Purple Back Dragon Horn Centipede

In a lush bamboo grove stood a Bamboo House. A boy in black robes lay on the bed, his fingers twitching slightly. His tightly shut eyes slowly opened.

Long Jiuyyao propped himself up, rubbing his aching forehead as he took in the Bamboo House. There was no one inside, so he got out of bed and went outside.

Gazing at the verdant bamboo grove, Long Jiuyyao murmured, "I never imagined there would be such a peaceful place. I wonder who brought me here."

"Boy, you're awake."

At the sound of the voice, Long Jiuyyao turned to face the old man before him. The White-bearded Elder wore gray robes. He showed no trace of age or decline—instead, he seemed mysterious.

"Thank you for saving me, senior," Long Jiuyyao said, bowing in gratitude.

The gray-robed elder waved a hand. "Heh, I've been staying here for decades. It was no trouble at all."

Long Jiuyyao was stunned. Not everyone could live in the Dragon Domain. No one outside the Dragon Clan was allowed in, and anyone who broke that rule would be killed.

Unless they were friends of the Dragon Clan. But even a friend of the Dragon Clan couldn't possibly live in the Dragon Domain for decades—much less occupy the heart of a mountain range for all that time.

Every large mountain range had a place of greatest importance, its very foundation. These places were collectively known as the mountain's heart.

Long Jiuyyao knew that anyone occupying the heart of the Yin Dragon Mountain Range in the Dragon Domain must have done the Dragon Clan an enormous favor. At the very least, his strength could not be inferior to that of the elders. Otherwise, how could he have helped the Dragon Clan, or been allowed to live here?

"Grr~"

A sound that made Long Jiuyyao blush rang out through the quiet bamboo grove.

His face turning red, Long Jiuyyao instinctively touched his stomach and gave the gray-robed elder an awkward smile.

"Hahaha, boy, you've been unconscious for two days and a night. Come along—the food's been ready for ages." The gray-robed elder stroked his beard.

Long Jiuyyao followed him to a stone table piled high with food.

The gray-robed elder watched, stroking his beard, as Long Jiuyyao devoured the meal. Before long, he had finished everything on the table.

"Old Bai, have you seen a lion? He's my companion," Long Jiuyyao asked.

"Don't worry, boy. He has his own chance waiting for him. When you leave in five days, you'll see him," Old Bai replied.

Hearing this, Long Jiuyyao finally felt the weight lift from his heart. Since Old Bai said Jin Ming had a chance waiting for him, he would see him in five days.

"Old Bai, do you live here alone?" Long Jiuyyao asked, bored.

"No. I have a daughter who lives with me, but she left a few days ago. Perhaps you'll meet her." Old Bai got up and walked away.

Long Jiuyyao watched him disappear into the distance, then wandered about, looking around.

Gazing at the jade-green bamboo grove, Long Jiuyyao couldn't help exclaiming, "What a peaceful place—a perfect refuge from the world."

A breeze stirred, and the bamboo leaves brushed together in a beautiful melody. Long Jiuyyao closed his eyes and savored the grove's gift.

Suddenly, a Shadow Figure flickered through the bamboo, drawing closer to Long Jiuyyao. With his eyes closed, he didn't notice a thing.

The Shadow Figure came closer and closer. A several-meter-long monster stood above and behind Long Jiuyyao.

Long Jiuyyao opened his eyes and saw its shadow reflected on the ground. Panicking, he thrust out a finger and used the force to fling himself away. Only then did he see the several-meter-long centipede.

That's right—a centipede, with a hundred legs, yellow feet, nine crimson heads, white feelers, a black back, and a dark-red belly.

Long Jiuyyao stared at the faint mark on its belly and exclaimed, "Its underbelly is so hard! A near-full-strength finger strike only left a mark."

A direct fight was out of the question. He'd have to use his wits. This was Old Bai's home, so the centipede was probably his pet.

Long Jiuyyao swept his hand out, tossing several pieces of Flood Dragon Meat toward it. The centipede opened its enormous jaws and swallowed them whole.

Seeing this, Long Jiuyyao felt a pang of regret. He took out a golden pebble about the size of his thumb. It was a precious treasure his father had given him, and he only had one.

The moment Long Jiuyyao took out the Golden Measure Embryo, Greed flashed in the eyes of the Black Back Nine Head Centipede in the distance.

Before Long Jiuyyao could react, the Golden Measure Embryo was already in its mouth.

Golden light flickered in its dim eyes as its body writhed. The head that had swallowed the Golden Measure Embryo began devouring the other eight heads.

Long Jiuyyao was aghast. "Y-you! What are you doing? Why are you fighting among yourselves?"

