BTTH: From Genius to Invincible-Chapter 322: Retrieving It As Easily As Reaching Into a Bag

Word Count: 2,785 Words

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"Hmph, an ignorant lout who doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth."

A serpent magical beast that was already half-transformed into human form, with dark skin, immediately turned cold in expression and rebuked, "How could you, a mere human alchemist, comprehend the profound mysteries left by our Demon Saint? Hmph! Even the Chairman of the Alchemist Association of our Sky Serpent Empire couldn't decipher its secrets. And yet you, a mere 5th-tier alchemist, dare to spout such arrogant words! Step aside and don't disturb our cultivation here."

The Snake-People and humans were, after all, two different races, so it was common for them to view each other unfavorably. This was especially true here in the Sky Serpent Mansion, the holy land of the Snake-People in the North-Western Region.

Moreover, Xiao Yan was an alchemist. Because magical beasts generally possessed weaker Spiritual Strength, it was exceedingly rare for their kind to produce alchemists. Thus, it was only natural for them to harbor resentment toward Xiao Yan.

Though Xiao Yan had merely voiced his doubts, in the ears of these snake people, his words carried a hint of mockery. They felt he was arrogantly boasting about how impressive it was for humans to produce alchemists.

The rebuke was meant to put this human alchemist in his place.

Xiao Yan couldn't be bothered to spare this Serpent Emperor even a glance and simply ignored him. However, the hot-tempered Zi Yan jumped out.

"Ah?! Who do you think you are? A mere overgrown, hairy snake! Believe it or not, I'll smash you with a single punch!" Zi Yan planted her hands on her hips, her cute face displaying a fierce expression, but the powerful magical beast aura emanating from her was no joke.

"You're a magical beast? You've taken a Body Transformation Pill?!" The Serpent Emperor's eyes narrowed; Zi Yan's transformation was flawless, leaving no doubt she had indeed used a Body Transformation Pill.

"None of your damn business!" Zi Yan gave him no face whatsoever. To her, a mere Rank 6 serpent like him was nothing; dealing with him would only take a few punches.

Xiao Yan waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away a fly, "Where did this idiot come from? Don't be an eyesore in front of me."

"You...!" The Serpent Emperor's face turned extremely ugly.

He was a dignified Rank 6 magical beast; even within the Sky Serpent Mansion, he was a figure of some status. Yet now, he was being humiliated by a nameless junior. How could he not be furious?

"I am the new emperor of the Winged Serpent Clan, the Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor, overseeing a thousand miles of territory within the Sky Serpent Empire—"

"Never heard of you." Xiao Yan interrupted the Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor's self-introduction with a dismissive wave. This attitude made the Serpent Emperor so angry he nearly spat blood; it felt like punching cotton. He had thought revealing his identity would intimidate a nobody like Xiao Yan.

Many present shook their heads slightly at Xiao Yan's arrogant attitude. They all knew that offending the Sky Serpent Mansion here would definitely not end well.

Xiao Yan paid no mind to what others thought. Instead, he carefully examined the hole in the stone tablet and asked in a seemingly casual manner, "Since no one has come to take it, does whatever is inside belong to whoever retrieves it?"

The Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor sneered upon hearing this. "Everyone in the North-Western Region knows that our Sky Serpent Mansion's Serpent Saint Mountain Peak is an open treasure land, bestowing blessings upon the entire region. Whoever has the ability to obtain what the Jade-Eyed Snake Saint left behind naturally gets to keep it. Only some ignorant youngsters from remote places wouldn't know this."

As if seizing on Xiao Yan's vulnerability, the Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor sneered, adding insult to injury and mercilessly ridiculing him.

In fact, upon hearing Xiao Yan's seemingly naive question, Jia Xing Tian, who knew him somewhat, furrowed his brow, sensing that things were not that simple.

This kid never does anything without a reason!

Having received the Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor's response, Xiao Yan's lips curled into a barely noticeable smile. Then, ignoring the disdainful glances and sneers from those around him, he actually reached his hand into that black hole.

When the serpent magical beasts present saw Xiao Yan actually trying to fish something out from the hole, they mocked him even more, thinking him a fool.

"What an idiot. Over the centuries, countless people have explored this place. This hole was probably left by wind and rain over time, yet he actually intends to use his hand to retrieve something!" a serpent magical beast sneered coldly.

"Ha! Truly a frog at the bottom of a well—a country bumpkin to the extreme! Where did this bumpkin come from?" Many burst into mocking laughter when they saw Xiao Yan stick his hand into the hole like a child fishing in a river.

But how could Xiao Yan possibly be doing something so foolish?

There was, in fact, nothing inside the hole. It was just a cavity about thirty centimeters deep, likely left by some Dou Venerate who had tried to forcibly break open the stone tablet.

But this was something left behind by a Dou Saint; how could it be so easily obtained by force? Hence, only a hole remained.

