Xiao Bai and the Sarira

"Clang!" With a loud noise, the blade struck Zhang Chen's right hand's nails, instantly severing three of them. However, it also changed its original trajectory, cutting into the rock and soil to Zhang Chen's left. The severed part of Zhang Chen's right claw was covered in a layer of ice, and his nails could only regrow extremely slowly.

With the White Robe scholar's slip-up, Zhang Chen seized the opportunity. His left hand, which had been gathering power, lunged forward, cutting the White Robe scholar in half at the waist.

The upper body of the White Robe scholar, holding the saber, flew off. At the waist where it was cut, countless small snakes suddenly grew, connecting it to the lower half, rejoining the entire body.

"A Snake Demon? Such a peculiar ability."

The scholar, having been cut in half, recovered without any ill effects. His eyes fixed on Zhang Chen, preparing to raise his saber again and strike at Zhang Chen.

"Let's see if you can recover after being battered like a sieve."

All the spring water in the cave floated before Zhang Chen, instantly forming into hundreds of spike-like shapes. This was inspired by the mermaid from before.

Zhang Chen's telekinesis locked onto the White Robe scholar, and hundreds of water spikes shot out.

A hint of surprise flashed in the scholar's emerald green eyes as he swung his saber, attempting to block Zhang Chen's attack.

The initial few water spikes were embedded in the scholar's blade and directly scattered. However, the subsequent hundreds of tiny water spikes were all amplified by Zhang Chen's telekinesis, combined with his control over water. Each spike possessed the speed of a bullet.

After blocking nearly twenty spikes, the scholar reached his limit. Hundreds of small water spikes tore the White Robe scholar to shreds, scattering across the ground.

Zhang Chen's previous move had consumed two-thirds of his telekinetic power, leaving him mentally exhausted. He used his left hand's nails to support himself on the ground, gasping for air.

"What... what is this guy?"

Before Zhang Chen could rest, the minced flesh on the ground transformed into small white masses, slowly gathering together. In less than three minutes, an unharmed White Robe scholar stood before Zhang Chen again.

The scholar shook his neck, slowly picked up the saber that had fallen beside him, and put it back into his mouth. However, his green pupils suddenly dilated, and he collapsed onto the ground, his mouth agape.

"Thousand Snakes, emerge!" the scholar spoke human words for the first time.

Zhang Chen felt something that threatened his life emanating from the scholar's dark, hollow mouth. He quickly retracted his left claws, focusing all his attention on the scholar.

"Hiss hiss hiss!" In the next second, hundreds, even thousands, of poisonous snakes of various colors surged out of the young man's mouth, swarming from all directions like a tide, attempting to engulf Zhang Chen.

Xiao Lan, standing nearby, was also startled by this scene. As countless snakes filled the cave, more than ten snakes crawled over her, but they didn't harm her, instead heading straight for Zhang Chen.

"Damn it, I'll eat as many as come."

Zhang Chen retracted his claws, released his telekinesis, closed his eyes, and remained calm. The moment the first azure blue snake opened its mouth, its fangs dripping with venom, and was about to touch him.

"Swallow!"

Zhang Chen's mouth expanded to an unimaginable size, and the tide of poisonous snakes was entirely swallowed into his mouth without a sound.

After Zhang Chen unexpectedly swallowed nearly a third of the snakes, the remaining snakes turned and retreated back into the scholar's mouth.

"Alright, stop."

The scholar wiped his mouth with his thumb, patted the dust off his body, and slowly said to Zhang Chen.

At this moment, Zhang Chen struggled to close his mouth and stumbled, nearly falling face-first onto the ground. Looking at the White Robe scholar who gave him a friendly smile, Zhang Chen couldn't help but feel some doubt.

"The previous exchange was just to test if you were qualified to take Master Fadao's Golden Sarira. I apologize for any offense caused," the White Robe scholar said, bowing slightly towards Zhang Chen.

"Damn it, to test my qualifications, did you have to try to kill me with every strike? If I were any weaker, I'd be utterly destroyed," Zhang Chen grumbled internally. However, since the other party had no intention of attacking and had apologized, Zhang Chen managed a reluctant smile.

"Xiao Lan, are you alright? Walk over slowly and stand behind me." Seeing Xiao Lan looking somewhat panicked, Zhang Chen checked her and found she was unharmed. He then called Xiao Lan over, just in case.

"I am White Robe. And you are?"

"Zhang Chen!"

"Young Hero Zhang, when we fought earlier, I detected a trace of Blood Demon aura on you. Do you know the current situation outside, and how is that Blood Demon?"

"What 'Young Hero Zhang,' that sounds terrible. Just call me Zhang Chen. And it's not good outside at all. The villagers are still being incited, there's a giant mermaid in the lake continuously breeding, and most importantly, my friend and I came here for a vacation and ended up staying in the lair of the Blood Demon you mentioned."

Zhang Chen was in a bad mood, so he answered vaguely.

"Oh, in that case, with your current strength, even if you obtain the Sarira, you might still be a bit short of defeating that Blood Demon. Since you're the only one who has come in the past few decades, it's all up to fate. Come over, take this Sarira."

Zhang Chen first told Xiao Lan, who had just walked behind him, to stand still. After carefully scanning the scholar for a long time and finding no danger, he walked over step by step.

Upon reaching the spring, the White Robe scholar stepped back and made a gesture of invitation.

As Zhang Chen reached out and touched the white bead, a warm current surged into his body, dispelling the fatigue from the battle.

"It truly is a Sarira. Thank you, Brother White Robe, for your decades of guardianship. I, Zhang Chen, will definitely eliminate that Blood Demon."

With the Sarira in hand, Zhang Chen, not carrying a Cosmic Bag, had to liquefy his right chest and place the Sarira inside his right chest for temporary storage.

