What's wrong with a snake that just wants to cultivate and transform?

After a period of time, Xu Nian regained her energy.

It could also be because she had successfully advanced to the thirteenth-rank. The surge in her power brought an overwhelming sense of joy, although it might just be a psychological effect.

Sadly, the recent “blood donations” have become more frequent, as if determined to drain her to the point of becoming a dry husk.

Xu Nian felt it was crucial to have a conversation with Elder Qing Lu about sustainable development. She believed in the principle that maintaining resources was vital for long-term prosperity, much like the concept that preserving the green mountains ensures a continuous supply of wood, and avoiding fishing by draining the pond to prevent resource depletion.

She walked ahead confidently and said to Qing Ye who followed behind, “No need to lead the way. I know the path. After all this time, are you still worried that I’ll run away?”

Qing Ye, swaying her snake tail, caught up and said, “Great Spirit Snake, we are heading to the ancestral hall this time.”

Usually, they went to the gloomy, empty council hall of the family head. Now, without a word, the location had changed. What was going on?

Xu Nian suddenly became vigilant.

It was amusing that the Qingxuan King Snake clan, clearly a clan of demon beasts, imitated humans by setting up an ancestral hall for their ancestors.

As usual, Qing Ye left her at the ancestral hall and departed. The large hall was empty except for Xu Nian. Having arrived, she aimlessly examined this uniquely styled demonic cultivators’ ancestral hall.

This hall was slightly different from human ancestral halls. After careful observation, Xu Nian realized they worshipped the ascended demonic cultivators of their clan. She counted over a dozen plaques, amazed at the high ascension rate within the clan.

If ascension was akin to passing the imperial examination, having one person achieve it in an ordinary family would be a matter of great pride. Yet, the Qingxuan King Snake clan had produced several ascendants over a thousand years. Based on the worldview from novels she read in her previous life, this was an event capable of creating a major stir.

Moreover, having stayed so long among the Qingxuan King Snakes, she found that despite their large territory, the clan wasn’t populous. Many who hadn’t fully transformed lived in caves within the mountains, and those who hadn’t completely transformed rarely met Xu Nian, except when summoned by the family head or the Elders.

By Xu Nian’s rough estimate, there were at most two to three hundred Qingxuan King Snakes, considering the extent of their territory. She couldn’t understand why such a pinnacle force in the demonic cultivation world, with a terrifying ascension rate of one every hundred years, was not only failing to grow but was weakening. Could it be due to the great war a hundred years ago mentioned by Elder Qing Lu, which led to the decline of the clan’s prime-aged demon snakes, preventing their recovery?

Xu Nian waited a long time in the ancestral hall. Instead of Elder Qing Lu, Qing Cheng and Qing Jin arrived.

She was puzzled. “Isn’t Elder Qing Lu coming this time?”

In the past, blood donations were made in front of Elder Qing Lu. She would be held down by the shoulders by two fourteenth-rank Qingxuan King Snakes, and another with swift knife skills would make the cut and attach a tube to her artery to draw blood.

This time, only two demons had come. Did they trust her enough to streamline the process?

Qing Cheng and Qing Jin exchanged glances, then Qing Cheng spoke, “The Elder had urgent matters to attend to and asked us to handle this.”

Xu Nian nodded resignedly. “Is everything ready?”

Qing Jin took out the same blood-drawing tools from her storage bag as those used in the council hall, while Qing Cheng held a sharp blade.

They had initially thought that by getting on good terms with the servant of the Great Spirit Snake, they could take advantage of the situation to obtain her blood. However, to their surprise, the servant showed no gratitude and bluntly told them to get lost.

Frustrated, they had wanted to teach that arrogant servant a lesson but forgot their previous soul-binding oath, leading to their embarrassing defeat in front of that lowly servant, a huge disgrace.

Still, Qing Cheng had managed to deceive Xu Nian’s attendant, Qing Ye, and lured her to the secluded ancestral hall.

Seeing Xu Nian, who looked foolish and unguarded, extending her hand for blood to be taken, a smirk formed on Qing Cheng’s lips. Once she and Qing Jin fully transformed and increased their power, they planned to ask the leader of the Shuibin clan in the Eastern Sea Secret Realm to help them break the soul-binding oath. Then, they wouldn’t have to fear that thirteenth-rank hybrid demon, Ji Yuebai. They would return all the humiliation they had suffered a thousandfold.

Xu Nian, noticing Qing Cheng’s strange expression while holding the knife, felt a sudden unease.

Qing Jin, seeing their plan about to succeed, could hardly contain her joy. Just as Qing Cheng was about to cut into Xu Nian’s vein, Xu Nian abruptly withdrew her arm.

Qing Jin, annoyed, wanted to scold her, but remembering Qing Cheng’s repeated warnings, she swallowed her words.

They could afford to offend Ji Yuebai, but not Xu Nian, who was now closely watched and valued by the family head and the Elder.

Qing Cheng softened her tone, “Did I frighten the Great Spirit Snake?”

The more Qing Cheng spoke in such a humble and appeasing tone, the more Xu Nian felt something was off. Elder Qing Lu’s subordinates were decisively ruthless when drawing her blood, never treating her with any reverence.

In contrast, Qing Cheng seemed like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Xu Nian’s gaze swept over the two demons, seeing the barely concealed greed in Qing Jin’s eyes. She quickly formulated a plan.

“You are not sent by Elder Qing Lu.”

