Snake Cultivator

Chapter 1: New Beginning

"What in the Immortal Realm is taking so long? It's been over two hours!" a man cursed as he paced back and forth.

"Relax, my son. Your wife should be giving birth soon. I sense more than one child in her womb, and the first childbirth is always the most excruciating. After all, something beautiful is always born through extreme pain. That beautiful thing is called life," an old man replied.

"Congratulations, my son. You are the father of a girl and two boys," an elderly woman smiled as she entered through the doors, watching the father-to-be pacing like he was walking on hot coals.

"Three?" the two men exclaimed in unison, rushing into the room. The old woman sighed as her husband and son hurried past her.

Inside, they saw blood-stained sheets beneath a pale, sweaty woman who had lost consciousness. The first man let out a breath of relief as he felt her breathing steady, knowing she would be alright. Turning their attention to the three crying babies, their eyes tightly shut, they saw them placed atop a smaller bed. The blood had been wiped from their bodies, though their hair was still too bloodied to tell its color.

"They are arranged in the order of their birth, from left to right. The girl came first, five minutes before the second child. The last one was born seven minutes after the second. We had to turn him in the womb because his head wasn’t positioned correctly. She lost a lot of blood and will need to remain bedridden longer than usual," the new grandmother explained with a smile. "Triplets. The Heavens are truly smiling on the Guo Clan. I had only sensed twins. What a wonderful little miracle."

"I finally join my brothers and sister in becoming a grandparent," the old man laughed. "The Guo Clan now has three more members in the main branch. What will you name them?"

"Perhaps mother can assess their potential?" the father asked.

"Strange. Very strange," the grandmother murmured after lifting her hand and releasing a gentle light over the babies, sending them into a peaceful sleep.

"They lack any attributes? Is there none they have the potential to learn?" the old man inquired.

"You old coot! You know that’s impossible to determine this early. A practitioner doesn’t gain affinity until they turn seven. I guarantee they’ll be able to become practitioners," the old woman snapped. "We’ll name them Guo Mei, Guo Lin, and Guo Yang."

As the men left, the grandmother stayed to tend to her daughter-in-law. She didn’t notice Guo Yang behaving unusually, already trying to open his eyes. Guo Yang had once been a giant, golden snake with jade eyes and sand-colored feathers. Within his chest, a neidan from his old body remained intact.

Memories of his past life flashed before him—visions of a massive serpent ruling over water and earth as a sovereign under the Heavens. Oceans couldn’t conceal prey from him. Mountains became his hunting grounds, instilling terror. By turning water into ice, even phoenixes couldn’t burn him like they had many other snake-like magical beasts.

He had crushed and shattered the bones and lungs of dragons while coiling around their bodies. Humans fled in fear of his poisonous jade mists, and now the baby boy felt the same dread the snake had faced at the threshold of ascension. After a thousand years, the serpent had been reborn as a human. At last, he had a fresh start, and he hoped his new life wouldn’t be as treacherous and dangerous as the last.

Maybe, in this life, he wouldn’t have to fear birds. He really, really hated birds.

Chapter 2: Third Child (1)

Twelve years had passed since the triplets were born, and the Guo Clan couldn't be happier. They were a relatively average clan with a slight edge in growing magical herbs. As suppliers to the Alchemist Association, their connections were the main reason no one bothered them, not their might. Over the years, the clan had accumulated practitioner weapons, armors, and treasures, but none of their descendants in the past eight centuries were born with exceptional talent.

However, these triplets brought much joy to the clan. It was common knowledge that consuming magical beast meat enabled the body to handle large amounts of spiritual energy. The triplets were only satisfied when they drank the milk of magical beasts, much to their mother's dismay. When they could eat solid foods, their meals contained small portions of magical beast meat, with the amount increasing each year.

The only problem was that two of the triplets behaved abnormally. The only child who acted normally was the middle triplet: Guo Lin. He was everything Guo Feng and the patriarch, Guo Jing, had hoped for. With long brown hair and jade-green eyes, Guo Lin was incredibly strong for his age, able to lift over a hundred pounds with one arm. He was also very interested in martial arts, often imitating what he saw his father and older cousins doing. He was polite, kind, and smart. If raised well, he would not become arrogant and could bring glory to the clan, possibly being one of the first to join a sect or academy.

If Guo Lin was the pride of his parents, his sister, Guo Mei, was his jealous rival. She prided herself on being the best, learning to walk, talk, and write before her brothers. She was incredibly cute and exceptionally fast—by the age of seven, she could outrun most ordinary adults. She constantly sparred with Guo Lin whenever he bested her at something she valued. Her mother sometimes showed favoritism, not wanting Guo Mei to feel left out. Though she didn’t hate her brother, Guo Mei was envious of the attention he received.

Then there was the third child: Guo Yang, the most abnormal of the triplets. Even as a baby, he required a brazier to stay warm, as if he were cold-blooded, always needing heat or heavy clothes. Guo Yang had black hair and sand-colored eyes. As soon as he could walk, he spent much of his time basking in the sun. At first, the family thought he was sickly, but they soon learned he simply hated being cold. He protested whenever the maids dressed him in light clothes or forgot to bring his brazier.

Guo Yang was also incredibly smart. Once he learned to read, he spent most of his time in the library by his brazier. He was uncomfortable talking to or being around others, and his eyes often narrowed as if he suspected people of trying to take advantage of him. He also had an intense hatred for birds, frequently throwing rocks at them. Whenever he hit one, he clapped his hands with glee. After several incidents, no one in the Guo Clan dared bring avian magical beasts near the patriarch's home, where Guo Yang spent most of his time.

While the rest of the family was divided between favoring Guo Mei or Guo Lin, the patriarch, Guo Jing, showed a bias toward Guo Yang. Guo Yang often visited the patriarch’s house and spent time with his snake magical beast. Guo Jing was surprised the boy wasn’t afraid of the snake and even seemed to communicate with it, despite the fact that the beast hadn’t reached the cultivation level where it could speak a human language. In many ways, Guo Jing felt like he was Guo Yang’s only relative, as the boy was comfortable around him.

Another reason for the patriarch’s fondness was Guo Yang's immunity to poisons, which allowed him to help care for the more dangerous herbs in exchange for more magical beast meat and milk. The Guo Clan began growing more poisonous herbs, amazed that Guo Yang was unaffected by the toxins.

