Lin Tian silently sensed the cunning and threat of the strange serpent. This beast was not just a creature with budding intelligence, but its wisdom could even rival that of a soul-refining cultivator in the Daoist arts. The strength of the serpent's spiritual consciousness shocked him deeply. While most beasts' spiritual powers were comparable to those of a human cultivator in the Condensation Stage, this serpent had already surpassed that level. Lin Tian couldn't help but mock himself: although he had a powerful body, his spiritual strength was still far from enough, especially since his spiritual roots within his mind had not fully developed and were at risk of collapsing at any time.
However, Lin Tian still felt a sense of relief: despite the vast gap in spiritual consciousness, his physical strength had reached the middle stage of the Qi-Transforming Realm, which allowed him to use his spiritual energy to enhance his speed. His internal spiritual energy was gradually increasing as well. Through the meditative practice of the "Lingwu Sutra," his spiritual energy allowed him to easily lift a 300-pound stone, which greatly boosted his physical abilities and agility.
At this point, his speed was somewhat similar to that of the Gale Gold-striped Leopard, but this advantage was relative. If he used his spiritual energy appropriately, his body movements could become as swift as the wind. This unique use of energy allowed him to match the leopard in speed. Lin Tian felt proud of this small achievement and thought to himself: "If the serpent really wants to kill me, I still might not have the power to resist."
"Since that's the case, then let's cooperate." Lin Tian reluctantly made his decision, fully aware that the serpent was too powerful to resist. If he continued to fight, he would have no chance of survival. However, if he cooperated, at least he could use the serpent's power to deal with the Zhao family's cultivators and keep himself alive.
The serpent seemed unsurprised by Lin Tian's decision, and it led him to its lair. The six-legged croc had been completely overwhelmed by the Gale Gold-striped Leopard, which had successfully tied it down. The croc lay on the ground, its dark blue scales torn off and blood dripping from its body. Clearly, it had taken significant damage. Though the leopard hadn't fully defeated it, at least it had successfully restrained the croc.
Lin Tian observed carefully and noticed that the six-legged croc's tail was extremely powerful. If the leopard hadn't avoided it, it would surely have been injured. Indeed, during the battle, Lin Tian noticed a distinct bruise on the leopard's body. The croc's tail, if swung with full force, could smash anything in its path. Lin Tian remembered some combat techniques he'd seen before and caught the essence of the croc's tail movements, suddenly recognizing a new tactic that resembled the tail swing of a giant crocodile. He immediately committed this new technique to memory.
At that moment, Lin Tian realized that what he had learned from the Lingwu Sutra was not a complete martial arts system, especially when it came to understanding the deeper aspects of martial arts. The 1,400 movements in the scripture were likely just the basics, and to apply them fully, further insight was needed. Now, after witnessing the battle between the six-legged croc and the leopard, the essence of the Lingwu Sutra seemed to resonate with the potential inside him, and some movements involuntarily flashed through his mind. This insight deepened his understanding of the infinite possibilities in martial arts cultivation.
The serpent watched Lin Tian stop in his tracks with a hint of surprise in its eyes. It sensed the surging of Lin Tian's blood and the subtle fluctuations of his spiritual energy, realizing that the boy was not simple. The serpent thought to itself, "Perhaps this boy is worth deeper exploitation."
However, the serpent quickly concealed its emotions, knowing that now was not the time to reveal its true intentions. After all, Lin Tian, as its "pawn," still required more observation and testing.
After a while, the serpent led Lin Tian to a hidden cave. The entrance of the cave was about three feet in diameter, just large enough for Lin Tian to crawl into. Although the cave had a reasonable size, the environment inside, being a snake's lair, still made one feel uncomfortable.
The serpent slowly crawled out from within, carrying a large bundle in its mouth containing various items, including clothes, weapons, and more. Lin Tian's eyes instantly brightened. Although the items looked old and worn, the faint glimmer that occasionally appeared hinted that some of them must be magical tools.
Magical tools! Lin Tian's heart raced. This was a rare opportunity for him. Magical tools were precious items for Daoist cultivators that could greatly enhance the efficiency of their spiritual energy and even increase their power. Though his spiritual energy was currently low, obtaining a magical tool would undoubtedly make up for his shortcomings and possibly allow him to challenge martial arts experts.
The serpent laid the magical tools in front of Lin Tian. Without hesitation, Lin Tian took them, recognizing the immense value they held. Although these items didn't look impressive on the surface, the energy contained within them would certainly enhance his power.
The magical tools included a low-grade magic sword, a mid-grade magic robe, a pair of magic boots, a mid-grade shuttle-shaped weapon, and a Celestial Binding Rope. The most surprising item for Lin Tian was the pair of magic boots, made from the Gale Gold-striped Leopard's leather, engraved with wind-type magic arrays, clearly designed to enhance his speed.
However, as Lin Tian put on the boots, the Gale Gold-striped Leopard's gaze made him feel uneasy. After all, these boots originally belonged to the leopard, and wearing them made Lin Tian feel a strange sense of discomfort.
Lin Tian also took the low-grade magic sword and felt its weight. The sword, weighing over 90 pounds, seemed heavy, but it wasn't an issue for him. However, the sword didn't seem as magical as he had hoped. Aside from being sharp, it didn't seem to activate the spiritual energy within, making it somewhat "useless." Nevertheless, it was still a suitable weapon for him to use.
The magic robe was of decent quality, though the spirit gathering formation on it had been damaged, significantly reducing its effectiveness. Lin Tian could only use it as temporary protective gear. As for the Celestial Binding Rope, it was a low-tier magic tool, useful only against low-tier cultivators. For Lin Tian, whether these magical tools would help him improve his combat strength remained uncertain, but it was still a significant gain.
At this point, he no longer had high expectations for these tools. Instead, he focused on using them to help him break through the current predicament. Through his cooperation with the serpent, Lin Tian realized that he no longer fought alone. The serpent's help might be the key to his future success.