The Heavenly Serpent Palace's Saintess

The Heavenly Serpent Palace's Saintess

Heavenly Serpent Empire, Heavenly Serpent Mountains.

This was where snake-type magical beasts were most densely concentrated across the entire Northwest Continent. Mountain ranges stretched endlessly beneath a faint green miasma that lingered year-round.

When Han Feng appeared above these mountains with Qing Lin, a strange flush instantly rose to Qing Lin's little face.

Her emerald eyes opened on their own, beyond her control!

Three bewitching jade-green flower patterns slowly rotated deep within her pupils.

Boom!

An invisible ripple spread outward from her, sweeping through the surroundings.

Within her sensory world, the entire Heavenly Serpent Mountains seemed to come alive.

She could clearly sense a fourth-tier Black-Ring Python dozing beneath the forests below; thousands of first-tier Ironwire Snakes tangled together inside a snake nest on the eastern cliffs; deep underground to the west, a fifth-tier Blackback Red-Scaled Python with an aura comparable to a Dou Wang was sleeping...

"Can you feel them?" Han Feng's gentle voice sounded beside her ear.

"Mm..." Qing Lin nodded blankly, still unable to pull herself free from that wondrous sensation.

"This place is called the Heavenly Serpent Mountains. Legend says that a true Ancient Heavenly Serpent fell here in ancient times, and its bloodline seeped into the entire mountain range. That is why, the moment you arrived here, your Three-Flower Jade Serpent Eyes resonated so strongly."

"The Heavenly Serpent Palace we are heading to is located here. Alongside Thunder Sect, it is known as the Northwest Continent's one palace and one sect, one of the foremost powers in this region. The sect has always been close to snakes and advocates coexistence between humans and snakes. It even keeps an enormous number of snake-type magical beasts within its grounds."

He looked at Qing Lin's bewitching jade eyes and continued, "Once your eye technique reaches a certain level, you can create a space within your eyes to contain ten thousand snakes. You can even borrow the Dou Qi of those snake beasts to nourish yourself, allowing you to cultivate at an incredible speed."

"And the Heavenly Serpent Palace possesses the most complete inheritance of the Three-Flower Jade Serpent Eyes. We came here this time to help you obtain this opportunity."

Qing Lin only half understood, but she grasped one thing.

Big Brother Han Feng had come to help her grow stronger.

As he spoke, the two arrived before a majestic mountain gate.

The gate had been carved from an enormous slab of black rock. Two lifelike gigantic snakes coiled across it, radiating an ancient, sinister aura.

"Who goes there! This is the sacred ground of the Heavenly Serpent Palace. Leave at once!"

Two disciples guarding the mountain stepped forward to stop them. Their tones were wary, yet they carried the arrogance unique to disciples of a great sect.

Han Feng ignored them and merely stood where he was, thinking for a moment.

Could I just fight my way in? That would be too crude. I came to exchange for an inheritance, so I should not be so crude.

He cleared his throat and slowly spoke in a calm yet unquestionable tone.

"The Young Pavilion Master of Central Plains' Falling Star Pavilion."

"Lord of the Sacred City in the Black-Corner Region."

"Han Feng."

"Please inform your superiors."

When the two mountain-guarding disciples heard the words Central Plains and Falling Star Pavilion, their faces were still filled with confusion. The Northwest Continent was far from the Central Plains, and ordinary disciples might never even have heard of the Central Plains.

However, when they heard Black-Corner Region and Lord of the Sacred City, their faces instantly turned deathly pale!

The Black-Corner Region was a land of chaos and slaughter!

Rumor had it that a mysterious Lord of the Sacred City had risen there, unifying the Black-Corner Region with thunderous methods. His strength was unfathomable!

This harmless-looking young man before them was actually that legendary fiend?!

"Y-You... please wait! I'll report this immediately!"

One of the disciples scrambled and crawled in terror toward the mountain gate.

A moment later.

Boom—

The ringing of bells resounded throughout the entire Heavenly Serpent Palace!

A splendid figure in palace robes led several dozen powerful elders out from the mountain gate at unprecedented speed.

