A month passed with the leisure of a divine emperor sipping fine wine atop a celestial mountain—which is to say, slowly and with immacute satisfaction.

  After devouring Wei and absorbing a generous portion of Lin's cultivation, I spent my days cultivating with single-minded focus. No longer the pathetic little snake scrounging for spirit mice, I'd become something far more impressive—a fifteen-foot emerald serpent with golden patterns that would make the average cultivator shit their fancy sect robes on sight.

  My cultivation had progressed at a pace that would spark envy and accusations of demonic practice in any sect. From Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment in weeks, not decades. By the end of the month, I'd reached the peak of Foundation Establishment Stage, my meridians pulsing with concentrated power.

  But it wasn't enough.

  I wanted—no, needed—to reach Body Refinement Stage. That's where Chen was, according to Lin's intelligence. Being on the same level would give me a fighting chance if things went sideways. Otherwise, I'd be forced to rely on ambush tactics and my inherent sneakiness, which, while effective, cked a certain imperial dignity.

  "Being sneaky is for assassins and court eunuchs," I muttered to myself as I coiled atop my stone, the morning sun warming my scales. "Divine Emperors should crush opposition openly, preferably while monologuing about their superiority."

  The stone beneath me had become noticeably more powerful over the past month. My continuous cultivation had created a feedback loop—the more energy I channeled through it, the more it absorbed from the surrounding environment. What had been a minor spiritual nexus was evolving into something approaching a legitimate cultivation resource.

  I'd spent the past three days in anticipation, sensing the approach of the full moon. Would Lin actually return with Chen as promised? The suspense was almost entertaining.

  "If she betrays me, I'll make her regret ever hatching from her mother's womb," I promised the empty clearing. "I'll turn her into the world's first human-shaped spirit stone through sheer spite."

  The thought was comforting, in a vaguely psychopathic way.

  It was midmorning when I sensed them—two distinct spiritual signatures approaching from the east. One was familiar—the gentle fire-and-wind fvor of Lin's Qi Refinement cultivation. But the other...

  "That's not Chen," I realized immediately, my forked tongue tasting the air with increased frequency. "That's a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

  Neither signature matched the Body Refinement level I'd been promised. Lin had brought someone else entirely.

  I slithered off my stone, moving with the silent grace that had become second nature. My scales barely rustled the grass as I positioned myself in the underbrush, suppressing my cultivation with a technique I'd perfected over the past week.

  It was a little trick I'd developed combining my previous life's knowledge with my current Gluttony ability—I could "digest" my own qi, temporarily hiding it from detection. Useful for ambushes and avoiding those awkward "why is there a spiritually evolved serpent in the forest" conversations.

  They entered the clearing cautiously, Lin leading the way with visible tension in her shoulders. Behind her walked an older man, perhaps in his fifties by human reckoning, with the stereotypical long beard and stern expression that practically screamed "wise but constipated sect elder."

  He wore formal Azure Cloud Sect robes—the same light blue as Lin's but with additional silver embroidery indicating his higher status. A jade pendant hung from his waist, likely containing something valuable enough to be worth stealing but not valuable enough to keep in his spatial ring.

  "This is where it happened, Master Feng," Lin said, gesturing to the bloodstained patch where I'd consumed Wei. The blood had long dried, but the dark stain remained visible against the grass.

  Master Feng. Not the promised Chen, but Lin's own master. Interesting.

  Feng approached the bloodstain, crouching to examine it with narrowed eyes. "And you say it was cultivators from the Iron Sword Sect that ambushed you?"

  "Yes, Master," Lin nodded, her eyes carefully avoiding the stone where I'd first captured her. "They... they killed Senior Brother Wei before I could do anything. They were too strong—at least three of them at the sixth step of Foundation Establishment."

  I mentally snorted. Her story was as flimsy as wet toilet paper. Three Foundation Establishment cultivators from a rival sect just happened to be wandering in this remote section of forest? And they killed Wei but left her unharmed? Please.

  Feng seemed equally skeptical. "And yet you escaped without a scratch. Curious."

