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"Looks like Ji Xiang is going to benefit from this..."

Looking at the extra bit of Tianxin Sand, Qin Fang's face bore a rather mischievous smile, as if someone was about to have bad luck.

That someone was undoubtedly Ji Xiang.

Previously, Qin Fang had promised Ji Xiang to forge a pair of top-quality daggers from the teeth of the Xuanshui Gigantic Python. If Tianxin Sand was added during the forging process, the effect would be even better.

Though it couldn't be said that daggers on par with the Flowing Shadow Divine Sword could be forged, they shouldn't fall too far behind...

This was why Qin Fang would soon have a divine weapon of the Ten Great Divine Weapons rank to use; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so willing to "waste" the Tianxin Sand.

Still, since Ji Xiang and the others followed him all the way to Japan, living dangerous days where they could lose their lives at any moment, having an extra life-saving trick was very good. So, naturally, Qin Fang wasn't stingy.

However, just because Qin Fang wasn't stingy didn't mean that Ji Xiang wouldn't need to contribute. Qin Fang knew that this guy had a considerable amount of influence.

While he might not have made great progress in martial strength, in other matters, he could still contribute...

It was quite helpless; Qin Fang's influence was decent within the Dragon Nation, but not so in Japan. The same was true for Monk Wukong and Song Qingshan.

Ji Xiang's family was a powerful force in the Golden Triangle, with connections to many international underground figures. As long as this guy was willing to exert himself, certain things would become much easier.

Of course, Qin Fang didn't expect Ji Xiang to exert much force, as he was just a descendant of the family, with limited resources he could access and use...

"Keep searching; maybe there will be more discoveries!"

Having found this piece of Tianxin Sand, Qin Fang felt that his objective was achieved, but that didn't mean he would stop searching.

Tianxin Sand was valuable indeed, not only did Qin Fang need it, but if he tossed it into the black market or the Dragon Country Martial Arts, there would surely be plenty of demand.

If he could procure another piece, Qin Fang could even trade it with those Thousand-Year Sects for some precious materials or medicines he needed.

As he spoke, Qin Fang continued his grand soil-turning quest, only at a faster pace and with less precision than before.

It was mostly a time issue; Qin Fang couldn't afford to waste more time. He needed to finish his work here quickly and then rendezvous with the others at the main hall.

This secret place gave Qin Fang an uneasy feeling, like a constant sense of dread. It felt somewhat safer during the day, as they could look out for each other if danger arose.

But once night fell, things could get very precarious, and who knew how many of the four of them would make it out.

Hence, there was no time to be wasted, and Qin Fang had to speed up...

With this increased pace, the work wasn't as meticulous as before, though Qin Fang didn't expect to find a second piece of Tianxin Sand.

After all, this stuff was exceedingly rare. Finding one was already incredible luck; finding a second would be nearly miraculous...

Clearly, performing miracles wasn't easy; at least, not for Qin Fang. After thoroughly combing through the sandy land, he found no second piece.

"Even though I expected this, why am I still a bit upset?"

After finishing his work, and as Qin Fang prepared to leave, he couldn't help but mutter to himself.

Of course, Qin Fang wasn't genuinely bothered by it, as acquiring this piece of Tianxin Sand already left him quite satisfied.

With Tianxin Sand in hand, Qin Fang knew this trip hadn't been in vain. Acquiring the python skin from the Xuanshui Gigantic Python was great, but it paled in comparison to Tianxin Sand.

"Time to find the Serpent Origin Fruit..."

After a brief tidy-up, Qin Fang headed towards the dark and gloomy Snake Lair. The Serpent Origin Fruit grew deep within the snake's nest, so naturally, he had to venture deep inside.

With a flick of his wrist, a high-powered flashlight appeared in Qin Fang's hand. The Snake Lair was very dim, and even with Qin Fang's amazing eyesight, visibility wasn't great.

Even though this was the Xuanshui Giant Python's nest, and theoretically no other beasts should be present, Qin Fang had to be cautious.

The Xuanshui Giant Python was a hermaphroditic snake, a so-called "self-mating" snake, so Qin Fang wasn't worried about encountering a second Python here.

This kind of python is a fierce beast with a very strong sense of territory. If a second Xuanshui Giant Python were in this secret place, they would have fought long ago, making coexistence impossible.

However, to be on the safe side, Qin Fang remained quite vigilant... At least, whether this Xuan Shui Python that has lived for almost several hundred years has ever given birth to small snakes is not something Qin Fang could foresee.