At their head was the current Palace Master of the Heavenly Serpent Palace, the beautiful woman who had inexplicably sneezed a few days ago.

At this moment, her face was filled with alarm and gravity.

When her gaze fell upon Han Feng, dressed in green robes and possessing an ethereal bearing as though he had merged with heaven and earth, her heart suddenly sank.

She could not see through him!

Not at all!

"Lord Han, we were remiss in failing to welcome you from afar. Please forgive us!" She forcibly suppressed the unease in her heart and bowed deeply to Han Feng from a distance.

"You are too polite." Han Feng smiled and pointed at Qing Lin beside him. "I came today to seek an opportunity for my little sister."

Heavenly Serpent Palace reception hall.

After the guests and hosts had taken their seats, the Palace Master of the Heavenly Serpent Palace looked at Han Feng, who was calmly drinking tea, and finally could not resist asking, "May I ask what opportunity Lord Han seeks? If it is something my Heavenly Serpent Palace can assist with, we will certainly not refuse."

Han Feng set down his teacup without speaking and merely gave Qing Lin a look.

Qing Lin understood. She took a deep breath, and the three dark-green patterns in her emerald eyes suddenly lit up!

Three-Flower Jade Serpent Eyes!

Clang! The teacup in the Palace Master's hand fell to the floor and shattered into pieces.

She shot to her feet with a boom, staring fixedly at Qing Lin's eyes. Her dignified and luxurious face was filled with wild joy and disbelief, as though she were looking upon a supreme treasure lost for a thousand years.

"Three... Three-Flower Jade Serpent Eyes! They are genuine Three-Flower Jade Serpent Eyes!"

Every elder in the hall stood up as well, countless burning, fanatical gazes converging upon Qing Lin.

"Heaven has blessed the Heavenly Serpent Palace! Heaven has blessed the Heavenly Serpent Palace!"

"That's right." Han Feng's tone was leisurely. "I came today for the complete inheritance of your sect's Three-Flower Jade Serpent Eyes."

"Lord Han!" The Palace Master's voice became shrill with excitement. "This girl... this girl shares an immense destiny with my Heavenly Serpent Palace! Could... could Lord Han part with her? My Heavenly Serpent Palace is willing to pay any price!"

"No."

Han Feng's answer was extremely brief.

He slowly rose to his feet, and an aura far more terrifying than any he had ever released before burst from his body before vanishing in an instant.

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze!

The Palace Master of the Heavenly Serpent Palace only felt an irresistible force pressing against her chest, as if her soul were about to be crushed. Her body involuntarily retreated two steps before she collapsed into her chair, her face pale as paper and her eyes filled with terror.

"Palace Master, please remain calm." The smile on Han Feng's face returned to normal, as though the person who had just released that destructive aura had not been him. "I said I came to exchange for an opportunity, not to steal one."

The Palace Master's expression turned incomparably ugly.

Exchange for an opportunity?

Then why did you suppress me with your aura?!

She took a deep breath and forcibly calmed the turbulent waves in her heart. In a dry voice, she said, "This matter... is of great importance. I need to... discuss it with the sect elders."

"Please do." Han Feng sat back down, lifted his teacup, and looked as though he had all the time in the world.

The Heavenly Serpent Palace descended into chaos.

A fierce argument erupted within the secret discussion chamber of the sect's core members.

"We cannot give it to him! The inheritance of the Three-Flower Jade Serpent Eyes is the foundation upon which our sect was established. How can it be passed to outsiders!"

"Not give it to him? What are you going to use to refuse him? Didn't you see how terrified the Palace Master was?!"

"At worst, we fight him! The Heavenly Serpent Palace has endured for thousands of years. We are not some soft persimmon that can be bullied at will!"

"Fight? What are you going to fight him with?! He could crush every one of us with a single finger!"

The argument intensified, even alarming the Supreme Elder who had been in secluded cultivation within the forbidden grounds—a former Palace Master who had lived for over a hundred years and possessed the strength of a Six-Star Dou Venerable.

