"Sister Yiren, release the true qi within you first and let this giant python feel it," Zhang Yang said with a smile.
Based on the strange reaction of the giant python before him, he had deduced that the python might have changed its usual behavior due to the true qi. Otherwise, Zhang Yang couldn't explain what he possessed that could make the giant python alter its attitude.
True qi?
Luo Yiren pondered. Although she harbored some doubts, she followed Zhang Yang's instructions.
Instantly.
A wave of true qi permeated Luo Yiren's body.
"Get down!" Luo Yiren commanded.
As her voice fell, the giant python indeed obeyed Luo Yiren's command and lay still on the ground.
"Wow, it really listens to me! Stand up!" Luo Yiren called out again.
The giant python rolled its eyes, finding Zhang Yang and his companion a bit childish. However, it was obedient. With a flick of its tail, it raised most of its body upright.
Seeing this, Luo Yiren's eyes sparkled.
"Zhang Yang, it seems our true qi has a unique advantage here," Luo Yiren said.
"Mm," Zhang Yang nodded.
He had also sensed what Luo Yiren was referring to. Whether it was the early access to the ancestral house passage or the python's obedience, it all seemed to be related to true qi.
Zhang Yang thought for a moment and decided to try and communicate further with the giant python.
"Do you know where this is? Have you seen other people? Are there any good things here?..."
The giant python blinked, its massive head constantly moving. Zhang Yang's questions were numerous. It responded by shaking its head and nodding. Although their communication had some obstacles, Zhang Yang managed to glean some information about the situation within. Especially when Zhang Yang asked if there were any good things here, the giant python nodded vigorously, further piquing Zhang Yang's interest. He had always heard from Huo Zhu that there were many opportunities in the Zhang family's ancestral house, but Huo Zhu hadn't specified where. Perhaps Huo Zhu himself didn't know. However, with the giant python as a local guide, Zhang Yang could now have it lead the way.
"Let's go, lead us around," Zhang Yang said.
The giant python nodded humanly and, acting very sensibly, lay on the ground, flicking its tongue at Zhang Yang. Zhang Yang smiled; the giant python's intelligence was quite high. He understood the python's intention and directly sat on its head with Luo Yiren.
Whoosh~
Instantly.
The giant python carried Zhang Yang and Luo Yiren, crawling forward rapidly. For the first time, Zhang Yang and Luo Yiren experienced speed and excitement in the forest while riding a snake. The giant python crawled very fast, and in no time, it brought Zhang Yang to the edge of a lake.
Hiss hiss~
The giant python flicked its tongue at Zhang Yang. Zhang Yang looked ahead and saw a small island in the middle of the lake. The island was not large, about ten meters in diameter. On it grew a large silver tree laden with red fruits. That's right. The trunk and leaves were silver, only the fruits were red. These fruits were definitely not ordinary. At least, Luo Yiren couldn't identify them. However, upon seeing this strange fruit tree, Zhang Yang became very excited. Because... he recognized this kind of fruit tree: it was a Fire Spark Silver Tree! The "Carefree Immortal Scripture" contained records of this fruit tree. The Fire Spark Silver Tree was nourished by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It bloomed every three hundred years and bore fruit every five hundred years. At this moment, the fruits on the Fire Spark Silver Tree before Zhang Yang were all ripe. This meant these fruits had absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth for a full eight hundred years. If he consumed one, his cultivation, which had been stagnant for a long time, could advance again.
"Zhang Yang, do you recognize this? It looks so beautiful, could it be poisonous?" Luo Yiren asked.
"Sister Yiren, this is a good thing, how could it be poisonous? Wait for me," Zhang Yang chuckled. Then, he stomped on the ground and leaped up, heading towards the island.
However... before he could set foot on the island, the previously calm lake surface suddenly churned violently. The lake water surged, and a massive dark shadow leaped out of the lake. Its gaping maw opened, intending to swallow Zhang Yang!
"Be careful!" Luo Yiren exclaimed.
Only the giant python remained leisurely, showing no concern.
Such a large crocodile? Zhang Yang was stunned, not expecting there to be crocodiles in this lake. But then, it didn't seem strange. It was normal for fierce beasts to guard the vicinity of the Fire Spark Silver Tree fruit.
Instantly.
