"No! I refuse to believe it!" Yin Hui ran toward the egg once more and put his hand on its surface. Another red light emerged and he was sent flying away.

The Onyx Serpent watched with great attention as Yin Hui tried again and again to receive the egg's acceptance.

"I really thought this boy would obtain my child's recognition. Judging by the reaction, the degree of rejection is quite high. If that is the case, why would a loose connection be formed in the first place?"

After ten more failed attempts, Yin Hui's clothes were covered in dirt and dust. However he didn't give up. There were only two paths in front of him, one was to obtain the recognition of the egg, and the other was to die forgotten in the desolate chamber.

"My dao is the Dao of Vengeance! When I'm knocked down, I come back even stronger! My goal is to take down the heavens one day, I won't be stopped by an overgrown snake egg!"

The egg gave off a small fluctuation of spirit energy, when it heard Yin Hui's proclamation. It was as if it were taunting him, saying that all his attempts would be futile.

The Onyx Serpent's eyes lit up when it saw this.

"I see. While there is a connection, my child is too stubborn to accept it. He doesn't believe that this weak Spirit Waking cultivator is worthy of it. Let's see what this brat will do to overcome this."

Irritated by the egg's taunts, Yin Hui closed his eyes and began to condense the spirit energy within his body. He focused it all on his spiritual sense, filling the air with a thick aura of demonic qi.

"Interesting, this brat is a demonic cultivator and even has a fiend body. To start off the path of cultivation by following the way of the fiend... I wonder what circumstances caused him to do such a thing."

When his spiritual sense was raised to it's absolute limit, Yin Hui opened his eyes. He condensed the power of his spiritual sense into his finger and pointed it at the egg.

"If I can't receive your acknowledgment the normal way, I will receive it by force! Beast Suppression!"

With all his spiritual sense focused in his finger, a black ray of qi shot out. Because it was condensed to such a degree, the spiritual sense was actually visible.

When the black beam of spiritual sense hit the egg, the red flash of light representing the rejection force appeared once more. This time the red light did not vanish immediately after it emerged and began clashing with the black qi.

"Submit to me!" Yin Hui shouted.

However, the egg did not relent. In response to the forced suppression, the red glow around it intensified. Slowly, but steadily, the light began to push Yin Hui's spiritual sense back.

Yin Hui cursed and slapped his bag of holding. He took out the chest of qi crystals Yu Zhuwa gave him and began absorbing their power. The extra qi contained within the crystals bolstered Yin Hui's spiritual sense, changing the tide of the struggle.

The Onyx Serpent watched the clash with great amusement.

"A spell that allows the user to imprint their spiritual sense onto another and bind them to their will. What an interesting technique. However, this power I'm sensing from him. It's very familiar..."

The egg was beginning to lose ground against Yin Hui's spiritual sense. The beam of black qi had already reached it's surface and began penetrating the outer layer.

Yin Hui did not hesitate to keep absorbing more qi crystals to keep up the pressure. At this point, he had already used up half the box just making it to the outer surface.

"Just a little more! Once I force this stupid egg to submit, I will gain not only my freedom, but a powerful ally!"

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The red glow from the egg intensified to it's maximum power. Currently, the brightness of the light even exceeded Yin Hui's Blinding Light spell. The tide changed again, causing Yin Hui's ray of spiritual sense to leave the egg's surface.

"Damn it!"

Yin Hui realized that the slow approach was not going to work. Emptying the entire chest of qi crystals, he absorbed them all at once. His body surged with spiritual power as the black beam of spiritual sense doubled in size.

The spiritual sense immediately pierced through the egg's defense and entered the inner layer. With his soul imprinted on the egg, Yin Hui walked up and placed his hand on the surface.

At first, nothing happened. However, after a few moments a faint white glow began to appear. This white light was not violent like the red one, and radiated an aura of warmth and acceptance.

"Yes! I've succeeded!" However, Yin Hui's happiness did not last long.

