Chapter 60 Part 1

Within the miasmic fog, the undulating serpentine body resembled arching hills, and as it swayed, the earth quaked and the mountains trembled.

The lingering spirit of Bashe’s remnant soul gradually reawakened. Under Yi’s intimidation, it only thought of fleeing outward. Yet the remnant soul was tethered by the body, on the verge of losing itself. Without a second thought, Bashe bit toward the other eight heads, its momentum fierce and exceptionally vicious.

Although the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent was usurping Bashe’s “concept,” this step was not yet complete; Bashe had not become a part of its body. It could only spare a portion of its strength to deal with this unruly “ninth head,” causing the great serpent’s power to wane to a certain extent.

“A good opportunity!” Qi Ji, realizing this, thrust out her hand. Spell Talismans flew forth, their spiritual power transforming into faintly golden chains that abruptly bound the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent’s eight heads. Zhao Sujie’s gaze sharpened. She flipped over and snatched the Tai’e Sword that had fallen to the ground. Aiming at that massive, ferocious, bone-spur-covered serpent head, she fiercely hacked down with a single sword strike! Spiritual power surged across the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent’s body as it let out a piercing shriek. The serpent head twisted violently, spewing a great mass of green mist from its maw like a launched arrow. Zhao Sujie drew a line with her fingers. A Thunder Talisman darted out, transforming into a flash of thunder in the blink of an eye. Roaring and booming, it smashed apart the poison arrows.

In a flash of lightning and spark, an arrow wreathed in Thunder-Fire tore through the air. In an instant, it suppressed all other sounds, leaving only the noise of flowing flames scorching the atmosphere. With a thunderous bang, the serpent head exploded beneath the arrow. Flesh, blood, and shattered bone scattered in disarray, the wind thick with the reek of blood.

Losing one head, the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent writhed madly. Its tail lashed upward and smashed down with force that seemed capable of shattering mountains. The golden chains formed by talismans grew fainter and fainter, finally completely shattering with a ringing zheng of a resonant hum. Blood seeped from the corner of Qi Ji’s lips as she was sent flying backward by the wave-like vortex of energy.

“Damn it!” The sound spewing from the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent’s maw rolled like thunder, as if countless voices were layered together. It decided to divert even more power to suppress Bashe’s remnant soul. The price for this action was the loss of another head! A mighty wind blew from the edge of the sky, brushing through the vegetation before abruptly transforming into a violent, all-corroding hurricane. Within the wind, sword shadows crisscrossed. The soaring killing intent seemed to accumulate to a critical point, like a windlass pulled countless times, spinning with irresistible force the moment the rope snapped! The serpent head instantly shattered beneath a sword strike that was as swift and fierce as the wind.

But after this single sword strike, the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent had successfully suppressed Bashe. Two enormous, blood-red wounds gaped on the serpent’s body, gushing blood. The azure serpent head belonging to Bashe drooped powerlessly. The remaining six heads lifted in unison, six pairs of sinister, cold serpent pupils fixed unblinkingly on Fu Juan ahead.

Fu Juan’s expression was calm. She raised her eyes, meeting the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent’s gaze without flinching. That majestic, vast imposing aura seemed but a wisp of breeze brushing past her temple. Her left hand held the bow, her right hand nocked an arrow, the bow bent like a full moon, aimed directly at one of the great serpent’s heads. Her aura climbed steadily as she once more activated “Manifesting Heaven and Earth.” In that instant, her own presence seemed to overlap with the fearless hero who shot down suns thousands of years ago. Beneath this arrow, even the Great Sun would fall, let alone a giant serpent!

The Eight-Headed Giant Serpent suddenly sensed a chill. Its aura grew increasingly sinister and cold. The serpent’s head twisted, and six faint violet serpent shadows appeared on all sides, while its true body became illusionary. Fu Juan calmly pointed the arrow upward. With a whistling sound, the arrow exploded midair, transforming into countless streams of flowing fire that, accompanied by thunder, smashed down in all directions, like falling stars! After releasing this arrow, the vast aura surging around her instantly plummeted. The “Sun-shooting” Authority unfurled by Manifesting Heaven and Earth also dissipated in an instant. At precisely this moment, a venomous snake shot forth, aiming straight for Fu Juan’s heart!

At the moment when aura rises and falls, defenses are at their weakest. Yet just then, Jiang Yiguang stepped with the Dipper Pace, formed a sword seal with her fingers, and slashed forward! However, though the venomous snake was cut in two, the serpent head with its bared fangs continued its charge unabated! Without hesitation, Jiang Yiguang threw the Dao Solitude Sword. With a bang, the serpent head smashed against the sword blade, shattered by the overflowing sword energy. Fu Juan reached out to catch the sword, her left hand sweeping across the blade. In an instant, the runes etched on the sword lit up. With this sword of thunder, she slashed behind Jiang Yiguang! Another venomous snake was torn to pieces!

Moments later, the serpent shadows overlapped, reforming into the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent. Its body was covered in bloodstains, its aura more withered than ever. It hissed, flicking its tongue. Spiritual energy fluctuated across its form, and the air currents above its head faintly outlined a “Mitsudomoe” pattern. Threads of strange power entered its body through this pattern. A kind of light-flame enveloped it, like the Great Sun illuminating all directions, immensely vast and terrifying! Suddenly, the Mitsudomoe pattern shattered on its own, and the infusion of that strange power abruptly ceased. The Eight-Headed Giant Serpent’s body stiffened. One head raised toward the sky, emitting a piercing shriek: “Damn you, Xu Heng!”