What truly set Guo Yang apart was the neidan in his body—a marble-like core similar to an alchemical furnace. As he consumed magical beast meat and milk, the spiritual energy refined within the neidan, enhancing his body. Although no one saw him practicing martial arts, the spiritual energy in his body was far superior to that of his siblings. His neidan was the color of jade, with the image of a snake's skeleton so black it seemed to absorb light. Its presence was the reason he was immune to poison.

"Guo Yang? Guo Yang?" Guo Feng called as his wife made breakfast. Only his older children sat at the table. "Guo Lin, where’s your brother?"

"At Grandpa’s house. He left before dawn again. He wore light clothes, so he took his personal brazier with him," Guo Lin answered, stabbing a scrambled egg.

"Is he not my and Ji Ting’s son? Why does he never eat breakfast with us?" Guo Feng sighed, sitting down with his other children and wife. "I should be more strict with the boy. He has potential to be a great practitioner, but he hasn’t learned any martial arts. The spirit awakening test is today, and yet he runs off to my father’s house. Maybe I should hire a magical beast tamer to teach him how to tame snakes. He could make a good business selling them and their eggs."

"Calm down, dear. He’ll surely change once the spirit awakening test is done," Ji Ting soothed. "No doubt, Father-in-law will bring him. We need to get ready and take Guo Mei and Guo Lin, or we’ll be late."

"You two, finish your food and get dressed," Guo Feng grumbled. Guo Mei and Guo Lin said nothing, sensing their father’s frustration.

"Now remember, Yang’er, behave and don’t try to harm any avian magical beasts as we head to the ritual grounds of our God Lotus City," Guo Jing warned as they rode on his giant snake magical beast, over fifty feet long and six feet thick. He glanced at the boy, who nodded while whispering to the snake, which hissed in response. "Did you hear me?"

"Yes, Grandpa Patriarch," Guo Yang replied. "I’ll only glare at them."

"I swear, why do you hate birds so much?" Guo Jing asked.

"They are evil, vicious creatures. They’re dangerous," Guo Yang answered. Guo Jing sighed as civilians avoided the path of the massive black-and-orange-patterned snake. Ordinary folk were terrified of the patriarch’s magical beast, and no one wanted to anger the Guo Clan, who supplied the Alchemist Association despite their lack of power compared to other clans.

"Hello, Patriarch." "Hello, Father," Guo Feng and the other clan members greeted as Guo Jing and Guo Yang arrived.

"Guo Yang, why didn’t you eat breakfast with us?" Guo Feng asked, looking at his son, who stood beside the patriarch, holding a brazier.

"I don’t like crowds, and you said you’d come early," Guo Yang replied, adjusting his robe.

"Aiyah, leave him be. There are eyes watching," Ji Ting murmured as the Guo Clan gathered with other clans, all bringing their twelve-year-old children for the spirit awakening ritual. The event always took place three days before New Year's Eve, a tradition since the founding of the city. Many commoners and clan members envied the more powerful families whose children typically survived the ritual.

"Welcome to the ritual grounds!" a man in a crimson tuxedo greeted with a smile. "Many people of all colors and ethnicities live in our great God Lotus City. Today, you’ve brought your children for one purpose: to awaken the spiritual energy within their bodies! Some will live, many may die. Such is the risk of becoming a practitioner."

"We're going to die?" Guo Mei gasped, looking at her mother in shock as other children echoed her fear.

"If your children are lucky, they may even gain attribute affinities," the man continued, ignoring the cries of frightened children.

"Maybe I’ll finally discover the third spirit energy my neidan has been absorbing," Guo Yang thought.

"What did that man mean by death?" Guo Mei asked, trembling.

Chapter 3: Third Child (2)

"No matter the method, the spiritual awakening unlocks the power of your soul. If you have an affinity, something only the most ancient and powerful clans possess from birth, it might be lost," Guo Feng said, shocking Guo Yang. He thought of his own *neidan*. Could he lose the three types of elemental energies he absorbed? Ridiculous.

"People like that exist?" Guo Lin asked, sounding disappointed, as he'd always thought he was quite talented.

"Don't worry. I guarantee you'll survive," Guo Jing laughed. "You’ll all sit within a formation barrier and endure the spiritual pressure of the practitioners as they awaken your spiritual energy. If you succeed, a white lotus will bloom, and the petals will show if you have elemental affinities. Go on now."

The fifty-three children nervously gathered in the center of a large square as their guardians and loved ones watched from the stands. Guo Mei and Guo Lin were anxious, while Guo Yang refused to believe he would lose his elemental affinities. Five practitioners in white robes took their places at the square’s corners, activating the octagonal formation barrier beneath the children. They lifted their hands to the heavens, and a golden light descended on each child.

Guo Yang gritted his teeth, feeling the intense pressure. He quickly circulated his spiritual energy as the water element in his body began slipping away. It felt as though his limbs were being pulled apart. Soon, over two dozen children vomited blood and died, a few more suffering gruesome deaths as their chests or heads exploded. The air filled with weeping as Guo Yang closed his eyes, trying desperately to protect what remained of his spirit energy.

"Good, good," said the man in the crimson tuxedo as twenty minutes passed. "If the heavens are granting them elemental affinities, they should be awakening now."

"Please spare them, please spare them," Ji Ting prayed, her eyes on the triplets, who were drenched in sweat, struggling against the pain.

"The foreign energy is... light! No wonder it felt so strange," Guo Yang thought, finally identifying the unknown energy. "Yes, the heavens are giving me an element... the one I lost: water. Heh. The heavens can’t deny me my affinities."

The crowd gasped as white lotuses bloomed above the children. There were seven elements: fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, light, and darkness. Among the survivors, each element was represented, and the families of those children beamed with pride.

Guo Mei had affinities for lightning and darkness, causing a stir due to the rarity of the lightning element. Guo Lin, however, shocked everyone—he had affinities for earth, fire, water, and wind! The four basic elements. Even the more powerful clans were envious, eagerly awaiting the results for the last triplet. Finally, Guo Yang’s white lotus showed affinities for earth, water, and light. Together, the triplets possessed all seven elements! Such an event was unprecedented.

