Serpent Ancestor

A young child, barely half-grown, ran to the spot where the Pig Demon had died, pointing excitedly at the bloodstains on the ground and shouting.

Behind him, a farmer with rolled-up sleeves came running over.

“Dad! Great news, the Pig Demon that killed Mom is dead! It was eaten by the big snake!” the child shouted with excitement.

Unexpectedly, the farmer picked up a stick and hit the child on the buttocks, causing him to cry out loudly.

“Don’t you dare come out again! Be careful or the old serpent king will eat you too. Get back inside immediately!” the farmer scolded angrily, grabbing the child by the ear and pulling him away.

……

Xu Hei, holding the Demon Core, rushed back to the mountains. Although the trip was smooth, he felt a chill down his spine and was still shaken.

“Fortunately, I was cautious. If I had rashly rushed in and fought the Pig Demon, the outcome would have been uncertain!”

Xu Hei was apprehensive, realizing he had encountered a demonic beast just like himself.

As for the level of the First-Level Spiritual Beast it had reached, Xu Hei was unsure. Being cautious had indeed been wise; you never know what kind of existence you are dealing with.

After swallowing the wild boar, his body had expanded to twice its size. Fortunately, he was quick, and Xu Hei dragged his massive form back to his tree hollow.

This tree hollow was a temporary shelter he had chosen, verified to be free of large creature activity within a five-mile radius.

Xu Hei lay in the tree hollow, digesting the boar meat he had just consumed.

The meat of a demonic beast was indeed extraordinary. Rich in Qi and Blood, it was more filling than ordinary meat. By the next morning, Xu Hei had only digested one-third of it.

He felt closer to reaching the Second-Level Spiritual Beast.

At this time, he took out the black Demon Core.

The Demon Core, also known as the Inner Core, contains the spiritual essence of a demonic beast’s lifetime and is a valuable material for alchemy, artifact forging, and talisman crafting.

Swallowing a Demon Core was extremely dangerous; a slight mistake could lead to broken meridians and explosion of the body. Generally, it is used for alchemy.

“Human knowledge may not necessarily apply to me. Why would a demonic beast have so many rules?” Xu Hei was somewhat doubtful.

……

Another day passed.

That night, Xu Hei opened his eyes. The wild boar meat had been completely digested. His muscles and meridians felt a sense of satisfaction, like a bucket that had been filled to the brim.

Xu Hei immediately made a decision—breakthrough!

This was an instinctual drive for a demonic beast; he needed to become stronger.

Xu Hei held the Demon Core in his mouth, swallowed it, and crushed it with his teeth, producing a crunching sound.

In an instant, a violent surge of energy erupted from the Demon Core, rushing towards Xu Hei’s meridians and bones with a constant roar.

He felt a slight pain within his body but could endure it completely.

Indeed, the physique of demonic beasts is not the same as humans.

“Breakthrough!”

Xu Hei focused his mind.

The violent power instantly surged, and his body cracked and popped, undergoing a rapid transformation. This was the metamorphosis of his body.

The initial stage of the transformation was quick, but then it slowed down. Xu Hei’s aura remained at the limit of the First-Level Spiritual Beast.

Suddenly, the Demon God Cauldron within him trembled. The energy was absorbed into it, and the spiritual mist rapidly expanded, then compressed to a single point!

“Boom!!”

Xu Hei’s body shook violently, his aura soaring, breaking through that bottleneck.

After a while, when he opened his eyes again, his aura was completely different.

Second-Level Spiritual Beast!

“Success!”

Xu Hei exhaled a breath of turbid air, feeling immensely joyful.

At this moment, the spiritual mist inside the Demon God Cauldron had contracted to a small point. Its area was tiny, but its concentration was more than ten times greater, signifying a qualitative change.

According to human knowledge, a breakthrough cannot always be achieved on the first try; some may fail several times, and some even remain stuck at a certain realm for a lifetime.

His first breakthrough had been successful, indicating that his talent was indeed good, though it was uncertain what spiritual root he had.

Xu Hei did not become complacent.

He was still in the early stages of the First-Level Spiritual Beast.

Unless he reached the Fourth-Level Spiritual Beast, entering the mid-stage, there would be substantial changes. At that level, he would be able to use true Qi to harm others from a distance and learn some basic spells.

Xu Hei was still far from that level.

“Though hunting the wild boar was dangerous, it brought opportunities,” Xu Hei thought to himself.

Danger and opportunity always coexist. If it weren’t for that Pig Demon, relying solely on mundane food, he might not have made any progress for several years.

Feeling the increased strength, Xu Hei valued life even more and was determined to cherish his existence.

……

A day later, Xu Hei returned to the Watermelon Field.

This was an instinct of demonic beasts, to remain active within their familiar territory. They generally do not leave their activity area unless faced with significant danger.

Xu Hei hoped to encounter a second Pig Demon. Although the chances were slim, he chose to wait; it was the safest approach.

Not just Xu Hei, but many demonic beasts have their own fixed hunting grounds.

The entire day passed without any sign of the wild boar. Instead, the melon farmer appeared again in the Watermelon Field, applying manure and fertilizer.

In the evening, the half-grown child also showed up, holding a book. However, not long after, he was pulled back by his father.

Xu Hei waited all day and saw nothing—no wild boar, not even a mouse.

Under the moonlight, Xu Hei gazed at the lush green watermelons and suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

“Wild boars eat watermelons, and I eat wild boars. Can I skip that step and directly eat the watermelon?” Xu Hei thought of a bold idea.

Xu Hei was no ordinary demon beast. Since gaining intelligence, he occasionally pondered logical problems, much like a baby encountering the world for the first time, filled with curiosity.

With the attitude of giving it a try, Xu Hei crawled to a large watermelon, opened his serpent mouth, and swallowed the watermelon whole.

As his abdominal muscles churned, the watermelon rind was crushed and burst open inside his belly.

Xu Hei felt a slight increase in his qi and blood, though it was very minimal.

“I can eat it, but it only replenishes about as much qi and blood as a mouse would,” Xu Hei estimated.

Since he could eat watermelon, it meant he could also eat potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, and other plants. With his current digestive ability, even the bones of the Pig Demon could be digested, so these were naturally not a problem.

However, while he could eat them, his body’s instincts resisted, unwilling to consume such food.

“I hope I can get some meat tonight,” Xu Hei thought to himself.

A day passed, and Xu Hei waited until late into the night, finally spotting a badger.

Xu Hei first used his divine sense to scan the area, confirming that the badger was not a demon beast. He then immediately acted, swiftly attacking, entangling the badger, and swallowing it whole in one go.

Feeling his belly swell, Xu Hei was very satisfied.

“I’m full now, time to leave.”

Just as Xu Hei was about to leave, he suddenly froze.

Under the moonlight, a young boy holding a fork stood not far in front of him. With his fork raised and a dazed expression, he stared blankly at Xu Hei, motionless, like a statue.