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"It is us who have disturbed your slumber, great one," Old Jiang replies. Calmly. As if he isn't talking to a creature whose body blots out the sun and casts eternal darkness over them. "This old man and his disciple have braved the poisonous mists and creatures outside to come before you."

"A child and a dying Emperor," Nine-Headed Snake God says. Dark amusement coats his words. "Four thousand years have passed, and you are the first to come before me. The world outside must be in a truly sorry state."

Four thousand years. That is three thousand years more than Xiao Nan’s estimate. In light of everything, the fact is completely inconsequential. However, Liu Jin holds it tight because if he were to focus on anything else, he would surely lose himself.

"You speak true, great one. The world is not as it was when you were alive."

Alive?

The single word puzzles Liu Jin’s mind so much some of his terror fades.

"Many nations have fallen. Many Sects and Clans have withered away into nothingness. The level of cultivators is nothing compared to what it was in the past."

"Pitiful as it may be, it is only to be expected,” the titan scoffs. “The war took a lot out of this continent even before my death. Long have I waited here for someone to claim my Inheritance. However..."

Eighteen eyes that burn like stars narrow. Their gaze is not aimed at Liu Jin but at Old Jiang, and that is the only reason why Liu Jin’s body remains conscious, and his clothes stay clean.

"My eyes can see your soul, dying one. I can see the taint that rots it away. How much have you been diminished, I wonder? Regardless, the ailment that afflicts you is not something easily fixed. Someone like you is not fit to receive my Inheritance."

It is the second time Nine-Headed Snake God speaks of his master's health. However, how can his master who is in the Emperor Realm be dying? It is true he was near death when they first met, but Liu Jin had managed to save him. Furthermore, his master receives treatment and medicine from his father every week.

How can he be dying?

"It is so, great one. This old man is not suitable to receive your blessings. Indeed, this old man did not come here expecting to hear any differently, but rather to put his disciple before you. He is someone fit to receive your Inheritance."

His master motions to him. Eighteen eyes and nine heads turn towards Liu Jin, freezing him with fear.

"Him?" Nine-Headed Snake God then does something Liu Jin never expected to see him do.

He laughs.

"A child who is only in the Inner Realm? Receive my Inheritance?"

All nine heads laugh loudly and without restraint. To Nine-Headed Snake God, even someone in the Emperor Realm is no big deal. Liu Jin who is only in the Inner Realm is such an insignificant existence that it is not even worth putting him in his eyes.

"This Nine-Headed Snake God has never heard a funnier joke. For this alone, waking up has been worth it."

If Old Jiang is in any way intimidated by the way Nine-Headed Snake God reacts to his suggestion, he does not show it. Even as the space around them ripples due to Nine-Headed Snake God’s laughter, Old Jiang speaks, undaunted. "Nevertheless, great one, it is undeniable this child has braved the poisonous mists outside under his own power. Even now, he is resisting the poisonous mist of this realm without any help. As such, does he not deserve the opportunity to prove himself?"

"You did not help him?" Nine-Headed Snake God looks at Liu Jin more carefully this time. He initially assumed the old man was the one who helped the child survive the mists. However, now he can see that the child is consciously purging the poison from his body.

"There was no need. This child may only be a cultivator in the Inner Realm, but he is fully capable of dealing with this level of poison." Old Jiang says it as if dealing with the poison surrounding them is no big deal to Liu Jin.

If as a weak child in the Inner Realm Liu Jin can deal with poisons like this one, how much stronger will his ability grow in the future? That is what Old Jiang is implying to Nine-Headed Snake God with those words.

"Hm… Child, your master speaks the truth. You have the right to receive my test. However, I cannot guarantee you will survive the experience. In fact, you will almost certainly die. Even so, do you wish to be tested?"

Liu Jin does not understand.

Liu Jin does not understand this talk of inheritances and tests. He does not understand how something like Nine-Headed Snake God can exist, let alone be dead already. He does not understand how is it that his master is supposedly dying. He does not understand so many things he does not know whether to laugh or cry.

However, Liu Jin does know his master brought him here for a reason. He knows he made his choice the moment he entered the cave. No, even before that. In a way, Liu Jin made his choice the moment he decided to become Old Jiang's disciple.

Liu Jin holds on to that resolution. He holds on to it because doing anything else would surely drive him into despair.

"It would be this one’s honor, great one." Liu Jin drags up every bit of courage left in his body just to say those words. To his credit, his voice only comes out slightly squeaky even if his body soaked with sweat tells the full story.

"Very well, child. On your head be it. You shall receive my test. For three years, you shall bear my brand. Survive, and my Inheritance shall be yours to claim."

Three years?

Liu Jin does not have the time to ask anything. Before he can process the information, pain blooms in his belly, like hot iron tearing through his insides. It is the worst pain the young child has experienced so far. Liu Jin opens his mouth and screams. He is so distracted by the pain he almost doesn't notice the bigger problem.