"Hahaha! The heavens have blessed the Guo Clan!" Guo Jing’s laughter shattered the stunned silence.

"Sand, cerulean, and gold spirit energies flow within my *neidan*," Guo Yang thought as the lotus and the formation barrier faded. His body was adapting to the new combination of elements. Strangely, he no longer felt discomfort, even without his brazier nearby. He guessed it was due to the light spiritual energy he had absorbed.

"It seems the Guo Clan will rise in the years to come," the man in the crimson tuxedo announced. "This concludes the ritual. Those with affinities, please come forward and receive a complementary gift. Thank you all for witnessing the future of Tang City."

"Bird," Guo Yang hissed as he spotted a phoenix magical beast near the man, whom he assumed was the city lord.

"Congratulations to the ten of you," the city lord said. "As a token of your future success, each of you will receive a weapon. Please come up and request a weapon aligned with your elemental affinity from the Gold Lotus Armory—the very armory that supplies our city’s guards."

One by one, the children stepped forward, and when it was Guo Yang’s turn, the man asked, "What will you choose?"

"A spear with a light affinity," Guo Yang replied.

"Hmm. Not a common request. Most go for a sword. But it’s fine. Here you go—this is the Moon Lotus Spear. It’s forged from a rare immortal metal with a light affinity, and it emits rays like the moon. Legend says the founder of Tang City, my ancestor, discovered immortal metals in a gold lotus, and this particular metal was found at its base. He named it Moon Metal because of its luminous quality," the man explained, handing him a spear with a black shaft and a fiery, golden spearhead. "Take care of the pointy end, kid. When you grow older, collect materials to forge your own unique weapon. Since you have more than one affinity, you’ll also receive a free interspatial ring. Inside, you’ll find some Moon Metal to start your collection. Congratulations to you and your siblings, though I must say, none of you look alike."

"Thank you," Guo Yang said, bowing before rejoining his family.

"A spear? That’s unexpected," Guo Jing commented. "Why?"

"I prefer more fluid styles of fighting. Spears suit the elements of light and water better. As for earth, the best weapon is the body itself," Guo Yang answered, recalling techniques used by both snake magical beasts and humans. With his *neidan*, his cultivation path would differ from others, and he would need to create his own style by merging past spear techniques with his new human form.

"When do we join a sect or academy?" Guo Lin asked, eager for the future.

"You have three years," Guo Jing replied. "You’ll go to school first, at the Tang Arts School for Practitioners. You’ve spent the last twelve years learning basic martial arts and etiquette. If you want to join a sect, prove yourself in practitioner arts. But for now, we celebrate!"

"Hooray!" the Guo Clan cheered, celebrating the triplets' survival and their extraordinary talents. The entire clan rejoiced, congratulating Guo Feng and Ji Ting for their remarkable children. It seemed their hopes were well-placed.

Unused to the attention, Guo Yang sneaked away to gaze at the two moons in the sky.

"Humans are a noisy bunch," a voice hissed. It was the giant snake magical beast. "Exalted One, why choose human rebirth instead of ascension?"

"I was afraid," Guo Yang whispered. "Snake magical beasts are hunted for their materials and as delicacies for those damn avians. If I ascended, I’d have been a far greater prize. Humans are weak, but safer."

"And now? Do you regret your choice?"

"I don’t know yet. It’s too soon to say," Guo Yang replied. "I’ve lost my snake physiology and cultivation in exchange for a human form and a new affinity. Human life is... different. Magical beast meat must be cooked, and humans have laws that protect the weak. It’s a new experience."

"Indeed," the snake said. "I’ve lived among them for over forty years, and they still baffle me. They change too quickly, reshaping the world to suit their needs."

"Practitioners have tried to kill me too many times to trust or love them. If not for my fear of the Immortal Realm, I would have ascended a thousand years ago. Humans change, but their greed for power only grows stronger," Guo Yang sighed and, for the first time, fell asleep under the moons without feeling cold or discomfort.

Chapter 4: First Day at School (1)

For a week, Guo Yang and his siblings were confined to their rooms to allow their bodies to adjust to the changes. They all received inter-spatial rings, bound to them by blood. However, the weapons they were given were fake magical weapons, as they were too young to wield ones on the same tier and power as those used by Tang City's guards. The celebration of the triplets' survival and elemental affinities made the New Year's celebration even grander than before.

Guo Mei and Guo Lin immediately began integrating spiritual energy into their martial arts, and many clan members looked upon them with satisfaction. However, Guo Yang seemed uninterested and spent his time tending poisonous herbs for more magical beast meat and milk. If he couldn't finish, he stored them in containers and placed them in his new ring. How could they know that his progress was different from theirs?

By interacting with different kinds of herbs, he discovered new ways to apply poison. Since birth, he had hidden the fact that he could also use poison through his spiritual energy. Being struck by his fist, charged with spirit energy, would actually poison the victim! Such a discovery would shock and terrify many people. While normal humans only replenished and slightly absorbed spiritual energy from magical beast meat and milk, his neidan absorbed it all.

Out of habit, he would sometimes carry his brazier or wear heavy clothes, still adjusting to the new elemental attribute that had finally awakened. Practitioners with elemental affinities could turn their spiritual energy into the elements they possessed. Guo Yang would watch as his two elder siblings enjoyed their newfound powers, but he remained more terrifying than they, though only members of the main branch knew that. Guo Yang was the second richest member of the Guo Clan due to his contributions in harvesting poisonous herbs for the Alchemist Association, with a portion of his profits going to the Guo Clan.

"Hey, youngest brother," Guo Mei said, spotting Guo Yang one day. "You should be training for school tomorrow. Others might try to bully us out of jealousy."

"Then I'll kill them," Guo Yang replied, shocking many members of the sub-branches who overheard him. A twelve-year-old speaking such cold words without hesitation was far from normal.

"You can't kill! Killing is bad," Guo Mei protested.

"We kill bugs, pests, demons, and magical beasts. We even kill humans from other nations and continents. What makes a bully any different from what we kill in the house, besides being human?" Guo Yang retorted.

"Because humans are more terrifying than those creatures," Guo Feng interjected, standing beside his first son. "They seek retribution if justice doesn't satisfy them. Yang'er, you must not be prone to violence. Also, you must control yourself if you see avian magical beasts at the school."