  Lin's hands twisted nervously in her robes. "I... I hid. Used the Concealing Mist technique you taught me."

  "The technique you've never successfully performed during practice," Feng noted dryly.

  Ouch. Master throwing shade at student. Cssic cultivation world dynamics.

  "F-fear is a powerful motivator, Master," Lin stammered, her composure slipping.

  Feng straightened, his eyes scanning the clearing with professional thoroughness. "Indeed it is. Fear can make disciples do all manner of... unexpected things."

  He was close to my hiding spot now, though his senses hadn't detected me yet. I could smell the spiritual herbs on his breath—ginseng and something bitter. Cultivation medicines to extend life and enhance power.

  "Tell me again, Lin," Feng said, his back to her as he examined the edge of the clearing, "why did you insist we come alone? Surely if Iron Sword cultivators are hunting in our territory, we should have brought a proper investigation team."

  Lin swallowed audibly. "I... I didn't want to waste sect resources on my mistake, Master. And... and I was embarrassed that I survived when Senior Brother Wei did not."

  "How thoughtful of you," Feng replied, his voice dripping with suspicion. "Always considering the sect's best interests."

  It was obvious he didn't believe a word. He'd come to investigate not just Wei's death, but Lin's story itself. Not the sacrifice I'd been promised, but an investigator who might discover the truth.

  This complicated matters.

  I watched as Feng methodically circled the clearing, occasionally kneeling to touch the soil or examine broken branches. He was thorough, I'd give him that. When he approached my stone, his eyebrows rose slightly.

  "This stone... there's spiritual energy concentrated here," he murmured, extending a hand to touch its surface.

  Time to act. If he examined the stone further, he might discover traces of my cultivation.

  I slithered silently into position behind him, my massive body uncoiling like a living emerald river. Lin saw me first, her eyes widening in recognition and—was that relief? Her expression was difficult to read, a complex mixture of fear, anticipation, and something almost like satisfaction.

  Feng sensed something at the st moment, his head beginning to turn.

  Too te.

  I struck with the speed of a divine lightning bolt, wrapping my fifteen-foot length around his body before he could complete the turn. My coils tightened instantly, pinning his arms to his sides and restricting his chest just enough to prevent him from gathering breath for a shout.

  "What—" he managed before I constricted further, cutting off his words.

  His eyes bulged as he found himself immobilized by what must have seemed like a monster straight from sect cautionary tales. I brought my head level with his face, letting him get a good look at exactly what had him in its grip.

  Recognition fshed in his eyes. "Spirit beast," he gasped between constrictions. "High-level!"

  I didn't waste time admiring his powers of observation. I activated my Gluttony ability and pressed my head against his chest, directly over his dantian. The familiar golden glow erupted at the point of contact as I began draining his cultivation base.

  Foundation Establishment energy flooded into me—richer and more refined than Lin's had been, with the complex fvors of decades of careful cultivation. Where Lin's qi had tasted of fire and wind, Feng's carried earth and water in perfect bance, the hallmark of a disciplined dual cultivation path.

  "What... what is happening?" Feng gasped as he felt his energy being forcibly extracted. His face paled with shock and growing comprehension. "It's... draining my cultivation!"

  He struggled violently, his Foundation Establishment strength momentarily causing my coils to loosen. I tightened again immediately, squeezing hard enough to crack a rib. The sharp sound of breaking bone was followed by his pained grunt.

  "Lin!" he called out, his voice strained. "Help me! Use the Azure Cloud Bde technique!"

  And here we arrived at the moment of truth. Would Lin honor our arrangement, or would she attempt to save her master?

  I kept my eyes on her even as I continued draining Feng's energy. She stood frozen at the edge of the clearing, her face a mask of indecision. Her hand hovered near her sword hilt, trembling visibly.

  Then, to my satisfaction and mild surprise, she dropped to her knees and performed a formal kowtow, her forehead touching the ground.

  "Forgive me, Master," she said, her voice carrying clearly across the clearing. "I... I cannot help you. I was unable to bring Senior Brother Chen as requested, but I hoped... I hoped that you would be an acceptable substitute."

