Chapter 10: The Temple Guardian, the Purple Thunder Celestial Python!

"Oh no, it’s a Foundation Establishment expert!"

Li Dalong exclaimed, freezing his actions. Sensing the formidable power of the cultivator, the members of the Li family quickly gathered behind him.

"Oh? What kind of magical artifact is this? One splitting into ten? And they look like spirit tablets—how interesting."

The Foundation Establishment cultivator gazed at the ten ancestral tablets floating before the Li family, clearly intrigued.

"Who are you? Why are you trying to harm my Li family?!"

Though Li Dalong appeared rough, he was sharp-minded. He could see that the recent influx of refugees was linked to this cultivator. However, with his ancestors' tablets in front of him, he felt a measure of peace.

"Yo, your family is quite interesting." The cultivator raised an eyebrow. "The refugees came from Tailin Town; who do you think I am?"

"The Hu family?!" Li Dalong gritted his teeth. The only person he could think of who held a grudge against him was Hu Wei.

"A smart man—quick to catch on." The cultivator grinned, not taking the Li family seriously at all. In truth, he hadn't attacked yet simply to see what trump cards they had. Now that he saw only a family of ordinary people and some common spirit beasts, they posed no threat. "When I came out of seclusion, my grandson told me that in these deep mountains, a family had killed his subordinates at the eighth level of Qi Refining. I didn't believe it at first, but now, it seems it really was you."

"Hu Wei." Li Dalong’s expression turned grim. "I never offended your Hu family, and I was even severely injured by your Hu Wei. Why must you be so aggressive?"

"Aggressive? That’s not quite the word." The cultivator brushed dust off his sleeve, glancing at the Li clan with disdain. "You people aren't even worth my attention. I just looked into your background out of curiosity. A slave-born man—how did you become a seventh-level Qi Refining expert in less than twenty years? And your children, tsk tsk, they’re more promising than my own."

"Look at your spirit beasts; they could sell for a high price. This is truly interesting. My useless grandson has finally done something that pleases me."

The cultivator’s mocking laughter cut off, his expression turning cold. "Now, tell me, what secrets are you hiding? Hand over your treasures, and I’ll spare your lives!"

"And this pile of junk tablets—you don't actually think these useless artifacts can protect you, do you?"

The Li family remained silent, only glancing at their ancestors' tablets. They had a secret—they had a mysterious ancestor! But...

"I’ll curse your eighteen generations of ancestors!"

Li Dalong’s eyes turned bloodshot. He snatched the longbow from Li Yaotie’s hands, nocked an arrow, and poured every ounce of his spiritual energy into it. The iron bow groaned, its internal structure cracking under the strain! He didn't know how his ancestor existed, nor did he know the shocking secrets behind the tablets. He only knew that as a descendant of the Li family, he would never reveal their ancestor's existence, not even in death. He would fight for the honor of his ancestors!

"Whoosh!"

The arrow, imbued with true energy, tore through the air with a violent whistle—a testament to the determination of the entire Li family! As the arrow flew, everyone in the family tightened their grip on their weapons; Li Yaozu even lunged forward with a burst of sword qi.

But... it was useless!

The arrow, fueled by the majority of Li Dalong’s energy, was caught effortlessly by the Hu family ancestor. Li Yaozu’s sword qi couldn't even break through the man’s protective aura.

"I think it would be better if you obediently handed over your secrets and treasures." The Hu ancestor looked on with disdain as Li Dalong drew his bow again, acting as if he were playing with prey, walking leisurely toward them. As long as these ants were terrified enough, he would surely extract what he wanted.

...

"As expected of the descendants I’ve nurtured."

Watching his Li descendants facing a Foundation Establishment expert without fear, even exhausting their own energy in defiance, Li Xiang felt a surge of inexplicable pride. In this moment, he seemed to stop viewing them as mere game characters and truly saw them as his own kin. He even wished these Li family members were his real relatives.

Then, his gaze locked onto the Hu family cultivator, and he grinned. "You think you're arrogant?"

The ten tablets floating before the Li family finally moved!

The first one flew toward the Hu ancestor, who prepared to block it.

*Press R, Detonate!*

"Not good!"

For the first time, the Hu ancestor stumbled backward, desperately using his energy to defend. He hadn't expected these strange tablets to have such a trick!

"The ancestor is showing his divine power!"
"Kill this bastard!"

The Li family members’ eyes lit up as they saw the ancestor’s tablet push the man back.

"They have such power?" The Hu ancestor frowned, staring at another moving tablet, and scoffed, "I want to see what else these useless things can do to me!"