"You people complicate things," Guo Yang muttered, carrying small, sealed containers of poisonous herbs. Soon, he would have more milk, meat, and demon spirit coins. Demon spirit coins were made from the fossilized bones of demonic magical beasts excavated from deep underground.

When Guo Yang learned to read, he discovered how humans understood the world's history. There were once four races: humans, demons, magical beasts, and demonic magical beasts. Demonic magical beasts were the ancestors of magical beasts and demons, the latter two created through mutations. Demonic magical beasts had once ruled the world, but were nearly driven to extinction by the jealousy and betrayal of the other three races.

The bones of demonic magical beasts could be shaped but never destroyed. One could only imagine how powerful they had been. Their bones became currency, a tribute to their ancient might. In his past life, Guo Yang had survived against all odds and reached the crossroads of ascension thanks to one thing: the hereditary memories of his demonic magical beast ancestors. His neidan was proof of his high-purity demonic magical beast lineage.

Even his ancient ancestor, born countless millennia ago, had been a snake demonic magical beast. Demonic magical beasts were beings with all seven elemental attributes and innate abilities unmatched by any other race. Guo Yang was proud of his unique poison. Using his hereditary memories, he had mastered practitioner techniques beyond anyone else's and survived to reach the crossroads of ascension. He had reached a cultivation stage that no snake magical beast had ever attained. Thanks to those memories, Guo Yang felt little need to train in front of others.

"Oh, another batch. Excellent. Good work, my grandson," Guo Jing beamed as Guo Yang appeared. Beside him stood an old man in long black robes with gold collars. The back of his robe bore a jade image of a stone lion turtle, the mark of the Alchemist Association.

"I wonder how he harvests those herbs without being poisoned. I must say, while he’s not the strongest or fastest of your grandchildren, he is certainly the most dangerous," the man laughed as he received the containers.

"If only you knew," Guo Yang thought, collecting his wages.

"I assume he’ll be attending school tomorrow?" the man asked.

"Yes, all three of them will be," Guo Jing nodded.

"I see. Good luck, young master, on your path to cultivation," the man bowed, placing the containers in his ring before leaving.

"Now, I know you don’t like being around other humans, but you must attend school. Learning basic spirit practitioner arts will prepare you for elemental attribute arts. As for attribute-less practitioner arts, you should master those first. You’re at the age where your body can withstand learning how to use spiritual energy. You must prepare well. After all, you’re the only one who hasn’t yet displayed any combat prowess," the patriarch warned.

"How am I supposed to advance my cultivation in that peaceful environment?" Guo Yang asked.

"It’s not as peaceful as you think. You have three elemental attributes, something most practitioners envy. No doubt, you’ll make many friends and enemies. Some will try to befriend you for your power; others will seek to eliminate you to weaken our clan. Most children from powerful clans are arrogant and will challenge you to humiliate you. School is a den of vipers," Guo Jing said. "Not vipers of the body, but of the mind. I already know you’re a cunning child. You won’t be disappointed."

"Can I choose my classes?" Guo Yang asked.

"All classes are taught by a single teacher. You’ll be in the same class as your sister. Your group is the most talented of the three grades: freshman, junior, and senior year. Not all the students underwent the awakening ritual where you did; they were scattered across other regions. However, the children with the strongest influences and connections were in your group of fifty. There are five classes per year, and you’ll be assigned to Class 1-E, alongside the other survivors," Guo Jing explained.

"What? I thought there were more survivors. Could they have been killed off?" Guo Yang asked, and his grandfather nodded.

"They may have awakened their spiritual energy, but that doesn’t guarantee their bodies could handle it. You were confined to your room for a week to survive that dangerous period," the patriarch answered. "Now get some sleep. Tomorrow, you start your first day at Tang Arts School for Practitioners."

"Yes, grandpa," Guo Yang bowed and left. That night, he sat on his bed, reviewing his memories. All his hereditary memories contained practitioner arts used by snakes, but now he had to adapt them to his human body. As a snake, he knew the importance of movement techniques—they were how he had escaped, and later chased, magical beasts and humans. Though he had never encountered a demon, he was confident he could have killed them.

For combat practitioner arts, his current cultivation allowed him to use only one technique each from his earth and water attributes. The *Stone Breaker Art* encased his fist or spear in small rocks, which combined into a boulder that exploded upon release. The *Moon Slicer Art* required a flick of his wrist or spear, sending a crescent-shaped wave of water slicing through the air.

By imagining his limbs as his former snake body, Guo Yang found it easier to interpret his hereditary memories into human practitioner arts. Silently practicing in his room, he smiled with delight as he successfully manipulated his spiritual energy. Confident he could execute the techniques, he fell asleep, satisfied. He had yet to explore light attribute arts, but he knew he would take his time learning those.

The next day, his sister rushed him and their brother to their first day at school.

Chapter 5: First Day at School (2)

"Yay! We're finally at school. You guys better not do anything embarrassing. I'm talking about you, Guo Yang," Guo Mei said as the three siblings arrived in front of a white wall with a gold gate before them.

Guo Lin sighed as he followed his enthusiastic sister inside. Guo Yang and his siblings wore black pants with white jackets, each adorned with an emblem of a gold lotus on both shoulders and the back. A crest was placed over the heart area of the jacket, displaying his classroom number along with a bronze dragon underneath. Only students with element attributes had dragons beneath their class number.

Freshmen had bronze dragon emblems, juniors had silver, and seniors had gold. Since Guo Yang had three element attributes, his bronze dragon crest bore three heads. This was a way to differentiate students and inspire friendly rivalries. However, some let it get to their heads, and those students always became failures before they graduated. Why? Because they didn’t train as hard as others and were ultimately left behind. Guo Lin waved goodbye to his siblings as he headed to Classroom 1-C.

"Hi," Guo Mei greeted as she walked into her classroom. Some students stared at her crest, then shifted their gaze to the boy behind her—Guo Yang, with his black hair and sand-colored eyes, bearing the three-headed bronze dragon crest.

"Two of the Guo Clan’s triplets are here," a boy whispered, and another nodded in agreement.

