Chapter 5: The Stone Cauldron Hides the Dragon

For someone like Xuanyuan, who lives by hunting, his experience in dealing with snakes is undoubtedly considerable. However, this is the first time Xuanyuan has encountered such a large snake; regardless of the circumstances, he will not let such a rare opportunity slip by.

The stone door opened, and a wave of eerie, damp air surged forth. Xuanyuan could not help but tense his mind; he did not know what lay within the underground palace, but he was certain that a great secret was hidden within.

Xuanyuan hesitated for a moment, then immediately stepped forward to pursue deeper into the stone cave. He estimated that the two ghostly women must have been injured in their eyes. At this moment, if he did not take the opportunity to eliminate them, he feared that they would become a threat once the priest returned later. Moreover, today he would definitely not let this matter rest.

Xuan Yuan let out a slight sigh of relief, effortlessly dodging the strike of the giant snake. At the same time, he closed the distance with an astonishing speed, aiming for the snake's seven-inch mark, and thrust his sword down.

"Do not be afraid, I will not harm you, and I will also release you!" Xuan Yuan, suppressing the foul odor, tried his best to keep his tone calm. At that moment, he suddenly noticed an infinite hatred mixed with fear flashing in the eyes of these people, and all their gazes were directed behind him.

Xuan Yuan let out a light laugh, and with a tap of his toes, he stepped onto the head of the woman embracing the wooden pillar, gliding past and gracefully evading the encirclement of the two strange women, before standing once more at the entrance of the passageway

Xuan Yuan's gaze was like a torch. The light in the secret chamber was somewhat dim, yet it was not as dark as one might imagine. It seemed as if a few strands of light, tinged with a greenish hue, illuminated the foyer of the secret chamber, rendering the scene even more eerie

In fact, Xuanyuan also knew that perhaps when he entered last time, that ghostly woman had already been in the tunnel. It might have been precisely because he sensed the presence of this group of people that he suddenly felt fear and retreated. However, Xuanyuan understood that this time he must face everything; he no longer wished to wait. In truth, ten years was already long enough, and his patience had nearly reached its limit. Even though he knew he was no match for the priest, he still wanted to give it a try. Moreover, one can only know the outcome of any endeavor after attempting it, so he would no longer avoid these two ghostly women, nor would he shy away from the mechanisms within this secret chamber. In fact, ten years was already long enough, and his patience had nearly reached its limit. Even though he knew he was no match for the priest, he still wanted to give it a try. Moreover, one can only know the outcome of any endeavor after attempting it, so he would no longer avoid these two ghostly women, nor would he shy away from the mechanisms within this secret chamber.

Xuanyuan took a gentle breath, heavily making his way toward the cage. He tried hard to soften his tone and asked, "Who locked you up here? Don't be afraid, I am not a bad person and will not harm you!"

"Do not kill me, do not... do not..." Upon seeing Xuanyuan suddenly appear at the entrance of the corridor, that group of people could not help but shrink back against the stone wall inside, as if they had encountered a ferocious beast or a devil.

The woman holding onto the wooden pillar was taken aback, and immediately leaped upwards.

Xuanyuan felt an inexplicable chill. He truly did not expect to find such two peculiar women hidden in the cave of the earth priest. He could not sense any murderous intent from these two women, but he did feel an aura of malevolence emanating from them. Therefore, he did not respond to their words; in fact, he did not need to respond at all. The tone of these two strange women did not necessarily seem to be inquiring of him, but rather more like they were speaking to themselves.

With a thud, Xuanyuan let out a muffled groan as the giant serpent's tongue had just licked across his face, when suddenly the serpent's tail struck the back of his head, nearly causing him to lose consciousness.

Xuan Yuan was taken aback and secretly thought it was bad, and at the same time, he quickly shrank his body and rolled into the fallen stone cauldron

Moreover, a great commotion arose above, as a snake's head, nearly the size of a bowl, emerged from the stone cauldron. Its eyes glimmered with a ghostly green light, accompanied by a foul, cold wind that aimed directly at Xuanyuan's head

The alternative is, in itself, a form of temptation, a mystery that captivates one's longing

With a swift strike, Xuanyuan's sword landed precisely at the seven-inch mark of the giant serpent. Although the serpent had tough skin and thick flesh, how could it withstand the full force of Xuanyuan's concentrated blow

Be careful! A cry of alarm came from within the cage. Xuanyuan had already sensed everything behind him and, extremely alert, reached out to grasp the wooden pillar in front of him, swiftly ascending to the top of the cave.

