Chapter 079

Chapter 79: Finding the Clue

Wei Yun Xi’s words drew everyone’s attention. They turned toward her with expectant eyes, eager for what she had to say next.

Mu Ning Zhu’s eyes brightened instantly, and she asked, “Yun Xi, do you know why the serpent’s eggs won’t hatch?”

Yun Xi rubbed her forehead, replying, “I have a guess.”

“Can you share it?”

Yun Xi thought carefully, then slowly explained, “These eggs aren’t fertilized.”

Everyone looked bewildered, and some even spoke out loud:

“Fertilized?”

“What does that mean?”

Wei Yun Xi felt that given her current age, explaining this was awkward. Instead, she tried another way, “Before joining the sect, I was a young miss of the Wei family, attended by mortal maidservants. They once told me that the eggs we ate daily came from hens. A hen lays many eggs but kicks out those she cannot hatch. Only the eggs she keeps in her nest can hatch. But even those eggs must be laid after the hen has been with a rooster.”

Yun Xi wasn’t sure if she’d explained clearly, but she had tried her best.

Mu Ning Zhu quickly understood, thoughtfully saying, “Yun Xi, you’re suggesting that this Three-Headed serpent’s eggs were created solely by itself without mating with a male snake, so they’re unable to hatch!”

“Exactly,” Yun Xi nodded. “Unless this serpent is both male and female at once, despite having demonic power, these eggs can’t hatch. Even mortals must have the union of yin and yang to bear children.”

Through their back-and-forth conversation, the others roughly understood why the eggs wouldn’t hatch. But this new clarity only made the situation even more troubling—how could they explain this to the serpent?

Qin Tong Shuang said gloomily, “So now what do we do? Do we tell the serpent?”

“We can’t!”

“Absolutely not!”

“Don’t even think about it!”

Mu Ning Zhu, Yun Xi, and Zhang Yan all spoke at once, rejecting Qin Tong Shuang’s idea instantly. The others shook their heads vigorously in agreement.

Mu Ning Zhu explained clearly, “If we don’t speak up, we can pretend to continue incubating the eggs to buy time until Senior Brother Sheng rescues us. If we tell the truth now, we’ll become the serpent’s meal immediately.”

Qin Tong Shuang bit her lip, realizing she’d lost her usual calmness. She closed her mouth tightly, saying no more.

Yun Xi understood Qin Tong Shuang’s feelings. After all, they’d been trapped in this dark, oppressive place for nearly a month. Anyone would start to lose heart under constant fear.

Yun Xi gently turned toward Mu Ning Zhu, saying softly, “Senior Aunt Mu, we must hold on just a bit longer. Senior Brother Long Dao Yu wasn’t caught—he surely has alerted Senior Uncle Sheng already. Now, all we can do is wait.”

Mu Ning Zhu nodded slightly, signaling to the others. The cave became silent once more. Each disciple held the serpent eggs quietly, closing their eyes to meditate. This time, however, they didn’t infuse their spiritual energy into the eggs, instead slowly replenishing their own energy.

Because the Three-Headed serpent needed them to incubate the eggs, it hadn’t taken their storage pouches. After all, a cultivator’s spiritual energy wasn’t limitless—they’d eventually need to recover it using pills and spirit stones from their storage pouches.

After nearly a month, although everyone’s pills and spirit stones were somewhat depleted, Yun Xi was certain each still held back a few hidden treasures. They wouldn’t have completely exhausted their emergency reserves.

Yun Xi also closed her eyes, circulating the Thousand Shadows Riding the Wind Foundation Establishment cultivation method. After the time it took an incense stick to burn, she opened her eyes in surprise, sensing pure spiritual energy slowly flowing into her meridians from deep underground.

Carefully, Yun Xi extended her divine sense outward, exploring the underground cavern bit by bit. Even if rescue was coming, she wouldn’t remain passive.

Since Yun Xi possessed a wind spiritual root, her divine sense rode quietly on gentle breezes, undetectable to fellow disciples or the serpent.

Elsewhere, Long Dao Yu had released his emergency signal talisman and then fled, terrified that he would also be caught.

Sheng Yu Hong and his group immediately rushed toward the area where the emergency signal exploded, their movements swift as lightning.

Sheng Yu Hong arrived first at Long Dao Yu’s side and said calmly, “Were you the one who released the emergency signal?”

Recognizing Sheng Yu Hong, Long Dao Yu immediately stopped and respectfully bowed, saying, “Senior Uncle Sheng, yes, I was the one who sent the signal. Just moments ago, Junior Sister Wei was dragged underground.”

Sheng Yu Hong frowned, saying quickly, “No need for formalities. Explain the situation clearly.”

“Yes, Senior Uncle!” Though slightly excited in the presence of the esteemed senior uncle, Long Dao Yu knew there was no time to waste and quickly described the situation clearly in a few words.

Sheng Yu Hong’s expression grew sharper, “You said that junior sister was caught near the fire dragon grass?”

“Absolutely! I personally saw her being dragged underground by a serpent tail,” Long Dao Yu answered without hesitation.

Du Yu Ling, a female cultivator at early Foundation Establishment stage, speculated from beside Sheng Yu Hong, “Senior Brother Sheng, could it be the serpent we saw through the Mirror of Retrospection?”

Sheng Yu Hong rubbed his fingers thoughtfully, “It probably is. That demon beast is clever. It stayed hidden when we previously investigated the scene.”

“With Senior Brother Sheng here, that Three-Headed serpent wouldn’t dare show itself,” Long Dao Yu quickly praised. The others did not refute him.

Sheng Yu Hong’s gaze hardened as he coldly declared, “We’re going back. Even if we have to dig three feet underground, we must drag out that serpent.”

“Yes!”

Long Dao Yu answered loudly, and the group swiftly returned to the spot where fire dragon grass grew.

This time, without Sheng Yu Hong’s instructions, the Foundation Establishment disciples spread out their divine sense, methodically scanning every inch of the battle-torn ground.

Due to the earlier commotion, other cultivators and demon beasts had gathered in the area, but none dared approach due to Sheng Yu Hong’s formidable late-stage Foundation Establishment aura.

“Senior Brother Sheng, there’s something here,” Du Yu Ling shouted first.

Sheng Yu Hong immediately appeared beside her, “Junior Sister Du, what did you find?”

She pointed at the ground, “The soil here is clearly looser than elsewhere, and I smell the particular stench of a serpent demon.”

Sheng Yu Hong swiftly drew a spirit sword from nowhere, plunging it directly into the ground. After a moment, he commanded decisively, “Use Earth Escape. There’s a passageway here leading straight to the serpent’s nest.”

“Understood, Senior Brother!”

Everyone swiftly vanished underground. Long Dao Yu hastily applied an Earth Escape talisman to himself, following close behind.

Sheng Yu Hong was indeed capable. Using his powerful divine sense, he soon pinpointed the serpent’s underground passageway.

A quarter-hour later, Sheng Yu Hong’s team entered the underground passage, their arrival alerting the Three-Headed serpent immediately.

Three pairs of eyes snapped open simultaneously, and the serpent hissed, flicking out its tongues as it left its lair.

“Senior Brother Sheng, which way should we go?” asked Du Yu Ling.

“Junior Sister Du, let’s split up. Whoever finds something first should send a message. We’ll regroup and act accordingly.”

“Alright.”

Du Yu Ling selected two close junior sisters, heading in one direction. Without hesitation, Long Dao Yu stayed close behind Sheng Yu Hong’s group as they took the other path.

Soon afterward, Sheng Yu Hong’s party encountered the Three-Headed serpent, slithering through the dark tunnels toward them.