"Now, now. Settle down," a woman said as she entered the room, and the children quickly sat in the empty seats. "My name is Lei Xuan, and I will be your teacher this year. It seems that six of our twenty students have element attributes. Quite the number of talented students, but talent is just that—talent. Without hard work, the talent gifted by the Heavens will be wasted. Those who don’t work hard will be left behind. My job is to teach you basic practitioner arts. These require a strong mind to cultivate spiritual energy and a strong body to harness its power.

"Therefore, you will spar with my magical beast every day during school hours. You will learn how to fight, improve your techniques, understand the importance of body refining, and experience the difficulty of becoming a practitioner. I don’t believe in sitting at desks and lecturing all day. We will train for seven hours a day with a one-hour break during noon for lunch. Is that clear?" she asked.

"Yes, Ms. Lei," the students chorused, though Guo Yang rolled his eyes and stared at the clouds.

"Good. Until noon, you will familiarize yourselves with your classmates and decide who will represent Class 1-E as class president. After an hour past noon, report to the combat grounds and prepare for your training," the teacher said before leaving the classroom, having noted the six students with bronze dragon crests.

"Alright. We should decide who will be class president. Naturally, it should be me," a girl said, flashing her three-headed bronze dragon crest.

"That doesn’t mean anything if you don’t know any element arts," Guo Mei said as she stood up. "No one likes a bully. A president is supposed to be a role model, not necessarily a noble."

"Do you know who I am?" the girl asked, as two others with single-headed bronze dragon crests stood behind her.

"No, but I know one thing: I’m stronger than you," Guo Mei said as lightning crackled around her fists, drawing her sword.

"Fighting is not allowed in the classroom," the girl said as she and her two friends drew their own swords.

"Please don’t fight. I don’t want to be punished because of you," a boy with glasses, and a single-headed bronze dragon crest, said. He was the last of the talented students, besides Guo Yang.

"What about you?" the girl asked, turning to Guo Yang. "Who do you support as class president?"

"No one. I don’t deal with weaklings," Guo Yang said, turning his gaze upward as he walked to the window.

"Hmph. You have more element attributes than me, and you’re walking away," one of the boys behind the girl smirked. Everyone rolled their eyes, as Guo Yang was clearly ignoring the boy.

"I just don’t want to get involved," Guo Yang said, pointing up. "It seems the third-year students have already started having fun."

"Involved with—" the boy began, but then cried out as a body came crashing down from above, slamming him into the ground. Guo Mei and the others looked up to see a hole that stretched all the way to the third floor’s ceiling.

"Now I am class president of Classroom 3-E," a voice boomed as they saw an older boy sprawled on top of the other student. Even Guo Yang’s desk and chair were destroyed.

"Like I said, I didn’t want to get involved," Guo Yang sighed, checking their pulses while the others tried to see who had spoken. He grabbed their hands and placed his hand over their noses. "They’re alive, but their bones are broken. Fractured, if they’re lucky."

"Someone get the nurse!" Guo Mei shouted, bringing everyone’s attention back to the situation. She glared at the girl. "You can be class president. I actually want friends. No one likes to follow someone who hasn’t proved themselves."

"You!" the girl started, but the boy behind her held her back as he and another student helped carry the injured boys after the nurse arrived.

None of them noticed that Guo Yang had released a small mist into the nostrils of the boy who had yelled at him while checking his pulse. The mist came from a vial of poisonous herbs he had hidden in his inter-spacial ring. The vials were small and easy to conceal in one’s hand. Everyone had been too focused on the hole in the ceiling to see his action. The boy wouldn’t die, but he would fall into a short coma for a few days.

"Grandpa was right. School isn’t so bad," Guo Yang muttered, heading to the cafeteria and ignoring the other students who were introducing themselves. He cared only about two things: cultivation and his way of life. He only respected the strong, and none of his classmates were strong enough for him to recognize as a friend or ally.

As he played with two inter-spacial rings between his fingers—taken from the two injured boys—he smirked. After emptying their contents into his own ring, he crushed the rings with his spiritual energy, leaving no trace. As a magical beast with hereditary memories, tampering with inter-spacial rings was simple. Demonic magical beasts had taught the other races how to craft them long ago, but that art was lost when the beasts died out.

Cunning, not brute strength, was the way to survive for a snake. Even as a human, Guo Yang preferred subtlety. He had taken out his enemies without revealing his strength, putting one boy in bed for weeks while stealing their possessions. None would be the wiser. The two boys could only blame themselves for disrupting his cloud-watching after the teacher’s speech.

Chapter 6: Important Lesson (1)

Guo Yang entered the cafeteria and looked around. It was empty, save for the muffled sounds of fighting in the classrooms nearby. The quiet was pleasant. He rubbed his hands together and scanned the food, grabbing a tray and piling it high with various types of magical beast meat. Unlike his siblings, he could survive on a meat-only diet. Naturally, he always protested when forced to eat vegetables. Snakes weren't vegetarians—at least, he wasn't.

His gaze drifted toward the door as students entered, all third years. Like his own class, only a few had dragon crests. Among them, only one caught his attention: a girl with long red hair, brimming with pure fire attributes. He shrugged, uninterested. Students from different years were forbidden from fighting each other, so she wouldn’t be an opponent. He returned to his meal, ignoring the commotion around him.

One of the boys noticed Guo Yang staring at the girl and, irritated, shouted at him. Guo Yang pulled out a vial of poisonous herbs and took a whiff, completely ignoring the boy. Enraged by the lack of response, the boy shouted louder.

Guo Yang turned, yawning, and smelled the vial again. The ground cracked under the boy's feet as he stormed toward Guo Yang.

"Did you not hear me?" the boy roared.

"I heard you," Guo Yang replied, grinning. "I just didn’t care. This vial is far more interesting than you. You clearly don’t appreciate art. What's so fascinating about a screaming boy?"

"Give me that! What the hell are you even smelling, you lowly first year? I bet it’s not even that expensive," the boy snapped, snatching the vial from Guo Yang’s hand.

Guo Yang’s grin widened. "Oh, did I forget to mention that the mist from the vial is... hazardous to inhale? Oops. Must have slipped my mind."

The boy froze, the vial still in his hand, as Guo Yang casually took it back and sealed it away. "White porcupine powder," he explained calmly. "It’s made from a particularly poisonous herb that grows near porcupine magical beasts’ nests. My grandfather added it to the herb garden I tend to. It’s not lethal, but it’s a potent paralytic when inhaled or touched. I carry it around to admire its scent. It has a pleasant fragrance, don’t you think? Too bad its range is short and... hazardous to others. But you can only blame yourself for snatching it."

