Even the Suzaku Seal… only makes it blink." You Ji's eyes narrowed.
Not far away, Zhang Xiaofan clenched his teeth.
.Watching Bi Yao twist and spin in the beast's shadow made his heart race.
He knew one thing clearly.....if they didn't join forces now, they wouldn't last long enough to even glimpse the Bleeding Cave.
If I help her now, he thought, not only do we stand a chance of surviving… but when I return, even the Ghost King will think twice before moving against me.
Decision made, he thrust out his fire stick. Brilliant green light erupted from its tip, and with precise control, he struck directly at the serpent's seven-inch point.
Boom!
The blow, backed by his full Jade Purity cultivation, landed true.
But instead of piercing the beast's weak spot, the attack only made it shudder briefly. The fire stick bounced away like a twig against a cliff wall.
And then....
"ROAR!"
The serpent's green eyes glowed with fury. Its body coiled, then snapped forward with terrifying speed.
Its massive tail, thicker than a house, swept toward Zhang Xiaofan.
The air itself screamed.
"Move!"
Zhang Xiaofan grabbed Lu Xueqi's hand, and together they leapt aside.
CRASH!
The tail smashed into the ground where they had stood.
Stone exploded outward like shrapnel, the entire abyss shuddering as though the heavens themselves might collapse.
Even Zhang Xiaofan paled. Such force… even the legendary Water Qilin of Qing Yun would be crippled by a single blow like that.
Before he could catch his breath, the serpent opened its maw.
Within its bloody jaws, a sphere of violet light condensed, glowing brighter and brighter until the air itself warped.
Hooom!
Then the sphere shot forward like a comet, straight toward him.
Zhang Xiaofan's pupils shrank. He could feel the destructive power inside it.
A casual spit from this beast was already comparable to the strongest strike he could muster.
He jerked aside, narrowly avoiding the blast. The orb slammed into a cliff behind him....
BOOM!
Half the cliff vanished, reduced to rubble.
Above, Lu Xueqi's face was pale, but her eyes were sharp.
Controlling her Tianya Sword, she struck at the serpent's massive eye.
The blade sang as it sliced downward.
Yet just as it touched, the serpent closed its eyelids.
The divine steel screeched against scales as tough as iron. No wound, not even a crack....only pain.
The beast roared, thrashing wildly, spitting orb after orb of violet destruction.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Zhang Xiaofan and Lu Xueqi twisted through the air, dodging blast after blast.
Explosions shook the abyss, raining stone and dust like a storm.
Bi Yao, still in mid-air, froze for a heartbeat as she watched. Her heart stirred in confusion.
Why? Why would a disciple of the righteous path… help me, a so-called demonic witch?
But when she saw Zhang Xiaofan shielding her from one blast after another, doubt melted away.
Her lips pressed tight, then she nodded to herself.
She couldn't just watch.
She dove.
"You fool," You Ji muttered from the shadows of a cliff, watching closely.
She reached out a hand to stop Bi Yao, but at the last moment, she hesitated.
Her eyes softened. To her, Bi Yao was like a daughter. ..
How could she bear to stop her? She only resolved:
if Bi Yao truly faced death, she would intervene immediately.
Bi Yao's figure flashed before the serpent. The Heartbreak Flower unfurled, green petals glowing, and she struck toward its vital point.
On the other side, Lu Xueqi's Tianya Sword came slashing down in tandem.
The two women, radiant as moonlight and flame, converged.
But the serpent was faster.
"ROOOAR!"
Its massive torso blazed crimson. The blast of raw energy struck like thunder, hurling both women backward.
Bi Yao spun in the air, cushioning herself with the Heartbreak Flower. She landed lightly on her feet, unharmed.
But Lu Xueqi....already wounded from the bloodthirsty demonic tree.....wasn't so fortunate.
The shockwave slammed her body, and crimson spattered her lips.
Her vision blurred. Mid-air, her eyes fluttered closed.
The serpent's gaze locked onto her falling form. Its jaws opened wide, violet light swirling deep within.
One shot. Enough to erase her completely.
"Xueqi!"
Zhang Xiaofan's roar tore through the abyss. He streaked forward, seizing her limp body just as the orb blasted past.
The two of them tumbled, rolling into the shadows of a cliff face.
The violet blast seared the air where they had been, leaving nothing but charred stone.
Zhang Xiaofan laid her gently against the wall. His heart twisted as he saw her pale face.
Quickly, he fished through his robes, pulling out a Rhubarb Pill...a rare medicine Tian Buyi had once given him.
"Forgive me…"
His fingers brushed her soft lips. Carefully, he parted them and slipped the pill inside, urging her to swallow.
Then, without hesitation, he turned back toward the battlefield.
Bi Yao was barely hanging on, dodging again and again as violet blasts rained down like heavenly punishment.
Sweat drenched her brow, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
If one strikes me… I'm finished.
The serpent suddenly unleashed five orbs at once, sealing every path of escape.
Then its jaws descended, gaping wider than a house.
Bi Yao froze, terror flooding her eyes. For the first time, death felt certain.
From the shadows, You Ji tensed to act. But then—
"RAAAHHH!"
A dragon's roar echoed. Sword-light shaped like a blue dragon cleaved through one violet orb.
Zhang Xiaofan burst forth from the explosion, the Six-Direction Mirror above his head deflecting the lingering energy. In a blink, he was before Bi Yao.
His arm wrapped around her waist. With a surge of spiritual power, he yanked her clear of the snapping jaws.
CRACK!
The serpent's fangs slammed shut on empty air, fury blazing in its eyes.
"ROOOAR!"
It gave chase, spewing violet spheres in a storm of destruction.
But Zhang Xiaofan was faster. Even carrying Bi Yao, his movements were smooth, effortless.
He twisted and dodged between blasts, cloak whipping like a banner.
Bi Yao's cheeks flushed at his firm grip, her heart thudding wildly.
She whispered, her voice soft, almost embarrassed:
"…Since I was a child, no man has ever held me. Intimacy between men and women is forbidden in my sect. Why don't you… put me down?"
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