Chapter 417

Words : 1142 Updated : Oct 15th, 2025

Chapter 417"Yan" sounded slightly exasperated. Despite its current state of darting aimlessly like a headless fly in the spatial prison, the Five Elements Winged Serpent was, after all, a formidable spirit beast. Its physical strength rivaled that of a Golden Core Realm cultivator, making it difficult to suppress. Containing it required a considerable amount of Yan's energy. Previously, Lu Qing had been focused on refining himself, teetering on the edge of a breakthrough. Moreover, with Golden Core enemies lurking nearby, the situation had been urgent. Yan refrained from troubling him with such a minor issue at that time. Now that Lu Qing had successfully broken through to the Golden Core Realm, Yan could no longer hold back and reminded him. "I really did forget about this matter." Seeing the multicolored winged serpent, Lu Qing was initially stunned but soon chuckled. He truly had forgotten about it. In recent days, with so many pressing matters and his cultivation taking precedence, he simply hadn’t had time to address this minor concern. Looking at the Five Elements Winged Serpent still struggling and thrashing about in the spatial prison, Lu Qing waved his hand and released it. As the master of the Li Huo Cauldron, Lu Qing naturally had control over its internal spatial artifact. Suddenly freed, the serpent landed outside, its eyes momentarily filled with confusion. Ever since being confined in that cramped and lightless space, it had long despaired. No matter how hard it tried, it was utterly incapable of breaking the spatial barrier. The formidable body it had once prided itself on proved utterly useless in that prison. Its persistent thrashing was merely the expression of its innate pride, refusing to yield even in the face of helplessness. Thus, its sudden release left the serpent momentarily dumbfounded. However, the bewilderment in its eyes quickly dissipated, replaced by overwhelming fury. It had recognized one of the two figures before it. That man! Not only had he taken away the treasure it had guarded for a thousand years, shattering its hopes of advancing and transforming, but he had also imprisoned it in that endless darkness. This grudge, this hatred, was unforgettable and etched into its very being! "Hissss!" The serpent's eyes burned with hatred as it let out a venomous hiss and lunged toward Lu Qing with tremendous speed. Its physical power erupted layer by layer, intending to pulverize its enemy with its indomitable strength! Facing the serpent's furious charge, Lu Qing remained utterly unmoved. He simply uttered one word. "Freeze." In an instant, the serpent's massive, speeding body abruptly halted in midair. Countless threads of spatial suppression wrapped around it, completely halting its momentum and pinning it in place. It couldn’t budge an inch. "Hissss!" Despite being restrained, the serpent refused to submit. It furiously wriggled its body, attempting to break free with its physical strength. Its eyes locked on Lu Qing, filled with seething hatred, as if engraving his visage into its very soul. "Little serpent, tell me—do you want to live or die?" Meeting the serpent's murderous gaze, Lu Qing spoke indifferently. At the same time, his divine soul manifestation suddenly radiated brilliant light, expanding rapidly until it nearly filled the entire spatial artifact. An overwhelming aura of power emanated from him, vast and boundless. A majestic voice descended like a decree from the heavens: "If you wish to live, open your mind and let me brand you with a Soul Imprint. If you wish to die, I will annihilate your soul right now and refine your body into a puppet to serve me!" The terrifying transformation left the serpent utterly stunned. It couldn’t believe that the man before it, whose aura had previously been on par with its own, had suddenly become so terrifying. It wanted to believe it was an illusion, but the oppressive force crushing its very soul told it otherwise. "Little serpent, give me your answer. Do you choose life or death?" Lu Qing's voice fell once more, resounding from on high. The serpent trembled, swallowing hard. Feeling the mountain-like pressure on its soul, it wanted to maintain its defiance. But its instincts screamed that refusing this man would result in immediate death, its soul obliterated without hesitation. Recalling Lu Qing's earlier threat that even in death, its body would be turned into a puppet, the serpent's resistance crumbled. If death led to the same enslavement, then living was the better option. "Hiss..." Under Lu Qing's piercing gaze, the serpent let out a low, reluctant hiss and lowered its head. At the same time, it emitted a faint ripple of submission from its soul. "Oh?" Lu Qing raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. He had anticipated needing more effort to intimidate the serpent into submission. To his surprise, it yielded so quickly. It seemed that this winged serpent, born in the Five Elements Hidden Realm, was simpler than he had expected. "Since you've chosen submission, open your mind," Lu Qing said coldly. The serpent obeyed without hesitation, laying its mind bare. Without delay, Lu Qing sent a Soul Imprint down from above, branding it deep within the serpent's soul. With the imprint in place, the Five Elements Winged Serpent was officially enslaved to him. From that moment on, its life and death were entirely under his control. With a single thought, Lu Qing could annihilate its soul. After subjugating the serpent, Lu Qing's divine soul manifestation returned to its original state, and the oppressive aura disappeared. "Congratulations, young master, on successfully subduing a powerful spirit beast," Yan said as it approached. Even Yan seemed shaken. The soul pressure Lu Qing had displayed moments ago had been almost unbearable for it. "Since his tribulation, the young master has become increasingly unfathomable," Yan thought. Even before the tribulation, Lu Qing had often surprised it. Now, after stepping into the Golden Core Realm, he was completely inscrutable. "Hiss..." The serpent slithered forward, rubbing against Lu Qing's hand affectionately. Its eyes no longer held the slightest trace of hatred. Its change in attitude was as dramatic as flipping a coin. Such was the terrifying nature of Soul Enslavement. Once branded, not only was the spirit beast’s life and death under its master’s control, but its mind was also warped, fostering a sense of loyalty and even affection for its master. This was why Lu Qing harbored lingering doubts about demonic cultivators. They were too adept at such manipulations, and while they outwardly displayed loyalty, he suspected their hearts remained untouched. Seeing the serpent's fawning behavior, Lu Qing patted its head. Sensing the Five Elements power within its body, he had a sudden thought. "From now on, your name will be Wuxing," he said. The serpent let out a satisfied hiss, seeming to accept its new name.

Chapter 417

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