In case there really is a second smaller Xuan Shui Python lurking in the cave, Qin Fang could prevent it in advance, rather than scrambling for solutions at the last moment.

This was a cave formed from piles of rocks, naturally formed, but the ground and the stone walls were exceptionally smooth.

It's not the kind of smoothness created by the erosion of flowing water, but clearly worn smooth by the massive body of the Xuan Shui Python over many years.

Now, however, this cave was extremely quiet, with almost no strange sounds, only the faint sound of flowing water and Qin Fang's light footsteps breaking the silence.

The cave was deep, as it's the snake lair of the Xuan Shui Python, whose body length exceeds fifty meters. If the snake nest were too small, it would be impossible for it to coil its body, let alone reside within.

Qin Fang's pace wasn't fast nor slow, but he had walked more than four to five hundred meters, and the tunnel of the snake nest was getting larger. Gradually, Qin Fang felt he was nearing his destination.

For no reason other than the sound of flowing water was getting louder and Qin Fang faintly sensed some light...

"Reached the place..."

Qin Fang quickly checked the small map; ahead there was no formidable threat, like a fierce beast such as the Xuan Shui Python, which eased his mind.

Quickening his steps, Qin Fang entered an enormous cavern, and his previously dim vision instantly became clearer.

"What a huge cavern..."

This cavern was extraordinarily large; Qin Fang's rough estimates suggested the longest span was at least a hundred meters. Due to the lighting, he couldn't see clearly in the distance, hence couldn't make an accurate estimation, but the shortest span was also over fifty meters.

Only such a large cavern could accommodate the massive body of the Xuan Shui Python; otherwise, it would have gotten stuck long ago.

Above the cavern, at a height of several tens of meters, there was a hole resembling a volcanic crater, which was completely connected to the outside world. A ray of sunlight shone through this opening, illuminating the cavern and preventing it from being too dim.

Directly below this opening was a small pond, with a modest area, yet it contained quite a bit of water.

If Qin Fang estimated correctly, this water should be rainwater dripping from this opening…

Beside this small pond, where the sunlight shone, were some lush green plants, some with pink flowers in bloom, and some of which had already borne crimson fruit...

"Serpent Origin Fruit..."

Seeing these fruits, Qin Fang, although he had anticipated it, couldn't help but feel excited. Luckily, his timing wasn't too unfortunate; the Serpent Origin Fruit was still there.

The specific type of plants growing by the pond, Qin Fang wasn't certain, but these fruits should have formed by absorbing the elemental energy released by the Xuan Shui Python, hence called Serpent Origin Fruit.

Although they aren't spiritual medicine, having undergone the baptism of the elemental energy from an alien snake species like the Xuan Shui Python, they are still very rare medicinal herbs.

However, although the Serpent Origin Fruit grows and bears fruit year-round, it still depends on luck...

For example, if there were fewer green plants, then fewer fruits would be produced.

If it coincides with the stage where old fruits have fallen and decayed and new fruits have yet to form, then Qin Fang would have come here in vain.

Qin Fang's luck was decent; these few Serpent Origin Fruits were fully ripe, nearly to the point of overripeness, and if delayed a few more days, they would probably fall and rot.

But Qin Fang arrived at this precise moment, indicating his luck was indeed good...

If these fruits did fall and rot, while others were still in the flowering stage, far from bearing fruit, Qin Fang would have indeed wasted his effort.

"Luck's not bad..."

Qin Fang praised himself, then moved forward to pick those Serpent Origin Fruits.

Though Serpent Origin Fruits are not spiritual medicine and relatively easy to find, the fruits do have distinctions. The ones nurtured by ordinary giant snakes and those by an exotic species like the Xuan Shui Python are not on the same level...

One could even say they are vastly different, not even of the same grade, and the difference lies in this "elemental" aspect of the Serpent Origin Fruit.

This essentially refers to the difference in species that nurtures the Serpent Origin Fruits; there's a difference between ordinary pythons and Golden Crested Snakes, and a massive difference between Golden Crested Snakes and Xuan Shui Pythons...

The Xuan Shui Python is considered the highest rank beneath spiritual beast snakes, hence the Serpent Origin Fruits nurtured by Xuan Shui Pythons are practically second only to spiritual medicine...

Just based on this, there's no way Qin Fang would miss out on the Serpent Origin Fruits before him! (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)