Seven Star sat atop the massive back of the serpent known as Nana, the companion of the Five Poisons Old Immortal. The beast was a marvel to behold—five dragon-like heads crowned its body, and a pair of great wings propelled it as it glided toward the mainland.

  The two men passed the time in high spirits, drinking and sharing stories of old. Occasionally, they would pour a few jars of Ice-Fire Poison Wine down the serpent's throats. The potent brew left Nana in a drunken stupor, causing it to meander aimlessly through the waves, turning a short trip into a long, wandering journey.

  By the time they reached the shore, Nana had shrunk down to the size of a small snake, slithering into the Old Immortal’s sleeve to sleep off the intoxicants.

  An hour later, the Old Immortal shook off the effects of the wine. Treading upon the clouds, he flew toward the Rat Kingdom—the land formerly known as the White Wood Forest. He searched for any sign of Jade Snow Ying, but she was nowhere to be found.

  Perching himself atop the canopy of a towering tree, he closed his eyes. He could hear it—the mournful weeping of serpents deep underground, grieving for their fallen Forest God and their scorched homeland. Moved by a sudden whim, he plucked a leaf and placed it to his lips.

  The sound that followed was ethereal and haunting. The melody drifted into the earth, drawing the hidden serpents to the surface. They swarmed around the base of his tree, swaying rhythmically to the hypnotic tune.

  Suddenly, the earth burst open. A serpent of colossal proportions emerged, its body towering even higher than the treetops. It was the Druid Divine Physician, Bai Mu, and it too began to sway to the music. Following him were other great serpents, the descendants of the White Serpent Forest Gods.

  The sight of the massing serpent army sent the rat-men into a panic. They raised the alarm, summoning their military forces. As soon as the Old Immortal stopped playing, the snakes’ peaceful trance vanished. They turned their hungry gazes toward the rat soldiers. In an instant, the clearing became a slaughterhouse. Venomous breath and lashing tails decimated the rat-men where they stood.

  The Old Immortal resumed his leaf-whistling, and the snakes returned to their joyful, undulating dance.

  Soon, the disciples of Jade Snow Ying arrived. They were a diverse lot—humans, beastmen, and winged folk. They brandished bamboo flutes, attempting to counter with Seductive Sonic Arts. However, their internal cultivation was no match for the Old Immortal. His melody rebounded against them, shattering their focus and knocking them unconscious. The rat army attempted to rain poisoned arrows upon him, but their efforts were futile. Three layers of shimmering energy shields—spanning 100, 500, and 1,000 meters—encircled the area, effortlessly deflecting every projectile.

  Eventually, Jade Snow Ying made her appearance, riding atop a terrifying, two-legged Wyvern. The moment they arrived, the beast dove toward the Old Immortal, unleashing a hundred-meter torrent of flame. The attack broke against his defenses.

  With a flick of his sleeve, the Old Immortal nudged Nana awake. The serpent lunged from his arm, expanding into its true form: a hundred-meter-long green behemoth. Still groggy, Nana let out a massive yawn. Taking advantage of the distraction, the Wyvern swooped down and bit off one of Nana’s heads in a surprise strike.

  The pain jolted Nana fully awake. The severed neck pulsed, and a new head regenerated almost instantly. As the Wyvern prepared another infernal blast, Nana reared up and spat a massive jet of water.

  This was no ordinary water; it was laced with the undigested Ice-Fire Poison Wine Nana had consumed days prior. When the water met the Wyvern’s flames, it vaporized instantly. The toxic fumes of the wine filled the air, entering the Wyvern’s nostrils. The dragon-kin was instantly paralyzed, falling from the sky with a thunderous thud.

  Nana blinked in confusion, thinking to itself, "Did I even do anything? Or was that opponent just pathetic?" Shrugging off the thought, the serpent curled up next to the Old Immortal to continue digesting its wine and tempering its strength.

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  Jade Snow Ying rushed to her fallen mount, stunned to find it unconscious from poisoning. How? When did he strike? she wondered. Dragons possessed an innate, high resistance to toxins, yet her Wyvern had been downed in seconds. She hurriedly administered several high-grade antidotes to buy the beast some time.

  She turned her gaze toward the Old Immortal and felt a chill. He carried no visible Dharma Treasures or artifacts, yet the pressure radiating from him was suffocating. Despite both being at the Nascent Soul stage, his aura made her feel utterly outmatched.