"Boy, let's wait and see what happens," Old Bai said calmly.

"Old Bai?" Long Jiuyyao stared at him, stunned.

"In ancient times, they were famous spirit insects. I never thought you'd tame one, boy," Old Bai said, stroking his beard.

"Is that centipede famous?" Long Jiuyyao asked.

"Yes. It's called the Black Back Nine Head Centipede. It wanders about, devouring everything around it. It's a spirit insect filled with the blood of Greed. But because of that, it can't take human form and will remain a beast for its entire life."

"Its nature is greedy. It can swallow heavenly treasures and turn them into a powerful foundation, allowing it to evolve. No one knows where its limits lie!" Old Bai said with a sigh.

The Black Back Nine Head Centipede, now reduced to a single head, began spinning golden threads around itself.

"Golden Measure Silk? Did the Black Back Nine Head Centipede eat the Golden Measure Master?" Old Bai asked in surprise.

"Hmm? No, it didn't," Long Jiuyyao explained. "It ate the Golden Measure Embryo!"

"I see. No wonder it's spinning Golden Measure Silk. Depending on how they're raised, they can become different kinds of centipedes." Old Bai nodded.

A spirit insect with no limits, growing stronger without end. I felt bad when it swallowed the Golden Measure Embryo, but I never expected such good fortune! Long Jiuyyao thought to himself.

Old Bai touched Long Jiuyyao's brow with a fingertip. A drop of golden blood appeared on his finger, then fell onto the Golden Cocoon.

Long Jiuyyao's face paled after losing a drop of blood essence, but he managed to stay on his feet.

Long Jiuyyao asked Old Bai about other things concerning the Black Back Nine Head Centipede, and Old Bai told him everything he knew.

Time passed, and daylight turned to night. The Golden Cocoon's light stood out brilliantly in the dark bamboo grove.

Old Bai had already left, but Long Jiuyyao continued to wait. The night soon passed.

At noon, Old Bai came to Long Jiuyyao's side and asked, "How is it?"

"Old Bai, it's about to emerge," Long Jiuyyao replied.

As soon as Long Jiuyyao finished speaking, the Golden Cocoon burst apart, and a three-meter-tall silhouette appeared before them.

Its body was dark purple, with several golden patterns on its back. It had four eyes and slightly broad golden legs, their sharp tips capable of cutting through metal. Its twin feelers were gone, replaced by a pair of slightly curved black dragon horns.

Its pair of golden mandibles were enormous. It was hard to imagine what would happen if they bit someone.

It vanished from where it stood, and in the blink of an eye, it was wrapped around Long Jiuyyao. The instant it touched him, he knew everything about it. It was called the Purple Back Dragon Horn Centipede.

Long Jiuyyao gave it a name too: Zi Lin, with Xiao Zi as its nickname.

Looking at the three-meter-long Zi Lin, Long Jiuyyao said, "Can you get a little smaller?"

Zi Lin nodded and shrank to about a meter long, coiling around Long Jiuyyao's waist like a finely crafted purple crystal belt.

"Hahaha, boy, it can now rival someone at the Great Perfection of Core Formation. Even someone in the Qi Creation Realm would struggle to withstand its mandibles," Old Bai said, stroking his beard with a laugh.

Long Jiuyyao held out his hand. Zi Lin uncoiled from his waist and crawled onto his palm. He stroked its back with his other hand; it felt just like touching a crystal.

Long Jiuyyao took a Low-grade Spirit Treasure, the Mountain Splitting Saber, from his Universe Bag and tossed it into the air. Zi Lin, which had been coiled around his arm, lunged at the saber in an instant.

Golden light flashed from Zi Lin's mandibles. The Low-grade Spirit Treasure, the Mountain Splitting Saber, was torn to pieces in an instant.

Long Jiuyyao stared at the scattered fragments, astonished. Even experts in the Form Creation Realm would have trouble destroying the Mountain Splitting Saber.

Yet Zi Lin had dealt with the Spirit Treasure with a single bite. It was hard not to be amazed.

"Heh, it seems I still underestimated the Purple Back Dragon Horn Centipede. I never thought it could tear a Spirit Treasure to pieces so easily," Old Bai said with a smile.

"Thank you, Old Bai." Long Jiuyyao cupped his hands.

Old Bai waved his hand. "No, you tamed it yourself. I didn't help."

"Feed it well. It'll become one of your greatest assets." With that, Old Bai disappeared before Long Jiuyyao's eyes.

Long Jiuyyao beckoned, and Zi Lin coiled around his waist again, becoming a splendid purple crystal belt.

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