Power in this murky, underwater world wasn't given; it was taken. And Luo Zhen had just taken the throne.
The lesser demons, trembling before their new master, scurried to present the spoils of his victory: the entire hoard of the giant six-eyed flying fish he'd just obliterated. A small mountain of rare, water-aligned herbs piled up at his coils.
Luo Zhen didn't bother with pleasantries. He opened his maw, and a vortex of suction pulled the glowing plants into his mouth. He chewed, the sound of crunching stems and leaves echoing in the cavern.
A series of notifications pinged in his mind, crisp and clear like a user interface.
[You have consumed a 400-year-old Water Vine Grass. +220 EXP!]
[You have consumed a low-grade spirit herb, the Azure Water Flower. +550 EXP!]
[You have consumed a mid-grade spirit herb, the Black Smoke Fruit. +1,070 EXP!]
His experience bar rocketed upward.
"Incredible… absolutely incredible, my lord!" The leader of the demon servants, an ancient green turtle demon, stared with his jaw practically unhinged. "Truly, Master Snake, your power is magnificent!"
"Save the compliments," Luo Zhen's voice rumbled, muffled by a mouthful of herbs. "Flattery gets you nowhere with me."
"It's not flattery, my lord, I swear!" the turtle demon insisted. "I've lived for centuries, and I have never, ever seen anyone devour spirit herbs like that. The flying fish would have needed a week to safely refine just one of those. But you… You just eat them like they're common weeds."
Luo Zhen allowed himself a small, internal smile. The turtle demon couldn't possibly understand. He had the System. For him, energy wasn't a volatile force to be carefully managed; it was just fuel. He could consume endlessly without fear of overloading his system and exploding, a very real danger for any other creature in this world.
Soon, the pile of herbs was gone. But there was more. A cluster of shimmering, water-blue crystals lay on the ground, along with a simple, unassuming earthenware pot.
"What are these?" he asked, lifting one of the crystals with his tail. It pulsed with a cool, gentle light. He focused, and the System provided an answer.
[Item: Water-Attribute Spirit Stone]
[Grade: Low]
Jackpot. He'd read about Spirit Stones—condensed nuggets of pure elemental power, far superior to the crude vital energy stones he'd encountered before. He knew the hierarchy by heart: low, mid, high, and the legendary supreme grade. Beyond that, in the realm of myths, were Saint Jades and Immortal Crystals.
But myth could wait. Reality was a pile of delicious-looking stones right in front of him.
And what do you do with a pile of delicious-looking energy stones? You eat them.
He tossed one into his mouth. It didn't crunch; it dissolved instantly, a wave of pure, refined spiritual energy washing through his body. It was a clean, potent rush, far more efficient than the herbs.
[You have refined one low-grade water-attribute Spirit Stone! +500 EXP!]
"Five hundred points," Luo Zhen mused. "As good as a low-grade spirit herb." He didn't hesitate. He vacuumed up the rest of the stones like they were candy. A cascade of notifications confirmed the rapid boost to his power.
Finally, only the pot remained. It looked ancient and plain, sealed with a heavy clay stopper. Cautiously, he nudged the stopper, opening just a tiny crack. A wisp of gray, ethereal gas slipped out. The moment it touched the air, a deep, primal hunger awakened within him. It was an instinct he didn't know he had.
He inhaled, and the wisp of gas shot up his nostrils.
[You have refined a sliver of Yin Baleful Aura. Baleful Qi +10!]
Baleful Qi? The term tickled his memory. "System, what's Baleful Qi? I feel like you've mentioned it before."
[Affirmative. During your ascension to the Earthly Profound Realm, a data packet on the realm's mechanics was provided. This included information on Baleful Qi.]
"Right, right, the data dump," Luo Zhen remembered. He'd been so focused on his new Nine-Headed Serpent form that he'd glossed over some of the finer details. "Give me the short version again. I was… distracted."
[To advance through the Earthly Profound Realm, absorbing ambient world energy is not sufficient. A cultivator must also accumulate Yin Baleful Aura. This is to create a balance of yin and yang, a necessary prerequisite for forming a Demonic Core later on. Conversely, the Heavenly Profound Realm requires the absorption of Yang Vigorous Aura. Your progress is now gated by two resources: Experience Points and Baleful Qi.]
"So, no matter how much EXP I grind, I can't level up until I fill my Baleful Qi meter," Luo Zhen concluded. "Got it." He checked his status panel. A new line had appeared.
[Baleful Qi: 123/1000]
He looked at the pot, his serpent eyes gleaming. He ripped the stopper off. A thick cloud of the gray energy billowed out, and he inhaled it all, a deep, satisfying draught that settled a strange craving in his soul.
[You have refined a large quantity of Yin Baleful Aura. Baleful Qi +113!]
He needed more. Much more.
"Turtle demon!" he called out.
The old demon scurried back in. "Yes, Master Snake?"
"I need a map. Not a physical one, but a political one," Luo Zhen said, his voice low and serious. "Tell me about the powers in this lake. Who's the boss? Who answers to whom?"
Luo Zhen knew that the world of demonic beasts was just as political as the human one—only far more brutal. If he wanted to hold onto his new territory, he needed to know who his neighbors were, and more importantly, who his new landlord was.
"Of course, my lord," the turtle demon said, his expression grave. "Directly above us is the Iron-Armored Berserk Crocodile. His domain spans thousands of miles. He is… our boss."
"And his realm?"
