The old man glanced at Ye Wen, but quickly averted his gaze. Though Ye Wen’s words had held a sliver of interest, that was the extent of it.

Afterward, the old man inexplicably focused his attention entirely on Xu Xian, scrutinizing him from head to toe without cease, which constantly made Ye Wen wonder: could this old man have that kind of peculiar taste?

Xu Xian felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, as the old man’s gaze was far too direct, openly staring without restraint, punctuated every now and then by an exclamation like, “Eh?” or “Not bad!”

“Not bad, your sister!”

Xu Xian and Ye Wen had known each other too long; he had picked up many of Ye Wen’s common curses. At that moment, he desperately wanted to point a finger at the old man’s nose and unleash a torrent of abuse, but just as he was about to erupt, he felt like prey cornered by a giant python, an sensation that rooted him to the spot.

However, such restraint had its limits. Just as Xu Xian was about to snap and Ye Wen was preparing to intervene, the old man finally withdrew his gaze and asked a question that surprised them both.

“You, the doll with the pretty face, I have a few things to ask you!”

As soon as those words left his mouth, the terrifying sensation of being targeted vanished instantly. Xu Xian let out a long breath and managed a respectful, “This junior is Xu Xian!”

The old man paid no mind, merely grunting casually before continuing, “Is your true form a Scarlet Fire Serpent?”

“Scarlet Fire Serpent?”

Both Ye Wen and Xu Xian froze. What baffled them even more was the old man’s use of the word ‘prototype’ (). They were both genuinely unsure what the term truly meant in this context.

Seeing their stunned silence, the old man frowned. Their expression wasn't the cautious surprise of someone whose secret had been guessed, but one of complete bewilderment. “Eh? Did this old man misjudge?”

Then, with a look of disbelief, he shook his head and muttered, “Impossible! Though I’m old, I haven't started going senile early enough to be so wrong about this matter!”

After much thought, he concluded he must have been thinking in the wrong direction, and quickly asked another question: “Could it be... you two don't know what a Scarlet Fire Serpent is?”

Just then, a thought flashed across Ye Wen’s mind. He recalled the piles of red-string snakes from Mount Shu and asked, “Is it perhaps a small snake with a thin red line around its neck?”

The old man was overjoyed upon hearing this and nodded eagerly. “Precisely that snake! However, those are only Scarlet Fire Serpent hatchlings. A true Scarlet Fire Serpent is as thick as a bowl and several meters long. But this one here is only just fully grown!”

Ye Wen sucked in a breath, but then recalled the Serpent King, whose physique was several times larger than what the old man described, and the current scale seemed less surprising.

“Well? Was I wrong, old man?”

Seeing Ye Wen articulate a characteristic of the Scarlet Fire Serpent, he assumed the two youths simply didn't know the creature's name, hence their earlier confusion. Now that it was clarified, the one called Xu Xian should surely admit it, right?

Unexpectedly, Xu Xian shook his head. “This junior still doesn't understand what the senior is saying!”

This time, the old man was less certain. He peered at them again with renewed curiosity before asking tentatively, “So, you are not a demon cultivator who transformed from a snake into a human?”

Xu Xian shook his head vehemently. “This junior is a genuine human, with not a single thread of relation to demons!”

Little did the old man know that Ye Wen was silently cursing internally: Yes, there is! If you just put on a woman’s dress, you could become the most beloved type of demon in legend!

At this point, the old man stood up and approached Xu Xian, examining him from every angle. Finally, he just muttered, “No, that can’t be right! How could I have misjudged? But... this makes no sense!”

He paced back and forth, thinking hard, while Ye Wen and Xu Xian remained silent, observing the old man’s wandering. Finally, he stopped abruptly, his face clearing in sudden realization, and he asked, “Then let me ask you this: have you ever consumed any demon serpent?”

Xu Xian paused in thought. “This junior did drink the blood of the Red Line Serpent King... oh, that is to say, the blood of the Scarlet Fire Serpent King!”

“How much did you drink?”

“This...” Xu Xian wasn’t actually sure how much he’d consumed, so he looked toward Ye Wen, as he had been semi-conscious at the time, while Ye Wen had seen everything clearly.