Zhang Yang's true qi surged. He tapped his toes in the air repeatedly, dodging the crocodile's gaping maw, and leaped onto the island. The crocodile, which had been extremely aggressive, sensed the true qi released by Zhang Yang. Like the giant python, its eyes were filled with surprise. However, after reacting, it quickly climbed onto the island and wagged its tail at Zhang Yang. This scene felt familiar. Zhang Yang was used to it and said to the crocodile, "I'll only take a few, I won't take them all." The crocodile wagged its tail and clumsily nodded its head. It seemed to have a good impression of those who possessed true qi. Zhang Yang looked up at the Fire Spark Silver Tree fruits, estimating there were about ten. He took six and left the rest. The crocodile was very grateful for this. It even wagged its tail at Zhang Yang and watched him return to the ground.
Hiss hiss~
As soon as Zhang Yang returned to the ground, the giant python beside him suddenly hissed at the crocodile, as if communicating something. This caused the crocodile, which was about to dive back into the water to sleep, to float on the surface and ponder. After thinking, the crocodile suddenly swam towards Zhang Yang and lay quietly beside him. This... Seeing this, Zhang Yang couldn't help but laugh. It seemed the crocodile also wanted to follow him. This was good. These two massive beasts were not simple. At least, Zhang Yang couldn't easily subdue them. Having such helpers would save him a lot of trouble.
"Come, Sister Yiren, try one," Zhang Yang offered the Fire Spark Silver Tree fruits he had picked to Luo Yiren.
"It's so beautiful, but can this thing really be eaten?" Luo Yiren asked, looking at the bright red fruit in her hand.
"Eat it with confidence, it has great benefits," Zhang Yang said with a mysterious smile, keeping her in suspense. Luo Yiren was half-believing. However, she swallowed the Fire Spark Silver Tree fruit.
Instantly.
A warm current flowed from within her into Luo Yiren's body. Luo Yiren's previously calm true qi nexus began to circulate rapidly at this moment, desperately refining the energy that had suddenly entered her body.
Boom~
Instantly, Luo Yiren's clothes fluttered as if in a breeze. A surge of powerful and pure true qi involuntarily overflowed outwards.
"True Essence Realm Middle Stage!" Zhang Yang exclaimed in surprise. From the aura Luo Yiren released, Zhang Yang could feel it more directly. He hadn't expected a single Fire Spark Silver Tree fruit to allow Luo Yiren to break through two consecutive realms. This was simply outrageous!
"Zhang Yang, I feel like I've become much stronger," Luo Yiren said, opening her eyes and feeling the abundant power within her with curiosity.
"You have indeed become much stronger. Sister Yiren, your current strength is not much different from mine," Zhang Yang said with a smile. He was happy for Luo Yiren's breakthrough. And Luo Yiren herself was even happier! Since arriving in the capital, Luo Yiren had felt unable to help. Now that her cultivation had broken through, she could assist Zhang Yang.
"Haha, then how about I eat another one?"
Zhang Yang shook his head and said with a wry smile, "Sister Yiren, this kind of natural treasure only has an effect the first time you take it. Even if you consume all these fruits now, you might not get even one ten-thousandth of the effect of the first one."
"Oh, is that so? Alright then." Luo Yiren was slightly disappointed. She also gave up the idea of eating another one.
"Zhang Yang, you should eat one quickly too. Your cultivation will surely break through by leaps and bounds after you take it."
Zhang Yang nodded and immediately sat cross-legged. He had been stuck at the True Essence Realm Middle Stage for some time. He was also eager to see how much stronger he could become after consuming the Fire Spark Silver Tree fruit.
Then.
Zhang Yang picked up a fruit and swallowed it. As soon as it entered his mouth, the Fire Spark Silver Tree fruit transformed into a warm current, surging towards Zhang Yang's meridians. The immense energy caused all of Zhang Yang's pores to open. The true qi within his body became even more restless, circulating with the incoming warm current through the meridians...
About ten minutes later.
A stronger fluctuation of true qi erupted from Zhang Yang's body, directly sending Luo Yiren and the two ferocious beasts flying away!
Boom~
Opening his eyes, Zhang Yang's gaze was filled with an ethereal and transcendent aura. The giant python and the giant crocodile felt Zhang Yang's presence and prostrated themselves on the ground, their eyes filled with terror as they looked at Zhang Yang. If those two ferocious beasts had followed Zhang Yang for some unknown reason before, then now, they had completely submitted.
"As expected, the harvest is quite abundant," Zhang Yang chuckled. He felt the true qi nexus within his body disappear. It was replaced by a vague, mist-shrouded ball of light. Clearly, he had broken through the True Essence Realm and entered a stronger realm. The Hunyuan Realm!
Suddenly.
Zhang Yang reached out and slapped the lake. With a splash, a massive palm print directly caused the lake to break into irregular currents. More than half of the lake water instantly evaporated.