Xiao Yan reached his hand inside, not to actually pull something out, but to conceal the deployment of Mao Wu, the Nihility Devouring Flame!

Mao Wu emerged from his palm as he deliberately used his Spiritual Strength and body to block the entrance, preventing anyone from noticing.

In this small, deep cavity, Mao Wu, now evolved into an Earth Seed Flame, unleashed its full power. Something was indeed inside, sealed by a special force.

But how could a mere seal stop Mao Wu? It possessed the abilities of the Nihility Devouring Flame!

If Mao Wu had not evolved into the Earth Seed Flame, this might have taken much more time. But now that it had evolved, creating a spatial hole for Xiao Yan's hand to reach through was not a difficult task.

If it evolved into the Heavenly Seed Flame, it wouldn't be just burning a small hole.

Meow!!!

Mao Wu activated its Earth Seed Flame abilities at full power. The black flame devoured and burned furiously, and after about two minutes, a fist-sized hole appeared.

With a snap, Xiao Yan's right hand grasped a hard object, and his eyes narrowed as he swiftly pulled out his hand.

Xiao Yan initially planned to take the item stealthily, without attracting any attention, but he realized he had been too optimistic. The moment he retrieved the item, a green light erupted from the stone tablet and shot straight into the clouds above.

"Uh...? Ah...!" The mocking words of the Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor stuck in his throat. As this phenomenon occurred, his mouth hung wide open, and he was speechless.

In fact, at that moment, everyone present was similarly dumbfounded. They all stared blankly at Xiao Yan, or more precisely, at his glowing right hand. The scene was simply too incredible.

Countless people's mouths were wide enough to fit a goose egg. They stood there in astonishment, unable to close their mouths for a long time.

Even Jia Xing Tian was stunned. He could hardly believe it. This was simply too unbelievable, too outrageous. Even Dou Venerates had tried and failed; how did he do it?!

But the event that everyone had considered impossible had actually happened. Those witnessing this scene atop the Serpent Saint Mountain Peak felt it was utterly bizarre.

"This... this is too outrageous! Did he really just... reach in and take it out???" Someone couldn't believe what they were seeing, thinking they were hallucinating or dreaming.

He had actually retrieved something just by reaching in!

But while one person's eyes might deceive them or one person might be dreaming, it was impossible for everyone present to experience the same illusion. This meant that this scene had truly occurred.

Finally snapping back to reality, those who had mocked Xiao Yan earlier felt their faces burning with shame. Xiao Yan's actions had effectively shown everyone from the Sky Serpent Mansion that they couldn't even retrieve a treasure that was right there. How embarrassing for them!

It was as if they had been slapped hard across the face. Their own ancestor's treasure had been acquired by an outsider, a human no less!

When Xiao Yan retrieved the item, the stone tablet collapsed and shattered with a rumbling sound, as if it had lost all its supporting power, and turned into a pile of rubble.

At this point, even the stupidest person knew that Xiao Yan had genuinely obtained the item inside.

Xiao Yan sighed inwardly. He had hoped to make a fortune quietly, but it seemed trouble was now unavoidable.

When the green light shot into the sky, everyone in the entire Sky Serpent Mansion naturally noticed it.

"Hmm? What's that?"

"That direction seems to be the Serpent Saint Mountain Peak!"

"Could it be! Some disciple has obtained the Qi Method or Dou Technique left by the Jade-Eyed Snake Saint?"

"Could it be the new Saintess?"

At the same time, Qing Lin, who had just finished bathing and changing clothes, also looked toward the direction of the green light and murmured, "How could this be? The item inside should only be obtainable by someone with the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils."

She had been to the Serpent Saint Mountain Peak before. Using her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, she knew this was a test left by the Jade-Eyed Snake Saint. Only when she cultivated her pupils to an extraordinary level and her cultivation reached the high-star Dou Ancestor stage could she obtain the item inside.

"Could there be a second person with the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils?" Qing Lin was puzzled. How had someone managed to snatch it away?

In a mountain cave dwelling at the very center of the Sky Serpent Mansion, a remarkably handsome man suddenly looked toward the Serpent Saint Mountain Peak. His eyes narrowed slightly as he said, "Was that Qing Lin? No, it shouldn't be her. She went there not long ago and still couldn't retrieve the item."

This man was none other than She Tianhao, the current Mansion Lord of the Sky Serpent Mansion.

"Send someone immediately to investigate the situation!"

"Understood!"

Meanwhile, back at the Serpent Saint Mountain Peak, Xiao Yan, the center of everyone's attention, slowly opened his right hand. He knew he couldn't hide it, so he didn't bother trying.

As he opened his hand, a ring appeared in everyone's sight. The ring was inlaid with an emerald gemstone, which was evidently extraordinary at first glance.

Xiao Yan admired and toyed with this beautiful ring. It wasn't a storage ring and had no storage space. Moreover, the truly important part wasn't the ring itself but the emerald gemstone set within it.