Xuan Yuan silently cursed his luck; he shrank his body further and managed to retreat to the other side of the stone cauldron, slipping beneath the three small legs at the bottom, just in time to evade the danger of being coiled by the giant serpent

Within the secret chamber, there exists the training ground of the earth priest, as well as his place of rest

The giant serpent was struck by this force, lifting slightly upwards, yet its root remained unaffected, as it turned its head to bite back, while its limbs, as thick as ancient tree trunks, swiftly slid out from the stone cauldron

The giant serpent gradually ceased its thrashing, leaving a ground soaked in blood. Just as Xuanyuan let out a sigh of relief, he suddenly felt a chill, caused by two pairs of eyes. They were devoid of any emotion, lifeless, and even somewhat dull and vacant.

Xuanyuan appeared to be extremely familiar with the mechanisms outside the secret chamber, effortlessly opening the rough and heavy stone door that weighed over a thousand pounds

The three high priests are each masters of sorcery, which is what grants them significant status within the tribe; even the chief, Jiao Meng, who is also a formidable expert, must show them great respect

"Did you kill them? You actually killed them?" The two ghostly women slowly turned their heads, casting their lifeless gazes upon Xuanyuan's face, and spoke in a voice that was neither crying nor laughing, sharp and chilling.

In the midst of the haze, Xuanyuan discovered two figures rushing towards him, clearly those two ghostly women. In a state of panic, his eyes were obscured by the ashes, and he could only raise his hand to scatter the two handfuls of ash he was holding, while simultaneously rolling his body away.

Xuan Yuan was taken aback, and the short sword in his hand sliced out like lightning. Suddenly, he felt a chill in his arm, and the faint glow was severed into two segments, with the front segment, propelled by immense force, striking against Xuan Yuan's arm.

Ah... the two ghostly women seemed to have fallen into the trap as well. With a scream of agony, they truly did not expect Xuanyuan to be so treacherous, unexpectedly holding two handfuls of ash in his hands. Just as they were about to strike, the ash was suddenly shot into their eyes, causing them to miss their target. Moreover, the ash in their eyes made tears flow uncontrollably, rendering them unable to see anything.

In fact, Xuanyuan need not know the reason; regardless of the circumstances, he will absolutely not show the slightest negligence

Xuan Yuan did not even need to look back to understand the situation, and he even knew which direction the opponent was going to attack.

Xuan Yuan had just intended to bypass the stone cauldron when he suddenly felt a gust of wind rise from his right side. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a faint glow shooting towards his neck from beneath the enormous stone cauldron

This is one of the main reasons why Jiao You enjoys being with him

The women seemed somewhat skeptical, yet the glimmer of hope in their eyes increased significantly. However, they merely exchanged glances with one another, remaining silent.

Xuan Yuan's heart was shaken at hetushu.com, not only because of the two nearly naked female bodies, but also due to the aura of death emanating from them and the hollow gaze that had just swept across his face.

Ding ding ... ... the arrows fell short, solely because Xuanyuan's skills were too adept

Xuanyuan did not attack; instead, he retreated. Behind him was a stone wall, yet he chose to withdraw

Xuan Yuan rolled a few more times, pressing against a stone wall, watching the struggling giant snake, his palms damp with cold sweat, the short sword still embedded in the snake's vital spot. Reflecting on the earlier moment, he realized that had it not been for the advantage of the stone cauldron, using a short sword against this immensely powerful giant snake would have led to unimaginable consequences. He thought to himself, "How foolish I am; after stealing the Blood Ruyi last time, how could the Earth Priest not be on guard? These two snakes must be his treasures to deal with anyone entering the secret chamber." With this thought, Xuan Yuan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, revealing a hint of smugness. He pondered, "What kind of feeling would the Earth Priest have if he discovered that the snakes he had painstakingly raised were also killed by intruders, rendering all his arrangements futile?" However, he still felt a lingering fear from the earlier peril.

