The oppressive aura made everyone’s eyes widen in horror.

It was Chen Xuan!

It’s over!

It’s over just like that?

He killed the Eight-headed Fire Python!

Everyone’s gaze quickly fell upon the enormous corpse in his hand.

THUD!

With a flick of his hand, Chen Xuan tossed the massive corpse aside like garbage. It was as dead as could be.

It was a fiery red python, tens of meters long and as thick as a water vat.

Its scorching scales shimmered with a fiery light, capable of igniting any deadwood or dry ground it passed over.

Moreover, it was equivalent to a master of the True Qi Ninth Layer. Combined with its innate talents, it was capable of greatly influencing the climate.

That was what had caused such devastation throughout all of Nanlin Prefecture.

However, it didn’t actually have eight heads.

Instead, seven horns grew from its single head.

These seven horns looked like smaller heads, which is how it earned the name Eight-headed Fire Python.

"Speaking of which, where is this thing’s Inner Core? Does anyone know?"

Chen Xuan frowned and looked at the crowd.

"I know..."

Chu Qingyin, who was off to the side, quickly spoke up and hurried over.

"Good. Dissect the corpse and get the core. Be quick about it."

Chen Xuan said nonchalantly.

He was in a hurry.

He had to go crush that Saintess from the Evil Cult.

How annoying would it be to have her constantly plotting against him?

Besides, the woman wanted to use him as a cultivation vessel.

How could he tolerate that?

"Alright, leave it to me."

Chu Qingyin responded at once. Drawing the treasured sword from her waist, she flipped the massive fire python onto its back. She then drove the sword hard into its vital spot and, with great difficulty, began to dissect it.

A large amount of foul-smelling blood poured out...

...causing white smoke to rise rapidly from the ground.

This blood was actually highly toxic.

Even its temperature was terrifyingly high.

Such an exotic creature was truly a rare sight.

But unfortunately for the beast, Chen Xuan had no intention of keeping pets.

’Concentrating all power within oneself—that is the true path.’

’Everything else is just a minor artifice.’

Before long, Chu Qingyin successfully retrieved a fiery red, egg-sized Inner Core from the body of the Eight-headed Fire Python. It emitted waves of a fragrant aroma.

"This is the Fire Python Inner Core?"

A flicker passed through Chen Xuan’s eyes as he snatched it from her.

’So this is the thing that’s supposed to heal any injury?’

’That has to be an exaggeration.’

"Very well. I’m taking this. If anyone else wants it, feel free to come and find me. You’re welcome anytime."

Chen Xuan looked toward the crowd.

"No, no, we don’t want it..."

"A heavenly treasure like this must belong to a virtuous person like Young Hero Chen."

"That’s right. How could we possibly be worthy of such an item?"

Everyone quickly waved their hands in refusal.

’Are you kidding? Who would dare try to snatch it from his hands?’

They were now desperate to get back outside and find out what exactly had happened these past few days.

Had several years really passed in the outside world...?

"You stay here and keep contacting your companions. Let me know if you get any news. I’m going to go crush that Evil Cult Saintess."

Chen Xuan gave Chu Qingyin a cool glance, not wanting to waste another moment.

"The Evil Cult Saintess?"

Chu Qingyin’s expression changed in alarm. "Wait," she said quickly, "what about the fire python’s corpse... the body? The entire corpse is a treasure! Its blood can be used in medicine, its scales can be refined into inner armor..."

"Do whatever you want with it. It’s yours."

Chen Xuan’s tone was nonchalant. He looked at the crowd again and said, "No one is to touch it. If anyone tries to take it, I will kill him immediately. The kind of killing where I slaughter his entire family. I’ll hunt him down even if he runs hundreds of miles. If you don’t believe me, just try it!"

"We won’t! We won’t! We guarantee we won’t!"

"Rest assured, Young Hero Chen. We are definitely not those kinds of people..."

Everyone waved their hands again, their faces pale.

Chen Xuan said no more, turned on his heel, and quickly vanished.

Everyone was utterly horrified.

This Chen Xuan... he was too tyrannical.

Simply too tyrannical!

It was such a huge fire python. What would have been the harm in sharing some of its blood with them?

The crowd exchanged glances, let out a bitter laugh, then immediately gathered their things and began to depart.

Only Chu Qingyin remained, her face alight with joy. She drew her treasured sword and began to dissect the fire python by herself.

’She was going to be rich!’

...

「Dozens of miles away.」

In a humble village.

Lin Fengye, the Saintess of the Nanlin Prefecture Evil Cult, paced back and forth inside a room. She was dressed in a black gauze gown, her features as exquisite as a painting, but her fine brows were slightly furrowed.

So much time had passed.

Yet that group of people still hadn’t returned.

"Useless fools. Can six masters of the True Qi Ninth Layer truly not handle a mere Chen Xuan?"

Lin Fengye’s tone was ice-cold.

Moreover, they were all enhanced with demon blood, making them nearly impossible to kill. Once they demonized, their power would multiply.

It was simply impossible for them to fail!

"Xu Gang, go out and see what’s going on," Lin Fengye said coldly.

"Yes, Saintess!"

The man who had previously escaped death by a hair’s breadth responded respectfully and started walking outside.

SPLAT!

But just as he stepped through the courtyard gate, a scorching, terrifying hand shot out and clamped down right on his face. He let out a wretched scream as he was lifted off the ground like a scarecrow.

Chen Xuan’s brow furrowed. He kicked the courtyard gate to pieces and strode inside.

"How strange. Didn’t I already kill you? How are you alive again?"

He spoke with confusion, one hand gripping Xu Gang’s head. He had recognized the man in his grasp at a glance.

The Evil Cult Saintess’s expression changed drastically, and she whipped her head around.

Her gaze landed squarely on Chen Xuan.

"Chen Xuan!"

She was utterly stunned, her heart filled with alarm.

How could this be?

How did this guy show up here?

Could the Four Protectors and the Yin-Yang Elders have actually failed?

CRUNCH!

Chen Xuan crushed the man in his hand to death. "Well, bitch," he said, "you wanted to use me as a cultivation vessel, didn’t you? I’m here now. So tell me, how do you want to play?"

[...retribution points +9000!]

...

Three Chapters, 12,000 characters!

Please keep the votes coming!