Chapter 89: Riddles and the Legacy of Ten Thousand Serpents

At this point, Cao Chengyu was no longer afraid of this man suddenly lashing out, but for the sake of caution, he kept his distance. Activating the secret Poison Eye technique, it took nearly thirty seconds to implant its venom into the man's body. This duration seemed short, but in the heat of battle it would be far too slow—a clear flaw in the Poison Eye: its concealment was sufficient, its power adequate, but its corrosive effect needed improvement.

The hard, spirit iron stag-leather boots struck the ground, their echo reverberating through the vast hall, painfully sharp to the ear.

"Who’s there?"

Commander Hai, lying prone and just beginning to relax, was startled by the footsteps. He abruptly sat up in the throes of his injuries, supporting himself with both arms, and stared at Cao Chengyu.

"Who are you?"

"I should be asking you that. Uniformed attire, matching bodies of Dao, and within the Martial Kingdom’s borders, I’ve never heard of such an organization. What is your purpose?"

Cao Chengyu walked forward at a measured pace, his right hand splayed. Five blue fire dragons surged forth, coiling around him as their master, their heads pointed at Commander Hai, malicious intent laid bare.

"Hmph, I advise you to keep your nose out of this."

"Leave now, and I’ll let bygones be bygones."

Commander Hai struggled to stand, but suddenly his chest throbbed with pain, and he vomited a mouthful of old blood, black tinged with purple.

Something was wrong—when did he get poisoned again?

Realizing the danger, he tried to retreat, but the last thing he saw in his mind was the wild blue demonic fire consuming everything.

A dull thud.

His scorched corpse fell to the ground. Thus ended the gifted Purple Mansion cultivator, at the hands of Cao Chengyu.

"Finally, he’s dead."

Cao Chengyu breathed a sigh of relief. Though he'd hoped to extract information from the man, the circumstances did not permit it. Such a disciplined and organized group, all wielding a unified secret method—they looked very much like an assassin’s guild.

Against such people, torture seldom worked, and Commander Hai’s shadow demon transformation had unnerved him. Besides, even with one hand and one foot crippled, there were still the remaining limbs to deal with, so he simply feigned interrogation, and used the Poison Eye for a sudden attack—settling it once and for all.

Compared to Commander Hai’s secrets, Cao Chengyu was more interested in the inheritance of the Lord of Ten Thousand Serpents.

He unleashed another two blasts of Azure Flood Sleeve upon the charred corpse, reducing it to fragments before feeling at ease.

Another storage pouch was gained.

Was it an illusion, or did he hear a muffled groan?

Gathering up the corpse of the Divine Snake, the monstrous beast’s blood was a favorite among body-refining cultivators.

The Hundred Beasts Thunder Roar Body Refining Art was best practiced with various beast bloods as aid.

Having tidied the battlefield, it was time for the main event.

Those five spheres of inheritance!

To obtain the legacy of a True Lord for free—Cao Chengyu felt his luck was truly extraordinary. It seemed ever since he left Immortal Palace City years ago, fortune had favored him.

But now was not the time for such thoughts. Riding a golden cloud, Cao Chengyu flew to the spheres and reached out to touch them.

"Not existing in the past, yet always present, unseen by any, sought by all living things—what is it?"

One sphere transformed into a visible serpent’s head and began to play at riddles!

Judging by its fierce expression, failing to answer would likely earn a bite.

Cao Chengyu frowned, pondering—was it love?

No…

It felt somehow familiar.

Could it be…

"Tomorrow?"

A hiss!

The little serpent head growled and spat out a jade slip; the sphere vanished instantly.

Correct.

He had considered forcing the answer, but since this was a True Lord’s legacy, he played along.

The Riddler of Gotham reborn as a True Lord in another world?

He put away the jade slip and moved to the second sphere, which posed a character riddle.

"One character, thirteen dots."

"Juice!"

Character riddles were easier for him; after all, he was a wordsmith in his previous life.

Within this sphere was a fruit.

"A fifth-grade spiritual medicine—Venomous Serpent’s Poison Fruit!"

Cao Chengyu was ecstatic, stowing the fruit suited for the Nascent Soul realm. He couldn’t use it yet, but its grade was high—a single fruit worth more than all his possessions.

The third sphere, another character riddle.

"Seventy-two hours."

"Crystal!"

He joked to himself—anything related to the sun, Cao Chengyu feared no one.

In his youth, he thought himself aloof, but eventually succumbed to the allure of snowy skin. He realized now—he was simply lustful!

This sphere contained a dark green belt, studded with three emeralds front and back, likely an auxiliary artifact akin to the Jade Purity White Lotus Platform.

He would need to refine it to ascertain its effects and grade.

Of the remaining two, one involved a place name. But unfamiliar with names from three millennia ago, he answered incorrectly, and the sword-shaped artifact within vanished along with the sphere.

Missing out on such treasure was painful.

The final sphere was simple—a jade slip.

Without even looking, Cao Chengyu decided to examine it later. It wouldn’t make sense to study it now, since he wouldn’t master it immediately.

An abundant harvest.

Feeling gratified, Cao Chengyu didn’t linger; he retraced his path, wary of any more companions in the area.

Having gained such fortune, the most important priority was to return to the sect and quietly absorb it.

This bounty would likely suffice to advance him to the Purple Mansion realm.

All thanks to the Six-Ren Oracle’s prowess—great luck indeed!

Humming a tune, Cao Chengyu sped away.

He failed to notice that after his departure, the hundred-meter statue of the Lord of Ten Thousand Serpents revealed a trace of helplessness before sinking into silence again.

Countless venomous serpents slithered from the shadows, cleaning up clothing, pus, blood, and other stains. The grand hall returned to its original state, save for a few cracks hinting at the previous battle.

By the “thief’s tunnel,” he retreated safely, avoiding the many traps along the normal route, and finally emerged.

Possessing such treasures, he wasted no time and headed straight for the West city gate.

The Lord of Ten Thousand Serpents’ mansion hadn’t stayed quiet long; another group of cultivators soon discovered it, each excitedly attempting to enter.

Three days later—

Safe at home!

The journey back was anything but peaceful. On his way to the sect, Cao Chengyu encountered several bands of “zero-cost” buyers—clearly targeting the cultivators who had explored the ruins.

Had he not been in a hurry, he would have turned them into Demon Pills.

Only when he sat in the quiet chamber of his own little pavilion did he truly relax.

The harvest from this journey was near perfect.

Yet the ruin was vast; it would remain lively for years to come. Once he digested his gains, he could return for another round.