Chapter 105: Forbidden Technique—The Great Serpent Art

As the young sect leader of the Flying Snake Sect, Tan Jun naturally possessed exceptional talent. In fact, across the entire Great Xia Empire, his talent was among the very best. However, in recent years, the young sect leader of the Heavenly Gang Sect, Shen Tai, had risen to prominence. Although the Great Xia Empire had produced many promising youths lately, none could surpass Shen Tai. Moreover, the Murong royal family had bestowed upon him the hand of the empire's most beautiful young woman, the enchanting Princess Qingcheng, further elevating Shen Tai’s reputation to unparalleled heights.

The Flying Snake Sect and the Heavenly Gang Sect had been at odds for years, with an unspoken rivalry for the position of the empire's top sect. Comparisons between the two sects—and naturally between their young sect leaders—were frequent both openly and behind closed doors.

Over the past few years, Tan Jun had often heard praise lavished on Shen Tai among the younger generation, with his own name only mentioned afterwards alongside other emerging talents. This bred a deep jealousy within him. Shen Tai was indeed a prodigy, already reaching the sixth level of the innate realm, two full levels ahead of him. Tan Jun was proud; he believed in absolute extremes—either be the first or not at all. In both the literary and martial worlds, there could be no second. The Great Xia Empire required only one genius, and that was him, Tan Jun.

When the Third Prince chose to collaborate with him, Tan Jun was far from naive. The prince merely sought to leverage the Flying Snake Sect’s influence to eliminate rivals by proxy. After all, Princess Qingcheng was a member of the royal family; the prince could not act openly without risking accusations of internal strife. If the plan failed, not only would his claim to the crown prince position be jeopardized, but he might also face punishment. Yet, the prince was unaware this was exactly what Tan Jun desired.

As long as Shen Tai or the Heavenly Gang Sect could be struck down, the Flying Snake Sect would welcome it wholeheartedly.

Shen Tai looked at the serpent-shaped mark on his right palm and murmured, “Shen Tai, Shen Tai, to deal with you, I had no choice but to cultivate the ‘Myriad Serpents Secret Technique.’ Hmph, once my ‘Myriad Serpents Secret Technique’ is perfected, the empire’s number one youth will be nothing but a stepping stone! There is only one genius in the Great Xia Empire—that is me, Tan Jun!”

Tan Jun’s eyes darkened. Clenching his fist tightly, the black robe adorned with a serpent emblem rippled ominously. He gazed at Princess Qingcheng and spoke in a cold tone, “These few useless fools have joined forces and still can't touch you. It seems I must handle this personally. I’m eager to see what the empire’s most beautiful woman looks like.”

Though Princess Qingcheng was famed as the most beautiful woman in the imperial capital, no one had ever seen her face. She always appeared veiled, which only deepened the curiosity of many young talents in the capital who longed to glimpse her beauty—but none had succeeded.

Tan Jun observed her slender waist and graceful figure beneath the veil, complemented by an innate royal dignity that made one all the more eager to see her unmasked face. Tan Jun was no gentleman. When he was fifteen, he had defiled two maidservants assigned to attend him. Among the female disciples of the Flying Snake Sect, none escaped once he set his sights on them. Through threats and temptations alike, and with some elders turning a blind eye due to his status, he had never been denied.

Suddenly, Tan Jun’s aura shifted sharply. A chilling energy enveloped the entire cave, causing even four fellow Flying Snake disciples present to feel uneasy.

A faint purple-black serpent shadow emerged behind Tan Jun. Although not as solid as Jiang Yuan’s serpent shadow, it was unmistakably a single snake. Unlike Jiang Yuan’s pure black serpent, Tan Jun’s shadow had a pair of wings, faint and elusive.

One of the four disciples froze when he saw the purple-black serpent shadow, his pupils constricting in terror as he whispered, “The… Myriad Serpents Secret Technique!”

To the Flying Snake Sect, the “Myriad Serpents Secret Technique” was not unfamiliar. It was a forbidden art, prohibited from cultivation for all disciples. Yet it was exceedingly powerful—stronger even than the sect’s ancestral martial art, the “Flying Star Serpent Technique,” which only successive sect leaders could master.

The reason it was forbidden was its tremendous power and rapid early progress, outclassing the “Flying Star Serpent Technique.” However, those who cultivated it often succumbed to madness in their later years, losing all reason and becoming ruthless fiends who killed indiscriminately. Hence, the sect strictly forbade its practice.

Only those who trained in the “Myriad Serpents Secret Technique” bore the distinctive purple-black serpent shadow. In contrast, other techniques produced shadows matching their elemental attributes—red for fire, green for wood, and so forth. Jiang Yuan’s “Black Serpent Devour” was an exception, producing a purely black shadow.

The “Myriad Serpents Secret Technique” gradually changed the cultivator’s innate energy to purple-black, an ominous sign widely known among higher-ranking disciples.

What shocked the four disciples was that their young sect leader was secretly practicing this forbidden technique. It was inconceivable because the sect leader would never approve such cultivation. They exchanged glances, each reflecting mutual astonishment.

“I have yet to demonstrate the ‘Myriad Serpents Secret Technique’ within the sect. Princess Qingcheng, you are fortunate to be the first to witness it. Once perfected, Shen Tai and the like will be no match for me—hahaha...” Tan Jun laughed heartily.

Princess Qingcheng’s expression shifted. The recent battle with the four Flying Snake disciples had already drained much of her innate energy. As the young sect leader of the Flying Snake Sect, Tan Jun was no mere adversary. He had just mentioned the “Myriad Serpents Secret Technique.” Once mastered, Shen Tai would not even be worth mentioning. Even now, Tan Jun’s peak third level innate aura was beyond her ability to counter—partly due to the suppression of the Wild Soul Plain. She suspected Tan Jun’s true realm was even higher.

A chill ran through Princess Qingcheng’s heart. Elder Hua had yet to return—he was likely in grave danger. Elder Hua had been with her for many years, treating her like his own granddaughter. Feeling guilt-ridden, she realized that the Flying Snake Sect’s trap in the Evil Wind Cave was intended to ensnare her, and Elder Hua had accompanied her solely to protect her. She had inadvertently caused his downfall.

Her heart was overwhelmed with remorse.

But there was no time for reflection. Tan Jun’s palm, carrying the weight of a thousand forces, was already crushing down. Gritting her teeth, Princess Qingcheng braced herself to meet the blow. In this dire situation, she could think of nothing else. Her chance of escaping the Evil Wind Cave was slim, but she hurriedly prepared to withstand the devastating strike.