"Enough! All of you, shut up!"

An aged roar rang out. A stooped old woman with a face full of wrinkles slowly entered the chamber, leaning on a snake-headed cane.

"Greetings, Old Palace Master!" Everyone was shocked and hurriedly knelt in salute.

The old Palace Master's cloudy gaze swept over everyone present before finally settling on the current Palace Master, whose face remained pale.

"Is he really that strong?"

"Reporting to Ancestor," the Palace Master answered with a trembling voice, "he is unfathomable! That fleeting aura far surpassed yours, Ancestor. I suspect he is at least a Half-Saint!"

The old Palace Master said nothing more.

After a moment, she heavily struck the ground with her snake-headed cane.

"Take me to see him."

In the reception hall, Han Feng was still leisurely drinking tea, as though he had waited for an entire century.

Only when the old woman slowly entered, supported by the Palace Master, did Han Feng finally put down his teacup.

"This junior, Bai Su of the Heavenly Serpent Palace, greets Senior." The old Palace Master gave Han Feng a deep bow.

"You are too polite, Old Palace Master. In terms of age, you are my senior." Han Feng's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he nodded. "Your Six-Star Dou Venerable cultivation is fairly solidly founded."

The old Palace Master's heart tightened again. The other party had seen through her cultivation with a single glance. His strength was truly terrifying.

She stopped beating around the bush and said, "Young Pavilion Master, my Heavenly Serpent Palace can make a copy of the complete inheritance of the Three-Flower Jade Serpent Eyes and offer it to you."

"However, since this is an exchange, I have one condition." She looked at Qing Lin beside Han Feng, a trace of longing flashing through her eyes.

"I hope the Young Pavilion Master will allow this child to become the Saintess of my Heavenly Serpent Palace!"

"Oh?" Han Feng raised a brow. "A Saintess?"

"Indeed!" The old Palace Master nodded heavily. "She possesses the Three-Flower Jade Serpent Eyes, making her the master destined for the Heavenly Serpent Palace! We are willing to provide her with all cultivation resources in the future and help her grow!"

Han Feng looked at the undisguised fervor in the old Palace Master's eyes and pondered for a moment.

Let Qing Lin become their Saintess and use the Heavenly Serpent Palace's resources to raise her?

That was not a bad idea. After all, the Heavenly Serpent Palace's resources were well suited to Qing Lin.

"Fine." Han Feng nodded. "Qing Lin can become the Saintess of the Heavenly Serpent Palace."

The old Palace Master was overjoyed upon hearing this.

However, Han Feng's next words froze her smile.

"But I have a condition as well."

A kindly smile curled across Han Feng's lips.

"From this day onward, the Heavenly Serpent Palace must acknowledge my Falling Star Pavilion as its master and become the foremost affiliated sect under the Falling Star Pavilion."

"Qing Lin will still be raised by my side. If you wish to see her, I will construct a spatial wormhole between this place and the Black-Corner Region, allowing you to visit whenever you wish and keep in touch."

The old Palace Master and the current Palace Master both froze.

Had he not said he was exchanging for the inheritance?

How had he set his sights on the entire Heavenly Serpent Palace too?!

The old Palace Master looked into Han Feng's eyes, deep as a starry sky, and at his matter-of-fact expression. Was being a Saintess supposed to be free? A wave of helplessness rose within her.

She knew she had no room to choose.

Either submit, binding the entire sect to the chariot of a powerful expert and gambling on a promising future.

Or refuse, and the Heavenly Serpent Palace might be erased from the Dou Qi Continent from this day onward.

This was a choice that required no thought.

"Fine..."

After a long while, the old Palace Master finally forced out that word through clenched teeth, her voice hoarse and dry.

"My Heavenly Serpent Palace is willing... to acknowledge the Falling Star Pavilion as our master."

"Very good." Han Feng rose to his feet in satisfaction. "In that case, take us to the inheritance grounds."

"...Yes, Young Pavilion Master."

The old Palace Master hunched over her cane and slowly walked ahead to lead the way.

At this moment, her back looked incomparably old and desolate.