fan's shoulder. Then, like a ghost, he drifted backward and left the two behind.
"I have high hopes for you. Train well." His voice was weak and lifeless as he vanished in the direction of the ruins' depths.
"What the hell was that about?" Pang Bo frowned. He had expected Elder Han to attack, but he just left.
"That old freak…" Ye Fan's face darkened. He muttered, "That blatant stare, he didn't even try to hide it. Like I was his property. Damn it, I hope he gets trapped and dies in those ruins!"
"Let's get out of here while we still can," Pang Bo suggested. "Before that old monster changes his mind."
"Doesn't matter. He didn't act, probably because of Elder Wu Qingfeng. But judging by his attitude, he's planning something. Who knows what…"
Far off in the forest, Han Feiyu was confused. He had thought his great-uncle would take Ye Fan for refining, but he had merely paused and then left.
Li Lin and Li Yun were gritting their teeth. Seeing that Elder Han had gone, they whispered to each other, planning to kill Ye Fan and Pang Bo themselves.
"Pang Bo is an Immortal Seed, he likely carries Elder Wu Qingfeng's mark. If we kill them, it'll be traced to us instantly." In the end, the three of them left in bitter frustration, suppressing their murderous intent.
Just then, a divine rainbow streaked across the sky, headed deeper into the ruins.
"That's Elder Wu Qingfeng!" Ye Fan and Pang Bo looked at each other in surprise and relief.
Though the ruins were dangerous, the two decided not to retreat. Instead, they pushed on.
"If we don't go into the deepest part, maybe we'll find other rare herbs like the Jade Serpent Orchid." They believed the real danger was concentrated at the core of the ruins. Other areas might still be relatively safe.
The forest was eerily quiet. After walking another several miles, they saw many broken foundations and rubble, overgrown with grass, but still clearly ruins.
During this time, they confirmed that not all beasts had fled. In several areas, they saw powerful creatures no weaker than the jade-horned snake, hiding in caves, restless and agitated.
"Thud."
Suddenly, a dull thumping sound echoed from the depths of the ruins. Ye Fan and Pang Bo both trembled, like something had clutched their hearts, sending sharp pain through their chests. Though their bodies were far stronger than average, they still staggered back, faces pale with fear.
"What… is that thing?"
"Did you notice? The thumping is getting more frequent."
More than that, they felt a massive, overwhelming life force emanating from deep within the ruins.
"What do you think it is?" Pang Bo asked.
Ye Fan shook his head. "It's absurd, but I can't help thinking… it feels like some ancient being, asleep for endless ages, is slowly waking up."
Pang Bo's eyes widened. "Are you saying… that sound is its heartbeat?"
Just then, the air was torn apart by streaks of light, dozens of divine rainbows shot across the sky, headed toward the heart of the ruins.