  Feng's face contorted with shock, then rage, then understanding. "You... you BETRAYED the sect! Your own master! For what? WHAT DID IT PROMISE YOU?"

  Lin kept her head bowed. "Survival, Master. And the treasures you carry."

  "TREACHEROUS VIPER!" Feng roared, his qi surging in a desperate attempt to break free. "The sect will hunt you to the ends of the earth! When Elder Zhan learns of this—"

  I'd heard enough. With precise aim, I struck, my fangs sinking deep into his temple. A quick injection of venom, enhanced by my spiritual cultivation, and Feng's rant devolved into gurgling nonsense before stopping entirely. His eyes rolled back, blood trickling from the puncture wounds.

  Lin flinched at the sudden violence but remained kneeling, her forehead still pressed to the earth.

  "Well, that was dramatic," I thought, adjusting my coils around Feng's now-limp body. "Betrayal, death threats, broken family bonds—we're only missing the tragic romance subplot to complete the cultivation drama bingo card."

  With Feng subdued, I turned my full attention to consuming his cultivation base. The golden glow intensified as I accelerated the absorption, drawing his life force and spiritual energy into myself with ruthless efficiency.

  Lin remained in her kowtow position, waiting for my acknowledgment or judgment. Smart girl. She knew her fate hung in the bance.

  As I drained the st of Feng's cultivation, I felt a familiar sensation—the building pressure of a breakthrough. His energy was pushing me toward the threshold of Body Refinement Stage, that crucial cultivation boundary that dramatically extended lifespan and enhanced physical capabilities.

  I focused inward, directing the absorbed power through my meridians in carefully controlled patterns. My body began to glow with emerald light, the golden patterns along my scales brightening to almost blinding intensity.

  With a mental push, I shattered the barrier between Foundation Establishment and Body Refinement. Energy exploded outward momentarily before being sucked back in, condensing into my form, transforming flesh, bone, and scale at the cellur level.

  The clearing was briefly illuminated by a pilr of emerald light as I ascended to Body Refinement Stage, First Step.

  When the light faded, I was... different. Larger, for one thing—now close to twenty feet in length. My scales had developed a metallic sheen, the golden patterns more pronounced and seemingly alive with flowing energy. Most importantly, I could feel the fundamental changes in my serpentine body—increased density, enhanced strength, heightened senses.

  A breakthrough that would take a human cultivator years, if not decades, to achieve. Accomplished in minutes through the direct consumption of another's accumuted power.

  Gluttony was truly the most efficient path to advancement. Forget years of meditation and careful foundation building—just eat someone who's already done the work!

  Lin was staring at me now, her head raised from her kowtow position, eyes wide with shock and something approaching religious awe. She'd just witnessed a spirit beast advance to Body Refinement Stage, a phenomenon rare enough to be the stuff of sect legend.

  "Great Spirit Lord," she whispered, prostrating herself again. "This humble disciple has fulfilled her promise by bringing a worthy sacrifice."

  Spirit Lord? I mentally chuckled at the title. Already upgrading me from "scary snake" to "divine beast" after one cultivation breakthrough. Humans and their need to categorize power with increasingly flowery titles.

  With Feng's cultivation fully absorbed, I turned my attention to his physical body. Waste not, want not, as they say. I unhinged my jaw—now rge enough to accommodate a human head with ease—and began the methodical process of consuming him entirely.

  It was messy business, made somewhat easier by my enhanced size and strength. Blood soaked the ground beneath us as I worked my way through the corpse, bones crunching between specialized teeth, flesh disappearing down my gullet to be broken down by spiritually enhanced digestive enzymes.

  Lin maintained her kowtow throughout this grisly feast, though I caught her peeking once or twice, her face a fascinating mixture of horror and calcuting assessment. She was probably wondering if she'd be dessert.

  Once Feng was fully consumed—a process that took nearly an hour—I coiled myself into a more comfortable position and fixed my gaze on Lin. She remained prostrated, awaiting judgment.

  Time to have some fun with my new pet traitor.

