The Heavenly Snake Mansion's Opportunity
"Little fellow, you should have some say in the Heavenly Snake Mansion, shouldn't you?"
Without the slightest hint of effort, Xiao Xuan took a step forward, and all the Dou Qi surrounding Venerable Snake vanished like smoke.
Venerable Snake was horrified.
Just who was this enemy?!
Though old and frail, his fighting strength had not diminished much. If he fought with his life on the line, few Dou Zun of the same rank would dare face him head-on.
But the man before him... was truly beyond anything Venerable Snake had imagined.
This feeling of helplessness was just like facing the holy might in the forbidden grounds.
Could he be above a Dou Zun, a truly legendary existence on the continent?
Venerable Snake was filled with doubt and alarm.
"There really is a trace of an Ancient Heavenly Snake about you. The Heavenly Snake Mansion has had quite the opportunity!"
Xiao Xuan had originally wanted to ask a few questions, but one look at Venerable Snake's condition told him the truth about the Heavenly Snake Mansion.
"Hmm?"
His gaze sharpened. The Heavenly Snake Mansion's greatest secret had been exposed in a single sentence. Then I can't let you live! A trace of determination to fight to the death flashed in Venerable Snake's eyes.
Even if he couldn't win, he would fight!
Unfortunately, the instant Venerable Snake forcibly summoned his Dou Qi, he let out a muffled groan and spat out several mouthfuls of blood.
"If you intend to seize the foundation of my Heavenly Snake Mansion, it won't be so easy."
Venerable Snake still wanted to fight to the death, and even more so to summon the sect's disciples to fight.
Even in death, he would defend the sect's forbidden grounds.
Without the inheritance in the forbidden grounds, the Heavenly Snake Mansion would be reduced to ashes in a mere few generations.
"Little fellow, where did you get such a fiery temper?"
Xiao Xuan frowned. What he disliked most was this kind of blockhead, so single-minded! Besides, Venerable Snake was on the verge of death, so he was even less worried about being threatened.
But Xiao Xuan did not need their cooperation anyway.
"Quiet down! You've guarded the Ancient Heavenly Snake ruins for so many years without being able to put them to use. You might as well let them give off their remaining heat where it truly matters."
The words were somewhat infuriating, but they were indeed the truth.
"Enough, enough!" Xiao Xuan looked at the old man before him, who was on the verge of decay, his face set with grim resolve, and thought he might as well give them a little benefit.
A thousand years ago, the Xiao Clan had flourished and then fallen. Perhaps it had been old men like this who had held it together!
"Sigh!"
He let out a sigh.
"Stubborn little fellow."
A wisp of origin Qi drifted from Xiao Xuan's fingertip. Of course, it did not come from his own body; he had simply relied on his Emperor Realm Soul to forcibly plunder it from the surrounding world.
It was merely some essence condensed in this way.
In his spare time, Xiao Xuan had accumulated quite a bit of it, and it could be put to use in many situations.
It had an extraordinary effect on an old man like Venerable Snake, whose life origin had been exhausted.
As this wisp of origin Qi entered his body, Venerable Snake soon regained a measure of vitality.
"This, this..."
Venerable Snake did not know what to say. He had already accepted reality.
After all, the ruins in the forbidden grounds were truly not something a mere faction with a Dou Zun could easily control.
It had been fine when no one knew about them, but once they were exposed...
It would be perfectly normal for them to attract a legendary Dou Sheng.
After all, the holy might within the forbidden ruins was as vast as the heavens. If not for the image of a corpse deep within the forbidden grounds, Venerable Snake would have thought the master who left the ruins behind was a Dou Di.
But even if he was not, he must have reached an extremely high level among Dou Sheng.
He was not someone the natives of the northwestern region could easily peer into.
It was only thanks to their advantage of location, along with some luck, that the Heavenly Snake Mansion had been able to remain secure for so many years.
Now that a Dou Sheng had come knocking, it was fate.
"Senior, have you come to the Heavenly Snake Mansion for our sect's forbidden grounds?"
He bowed respectfully. He could not win a fight, and he had received such a great benefit, so he could only seek peace.
In this respect, whether it was Yun Shan at the Dou Zong level or Venerable Snake now at the Dou Zun level, their choices were surprisingly alike.
The sect had to survive, after all.
I only hope he won't take over the entire place where the sect is located!
Venerable Snake felt a little sorrowful.
"Now we can talk properly." Xiao Xuan smiled and teased him, without blaming him for his earlier offense. "Was the Heavenly Snake Mansion the first sect to discover those ruins?"
Venerable Snake was somewhat taken aback. This secret was so ancient that even he, as the sect's strongest expert and the keeper of all its secrets, truly did not know.
After all, its history was too long, and much had long since been lost.
Besides, some information that had been difficult to pass down had long vanished in the river of time.
"This junior isn't quite sure either. If you wish to visit the forbidden grounds, no one in the Heavenly Snake Mansion will stop you."
Venerable Snake made his stance clear. He only hoped the man would not make things difficult for the Heavenly Snake Mansion; he alone would bear all responsibility.
"This junior was too reckless earlier. I am willing to follow at your side and await your orders, Senior."
These words actually gave him somewhat too much credit, but what Venerable Snake meant was that he would serve as a slave or servant, so the Heavenly Snake Mansion's legacy could continue.
Otherwise, if there really were a chance to follow a Dou Sheng, even Dou Zun would fight to break one another's heads for it.
But being a slave or servant was another matter.
Dou Zun had some pride, after all.
Even if they had long been trapped at a minor level, would they really give up everything for great strength? Most Dou Zun would still choose the former and continue lying low.
"What use would you be following at my side?"
"Continue guarding the Ancient Heavenly Snake ruins. Just don't let anyone else take them. If a crisis arises that you can't resolve, notify me."
With a soft chuckle, he not only refrained from letting the strong prey on the weak, but offered exceptionally generous terms instead.
In truth, if not for his own little disciple, Xiao Xuan would not have made this special trip.
The so-called inheritance in the ruins, along with the treasures within, was mostly useful to magical beasts. Even if humans could make use of it, they would basically have to end up in the same sorry state as the Heavenly Snake Mansion.
Naturally, Xiao Xuan had no interest in it.
"Senior, your character is noble and upright. Everyone in the Heavenly Snake Mansion is grateful for your kindness."
Bowing deeply, Venerable Snake was not much good with pretty words and could only show his gratitude through the most practical action.
At the same time, he breathed a great sigh of relief. The Heavenly Snake Mansion's fortune remained; the time had not yet come for its inheritance to be severed.
He even felt a faint, secret delight. After all, they had established a connection with a Dou Sheng. If handled well, perhaps the Heavenly Snake Mansion could rise to even greater heights.
Holding his head high and chest out, Venerable Snake respectfully took a jade slip from the Storage Ring on his hand.
"Senior, what is recorded inside is everything my Heavenly Snake Mansion has learned from exploring the Ancient Heavenly Snake ruins over the years. Please have a look."
As for the sect's other treasures in his possession, along with its various Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills, Venerable Snake considered them for a while but decided not to bring them out and make a fool of himself. After all, what good things had a Dou Sheng not seen?
Besides, if the Heavenly Snake Mansion had truly been able to take something from the ruins that would tempt even a Dou Sheng, then after all these years of development, the sect would not have been able to cultivate, at most, only Dou Zun.
Their strength was a constraint, after all.
Perhaps only a Dou Sheng could explore deep into the true heart of the ruins!
Venerable Snake no longer felt the sorrow he had before.
A crisis for the sect was also an opportunity!
The Heavenly Snake Mansion had to seize it.