CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 40 LEVEL 2 - INTERMEDIATE (SEEKING INVESTMENT AND FOLLOWERS)

Having dealt with the Iron Armored Saw Crocodile, the Mysterious Water Snake, Hong Yuan, gained new room for growth.

He indulged in devouring large fish, prawns, octopuses, and crabs at the edge of the deep waters, continuously increasing his ’Life Span’ and ’Talent,’ steadily advancing on the path of Longevity Martial Arts.

Currently, Hong Yuan could enjoy delicacies with a relaxed and comfortable attitude, without needing to gobble up his food and then hastily flee as he once did.

At this moment, he had likely transformed from a petty thief snake into a brazen bandit snake. He could drive away the guardians and do whatever he pleased within his limited freedom!

CRUNCH, CRUNCH...

Strange noises came from Hong Yuan’s mouth as he leisurely swallowed a delicious and plump shrimp that resembled an Australian lobster.

Typically, pythons swallow their prey whole regardless of its size, without chewing. To eat better, pythons stand their front body upright and open their mouths wide to grab the prey. They then close their upper and lower jaws, allowing each jaw to move in turn.

If another animal attacked at this point, they would immediately regurgitate their swallowed food and escape.

Although Hong Yuan still maintained the posture of standing upright, he didn’t swallow the delicious plump shrimp without chewing. Instead, he chewed slowly, in a remarkably refined manner.

Having killed the Iron Armored Saw Crocodile, Hong Yuan had become a minor hegemon in the large pond. He only needed to maintain basic caution, with no need for Grass Trees Soldiers.

SIZZLE, SIZZLE...

Hong Yuan began to gently lick the delicious plump shrimp.

The delicious plump shrimp was crushed by the pressure in Hong Yuan’s serpentine cavity, its outer shell breaking with a CRACK! CRACK! sound. The shrimp’s blood then flowed into Hong Yuan’s stomach, like drinking warm water.

This delicious plump shrimp was very clear and sweet; eating it was like tasting fresh choy sum. A gentle bite revealed a firmness. Although not tender, it was very smooth. It was truly a rare delicacy, even tastier by several degrees than the previous large, ice-fresh meat crab.

Suddenly, an idea flashed through Hong Yuan’s mind:

If the previous large meat crab were combined with garlic, ginger, broad bean sauce, pickled chilies, rock sugar, Sichuan peppercorns, bay leaves, and other seasonings to make a spicy stir-fried crab, that flavor would undoubtedly surpass this delicious plump shrimp.

Spicy stir-fried crab, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, rich in flavor, and full-bodied meat.

Thinking of this, Hong Yuan quietly committed this culinary idea to memory. Since the Mysterious Water Snake Avatar couldn’t taste cooked food, then his human form would enjoy it!

「One week later.」

Hong Yuan’s status attributes had increased again, completely renewed.

[Life Span: 16/217 → 16/237]

[Talent: 25 → 28]

[Avatar: Mysterious Water Snake (Ice Armor Python 221/10,000) → (Ice Armor Python 413/10,000)]

Closing the panel, Hong Yuan returned his focus to cultivating the Myriad Silence Origin Skill.

「Phoenix Fire Peak.」

「Hong Yuan Courtyard.」

The autumn breeze came, stirring Hong Yuan’s clothes, his blue robe rustling.

Autumn waters arrive, and a hundred rivers pour into the great river. Among all waters, none is greater than the sea. Unchanging through spring and autumn, it knows neither drought nor flood...

Murmuring the general principles in his heart, he then visualized the Autumn Wind and Falling Leaves Picture.

With a Talent of 28 points, Hong Yuan quickly immersed himself as a falling leaf, setting off on a journey with the help of the autumn wind. This time, he was even more deeply absorbed; he felt as though he had crossed the Sky-connecting River, arrived at a vast, boundless sea, and reached another continent...

SLAP, SLAP, SLAP.

Hong Yuan meticulously executed the human posture diagrams of the Myriad Silence Origin Skill, with strange movements and twisted postures.

In his human Aperture, the Sea of True Essence began to surge. Pale silver True Essence drifted out from the Aperture, continuously striking a specific Aperture membrane.

