Thap Van Dai Son was vast and boundless, looking like an ocean from above, with mountains reaching myriad *truong* high and mist swirling lazily.
Deep within Thap Van Dai Son, in a small gorge where the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was exceptionally dense, a small snake lay on a patch of grass. With each breath, it absorbed wisps of spiritual energy into its body, circulating it once. It raised its head to the clear blue sky, longing as it watched the birds soaring freely above. It had no freedom; ever since it gained sentience, it had only ever been in this gorge. Outside, there seemed to be a protective barrier that prevented any creature from entering or leaving. Inside, it felt no hunger or fatigue, for with each breath, it sensed strands of energy entering its body and circulating, making the feeling of hunger disappear and its body fill with energy.
A gentle breeze suddenly blew past, carrying an alluring fragrance that roused it from its reverie. Following the direction of the scent, it found a small tree, less than two *truong* tall, with a bright red, glistening fruit hanging from its branches. It didn't know what kind of tree it was, but the fruit's aroma was so captivating, it felt an overwhelming urge to devour it immediately.
Suddenly, a sound of rushing wind came from afar. It raised its head, filled with doubt. Why was there another creature here? Didn't the protective barrier prevent any creatures from entering or leaving? Despite its doubts, it still hid in a bush as a precaution.
"Hahaha, I never thought that just by coming out for a trip, I'd collect a Xich Chu Fruit..."
A voice filled with excitement and agitation reached it.
"Language..."
The small snake's doubts grew deeper. This language seemed unfamiliar, yet it wondered why it could understand it.
A minute passed. From a thousand *truong* away, a figure streaked towards the tree. It was a middle-aged man with thick eyebrows and large eyes, dressed in a purple long robe.
"Hahaha, just in time! This Xich Chu Fruit will help me advance from early-stage Core Formation to mid-stage, hahaha..."
As he spoke, his right hand patted a storage pouch on his person, and a jade box flew out. He meticulously picked the fruit and carefully placed it inside the box. After he was done, he scanned the surroundings, and seeing nothing else, he transformed into a streak of rainbow light and flew straight up into the sky, departing.
"Fly...??"
The small snake's eyes widened, filled with disbelief that this person could fly without wings.