The Titanoboa appeared grandiose and majestic as it towered over the legion of Snakes.

  As a strong Spirit Beast, it was considered among the rulers of the forest, cowing all the snakes in submission.

  Yet, a Black Snake held no such reverence for it; a greedy glint appeared in her eyes as her slender head stared at the colossal Snake in unmistakable hunger.

  Soon, Sun Yuying found that the Titanoboa had a purpose in driving the snakes here.

  A deep hiss emerged from it as she felt a wave of energy wash over her. The Black Snake found that the colossal Snake did not speak, yet transmitted its intentions to the snakes, including her.

  You will seek resources and prey, expand the borders of my territory, and move beyond the limitations imposed. Bring me anything valuable you find; you are free to slay the brethren of the others.

  The Black Snake found its closing thoughts were particularly overbearing and forceful; the Titanoboa was clearly the overlord here, and the army of Snakes seemed entirely submissive to it as they went about fulfilling its intentions.

  She even saw the King Cobra obediently follow its commands, and the Black Snake found herself looking at it with disdain.

  You call yourself a King?

  Sun Yuying thought that was it, until Titanoboa suddenly fixed its gaze on her.

  Titanoboa golden eyes held a deep pressure that felt metaphysical, a corporeal presence that pressed down on her mind.

  The Black Snake felt cowed, yet did not lower her head; she did not feel the urge of subservience to the Titanoboa like the others, even though the Titanoboa was so far above her.

  You are different. I can sense Spirituality forming in you. You will be an asset, one unsuited for the task I gave the others.

  The Black Snake felt the Titanoboa energies wash over her as it hissed meaningfully. She knew it was inviting her to approach it.

  Sun Yuying decided to follow along for now. She knew it would be futile trying to escape from it anyway. She seemed to have attracted its attention.

  The Titanoboa continued to lock gaze with her as it continued.

  You must be close. I can help you form your core. More resources are needed.

  The Black Snake felt the Titanoboa's intentions wash over her, and she began to understand it more.

  It boasted high intelligence for a Snake, very near human level, yet not quite. She was brighter than it, she felt that deep down. It made her realise her uniqueness; the Titanoboa underestimated her, and it thought she could be easily controlled like the other Snakes.

  The Black Snake to the Titanoboa was a Snake forming her spiritual intelligence, signs of potential to create a core and become a spirit beast, one that it can manipulate and use. The Black Snake knew the Titanoboa did not see her as a future peer; it saw her more like an unripe spirit plant it would cultivate before consuming.

  She recognised the greedy glint hidden in its golden eyes. An all-consuming hunger for Spiritual Energy, there were no other Spirit Beasts in the vicinity of the Titanoboa, as it would consume any who would cross the chasm and form their core.

  There was no place for another here. If she formed her core with the Titanoboa's assistance, the only place she would end up is its gullet.

  The Black Snake did not mind this attitude; after all, it was the law of nature. She saw the colossal Snake as a succulent meal, too; the Titanoboa likely never even considered the tiny Black Snake daring enough to think that way.

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  I need its core.

  The Titanoboa seemed to be beyond your typical Spirit Beast at this level, yet greed and ambition filled her.

  Sun Yuying found herself scheming; the Titanoboa ordering of the snakes seemed similar to the spiders she encountered.

  It made her slyly think, ‘Could I drag the Titanoboa into a confrontation that will leave it vulnerable?’

  With a plan in mind, the Black Snake managed to communicate this to the Titanoboa sneakily, and fortunately, it took no effort for it to rise to the bait.

  The Titanoboa energy washed over her as it deeply rumbled again.

  That Old Spider is making moves? All of us are pushing to be the first for ascension. We must act.

  The Black Snake swiftly found that Titanoboa continued that train of thought. Sun Yuying found it was a success; she had stirred something, she only had to wait.

  You can be of use. Find the Old Spider lair, and we will reward you.

  The Black Snake found the Titanoboa saw both her quasi-spirit-beast nature and her smaller size as assets. Her camouflage capabilities, even if she did not show the full extent of them, also impressed it.

  It wanted her to scope out where the Spirit Beast directing the spiders was, then lead the Titanoboa towards it.

  The Titanoboa caused too much attention in its movement, and it wanted to catch its old nemesis in the most advantageous state for it to emerge victorious.

  Sun Yuying found that the Titanoboa seemed assured she would not mislead it. It was so used to being the largest, strongest, and most intellectually capable of its kin that the thought of the Black Snake, who seemed insignificant in its gaze, deceiving it, never entered its mind.

  The Tianoboa also seemed overeager. It wanted resources for a reason, and the Black Snake knew from experience that the colossal Snake largely viewed the Old Spider as a potential resource, one that could provide it the ‘ascension’ it desperately craved.

  The Black Snake found that her meeting with the Titanoboa came to an end with both of them giving each other the equivalent of a snake's version of a big, amiable smile, all whilst inwardly thinking, ‘I’m totally going to betray and eat you after this.’

  Slithering away from the remarkable convergence of snakes, she emerged unscathed after confronting arguably the most dangerous existence she had met since she was born.

  Despite feeling remarkably suppressed by a snake with a much more potent bloodline, a genuine spirit beast, instead of awe, the greedy Black Snake felt the desire to consume the Titanoboa and turn that power to her own.

  And she will succeed.

  With that in mind, she continued her way, though found herself converging when finding herself in opportunistic positions to hunt prey.

  You have consumed Iron-tooth Agouti, gaining +6 Spiritual Energy.

  You have consumed Giant Forest Rat, gaining +4 Spiritual Energy.

  You have consumed Iron-tooth Agouti, gaining +6 Spiritual Energy.

  You have consumed Razor-Beak Toucan, gaining +8 Spiritual Energy.

  Your trait, Tough Skin, has slightly strengthened from Spiritual Energy nourishment.

  The forest was aplenty with prey, and she even managed to devour a large carnivorous Toucan that attempted to steal her prey.

  Sun Yuying's thoughts were soon disturbed when she encountered another Trokrast Gecko, and decided she would not ignore the opportunity to gain another trait, even if it meant delaying her plan with the Titanoboa.

  Although, the Titanoboa seemed to expect it would take time; it appeared nonchalant about the outcome, too, though it preferred she would succeed.

  Sun Yuying approached the Trokrast Gecko with a similar strategy and was able to take it down after heavily dosing it with her venom, watching it collapse and still.

  She devoured the Gecko and found the notification she was waiting for.

  You have consumed Trokrast Gecko, gaining +18 Spiritual Energy.

  Your trait, Tough Skin, has slightly strengthened from Spiritual Energy nourishment.

  Her trait still hasn't enhanced from all that Spiritual Energy, though she expected it would take time with no natural treasures.

  Yet, the one she was waiting for was completed.

  Compatible trait detected. Current progress: 5/5 in assimilating the trait Robust Jaws from Trokrast Gecko.

  Would you like to receive the trait Robust Jaws? Yes/No.

  The Black Snake once again delayed the notification, swiftly finding a suitable, secure location to shelter herself whilst she completed the process of her trait acquisition.

  Finding a fallen log with suitable debris to cover herself, she coiled herself and accepted the trait, once again falling into a slumber as she went about the process of acquiring her newly gained trait.