This was the first time Ye Wen had heard that title, yet in the blink of an eye, he remembered the massive creature guarding the cave, steadfast and unwilling to budge.

Pei Gonglie, unaware of Ye Wen's thoughts, merely nodded: "Indeed. This Red Thread Snake mutates due to a stroke of fate and coincidence. Once it mutates, it begins to grow incessantly, simultaneously spawning countless offspring to form a fixed lineage. The first one to mutate is the root of this clan—the King of these snakes!"

"The Red Thread Snake King is a treasure from head to tail; every part offers immense benefit to a martial artist. Especially for the Scarlet Sun Fire Force I cultivate—with the Snake King's treasures assisting me, I can reach the Great Accomplishment stage! At that point, all the great sect leaders, top-tier masters, and techniques like the Ice Soul Chill Art will be beneath my notice!"

In his excitement, he threw back his head and laughed, the sound carrying an incredible distance, faint echoes returning to Ye Wen. Only then did Ye Wen grasp the terrifying depth of this Divine Lord's internal cultivation. He had previously thought Liu Qingfeng could withstand ten of his moves, and even if he himself couldn't last, he shouldn't have been defeated so instantly. Now, it seemed the Divine Lord hadn't used his full strength against Liu Qingfeng at all, merely dealing with him casually to inflict grievous injury.

Considering this, the fact that he could take a direct palm strike from this man without injury was a point of pride! But this pride felt so bitter; Ye Wen couldn't muster an ounce of joy.

"Enough talk. Lead the way now!"

After his bout of boasting, Pei Gonglie seemed to realize he might finally achieve his goal today—obtaining the Red Thread Snake King's treasures and pushing his Scarlet Sun Fire Force to the Great Accomplishment stage, mastering the legendary Scarlet Sun Divine Fire Art, which no one had ever reportedly achieved. This thought filled him with excitement, making his demeanor towards Ye Wen far gentler than his previous menacing tone.

Ye Wen turned, leaped upward, and employed the Cloud-Treading Movement technique in mid-air. His evasions and maneuvers were utterly graceful. The Scarlet Sun Divine Lord below watched, marveling, "The skill techniques of the Shu Mountain Sect are truly remarkable. With such miraculous lightness skill, they have ample reason to be proud in the Jianghu!"

Pei Gonglie, having wandered the martial world his entire life, possessed broad experience. At a single glance, he discerned the refinement of the Cloud-Treading Movement. Coupled with the purple energy Ye Wen displayed in his techniques and the pure Yang internal energy in his hands, he regarded the little-known Shu Mountain Sect with significantly higher esteem.

In moments, Ye Wen reached the platform. His skill having advanced, he no longer needed the vine supports. Even the extremely perilous latter half of the sheer cliff couldn't shake him.

Looking down, he hoped Pei Gonglie would release his junior brother. If he did, it would mean he had saved one life. Alas, in just a moment, he saw the Scarlet Sun Divine Lord lift Xu Xian and leap upward. With a single bound, he covered half the distance, then lightly tapped the stone wall beneath his feet for another tremendous surge, soaring over Ye Wen’s head and landing steadily on the platform.

He held Xu Xian the entire time, carrying the heavy burden up with astonishing ease, seemingly with energy to spare.

Ye Wen shook his head, no longer depressed. The gap between them was simply too vast.

Pei Gonglie, however, showed no hint of triumph; instead, he said, "Although my martial arts are exceptionally refined, my lightness skill is not considered supreme. What I just executed relied purely on deep internal cultivation! In terms of finesse, let alone comparing it to the renowned lightness masters of the Jianghu, I am inferior to the movement technique you just displayed. It is only because your current cultivation is too weak, as you haven't even breached the Heaven and Earth Mystic Gate, that your display is considered impressive!"

"The Heaven and Earth Mystic Gate?"

Ye Wen, having spent most of his life on Shu Mountain, knew little about the matters of the broader martial world. Although Liu Qingfeng had told him much, Ye Wen understood that one only learned more once their cultivation reached a certain level. Liu Qingfeng's experience was wide, but limited by his own cultivation, preventing him from accessing certain knowledge.