"So strong?" Luo Yiren's mouth widened in surprise.
"Let me try too." Luo Yiren also punched towards the lake surface. However, the effect she achieved was not as monstrous as Zhang Yang's. It only caused ripples on the water surface. After a preliminary test of his strength, Zhang Yang was quite satisfied, then looked at the giant python and giant crocodile before him and asked, "Are there any other good things here? Similar to the Fire Spark Silver Tree fruit?" Clearly, Zhang Yang had tasted the benefits and intended to continue searching. The two ferocious beasts first shook their heads. But then, thinking of Zhang Yang's current realm, they suddenly remembered something and began to nod continuously.
"Hahaha, there's more? Then quickly lead us there!" Zhang Yang laughed. He hurriedly got onto the giant python's head with Luo Yiren, heading to the next destination, with the giant crocodile following behind. The two people and two beasts, after a rapid journey, arrived at a ruin. Zhang Yang felt a sense of familiarity with this place. This was the place they had seen when they first arrived in this world, standing on the mountaintop. At this moment, a towering stone tablet stood before Zhang Yang. He could now clearly see the characters carved on the stone tablet.
"Zhang Family Ancestral House!" As Zhang Yang had guessed, this stone ruin was the location of the Zhang family's ancestral house.
"Are the good things inside?" Zhang Yang noticed that the giant python did not stop upon arriving here. It simply bowed respectfully three times to the stone tablet and then led Zhang Yang inside. Behind the stone tablet was a vast square. Around it were stone carvings of figures holding various weapons like sabers, spears, and clubs. Zhang Yang even saw a group of people riding different ferocious beast mounts, including the giant python and the giant crocodile. Soon, the giant python continued through the square and stopped before a stone wall. At this moment, people were already waiting in front of the stone tablet, as if waiting for something.
"Who is it!" The arrival of the giant python, Zhang Yang, and the others immediately drew the attention of these people.
"Zhang Xiao?" Zhang Yang exclaimed in surprise.
"Zhang Yang! How did you get in?" Zhang Xiao was even more surprised. An hour shouldn't have passed yet! Zhang Yang chuckled and did not answer Zhang Xiao's question. His gaze swept towards a figure in the crowd of Zhang family members. It was Zhang Lihe. At this moment, he was subtly waving at Zhang Yang and then secretly pointed at the stone wall. It seemed... this stone wall could be entered.
"When can this stone wall be opened?" Zhang Yang asked with a smile.
"I asked how you got in?" Zhang Xiao said sternly.
"I just came in openly. If you don't believe me, ask others later," Zhang Yang shrugged. Hearing this, Zhang Xiao was relieved and also smiled. Judging from Zhang Yang's answer, they were the only two who had entered ahead of time. Although Zhang Yang was now accompanied by two massive ferocious beasts, Zhang Xiao and his group were not worried. The weakest among the Zhang family members who entered here were all experts at the True Essence Realm. With so many people working together, Zhang Xiao was confident he could take down Zhang Yang, even with the two massive beasts.
"So it's just the two of you? Then we need to settle some scores," Zhang Xiao sneered. Then, with a slight gesture, a group of Zhang family experts immediately moved to his side.
"What? You want to fight me?" Zhang Yang asked with a smile.
"Hahaha, fight? More than just fight!" Zhang Xiao continued to sneer. With that, a powerful vital energy surged out from within Zhang Xiao. True Essence Realm Middle Stage. It seemed Zhang Xiao had also reaped considerable rewards upon entering here, and his cultivation had advanced by a level.
"Zhang Yang, I'm not saying I haven't given you a chance. Come down for a one-on-one duel. If you can defeat me, I'll give you a chance to beg for mercy on your knees. However, if you lose, you can just be buried here, guarding the ancestral house for the Zhang family for generations. That way, it can be considered a return to your roots."
Hearing Zhang Xiao's arrogant boasting, Zhang Yang immediately laughed. He himself would have to kneel and beg Zhang Xiao if he won. This Zhang Xiao's tone was too arrogant. Was he so fearless just because the Zhang family had overwhelming numbers?
"Heh heh, a one-on-one fight? Alright, I'll grant you that," Zhang Yang chuckled. If it weren't for Zhang Lihe's reminder just now, Zhang Yang might have been ready to unleash a massacre. It seemed Zhang Lihe's hint just now was that the item to save Han Xiyao was inside this stone wall. Since that was the case, Zhang Yang didn't mind playing with Zhang Xiao properly before opening the stone wall.