Poison.

It is far more potent and violent than anything he has ever felt before. The poisonous mists outside the cave cannot compare to the poison now raging inside his body. Blood comes out of his mouth as he collapses on the ground. Liu Jin cannot fight against it. The poison spreads to every part of his body, from the tip of his toes to the crown of his head. Every single one of his organs feels like it is being boiled and torn apart.

No!

Liu Jin slams his small fist against the ground. He cannot die here! Not like this. If he dies now, then what was the point of all he has done so far? What was the point of purging his body of poison for the past year? Old Jiang would not have brought him to this place if he didn't think he could succeed. Fighting through the pain, Liu Jin redoubles his efforts to purge the poison from his body. However, he quickly realizes his biggest obstacle.

The poison is flowing through his Qi.

It spreads through his meridians and reaches every one of his organs at once. Already Liu Jin has purged a significant amount of poison from his body, but it doesn't change a thing. More and more venom just keeps being injected into his body. He cannot get rid of this venom because it is coming from...

The venom is coming from his belly.

His fingers trace over his flesh. There is nothing there, but Liu Jin can feel it. The burning sensation is still there, Nine-Headed Snake God's brand. That is what keeps pumping venom into his body. It doesn't matter how much venom Liu Jin gets rid of, because the brand keeps creating more inside of him. To overcome it, Liu Jin needs to be able to purge more venom from his body than the brand is capable of producing per second.

He can't do that.

The cold reality almost makes him fall into despair. He can't purge his body from that much venom at a continuous rate. If anything, Liu Jin is losing ground with every breath he takes. The brand shows no sign of tiring, but Liu Jin eventually will.

He will die when that happens.

If only he could stop its flow! Liu Jin curses the venom. If it were flowing through his blood, he could cut open an artery to bleed himself almost dry and rely on his Qi to keep his body going. That is not the case, though. That venom is flowing through his Qi and-

Inspiration strikes Liu Jin like lightning.

His hands instantly reach for the gift his master gave him, the needles. An idea takes shape in his mind. It is a plan with maybe a 7% success rate. No, that is too kind an estimate. However, it is the only thing Liu Jin has right now. Anything else is accepting a painful death.

Liu Jin has never done something like this before, but he understands the theory well enough. It is time to put Old Jiang’s lessons into practice.

With a steady hand, Liu Jin stabs himself with one of the needles. Then another and another. Each time, Liu Jin coats the needle with his Qi before it makes contact with his skin. It is, all things considered, something unneeded. The needles are made from the bones of an Earth Realm dragon. Any benefits Liu Jin’s Qi may add are paltry by comparison if they exist at all. However, as things are, if they help his odds by even a thousandth of a percent, Liu Jin will do it.

Liu Jin uses one needle. Then nine. Then eighteen.

By the end, there are twenty-seven needles in Liu Jin's body.

Slowly, a smile starts to form on Liu Jin's face. He can feel the change already. In his body and in his Qi.

After all, if the venom spreads through his Qi, then all Liu Jin needs to do is change the way Qi flows through his body.

Before Liu Jin became Old Jiang's apprentice, just weeks after they had welcomed Old Jiang into their home, his master had changed the flow of his Qi by opening and closing some of his meridians. Liu Jin still lacks the skill to do something so great. Opening and closing someone's meridians is simply beyond him.

However, if it is his own body, that's a different thing.

Liu Jin knows his body. He knows the way Qi flows through it. Opening his meridians is something that still eludes him, but blocking them is nowhere near as hard, especially using dragon bone needles. By blocking some of his meridians, Liu Jin can change the way Qi flows through his body. By changing the way Qi flows through his body, the way the venom flows through his body changes as well. Like that, Liu Jin is able to divert most of the venom to a single area of his body and purge it before it has the chance to spread.

"I did it," Liu Jin says. His fallen form is beyond pathetic. His clothes are ruined. His muscles scream in pain. Even breathing hurts, and the scent of copper fills his mouth.

There is a victorious smile on his face.

The venom is still there. The brand has not stopped producing it, but the danger is far more manageable now. Liu Jin just needs to keep this up until the brand loses its power.

"Impressive," Nine-Headed Snake God says. "For a mere child to receive my brand and not die within the first hour, let alone the first second, it seems it was not just luck that allowed you to stand before me. Well done. Survive the next three years and stand before me again, child."

The words are enough to dash the smile from Liu Jin's face. That's right. Nine-Headed Snake God did say it at the beginning.

Three years.

Even now, his every breath hurt. Liu Jin may have the venom leashed, but a single slip could be the end of him. As Liu Jin is now, even sleeping would be too much of a risk.

Before Liu Jin can decide whether to laugh or cry, he and his master are suddenly outside the cave once more. Nine-Headed Snake God has banished them from his presence, not to return until the three years are up.

Three years.

He has to live three years like this.

~~~