A week later—
Deep beneath the earth—
the hidden cavern remained silent.
The faint crimson glow of the Blood Tree illuminated the darkness, casting an eerie light across the cavern walls.
Its enormous roots spread through the surrounding soil, disappearing deep into the earth.
Beside it—
the white fox remained curled into a tight ball.
An enormous amount of spiritual energy continued circulating around her body.
The energy was so dense that faint ripples could be seen moving through the air around her.
Not far away—
Lizarius remained curled up.
His small body was completely motionless.
His white scales reflected the crimson light of the Blood Tree, giving him an almost otherworldly appearance.
But—
he wasn't alone.
A third figure lay within the cavern.
A massive Python.
Its enormous body was coiled upon the ground.
Its scales had lost much of their former luster.
Its body looked weak.
Almost as though its life force had been drained away.
For several days—
it hadn't moved.
Not even once.
Then—
its eyelids twitched.
Slowly—
they opened.
The Python's eyes were dull.
Confusion filled them.
It remained motionless for several breaths.
*...Where am I?*
Its mind felt sluggish.
Its body felt incredibly heavy.
Even moving its head required considerable effort.
The Python slowly lifted its head.
Its gaze swept across the unfamiliar cavern.
*What happened?*
Fragments of memory gradually surfaced.
The forest.
The battle.
That terrifying lizard.
The overwhelming pressure.
Then—
darkness.
The Python's pupils contracted.
*That creature...*
It remembered being attacked.
It remembered its body becoming weaker.
Its blood being drained.
Its strength disappearing.
Then—
nothing.
Its gaze slowly moved across the cavern.
First—
the Blood Tree.
The Python stared.
Its eyes widened slightly.
*...A Spirit Tree?*
Even in its current weakened state—
it could clearly sense the extraordinary spiritual energy radiating from the tree.
The energy was so pure and dense that it almost made the Python's weakened body instinctively react.
Its pupils narrowed.
*How is there a Spirit Tree here?*
Its gaze shifted.
It noticed the white fox.
The fox remained curled up.
Completely motionless.
The Python stared at her.
*And who is that?*
A fox.
But—
something about her presence felt strange.
The Python cautiously spread its senses toward her.
Then—
its expression changed.
Its entire body stiffened.
*...Golden Core?*
A chill immediately ran through its body.
The fox was a Golden Core cultivator.
And judging from the aura surrounding her—
she was far stronger than an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.
The Python instinctively lowered its head.
*Impossible.*
*Why would a Golden Core cultivator be here?*
Its gaze shifted again.
Toward the small white-scaled lizard curled beside the Blood Tree.
The Python froze.
Those golden eyes.
That familiar presence.
Its pupils contracted violently.
*...Him.*
The same lizard.
The one responsible for everything.
The Python's body trembled.
*Why is it here?*
And more importantly—
*Why am I still alive?*
The Python remained completely still.
It didn't dare move.
It didn't dare make a sound.
Its instincts were screaming at it.
**Don't provoke them.**
The cavern fell silent once more.
Only the faint crimson glow of the Blood Tree illuminated the three creatures.
The Python slowly lowered its head.
For the first time—
it realized just how dangerous this place truly was.
Its mind raced.
*...The lizard.*
*It must have brought me here.*
But—
why?
Its eyes slowly shifted toward Lizarius.
*Does it want to eat me?*
The thought immediately came to mind.
But—
the Python quickly rejected it.
*No.*
*If that were the case...*
*I would already be dead.*
After all—
its core blood had already been extracted.
Its current condition was no different from that of a dying beast.
If the lizard wanted to kill it—
there would have been no reason to keep it alive.
The Python's eyes narrowed.
*Then why?*
Silence.
A strange possibility quietly surfaced within its mind.
*...Did it bring me here for my safety?*
The Python immediately rejected the thought.
*Impossible.*
There was no reason for that creature to save it.
Not after everything that had happened.
It couldn't understand the lizard's intentions.
And—
the longer it remained here, the more dangerous the situation seemed.
The Python's gaze moved toward the fox.
Then—
toward Lizarius.
Both appeared to be in a deep state of cultivation.
Neither had moved.
*They're unconscious...*
*This is my chance.*
The Python slowly began moving.
But—
the moment it tried to lift its body—
a wave of weakness surged through it.
Its muscles trembled violently.
Its enormous body nearly collapsed back onto the ground.
*...Damn it.*
Its breathing became heavier.
*My body is far too weak.*
The Python lowered its head.
It could clearly feel the emptiness within its body.
Its core blood had been extracted.
Its blood had been drained.
Even its life force had been severely depleted.
*I won't recover quickly from something like this.*
Its eyes darkened.
*I need time.*
*And I need spiritual energy.*
But—
before it could continue thinking—
its gaze suddenly froze.
Something was lying beside it.
At first—
the Python hadn't noticed.
Its weakened senses had been too focused on the fox and Lizarius.
But now—
its pupils slowly contracted.
A corpse.
The enormous corpse of a demon beast lay quietly against the cavern wall.
