Reborn as a lotus, she initially refuses to hand it over to the state.

With that in mind, the Crimson Scale Python continued to burrow its body into the Blood Nest, constantly absorbing the energy within.

I felt my body getting stronger and the powerful, refreshing feeling brought to me by that mysterious energy.

The Crimson Scale Python was in high spirits. Before long, it would rule the entire Lingnan Mountain Range and become the Crimson Scale Python Emperor.

Just as it was immersed in its cultivation, a faint whisper suddenly came from the depths of the Blood Nest.

The voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to carry some kind of magical power, resounding in the mind of the Crimson Scaled Python.

The Scaled Python's body trembled suddenly. It raised its head, its scarlet vertical pupils scanning its surroundings.

The depths of Chixia Ridge were utterly silent.

All the snakes around lay prostrate on the ground, and no snake demon dared to make a sound at this moment.

The blood nest continued to churn, with large amounts of blood spreading out in concentric circles.

The Crimson Scale Python stared at the Blood Nest, a hint of doubt appearing in its eyes for the first time.

What was that sound just now?

Could it be that I've absorbed too much blood essence, affecting my mind?

It quickly suppressed this thought. Now was the most crucial moment. As long as it had enough blood and energy to replenish itself, it could truly break through to the fifth rank.

At that time, the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone, the Ninth Round, and human powerhouses will no longer matter.

The entire Lingnan region would become its snake kingdom. Thinking of this, the Crimson Scaled Python lowered its head again and opened its mouth to devour the blood energy in the Blood Nest.

But as the blood and qi entered its body, it suddenly felt a blurry image flash through the depths of its mind.

It was a blood-red land, with countless bones piled up like mountains.

A massive, blood-red lair, suspended in the void, began to pound violently like a heart.

Deep within that blood nest, a giant eye resembling a pupil suddenly opened.

The Crimson-Scaled Python trembled and suddenly awoke from the illusion.

"Who?"

It let out a low growl, and the surrounding snakes trembled in fear. A third-tier snake demon quickly scrambled forward and asked in a trembling voice, "My lord, what has happened?"

The Crimson Scale Python gave it a cold look, and the third-tier snake demon immediately lowered its head, not daring to ask any more questions.

The Crimson-Scaled Python offered no explanation, for even it itself did not know what it had just seen.

From that moment on, it felt a strange sense of irritation, and at one point, a thought even popped into its head.

He devoured all the surrounding snakes, each bearing the mark of a blood nest. Their flesh and blood could be used as nourishment for his breakthrough.

The moment this thought crossed her mind, the Crimson Scale Python was startled. Although it was ferocious, it was not stupid.

The snake swarm is the foundation of its control over Crimson Cloud Ridge.

If it were to truly devour all the snake demons, even if it broke through to the fifth rank, it would become utterly alone.

"Is this blood nest affecting me?"

The Crimson Scale Python's vertical pupils suddenly contracted, but it quickly suppressed the thought.

Impossible. This blood nest was its opportunity to break through. Without the blood nest, it would not have been able to reach the peak of the fourth rank so quickly after the second spiritual energy tide.

They have even less chance of having the opportunity to reach the fifth rank.

The Crimson Scaled Python stared into the depths of the blood-red water and said coldly, "No matter what you are, as long as you can help me break through, I can control you."

……

Battlefield in Nanjiang City.

The frontal assault of the beast tide finally subsided, and many soldiers slumped behind their makeshift positions, their faces covered in gunpowder and blood.

Someone was holding a gun, their hands still trembling.

Some people looked at the corpses of strange beasts on the street and vomited until their faces turned pale.

Some people were searching for survivors in the rubble, ambulances were shuttling back and forth, and the medics' shouts were almost constant.

Su Wan stood beside an armored vehicle, holding the latest battle report in her hand, her expression not relaxed despite the retreat of the beast tide.

Instead, her expression grew even more somber as she witnessed the strange beasts dragging large numbers of human and beast corpses into the deep mountains during their retreat.

This is very unusual. What exactly do these giant snakes want to do?