“Besides the bowlful that this junior drank, the rest was swallowed down by my junior brother!”

As Xu Xian looked at Ye Wen, the old man’s gaze also shifted to Ye Wen. Upon hearing the explanation, he finally let out a long sigh. “So that is it! No wonder I sensed a faint trace of kin-scent on you, though it wasn’t very strong!”

“This old man originally thought you had mastered the Art of Human Transformation so perfectly that you concealed yourself completely! It was due to this reason after all!”

“Kin-scent?” Upon hearing this, Ye Wen finally understood that the old man before them was not human. Considering the former owner of the East Sea Immortal Palace was also not human, having a non-human elder residing here wasn't entirely strange. What surprised Ye Wen was that the elder's true form was a snake, not a dragon.

It made sense now why he had initially rejected Ye Wen and asked Xu Xian to support him—he must have been testing this potential kinsman, perhaps even harboring thoughts of offering guidance.

After sitting back down, the old man chuckled. “My surname is She. After cultivating the human form, I gave myself the name She Yue, intending to eventually cross that threshold and transform into a dragon! Alas, after cultivating for so long, I have never managed to become a true dragon, nor can I even ascend to the Immortal Realm. I am stuck here guarding this vast Immortal Palace for the old Dragon King!”

This revelation shocked both Ye Wen and Xu Xian. She Yue had cultivated for thousands of years, achieving success before the countless Immortals and Buddhas even departed this world. He even knew the Dragon King who formerly resided in this palace.

This was a true Senior, someone before whom even Zhang Sanfeng would be considered a mere child. It was no wonder he dared to address them as ‘little dolls’ upon first meeting them, or when he mistakenly thought Xu Xian was his own kind—in his presence, very few people were not dolls.

This meant he was an expert who had genuinely interacted with Immortals. But why was such a master abandoned here in the Immortal Palace? This...

Seemingly reading Ye Wen's thoughts, She Yue explained, “When the Immortals left for the Immortal Realm, my cultivation was still too low to accompany them. The Dragon King left me behind to guard this palace, which also served as a quiet place for my continued cultivation... By the way, how did you two get in here?”

Though he asked, the Immortal Palace was different from the completely isolated Penglai Immortal Realm. The palace possessed a dedicated passage to the outside world, though this passage was usually sealed, only opening when She Yue wished to stretch his legs.

But a passage meant connection, and occasional accidents were inevitable. Over the millennia, some stray monsters or cultivators had stumbled in. She Yue had initially treated a few hospitably, but later discovered they all harbored ill intentions, so he had promptly eliminated them.

However, he was not inherently malicious, which is why he didn't immediately attack when he sensed Ye Wen and Xu Xian entering. Later, seeing the kin-scent on Xu Xian, he wished to test the waters.

Now that he knew it was a misunderstanding, and realizing these two dolls didn't seem like villains, he no longer felt the need to kill them to protect the Immortal Palace's secrets.

Regarding She Yue's question, Ye Wen and Xu Xian exchanged glances. Ye Wen then offered the story that Xu Xian had accidentally eaten a precious ginseng root belonging to the Changbai Sect and was subsequently pursued, leading him to mistakenly enter the palace.

“Ginseng? What did it look like?” She Yue was curious about what kind of ginseng could incite such fierce enmity.

Xu Xian replied dismissively, “It looked like a radish root. I initially thought it was someone’s garden radish, so I casually pulled it out and ate it, never expecting to cause so much trouble!”

She Yue nodded. “That must have been the Changbai Jade Ginseng King, though it hadn't fully matured... It’s unlikely an uncultivated Changbai Jade Ginseng King could grow in the current environment outside. In fact, not even a common Ginseng King could grow; it must have been specially nurtured by the Changbai Sect!”

Hearing this, Ye Wen and Xu Xian finally understood why the Changbai Sect had been so relentless. Having their meticulously cultivated Ginseng King eaten would anger anyone. Ye Wen mused that since the Changbai Sect was a reputable righteous sect, and the fault truly lay with them first, they would need to offer a formal apology and compensation upon leaving.