As for the Heaven and Earth Mystic Gate, Ye Wen knew from novels that it referred to nothing more than the Ren and Du meridians. However, those books described how once a martial artist broke through these two meridians, their internal zhenqi could flow unimpeded, endless and circulating perpetually, like a miniature world—the ultimate stage every martial artist yearned for. Why did it sound like mere entry-level when spoken by the Scarlet Sun Divine Lord?

Pei Gonglie didn't know the complex thoughts racing through Ye Wen's mind. Hearing his question, he assumed Ye Wen was ignorant. Perhaps because his mood was so good today, he became unusually forthcoming: "It is precisely the Ren and Du meridians. Only upon opening them, when the internal channels become one, allowing zhenqi to circulate without obstruction, can one truly reach the Hall of Attainment. However, reaching this stage requires talent, effort, and opportunity in equal measure. How many in the current martial world have fallen short at this very barrier!"

Ye Wen was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Pei Gonglie continued, "However, the contemporary martial world is rich with talent. Those who achieve this level are naturally figures who can make a name for themselves in the Jianghu!" He then tilted his head, indicating that he, too, was one of them.

Hearing this, Ye Wen finally understood: failing to reach what he considered the ultimate stage of martial arts meant existing as nothing more than an ant in the Central Plains martial world. Because the Scarlet Sun Divine Lord spoke of making a name for oneself, which required breaking through the Ren and Du meridians—so what kind of beings were those standing at the pinnacle of the martial world? Ye Wen couldn't quite visualize it, as his own imagination seemed too terrifyingly exaggerated, though he wasn't sure if he was overestimating or underestimating reality.

As they spoke, the group traversed the winding path into the secluded valley. Upon entering, Pei Gonglie immediately began surveying the environment, thoroughly assessing the valley's features. When he saw the cold pool, he exclaimed softly, "This spring water is quite strange; I can feel the chill even from this distance! It must be this water that fostered the Red Thread Snake!" He didn't delve deeper, merely assuming the strangely icy pool water was the catalyst for the snake's emergence.

Ye Wen was secretly grateful he had destroyed the wooden plank; if this Divine Lord had seen it, who knew what trouble might have arisen.

"But whether this pool exists or not, it seems to make no difference!"

Ye Wen didn't believe this Divine Lord would let either him or Xu Xian go. His prior efforts to get Xu Xian away were born of the hope that he could save at least one. Everything the Scarlet Sun Divine Lord had said clearly indicated an intent to silence them by killing them. As the saying goes, only the dead can keep secrets.

The group walked further along the pool. Ye Wen's skills had improved, and the cold air no longer harmed him. Xu Xian, however, lacked the power; fortunately, the Boundless Pure Yang Art was excellent at countering the cold, allowing him to endure for a short time. As for Pei Gonglie? He didn't even frown, walking directly into the cave. Yet, even with his astonishing cultivation, he felt the bone-chilling cold within, exclaiming in surprise, "What potent chill!"

He glanced toward the inconspicuous spring eye beside him: "This cold spring is truly bizarre! Such intense cold is astonishing. I once heard of a natural hot spring on the peak of the Tian Shan Sect; anyone falling in would instantly have flesh torn from bone. In terms of destructive power, this cold spring might not be much different from that hot spring!"

Then he turned to the giant snake. The great serpent had raised its massive head, constantly flicking its tongue, having clearly sensed the intruders. More importantly, the giant snake seemed to sense ill intent, displaying a fiercely alert demeanor.

Yet, such ferocity failed to frighten Pei Gonglie; instead, it made him laugh heartily: "Good beast, to grow so large! Its essence must be extraordinary!" With that, he released his grip. Xu Xian, suddenly free, was caught off guard. Before he could react, Pei Gonglie spun and struck him with a palm, sending him flying out of the cave entrance. The potent fire energy surged into Xu Xian's body, rampaging as if to burn him to ashes!

Almost simultaneously, Ye Wen activated his Purple Mist Art and unleashed the Cloud-Piercing Snow Palm—a move he had taught to Zhou Zhiruo but had since mastered himself. Coupled with his Purple Mist zhenqi, the attack carried astonishing momentum, forcing even Pei Gonglie to take it seriously. He turned, channeling his Scarlet Sun Fire Force to carefully defend. In an instant, the two clashed violently within the spacious cave; thankfully, the cavern was large enough for their dodging and weaving to proceed without hindrance.