A series of piercing sounds echoed as dozens of sharp arrows shot from a dark corner directly towards Xuanyuan at the top of the cave

He does not blame his kin, for those people do not understand what he is thinking or what he is doing, and he does not wish for others to know what he is doing or thinking. Only he knows that what he thinks and does is certainly not superfluous, nor is it boring or meaningless

Two nearly naked female bodies appeared like ghosts beside the giant snake that had ceased to struggle, their hollow gazes unchanged, their faces pale

Bang

The brief series of actions just now contained countless dangers. Had it not been for Xuanyuan's swift movements that allowed him to gain a favorable position and protect himself with the stone cauldron, he would have found himself in a direct confrontation with the giant serpent. In such a scenario, the outcome for both him and the serpent would indeed be uncertain.

Xuanyuan took out a half-foot long short sword from his bosom, his gaze fixed intently on the dark tunnel at the other end of the hall

With a loud crash, Shi Ding unexpectedly slammed Xuanyuan down onto the ground

Xuan Yuan felt a chill in his heart; that earlier elbow strike could have knocked out a wolf, yet this emaciated woman seemed completely unfazed

The women saw that Xuanyuan did not exude the murderous aura they had imagined; instead, there was a compelling heroism and a gaze filled with astonishment and compassion. They all ceased their cries, merely gazing timidly at this strange intruder, each pair of eyes reflecting both fear and hope.

Xuanyuan seemed to have long been prepared for the machinations of the mechanism; he merely tapped the tip of his toes lightly on the top of the cave, curled his body into a ball, and shot directly towards the sword aimed at the seven-inch mark of the giant serpent

The secret chamber appears to be a natural underground cave, having undergone little artificial modification. On the surface, it seems unremarkable, yet Xuanyuan is acutely aware that a threat is slowly approaching.

In Xuanyuan's observation, the Earth Priest was practicing an extremely malevolent martial art. Today, Xuanyuan came to seek evidence that could substantiate his inference, which also contained another astonishing secret.

He seems to have become an alternative that has been forgotten by others

With a resounding "bang!", Xuanyuan's arm struck the giant serpent's lower jaw without any obstruction, while simultaneously he shrank his body and leaned back against the stone cauldron.

It is undeniable that Xuanyuan loves his people, yet he harbors hatred for certain individuals, and he must eradicate the evil tumors that afflict his kind-hearted and benevolent kin. However, his mind remains clear; he knows what he should do, and he believes he can accomplish it. Over the past ten years, he has grown faster than any of his peers, gaining a deeper understanding of thought and exploration. As a result, he has become an outlier, an enigmatic figure that evokes a sense of profundity, perhaps due to his rapid departure from ignorance. Over the past ten years, he has grown faster than any of his peers, gaining a deeper understanding of thought and exploration. As a result, he has become an outlier, an enigmatic figure that evokes a sense of profundity, perhaps due to his rapid departure from ignorance.

With a thunderous roar, the giant serpent suddenly heaved the stone cauldron, which weighed over a thousand pounds. In the struggle, Xuanyuan was unable to maintain his balance and was rolled aside by the massive serpent's head.

Ding ding ... ... dang dang ... ... Xuanyuan only heard a series of crisp and shocking explosions outside the stone cauldron, clearly indicating that countless hidden weapons were striking the outer layer of the cauldron. At the same time, Xuanyuan felt an extremely uncomfortable odor that nearly suffocated him, which seemed to be the ashes of whatever was burning inside the stone cauldron

The giant serpent unexpectedly evaded the sword thrust by Xuanyuan aimed at its eyes, which were as large as bronze bells, but it could not avoid the entirety of its body and was immediately struck squarely by Xuanyuan's sword.

Although the giant serpent is large, its body is pressed down by a stone cauldron weighing over a thousand pounds, making it unable to free itself for the time being. Moreover, how could it be as nimble as Xuanyuan?

Xuanyuan ascended to the top of the cave, causing the woman who had embraced him from behind to fall into emptiness

"You killed it, then you shall pay with your life. Kill my blood servant, and I want you to suffer and die in torment!" The words of the two women carried a sense of gritted teeth.

Cough... cough... ah... Xuanyuan could no longer endure the choking air. He shouted loudly and pushed the stone cauldron away, rolling his body in a different direction from the cauldron. At that moment, it seemed that the hidden weapons had already been exhausted.