While he was considering this, he heard She Yue ask curiously, “I see your cultivation is quite formidable. Even if young Xu Xian was afflicted by the Ginseng King’s potency, surely you weren't completely powerless to fight back? Has the Changbai Sect grown so powerful in the century I've been secluded?”

Ye Wen could only offer a bitter smile. “Senior, you are unaware. I believe I was ambushed at the time. I only felt...” He then gave a general account of his situation, subtly infusing his words with a hint of seeking counsel.

He figured that since She Yue had lived for thousands of years and met actual Immortals and Buddhas, he must possess extensive knowledge regarding artifacts and spells. Ye Wen was at a dead end, and consulting this elder was a viable option. If he could discover what kind of spell he had been afflicted with here, he could devise countermeasures.

After Ye Wen finished explaining in detail, he saw She Yue staring at him with a grave expression. Then, his pupils abruptly shifted, revealing a pair of thin, serpentine slits, within which a faint divine light seemed to shimmer.

Ye Wen recognized this as the Senior concentrating all his power into his eyes. For demon cultivators, due to ingrained habits, doing this invariably meant losing their human form. She Yue managing to keep the transformation confined to such a small degree demonstrated he was a top-tier expert among demon cultivators. To progress further would require breaking into the Celestial Immortal realm and achieving an immortal body, allowing one to wield any technique while maintaining an unchanged form.

She Yue peered intently for a moment, then suddenly gasped sharply. After a beat, he looked startled and muttered, “Incorrect!” But no matter how closely he looked, he couldn't decipher the answer. Finally, he withdrew his power, sat back down, and frowned in deep thought, remaining silent for a long time.

Finally, Ye Wen softly called out, “Senior, did you perhaps discern something?”

She Yue snapped back to attention as if awakened from a dream and said awkwardly, “I was lost in thought!”

He then circled Ye Wen once more, concluding, “First, let me try something! You must not channel your energy yet; I need to test this with an artifact!”

He then reached into his robes and pulled out a small straw effigy, then another reach produced a small slip of paper. Finally, he grabbed a brush and paper from nearby and asked, “What is your name?”

“This junior is Ye Wen!”

As soon as Ye Wen answered, She Yue swiftly wrote Ye Wen’s name on the paper, tucked it into the straw effigy, and held the effigy in his hand, chanting something under his breath—the pace was so fast, and the pronunciation comparable to a Level 10 Chinese listening exam, that neither Ye Wen nor Xu Xian could grasp a single word.

When She Yue finished chanting, Ye Wen watched in astonishment as the straw effigy in his hand appeared to be scorched, constantly shriveling and darkening until it disintegrated into dust and vanished.

“This...”

Witnessing this, She Yue finally made a definitive judgment, addressing Ye Wen: “Which person have you offended, young doll, to provoke someone into using this kind of sorcery against you?”

“What exactly is this sorcery?”

She Yue’s expression was extremely grim. Looking at his now empty palms, he told Ye Wen, “You are indeed fortunate to have survived. You managed to hide in this Immortal Palace at the critical moment! This palace is protected by numerous formations. Though that sorcery is tyrannical and powerful, it cannot harm you while you remain here. But the moment you step outside...”

Ye Wen had originally assumed the East Sea Immortal Palace was isolated from the outside world, thus protecting him, but he hadn't realized this secondary layer of protection was involved.

But still...

“What exactly is the spell?”

The sheer terror in She Yue’s voice made Ye Wen worry. This spell was particularly vexing; he couldn't even see the enemy’s shadow before his life was forfeit. Even if he wanted to eliminate the foe, he first had to locate them!

She Yue continued, “Originally, this old man refused to believe anyone would employ this spell, but seeing this now, it is undeniably that technique! However, this person lacked the corresponding artifact to complement it, and the spell itself seems incomplete. Combined with your timely escape into this sanctuary, it saved your life!”

Ye Wen was nearly breaking down. “What spell is it then?!”

“Eh?” She Yue looked puzzled. “Did I not say?”

Ye Wen cursed internally: You’re thousands of years old, can you please stop acting cute?

