The Shadow Demon Python's lair lies deep within the Demonic Beast Mountains, surrounded by towering ancient trees. Sunlight filters through the treetops, dappling the damp ground.
The lair's entrance is hidden, obscured by thick vines and undergrowth. Without the Shadow Demon Python's personal guidance, Xiao Ling and his companions would have had difficulty finding it.
"Is this its lair?" Little Medical Fairy asked softly, her gaze scanning the surroundings, wary of potential danger.
"It seems so," Xiao Ling replied, a hint of solemnity in his eyes.
The atmosphere here was somewhat oppressive, as if unknown danger could loom at any moment.
Qing Lin followed closely behind, her eyes gleaming with curiosity and excitement. For her, this adventure was full of novelty and excitement. She
had originally intended to have Xiao Ling accompany her on a short outing, but this time, she had achieved her original goal.
Having also tamed a powerful snake pet, Qing Lin felt quite satisfied.
In front of Xiao Ling and his companions, the Shadow Python lowered its head and swam slowly, its body nimbly weaving through the narrow passageway before finally stopping in front of a spacious cave.
The cave was dimly lit, but a mountain of items could be vaguely seen.
"Are these all its spoils?" Qing Lin exclaimed.
Xiao Ling nodded, "This must be where this creature lives."
Entering the cave, Xiao Ling began to examine the items.
He first picked up a storage ring and probed it with his soul power, discovering that it contained a number of Xuan-level martial arts and common elixirs.
"These were left behind by those who were hunted," Xiao Ling said, a hint of emotion in his tone.
These items might have some value to others, but to Xiao Ling now, they were basically waste paper.
The Little Medical Immortal picked up a magic core and examined it carefully. "These two are sixth-tier magic cores, and the rest are fifth-tier magic cores. These are valuable resources. If they can be refined into elixirs, they will greatly benefit our cultivation."
Qinglin's eyes lit up. Even within Canaan Academy's inventory, there weren't many sixth-tier magic cores.
After all, sixth-tier monsters were extremely rare in the Monster Mountain Range, and their power was immense.
If one lacked strength, even if they found a sixth-tier monster, they would likely die, let alone obtain a magic core.
Just as the three were about to leave the cave, Qing Lin suddenly spoke to Xiao Ling, as if he had heard something.
"The Shadow Python just told me there's a more hidden cavern next to its lair, one that might hold even more precious treasures. It's willing to take us there."
A flicker of interest flashed in Xiao Ling's eyes. "Oh? There's such a place? Then why not check it out?"
Little Medical Fairy agreed. "Since we're here, let's explore it. Maybe we can find something."
The Shadow Python seemed to understand their conversation. It turned and swam deeper into the cave, with Xiao Ling and the others following closely behind.
They followed the path the Shadow Python had pointed and passed through a long, narrow passage.
It was barely wide enough for one person, flanked by rough stone walls. Occasionally, water dripped from above, making a dripping sound.
A damp, gloomy atmosphere filled the passage, creating a sense of oppression.
The passage twisted and turned, seemingly endless. They journeyed for a long time in this environment until the light ahead gradually brightened.
Finally, they reached the exit of the passage, revealing a vaster underground space.
The environment here was completely different from the previous caverns, with an ancient and mysterious atmosphere permeating the air.
Glowing moss grew on the ground and walls, providing a faint glow to the underground space.
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"Is this the cave?" Little Medical Fairy asked softly, her voice echoing through the empty space.
The Shadow Python nodded, its gaze roaming the cavern, as if searching for something.
Xiao Ling looked around. Apart from the glowing moss and some oddly shaped rocks, there seemed nothing special.
The ground was covered with fine sand, which rustled as he walked on it.
Natural stone pillars dotted the perimeter of the space, standing silently like guardians.
However, Xiao Ling's intuition told him that this place must be hiding a secret.
Suddenly, Qing Lin pointed at a huge rock and shouted, "There seems to be something up there!"
Everyone gathered around, revealing an ancient mechanism embedded in the rock.
Xiao Ling examined it carefully, then carefully pressed the mechanism.
With a click, the rock slowly moved away, revealing a downward passage. The passage was pitch black, bottomless, and it was unknown where it led.
"Let's go down and take a look," Xiao Ling said, his voice filled with determination.
Xiao Yixian and Qinglin nodded, and the three of them descended the passage.
The Shadow Python stood guard at the entrance, preventing any mishaps.
The passage twisted and turned, and the air grew increasingly humid as they descended.
After an unknown amount of time, they finally reached its end, and a vast underground palace lay before them.
The palace was magnificent, its dome supported by massive pillars, carved with mysterious patterns.
In the center sat a massive treasure chest, emitting an alluring glow.
Beside the treasure chest lay a withered skeleton, lying quietly, as if telling the story of an ancient legend.
Scattered around the skeleton were tattered pieces of clothing and weapons, these relics, illuminated by the treasure chest's light, looked somewhat forlorn.
Xiao Ling, Xiao Yixian, and Qinglin gathered around the skeleton, their gazes tinged with curiosity and caution.
"Whose skeleton is this?" Xiao Yixian asked softly, a hint of doubt in her voice.
Xiao Ling frowned slightly. He carefully observed the withered bones, trying to find some clues. "The owner of these withered bones should be a cultivator. His strength was not weak, but judging by the state of these bones, he seems to have met with an unforeseen event."
At this moment, Yao Chen emerged from the Bone Flame Ring, and Xiao Ling and the other two immediately stepped forward to greet him.
"Teacher."
"Yao Lao,"
Yao Chen replied with a smile. His eyes swept over Xiao Ling and Little Medical Immortal, and he nodded slightly.
Qing Lin asked curiously, "Teacher, you came out now. Did you find anything?"
Yao Chen nodded. His eyes fell on the withered bones, and he slowly explained to Xiao Ling and the others,
"The owner of these withered bones should have been a powerful Dou Zun. However, he must have been seriously injured not long after advancing to Dou Zun, and ended up like this."
(End of this chapter)