"You don't have to keep looking," the little snake said. "That Flame Tiger once accidentally ate a poisonous herb, which greatly diminished its strength. If you don't believe me, you can check its internal organsāmany parts should be dark brown."
Ye Tian felt an inexpressible admiration for the little snake. It was as if it were human, strangely aware of everything. 'Could this little snake have been a person before?'
'A person turning into a snake? Impossible! If that's really what happened, it's too terrifying,' Ye Tian thought.
"Don't worry. I'll do what I promised you. Is there anything else? If not, I'd like to continue my Cultivation for a few more days before I leave," Ye Tian said.
"There's nothing else. Just focus on your Cultivation. Your progress these past few days has been immense. You're a true talent. With the right guidance, you could achieve great things," said the little snake.
Ye Tian said no more. He planned to strike while the iron was hot and completely master the Fourth Form. By the time he looked up, the little snake had vanished without a trace, truly as elusive as the wind.
In the days that followed, Ye Tian's Cultivation grew even more frantic. He spent his days drenched in sweat, until one moment, he finally stopped.
'I've finally cultivated the Fourth Form to the Perfect Realm! It's time to leave!' Ye Tian looked up at the sky and saw it was still morning. He could return to Lisha City and go find that sloppy old man to draw the sword.
Ye Tian went to the deep pool to wash himself, changed into clean clothes, and headed for the market in Lisha City. He now looked refreshed and full of energy, exuding a dashing and elegant aura.
Ye Feifei had also come looking for Ye Tian during this time. She knew he must have gone to some dangerous place infested with Demon Beasts, she just didn't know his exact location. Still, she wasn't the least bit worried about him.
The strange events of that night were still vivid in her mind. She believed that even if Ye Tian encountered a more powerful Demon Beast, he could easily slay it.
'Let's see... the martial arts tournament is just one day away. Ye Tian should be back by now. He'll probably go to the market to draw the sword. I should be able to find him there!' Ye Feifei murmured to herself.
Arriving at the market once again, Ye Tian's mood was entirely different. The last time he was here, he'd had so few Spirit Stones that if he wanted to buy a Sword, his only option had been a Wooden Sword.
But things were different now. The Demon Beast Cores he carried could be exchanged for a large amount of Spirit Stones. Walking the streets of Lisha City now, he could be considered a wealthy man.
Ye Tian walked slowly through the streets. He was confident he could easily draw the Black Glaze Sword this time. He also suspected that the Black Glaze Sword was connected to the mysterious little snake in some way, and he was determined to find out how.
Before long, Ye Tian found the sloppy old man. Just like before, there were no customers at his stall. The dreadful odor was enough to keep anyone at bay.
Ye Tian, however, slowly walked up to the sloppy old man. "Senior, I'm here."
Ye Tian saw that the Black Glaze Sword was not displayed in front of the sloppy old man, only the same few items he had seen before. It appeared he hadn't sold a single thing.
Then again, that was to be expected. Who would be willing to buy something from a smelly old man?
The sloppy old man glanced at Ye Tian, his expression one of initial surprise that quickly turned into a frown. "Didn't you say you'd only come back to draw the sword after you broke through to the Fifth Layer? It doesn't look like you've broken through yet!"
Ye Tian wasn't sure how to explain. He couldn't just say that he had already broken through but was simply concealing his aura, making his Power Level impossible for others to perceive.
"Senior, I'm confident I can draw the Black Glaze Sword this time, so I wanted to give it a try. The Black Glaze Sword hasn't already been drawn by someone else, has it?" Ye Tian asked.
"Brat, am I the kind of man who goes back on his word?" the sloppy old man said. "Since I gave you my promise, I'll honor it. However, if you still can't draw the Black Glaze Sword today, you won't get another chance."
A customer appearing before the sloppy old man's stall was a rare sight in Lisha City these days, so it immediately drew the attention of many onlookers.
"Hey, look! Isn't that the kid who tried to draw the Black Glaze Sword last time? He must be back to try again! Maybe he can actually do it this time," someone in the crowd suddenly exclaimed.
His voice immediately attracted more people, who started to hurry over. However, they all stopped at a certain distance. It was no jokeānot just anyone could endure the stench coming from the sloppy old man.
"Quick, go tell my older brother that the Black Glaze Sword might be drawn today. If he wants it, he needs to hurry over. It'll be a problem if someone else gets it," a young man in fine clothes whispered to an attendant beside him.
Ye Tian's previous attempt to draw the sword had left a deep impression on many people. His reappearance today naturally caught the eye of certain interested parties, most of whom were coveting the Black Glaze Sword.
"Thank you for your trust in me, Senior. I won't disappoint you today. Please, bring out the Black Glaze Sword," Ye Tian said respectfully.
In truth, Ye Tian was quite curious. 'Where does the old man keep the Black Glaze Sword?' He couldn't see any sign of it on the man's person.
The sloppy old man glanced at Ye Tian and smiled. "I hope you can give me a real surprise!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Black Glaze Sword appeared in the sloppy old man's hand as if by magic. Ye Tian, who was standing closest, hadn't seen how it appeared at all, which only deepened his astonishment.
It wasn't just Ye Tian; none of the onlookers had seen how the Black Glaze Sword appeared either. They found it incredible, assuming the sloppy old man must have used some kind of Blinding Technique.
"I can't believe that sloppy old man has something as valuable as a Qiankun Bag. You really can't judge a book by its cover!" someone in the crowd remarked.
The voice wasn't loud, but many people heard it clearly. Though Ye Tian had never seen a Qiankun Bag before, he had heard of such things.
They were incredibly magical items that contained a unique space capable of holding many things. Only high-level Alchemists could craft them.
Naturally, their price was exorbitant. But there was an even more Heaven-defying item: the Qiankun Ring, also known as a Storage Ring. The space inside these rings was even larger, allowing them to hold far more.
It was said that a single Storage Ring was valuable enough to buy half a city. Of course, such a Heaven-defying object would likely only be owned by the supreme experts of the Imperial City. An ordinary person couldn't even dream of seeing one.
However, Ye Tian noticed a black ring on the sloppy old man's finger. It was incredibly plain, looking like a worthless piece of junk. If it were dropped on the ground, no one would even bother to pick it up.
"Alright, the Black Glaze Sword is here. You can draw it now! Don't disappoint me!" the sloppy old man said to Ye Tian. Inwardly, however, he was incredibly tense, wishing he could see Ye Tian pull out the Black Glaze Sword that very instantā¦