Then he heard She Yue utter a few words that made Ye Wen’s entire body tremble: “You have been struck by the Seven Arrows Book of Nail Heads!”

The Seven Arrows Book of Nail Heads!

It was a colossal cheat code from the Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen Yanyi), wielded by Lu Ya Daojun, a character who was himself a bug in that novel.

Although this was merely a fictional spell, Ye Wen now knew that the so-called Battle of Investiture was a real event, and the novel Fengshen Yanyi was merely a diversion written by some cultivator with no prospects on the path of cultivation centuries ago, combining it with history. Many characters and artifacts mentioned in it actually existed (like the God-Beating Whip); they simply differed slightly from the book’s portrayal.

But for the Seven Arrows Book of Nail Heads, its power in reality was exactly as potent as described in the book! As one of Daojun Lu Ya’s two supreme killing tools, it was virtually inescapable—Ye Wen certainly knew this.

“That can’t be right. If I’d been struck by the Seven Arrows Book of Nail Heads, wouldn't I already be dead?”

The sheer tyranny of the Seven Arrows Book lay in the fact that you were completely unaware during the initial preparation phase. By the time the caster completed the setup and began utilizing the technique, the target was guaranteed to be dead.

Ye Wen felt that since he was experiencing symptoms, the enemy had most likely finished the preliminary work, and now all that remained was to take his life—how could he still be alive?

Then he recalled She Yue saying the opponent lacked the corresponding artifact—perhaps the original Seven Arrows Book—and that the version was incomplete—perhaps some incantations were missing. That must be what saved his life.

“Damn it, you can’t play like this! This is cheating!”

She Yue continued, “There’s no need to worry excessively. If it were the genuine Seven Arrows Book, this old man would have no recourse! However, facing this incomplete version, there are quite a few methods to deal with it!”

But having said that, he suddenly pivoted: “However, this old man has no reason to help you, does he?”

This was not an unfounded statement. He was neither kin nor friend to Ye Wen, so why should he rush to assist? He wasn't one of those typical elderly mentors lying in wait for the ‘fated individual.’

Earlier, he had felt a degree of closeness toward Xu Xian, but he had no particular feeling toward Ye Wen. Yet, after the examination, he found himself subconsciously repulsed. Though he didn't know why, the old man didn’t care to investigate the reason.

Ye Wen pointed at Xu Xian. “Actually, my junior brother’s true form really is a Scarlet Fire Serpent!”

Xu Xian: “...”

She Yue: “...”

Ye Wen paused. “And he has a paramour named Bai Suzhen, who is a thousand-year-old White Snake spirit...”

Xu Xian: “...”

She Yue: “Are you suggesting I haven't heard of the Legend of the White Snake?”

Ye Wen chuckled and stopped talking. He then heard She Yue huffing, his beard bristling: “And even if that were true, what of it? They are my kin, but you are not!”

He then pointed his finger at Xu Xian again. “If this brat had been struck by that spell, this old man might have been interested in finding a solution. As for you...”

He examined Ye Wen up and down again before suddenly asking, “Right, what is going on with your eyes?”

Although the question was casually posed, Ye Wen sensed that She Yue was paying extraordinary attention when he asked it. What Ye Wen didn't realize was that during his prior inspection, She Yue had perceived an overwhelming divine power emanating from the area between Ye Wen’s brow and his eyes—a power he found hard to look upon directly. Furthermore, this divine power bore a resemblance to the Buddhist divine abilities, which he rather disliked.

If Ye Wen had known that the reason for his unwelcomeness stemmed from his eyes, he would have been so frustrated he might have spat blood. He had always thought gaining a pair of divine eyes was just another trump card, never realizing it could cause trouble.

Therefore, even though he sensed She Yue was very interested in his eyes, he answered casually: “I am currently practicing a divine ability, one I have not yet fully mastered.”

She Yue nodded, understanding that his aversion to the young man likely stemmed from these eyes. If that were the case...

After some thought, he suddenly declared, “It’s not entirely impossible to help you, but you must do something for me first!”

Seeing a potential turning point, Ye Wen immediately asked, “May I inquire what that matter is?” (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to cast recommendation votes at (.); your support is my greatest motivation.)RO