Chapter 460: The Daoist in the Painting

　　With his child-like voice, Shen Lian said to Han Ying, “Take five steps forwards, not one step more and not one step less.”

　　Han Ying’s body was shivering but her many years of training had facilitated her reflex action to take five very precise steps forward.

　　The black tiger was strangled tightly by the giant python. The python noticed Shen Lian and the others but it was not too bothered by them as it thought that they were not capable of harming it.

　　But this black tiger could be a threat.

　　But as Han Ying took the fifth step, Shen Lian fixed his star-like gaze on the giant python.

　　The python felt a sudden death threat and froze from head to toe. It could not move as if it was being held by something.

　　Shen Lian’s eyes were like a bottomless abyss that trapped the giant python down below and had no chance at all to make a comeback.

　　The python did not expect a gaze to be so powerful. This was something that even his previous master was not capable of.

　　Shen Lian looked at it and asked, “How did you shapeshift?”

　　The body of the giant python was stiff. When Shen Lian asked the question, it tried his best to open its mouth but no voice came out. However, Shen Lian was able to hear its thoughts.

　　“I ate the shape shifting elixir produced by my master.”, the python replied. It does not know why it revealed the truth to Shen Lian so easily but there was no chance for him to not answer.

　　Shen Lian asked, “Who is your master?”

　　It thought of the old master, a Daoist who tamed him. Just when it was about to recall the old master’s smile and voice, it went blank as a dash of spiritual consciousness pierced deep in its spirits. The spirit started to pop out like mushrooms after rain as it regained control of its body. Its Qi and state of blood were surging, causing the huge body of the python to expand as if it was filled with gas.

　　But everything came to an end when a sword gleam surfaced in its mind to annihilate everything. The head of the python fell on the ground and was dead.

　　Han Ying was expecting some fancy spells from Shen Lian but the giant python died so suddenly that she had no idea what had Shen Lian done.

　　The unknown was terrifying, and the unknown would leave people feeling helpless. She was glad that Shen Lian belonged to the same side as her.

　　All Shen Lian used was the Deity Vanquishing Sword. At his current level, he would leave no trace behind when using this sword. It was so subtle that it was far beyond the expectations of the creator of the Deity Vanquishing Sword.

　　It was true that giant python’s cultivation experience was shallow, but even if an accomplished cultivator was in the range of Shen Lian’s divine thoughts, he would also be killed mercilessly.

　　What would define power? This would. Even if a person who once was at the peak of the world arrived at a broader and wider world, his knowledge and means were still untouchable and beyond imagination.

　　Shen Lian was capable of killing immortal Zhen Ren and could calmly face legendary people like Chen Beidou and Yanxu. Killing a python did not fluctuate his emotions at all. Instead, he was focused on wondering how did the master of the snake plated spiritual consciousness into it.

　　Instead of feeling troubled, Shen Lian thought this was a good thing.

　　He could use this opportunity to lure bigger fishes. After all, the act of planting spiritual consciousness in demon clans in such secretive manner was something that could only be done by a high levelled cultivator. In other words, this was the perfect opportunity for Shen Lian to touch base with cultivators from this world.

　　The black tiger freed itself from the entanglement of the python and went to Shen Lian pitifully with puppy eyes. It even crawled sideways to show the blood marks under its fur.

　　The black tiger lived in the jungle and this was not the first time it got injured. But today, he wanted to show his little master that it fought for him bravely.

　　Shen Lian squinted his eyes at the black tiger and did not console it but the black tiger was ecstatic as if it has eaten a spiritual fruit.

　　The poor black tiger that was tamed by his little master had zero traces of the majesticness of the king of beast. Even when its little master took an extra glance at him, it would think that Shen Lian was spoiling him with love.

　　But it did not mind at all. There were so many tigers in the world but none of them were as fortunate to have a little master like Shen Lian. It knew that it would be the greatest tiger in the history of Mount Jieyang.

　　The idea accompanied it for its entire life and it did accomplished it too. At that time, he kept telling its grandchildren that the most important thing for a tiger was to seek the right master.

　　Shen Lian was too lazy to bother the little plan the black tiger made. He did not even plant any prohibition on the black tiger so technically, the black tiger had no master.

　　This was Shen Lian’s arrogance. He was not the type of person who would put in too much effort on just any beasts around.

　　They entered the manor and saw two rows of empty houses that were visibly dusty. There was a hall with a scroll of painting of the portrait of a Daoist. The Daoist had a star crown and was dressed in a red robe with gold enamel. He also wore a pair of gleam shoes that had the prints of the clouds, a treasure band around his waist and had a Ruyi golden hook on his hands. He had the eyes of fire, bright red lips, puffy hair and an evil look.

　　All of a sudden, the Daoist flew out from the painting and turned into a handful of flames, and charged towards Shen Lian.

　　Han Ying was not able to react while Shen Lian let out a breath that cooled down the hall and extinguished the hire.

　　Shen Lian was secretly surprised by the fire that had some hints of the True Samadhi Fire.

　　The True Samadhi Fire had existed in Qing Xuan for over thousands of years. It was the specialty of the old Daoist and was something that Shen Lian had yet to explore. After all, the True Samadhi Fire was extensive and profound. It would not be effective if one learned only one small part of it, and would in fact be a waste of time and energy if one were to invest deeply in it.

　　Shen Lian pondered on why a small place like Mount Jieyang would attract such a person to reside her.

　　He pondered carefully, closed his eyes and released his divine thoughts to feel the surroundings. Sure enough, he noticed something odd and was sure that there was another universe in this place.

　　Shen Lian turned to Chen Qing and said, “Mother, please step out with Xiao Hei.”

　　Although Chen Qing knew that she would be safe with Shen Lian around, she could not help but feel frightened by the sight of the giant python and a painting that would spit fire.

　　But when Shen Lian told her to first step out, she was not willing to do so and said, “I want to accompany you all.”

　　After all, it was the nature of a mother to be worried for their children.

　　Shen Lian looked at Chen Qing deeply and did not refuse her offer. He said, “Sure, let’s do it”.

　　The black tiger had one of its feet out of the hall but it retracted its foot to show its determination to be with the little master. It did not learn anything from Shen Lian for the past two days as its mind was focused on how to impress Shen Lian.

　　Nobody knew if it was the traumatic experience during its adolescents that caused this King of all Beast to completely lose its ancestor’s bravery.

　　Shen Lian noticed the actions of the black tiger and found it hilarious.