Ice Snake!

"What is this?"

On a frozen lake, Xu Xuan stared blankly at the ice flower before him, his expression strange.

"That's a Millennium Ice Flower. Consuming it can deepen your understanding of the ice attribute, and there's even a good chance it'll let you break through directly. This thing is priceless!"

Luo Xiaotian recognized it at a glance.

"The imperial family of our Black Dragon Empire only has ten of these in total. To think we'd find one here! It's unbelievable!"

Luo Xiaotian wore a look of disbelief.

"But if you refine it into pills and swallow them, the effect can increase three or fourfold."

As Luo Xiaotian spoke, he reached out to pick it.

"Roar!"

Suddenly, a roar rang out. Before either of them could react, a snow-white patterned snake lunged at Luo Xiaotian's arm, jaws snapping!

"What the hell is that?"

Luo Xiaotian was startled and instantly lifted his arm. Only after backing away from the Millennium Ice Flower did he get a clear look at what had attacked him.

"An Ice Snake?"

Watching the snake flick its tongue and stare viciously at him, Luo Xiaotian couldn't help muttering to himself.

This kind of snake looked remarkably like a Millennium Ice Flower. Without looking closely, no one would notice it coiled beneath the flower.

"These snakes have cold, sinister temperaments and thrive amid ice and snow. They're perfectly suited to Millennium Ice Flowers. This flower is probably the one it's guarding!"

Luo Xiaotian retreated two steps, as though facing a formidable enemy!

The snake before them was small and agile, and extremely aggressive. One moment of carelessness could cost them their lives!

"Time to get serious. Xu Xuan, let's deal with it together. Once we're done, we'll split the pills refined from the Millennium Ice Flower equally. What do you think?"

Luo Xiaotian spoke with a cheerful smile. Even for him, a Millennium Ice Flower was an exceedingly rare treasure, and naturally, everyone who found it deserved a share.

Xu Xuan shrugged. He had no objections, of course, provided they killed the snake first!

"Its gallbladder is an excellent tonic too. Let's give it to your little wife."

Luo Xiaotian glanced at Yun Qingxue and made the generous offer.

Strictly speaking, an Ice Snake was actually worth far more than a Millennium Ice Flower. Unfortunately, this one wasn't fully grown, and an Ice Snake's gallbladder was better suited to women.

Hearing Luo Xiaotian's words, Yun Qingxue didn't object in the slightest. Instead, she lowered her head, a little joy stirring in her heart.

"All right."

Xu Xuan nodded without disputing the matter either.

After all, the elders on both sides wanted this, and Yun Qingxue suited him extremely well in every respect.

"Hiss, hiss, hiss!"

The Ice Snake seemed to sense that these people were no ordinary opponents, so it kept flicking its tongue without showing any intention of attacking.

"Beast, get the hell out of the way! Watch out, or I'll turn you into soup!"

Luo Xiaotian cursed loudly. Although Ice Snakes had cold, sinister temperaments, they could understand human speech!

"Roar!"

The Ice Snake instantly flew into a rage. With a slight flick of its tail, it soared more than ten meters into the air. Before the three could react, it opened its bloody maw and lunged at Xu Xuan!

Perhaps because Luo Xiaotian was a Son of Heaven's Dao, it instinctively felt a trace of fear toward him, so it chose Xu Xuan beside him as the target for its anger instead.

"Fuck!"

Xu Xuan froze for a moment before finally reacting. Without hesitation, he raised his fist and punched the Ice Snake away, but a set of bite marks appeared on his arm at the same time!

"That beast..."

Xu Xuan gritted his teeth, pain spreading across his face. He had never imagined that the Ice Snake would still manage to bite him!

"How are you?"

Beside him, Yun Qingxue tried to suck the venom out for him.

"It's no use. This venom spreads extremely quickly, reaching the entire body in an instant. It's practically impossible to suck it out."

Luo Xiaotian shook his head slightly, his expression regretful.

"What?"

As though struck by a thunderbolt from a clear sky, Yun Qingxue collapsed to the ground.

"How... how could this happen?"

Unable to understand, Yun Qingxue clenched her fists tightly. "W-why?"

"You damned system, am I seriously going to die?"

Xu Xuan felt his entire body going numb. Lying in Yun Qingxue's arms, he cursed the system furiously in his mind.

He had never expected the Ice Snake to bite him. He wasn't the one who had cursed at it, so why had it bitten him?

Xu Xuan was utterly baffled!

Yes!

Yet the answer Xu Xuan received was still the system's icy reply.

Ice Snakes possess extremely potent venom. No antidote can save the victim. Anyone bitten by an Ice Snake will perish within seven days, without exception!

Despair twisted Xu Xuan's lips into a bitter smile.

"Wait, we're inside the Nine-Level Palace. Even if I die here, won't I still be transported outside?"

No. Since the host has been poisoned, it will not trigger the judgment, nor will the host be transported out. Death is certain after seven days!

"Fuck, then do you have any way to save me?"

How could Xu Xuan resign himself to dying like this?

Yes. Drink the Ice Snake's blood. As long as you find and kill the Ice Snake within seven days, drinking its blood will naturally bring a full recovery.

At that, Xu Xuan finally saw a glimmer of hope. He had thought he was doomed to die no matter what...

"Luo Xiaotian, help me kill that Ice Snake. You can have the entire ice flower. I only want its blood!"

Xu Xuan spoke excitedly. Of everyone present, Luo Xiaotian was probably the only one capable of killing the Ice Snake. The main problem was that Xu Xuan was badly poisoned and couldn't muster even a tenth of his strength.

Yun Qingxue beside him was even less capable. She was only in the Transforming Sea realm, and her strength was extremely weak.

"All right!"

Luo Xiaotian nodded, then looked at the Ice Snake coiled beside the ice flower and spoke calmly.

"Beast, come here and let me kill you."

Xu Xuan: ...

You think it's that obedient?

Xu Xuan was just about to make a few sarcastic remarks when the Ice Snake actually slithered slowly up to Luo Xiaotian, extended its head, and quietly stared at him.

Swish!

Without wasting a word, Luo Xiaotian drew a dagger from his waist and slashed hard. The Ice Snake's head rolled right off.

Xu Xuan: ???

Was there any justice left in the world? Luo Xiaotian only had to say a few words, and the Ice Snake came over obediently to be beheaded, while I got bitten instead?

And bitten so badly I'm about to die, at that.

Xu Xuan was just about to complain when Luo Xiaotian came over, carrying the Ice Snake's corpse.

"Drink up. Once you've drunk its blood, we'll keep going."

Luo Xiaotian acted as though he'd done something utterly trivial. Seeing Xu Xuan staring at him as if he were a monster, he waved a hand casually and explained.

"It's like this: whenever I say something, there's a ninety-five percent chance it'll actually happen."