However, unlike Ye Wen’s silent ferocity, Pei Gonglie appeared much more composed: "You brat is quite cunning, knowing to seize the initiative!" Now that a fight had broken out, Pei Gonglie dropped all pretense: "I intended to kill both you and your junior brother to ensure silence anyway. If you hadn't resisted, this Divine Lord could have granted you a swifter death!" He felt no guilt for his intentions, nor did he bother concealing his plan to execute both Ye Wen and Xu Xian.

But Ye Wen was not one to wait for execution. Seeing Pei Gonglie suddenly release Xu Xian's wrist, he knew the man was about to strike and immediately moved to stop him. Alas, he was a step too slow. Pei Gonglie remained stationary, backhanding Xu Xian away. The junior brother was now lost to the world, and Ye Wen had no time to check on him; his own situation was hardly better.

Pei Gonglie raised his hand, parrying Ye Wen's "Sun Fixing Needle," executed with a finger substituting for a sword. He then exchanged three full-force palm strikes with Ye Wen. He noted that each subsequent strike from Ye Wen carried heavier force, culminating in a subtle stacking effect after the third blow, prompting him to commend, "A fine move! Though your internal power is lacking!"

When Ye Wen's "Three Peaks of Mount Tai" failed to yield results, he countered with a Gentle Palm strike. This palm appeared slow but was deceptively fast. Though it seemed to float lightly from a distance, it arrived instantly, and the palm force exploded, unleashing immense rigidity hidden within its soft form. This shift caught Pei Gonglie off guard; expecting soft energy, he was met with hard force and nearly suffered a hidden injury! If not for his deep cultivation, which immediately dissolved the incoming Purple Mist zhenqi with his surrounding Fire Force, Ye Wen might have left a permanent mark.

As the fight continued, Pei Gonglie realized Ye Wen possessed an endless array of varied and unpredictable techniques. One moment he used palmistry, the next he switched to sword forms using his fingers. Relying on the Purple Mist zhenqi, his fingers, though not as sharp as a true blade, carried significant destructive power that even Pei Gonglie was loath to test. To his surprise, after parrying the sword move, Ye Wen abruptly spun, channeling his surrounding zhenqi along with the massive centrifugal force, transforming his hand into a blade and unleashing a move from the Five Tigers Cleaving Gate Saber technique.

This forced the Scarlet Sun Divine Lord to take a large step back to avoid the palm strike. Pei Gonglie was confident this blow wouldn't kill him, but it certainly wouldn't feel pleasant. His technique favored aggression, but it wasn't a divine body-guarding art, so evasion when necessary was crucial.

This retreat caused the Scarlet Sun Divine Lord's expression to sour, especially since Ye Wen had seized the initiative in this exchange, unleashing one desperate move after another—sword, palm, saber—all purely offensive, never pausing to consider how he would defend against Pei Gonglie’s counterattacks. Ye Wen actually managed to suppress the Scarlet Sun Divine Lord with sheer, life-risking aggression.

However, the disparity in power was too great. Now angered, Pei Gonglie decided to dispense with further pretense. He activated his Scarlet Sun Fire Force; a burst of red light radiated outward, instantly vaporizing the surrounding cold energy. As his power erupted, even Ye Wen's recently unleashed Extinguishing Sword technique faltered; the outward thrust of his sword-finger seemed to plunge into a raging furnace.

In that moment of pause, Pei Gonglie clenched both hands into fists and executed "Double Dragons Emerge from the Sea," slamming two powerful blows onto Ye Wen's chest. The potent, scorching fire energy instantly incinerated Ye Wen's long robe, leaving two black-and-red scorched palm prints on his chest.

Ye Wen took the blow and collapsed unconscious without even spitting blood. The immense palm force, intertwined with scorching zhenqi, invaded his meridians, raging in both directions. Had it not been for Ye Wen's Purple Mist True Qi spontaneously defending its host, his internal channels would have been completely incinerated in that instant.

Then came a plop. After flying a short distance, Ye Wen plunged into the cold spring pool, splashing cool water just a few feet from the giant snake's face. This impact startled the massive Red Thread Snake King; its tongue flicked faster and faster, accompanied by a deafening, terrifying sound faintly emanating from its maw.

