Volume One, Chapter Thirteen: A Man and a Snake

Yun Qianbai gazed at the little black snake stubbornly clinging to him, his heart a tangle of emotions.

To be honest, he had indeed absorbed this little creature’s energy—though it had practically handed itself over, so in a way, he owed it a favor.

Besides, despite its foul temper, the little thing could speak human language, which was quite rare. Keeping it around for some amusement wasn’t a bad idea.

“Fine, since you insist on following me, then so be it,” Yun Qianbai sighed, conceding. “But let me make it clear—I’ll only provide for your food and shelter. For everything else, you’re on your own. Don’t expect me to serve you.”

The little black snake’s eyes sparkled with delight, its tiny body practically bursting with joy. “Deal! I—uh, I don’t need anyone serving me! I’m a proud venomous dragon, not some lowly creature needing care!”

“Heh, still pretending to be tough,” Yun Qianbai chuckled without exposing its bluff. “Well, you must have some preferences on what to eat and drink, right?”

“Hmm…” The snake’s eyes darted cunningly. “I’ll eat and drink whatever you do! I’m not picky!”

“Heh, you little thing sure know how to play along,” Yun Qianbai laughed wryly. “Alright, it’s settled. But with your size, you stand out way too much beside me. Can you shrink a bit?”

At his words, the snake twisted its body and instantly shrank dozens of times, becoming no thicker than a chopstick. Then, with a swift flick, it slipped into Yun Qianbai’s pocket, leaving only its small head poking out, curiously observing the surroundings.

“What are you doing?” Yun Qianbai was startled by the sudden move.

“Sleeping! I just used up too much energy and need to rest,” the muffled voice came from the pocket. “Don’t run off and lose me!”

“You really think you’re the boss, huh?” Yun Qianbai shook his head in helpless amusement but didn’t kick it out.

He sensed that despite its sharp tongue, the little black snake bore no real ill will.

Moreover, it seemed to harbor some secret, stirring a faint curiosity within him.

In truth, the snake clung to Yun Qianbai because it sensed a pure, potent energy within him—an energy irresistibly alluring, capable of restoring and even enhancing its strength.

That was why it humbled itself, willing to become a mere “servant” just to stay near him and absorb that mysterious power.

“Forget it, I’ll just treat it like a pet,” Yun Qianbai muttered to himself as he pressed deeper into the toxic mist.

After a long trek, he found a relatively safe spot. He cleared away poisonous insects and mutated plants nearby, ensuring no danger remained, then sat cross-legged to begin absorbing the surrounding toxic fog.

His toxin resistance had already reached fourteen percent, allowing him to absorb the poison much faster than before.

As the toxic mist poured into his body relentlessly, the system’s prompt echoed in his mind:

“Toxin level +500, +500, +500…”

“Strength +50, Constitution +50, Spirit +50, Agility +50…”

Hundreds of toxin points swiftly converted into strength, constitution, spirit, and agility. Yun Qianbai could feel his body transforming; every muscle pulsed with explosive power, every cell vibrated with vitality.

Eyes closed, he immersed himself fully in cultivation, unaware that the azure vine pattern on his arm subtly shifted with his growing strength.

What was once a faint blue deepened, as if alive, flowing beneath his skin and radiating a mysterious glow.

Yun Qianbai ravenously absorbed the toxic fog like a gluttonous beast, eager to devour all the poison in this world.

In his pocket, the little black snake peeked out, its tiny green eyes spinning with curiosity and greed.

It clearly sensed that after Yun Qianbai absorbed the toxin, a pure and supreme energy formed within—a force far more enticing than any delicacy in the world.

“What kind of monster is this? To convert poison into such refined energy!” the snake muttered to itself. “I’m a venomous dragon and can absorb poison too, but none as effortlessly or purely as him! This is just… unfair!”

It stared covetously at Yun Qianbai, itching to leap out and seize that energy for itself.

But reason held it back; now was not the time.

Though harmless at first glance, Yun Qianbai carried a formidable power that made the snake wary.

“Hmph, I’ll let you enjoy this for now. Once I regain my strength, we’ll settle the score!” the snake vowed silently, yet couldn’t resist secretly absorbing the pure energy radiating from Yun Qianbai.

“So intoxicating…” it squinted, fully entranced. “Better than eating a hundred venomous scorpions!”

Thus, man and serpent, each harboring their own schemes, harmoniously immersed themselves in cultivation.

One voraciously devouring, the other stealthily feeding—an oddly balanced partnership.

As time passed, the azure vine on Yun Qianbai’s arm underwent a startling transformation. The once deep blue faded, replaced by an inky blackness—like the darkest night or an endless abyss, mysterious and eerie.

Soon, the blackness slowly faded, becoming transparent, and finally vanished altogether, as if it had never existed.

Yun Qianbai noticed none of this. He remained absorbed in his cultivation, savoring the thrill of his surging power.

Toxin levels soared wildly; strength, constitution, spirit, and agility surged alongside. He felt reborn, every move brimming with newfound might.

“This feeling… incredible!” he reveled inwardly, sensing his power growing at an unbelievable pace—a sensation utterly addictive.

“Just a bit more effort, I’ll break through soon!” he encouraged himself, intensifying his absorption of the surrounding toxic mist. He needed to grow stronger quickly—to protect himself, find his sister, and survive in this perilous world.

The little black snake also felt the intensifying aura radiating from Yun Qianbai, both excited and uneasy.

Excited because the stronger Yun Qianbai became, the more pure energy it could siphon.

Uneasy because if Yun Qianbai kept growing stronger, could the snake still keep him in check?

“No matter, I’ll feast first!” it shook its head, tossing aside its worries to continue gorging itself.