  She knew how fortified this land was—protected by layers of arrays and an energy dome that amplified her power. Yet, this man had walked in as if he were taking a stroll in a park.

  He is either a god-tier powerhouse or a complete lunatic, she thought. Either way, he is someone I shouldn't provoke lightly.

  "Great Immortal," she called out, her voice melodious and enchanting, designed to captivate any man who heard it. "Who are you? Why have you come here? Is there some grievance or debt between us that I am unaware of?"

  The Old Immortal stopped his music and looked at the beautiful woman. "You are quite the beauty. Your Charm Arts must be at a very high level. Perhaps you’d like to entertain this old man for a while?"

  Jade Snow Ying smiled gracefully. "Great Immortal, you do love to joke. But a dalliance with me comes at a steep price—perhaps a few centuries of your cultivation, or even your life."

  The Old Immortal let out a boisterous laugh. "Ha! No, no. I'm too old for such games. My back and knees couldn't take it. I came here simply because I like the scenery. The spiritual energy here is rich—a perfect place for an old man to retire. Wouldn't you agree, fair lady?"

  Jade Snow Ying’s smile remained, though it grew colder. "I cannot agree. This land was won through the blood and bones of my people. Why should I simply hand it over to you?"

  "And did this land have no master before you arrived?" the Old Immortal countered. "You used overwhelming force to bend others to your will. I am simply applying your own logic—returning to you what you have given to others."

  Jade Snow Ying looked at the serpents surrounding him and realized he likely had ties to the former Forest Gods. "I see. Very well. Let us settle this through a duel of arts. The victor shall claim the land."

  "Suit yourself," the Old Immortal chuckled. "You are the host; I invite you to make the first move." He then signaled for the snakes to retreat to a safe distance.

  Jade Snow Ying ordered the rat-men to withdraw as well. She drew a treasure known as the Jade Bamboo Flute and began to play a piece called 'The Soul-Seeking General.' The song told of a tragic general who died in battle, separated from his immortal lover, and of the lady’s descent into madness as she hunted for his soul. As the notes filled the air, a gargantuan Spectral Wolf General manifested, followed by thousands of phantom soldiers that surged toward the Old Immortal.

  "A sad tale indeed," the Old Immortal remarked. "Are you the lady in the song? To manifest a Spectral General... impressive! But life has its ups and downs; too much sorrow only rots the soul. Listen to this instead."

  He plucked a fresh leaf and began a melody titled 'The Mandarin Duck and the Butterfly.' It told the story of a kind woman who saved a white snake, and how, after a thousand years of reincarnation, they were finally reunited as a pair of serpents. This was the legend of the White Serpent Forest Gods.

  As he played, illusory pairs of mandarin ducks and butterflies swarmed from the leaf, colliding with the spectral wolf army.

  The clash of their Sonic Arts was cataclysmic. The very earth began to tremble. Rocks tumbled, trees fell, and buildings crumbled as the sonic waves shattered the ground. Sonic combat was a battle of internal energy—it bypassed physical and magical armor, attacking the body, the energy meridians, and the spirit simultaneously. Even covering one’s ears offered no protection.

  Initially, Jade Snow Ying held the advantage. The energy dome and the surrounding arrays funneled power into her, sustaining her strength. But as the duel dragged on, the Old Immortal’s music began to systematically dismantle her defenses. The energy towers, the underground pyramids, and the etched arrays on the surface were pulverized by the vibrating air.

  Without her external power sources, she began to wither.

  The duel lasted for half a day. The sky turned dark as heavy clouds gathered, and every creature within a hundred miles fell silent. The Old Immortal remained calm, his complexion rosy and his breathing steady as if he had done nothing more than take a light walk.

  Jade Snow Ying, however, was gasping for air. Her face was pale, her limbs trembled with exhaustion, and her spiritual sea was running dry.

  The Old Immortal smiled. "Young lady, it has been a long time since someone could keep up with me for so long. Very good. You have only experienced one 'Awakening,' haven't you? Ha! I shall return tomorrow to see what you have decided."

  With that, he took to the sky and flew toward the clearing where Seven Star was waiting.

  "How did it go, old man?" Seven Star asked.

  "Give it a few more days," the Old Immortal replied. "Then you can go in and play the mediator. She’s stubborn, but I’ve leveled her energy dome and her fortifications. That should be enough to rattle her. She’ll be much easier to negotiate with now."

  Seven Star laughed. "Thank you, old friend. How about another drink? I’m starting to get a real taste for that brew of yours!"