After the excitement faded, looking at the ground littered with discarded low-grade fire spirit crystals, Evan Parker couldn't help but think to himself, "That was close." If he hadn't managed to gather enough spiritual energy to break through the Hundred Meridians at the last moment, even missing the amount of spiritual energy contained in just one fire spirit crystal would likely have doomed him to failure at the final step.

"Next time I try to break through a bottleneck, I must prepare enough spirit stones..." Evan Parker resolved silently in his heart.

"The Innate Realm has increased my strength by at least tenfold. This is a leap forward, but also a new starting point. I've waited three years—it's finally time to explore that unknown area. My first fortune as a cultivator will depend on it..."

Evan Parker pondered for a moment, then his figure darted like the wind deeper into the mine. The labyrinthine, spiderweb-like tunnels were as familiar to him as his own home, and he moved through them almost without pause.

After three and a half years of life in the mines, Evan Parker was convinced that no one knew these hundred miles of mining veins better than he did.

About two hours later, Evan Parker finally slowed his hurried steps, stopping before a narrow entrance barely wide enough for one and a half people to walk side by side.

This was already the edge of the mining vein, rarely visited by anyone. In fact, a few years ago, this place hadn't even been opened up. The entrance before Evan Parker, leading to "that area," had appeared after a violent earthquake nine years ago.

In other words, even those of the Supreme Xuanyang Sect who controlled these hundred miles of mining veins had no idea this place existed.

If Evan Parker hadn't been searching for enough spirit stones for his future cultivation, he would never have found this place. Evan Parker could even assert that among all the miners working here, no more than ten people knew of this area's existence.

Back when he first came here, through precise analysis of the terrain and mineral quality, Evan Parker determined that behind this narrow entrance lay an extremely rich deposit of high-quality spirit stones—so abundant that even the most productive areas he had found in the hundred-mile mining vein couldn't compare.

This discovery had naturally made Evan Parker ecstatic, and he had rushed into the cave on his own—almost losing his life in the pitch-black darkness.

Recalling that perilous encounter three and a half years ago, Evan Parker still felt a lingering fear. That time, he hadn't even managed to exit the narrow cave, being scared off halfway by a deadly threat.

Staring at the deep entrance before him, Evan Parker didn't hesitate. He took a deep breath, bent low, and slipped inside.

The moment he entered, the temperature around him plummeted, a biting chill filling the air. A fierce gust of wind swept toward him, tinged with a faint scent of blood, making the atmosphere even more terrifying.

Things were different now. Evan Parker advanced rapidly, soon surpassing the depth he had reached during his previous exploration. As he went deeper, the once-narrow space gradually opened up, but the ever-vigilant Evan Parker, on guard for that "thing" to appear, found nothing.

After walking for about fifteen minutes—at Evan Parker's current speed, at least three miles—the cave, as an extension of the mining vein, proved to be astonishingly deep. Up to now, he hadn't even seen a single fork in the path. The only change was that the space kept getting larger, and the observant Evan Parker noticed more and more holes of various sizes appearing in the cave walls.

Suddenly, a hissing sound reached Evan Parker's ears, making him stop in his tracks. In the dim light ahead, a snake's head, at least a yard in diameter, emerged from the depths. Two eyes, as big as bronze bells, glared at Evan Parker like giant lanterns, and a half-meter-long forked tongue flickered in and out, ready to devour him at any moment.

"So I really did run into that 'thing.' The only difference is, the one I met before was nothing compared to this giant. That one could already be considered a giant python-level beast, but compared to this monster, it wasn't even a third its size..."

Recalling that near-death experience, Evan Parker's gaze focused on the giant serpent blocking his path. On its forehead grew a crimson fleshy horn the size of a basketball, setting it apart from the common concept of a "snake."

"Barbaric-Horn Cave Python—prefers dark, spiritual energy-rich places, lives underground year-round, feeds on spirit stones, can reach a hundred meters in adulthood, possesses basic intelligence, a fierce beast..."

Chapter Five: Barbaric-Horn Cave Python

Back when he bought the "Three-Yuan Fiery Art," Evan Parker had also spent a hundred spirit stones on a copy of "Miscellaneous Notes on Cultivation," which contained information on various refining materials and fierce beasts. Though it was the cheapest kind of reference, listing only about a thousand items, it was extremely helpful for someone like Evan Parker who was new to the world of cultivation.

Among them was an entry on the "Barbaric-Horn Cave Python." In the eyes of cultivators, fierce beasts were actually very low-level creatures—above them were demon beasts and spirit beasts.

At this moment, despite the Barbaric-Horn Cave Python's massive and seemingly clumsy body, its speed was astonishing. In just a few breaths, it had already slithered to within thirty meters of Evan Parker.