"Robert!" a nearby boy shouted, rushing to the paralyzed student's side.

"Ah, a foreigner," Guo Yang mused, watching the scene unfold. "It seems Robert wasn’t aware of how the Guo Clan handles business. What a shame."

"Cure him!" the boy demanded.

Guo Yang raised an eyebrow. "Is that any way to ask for a favor? Robert did this to himself. I gained nothing from it. He yelled at me, insulted me, and took my vial. He doesn’t deserve to be cured. But don’t worry—he won’t die. You can buy the cure at the Alchemist Association. It’s only twenty thousand demon spirit coins."

"Twenty thousand?" the boy gasped, his shock mirrored by the other students.

"Well, what did you expect?" Guo Yang chuckled. "I didn’t brew the antidote myself. I merely harvested the herb. I don’t know the first thing about making cures. But I’ve heard wind attribute practitioners can clear the poison from his body, though the process is... messy. You might want to hurry—his heart will seize up in about thirty minutes."

"There must be another way to cure him!" the boy pleaded, panic setting in as the other students leaned forward, eager to see how things would unfold.

"Of course, there is," Guo Yang replied smoothly. "I can extract the poison myself. But nothing comes for free, especially when it’s not my fault."

"Is that... Guo Yang?" Guo Mei asked incredulously as the first years finally entered the cafeteria. The second years were still busy fighting elsewhere. "Guo Yang, what are you doing?"

"Stay out of it," Guo Yang snapped. "I’m making a transaction. Now, Robert’s friend, I wouldn’t waste time considering your options—you don’t have any. You’re down to twenty-six minutes. And look, Robert’s breathing is getting faster. He’s panicking."

"He should be class president," one of the noble girls muttered, and the other students nodded in agreement. His cunning and talent were undeniable.

"Twenty-three minutes now," Guo Yang continued, unfazed by the growing tension. "Are you really Robert's friend? I mean, I’d have said four words by now: 'What do you want?' You, on the other hand, are just standing there, wasting time. Some friend you are."

"What... do you want?" the boy finally asked, his voice heavy with defeat. The other students urged him on, eager to hear Guo Yang’s demands.

"Ah, those are sweet words," Guo Yang said, clasping his hands together. "As for what I want, let me ask you a question in return: What do you think someone like me needs?"

Several students coughed, shocked by his audacity. Guo Yang wasn’t just stalling—he was backing the boy into a corner, forcing him to make a costly offer.

"I have... a jar of demon crystals," the boy stammered. "They can enhance cultivation for darkness attribute practitioners."

"What’s your name?" Guo Yang asked.

"Tristan."

"Ah, Tristan," Guo Yang mused. "Well, unfortunately, I don’t have the darkness attribute. Sorry. You’ve got about... sixteen minutes now, and I’ll need a few moments to remove the poison. Better hurry."

Tristan clenched his fists, his desperation growing. "I have... a bottle of monkey wine. The gourd it’s stored in is a magical treasure. It has three chambers, and I’ve only filled one with the wine. The gourd itself has an incredible ability—it can store a limitless amount of liquid. The wine increases physical strength and toughens the body. It’s highly sought after by wine connoisseurs. Each barrel of monkey wine is worth three thousand demon spirit coins. There are seven barrels’ worth inside."

Chapter 7: Important Lesson (2)

"But honor, not money, is the issue. Are you truly a good person, willing to make this sacrifice for your friend? Or are you too selfish to keep it for yourself?" Guo Yang asked with a smile as Tristan, grudgingly, took out a rainbow-colored gourd and removed the blood binding, handing it over with his nails digging into his free hand. "Good boy."

Guo Yang bound the gourd with his own blood and took a swig. Upon doing so, he confirmed Tristan's claims. Three magical chambers existed within the gourd, each with seemingly infinite capacity. However, each chamber could only contain a single type of liquid, and the contents could not be mixed. If Guo Yang died, whatever was stored in the main chamber would be destroyed, while the empty chamber and the one filled with monkey wine would remain intact.

He would have to be cautious about what he placed inside, reserving the most valuable liquid for the main chamber. That way, if anyone killed him, they'd find their efforts futile. He smiled with satisfaction, tapped Robert on the chest, stored the gourd, and began to leave the cafeteria.

"Wait! You said you’d heal him!" Tristan shouted.

"Did you not see me tap him? Look again," Guo Yang said, gesturing toward Robert, who fell to his knees, panting heavily and clutching his chest. "See? I'm a man of my word. You can't do business without trust. Otherwise, who would risk buying and selling goods with someone unreliable? I thank you both for teaching me the importance of respect and concern for others. This lesson has been invaluable. I will engrave it in my heart."

The students stood frozen in shock, even as the second-year students arrived long after Guo Yang had left. They had learned a harsh truth: words could be a more dangerous weapon than fists. Guo Yang had manipulated Tristan and struck without mercy. His triple attributes were no longer a secret, and it was clear to everyone that he was far from weak, even as a first-year.

"Ugh. That might be the longest human conversation I've ever had. So troublesome, but the wine tastes good," Guo Yang muttered as he drank more monkey wine. "I used to eat and crush monkeys. Who knew they could make such powerful, spiritual wine? I should be careful with what I fill the other chambers with—I don’t want to accidentally replace the wine with something less valuable."

An hour past noon, Guo Yang’s classmates arrived at the combat grounds and saw him staring at the giant blue phoenix behind their teacher. The phoenix, as tall as a giraffe, terrified many of the children, but Guo Mei was worried for a different reason. She knew her brother’s inexplicable hatred for birds. He never explained why he disliked them, but he always made sure not to go too far in hurting them.

"Oh my god! That’s a mythical-type magical beast! Our teacher must have some sort of background. Even the more powerful clans of the city struggle to possess one," said a boy with glasses, pulling out an encyclopedia of magical beasts from his storage ring.

"What kind is it?" a student asked.