He lunged forward with his flying sword!

"Boom!"

Li Xiang manipulated the tablet to self-destruct once more, blowing the flying sword away. Immediately, he sent two more tablets hurtling toward the ancestor. *Press R!*

"Let’s see how arrogant you are!"

Amidst the explosions, the Hu ancestor retreated again! A lock of hair was blown loose in front of his eyes. He brushed it away, his expression ugly. "Six left. What will you do when they're gone?"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Li Xiang, sitting before the screen, ignored the text bubbles appearing above the cultivator's head. He manipulated the tablets one by one—*Press R!*

Finally, the last tablet shattered the Hu ancestor's protective energy, sending him flying backward! Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, his clothes tattered. Yet, a mocking smile remained on his face. "Hahaha, they're gone! Your strange artifact has no—"

But his laughter died instantly.

[Consumed 20 points of incense, used 'Ancestor's Wrath'!]

A tablet appeared out of thin air once more before the Li family!

"How are there still more? Is this endless?! I..."

The Hu ancestor’s mouth twitched. He stared at the tablet, caught in a dilemma! He had already boasted; if he retreated now, he would be too ashamed to even sleep. But if he didn't... he had been blasted nine times, and his energy was half-gone. Who knew how many more of these things there were?

But he was wrong. Li Xiang wasn't summoning this tablet to attack; he was using it to protect his descendants.

Because... in the Li family ancestral hall, the Thunder Python coiled beneath the tablets finally opened its eyes!

Its body had grown even larger, occupying half the hall. Its once-black skin was fading into a deep, glossy purple, covered in mysterious and beautiful patterns! The two sharp horns on its head had curled forward after its molting.

"Roar!"

Upon awakening, the Thunder Python let out a roar—no longer a serpentine hiss, but the bellow of a primal beast! The lightning arcing from its body radiated ten meters outward, the purple electricity clearly visible to everyone outside the hall!

"What... what is that noise?!"

If the ancestral tablets had made the Hu ancestor feel a hint of dread, he was now in absolute terror! He stared in horror toward the ancestral hall, feeling a pressure that made his soul tremble.

"Run!"

The Hu ancestor was as pathetic now as he had been arrogant upon arrival. He didn't dare look back, turning and sprinting toward the medicinal herb garden!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The sound of massive trees being smashed down echoed behind him, growing ever closer. By the time he reached the Blood-Fruit Tree, he could smell a foul, fishy stench. He dared not move, trembling as he looked down to see purple arcs of electricity striking the ground at his feet—not attacking him yet, but sending a clear message: *Move, and prepare to die.*

He turned his stiff neck, swallowing hard. Then, he was engulfed in shadow as smooth, massive scales appeared before him.

"What... what is this?!"

The Hu ancestor’s head shook uncontrollably. When he finally forced himself to look up, he saw what was hunting him. A snake. A giant python, nearly twenty meters long, purple-black in color! On its head stood a tablet—the very one he had mocked moments ago.

Before the screen, Li Xiang stared at the Hu ancestor with gritted teeth. In front of the Thunder Python, the man looked like a mere rat!

He clicked on the Python's icon and typed: *Finish him. Don't let it be too quick.*

In an instant, the Python coiled around the Hu ancestor’s body, slowly releasing electricity, slowly squeezing!

"Ah!"

To his credit, the Hu ancestor had some backbone. Even while fleeing, he hadn't begged... until now. "Great Spirit Beast, please have mercy!"

"..."

Li Xiang glared at the man, whose veins were bulging from the pressure. "You were so arrogant! Keep being arrogant!"

He had been waiting for this—waiting for the Python to wake up! No, it shouldn't be called a Thunder Python anymore.

It was a—**Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python!**

[Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python (Spirit Beast)]
[Description: A powerful existence possessing immense strength and innate lightning-fire. It is awaiting its next evolution!]

Beyond common spirit beasts were the Spirit-grade beasts. The Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python was an anomaly; having reached maturity, this molting was a metamorphosis—an evolution! Becoming this beast meant it had reached the peak of the Spirit Beast stage.

Under its coils, the Hu ancestor’s bones began to snap. Blood burst from his veins, dripping down the Python’s smooth scales and soaking the soil beneath the Blood-Fruit Tree.

Before long, nothing remained of the once-arrogant Hu ancestor but a crumpled skin.

Li Xiang finally let out a long breath. He clicked on the Python’s icon once more and typed:

*Have someone deliver his skin back to the Hu family...*