Moving diagonally, Dougal dodged as he advanced, his axe scraping against the ground. With a left swing, he used the axe's weight to propel himself forward, turning its momentum into a powerful strike. He resisted the wave of heat radiating from the snake.
"Rhys, now!"
Rhys stepped onto the axe as Dougal swung, using it as a foothold to launch himself upward. His body spun through the air as he threw several knives toward the snake with his good arm. The knives flew with frightening precision.
"Explode!"
Rhys shouted as the knives burst into countless shards, striking the snake from multiple directions. This time, the fragments pierced its body in several places.
"ROAR!"
The snake roared in pain, violently jerking its body as it tried to shake the shards loose. Blood seeped from its wounds, yet its vitality continued to surge.
"SHRILL!"
A sword came flying through the air like a spear. Already infuriated by the previous attacks, the snake unleashed its fury the moment it spotted the incoming weapon, whipping its tail toward it.
BANG!
The sword was sent flying back in the direction it had come from, and Luoming's face paled.
"Why does it seem like none of our attacks can reach this bitch?"
He hurriedly dodged his own weapon as it came hurtling back toward him. Before he could recover, Dougal's axe struck the beast beneath its jaw, snapping its head upward. The snake immediately swung its tail, catching Dougal with its full force.
Dougal was sent flying, blood spraying from his mouth as two of his ribs cracked. The impact shook his organs, leaving him gasping for breath.
Lican watched the brutal battle from the shadows, his eyes widening with every exchange. Dougal groaned as he crashed onto the ground, spitting out more blood. His companions rushed toward him while Rhys stared at the snake with a grim expression.
"If only we knew any Qi techniques..."
"I think we should look for an opening and escape," Dougal said slowly, struggling to breathe. "We aren't a match for it."
Lican stared at the trio with pity. Despite their injuries, he was impressed by their cooperation. Even now, they continued fighting together, refusing to abandon one another or give in.
The team engaged the beast once more. More injuries appeared across their bodies, but the snake was suffering as well. Luoming had taken the worst of it. He lay bleeding on the ground, barely able to move, his injuries so severe that his cultivation had begun to regress. On the other side, Dougal had a long tear across his torso, with blood running down his body.
Only Rhys continued engaging the snake. His slippery movements allowed him to evade most of its attacks, but this time, the beast caught him.
BANG!
The attack sent Rhys skidding across the ground, the impact nearly shattering his bones.
Yet the snake was not unscathed. Its once-violent aura had weakened considerably, and blood leaked from wounds scattered across its body, staining its crimson scales. Its movements grew slower as its strength continued to fade. It was almost back to Level One, its power nearly reduced to that of an ordinary beast.
But even in that weakened state, it was still stronger than the battered trio.
Seeing their condition, the snake prepared to attack, intent on finishing them off. Then, all of them turned toward a sound.
Rattle!
A tall, lean boy came into view, wearing dark pants riddled with holes. Dirt covered his features, yet beneath the grime, it was clear that he was strikingly handsome. Bruises and scars covered his body, and several fresh wounds remained visible. His hair cascaded down his back, swaying gently with each step, while the chains wrapped around his left arm jingled softly as he approached.
Calmly.
Without fear.
Without panic.
Lican stepped out of the bushes and stared at the trio without even glancing at the snake.
"Your bag."
His eyes settled on the bag strapped around Luoming's waist. The trio furrowed their brows, exchanging strange looks. Of course, they understood what he meant. He was offering to help them in exchange for the bag.
"ROAR!"
The snake roared, its massive body shifting as it stared at the new intruder. Yet it didn't attack. It seemed almost confused by the human who had walked into its territory and completely ignored it.
Lican didn't even look at the beast. He simply stared at the trio, his eyes making his intentions clear: agree, or he was leaving.
"Kid, that's our hard work and our savings," Rhys grumbled.
"You'll die anyway," Lican replied without blinking.
He paused for a moment before adding coldly, "And besides, I don't need what's inside. I just need the bag."
Lican turned around, preparing to leave.
"Wait."
Dougal's voice stopped him. Lican paused but didn't turn around.
"The bag will be yours," Dougal said reluctantly, "if you have a way to deal with that python."
Lican finally turned his head, his eyes falling upon the enormous beast.
"Sorry. There's a better benefit."
He smirked at the snake, but the grin never reached his eyes. The trio watched as he reached into his hair and pulled out a black jade hairpin. His expression looked almost insane, but something calculated lurked behind that grin.
CLANG!
The chain wrapped around Lican's arm dropped halfway toward the ground, its metal scraping against the earth.
"ROAR!"
The beast roared as Lican suddenly bolted toward it without hesitation. The chain dragged behind him while the jade hairpin remained clenched in his other hand.
The snake became infuriated. Even though its cultivation had dropped, how could a puny little kid dare to challenge it?
Without hesitation, it lunged toward Lican, whipping its tail in its signature attack.
Lican moved, slipping past the strike as though he had already seen it coming.
"You're very predictable."
With a violent swing, he flung the chain forward.
CLANG!
The chain struck the snake's scales and wrapped tightly around its body, biting into its flesh.
"Ah!"
Lican yanked the chain with extreme force. The snake was jerked forward, its massive body sliding across the ground.
Using the momentum, Lican leaped. His free hand touched the ground for support as he vaulted himself upward, landing directly on the snake's head.
PUCHI!
The black jade hairpin plunged toward its eye.
But the snake's eyelid snapped shut.
The hairpin struck against it, blocked by the beast's thick protective scales.