“The spiritual ritual was cut off; it suffered a backlash! Now is the perfect time to strike!” Qi Ji wiped the corner of her mouth, her gaze sharpening slightly. The talismans she carried were exhausted, and her mind was constantly under attack from the serpent’s venom. Yet Alchemist Tao and the others still hadn’t arrived; she had to hold on no matter what! “Form the formation!” Qi Ji shouted to the Dao Court disciples who were still conscious. She activated a spell seal, stepping with the Dipper Pace to arrange the formation. A solemn, grand, and vast presence emerged, as if the Patriarch himself had arrived, carrying the righteous energy to subdue demons and eradicate evil. It coalesced into a Ritual Sword that slashed downward.

Jiang Yiguang glanced at that Ritual Sword, her brows furrowing slightly. The sword looked impressive, but the formation was incomplete. Qi Ji and the others were at the end of their strength and likely couldn’t unleash much power. Over there, Fu Juan tossed the Dao Solitude Sword back. Jiang Yiguang caught it without hesitation, and the wind rose with the sword! Its momentum shook the Mountains and Seas!

Fu Juan activated Manifesting Heaven and Earth once more. Her eyelashes lowered, her pale, slender fingers gently brushed over that powerful great bow. She unhurriedly bent the bow and nocked an arrow, pointing forward rather casually. But the moment the great bow was drawn full, divine charm flowed in her eyes, and her aura instantly became lofty and distant.

The moment the arrow shot forth like a meteor, alarm bells rang wildly in the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent’s mind! An unusual flame erupted in its eyes, shock, fury, and panic all reaching their peak. It decisively chose to be struck by the Ritual Sword rather than flee to avoid this arrow. But this arrow already possessed some of the Authority of the “Sun-shooting Arrow.” It might not have the world-destroying dominance, but every arrow would hit its mark, carrying the attribute of “certain hit”! This arrow was aimed at the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent’s body, fiercely pinning it to the ground. The power contained within the arrow scattered, surging savagely into the serpent’s body along that charred wound!

“Yi!”

“Yi!”

…

The shrieks grew more and more agonized, finally transforming into a cold, gloomy, hate-filled tone.

Several breaths later, the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent let out a miserable cry. Its serpentine body swelled like an inflating balloon. Outside, the wind was like swords; inside, Thunder-Fire surged. An explosive sound comparable to a thunderclap rang out. This foreign Fierce Demon that had intended to devour Bashe’s remnant soul was blasted into a pulp of blood. After the explosion, there was an inexplicable, eerie silence.

Zhao Sujie slumped to the ground, wiping the sweat from her forehead, barely able to keep her drooping eyelids open. “It’s finally over…” she sighed with lament.

“Something’s wrong.” Two overlapping voices spoke simultaneously.

The speakers were none other than Jiang Yiguang and Fu Juan.

They knew their own cultivation levels; they might have been able to severely wound the Eight-Headed Giant Serpent, but absolutely could not have blasted it to pieces! Another power existed, yet it had revealed not the slightest trace. How profound must its Dao attainment be?!

Jiang Yiguang turned her head to exchange a glance with Fu Juan. Without thinking, she activated all her protective talismans. Her right hand gripped her sword, her eyes sharp, ready to strike! A crack sound broke the silence, a soft, airy laugh rang out, followed by fire plummeting from the sky, aiming straight for Fu Juan!

Fu Juan’s face was pale and cold. The bow in her hand, after shooting the last arrow bearing the “Sun-shooting Authority,” had snapped in two. Even if the bow possessed some spirituality, it could hardly withstand that power. Now, through her meridians flowed a sharp, knife-like pain. The “Fire Baleful Energy” hidden within her was also ignited by the excessive use of spiritual energy, silently scorching her divine soul. She was still standing, but her body had no strength left to even take a step. Her fingertips twitched. A faint sigh escaped her throat. She spoke only one word: “Go!”

Heavenly fire fell chaotically, seemingly incinerating everything.

Jiang Yiguang’s eyelid twitched. She ignored Fu Juan and darted forward with her sword, like a gust of wind moving freely. Wind flowed between heaven and earth. In the rapidly accelerating wind speed, the sky-full of flames did not burn more fiercely but was pulled into fiery lines like threads, finally shattered by sword energy! But after the flames scattered, the attack lurking in the shadows did not disappear. Water flow coalesced into a long dragon, charging and surging with a roar like thunder. It fiercely broke through the sword energy and slammed into the sword Jiang Yiguang held horizontally before her!

The web of her hand split open, blood gushing forth. Sharp pain instantly spread throughout her limbs and bones. The protective talisman on Jiang Yiguang’s body abruptly emitted a golden light, but under the powerful impact of the water dragon, it shattered inch by inch until not a shred of spirituality remained. Jiang Yiguang grunted, swept by the water dragon’s tail, feeling the intense pain of broken ribs!

Just as Jiang Yiguang thought they would fall into the hands of an unseen enemy, a humming Ritual Sword tore through the air, cleaving the surging baleful energy that surged forth again with the force of thunder. It was Tao Junran, who had rushed over. His fingers formed a spell seal, his expression cold and stern as he looked at Jiuying, who had revealed herself ahead.

“Heh, that loathsome aura of Yi. Yi is dead beyond dead. So it’s someone who inherited Yi’s legacy, then? Hm… why is there also the aura of Azure Hill?” Jiuying laughed. The two little dragons coiled around her arms were instantly kneaded into a small ball, which she toyed with like a walnut. She flicked her braids and added, “Well then… this debt can still be settled on you.”

Fu Juan, her voice hoarse, asked, “Alchemist Tao?”

The corner of Tao Junran’s eye twitched. He suppressed a sigh, pretending calmness as he said, “It’s Jiuying.”