Pei Gonglie watched Ye Wen fall into the spring eye, murmuring to himself, "The water is bone-chillingly cold, and that boy took a full-power strike from me; he's certainly dead. As for the other boy just now..." He admitted he wasn't sure of the connection between Xu Xian and Ling Xuzi, but since he had struck him, he was surely finished too. Now, how to deal with this giant snake was the real problem!

Pei Gonglie had decided to kill Xu Xian earlier because when Xu Xian struck, the move faintly resembled the style of someone he vaguely recognized. Unsure of the relationship or fearing the unknown master's power, he had already resolved to silence the boy. As for the future? He was confident that once he killed the Red Thread Snake King and mastered the Scarlet Sun Divine Fire Art, no one in the world could challenge him, let alone some so-called Ling Xuzi.

Leaving Pei Gonglie to engage the giant serpent, consider Ye Wen, who had plunged into the spring eye.

Given Ye Wen's former skill level, falling into the spring eye, or even merely the cold pool near it, would have been a certain death sentence. Yet, today, thanks to the full-power strike from Pei Gonglie, he had narrowly escaped death! Pei Gonglie’s Scarlet Sun Fire Force was purely Yang and searingly hot, precisely counteracting the cold of the spring! As the frigid energy of the spring eye entered Ye Wen’s body, instead of attacking him directly, it began to clash with the fire energy. The two forces fought fiercely within him, tearing through his body as if it were a battleground.

Meanwhile, Ye Wen's Purple Mist True Qi busied itself repairing the damage. Unconsciously, it erupted with its maximum potential. The Purple Mist Art cycled furiously; the three forces—fire, ice, and purple mist—intertwined within Ye Wen, strangely reaching a volatile equilibrium.

If it had stopped there, eventually, either the Purple Mist True Qi would be depleted, or the Fire Force would be extinguished by the cold, leading inevitably to death. However, Ye Wen was unconscious and unable to breathe. Internal cultivation is fundamentally a method of breath control, relying on inhaling and exhaling external yuanqi to maintain the cycle.

Now unable to breathe, Ye Wen’s zhenqi couldn't receive external replenishment and began, by the momentum of the technique, to cycle internally! This internal circulation was the precursor to breaking through to the Great Accomplishment realm. If successful in opening the Ren and Du meridians, his internal energy would circulate endlessly, continuously supplying zhenqi. This would complete his Purple Mist Art, allowing him to rightly call it the Purple Mist Divine Art. However, given Ye Wen's current level, attempting to open the Ren and Du meridians was pure fantasy. Normally, such recklessness would, at best, damage his channels and reverse his cultivation; at worst, it would lead to zouhu moru (going berserk) and instant death. Attempting it without sufficient power was suicidal.

Since Ye Wen was unconscious, he was completely unaware of his True Qi moving autonomously. Unable to exit and enter as usual, the energy merely fought within him. Fortunately, while Ye Wen’s own power was lacking, he possessed another external force: the Purple Mist True Qi was excellent at regulating the body and, crucially, manipulating other zhenqi. Seeing the impasse, the Purple Mist True Qi forcefully wrapped the hot and cold energies and steered them forward, straight toward the Ren and Du meridians. Go ahead and fight amongst yourselves, just follow me!

These three potent forces converging exceeded the requirements for impacting the Heaven and Earth Mystic Gate. They forcefully breached the Ren and Du meridians in Ye Wen's body and even completed several internal cycles before finally ceasing. Moreover, through these cycles, all foreign energy within Ye Wen was converted into Purple Mist True Qi—even the invading cold and heat were not spared. Each cycle converted a portion, and after several rounds, Ye Wen's interior was filled entirely with Purple Mist True Qi. This not only repaired the damage from the prior fierce battle but also caused his cultivation to surge dramatically. While still submerged in the spring eye, he could faintly resist the terrifying cold using his own zhenqi.

Just then, Ye Wen awoke, his injuries largely healed. Although he didn't know what had transpired internally, he realized he hadn't died; on the contrary, his power had greatly increased. He needed no deep thought to understand he had benefited from a protagonist’s golden halo and incredible luck during a brush with death. But this was no time for reflection. He channeled energy to his feet and leaped out of the cold spring...

P: Oh my! The undying halo and sudden power surge—that's standard treatment for a protagonist! To be continued, more chapters await. Support the author and read the genuine version! U