  I slithered toward her slowly, deliberately, letting my massive body slide across the grass with a sound like rustling silk. When I reached her still-bowing form, I began to coil around her, not constricting but rather... exploring.

  My newly enrged body allowed me to encircle her completely while still leaving most of my length free. I wound around her legs, across her back, under her arms, creating a living cage of emerald and gold scales. It was partly intimidation, partly amusement, and partly... well, let's just say my human consciousness still appreciated feminine curves despite my current reptilian form.

  Lin trembled but remained still, understanding that any sudden movement might be interpreted as resistance. I brought my head close to hers, my forked tongue flicking out to taste the fear-sweat beading on her skin.

  "S-Spirit Lord," she stammered, clearly unsure how to address me now that I'd upgraded from "terrifying snake" to "cultivation-devouring monster." "I... I was unable to bring Senior Brother Chen as promised. Please forgive this failure."

  I continued my serpentine exploration of her form, sliding beneath the colr of her robes and along the sensitive skin of her neck. She shivered, goosebumps rising where my cool scales made contact with her warmth.

  "Master Feng was... was the best I could manage," she continued, her voice hitching as I wound around her waist, squeezing just enough to remind her of my strength. "Chen has been confined to the inner sect for a special training regimen. No one is allowed to see him."

  Convenient excuse. I'd let it slide for now, especially since Feng's cultivation had proved sufficient for my immediate needs. But she'd still broken our agreement, which deserved... acknowledgment.

  I withdrew slightly, then used the tip of my tail to scratch in the dirt:

  STORAGE POUCH.

  Lin nodded quickly, reaching for the pouch at Feng's waist that had somehow survived my feeding. A spatial storage device—crude by the standards of higher realms but valuable in this backwater cultivation region.

  When she removed the pouch from the bloodied remnants of Feng's belt, her fingers lingered on it a moment too long, eyes gleaming with naked greed. I flicked my tail against her hand—not hard enough to injure, just sufficient to sting—and she immediately pced the pouch on the ground between us.

  "F-forgive me, Spirit Lord," she murmured. "I was merely... admiring Master Feng's craftsmanship."

  Sure. And I'm just a garden snake with above-average ambitions.

  I scratched another message in the dirt:

  OPEN IT. SHOW EVERYTHING.

  Her hands moved quickly to comply, uncing the pouch with practiced ease. The mouth of the bag expanded as she activated the spatial formation stitched into the fabric, reaching in to remove the contents one by one.

  First came the spirit stones—approximately a hundred mid-grade stones and, more impressively, twenty high-grade ones. Each high-grade stone contained the equivalent energy of ten mid-grade stones. A respectable fortune for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

  Next came a collection of jade bottles containing pills of various types—healing, energy restoration, minor cultivation aids. Nothing spectacur, but useful nonetheless.

  Several scrolls followed, likely containing technique manuals or sect records. I'd examine those ter to see if they contained anything worth learning.

  A set of formation fgs—basic but functional, useful for setting up defensive perimeters or simple traps.

  Various herbs and materials—some rare enough to raise my serpentine eyebrows. Clearly, Feng had been an accomplished gatherer.

  And finally, a small brass cauldron, about the size of a human head. Despite its modest appearance, I could sense the refined spiritual formations etched into its surface. A pill-refining cauldron, likely Feng's most valuable possession.

  "This... this is everything, Spirit Lord," Lin said, arranging the items in neat rows before me.

  I examined the assortment with a critical eye. By the standards of my former life, this collection was barely worth noticing—the equivalent of pocket change and convenience store snacks. But in my current situation? Potentially quite useful.

  The spirit stones would provide pure energy for cultivation. The cauldron, however, was the real prize. With it, I could refine pills to accelerate my advancement or create specialized concoctions for specific purposes.

  I began mentally inventorying the herbs and materials, comparing them against the vast pharmacological knowledge I'd accumuted during my time as Divine Emperor. Most were common ingredients avaible in this realm, but a few stood out as rare or valuable.

  With these resources and the surrounding forest's natural offerings, I could create something interesting—perhaps transformation pills to temporarily alter my form, or specialized cultivation aids designed for spirit beasts rather than humans.

