Plague Lord (3)

The outside of the cave was lightly illuminated by the sun. The heavy forestry sheltered the cave from light, and from covetous eyes. Unless someone was really careful, they wouldn't find the cave. Yuan Ming mistakenly found it when he crashed into one of the trees beside it.

The cave would serve as his home until he found a better one. At least he wouldn't have intruders slipping inside one day.

Although he wanted to go outside, the green forest and the light outside made him wince. Yuan Ming had no other options but to sleep until it was night again!

[That is true. You cannot go outside, unless you have plans to die. For now, I recommend exploring the cave. It looks…like it leads to somewhere.]

He growled and carefully looked at the insides of the cave. It was slightly humid and warm, but dark too. But, his new eyes were special. Beings or objects that emitted warmth shone red in his vision.

Looking at the dark depths of the cave, he didn't see any living creatures. Yet, due to curiosity, he began exploring the cave.

‹When I was a child, I entered a cave like this and got lost. Really brings up memories…›

A few moments later, he came upon an open dome-like area. The light in his eyes flickered as he saw a hole in the wall of the cave, from where water from a river fell and formed a pond. The calm and translucent water had flooded the entire cave floor; only the entrance, where he had slept, was left dry.

Yuan Ming slowly walked into the water. His suspicions were disproven when he felt coldness on his feet, but nothing else happened.

He shook his heads and returned to the entrance, and began sleeping once again. He had decided he would hunt for some monsters once he woke up, or try to enter Star City.

A lust for power was one of the strange things that was born inside him…

…

…

…

…

…

Vibrations inside the cave broke Yuan Ming's sleep as his eyes opened. His eyes immediately focused on the place of the vibration.

He found a meter-long and one hand-thick snake slide through a cave crack and dip into the cave's water. It's yellow scales shone as it began swimming in the pond.

Yuan Ming was alarmed when he felt waves of vigorous essence emerge from the pond and enter the snake. The snake in turn heavily shook its body and dived deep into the pond.

[That is…a Rank 3 snake. It's far, far powerful than you. If it was Rank 2 then it'd be something else but…]

[However, it's venom can be of use… If you can absorb some of it then you might be able to evolve further!]

Yuan Ming gripped the wall near his body and climbed it. His agile and flexible legs attached themselves to it with its dagger-like nails. He swiftly crawled through the walls and entered the inner cave system.

"Sssrrrk…! "

As soon as he went near the pond, even when he was on the ceiling, a yellow tail emerged from the pond and slapped his body with such speed that his eyes didn't even register it.

A massive chunk of the cave along with Yuan Ming was thrown to the other side as the snakes head emerged and hisses at him.

"SSSSkkk!! "

Yuan Ming threw off the rubble on his body and angrily glared at the snake. His jaw snapped open as he let out an earth-shaking howl.

"KRAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

The water from the pond climbed up the snake's body and turned into ice; forming a thick blue armor. The howl that Yuan Ming had confidence in couldn't even break through the armor, much less faze the snake.

The snake had enough; it shook its head and opened its jaws, and fired a small stream of foamy liquid at Yuan Ming.

When the liquid landed on his muscles, he let out an agonizing scream and ran towards the entrance. The snake looked on, clearly amused. When it saw that the pesky monster didn't come back to bother it, it dived back into the water.

"GRAA…!! HNNGHHAHH!! "

Maddening screams ripped through the air as Yuan Ming collapsed onto the floor with his body emitting hot smoke. Some of the muscles on his arms melted, increasing his agony.

Yet soon, the foaming liquid on his back disappeared. It was devoured by his body.

"HNG! "

A massive force rushed out from Yuan Ming's body and broke the cave's walls. A baleful energy began to spread from his body and decay the floor.

Suddenly, the force and the baleful energy traveled back and entered his body again. As a reaction, he growled and looked at his body.

Something was new; but on the other hand, his power had increased. The coloring of his muscles had changed into a more blueish-red color; while his claws were pitch-black now.

[You…are now Rank 2. You have evolved new characteristics after eating that poison…]

A strange liquid oozed out from his mouth as he looked towards it. His mouth was now filled with foamy black liquid.

[It isn't poison however, it's a liquid that carries the plague! Terrific isn't it!]

Yuan Ming looked behind and saw the snake. He immediately ran out of the cave and abandoned it. He didn't want to deal with something above his power for now.

The moonlight twisted through the leaves of the trees and fell to the ground. The mountains were shrouded in heavy dew, from afar they looked menacing.

Yuan Ming's chest heaved up and down as he inhaled and exhaled. He hid in some thick bushes and tried to wait for some beasts.

Suddenly, from far away, dozens of human figures appeared. Trailing behind them was a carriage; and right above its roof were three lamps. A few bald men wearing Taoist robes also held lamps.

A few white-haired men in front of the group held dreadful expressions as they cautiously scanned the surroundings. Even a few owls hooting had them alarmed!

Even from fifty meters away, Yuan Ming could clearly see the expressions on their faces. His eyes were that powerful…unfortunately, he could only see them, he couldn't hear them.

His ears were damaged. He couldn't hear anymore.

…

…

"Core Disciple Huang, are you sure the Elder's divination is true? Do you really think an Evil Spirit would be born in a place like this, that has limited essence in the air? "

A white-haired man walking in front of the group scowled and glared at the lower disciple questioning him. "You sure are talkative for someone that's of lower-birth! Stay quiet, mortal. "

The disciple hung his head in shame. He didn't dare reply to the man — after all, he wasn't even in the first stage of cultivation, Mortal Coil. He didn't have the rights to question a cultivator!

All he could do was mutter under his breath, "I regret joining a righteous sect…sigh. Even chopping chicken heads at my family shop would've been better… "

The Core Disciple at the front coughed and looked towards the carriage. "When we find that filthy beast, all of you, except Disciple Lei, try to distract it. We'll use the weapons inside the carriage and then kill the beast, got it? "

"Your families will be rewarded by the sect, don't worry. "

The mortal men wearing the taoist robes shuddered, some even shed a few tears, but didn't decline. Instead they hurriedly nodded.

After all, they couldn't cultivate… They were simple mortals exchanging their lives for some silver.

All of their fates were changed however, when a blueish-red shadow dashed into the entourage.