5: Chapter 5 Green Snake Evolution: Green Water Snake
After the Qi Refining Breakthrough, Xu Qing could feel the Demonic Power flowing within his body.
By circulating his Demonic Power, his physical attributes were greatly enhanced.
Using skills had also become much smoother.
However, breaking through to a new Realm was secondary.
Looking at the System's inventory and his maxed-out evolution points gave Xu Qing the illusion of being very wealthy.
"Back to the cave. Once I've digested these things, I, the Green Snake, will have the final say in the entire Monster Beast Mountain Range."
Xu Qing was getting cocky again.
He was clearly just a level one Qi Refining little demon, a mere Green Snake.
Flicking his tongue, he slithered in an elegant S-shape, rapidly approaching the cave.
Only after burrowing deep into the cave did he take out the flood dragon scale.
The Demon Monkey's flames hadn't managed to cause even a hint of damage to the scale.
Coiled on the scale, he looked at the spacious cave; there shouldn't be any need to worry about a lack of space after his evolution.
"I'll deal with the rewards in the inventory first, then evolve."
Having made his decision, Xu Qing no longer hesitated and opened the System panel's inventory.
"Fuse Brown Monkey Fire."
[Ding, beginning Fusion.]
The flame in the inventory disappeared, and a ball of orange fire appeared out of thin air in the space before him.
Then, the flame split off a thread of fire, which merged into Xu Qing's body.
Hot.
Super hot.
The temperature of the entire cave felt as if it had risen by dozens of degrees.
Fortunately, the flood dragon scale beneath him remained icy cold, making Xu Qing feel slightly better.
Time passed slowly, and the flame floating before him grew smaller and smaller.
As the final thread of fire merged into his body, the flame let out a puff of blue smoke and vanished.
[Ding, learned skill: Demonic Fire Lv.1]
[Unlocked new evolution path: Red-Ringed Snake]
[Red-Ringed Snake] A Spirit Snake, a relatively common snake demon. A fire-attribute Yao Beast with a violent temperament and extreme aggressiveness. Its meat is average, but its skin is highly valuable and can be used as Materials for making Talismans and defensive Magical Artifacts.
"A new evolution path unlocked?"
The unlocked evolution path had greater potential than the Green Snake's original path.
"Continue with dharma eye Fusion."
"I'll use my left eye for the Fusion."
[Ding, beginning Fusion.]
A green orb disappeared from the inventory.
His left eye socket throbbed with a swelling pain, as if a giant bead had been stuffed inside.
He felt like the System had just forcibly shoved it in.
It hadn't considered the issue of hardware incompatibility at all.
However, to get rid of his nearsightedness, Xu Qing could only grit his teeth and bear it.
Not until the swelling pain vanished did his left eye slowly recover its vision.
The entire world gradually changed from blurry to clear, like the image quality jumping from 360p to 4K.
He could see everything clearly even in dark places.
[Ding, learned new skill: Spatial Pupil Lv.1]
[Spatial Pupil Lv.1] Can store items.
"..."
"...Are you worthy of your grand name?!"
"I already have the System for storage, what use are you!"
Xu Qing was so angry that he slapped the ground repeatedly with his tail.
He could only hope for this skill's future improvement; the future looked promising.
"Ahem."
"Absorb, my left eye."
Xu Qing aimed his left eye at a rock on the ground.
The rock distorted for a moment and vanished from the ground.
"Wait a minute, could it be..."
"Divine Might!"
Xu Qing tried to aim at a stone wall, but nothing happened.
"Divine Might!"
Refusing to believe it, he tried again, but still, nothing happened.
"...It seems it's just a portable Storage Ring."
"Waaaah."
"The future is promising, the future is promising."
Xu Qing began to forcefully comfort himself.
Next, he tried to shift his attention and looked at the System's evolution column.
Currently, he had a total of three evolution paths.
They were: Mortal Snake [Green Python], Spirit Snake [Green Water Snake], and Spirit Snake [Red-Ringed Snake].
He first considered the Green Water Snake.
Its evolution potential and Bloodline were ahead of the other two snakes.
But the System's description was really off-putting; a snake that was like freaking Tang Monk meat.
It felt like after evolving, everyone in the world would be craving his body.
He was just a little snake; how could he protect his own body?
"..."
"Evolve into Green Water Snake!"
A fierce light flashed in Xu Qing's eyes.
Whoever craved his body, he would eat them.
This was the evolution path that would decide his future; how could he be so indecisive?
No matter the time, one must strive for the evolution path with the highest potential.
[Ding, beginning evolution.]
The green scales seemed to merge into one, and a green liquid flowed slowly beneath the continuous sheet of scales.
The Natal Scale on top of his head shone with a brilliant green light, enveloping his entire body and accelerating the evolution process.
His body grew thicker and longer at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The millstone-sized flood dragon scale was quickly submerged by the expanding coil of snake.
As time passed, the green light gradually dimmed and retracted.
A layer of dark green cuticle formed on the Green Snake's surface, wrapping around its entire body.
The Green Snake's body shook, and the snake slough fell off in pieces.
The green scales shimmered with flowing light, appearing somewhat more moist than before the evolution.
The color of the scales was arranged in a gradient, from light green on the belly to deep green on the back.
His body length reached three meters, appearing slender and well-proportioned.
Definitely a handsome guy among snakes.
[Name] Xu Qing
[Race] Green Water Snake (Yao)
[Bloodline] Spirit Rank
[Compatible Attributes] Wood, Wind, Water
[Dao Cultivation] 11 years / 100 years
[Rank] Qi Refining Level 1
[Cultivation Technique] "Hundred Snakes Breathing Method"
[Skills] Constrict Lv.3, Wind Blade Lv.3, Demonic Fire Lv.1, Detection Lv.2, Swiftness Lv.1, Sharp Fangs Lv.1, Water Control Lv.1 (Manipulate water currents)
[Innate Divine Ability] Insight Lv.3, Great Strength Lv.2, Water Heal Lv.1 (Wounds heal faster in places with water)
[Evolution Bar] 0/100
[Evolution Path] Green Water Snake King (Spirit Demon, a rare Green Snake demon, said to be a descendant of the Heavenly Demon Water Flood Dragon. It has a gentle temperament and is skilled in water spells, making it an excellent choice for a spiritual pet. It possesses the Wood, Wind, and Water attributes, and its body's various effects are even greater than those of the Green Water Snake...)
[Description] Spirit Demon, a quite rare Green Snake demon, possessing a trace of the Heavenly Demon Water Flood Dragon Bloodline. Wood, Wind, and Water attributes. Snake blood has body-tempering effects, snake meat is full of Spiritual Qi, delicate and refreshing, and snake skin... Whether as a spiritual pet, food ingredient, or Artifact Refining material, it is very rare and loved by many Cultivators.
Xu Qing could smell it.
He could smell the scent of money on his own body.
What an evil and sinful body.
Surely, no one could restrain themselves before this sinful body.
Besides the outstanding body, he had also gained the Water Control skill and the Water Heal Divine Ability.
The Green Snake had received an epic buff; he no longer had to live with his tail between his legs.
"But is there only one evolution path?"
"Green Water Snake King... its body's effects are even greater than the Green Water Snake's..."
"This evolution path harbors ill intentions."
Xu Qing sensed the System's thick malice from this evolution description.
He couldn't evolve to become even more delicious.
He had to find a way to evolve into something harder to swallow.
Xu Qing prayed silently in his heart.
As he slowly stretched his body in the cave, the flood dragon scale could no longer support his current body.
"...A crib..."
"Is the flood dragon scale a crib?!"