To their surprise, the seemingly gullible Great Spirit Snake suddenly said this. Qing Jin, startled, then defensively said, “What are you talking about, Great Spirit Snake? We wouldn’t dare to take your blood without Elder’s orders.”

Qing Cheng played the good cop, “Great Spirit Snake, don’t be willful. It would be bad to upset the Elder.”

As Xu Nian watched Qing Cheng earnestly extend her hand, she became even more certain of her suspicion. They thought she was a respected Great Spirit Snake in the clan, not knowing how violently she was restrained during blood drawing.

These two snake demons could perhaps be of some use.

Xu Nian took out a snake-shaped communication talisman from her storage bag, looking at the two demons with a half-smile, “In that case, let me first inquire with the Elder.”

The communication talisman!

Even if the Elder really gave her such a precious talisman, it was surely for her protection. Qing Cheng didn’t believe she would use it so easily, but what if this Spirit Snake from the realm of cultivators didn’t know its value?

Qing Cheng’s back stiffened.

She couldn’t risk it.

But with the situation having progressed this far, if they just admitted defeat and left, there was no guarantee Xu Nian wouldn’t mention it to the Elder upon his return. Although Qing Cheng and Qing Jin couldn’t attack Xu Nian due to their soul-binding oath, Qing Zhi and Qing Ye, who were waiting outside, could. Although this might slightly trigger the heart demon oath, the benefits of complete transformation were far greater…

As Qing Cheng weighed her options…

Xu Nian spoke, “I can give you my blood, but I want to make a deal with you.”

Hearing this, Qing Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. “What kind of deal?”

Xu Nian said, “I want you to help me and my servant escape from the Eastearn Sea secret realm.”

Qing Cheng frowned. “That’s impossible. You want to flee the Qingxuan King Clan? Aren’t you afraid I’ll report this to the family head and the Elder?”

Xu Nian smiled. “You won’t do that. You tricked me into coming here, and I haven’t settled that score with you yet. If you dare to report, I will surely disclose everything you’ve done. In the end, I will still be the Great Spirit Snake of the Qingxuan King Snake clan, at worst confined and drained for blood. But you, mere ordinary snake demons of the clan, daring to challenge the authority of the family head and targeting me, I wonder what punishment you would face.”

At these words, Qing Jin shuddered. She had thought the seemingly simple Great Spirit Snake was in fact cunning.

Like the beasts of the natural world, the Qingxuan King Snake clan had a strict hierarchy. To rashly defy the family head, death would be a merciful end. She had thought about the consequences but initially planned to flee the Qingxuan King Clan after fully transforming. She hadn’t expected Xu Nian to see through her plan and turn the tables on them.

Qing Cheng snorted. “You’re ruthless. But if I help you escape, how can you assure us you’ll keep your word? You know we made a soul-binding oath not to harm you or your servant.”

That was true.

Xu Nian scratched her head. “Then should I also make a soul-binding oath?”

Qing Cheng shook her head. “No good. I can feel the quality of your blood declining lately. If this continues, your blood might not be enough for me and Qing Jin to fully transform.”

That explained it. No wonder Elder Qing Lu had been so eager lately, almost as if ready to kill the goose that lays golden eggs. She had to hurry up and plan her escape.

Xu Nian was inwardly shocked. “Then what do you propose?”

Qing Cheng said, “You can give me your blood first. I’ll make a soul binding oath, and when you are ready to leave, come find us. We will help you escape.”

Now it was Xu Nian’s turn to be dissatisfied. “But what if you run away first? The Eastern Sea secret realm is vast, how would I find you?”

Qing Cheng cursed inwardly, her plan seen through.

However, after much back-and-forth, they finally agreed on the terms of the deal.

Xu Nian used a porcelain bottle, typically for preserving spiritual medicines, to draw blood for both Qing Cheng and Qing Jin. She handed one vial to Qing Cheng and watched as both of them drank half each. She kept the other vial herself, making a soul-binding oath that if Qing Cheng and Qing Jin helped her and Ji Yuebai escape the Eastern Sea secret realm, she would give them the other vial. However, if they fled or broke the agreement, they would die violently.

Having had her blood drawn frequently these days, Xu Nian was not naive. She knew exactly how much blood was needed for the Qing Xuan King Snake clan demons to fully transform. Taking only half of the blood would only boost their strength, not enough to complete their transformation by eliminating the snake tail.

After tasting the benefits, Qing Cheng and Qing Jin greedily eyed the other bottle of blood in Xu Nian’s hand.

Xu Nian pointed to the bottle, “You’ve made your mark. I can’t fake it. When the agreement is fulfilled, I’ll give it to you.” Then she stored the vial in her storage bag.

Qing Jin swallowed hard with greed but was helpless, regretting the soul-binding oath they had made not to harm Xu Nian. How much easier it would have been to just take the blood and flee.

Qing Cheng, expressionless, urged, “I hope you act quickly. We should set off as soon as possible.”

Xu Nian wished she could, but she was just a step away from breaking through to the fourteenth-rank. With some more cultivation, she could perfectly advance. Moreover, according to Ji Yuebai, there were no advancement thunder tribulations in this Eastern Sea secret realm.

Thunder tribulations were not a trivial matter. If she left the secret realm and then advanced, she might not die from blood loss but could be severely injured by the thunder tribulation, a risk not worth taking.

After Qing Cheng and Qing Jin left, Xu Nian was alone in the ancestral hall.

She covered her still bleeding arm, treated but not yet healed, lost in thought when suddenly a deep voice came from above.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve smelled such a delightful scent. Are you the offering this time?”