"Heavenly Profound," the turtle whispered, as if the name itself was dangerous. "Be warned, Master Snake. He is called 'Berserk' for a reason. His temper is legendary and his cruelty, boundless. It is best not to draw his attention."
"Is there anyone above him?"
"Yes," the turtle affirmed. "He serves General Salamander, one of the three Great Demon Generals of Blackwater Lake. The General is the only reason the Berserk Crocodile hasn't been put down for all the chaos he's caused over the years."
A Demon General. The title hit Luo Zhen like a physical blow. That explained everything. It explained how his original clan, the Blackwater Mystic Serpents, could have been wiped out to the last member. With a powerhouse like that sitting at the top of the food chain, no one would have dared to intervene. Blackwater Lake was a far deeper, more dangerous pond than he'd ever imagined.
"So, there's a tribute," Luo Zhen stated, his voice flat. It was a question, but not really.
"Of course, my lord," the turtle demon confirmed. "One hundred low-grade water spirit stones, due every six months."
Luo Zhen's jaw tightened. He had just devoured every last Spirit Stone in his treasury. The irony was bitter. He'd fled his last home for this exact reason—an inability to pay tribute. Had he just traded one cage for another?
The turtle demon, seeing his master's dark mood, quickly added, "But you needn't worry, Master Snake! The six-eyed flying fish made the last payment just before… well, before you arrived. The next tribute isn't due for another six months."
Luo Zhen felt a wave of relief wash over him. Six months. In his world, that was an eternity. By then, he planned to be so powerful that the Berserk Crocodile would be his peer, not his master.
"One last thing," Luo Zhen commanded as the turtle demon turned to leave. "Spread the word. Let every faction in the surrounding waters know that the six-eyed flying fish is gone. This territory belongs to the Black Snake now."
Two days later, he had visitors.
"My lord, two masters from the Earthly Profound Realm are requesting an audience," a small fish demon reported, quivering. "A carp demon and a black carp demon. They were frequent guests of the old master."
Friends of the fish? Here for revenge? Luo Zhen considered. Let them come. His Red Lotus Fire had handled one mid-stage demon. Two early-stage ones would be target practice.
He met them outside, flanked by his new legion of underlings. The carp was huge with a shimmering red tail, while the black carp was sleek and powerful. They were both, as reported, at the early stage of the Earthly Profound Realm.
To his surprise, the black carp spoke first, his tone disarmingly polite. "You must be the Black Snake. We've heard of your strength. An honor."
"I am," Luo Zhen replied coolly. "State your business. If you're here to avenge the flying fish, you can save us all some time and start now."
"Not at all!" the black carp said quickly. "Our relationship with him was… transactional. We are here on a different matter. A matter of mutual interest." He glanced around at the listening demons. "It concerns Yin Baleful Aura. Perhaps we could speak somewhere more private?"
Intrigued, Luo Zhen led them back to his den.
"Alright, we're alone. Talk."
The black carp laid it all out. Years ago, he'd discovered a peninsula on the edge of the lake, one uniquely saturated with the Yin Baleful Aura they all needed to advance. But a minor human sect, the Famous Saber Sect, had discovered it at the same time. A bloody conflict ensued, ending in a stalemate and a treaty.
"Here's the deal," the black carp explained. "Once a month, we fight. Three-on-three. The winning side gets exclusive access to the peninsula for the entire month. It was me, the carp, and the flying fish. Now that he's gone… his spot on the team is open."
He leaned forward, his massive fish eyes fixed on Luo Zhen. "The humans have three Earthly Profound martial artists. With you, we'd be at full strength again. If we win, you get a full share of the spoils. A month of unlimited access to a dense source of Baleful Qi."
Luo Zhen processed the information. "Why haven't you asked the Berserk Crocodile for help? A Heavenly Profound master could take the peninsula permanently for you."
The black carp let out a bitter, bubbling laugh. "We tried. His price was more than our territories are worth combined. We aren't his favorites, so he couldn't care less. The humans are in the same boat—a minor sect with no powerful backing. It's a conflict that's perfectly contained between us."
He paused, letting the offer hang in the air. "So, what do you say, Brother Black Snake? Are you in?"
Luo Zhen didn't have to think for long. The human cultivators sounded manageable, and his need for Baleful Qi was critical. This wasn't just an opportunity; it was a necessity.
"I'm in," he said. "Let's go meet these martial artists."
They traveled to the edge of Blackwater Lake. The peninsula was a strange sight: the outer ring was a lush, vibrant green, but its core was a dark, twisted forest from which a faint, gray mist seemed to leak into the sky.
As they waited, a group of humans arrived on the opposite shore, moving with disciplined speed. They wore matching uniforms and each carried a long saber. Luo Zhen's eyes scanned them, the System feeding him intel.
[Name: You Zheng | Race: Human | Realm: Early-Stage Earthly Profound]
[Name: He Cai | Race: Human | Realm: Early-Stage Earthly Profound]
So far, so good. Then his gaze landed on their leader.
[Name: Peng Yue | Race: Human | Realm: Mid-Stage Earthly Profound]
Luo Zhen's eyes narrowed. Mid-stage.
"Your intel was wrong," he hissed under his breath at the black carp.
But even as a jolt of alarm went through him, it was quickly replaced by cold confidence. Let them bring a mid-stage master. The last mid-stage opponent he'd faced had been turned to ash in seconds.
He had an ace up his sleeve. An ace named Red Lotus Fire.