C48 Azure Snake Patriarch

"You can't kill me," Peng Gengkun stated slowly. "Have you ever considered that your offspring is a being that exists between a mutated beast and a demonic beast? How could any ordinary person possess the strength to kill him?"

The Azure Snake Patriarch let out a cold laugh. "Your High Rank Qi Refining abilities are more than enough to take down my progeny."

"But at the time, I was merely at the Low Rank of Qi Refining," Peng Gengkun countered.

The Azure Snake Patriarch paused, a flicker of recollection crossing his face. "That explains it. The aura you left behind was so fragile to my senses! Was it really because your level wasn't as high as I assumed?"

Gradually, realization dawned on the Azure Snake Patriarch. "It appears you do have something unique about you. Nevertheless, I can still end your life."

Peng Gengkun, seemingly provoked, bellowed, "If you dare kill me, divine retribution will surely befall you!"

The Azure Snake Patriarch smirked, but his expression abruptly shifted as he grasped the implication of Peng Gengkun's words.

"In the Human Clan, some families indeed possess the power to enact such vengeance! Should their kin suffer an untimely death, it would activate the family bloodline's curse, inflicting grave harm upon the killer!"

Realizing his slip of the tongue, Peng Gengkun fell silent.

Yet the Azure Snake Patriarch's smile grew more malevolent. "Youthful impetuosity is your downfall. You've just revealed your true identity! You may be from a noble family, but I have ways to dispatch you. Remember, if you perish in an honorable duel or are slain by someone of equal standing, your bloodline's curse will not activate!"

Peng Gengkun's face turned ashen, betraying his fear.

The Azure Snake Patriarch's pleasure only intensified upon witnessing Peng Gengkun's distress.

"You likely never imagined that our Demon Clan possesses a profound technique capable of temporarily lowering one's cultivation level, allowing us to elude even the most perceptive of beings! This method can also aid us in breaking through barriers to access numerous secret domains. Alas, this is a secret your Human Clan has never discovered."

Approaching Peng Gengkun, the Azure Snake Patriarch delivered a series of swift strikes to his body.

Peng Gengkun let out a thunderous cry, "You've sealed all my meridians and even my Qi Sea!"

"Well done!" exclaimed the Azure Snake Patriarch. "Now, even if you have any more tricks up your sleeve, you can't muster your Astral Energy! And all I need to do is lower my own cultivation level to easily dispatch you! You really ought to be thanking yourself for that slip of the tongue. Otherwise, you might have outsmarted me."

With a wild laugh, the Azure Snake Patriarch fell silent.

He then coiled himself up, flicking his tongue in and out as if practicing some arcane technique. Eventually, the Azure Snake Patriarch coughed up a mouthful of blood, signaling the start of his declining realm.

Peng Gengkun's expression was dark, seemingly seething with anger. But inwardly, he was bursting with glee.

"I never imagined the Demon Clan possessed such a secret method! I figured he'd seek out another from his clan to finish me off. Since he's chosen to do it himself, he's got no one to blame but himself!"

Peng Gengkun gloated silently, promptly tapping into the Leviathan-roc Space and beginning to consume the Spirit Stones within.

For anyone else, having their Qi Sea and meridians sealed would spell certain doom. But Peng Gengkun was no ordinary individual. His Qi Sea was unusable to begin with, so being sealed made no difference.

Others would find themselves unable to call upon their Astral Energy with a sealed Qi Sea, and with sealed meridians, they wouldn't be able to access even a trace of it.

Peng Gengkun, however, drew his Astral Energy from the system. Now, all he had to do was absorb the Spirit Stones, converting them into Astral Energy, and he could restore his meridians. Then, he'd be ready to deliver a lethal strike!

With this thought, a wave of relief washed over Peng Gengkun.

"Thank goodness the Azure Snake Patriarch is so full of himself, convinced he's read me like a book. He even let slip the secret of that cultivation-dispersing technique. My plan was to use the Vajra Subduing Dragon to wound him, grab what I could, and make a run for it. I never expected him to willingly weaken himself..."

Peng Gengkun was inwardly thrilled, yet his expression remained stoically unaltered, his brow furrowed in apparent concern.

Before long, Peng had absorbed enough Spirit Stones to regain his full strength. However, this time, he restrained himself and held back from taking action. The Azure Snake Patriarch's power had not yet diminished to the level Peng had been hoping for. Peng was acutely aware that any attempt to strike at this juncture would, at best, wound the Patriarch, but not deliver a fatal blow.

"Now, all I can do is wait. But having been away for so long, I risk missing the trials for Inner Sect discipleship if I return now. Yet, securing the treasures of this place would make missing out on the Inner Sect a worthy trade-off," Peng mused to himself. With that, he slowly closed his eyes and settled into a silent vigil.

As the minutes and hours slipped by, five days eventually elapsed.

Suddenly, the Azure Snake Patriarch rose to his feet. His presence had waned significantly, now comparable to that of a mutated beast. His current strength showed no distinction from a human Qi Refining Realm warrior.

"You!" Peng's eyes snapped open, and he gasped in astonishment, "You truly possess such power!"

The Azure Snake Patriarch sneered menacingly as he approached Peng.

"There's no escape for you now!"

Through clenched teeth, Peng bargained, "Spare me, and I will divulge every secret of my clan to you."

"The secrets of human clans hold no allure for me," the Patriarch retorted, peering down at Peng with a chilling gaze.

He then spoke deliberately, "My sole concern is vengeance for my progeny. By killing you and completing the ritual, their lingering resentments will empower me, elevating my realm even further."

The intent behind the Azure Snake Patriarch's declaration was unmistakable.

Panic washed over Peng's face as he pleaded, "Please, don't kill me. I swear to serve you as my master for life!"

"I have no need for a despicable human slave such as you."

The Azure Snake Patriarch dropped these chilling words and launched an attack without a second's delay.

This time, the Azure Snake Patriarch's strike was devoid of the usual sky-filling Demonic Qi, yet it was far more lethal—for he had transformed his Demonic Qi into a dagger!

As the Azure Snake Patriarch made his move, Peng Gengkun sprang into action as well.

The Azure Snake Patriarch was taken aback to see Peng Gengkun suddenly erupt with a fierce Astral Energy. In that instant, the Azure Snake Patriarch realized the truth.

"You've deceived me! You sly human!"