C30 Leaving Alone

Once word slips from even a single mercenary, the news will spread like wildfire.

After all, we're talking about a Profound Rank cultivation technique! Even if it's just a whisper of a rumor, countless souls will still dash towards it like moths to a flame, hoping to stumble upon a stroke of immense fortune and hit the jackpot.

Securing a high-level martial skill could catapult someone to new heights, elevating them to the upper echelons of society, securing a position as a sect elder, or becoming a revered guest of a noble family. Not to mention, winning the hand of a beautiful partner for dual cultivation, setting them on the path to the pinnacle of life.

This is precisely why, year after year, numerous treacherous cave dwellings are unearthed across the continent. A single misstep could cost an adventurer their life, yet that doesn't deter legions of cultivators from seeking the legacies left by their original masters.

Lin Yaoyang stood there, eyeing the mercenaries with a furrowed brow. He was well aware that the odds were high for someone to eventually catch wind of the news and come knocking. But the thought of silencing all the mercenaries to keep a tight lid on it was something he couldn't bring himself to do.

Not far off, Lin Yaoyang noticed the black-robed woman standing beside a tent, her gaze fixed on him, sizing him up without missing a beat. He couldn't fathom what she might be scrutinizing.

Nevertheless, Lin Yaoyang felt a sense of gratitude towards the black-robed woman. Had she not given him a heads-up earlier, he might have found himself in a tight spot due to Kou Quan's M drug.

Lin Yaoyang gave the black-robed woman a nod, a silent gesture of parting, before untying a pouch from his waist. It contained over twenty gold coins—enough for each mercenary to pocket one. For them, a gold coin was a fair deal, making their venture into the Demonic Beast Forest worthwhile.

With the pouch of coins left behind, Lin Yaoyang swiftly turned on his heel and made a beeline for the corpse of the Snake King with Green Scale, slain earlier by Kou Quan.

There, the two Demonic Cores of the Snake King lay unclaimed. Should any unwary Demonic Beast snatch them away, Lin Yaoyang's heart would surely break.

As he sprinted towards his goal, Lin Yaoyang silently prayed. The Snake King's remains weren't far, and it wasn't long before he arrived at the site of the kill.

Upon arriving at the scene, Lin Yaoyang's gaze fell upon the Snake King with Green Scale's corpse, where only thick, sturdy bones remained at the tail section.

His vision darkened in dismay. "Oh no! Talk about bad luck!" He hurriedly scanned ahead, spotting a large swarm of dark figures encircling the Snake King with Green Scale's body, busily engaged in some mysterious activity.

A sense of dread weighed on Lin Yaoyang's heart. Had some reckless Demonic Beast actually devoured it?

He dashed forward for a better look and discovered a horde of Fire Rats gnawing at the Snake King with Green Scale's remains. Given the Fire Rat's lowly status among Demonic Beasts and their modest combat abilities, it was common for them to scavenge on other beasts' carcasses.

Lin Yaoyang observed that the Fire Rats were solely feasting on the body, steering clear of the head. On closer inspection, he realized why: the Snake King with Green Scale's eyes—or rather, its Demonic Cores—were emitting an eerie glow in the night.

The sight was chilling enough to make even Lin Yaoyang feel a twinge of fear, especially since the Demonic Cores were still faintly radiating the Snake King with Green Scale's presence.

This aura was so intimidating that the Fire Rats dared not come close, let alone contemplate targeting the head.

Usually, Fire Rats would flee at the mere sight of a Green Python, much less confront a Demonic Beast of the Snake King with Green Scale's caliber. They wouldn't have dared to approach for a meal if they weren't absolutely sure the beast was dead, no matter how brave they felt.

The Fire Rats, engrossed in their feast, eventually became aware of Lin Yaoyang's presence. One of them fixed its gaze on him and let out a sharp "Squeak squeak!" The sound seemed to act as a signal, prompting the rest to join in a chorus of squeaks directed at Lin Yaoyang.

"Squeak squeak!"

"Squeak squeak squeak!"

The cacophony of noises rose and fell around him, prompting a chuckle from Lin Yaoyang. When had Fire Rats become so bold as to act up in his presence? Channeling the Power of the Ant King, an aura of dominance radiated from him.

The Fire Rats immediately sensed the shift in the atmosphere, recognizing the presence of a human potentially more formidable than the Snake King with Green Scale in his prime.

In an instant, they cowered in place, none daring to utter a sound. With a nonchalant shrug, Lin Yaoyang strode toward the head of the fallen Snake King. The Fire Rats stood frozen, quivering with the fear that he might turn his wrath upon them.

To Lin Yaoyang, dispatching Demonic Beasts of the Fire Rats' caliber hardly seemed worth the effort.

Reaching the head of the Snake King with Green Scale, he eyed the two Demonic Cores glowing eerily green in the night. A surge of excitement warmed his heart—two Demonic Cores at once! Such treasures were virtually impossible to find on the open market, truly priceless.

The severed head of the Snake King, even in death, bore a menacing visage, its large fangs gleaming white in the moonlight.

"These fangs could make fine weapons," Lin Yaoyang mused, admiring their quality. "Might as well take them too."

With a small knife, he carefully extracted the Demonic Cores from their sockets and removed the fangs.

Deprived of its eyes, the demonic snake's head appeared even more sinister. Lin Yaoyang felt a twinge of discomfort at the sight and, under the watchful, anxious eyes of the Fire Rats, he turned and walked away.

The Fire Rats, relieved that Lin Yaoyang had departed without harming even one of their number, seemed to brighten. A leader among them gestured to a smaller Fire Rat, then pointed toward Lin Yaoyang's retreating figure.

After a moment's consideration, the small Fire Rat understood its leader's command and scurried after Lin Yaoyang.

After the Fire Rat departed, the rest of its kind resumed feasting on the corpse of the Snake King with Green Scales with great gusto. The crackling sounds of their contented munching filled the air.

Lin Yaoyang made his solitary way through the Demonic Beast Forest under the cloak of night. The roars of nocturnal Demonic Beasts echoed all around, intensifying the forest's eerie atmosphere with an added layer of dread.