The moment the Sarira entered his body, the Blood Beetle within Zhang Chen's left arm became agitated, trying to break out of his arm. Simultaneously, the black bead in his left chest trembled slightly.

The White Robe scholar frowned slightly and slowly said, "You have such a ghostly creature within your body. The Sarira is a precious treasure of Buddhism and naturally suppresses these ghostly creatures. Moreover, the aura of the creature within your body is quite weak. If it stays with the Sarira, it will be annihilated in no time."

"Then?" Zhang Chen also felt the Blood Beetle's extreme fear of the Sarira in his right chest. However, the change in the black bead in his left chest was what truly concerned him. This bead had never behaved like this in over a year.

However, the White Robe scholar did not notice the black bead in Zhang Chen's left chest.

"The Sarira is within your body. Try to sense it first, sense the righteous energy it emits, and slowly gather that righteous energy back. Just don't let it overflow. Try it?"

Zhang Chen closed his eyes and began to feel the Sarira in his right chest. Indeed, it emitted a very comfortable energy. Zhang Chen slowly began to try and control it, allowing the overflowing energy to be drawn back.

Shortly after, the Blood Beetle in Zhang Chen's arm calmed down, and the black bead in his left chest stopped its slight trembling.

"Thank you, White Robe."

The White Robe scholar smiled and nodded, his expression entirely benevolent. Zhang Chen then turned, ready to leave with Xiao Lan.

"Wait a moment."

Just as Zhang Chen was about to leave with Xiao Lan on his back, the White Robe's voice called out.

"If you don't mind, take me with you. I can lend you a hand then. It was my responsibility to guard the sarira in the first place, and now that it's been taken, I have nowhere else to go. I might as well help Master Fadao fulfill his last wish."

Having an extra helper would be good. This young man in white was almost as strong as him, and his regenerative abilities were incredibly powerful. So, Zhang Chen nodded and said, "Then let's head back to the villa together. If we're facing the Blood Demon, having you there will increase our chances of winning. Plus, I have a very powerful companion waiting for us at the villa."

"If you want to go to the Blood Demon's lair, you can take this passage here."

The White Robe pointed to another rock tunnel behind him, signaling Zhang Chen and Xiao Lan to come over.

"Calling you 'White Robe' always feels a bit awkward. Can I call you Xiao Bai instead?" Zhang Chen suddenly said.

Xiao Lan, on his back, heard this and let out a snicker, "Heh."

"You can."

The three then entered the other rock tunnel. The scholar in white remained silent the entire way, and Xiao Lan, leaning against Zhang Chen's back, kept her eyes closed, lying still.

This rock tunnel was clearly much longer than the one they had come through. With no one speaking, Zhang Chen felt increasingly restless. After walking for a while longer, he finally couldn't help but quietly ask, "Xiao Bai, are you some kind of monster? I can't sense any aura of ghostly creatures from you."

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's question, the White Robe paused for a step, then slowly resumed walking, replying softly, "Actually, I'm quite similar to what you call ghostly creatures. It's just that I am the soul transformed from a White Snake."

"It must have been eighty years ago. I had just been born then and was trapped in a tree hollow by some children from the city. Just as I was about to be burned to death, Master Fadao chased the children away and rescued me. He provided me with water and food, and from then on, he kept me by his side."

"At that time, I hadn't yet awakened my sentience. I simply believed that Master Fadao had saved my life, and I felt a sense of closeness with him. So, I followed him, traveling all over the world."

"But after arriving on this island, I could only feel Master's lifespan decreasing day by day, and I was powerless to do anything. I could only follow him daily, watching him pass away before my eyes, transforming into a white sarira."

"Master's soul, along with the sarira formed from his physical body, came to the center of this underground spring. He placed the sarira here, revitalizing the entire island. And I, without consciousness, treated the sarira as Master, circling it day and night, neglecting food and drink."

After a few days, my soul left my body. At that moment, the white sarira emitted a radiant light, and I instantly gained consciousness. Recalling everything that had happened, I willingly chose to stay and guard Master's relics until his destined person arrived to claim them, rather than moving on to another world.

"Circling the sarira day and night, my soul grew stronger each day. I began to be able to transform into human form and use various abilities, becoming as I am now. I waited for over seventy years before finally meeting you. Perhaps it's because I was influenced by the sarira that I don't have the typical aura of other ghostly creatures."

Though the White Robe's emerald green eyes showed no emotion, Zhang Chen could feel the fluctuations of his inner feelings.

"If I hadn't come here for a trip, and if Xiao Lan hadn't been captured, how much longer would this little white snake have stayed here?" Zhang Chen couldn't help but sigh after listening. His gaze towards Xiao Bai by his side changed.

"Xiao Bai, you're so pitiful!" Xiao Lan, on his back, seemed moved, tears streaming down onto Zhang Chen's back.

"Alright, Xiao Bai, after this is over, will you go to the other world?" Zhang Chen asked.

"I don't know. Let's talk about it after it's over. Based on my past life memories, Master Fadao wasn't much weaker than me, and he knew many Buddhist techniques. However, against that Blood Demon, they would all be like striking a stone with an egg."

"Oh right, Xiao Bai, you said that sarira can make you stronger. Do you want to come inside me? It might be difficult to explain to my friends at the villa when we get back."

Xiao Bai nodded and directly transformed into a small snake, about half a pinky finger in size, and burrowed into Zhang Chen's right chest, coiling around the white sarira.

Not long after Zhang Chen and the others left, they saw light shining down from ahead, and they slowly walked out of the cave entrance...

ps: The male second lead of this novel has appeared. I'm sure you can all guess his original form, right? If you like it, please favorite it a lot. If you have recommendation tickets, please cast them for Ah Fei. Thank you all for your support.