"Let me check..." the boy muttered, his eyes widening as he found the entry. "A Phoenix-type magical beast. That’s a Blue Heart String Phoenix. Its attributes are wind and water. It’s native to the northern lands of our Tang City's continent, Pangu, specifically the snow mountain regions. This phoenix specializes in freezing its prey and breaking frozen skin, hair, and even metal with blades of wind. Recommended combat strategy: flee on sight. Engaging in close combat means certain death."

"Why is it called the Blue Heart String Phoenix?" Guo Mei asked.

Guo Yang, however, answered for her. "It’s named for its innate ability to encase its heart in strings of nearly unbreakable ice. If you kill the phoenix without destroying the heart, it will be reborn," Guo Yang growled.

He remembered fighting three of them before, losing many precious scales as they resurrected and returned to attack him each week. Only after discovering their weakness was he able to finally defeat them. This was one of many reasons mythical-type magical beasts were the strongest among all others.

"How do you know that?" Professor Lei Xuan asked. "Very few people should know that information."

"I could ask you the same thing. How did you get your hands on one of them? Either you or someone you know must have stolen an egg from their nest," Guo Yang replied. "Does anyone have fire attribute spiritual energy?"

"I only have wind," said the boy with glasses. "My name is Sun Yi, a commoner. My father is the head librarian of Tang City."

"I am Gu Zhou, and this is Lady Mu Xing," said the boy standing behind the noble girl. "I have the water attribute, while my brother, Gu Zheng, has the darkness attribute. He was injured by that boy who smashed through the third and second floors and landed on him. Lady Xing has fire, light, and wind attributes."

"It is why I am a noble," the girl added. "I apologize for my previous behavior. My father is part of the noble Mu Clan, distantly related to the emperor and one of the top ten clans in the Song Dynasty. In Tang City, my Mu Clan is the most powerful. I also possess the light attribute, the most sacred of all, known for the fastest speed and healing arts in history."

"Do you know any fire attribute arts?" Guo Mei asked, sensing a change in the girl’s attitude.

"I can only imbue my spiritual energy with the fire attribute. I don’t know any elemental practitioner arts," Lady Mu Xing replied, shaking her head.

"Good. Now that you're getting along, today's lesson is simple: touch my phoenix. Be warned, phoenixes and dragons are the most prideful of all magical beasts—they hate losing," the professor smiled as the phoenix spread its sky-blue wings and let out a shriek.

As the students charged forward behind Guo Mei and Mu Xing, Guo Yang stayed behind. He closed his eyes, folding his arms with one palm resting on the other. Slowly, sand, earth, and rock rose from the ground, forming a sphere between his hands. Mastering elemental arts required a deep understanding and attunement.

"This one is talented. He’s already attuning himself to the earth," Lei Xuan thought, watching as Guo Yang manipulated the sphere. His classmates charged the phoenix, only to be swept away by a single flap of its wings.

Guo Yang could feel the vibrations beneath his feet as the sphere in his hands began to revolve and glow. With his eyes closed, he saw white images in his mind, feedback from the vibrations his sphere emitted. Though the phoenix was flying, he could sense where the wind touched the ground. He opened his eyes and expanded the sphere, enveloping himself in sand, earth, and rock. In a flash, he vanished, reappearing in random locations between his starting point and the phoenix.

"He’s using earth-type movement arts!" Mu Xing cried, as gasps erupted from the students. Guo Yang was employing the Snake Specter Art, an earth-based practitioner technique that had saved him countless times as a weak snake. It was a reason even dragons and phoenixes had come to fear him. Though his current range was limited to five yards, it was enough to provoke the phoenix.

The bird shrieked, creating gusts of wind that Guo Yang barely dodged. He teleported to areas where the wind’s effect on the earth was weakest, his eyes glowing with a sand-colored aura as he moved unpredictably, like a snake.

Frustrated, the phoenix closed its wings, then flared them out, releasing a blast of freezing wind that covered the ground in ice. Guo Yang, however, had appeared behind it, his fist enveloped in small rocks as he activated his Stone Breaker Art.

"I really hate birds, but I hate your kind even more!" he screamed, releasing his rock-covered fist. A small magical boulder shot out between the phoenix’s wings. Guo Yang had used more spirit energy than his body could handle, and as his vision darkened, he fell unconscious just as the boulder struck the phoenix.

The phoenix barely felt the attack, and it turned angrily toward him. But Lei Xuan intervened before it could retaliate.

"Is he your class president?" Lei Xuan asked as she checked to make sure Guo Yang was alright.

"No, I am," Mu Xing replied, as the students watched the professor sigh.

"You have much to prove, then. Guo Yang is fine; he just overexerted himself. You were all supposed to lose, and I would have explained the cultivation stages. However, student Guo Yang succeeded in making contact with my phoenix. Class is dismissed. Guo Mei, please take your brother home," Professor Lei Xuan said, still in disbelief as she rode her phoenix out of the combat grounds.

"I hate it when Guo Lin is right. Now both of my little brothers are stronger than me," Guo Mei muttered as she and Sun Yi carried Guo Yang home.

"What happened to little brother?" Guo Lin asked, appearing behind them.

"It’s a long story," Guo Mei replied, as Guo Lin helped carry Guo Yang. "Still, he looks like a normal boy when he’s asleep."

"That’s the only time he will," Guo Lin sighed, and the three of them laughed as they headed back to the Guo Clan's territory.

Chapter 8: Unexpected Loot (1)

"What happened?" Guo Jing roared as he saw his two grandchildren and an unknown boy enter his pavilion with Guo Yang still unconscious. "What happened to Yang'er?"

"We had to fight a Blue Heart String Phoenix today. He used some kind of earth attack and movement practitioner art to land a blow on the phoenix. He just fainted from exhaustion," Guo Mei explained as Guo Yang groaned.

"Ugh, where am I?" he murmured, shaking his head. His body felt weak as he looked around. "Oh, I'm at Grandpa's house. I suppose I overexerted myself with too much spirit energy consumption. It seems I'm not at the level where I can use my element attribute arts freely."

"Spirit energy in wine?" Guo Jing frowned as Guo Feng and Ji Ting arrived, noticing Guo Yang drinking a milky white wine full of spirit energy. "What is that?"

"It's monkey wine. It contains spirit energy and tastes quite good," Guo Yang replied.

"What are you doing?" Ji Ting snapped, and Guo Yang turned to her. "You are just a child. You cannot drink wine!"