This was no ordinary gem; even Xiao Yan didn't know what it was, only that it definitely wasn't simple.

After appreciating it for a moment, Xiao Yan slipped the ring onto his finger. Then, casting a sidelong glance at the Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor, he said lightly, "Who was it that was shouting so loudly just now, saying it was impossible to retrieve the item? Sigh, it was right there in the entrance of the hole, waiting for you to take it. Yet fools like you didn't even try and instead boasted in front of me about how I didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, calling me a frog in a well. If I were your ancestor, I'd probably die of anger. You refused a free gift."

Xiao Yan had always had a poisonous tongue, especially since he had refined the Ghostly Poison Flame. Moreover, he was never lenient toward his enemies.

Say the most venomous words, deliver the harshest slaps.

Since these serpent magical beasts had just tried to mock and humiliate him, Xiao Yan had no qualms about fiercely slapping them back verbally.

At this moment, many of those present who had just mocked Xiao Yan felt their old faces burning with shame. So many of them had laughed at him, and now his verbal slap had come back at them. Such swift retribution!

Of course, some quick-witted individuals quickly realized that it was absolutely impossible for Xiao Yan to have simply reached in and retrieved the item; he must have done something!

"What arrogance!" The Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor's face darkened. As the leader of the Black-Eyed Serpent Clan and an elder of the Sky Serpent Mansion, how could he swallow the humiliation of being slapped in the face by a nameless junior like Xiao Yan? More importantly, Xiao Yan had obtained a valuable treasure, and he was determined to ensure it remained in the Sky Serpent Mansion.

An idea formed in his mind, and he sneered, "Ignorant brat! Do you think you're invincible just because you've obtained a treasure? Allow me, this Emperor, to teach you a lesson on behalf of your elders, so you'll understand that you human alchemists are also trash."

Xiao Yan chuckled coldly, fully understanding his intent. Beckoning the Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor with a finger, he said, "Since you're asking for a beating, fine. Today, I'll beat you so badly even your own mother won't recognize you."

Such provocation made the Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor furious. However, he was secretly pleased; as long as he had an excuse to capture Xiao Yan, the rest would be up to the Sky Serpent Mansion. His expression turned vicious as he roared, "Ignorant wretch! I'll make sure you learn your lesson today!"

As soon as his words fell, his five fingers clawed out, and black mist surged like a tidal wave.

In that instant, the Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor made his move. His five fingers spread wide, lunging at Xiao Yan's head like a giant serpent. A terrifying surge of Dou Qi came crashing like a torrent.

However, Xiao Yan didn't move at all. Instead, he stood with his hands clasped behind his back, appearing as if he were letting himself be slaughtered.

Of course, he naturally wouldn't just stand there and take the hit. He knew that when it came to fighting, it was best to leave it to the 'professionals'.

"Ha! You stinking snake dare to attack!" Zi Yan was delighted to see the other party launch an attack. In a flash, she appeared beside Xiao Yan, and immediately, a burst of purple light erupted.

She grinned and bared her teeth. Her right fist was enveloped in intense purple light, distorting the space around it.

"Scram!!" Facing the attack that came like a raging, devouring serpent, Zi Yan laughed heartily. Her right fist shot out violently. Purple light erupted, and a dragon aura surged powerfully. An overwhelming dragon might swept across the mountain range in an extremely domineering and fierce manner.

A resounding boom and the sickening crunch of shattering bones rang out. Under Zi Yan's punch, the Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor's entire arm instantly turned into a mist of blood. He didn't even have time to scream before his whole body was sent flying, tracing a beautiful arc in the sky, his life or death unknown.

This scene unfolded too quickly, leaving everyone unable to react.

One had to know that the Black-Eyed Serpent Emperor was a Dou Emperor of the Sky Serpent Mansion! Even if his strength wasn't the greatest among the elders, he was still a formidable expert. Yet, facing this adorable little girl, he couldn't even withstand a single move and had his arm shattered!

Zi Yan had only just entered the Dou Emperor realm, so it was a battle between equals, yet the Sky Serpent Mansion's Dou Emperor couldn't withstand even one move! If word of this spread, no one would believe it!

"Dragon... dragon might?!"

"Did I just sense dragon aura?"

"My heavens, what is this little girl's true form?!"

Of course, there were many kinds of dragons; possessing dragon might didn't necessarily make one invincible. There were also magical beasts like the Serene Sea Flood Dragon, which contained a trace of dragon blood in their bodies.

But there was no doubt that Zi Yan's true form was anything but ordinary!

Xiao Yan wasn't surprised at all that Zi Yan defeated the opponent with one punch. If an Ancient Void Dragon couldn't achieve this, he would look down on the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe instead.

He then sensed something and slowly turned his gaze toward the horizon. A meaningful smile appeared on his face when he saw the approaching figures.