Apophis felt utterly lost, but then remembered the massive crocodile lurking in the swamp, which might possess knowledge of cultivation methods. As dawn broke, the soft light spilled across the landscape. It slithered upstream along the narrow river and soon arrived once more at the giant rock. Sure enough, the crocodile lay sprawled atop it, slightly opening its mouth to the rising sun, as if absorbing some invisible energy.

The morning swamp was serene; even the antelopes and other animals that came to drink kept their distance from the formidable creature. Apophis dared not venture too close and carefully circled to the back of the rock, preparing to observe the crocodile’s actions.

“Wait!” It gasped in surprise as it spotted a large, fiery-red fox not far behind the rock. The fox was stunning, with a gracefully arched body and a luxurious, fluffy tail, about the size of a medium dog. The fur around its mouth had a slight gray tinge, indicating it was no longer young.

Initially, Apophis thought little of this herbivore hunter, sensing no immediate threat. “But wait!” It was astonished to see the fox gazing at the sun, mimicking a similar breathing motion—opening and closing its mouth as if drawing in the energy of heaven and earth. “Is this fox cultivating too?”

Apophis was utterly shocked. Realization hit: aside from itself, another creature in the swamp was learning from the crocodile. Its own situation was unique, having been reborn as a human, while this fox clearly possessed extraordinary talent. With countless animals around, it seemed this fox was the only one wise enough to seek enlightenment from the crocodile.

“Is this a fox monster?” it concluded quickly. The fox seemed to sense Apophis’s presence but ignored it completely, continuing its rhythmic motions. Not knowing the fox’s strength, Apophis dared not provoke it and instead mimicked the crocodile, facing the sun and flicking its tongue.

In this tranquil morning, three creatures engaged in their silent rituals. Soon, the soft morning light faded, the sun climbed higher, and the temperature began to rise. The crocodile finally ceased its absorption, lying lazily on the rock with its head resting to the side, eyes shut tight. The fox, too, paused, elegantly standing upright. With its furry front paws clasped in a gesture of respect towards the crocodile, it gave a slight nod before turning to leave, never once casting a glance at Apophis.

Apophis realized the fox had awakened its intelligence and likely looked down on it. Helpless, it had persevered for so long without reward. Clearly, simply imitating the sun’s movements brought no results. “That fox must have learned the method from the crocodile; I refuse to believe that a former human is inferior to a fox.”

With renewed determination, it decided not to disregard the crocodile and attempted to bow as the fox had, but lacking hands, it merely swayed its head before slipping back into the swamp. The crocodile remained indifferent, basking in the sun.

Apophis caught a few small fish in the swamp, feeling content but lacking the motivation to wander further, so it returned to its den. “Could there be other cultivation methods?” it pondered, recalling that in its previous life, novels often featured intricate incantations for cultivation.

“No, no! That fox grew so large; it must have mastered some simple method. If it were complex, the fox wouldn’t have been able to learn it.” In its past life, Apophis had seen animals transform inexplicably, suggesting that the path to becoming a monster was likely straightforward.

“I won’t rush to imitate tomorrow; I’ll first observe the fox and crocodile’s cultivation methods!” With resolve, it began to recall some scientific knowledge from its past life. Since the progress was displayed on the panel, it aimed for quick breakthroughs in its skills.

As a snake, it was naturally lazy, and after recalling for a while, it felt drowsy and wanted to sleep. Anxious, it thought, if it could only recall a little each day, it would take forever to max out its skills. Plus, snakes hibernated, making significant progress in this lifetime seem nearly impossible.

“Thud! Thud!” In a moment of desperation, Apophis rammed its head against the cave wall, feeling a sharp pain that cleared its mind. It resumed recalling knowledge but, after several attempts, felt utterly drained and unable to continue.

“How tragic! Is this the snake’s version of hard work?” it lamented drowsily before succumbing to sleep.

When it awoke again, it was already the next day. Remembering that it had fallen asleep without checking its data after recalling scientific knowledge, it hurriedly opened the green status screen.

“Hmm! What’s going on?”
(Basic Biology Knowledge: 3/20)

Could thinking and learning also boost one’s energy? Apophis was eager to verify this but quickly dismissed the thought, recognizing that it was morning and observing the crocodile's cultivation was more urgent.

It slithered out of the cave, with the horizon just beginning to glow, indicating it was still early. Following the river upstream, its scales rasped against the sandy bottom, producing a soft sound. It flicked its tail, stirring up mud and startling a small shrimp, which quickly darted away.

Feeling invigorated, Apophis quickened its pace. When it reached the giant rock, the crocodile was already there, and the fox was present as well, focused on the sky, completely ignoring it.

Apophis climbed to the same spot as the previous day, positioning itself in a triangle with the other two “monsters.” After a while, the sun crested the horizon, casting brilliant rays across the land. Only then did the crocodile and fox resume their solar absorption practices.

“Is this cultivation dependent on the precise moment the sun rises?” Apophis noted this in its mind, deciding to focus on the crocodile and fox today rather than practice itself.

As the sun rose fully, the two “monsters” stopped their exercises, and the fox gracefully departed. Apophis sensed a connection between the crocodile and fox during their sun absorption, though it couldn’t articulate what it was.

After again showing respect to the crocodile, Apophis turned and dove into the swamp, devouring a few small fish. It now understood that the crocodile appeared indifferent to the predation among animals. The fierce beasts nearby avoided the swamp out of fear of the strong, not out of hunger.

Given this, it decided to hunt small fish right under the crocodile's nose; after all, the fish here were notoriously unguarded. Apophis was determined to teach them how to survive.

[Host: Apophis]
[Species: Python]
[Status: Ordinary]
[Lifespan: 3/20]
[Length: 5.5 meters]
[Species Skill: Constricting Power Lv1]
[Extra Skill: Hunter’s Instinct]

[Potential Points: 0]