Chapter Fifty-Seven: Damn!

The search dragged on for a long time until Greenleaf, the lord of the Desolate Fields of Night, began to suspect that the murderer had already fled. She considered consulting a diviner. With that in mind, she ventured to the domain of the Ten-Tailed Fox Immortal King to seek a solution.

Meanwhile, hundreds of immortals, tens of thousands of immortal bodies, had entered into routine patrols and searches. Not only the ground and the underground, but even the sky was scoured by birds and beasts, detection puppets, and scouts—they would not overlook even a mosquito.

Skinless throughout his body, Wuyun had become a monstrous oddity among the ranks of spirits and demons, leading four subordinates to form a small faction. Beyond that, many other sprites joined in, bringing their numbers to several dozen.

Long Yi was extremely satisfied. With a twist, he transformed into a sandworm—a name even less dignified than “mudfish”—but an immortal body was capital, and strength was measured by the size of one’s fist. Thus, in the deepest layers of the underground, he became the second-in-command.

“Who controls the immortal vein?” Bear Third, disguised as a rat-beast, inquired of a centipede sprite for a long while, then reported the result to Wuyun. Upon hearing it, Wuyun roared, “The Great Sand Serpent is also a subordinate of Lord Greenleaf. How could he not investigate himself? We must check there for hidden enemies!”

This shout was not only for his underlings; it could be heard dozens of layers above and below, reverberating through the underground. Many immortals suspected this search party had lost their minds—trying their luck, seeking fortune, and daring to set their sights on the Sand Serpent.

The Sand Serpent was, in fact, Lord Greenleaf’s cousin. When Greenleaf met him, she would respectfully call him “elder cousin.” His strength was on par with Greenbrown; the two occupied high and low positions—one on the surface, absorbing the essence of sun and moon, the other below, conveniently drawing in spiritual energy from the ley lines for cultivation.

For anyone to lead a search in the immortal vein residence of the Sand Serpent was akin to picking lice off a tiger’s head—a sure way to court death.

Yet Wuyun, brash and carefree, shouted his way forward. The Sand Serpent, in contrast, was proper and allowed the search without fuss.

The tunnels gleamed with countless phosphorescent stones, illuminating the underground world as if it were daytime.

The Great Sand Serpent’s colossal body coiled within a grand cavern, resplendent and bustling with singing and dancing. Minor sprites labored to repair the spiritual gathering arrays. Below, a dark river flowed through the center, where a massive platform had been constructed. From a distance, one could see the serpent lying atop it, absorbing the immortal energy rising from the vein below.

This immortal energy was unimaginably dense and vast, making the inexperienced little worm and Bear Third drool uncontrollably.

The little worm whispered, “Elder, it’s not right to kill and disturb lives like this—it goes against the Buddha’s teachings…”

Bear Third was so angry he could hardly speak, but before he could, Wuyun nodded, “That’s right. That’s why I never start the violence. If they attack first, I’m forced to fight back. Cause and effect—the rules of the Great Way—no one can say otherwise!”

“But, but, if he doesn’t attack, you can’t just make a slaughter!”

Faced with the Buddhist-obsessed little worm, Wuyun only laughed more heartily. “You’re learning well, following me. Don’t worry—if he doesn’t attack us or eat us, we’ll just have to find a way to make him want to, to give him a reason. Ha!”

Wuyun strode to the riverbank and shouted up at the sand-colored serpent head, towering like two buildings, “By order of Lord Greenleaf, we’re searching for the murderer of the Great Immortal Greenbrown. This place, I’ve found, hasn’t been searched yet. Sorry, but you’ll need to make way!”

“Hmph, what kind of goblin are you, wrapped in tree bark—ah, a spirit demon! I’ve eaten plenty like you. Sometimes I even refine you into pills for travel rations.” The Sand Serpent was neither angry nor irritated; he was like an elephant who wouldn’t bother bickering with an ant. He said casually, “Search all you like, but if I get hungry by the end and your team is missing someone, don’t make a fuss.”

“Search!” Wuyun bellowed, leading the charge. His team swarmed like locusts—diggers digging, divers diving, burrowers burrowing. In moments, the once-luxurious cavern was riddled with holes, even the arrays disrupted, its former grandeur gone.

The Sand Serpent endured for a long time. Just as he was about to speak, Wuyun’s voice rang out again, “Great Immortal, bring out all your treasures for inspection! We need to see if there are any weapons used to kill Greenbrown!”

The Sand Serpent could no longer contain himself, about to explode in rage, when a friend’s voice called from outside the cavern, “This is the perfect time to clear yourself of suspicion for Greenbrown’s death! If it were me, I’d let them search everything!”

With this advice, the Sand Serpent did not hesitate. A bead rolled from his mouth, which opened a spatial portal, revealing a trove of stored artifacts.

Just as the little worm complained he couldn’t see clearly, Wuyun gave him a swift kick, sending him inside. This bead-like storage artifact was a top-grade spatial treasure, acquired by the Sand Serpent at great cost. He frowned as the little worm wandered inside. When the inspection was supposedly finished, with a snap, the floating portal vanished, trapping the little worm within.

