Serpent Ancestor

Chapter 143: Bow to neither heaven nor earth, only to the revered master

"Back in the day, when the Mountain-moving Patriarch was still around, your glory was unmatched! If he were here, you wouldn't have become the Qin army's lackeys!"

Xu Qingfeng stood high in the sky, his voice booming and echoing throughout the entire sect.

"You have exhausted the fortune left by the Mountain-moving Patriarch. Mountain Movers Sect is doomed!"

As his words fell, a character for "doom" appeared above the heads of the remaining core elders.

Even Patriarch Shi Xuan had the character for "doom" above his head, and this time, it could not be erased.

A cloud of deathly aura appeared at their brows, signaling that their fate was sealed and irreversible.

"Move mountains, fill seas!"

Zhang Tie gathered his strength, embraced the mountain, and lifted its cover, revealing the environment inside.

Inside the mountain, there was a hidden world, with countless cave dwellings exposed. Inside, numerous terrified disciples huddled in corners, trembling in fear.

The mountain cover that had been lifted was thrown into the sky by Zhang Tie, shattering into countless fragments and raining down as a shower of stones.

Such a display of moving mountains and filling seas left everyone in shock.

This was the power of the Core Formation Stage!

Now, only one place remained unexposed—the Artifact Refining Room.

This place was connected to a spiritual vein, a unique location. Even without the Mountain Protection Array, it still had an independent formation inside.

Xiao Chou stood before the stone door, gazing at the already transparent ceiling, looking up at the star-filled night sky.

At this moment, Patriarch Shi Xuan was covered in blood, with the last thread of life about to fade away.

His master, Shi Longzi, Grand Elder Shi Fengzi, Sect Leader Shi Lin, and those who were once his uncles, were all gravely injured and on the brink of death, surrounded by a deathly aura.

The Mountain Movers Sect's fortune had run out, and the life of this sect had come to an end.

Do they regret it?

No one regrets it. If they hadn't joined the Qin army back then, they would have died even sooner.

In this world, there's no such thing as right or wrong, only eternal strength!

"Little ants, get out of here!"

Zhang Tie grabbed through the air, activating the Gravity Technique, and all the hiding disciples of the Mountain Movers Sect were caught by an invisible hand, lifted like little chicks, and thrown outside the sect's plaza.

They had no power to resist! The gap was too vast!

Only one person remained, his legs seemingly welded to the ground, his body bleeding, teeth clenched, refusing to be pulled out.

That person was Xiao Chou!

"I have failed my ancestors, failed my sect!"

Shi Lin cried out in anguish to the sky, charging at Zhang Tie, his body exploding into countless fragments.

The current sect leader of the Mountain Movers Sect had fallen.

Zhang Tie stepped back a few paces, swatting the fragments away like flies, without a scratch on him.

Only then did he turn his gaze to the one disciple who hadn't been lifted.

Xiao Chou stood upright, his eyes bloodshot, staring back at him.

This piqued Zhang Tie's interest; there was still such a disciple in the Mountain Movers Sect.

Shi Longzi glanced back at the mountain's interior, his face changing drastically, shouting angrily, "Xiao Chou, didn't I expel you from the sect? How dare you return?!"

His words seemed to reprimand Xiao Chou, but in truth, he was conveying a message to everyone.

Xiao Chou was no longer a disciple of the Mountain Movers Sect and should not be implicated.

"Xiao Chou? Sounds familiar."

Xu Qingfeng smiled faintly upon hearing this and said, "Shi Longzi, rest assured, we won't kill him. He's a hero who slew five Qin army Foundation Establishment cultivators. Why would we trouble him?"

These words caused everyone's expressions to change.

Zhang Tie rubbed his stubbly chin, his eyes flashing, muttering to himself, "I see, no wonder he stands so straight! Not bad!"

Zhang Tie rarely gave such praise.

This allowed Shi Longzi to breathe a sigh of relief.

Xu Qingfeng got straight to the point, "Xiao Chou, I'll give you a chance to join us. I know we share the same aspirations..."

"I refuse!"

Before anyone could express surprise, Xiao Chou gave an even more shocking reply.

Everyone was stunned, including Xu Qingfeng.

"You destroy my sect and then ask me to join you? Do you think I'm such a heartless person?" Xiao Chou said coldly.

"Silence!" Shi Longzi's face turned ashen, angrily rebuking, "The Mountain Movers Sect is no longer your sect. Our life or death is none of your concern. Don't make a mistake!"

"Master..."

"Don't call me Master. I expelled you from the sect!"

Shi Longzi glared at him, but due to his agitation, he spat out a mouthful of blood. The deathly aura at his brow spread instantly, his body withered, almost turning into a mummy.

Xiao Chou stood frozen, unmoving.

Shi Longzi took a few deep breaths and said no more.

He sat cross-legged on the ground, all his vitality dissipating, sinking into the earth. The deathly aura at his brow spread throughout his body, and his life came to an end.

Shi Long opened his eyes, looking at Xiao Chou, and that kind smile from years ago reappeared.

Five years ago, at the Xiao family's pharmacy.

A kind old man looked at Xiao Chou and spoke words that changed his life:

"Young one, you have good potential. Would you like to become my disciple?"

Five years later, on the Mountain Movers Sect's plaza.

The kind old man sat cross-legged on the ground, still wearing that smile from years ago.

"Young one, you've grown up. Congratulations on completing your training!"

After saying these words, the old man closed his eyes forever, his body gradually turning to stone, becoming a statue, his soul returning to the earth.

Born of the mountains, died in the mountains.

He cultivated relying on the mountains all his life, and now, he became part of the mountains.

All sounds fell silent.

Xiao Chou said nothing, only knelt on the ground, and kowtowed three times heavily to Shi Longzi's statue.

The mighty Qin army did not make him bow.

The enemies before him did not make him yield.

Xiao Chou bowed to neither heaven nor earth, only to his parents and his revered master.

His head struck the ground, and two streams of hot tears silently slid down from the corners of his eyes.

Inside the Artifact Refining Room.

Xu Hei's Divine Sense witnessed all of this, and a realization rose within him, indescribable, a new understanding.

What is integrity?

People have unyielding integrity, bending but not breaking, preferring death to submission!

Without integrity, one loses all fortune and heads towards inevitable decline! Even Dragon Qi cannot hold it back!

Xu Hei, who rose from adversity, understood the meaning of integrity, but he had no master, nor parents to nurture him, so he did not comprehend the weight of gratitude.

"Bow to neither heaven nor earth, only to the revered master..."

"What I witnessed and understood today is worth ten years of cultivation!"

Xu Hei closed his eyes.

In an instant, the second dragon bone at his tail was rapidly transforming, faster than ever before.

A dark golden hue emanated from it, one bone, two bones...

In just a brief moment, three dragon bones appeared at Xu Hei's tail.

At the same time, Xu Hei's cultivation rapidly ascended, his entire body's meridians automatically absorbing Spiritual Qi, drawing it in from the underground spiritual vein.

The Spirit Platform within the Demon God Cauldron was rapidly expanding.

"Roar!"

From the Moon-supporting Pagoda before him, a loud dragon's roar echoed.