Chapter 42: Battle with the Molten Python
Buzz!
A shimmering radiance suddenly erupted from Jiang Min’s body, hurling the black-robed cultivator away. It was the newly purchased superior-grade soft armor she wore today, functioning perfectly just in time. Though her body was immobilized, her hands could still move with difficulty; braving the immense pressure from the golden net, she formed a spell with her fingers. Instantly, a blazing sea of fire took shape, transforming into countless fiery meteors that rained down upon the black-robed cultivator.
Meteor Fire Rain!
The black-robed cultivator reacted swiftly, rolling to his feet and producing a small black shield. Injecting spiritual power, the shield grew larger, positioned before him.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The fire rain crashed upon the shield, producing heavy rumbling sounds. Layers of crimson spiritual light rippled across its surface, blocking all the fiery attacks with ease. It was clearly a treasure of considerable rank. This black-robed cultivator’s foundation was not weak; hiding behind the shield, he retrieved a dark red whistle, bringing it to his lips, ready to sound the alarm.
Whoosh!
A silvery dart appeared like a phantom behind him, piercing the back of his skull and exiting through his forehead, trailing a mess of red and white filth.
“Ugh…”
He groaned, pupils dilating, and collapsed in unwilling defeat.
“How absurd.”
Seeing the black-robed cultivator dead, Jiang Min glanced at the corpse without emotion. Over the past half year, she had encountered all kinds of cultivators—those who robbed for wealth, those who preyed upon women, demonic cultivators, evil practitioners... There were indeed many who would kill at the slightest disagreement.
With a mental command, her silver dart slipped through the net’s gaps and returned to her spatial pouch. This dart, also newly bought today, was a gold-type spiritual weapon—though only of inferior grade, it was unmatched for stealth and assassination.
Though controlling objects required a strong spiritual sense—normally learned only after reaching the sixth level of Qi Refining—the cultivation method granted by the Eastern Spirit Sect, “Spiritual Communion Technique,” strengthened both life and spirit, nurturing spiritual sense alongside cultivation. Thus, her spiritual sense was somewhat stronger than those of the same rank, making it effortless to wield the silver dart.
She surmised the male cultivator who had previously ambushed her with a trident must also have cultivated a technique to strengthen spiritual sense, enabling him to control his weapon at the fifth level of Qi Refining.
With the black-robed cultivator’s death, the bindings of the spirit rope and golden net on her feet dissolved.
Jiang Min prepared to rise and crawl out from the net.
Suddenly, a violent tremor shook the earth. Trees swayed and toppled; boulders tumbled down. Where Jiang Min lay, a fissure suddenly tore open in the earth. Shocked, she had no time to react, and fell into the chasm together with the black-robed cultivator’s corpse!
Hiss—
At the last critical moment, Jiang Min reached out from the net, drew her Azurewood Spiritual Sword, and stabbed it firmly into the mountainside, halting her fall.
She looked downward, her pupils shrinking. Beneath the fissure, a river of magma flowed slowly. With a splash, two enormous crimson pythons emerged from the magma. One opened its gaping maw, seized the black-robed corpse, and swallowed it whole. The other fixed its ghostly vertical eyes upon Jiang Min, puzzled why she had not fallen, depriving it of a feast.
“Lava Python!”
A surge of joy flickered in Jiang Min’s lively, autumn-water eyes.
She had searched so long for the Lava Python demon core.
To encounter it here!
Yet the aura of these two Lava Pythons was formidable; if she guessed correctly, both were at the pinnacle of the first tier.
The python that missed its meal stared at her for a moment, then suddenly shot from the magma, flying toward her. Jiang Min snorted coldly, yanked her Azurewood Sword from the rock, stepped along the cliff, broke free from the golden net, and dodged to the opposite wall, slashing back with a wave of sword energy.
Clang!
A crisp collision echoed. The azure sword energy struck the python’s crimson scales, yet failed even to leave a mark.
Such terrifying defense for a first-tier pinnacle Lava Python!
The python, having missed its bite, mimicked her by springing along the cliff, lunging at her. She infused spiritual power into her Cloudchasing Boots, dodging again. Her spiritual sense stirred—the silver dart darted out, flashing toward the python’s vertical eye, its weakest point.
Pfft!
The silver dart plunged deep into the python’s eye, piercing its brain. The Lava Python writhed in agony, fell from the cliff, and splashed into the magma river, scattering sparks.
Seeing its companion in trouble, the other python abandoned its meal. Yet, having only half-swallowed the corpse, it was weakest at this moment. Seeing Jiang Min descending, it attempted to regurgitate the corpse.
But Jiang Min gave it no chance. She stabbed her sword deep into its brain, flooding it with spiritual power, shredding its mind to pieces.
Both Lava Pythons struggled briefly in the magma, then grew still.
Jiang Min smiled in relief, dragged the two massive serpents ashore, slit their bellies, and retrieved their demon cores—two crimson pearls lay quietly in her palm, radiating a potent, wild demonic aura.
“Two Lava Python demon cores—excellent. One for body refinement, the other kept for future needs, should I require it again.”
She stowed the demon cores, then began stripping the python hides, collecting their fangs... The entire body was treasure, not to be wasted. After finishing with the pythons, Jiang Min dragged the black-robed cultivator’s corpse from the serpent’s mouth to search for valuables. Yet she found little—just a handful of spirit stones and a dark red token.
Upon the token, the bizarre characters “Seven Stars” were inscribed, and a repulsive stench of blood emanated.
“So, he was an evil cultivator.”
“But what does ‘Seven Stars’ mean? Is it a sect of evil cultivators?”
She did not touch the token directly, instead donning gloves made of spirit silkworm thread to shield its aura. Only then did she dare inspect it. She dared not keep it, so after some thought, she hurled it into the magma river, watching it dissolve in the searing flow.
After recovering the black-robed cultivator’s shield, golden net, and the spirit rope that had bound her feet, she finally stood, gazing at the subterranean magma river.
Here, the fire spiritual energy was dense, and the broad magma river made it an ideal place for body refinement.
“Just right to rest a while, recover spiritual power, prepare elixirs. When Fire Mountain stabilizes and danger passes, I can begin cultivating the Crimson Flame Body.”
Her gaze shifted to a high boulder nearby. With a tap of her toe, she leapt onto its summit, settled cross-legged, and began restoring her spent spiritual power.
Another day passed.
The earth no longer quaked.
Fire Mountain gradually quieted, sinking into slumber once more.
After a day’s adjustment, Jiang Min’s spirit, energy, and vitality returned to their peak.
She slowly opened her eyes—the firelight of the magma river reflected in her deep gaze, sparkling brightly. With a flip of her palm, several small array plates appeared out of thin air. She waved her sleeve, dispersing them, arranging the plates around the boulder.
Buzz!
Waves of spiritual array energy spread, enveloping the whole boulder. The air twisted, then returned to normal. If one stood outside the boulder, they would find Jiang Min’s figure and aura vanished—the illusion array was in effect.
With the array set, Jiang Min felt much safer.
“Next, I must prepare the spiritual medicines for the medicinal bath. The most crucial ingredient, the Lava Python demon core, is already found. The medicinal recipe’s effects can now be fully realized.”
Anticipation blossomed on her face.
After half a year’s effort, the final layer of the Crimson Flame Body could at last be cultivated.