Xuan Yuan was secretly alarmed; had it not been for that stone cauldron just now, he would have likely become a beehive. Meanwhile, the two ghostly women swept into the depths of the cave, wailing mournfully.

Although the mechanism is relatively simple, the difficulty lies in the fact that it is not easy for a person to exert force while underground. If one cannot find a point of leverage, no matter how much strength one has, it cannot be effectively utilized

Xuan Yuan was secretly alarmed; the speed of these two women was extremely fast, seemingly sealing off all avenues for his attack. The coordination between them appeared to be seamless.

Xuan Yuan discovered that her body had unexpectedly collided with the stone wall she had just leaned against. Before he could figure out what was happening, hundreds of small holes suddenly appeared in the surrounding stone walls

Go to hell! Xuan Yuan exerted his strength with both arms, and the enormous stone cauldron was actually pushed up by him and hurled towards the giant serpent

Upon entering the icy water, Xuanyuan immediately felt refreshed, as the grass ash on his face, head, and in his nose and mouth was washed away. He could not remain in the well for too long, as he had no idea what had happened to the two ghostly women. If he stayed at the cave entrance, he feared he would never be able to ascend again. Thus, as soon as he entered the water, he quickly surged to the surface and rolled into the secret chamber.

This heavy stone door, weighing thousands of pounds, can be pushed by many of the young men among the expatriates, but it becomes somewhat difficult to manage underground

In the secret chamber, the ground was strewn with disordered long spears and sharp arrows, scattered all around the spot where the stone cauldron had just been placed.

As Xuanyuan swiftly dodged, a short sword accurately pierced the wooden pillar where he had just stood.

For a master of sorcery, their place of respite is undoubtedly extraordinary

This text appears to be a placeholder or a non-specific symbol. Please provide a specific text for translation.

Xuanyuan was well aware that the Earth Priest's martial arts were exceptionally formidable; otherwise, it would be difficult for him to become one of the three great priests. Even more concerning was the Earth Priest's shamanic abilities

Over the years, Xuanyuan has been like an observer of the tribe, always positioned in a quiet corner, watching everything that happens within the clan

It is precisely because Xuanyuan maintains an independent mindset and a clear vision that he perceives many things that others cannot see. He recognizes the crises behind the calm, the ugliness and shame behind the facade of charity, and the ignorance and folly of those warriors. Perhaps it is not ignorance, nor folly, but rather a kind of insidious kindness and simplicity, or it may be a lamentable regression

The lowest point of the stone gate is still one foot above the water surface of the well, and between this one-foot height, there are several drainage holes, each measuring half a foot on each side. Even if the well water rises, it will flow out through those half-foot square drainage holes and cannot overflow into the stone gate.

Xuan Yuan discovered that the two women, who resembled phantoms, were indeed the ones attacking from behind. At this moment, they truly looked like zombies crawling out of a grave, yet their movements proved that they were not lifeless beings

He does not believe there is anything wrong with killing these two demon-like women. As long as they are associated with the Earth Priest, he will show no mercy, just as the Earth Priest deals with those innocent sacrifices. Moreover, these two women are filled with demonic energy, neither human nor ghost, and he does not regard them as women at all. Of course, once he entered this secret chamber, he had no intention of showing mercy; when dealing with enemies, it is either you die or I die

Xuan Yuan could not help but feel a pang of bitterness in his heart as he looked at the group of emaciated women before him, their bodies barely covered, dirty and ragged, and overwhelmed with fear; he found himself at a loss for words

The giant snake recoiled in pain, its head retracting.

The end of the passage opened up slightly, but Xuanyuan saw a scene that made his heart tighten. He did not notice the two ghostly women; perhaps there was another secret door within this passage. However, he caught a whiff of a foul odor and discovered a group of raggedly dressed individuals, some even partially naked, crowded into a large cage constructed with wooden pillars against the wall. The stench was emanating from the cage.

However, Xuanyuan was not in a much better situation. Fortunately, he had the presence of mind to hide within the stone cauldron, so the grass ash did not penetrate deeply into his eyes. Instead, his mouth and nose were filled with grass ash, and his head and body were also covered in it. In the haze, he dared not linger any longer in the secret chamber and quickly rolled out of the cave. With a "splash," he fell into the well water, just as two ghostly women in the chamber let out a piercing wail of anguish.