  I turned my attention back to Lin, who was watching me with a mixture of fear and anticipation. I could practically see her wondering whether I'd honor our arrangement and let her keep some of Feng's treasures.

  CAULDRON IS MINE. STONES MINE. PICK THREE ITEMS.

  Her eyes widened slightly at the unexpected generosity. "Three items? Any three, Great Spirit Lord?"

  I nodded my serpentine head once.

  She bit her lip, gaze darting between the various treasures id out before us. After careful consideration, she pointed to a jade bottle, one of the scrolls, and a small protective talisman I hadn't particurly noticed.

  Interesting choices. The jade bottle contained longevity pills—minor ones that might add a year or two to her lifespan if used correctly. The scroll, based on its wrapping, likely contained a mid-tier cultivation technique. The talisman was a simple protective charm against physical attacks.

  She was thinking long-term, selecting items to enhance her personal power rather than immediate wealth. Either she was smarter than she appeared, or she'd had time to examine Feng's possessions before bringing him here.

  I nodded again, granting permission for her to take the selected items.

  "Thank you, Spirit Lord," she said, carefully tucking them into her own storage pouch. "Your generosity will not be forgotten."

  I gathered the remaining treasures with methodical efficiency, using my tail and mouth to collect everything and pce it in a pile near my stone. The cauldron I examined more closely, tracing the formations with the tip of my tail to activate and test its functions.

  It was a respectable tool—not top-tier by any means, but perfectly adequate for refining pills up to third-grade quality. Most importantly, it had automatic fire control, meaning I wouldn't need to maintain a fme manually with qi.

  As I inspected my new acquisition, Lin remained kneeling, clearly unsure whether she was dismissed or if I had further requirements.

  I scratched a new message in the dirt:

  NEW DEAL. BRING HERBS FROM LIST. MONTHLY.

  She nodded quickly. "Yes, Spirit Lord. Whatever herbs you require, I will bring them."

  I spent the next few minutes scratching out a detailed list of herbs, minerals, and other materials I would need for my pnned pill refinement. Most were common enough that a sect disciple could acquire them without suspicion, but a few were rarer items that would require effort or resources to obtain.

  Lin studied the list carefully, committing it to memory. "Some of these... the Nine-Leaf Spirit Grass and Cloud Mineral Essence... they're restricted resources in the sect. Only inner disciples have access."

  I stared at her impassively, letting her work out the implications herself.

  "I... I will find a way," she said finally. "Perhaps through trading with other disciples or... other means."

  Transtion: she'd steal them if necessary. Her moral compass was already broken beyond repair—what was a little theft compared to feeding her master to a giant snake?

  ANYTHING ELSE TO REPORT?

  She hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, Spirit Lord. There are rumors in the sect... rumors of a beast hunt being organized."

  My interest sharpened immediately. A beast hunt could complicate my pns.

  "Elder Zhan believes there's a high-level spirit beast establishing territory in these mountains. He cims it's interfering with the spiritual energy flows the sect relies on." She gnced at me nervously. "Some disciples report feeling a... a pull on their cultivation when meditating in certain areas."

  Ah. That would be me and my stone, gradually drawing spiritual energy from the surrounding area like a mystical vacuum cleaner. An unintended side effect of my cultivation method, apparently noticeable enough to attract sect attention.

  "The hunt is scheduled for the next new moon," Lin continued. "Three elders and twelve inner disciples will participate, including... including Senior Brother Chen."

  Now THAT was valuable information. A chance to acquire Chen's Body Refinement cultivation without having to wait for Lin to deliver him. Plus, a dozen other cultivation bases for the taking.

  Of course, facing three elders and twelve disciples simultaneously would be suicidal, even with my recent advancement. I'd need to prepare carefully, set traps, and divide them somehow.

  GOOD INFORMATION. TAKE THIS.

  I nudged one of the jade bottles toward her with my tail—a bottle containing basic healing pills.

  Lin accepted it with obvious surprise. "Thank you, Spirit Lord. I... I will continue to serve as your eyes and ears in the sect."