The Python's eyes widened.
*...What?*
It carefully examined the corpse.
Its scales.
Its aura.
Its remaining spiritual energy.
Then—
the Python's breathing became slightly quicker.
*Mid Foundation Establishment.*
The corpse belonged to a demon beast at the **Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment**.
Even in death—
its body still contained an enormous amount of spiritual energy.
The Python stared.
*Why didn't I notice this earlier?*
Its eyes shifted toward Lizarius.
A thought immediately surfaced.
*Did that creature place it here?*
*For me?*
The possibility made the Python hesitate.
Perhaps—
the corpse had been deliberately left beside it.
Perhaps the lizard had expected it to awaken.
Perhaps—
there was some purpose behind it.
But—
the Python quickly pushed those thoughts aside.
*It doesn't matter.*
Whether the corpse had been left for it or not—
it needed the energy.
**Now.**
Its body couldn't afford to wait.
The Python slowly crawled toward the corpse.
Every movement made its muscles tremble.
Its enormous body dragged across the ground.
But—
it continued.
When it finally reached the corpse—
its enormous jaws opened.
There was no hesitation.
The Python sank its fangs into the corpse.
**CRUNCH!**
The thick flesh tore apart.
Despite its weakened condition—
the Python continued eating.
One bite.
Then another.
It swallowed the pieces without hesitation.
**Crunch.**
**Gulp.**
Its jaws moved steadily.
The enormous corpse gradually disappeared into its stomach.
Even the bones were crushed beneath its powerful fangs and swallowed.
Before long—
nothing remained.
Only a faint trace of blood stained the ground.
The Python slowly raised its head.
Its breathing was still weak.
But—
there was already a faint trace of energy returning to its body.
*...This should be enough for now.*
It slowly coiled its body.
The massive coils wrapped around themselves.
Then—
it lowered its head.
*I need to digest it.*
*Once the energy is absorbed...*
*I should be able to recover some of my strength.*
The Python closed its eyes.
It carefully guided the energy within its stomach throughout its weakened body.
Slowly—
the spiritual energy began nourishing its depleted flesh.
Its muscles gradually relaxed.
Its breathing became steadier.
The cavern returned to silence.
The crimson light of the Blood Tree continued illuminating the darkness.
The white fox remained motionless.
The Python remained coiled.
And—
Lizarius continued cultivating.
---
A day passed.
Inside the cavern—
silence remained.
Then—
Lizarius' eyelids twitched.
His eyes slowly opened.
"..."
His golden gaze remained unfocused for a moment.
Then—
his senses gradually returned.
He looked around the cavern.
The Blood Tree.
The sleeping fox.
The Python.
His eyes stopped upon the enormous serpent.
*Hmm.*
*It's still alive.*
Lizarius stared for several moments.
The Python remained coiled.
Its breathing was considerably steadier than before.
Its scales also appeared to have regained a small amount of their former luster.
Then—
Lizarius noticed the empty space beside it.
His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
*It ate the corpse.*
A faint trace of interest appeared in his gaze.
*I thought it would try to escape.*
*Or perhaps attack me once it woke up.*
After all—
the Python had been practically on the verge of death.
Most creatures in that situation would have desperately tried to flee the moment they regained consciousness.
Yet—
this one hadn't.
Instead—
it had chosen to consume the corpse.
Lizarius' gaze became thoughtful.
*So it has some intelligence.*
That wasn't entirely surprising.
A creature capable of reaching the Foundation Establishment realm would naturally possess considerable intelligence.
Still—
Lizarius hadn't expected it to make such a rational decision while standing only one step away from death.
*Interesting.*
He remained silent.
Then—
something suddenly moved.
Lizarius' golden eyes shifted.
The Python's shadow trembled.
A dark ripple spread across the ground.
Then—
something slowly emerged from within the Python's shadow.
A figure.
Small.
White-scaled.
Golden-eyed.
It was identical to Lizarius.
A shadow copy.
The copy silently stepped out of the Python's shadow.
It looked exactly like the real Lizarius.
Same body.
Same white scales.
Same golden eyes.
Same presence.
Lizarius stared at it.
His expression remained calm.
*With this...*
*I'll know if anything happens.*
The shadow copy glanced toward him.
Then—
it slowly turned.
Its body sank back into the Python's shadow.
Within moments—
it completely disappeared.
Lizarius watched the shadow for several breaths.
*Good.*
His gaze returned to the Python.
*If it wakes up...*
*If it tries anything...*
The shadow copy would know.
And—
so would he.
Lizarius slowly stretched his limbs.
His body remained strangely calm.
The evolution within him was still continuing.
There was no reason for him to remain here any longer.
He glanced once toward the fox.
She remained deeply immersed in cultivation.
Then—
his body gradually became transparent.
His white scales faded.
His outline disappeared.
Even his presence vanished from the cavern.
Within moments—
Lizarius was completely invisible.
The cavern returned to silence.
Only three creatures remained within the crimson glow.
The sleeping fox.
The recovering Python.
And—
the silent shadow hidden beneath the serpent.