All of a sudden, the warm white glow was replaced with the red light Yin Hui dreaded. The power within this red light was several times more intense then it was previously, and sent a shockwave throughout the entire chamber.

Yin Hui's body was sent spiraling into a pile of qi crystals within the chamber. Enraged, he prepared to condense his spiritual sense once more and attack the egg.

"Stop, I've seen enough." The Onyx Serpent interrupted.

"I'm not done! I almost succeeded the last time. Give me another attempt and I will succeed for sure."

The Onyx Serpent shook its head.

"I know that there's a chance you will succeed again and that's why I'm stopping you."

Yin Hui calmed his spiritual qi and stood still, glaring at the egg that gave him so much trouble. The egg flared it's energy once more and Yin Hui knew full well that it was mocking him.

"Based on what I've seen, my child really does not want to integrate with you. If you were to force it, you would only cause issues down the line for you and my offspring."

"So does this mean I failed?"

"What is your name boy?"

"I am Yin Hui." There was no point in lying to a powerful existence such as the Onyx Serpent. If Earth Immortals were ants to it, Yin Hui knew he would only be courting death if he were to try and hide anything.

"Yin Hui... Yin Clan... Yin..." The Onyx Serpent looked lost in thought. It was as if the name caused it to reminisce deeply about another time in the past.

Yin Hui could not tell if the memories the Onyx Serpent was recalling were good or bad. He only hoped that the dealings it had with the Yin Clan in the past were positive enough to convince it to let him go. Then again, he truly wondered how great his clan was at it's peak if they interacted with an existence such as the Onyx Serpent.

"Hmm. The Yin Clan and I had a connection back then. Out of consideration for that, I will let you go. Tell me your destination and I will have one of my children take you there. The pass you came from is connected to many places and I am it's ruler. Every route is known to me and I can ensure that you are taken through the fastest one."

Yin Hui gave a deep bow towards the Onyx Serpent.

"Thank you your excellency. I have a compass that guides me to the location I seek, which is one of the borders out of this province. Also, if it's too much to ask, may I also pick up my companions as well? They are somewhere in the pass and may be lost."

The Onyx Serpent nodded

"Yes, I sense them within the pass. They have encountered a pair of very powerful beasts. I will deter them for you."

A silent tremor was sent through the ground and out of the Onyx Serpent's chamber. Afterwards, the Onyx Serpent let out a whistle like hiss that echoed throughout the cavern. A short moment of time passed and a giant white snake entered the chamber, lowering it's head before the Onyx Serpent.

"Take this little one back into the pass and pick up his companions. After, take them to the destination on that compass he's holding."

The white serpent nodded and gestured towards Yin Hui to climb onto it. Yin Hui gave one last bow to the Onyx Serpent before flying onto the back of his new escort. The Onyx Serpent ignored the goodwill and turned its head away, dousing the torches as the white snake to departed with Yin Hui.

When Yin Hui left, the Onyx Serpent turned towards its unhatched offspring and let out a deep sigh.

"You do not know how big of an opportunity you just let pass by."

The egg ignited its red aura once more, but in a calmer way then when it was dealing with Yin Hui.

"That boy has great potential, you're simply too young and inexperienced to see it. I sensed a trace of 'his' aura when that brat tried to suppress you with his spiritual sense. I've told you about 'him' before haven't I? Furthermore, the connection formed between you two was perfect in all aspects."

The egg's aura flickered slightly, turning a tinge redder.

"How arrogant... I've told you many times that a spirit beast's true potential is only unlocked through the life and death bond formed with a cultivator. Even I would not have reached my current level of power without the many trials I endured along with 'him'. Then again, I used to be just as haughty and narcissistic as you when I was young, so I will not blame you for your feelings."

The red aura around the egg intensified, piercing through the darkness of the cave with a swirl of crimson. Afterwards, it calmed down and dispersed completely.

The Onyx Serpent let out a small chuckle.

"You're right. If the two of you are really fated to be together, then he will return one day. When that time comes, I'm sure that brat will have met your standards and change your mind."