The Sand Serpent feigned worry, sighing, “Oh no, this spatial bead can’t store living things for long. And I forgot the method to open it. Since he’s finished checking and doesn’t want to come out, there’s nothing I can do!”

“Let him out now!” Bear Third roared, with the rest of the team echoing the demand. But these were all low-blooded creatures—reaching immortal body level was already their limit.

The Sand Serpent didn’t laugh. Outside the cavern, six immortals could be heard laughing openly, as if watching a farce.

Wuyun scolded, but the Sand Serpent only replied, “What, finished checking and now wants to stay for dinner with me? Tsk tsk, it’s been ages since so much food delivered itself to my door.”

The serpent flicked his tongue—there was no stink, only a sweet fragrance that made dozens of Wuyun’s followers gaze longingly. In the next moment, a centipede sprite leaped up uncontrollably, writhing upon the serpent’s tongue, licking now and then.

The scene was bizarre.

As the Sand Serpent leisurely chewed, centipede legs flew and fell to the river below, where fish sprites eagerly devoured the remains. The rest of Wuyun’s followers, suddenly terrified, fled the cavern.

At this critical moment, Wuyun insisted, “Even if the storage space is clean, there’s still one place left to check.”

A dead silence fell, even outside among the immortals watching the commotion.

Any sprite able to take human form possessed a measure of intelligence—without it, immortality was impossible.

Were these four monsters truly different, or had Greenleaf’s profound immortal arts brainwashed them?

The Sand Serpent, not wanting the matter to escalate, simply snorted and ignored them. But Wuyun persisted, declaring, “We haven’t checked inside your body. Perhaps the killer has already been silenced by you.”

“Vermin, courting death!” the Sand Serpent roared, but a friend’s voice whispered in his ear, urging patience. He suppressed his fury and growled, “My belly contains entire worlds. If you die inside, blame no one. Even if Lord Greenleaf hears of it, she’ll have nothing to say.”

“Great Immortal, you’re feeling guilty,” Wuyun replied.

No sooner had he spoken than the Sand Serpent opened his jaws. This time, it was not sweet fragrance but a nauseating, sinister stench, laced with killing intent.

“You go check!”

Bear Third turned and saw the serpent looking at him. He quickly shook his head, “Not me! If anyone wants to die, let them go! Why don’t you go?”

“Don’t you want the Profound Machine Pill?” Wuyun tempted him, but Bear Third kept shaking his head.

Long Yi, watching from the side, resented his cowardice. “I’ll go!” he declared.

Outside, the immortals began to place bets on which of the four would go first, since after Long Yi’s declaration, he hesitated.

To go, or not to go?

Without warning, Wuyun gave Long Yi a strong kick, sending him flying into the serpent’s maw. Then, with a sly grin, he remarked, “I’ll go! All the immortals out there are watching.”

With a swish, the Battle King rushed in ahead of Bear Third, both entering the serpent’s mouth one after the other.

Left outside, Wuyun began to spin a tale. As he spoke, the Sand Serpent’s expression gradually changed.

Every story centered on Lord Greenleaf, each recounting how those who defied her orders were dealt with.

As Wuyun drifted into casual gossip, he recounted Greenleaf’s daily routines, mannerisms, life events, and even some secrets.

The more the Sand Serpent listened, the graver his face became. Outside, the immortals seemed to vanish.

“Do you know why Greenleaf protects her brother so fiercely? Because she and Greenbrown aren’t blood-related, but their bond is deep.”

“Do you know why Lord Greenleaf put a bounty on the Profound Machine Pill? I overheard her muttering that the Ten-Tailed Fox Immortal King had poisoned and cursed the pill!”

“We’re here entirely on Lord Greenleaf’s orders! The first one who just rushed inside was given something by her—once he brings it out, the evidence of your crime against Greenbrown will be irrefutable!”

Wuyun’s last words were almost a whisper, but when the Sand Serpent heard them, it was as if struck by thunder. Suddenly, he snapped his jaws shut and bellowed, “Impossible!”

He said so, but inside his belly, a ripple began—he was using his power to annihilate Long Yi and the others, to test Wuyun’s claim.

“The murderer is you! You want to silence us!” Wuyun shouted, instantly swallowed whole.

As he was devoured, six strange sprites appeared before the Sand Serpent in human form. One, with a serpent’s face, snarled, “You won’t escape responsibility for this—how will you explain yourself to Sister Greenleaf?”

“Hmph, if she wants to kill me, didn’t you all hear what just happened?” The serpent’s hearing was keen—these were all immortal snake sprites, able to discern even the slightest lip movement.

The Sand Serpent was enraged, speaking without restraint, “I am already at the peak of the Great Immortal realm—soon to become a Profound Immortal. She fears my growth, my talent, that I’ll seize her position!”

The other immortals tried to calm him, but suddenly, the Sand Serpent’s expression changed, as if he had discovered something inconceivable within his stomach.

He roared, “So it’s true! Greenleaf’s lackeys didn’t lie to me!”

With those words, he plunged into the vast underground river and vanished.

The six immortals left behind exchanged anxious glances. Sensing conspiracy in the air, they too hurriedly departed.