"Hiss hiss hiss!"
The python flicked its tongue rapidly, its body twisting and turning in agony as it writhed and convulsed on the ground, its smooth, white belly occasionally exposed.
The gray robe had long since been reduced to fragments, scattered all over the ground.
The snake's tail kept slapping, as if trying to alleviate its pain, causing large sections of stone bricks in the open space in front of it to shatter, creating small pits and extending into cracks that sent sand and dust flying.
The wound, which was almost healed, was now completely torn open. As she struggled and thrashed, blood gushed out, staining the earth red in patches and splattering everywhere, creating a bloody scene.
Lin Xiuyuan watched this scene expressionlessly and calmly. After a few breaths, he asked indifferently:
"Now I'll ask you a question: what is your purpose in coming to Nanzhou? Are you a spy for the demon race?"
“No…no purpose, I have…other reasons. I can’t stay in the demon race anymore, so I escaped…I escaped here. I’m not a spy…Please…Master Lin, have mercy.”
Intermittent, painful sounds rang out.
Lin Xiuyuan remained unmoved, carefully sensing the fluctuations of the other party's soul imprint, but found nothing unusual.
If one reaches such a level of suffering, yet still feels no abnormality, then it must be true.
Only then did Lin Xiuyuan stop activating the brand.
The snake's tail drooped limply, and the entire fire python lay on the ground, its belly heaving greatly as it greedily inhaled the calm air, seemingly oblivious to the blood still gushing from its abdomen.
But recalling the pain she had just experienced, she felt a chill run down her spine and, not daring to keep Lin Xiuyuan waiting any longer, quickly transformed back into a human.
As the snake's body continued to coil and twist, a flawless and snow-white jade body gradually appeared on the spot. Large patches of blood flowed from its body, and the scars on its face turned bright red and hideous, ruining the beauty. However, its face was extremely pale, and there was still pain in its brows. It had a somewhat weak appearance, which made me feel sorry for it.
Lin Xiuyuan looked at her calmly, waiting for her to put on another garment. He then stepped forward, helped her up, and said with a hint of apology on his face:
"I'm sorry to have troubled you, Fire Talisman Master. But we cultivators must be cautious, so I hope you won't take offense. From now on, we're in the same boat, so we have to be extra careful. After all, we'll need to work together to advance on the path to immortality!"
The master-servant bond means that even in death, the servant cannot escape control. They can be manipulated with a single thought, and no idea can escape their notice. Lin Xiuyuan's words are not unreasonable.
This master-servant contract was extremely domineering, which is why Lin Xiuyuan kept it despite his initial wariness.
Fortunately, it now seems like a very wise decision. The Fire Talisman Master was indeed not a spy, so there's nothing to worry about.
The Fire Python is a monster ranked among the top 100 on the list of extraordinary monsters. It possesses a fire-attribute spirit, is born with the ability to control flames, and its power is extremely extraordinary, providing great assistance to cultivators.
Upon hearing Lin Xiuyuan's words, a hint of resentment flashed in the Fire Talisman Master's eyes. However, the deep-seated pain from before still seemed to throb faintly, so he dared not show the slightest resentment and could only loyally reply:
"Thank you, Master. I will be loyal and follow you on the path to immortality."
Lin Xiuyuan waved his hand and said with a smile, "Regarding my many doubts from before, I wonder if the Fire Talisman Master could explain them in detail?"
After this incident, the Fire Talisman Master naturally dared not conceal anything any longer, and recounted how he escaped the control of those cultivators, and why he hid his demonic aura under the noses of so many powerful cultivators in Beihe Market...
As the Fire Talisman Master recounted her story, Lin Xiuyuan gradually learned about her background.
It turned out that the Fire Talisman Master had encountered some trouble with the demon race and fled with the clan's treasures. However, due to his low cultivation level, he was seriously injured when he finally arrived in the Southern Frontier after crossing millions of mountains. That's when he was captured alive by the cultivators of Beihe Market.
This precious treasure was an ancient artifact called the Black Flame Eye, which Lin Xiuyuan was shown to.
Its snake-like pupils, only a few inches in size, contain some of the residual power of a strange fire from heaven and earth. They are indeed quite powerful, and must be considered a rare and powerful ancient treasure in the eyes of many Golden Core cultivators.
Because it was refined from the eyes of an ancient ancestor of the Fire Python Clan before his death, the Fire Talisman Master, by virtue of their bloodline connection, can activate a portion of it. Otherwise, other Foundation Establishment experts, or even Purple Mansion stage powerhouses, would likely be unable to activate it even slightly.
It was through this that they broke free from the constraints and restrictions placed by those cultivators, concealed their demonic aura, and blended into the market.
As for the mastery of talismans, according to the Fire Talisman Master, the major clans within the demon race cultivate all kinds of immortal arts from a young age, and talismanic arts are only a secondary practice; their main focus is on alchemy.
Her alchemy skills were quite high; due to her innate talent, she could manipulate spiritual fire at will, and was already a high-level alchemist. In comparison, her talisman skills were relatively ordinary, barely reaching the middle level.
However, to avoid attracting attention, he disguised himself as a talisman master and mingled in the North River Market.
That low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill was obtained by a powerful member of the Fire Python Clan from killing a human cultivator. It was brought out by the Fire Talisman Master and eventually ended up in Lin Xiuyuan's hands.
After recounting the entire series of events, Lin Xiuyuan, through the sensing of the brand, did not discover any false traces, so it should be true.
There's no need to use the same methods again. Just confirm that it's not a demon spy. I doubt the fire talisman master would be foolish enough to fabricate such things. These are all secondary matters.
As for what misfortune the Fire Talisman Master encountered in the clan, how he was able to escape with his Qi Refining stage cultivation and carry such a precious treasure, she didn't say.
Seeing that she didn't want to say more, Lin Xiuyuan didn't press her further. It wasn't his business, and it was a personal secret, so there was no need to pry.
It's not too late to talk about it when she's ready.
“I misunderstood the Fire Talisman Master, I’m sure you can understand. You should heal your injuries first, we’ll be staying here for quite some time.” Lin Xiuyuan smiled, took out a few Rejuvenation Pills and handed them over, then seemed to remember something and added, “By the way, we still don’t know the Fire Talisman Master’s name, how should we address him from now on?”
“Master, my name is Huo Yun.”
Huo Yun breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that the conversation had come to this point, and quickly bowed and said.
Several days passed.
Qin Suwan's mortals have prepared all the necessary tools for the shop's opening.
"Is this name acceptable? If Fellow Daoist Lin does not like it, I will send someone to change it."
Qin Suwan said with a relaxed smile.
Lin Xiuyuan arrived at the door and looked up, discovering a plaque with the four characters "Cang Jin" engraved on it: Wanlin Fuge.
A strange light flashed in Lin Xiuyuan's eyes. He calmly said a few words and then walked towards the backyard.
"It's just a name, anything will do. Let's redo it, since the shop will be selling pills in the future."
Qin Suwan paused slightly, watching Lin Xiuyuan's retreating figure, and said naturally, "Alright, then remove the talisman..."
...
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