Breaking through this Aperture membrane, Hong Yuan’s cultivation would reach the second stage, medium level!

Upon reaching the second stage, medium level, Hong Yuan’s strength would far surpass his peers, allowing him to compare himself with senior disciples from previous years.

CRASH! CRASH!

True Essence endlessly battered the Aperture membrane, emitting the sound of Shui Lang striking.

The True Essence in the Sea of True Essence began to diminish. However, with the operation of the Myriad Silence Origin Skill, the amount of True Essence started to increase again. As one diminished and the other increased, an amazing balance was achieved. Although the overall trend for the Sea of True Essence was depletion, the Myriad Silence Origin Skill greatly slowed this trend. Hong Yuan’s 28 points of Talent were now having a significant effect! Even without taking out Energy Stones from his storage bag, he could safely overcome this hurdle and attain the second stage, medium level.

CLATTER.

Hong Yuan flicked his robe, and the only remaining pile of Energy Stones scattered before him.

Fueled by the Essence Qi from the Energy Stones, the pale silver True Essence continued to bombard the stone membrane.

BOOM!

A loud explosion erupted within the human Aperture as the stone membrane was finally breached.

The Sea of True Essence was now eighty-one percent silver!

Hong Yuan stretched out his right hand, and a layer of Silver Flower True Essence, denser than the pale silver True Essence, appeared in his palm.

Second Stage, Medium Level!

[Name: Hong Yuan]

[Realm: Second Stage, Medium Level]

[Myriad Silence Origin Skill (Proficiency 472/1,000)]

[Avatar: Mysterious Water Snake (Ice Armor Python 413/10,000) → (Ice Armor Python 713/10,000)]

PHEW.

Hong Yuan stopped all movements, silently clenched his fist, and seriously savored the power of the new realm.

This was a force capable of splitting mountains and cracking rocks.

If he were to use Silver Flower True Essence to enhance his martial techniques, Hong Yuan had no doubt he could easily thrash the him of yesterday.

The Myriad Silence Origin Skill has improved, and the transformation of the Ice Armor Python has progressed as well. It’s just a pity about this pile of Energy Stones...

Hong Yuan had some realizations.

With a wave of his hand, most of the Energy Stones before him turned to white powder; of the more than seven hundred Energy Stones, only thirty-odd remained.

The resources consumed by cultivating a fifth-stage Cultivation Technique were far too great, and the requirements would only increase as he advanced further. The adage, ’Method, Companion, Location, and Earth Wealth; these truly do not deceive,’ held true.

Fortunately, he had a way to generate wealth: his side job as a forging master.

Hong Yuan was already a first-stage forging master, just one or two steps away from the second stage. Coincidentally, crafting Worms would increase his proficiency as a forging master. He had already gathered all the necessary materials and was just waiting for the monthly Moon Bath holiday to begin so he could start.

Once he became a second-stage forging master, Hong Yuan’s income would see another substantial increase. His senior brother Zhu Wushang, for instance, was merely a second-stage forging master, yet he managed to own a workshop, becoming a small boss with a daily income of Energy Stones too vast to count.

Hong Yuan knew his own foundation was meager. Even if he became a second-stage forging master, he might not be in a good position to open his own workshop. However, he could significantly increase his monthly salary and share of profits by working with his senior brother!

Second-stage forging master, crafting Worms, accumulating a significant amount of Energy Stones. A glint of sharpness flashed through Hong Yuan’s eyes.

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Hong Yuan left the training room to bathe, preparing for work the next day.

...

「The Mysterious Water Snake’s cave.」

Having recovered to his six-meter length, Hong Yuan lazily slithered about, heading towards the edge of the deep water zone to forage.

But just as he swam out of the cave, Hong Yuan froze.

He sensed an additional, faint layer of icy energy around his body. Slowly, he turned his snake belly over. A layer of white ice armor was clearly attached to it!

The belly of the Mysterious Water Snake had begun to grow ice armor!

Isn’t transformation supposed to accumulate and then erupt all at once? Why is mine coming in bits and pieces? Hong Yuan wondered to himself.

Ordinarily, a snake’s transformation involved a direct shedding of skin. Yet, Hong Yuan was experiencing his transformation part by part...