The giant snake writhed in pain, twisting its body as if it had gone mad, and its massive head came crashing down like a meteor hammer.

Xuanyuan did not understand where the priest had obtained such a giant snake, which was coiled within the stone cauldron. How could he dare to be negligent? With a sudden movement of his arm, the severed snake head trembled and fell to the ground before it could even bite into the flesh.

The offensive of the two ghostly women completely fell flat; they had not anticipated that Xuanyuan would be so cunning, choosing not to engage but to evade. Although they had blocked Xuanyuan's direction of attack, they could not completely seal off the cave ceiling, which was as high as two zhang. By the time they turned around, Xuanyuan was already holding a sword in hand, declaring, "You cannot escape!" One of the ghostly women let out a cold snort and retreated.

Every person living in this primordial world is the best hunter, and each individual seems to possess an innate, inexplicable awareness of danger

The sword is a part of his life; in the face of the demoness with her blade-like nails, he cannot do without the sword

Xuanyuan's retreat was somewhat unexpected, yet it was within reason. For at the moment when the shadows of these two women ensnared him, he had already leaped up to the top of the stone cave along the stone wall

With a bang, as Xuanyuan swiftly moved, his body slightly contracted, and his elbow struck, hitting the assailant squarely in the abdomen

At that moment, a sharp gust of wind arose behind Xuanyuan, accompanied by a howl reminiscent of a wild beast.

Embracing a wooden pillar, Xuanyuan felt that this woman was truly like a vengeful spirit that preys on the living. If she were to be holding not the wooden pillar but Xuanyuan at this moment, she would surely open her mouth to bite.

Xuan Yuan was greatly astonished. Given the thickness of this giant serpent's body, its strength must be astonishing. He struck the giant serpent's lower jaw with his arm, only to feel that its skin was tough and its flesh thick. With his divine power, he could not inflict even the slightest injury upon it. What an incredible situation this was! He feared that the short sword in his hand would also be ineffective against this beast, yet he had no choice but to confront the situation before him

Xuanyuan could not discern their features, as this group of women all had long hair cascading wildly, even obscuring their faces.

was unexpectedly struck in the lower back

The outer chamber is exceedingly spacious, featuring a stone cauldron in which a certain medicinal substance appears to be burning, emitting a faint blue smoke that wafts and permeates the entire secret room

Hmph, you are no different from those monstrous beings! Don't think that pretending to be mysterious makes you impressive. Come on! Xuanyuan steeled his heart, took a step forward, and his fighting spirit surged once more

"Go to hell!" Two women charged at him from two different angles, their fingers splayed wide. Xuanyuan suddenly noticed that their nails were over three inches long, sharp as blades

Xuan Yuan was startled again, for what he had severed was actually a slender snake glowing with a greenish light. Although the head of the snake had been cut off, it still opened its mouth in a dying counterattack. How could Xuan Yuan not be alarmed

After pursuing for nearly a hundred steps, Xuanyuan noticed a flickering light deep within the passage on the left, and the voice of the ghostly woman seemed to emanate from that direction. He could not help but swiftly move sideways to enter.

Xuan Yuan was startled again; he somewhat regretted stealing the Blood Ruyi during his last infiltration into the cave. Had he not done so, perhaps the earth priest would not have known that someone had discovered this underground secret, and thus would not have raised so many troublesome monsters or set up so many traps.

The giant serpent also seemed quite surprised, but it was already too late to retract its body. How could its several-foot-long body possibly evade the forceful strike of the stone cauldron?

Another woman was struck by Xuanyuan's elbow, but it seemed as if nothing had happened. She quickly leaped up from the ground and lunged at Xuanyuan with a roar

Here, Xuanyuan had secretly entered once before, but he only managed to reach the stone cauldron before he had to retreat. That was a year ago, when he stealthily took the Blood Ruyi from atop the cauldron. The sight of the Earth Priest in a fit of rage seemed rather endearing; making the Earth Priest unhappy was precisely Xuanyuan's intention. Moreover, Xuanyuan was well aware of the effects of the Blood Ruyi. By stealing it, he effectively increased the risk of the Earth Priest falling into madness while practicing dark arts. This return to the familiar place unexpectedly left him feeling somewhat cold at heart. He could not articulate the reason behind it, yet he dared not venture further inside.