Chapter 632: Black Serpent

*Rumble*

"Hehe, Master, I will  cook up some more meat for you." Ako quickly went to work. After watching Kana roast meat just the previous night, she already learned how to do it. In no time at all, she roasted the meat that was left and served it to Kana with sparkling eyes that stared at Kana with anticipation and nervousness. 

Kana felt like she picked up a puppy instead of a friend. She could picture a tail wagging back and forth behind Ako as she waited for her judgment on the food. Not wanting to make the poor girl wait too long, Kana took a bite of the meat and was pleasantly surprised. "Very good and juicy! Ako you got talent!" 

"Hehe! Master praised me!" Ako smiled brightly and spun around where she stood. The little caterpillar on Kana's shoulder was unsure of what to make out of this slime. Slimes were known for killing their prey and disappearing as if they were never there. One of the most feared demonic beasts of the realm was happily dancing around just because it got praised for its cooking. 

After a filling meal, Kana, Ako, and the little worm began their journey through the forest once more, making their way towards the ancient temple. Kana found out that Ako was the clingy type and hugged her arm the entire time they made their way through the forest.  After half a day's travel, the small group came upon their first demonic beasts. "A rank nine black serpent!… Master, I will take care of it. You stay right there and…"

"Ako, do me a favor and just slow its movements. Make it so that it is as weak as a rank two demonic beasts." Kana stopped Ako before she could attack the black serpent. "I need a tough battle in order to breakthrough." 

This was the chance that Kana was waiting for. She wanted a tough battle so she could finally break through the wall that was blocking her from becoming a stage five body fortification realm cultivator. Ako pursed her lips but nodded. She had forgotten that Kana was still of low cultivation. She walked over to the black serpent and put her hands on her hips, and yelled out: "You heard my master I need to weaken you until you are a rank two demonic beasts." 

"You!" The black serpent heard Ako's words and was clearly angered by them as it yelled out. All demonic beasts of rank six and above were able to speak the human tongue. So it was not strange for the black serpent to speak out. Although its mouth did not move as it spoke it only hung open.

"What, you? You heard what I said, so come on, either you cripple your cultivation down to a rank two demonic beasts, or I do it for you, pick." Ako was domineering as she released her rank four divine beast aura. The pressure that came with it slammed down onto the black serpent, immediately making the black scaly face turn grim. Fear filled its eyes as it stared at Ako. 

"You're a divine beast! Why are you helping this weakling!?" The black serpent had to ask. No matter how much it feared Ako right now, it still had to know why a divine beast was willing to help a weakling like this.

"Did you not hear my words just now? This is my most wonderful and loveable Master. Why would I not help her? Are you dumb, or are you dumb?" Ako cocked her head to the side and crossed her arms across her chest, looking at the black serpent as if it was an idiot. "Hurry up and cripple yourself. I do not have all day. My lovely Master wants to breakthrough." 

Kana held her head. She was starting to feel bad for the black serpent. She almost told Ako never mind, but when she remembered that she needed to break through, she decided against it. As for the black serpent, it wanted to cry! It had no choice but to do as Ako told it to and slammed its tail into its core, cracking it. Spiritual qi began to flow out of the cracked core, and its rank began to drop. 

Rank 8…

Rank 7…

All the way until it reached rank two, and the black serpent quickly suppressed the spiritual qi flowing out of it. Ako smiled and nodded her head in approval. "Good now you will fight with my master, but if you kill her or try to cripple her….."

The black serpent shivered in fear. It did not dare go against Ako. It slithered its way over to Kana and lowered its head. "When you are ready."

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On the other side of the forest, Liu Na was currently walking through a cave she found under a tree stump she had hidden in after finally making her way to safety. She was injured and had to spend a few days healing before she could move on. The cave was dimly lit by the glowing mushrooms and moss that covered the cave floor and ceiling. "I wonder where this will lead me…" As she walked to the backside of the cave, she noticed a passage in the rock that did not look natural at all. It was too clean, as if it had been cut with a sword. 

Liu Na walked over to the passage and saw that it led down into the ground more and gulped. The passage was very dark with no light, and she could not see what was down there. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists. "With no risks, there is no gain." 

Mustering up her courage, she stepped into the passage and began making her way down the dark passage very slowly. She held her sword at the ready just in case she was suddenly attacked. But the further in she went, she began to see dim lighting in the dark passage. It took her almost twenty minutes before she finally reached the end which led to a large cave. What she saw though, stunned her. Deep in this dim dark cave was a large throne room!