Lin Qingxue sat in the temporary medical station, her face still pale. She had almost exhausted her spiritual energy while treating Chen Wuji.

She was holding a cup of hot water in her hands, her fingertips trembling slightly.

Chen Xueli walked over and whispered, "Qingxue, thank you."

Lin Qingxue said, "You don't need to do that. I was just doing my duty as an Awakened student."

Chen Xueli shook her head and said, "Even though you say that, I still want to thank you. Thank you for saving my grandfather. If it weren't for you, I don't know what I would have done."

At this point, she glanced around and asked in a low voice, "By the way, you probably already know about what happened online, right?"

Lin Qingxue naturally understood what Chen Xueli was talking about. During this live broadcast, she used her special abilities, which caused quite a stir.

Having entered the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone, and having just unleashed healing power, he was able to heal even a Grandmaster.

That's a bit scary.

All the powerful families and conglomerates were speculating what would happen if they also learned how to awaken this ability.

Will the family rise to prominence instantly at that time?

Lin Qingxue lowered her head and remained silent.

Chen Xueli gritted her teeth and said, "Don't worry about those people."

"They know nothing. You saved my grandfather and many other wounded people."

Lin Qingxue said softly, "But it's normal for them to be afraid."

Chen Xueli was taken aback. Lin Qingxue raised her head, looked at the still-burning streets in the distance, and said, "If I weren't myself, if I were just an ordinary person..."

"I also feel afraid when I see someone with the same power as the forbidden zone."

Chen Xueli didn't know how to comfort her, just then Su Wan walked over: "Qingxue."

Lin Qingxue quickly stood up: "Captain Su."

Su Wan looked at her, her tone serious: "From now on, you must not leave my sight."

Lin Qingxue was taken aback: "Is it because of what happened online?"

Su Wan did not deny it, and said directly: "Your power has been exposed. From now on, not only will people in China be watching you, but foreign forces will also be watching you."

Lin Qingxue's face turned pale, and Su Wan's voice softened a bit: "You don't need to be afraid, the Ninth Bureau will protect you, but you must also understand that from now on, you are no longer an ordinary Awakened."

Lin Qingxue nodded and said, "I understand."

……

At the same time.

In Beijing, at the headquarters of the Ninth Bureau, Zhang Xuanling stood in front of a large screen, on which clips of Lin Qingxue treating Chen Wuji were being played repeatedly.

A bluish light appeared, and an illusory blue lotus bloomed, gradually forcing back the black snake venom.

Wang Jun frowned and asked, "Master Zhang, what do you think?"

Zhang Xuanling did not answer immediately. He carefully watched the scene once before saying, "Judging from the abilities that Comrade Lin Qingxue has demonstrated, it should not be some kind of awakened talent."

Wang Jun pressed further, "What is that?"

Zhang Xuanling was silent for a moment before speaking: "This girl has entered the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone. Judging from this situation, she should have been affected by the power of the Azure Lotus. She has a strong spiritual fluctuation, which is called a divine consciousness imprint in ancient Taoist texts."

The expressions of everyone in the meeting room changed slightly.

Divine Imprint?

Isn't that something you only see in cultivation novels? If it weren't for Zhang Xuanling, who also cultivates the spiritual path...

They probably all found it hard to understand. Looking at Lin Qingxue in the image, Zhou Zhenshan asked in a deep voice, "Is there a way to erase this spiritual energy from Lin Qingxue?"

Zhang Xuanling looked at him, shook his head and said, "With my current cultivation level, trying to erase the spiritual imprint in this girl's body would probably backfire. At best, the girl would go insane; at worst, she would probably die on the spot."

The meeting room was completely silent.

This outcome was clearly not what anyone wanted. Wang Jun said in a deep voice, "Then shouldn't we take her into custody immediately?"

Zhou Zhenshan frowned and said in a deep voice, "What wrong has she done? Besides, she just saved Chen Wuji, a hero of our Dragon Kingdom. Do you want to discourage a hero?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Jun choked. He clenched his fist, then relaxed it after a moment. He was considering the interests of the Dragon Kingdom from his perspective.

Any crisis must be nipped in the bud immediately, just in case.