"It's in my new magical treasure. I can do with it what I please," he replied, sipping some more before beginning to meditate to restore his spirit energy.

"Listen to your mother. You should only drink that monkey wine if you need to replace your spent spirit energy. It will be easier to improve your cultivation in that exhausted state," Guo Jing said, and Guo Yang sighed as his body restored to an acceptable level.

"Where did you learn those practitioner arts? We did not give you any manuals," Guo Jing asked.

"I learned it from a snake," Guo Yang answered, telling a half-truth as it did come from his hereditary memories.

"From Red Shadow?" Guo Jing asked, glancing at his snake.

"No. I learned by observing the magical beasts at the Alchemist Association while we sold herbs there on some days. I studied their movement and how they manipulated their spirit energy," Guo Yang replied, stunning them all.

"Theoretically, it is possible but very difficult," Sun Yi said as he adjusted his glasses. "Ah, sorry. My name is Sun Yi, and I am a classmate of Guo Mei and Guo Yang. I'll, uh, get going now. See you tomorrow."

"Did you do something at school?" Guo Jing asked.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Guo Yang asked.

"I never saw you buy that gourd or monkey wine," Guo Jing pointed out.

"I, uh, received it from an older classmate in return for a favor. You see, I noticed a girl with very powerful cultivation and stared at her to assess it for three seconds? Then I returned to my meal, but some idiot older student yelled at me. I think he was jealous. All I did was ignore him while smelling my poisonous powder in a little vial. While I was enjoying its fragrance, the idiot named Robert snatched it from me, insulted me, and took a whiff. Is it my fault he became temporarily paralyzed and nearly lost his life? No. The range of the vial's mist is not even a foot long, and the smell dissipates quickly. It's a nice, shallow scent that I was enjoying until he came," Guo Yang smiled, sending chills down everyone's spines.

"And how did it end with you owning that gourd?" Guo Feng asked.

"I, uh, told his friend that Robert would die unless he bought a cure. It’s worth twenty thousand spirit coins, but we were too far, and he was evidently too poor to buy it. So I told him I would cure Robert in exchange for something I needed. He gave me this gourd as the means of transaction to cure his friend. Did I have to save him? No. Did I save him? Yes. He turned out alright, his friend was not publicly exposed as a spineless weakling, and I got this gourd filled with seven barrels of monkey wine," Guo Yang laughed.

"What else did you get?" Guo Jing asked.

"What do you mean?" Guo Yang replied, everyone looking between the two, confused.

"You're a smart boy, too smart. There is no way you would be satisfied with only one item. If there is one thing I know as a master of a snake magical beast, it’s that snakes are very cunning and always attack when they are certain of pulling off the kill. There must be other prey you encountered before that Robert character," Guo Jing said, and everyone nodded as it made sense.

"I guess I underestimated you, Grandpa Patriarch," Guo Yang smiled. "You're right. I did get more than that gourd, but I'm pretty sure no one found out."

"How did you get those?" Guo Feng cried as Guo Yang deposited five meter-high eggs. They were obviously eggs of magical beasts, and everyone turned to him in shock.

"You know, even for me, there’s no way to tell what’s inside these eggs. I doubt whoever owned these knew either. Trust me, no one knows more about magical beast eggs than I do," Guo Yang smiled evilly, reminiscing about his times as a snake, creeping into magical beast dens and breaking many of their eggs. The taste was... addictive for a snake. Very addictive.

"What do you want to do with these eggs?" Guo Jing asked.

"Well, I planned on eating one," he said, stunning them all.

"How could you? It's a magical beast egg," Guo Mei began.

"That is more delicious than most magical beast meat and milk. Trust your youngest brother. I know these things," he smiled. "Well, I could give my siblings one each, keep one for myself, give one to the sub-branches, and eat the last."

"No. You will give two to the sub-branches. You can't eat magical beast eggs," Guo Jing said, Guo Yang outraged but keeping calm as he did not have the power to do as he wished. Yet.

"What else did you get?" Guo Feng asked.

"If you press any further, then I will cease harvesting poisonous herbs," Guo Yang said through gritted teeth, even Guo Lin and Guo Mei realizing he was angry despite his calm demeanor. "You and Guo Lin pick one and leave. I... am angry. Grandpa Patriarch, you will take two eggs after I make my pick. I will remember this day."

"Sorry," Guo Mei and Guo Lin said as they each took an egg and hastily left.

"I will be by the pond in the backyard of the pavilion, sorting out the rest of my loot. If you two go anywhere near me, or anyone, really; you will all be poisoned. I guarantee no one else will know the cure. Come, Red Shadow," Guo Yang growled at his parents as he drank some monkey wine, stored the gourd and one egg in his inter-spatial ring, and stormed out.

"Come here," Guo Jing said but was shocked to see the snake ignore him. It slammed its tail against Guo Feng and glared at Ji Ting before slithering behind Guo Yang. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Father," Guo Feng said, coughing blood. "I... don't know what's going on. I think I worsened my relationship with my son even more than it already was. I did not expect him to be so strong or so smart either."

"Yes, you paid more attention to Guo Lin and Guo Mei and their active sibling rivalry. Perhaps treating Guo Yang as a sickly, crippled child due to his weakness to cold weather contributed to this. He and I get along fine. He calls me grandpa," Guo Jing said. "Although, knowing him, he might be angry at me for a few hours before calming down."

"I told you to pay more attention to him," Ji Ting snapped, her husband looking at the floor as she did so, having done so many times before. "However, he had her help him keep Guo Mei from hating Guo Lin for displaying more talent than her. He was also to blame for the bad relationship between Guo Yang and his mother.

Guo Yang would never admit it, but this had a small, small influence on how he treated them. After all, he witnessed his own mother being eaten by a hawk magical beast and never knew his father. Love was foreign to him. That was the biggest factor. He was always hiding and forced to eat weaker prey or weakened predators. Once he became strong, he had to slither and escape from those who sought his magical beast core.

His body was broken, his mind under stress, and danger was worn like a mantle for nearly every year of his life. Family? He trusted the snake magical beast of his human grandfather more than his new family. Snakes truly lived one of the harshest lives as the number one delicacy for avian magical beasts, with phoenixes at the very top. His human parents' interactions with him were minor and nearly insignificant compared to his past life's experiences.