  I scratched one final message:

  GO. RETURN IN TEN DAYS WITH FIRST HERBS. SPEAK OF THIS TO NO ONE.

  She kowtowed three times, then backed away carefully before turning to leave the clearing. I watched her go, mentally calcuting the probability that she'd betray me to her sect versus continuing our arrangement.

  Sixty-forty in favor of continued cooperation, I decided. She was already implicated in her master's disappearance, and returning with a partial list of his possessions would raise questions she couldn't easily answer. Also, she'd just technically been promoted from outer disciple to masterless disciple—a step up in sect hierarchy that would grant her additional privileges.

  Once she was gone, I turned my attention to the cauldron and assorted materials. Time to put my Divine Emperor-level alchemical knowledge to use.

  The transformation pill would be my first project—a concoction that would temporarily allow me to assume human form. Being stuck as a snake, even an impressively rge and spiritually powerful one, had significant limitations. Opposable thumbs, for instance, were something I desperately missed.

  I activated the cauldron with a pulse of qi, watching with satisfaction as the formation patterns glowed to life. The internal chamber heated immediately, ready to begin the refinement process.

  Using my mouth and tail with practiced precision, I selected the necessary ingredients from Feng's collection and the pnts growing nearby. Spirit ginseng root for vitality. Shapeshifting moss that naturally mimicked its surroundings. The scale of a color-changing lizard I'd caught st week. Seven drops of morning dew from a specific orchid that bloomed only during the full moon.

  Into the cauldron they went, the ingredients reacting immediately to the controlled spiritual fire. Colors swirled—green, gold, purple, blue—as the essences combined and transformed.

  Pill refinement was as much art as science, requiring constant adjustments to temperature and energy flow. I monitored the process carefully, occasionally adding a burst of qi to catalyze specific reactions or stabilize votile combinations.

  The familiar rhythm of alchemy was soothing, reminding me of peaceful days in my imperial alchemy chamber, creating pills that could shatter the heavens or mend broken souls. This modest cauldron was a far cry from the Nine-Dragon Soul Refining Furnace I'd once possessed, but the principles remained the same.

  After three hours of careful refinement, the pill was complete—a small, iridescent sphere that shifted colors like an oil slick in sunlight. A basic transformation pill, good for perhaps an hour of human form before reverting.

  Not perfect, but a start.

  I created two more pills with the remaining ingredients, then allowed the cauldron to cool. Tomorrow, I would test the first pill and experience the joy of having limbs again. With any luck, I might even be able to speak properly and communicate without scratching messages in dirt like some glorified woodnd stenographer.

  As night fell, I coiled myself around my treasures protectively and settled in to meditate. The influx of energy from consuming Feng needed to be properly integrated into my system, strengthening my newly established Body Refinement foundation.

  In the darkness, my body glowed faintly with spiritual energy, illuminating the clearing with soft emerald light. The patterns along my scales pulsed in rhythm with my cultivation, circuting power through newly formed meridians.

  "From Divine Emperor to Body Refinement snake," I mused as I slipped into meditation. "Still a long way to go, but progress is progress."

  The hunt Lin had mentioned presented both danger and opportunity. With proper preparation, it could be the key to accelerating my return to power. Fifteen cultivation bases delivered directly to me? It would be rude not to accept such generosity.

  I contempted various strategies as I cultivated, pns forming and discarding themselves as I considered the terrain, my abilities, and the likely tactics of the hunters.

  By morning, I had a pn. Not a perfect one, but one with reasonable odds of success. And if there was one thing my centuries of existence had taught me, it was that a Divine Emperor makes his own luck.

  I would be ready when the hunt arrived. And they would learn why challenging a serpent in its own territory is a mistake that resonates across lifetimes.

  The cultivation world had forgotten the name of Divine Emperor Shin during my absence. It was time for a reminder, even if the messenger was currently a twenty-foot snake with delusions of grandeur and an eating disorder.

  "Let the games begin," I thought as dawn broke over the clearing. "It's hunting season, and I'm not the prey."