The grey-robed cultivator no longer hesitated.
His fingers clenched tightly around the jade talisman as boundless spiritual energy poured into it.
Crack!
The delicate jade surface split open.
A blinding silver radiance erupted, illuminating the entire Mist Sea.
The terrifying aura contained within made even the surrounding spiritual qi tremble violently.
The serpent instantly sensed fatal danger.
Its enormous body burst forward with unprecedented speed.
The sea exploded beneath it as wave after wave were thrown hundreds of metres into the air.
It had only one thought.
Stop that talisman.
Before it could.
The grey-robed cultivator flicked his wrist.
The talisman shot upward like a streak of silver light.
Boom!
It exploded high above the battlefield.
Instead of striking downward, countless silver lightning runes spread throughout the clouds, weaving together into an enormous net.
The already gathering tribulation clouds suddenly became restless.
Crack...
Crack...
Crack...
The lingering Tribulation Aura left behind from the serpent's breakthrough was forcefully drawn back together.
The heavens seemed to awaken.
The serpent's pupils contracted violently.
It finally understood.
This human wasn't trying to kill it with the talisman.
He wanted to force the heavens to finish what they had started.
Its furious roar shook the surrounding islands.
Without another moment's hesitation, it abandoned every trace of defence.
Its colossal body surged toward the grey-robed cultivator, its mouth opening wide enough to swallow an entire mountain.
The grey-robed cultivator's face became grim.
He had expected to force the serpent back.
Instead...
He had driven it into complete madness.
The surrounding seawater suddenly transformed into countless ice dragons that surged toward him from every direction.
At the same time, an endless sea of white mist condensed around his body, rapidly freezing the circulation of his spiritual energy.
Even his movements became noticeably slower.
"Damn beast!"
He struck out repeatedly, shattering one ice dragon after another.
Yet each destroyed dragon was immediately replaced by another.
The serpent ignored the worsening wounds covering its body.
It had completely abandoned defence.
Every attack carried only one purpose.
Kill this human.
Boom!
Its enormous tail descended once again.
The grey-robed cultivator barely managed to evade.
The mountain behind him instantly exploded into countless fragments.
Before he could regain his footing—
The serpent's claws arrived.
He forcibly twisted his body aside.
Rip!
Three deep gashes instantly appeared across his chest, blood spraying into the surrounding mist.
His breathing became chaotic.
Yet his gaze remained fixed upon the heavens.
Almost...
Just a little longer...
Then—
The clouds split apart.
An incomparably dazzling pillar of heavenly lightning descended.
The terrifying pressure caused both combatants to instinctively pause.
The serpent let out an unwilling roar.
Its body immediately attempted to retreat.
Too late.
The heavenly lightning locked directly onto the densest concentration of lingering Tribulation Aura...
Its own body.
BOOOOOOM!!
The world seemed to turn white.
The pillar of lightning descended like divine punishment itself, striking directly into the serpent's neck where the previous tribulation wounds had yet to heal.
The scales that had survived countless attacks shattered instantly.
Fresh blood exploded into the sky.
The serpent released an earth-shaking scream.
Its enormous body convulsed violently as terrifying lightning spread through every inch of its flesh.
The wounds left behind by the previous Heavenly Tribulation were reopened one after another.
Even the surrounding seawater evaporated into dense steam beneath the terrifying temperature.
But heavenly lightning was never completely controlled.
Countless residual bolts burst outward in every direction.
The grey-robed cultivator's expression changed drastically.
"No!"
He immediately erected several defensive barriers.
Unfortunately...
The residual lightning travelled far faster than his reaction.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Three silver bolts struck directly against his body.
His barriers exploded almost instantly.
The remaining lightning pierced through his shoulder and abdomen before tearing across his meridians.
"Pfft!"
He spat out another mouthful of blood.
The violent heavenly lightning rampaged through his body, causing every meridian to ache as if they were being torn apart.
His aura immediately weakened.
The serpent fared even worse.
Its gigantic body crashed heavily into the sea, creating waves hundreds of metres high.
Dark-blue blood continuously poured from the massive wound around its neck.
The scent of burnt flesh filled the air.
The beast had been severely injured.
The grey-robed cultivator looked at the serpent's condition before glancing at his own trembling body.
Without the slightest hesitation...
He turned and fled.
Green light erupted beneath his feet as he transformed into a streak of light disappearing into the endless white mist.
Behind him—
The serpent slowly raised its blood-soaked head.
Its golden pupils had become completely crimson.
The killing intent erupting from its body was even greater than before.
With another furious roar that shook the entire forbidden zone...
The grey-robed cultivator's breathing became increasingly ragged.
Every step he took caused blood to drip onto the mist-covered ground.
The heavenly lightning lingering within his body continued to wreak havoc through his meridians, while the serpent's earlier attacks had already left several of his internal organs injured.
He no longer possessed the calm composure he had displayed when chasing Lin Sheng.
Only one thought occupied his mind.
Escape.
As long as he could leave this place and recover, today's humiliation could always be repaid in the future.
Behind him, Lin Sheng quietly followed.
He deliberately maintained several li of distance, carefully concealing both his aura and killing intent.
Crystal continuously monitored the situation.
•[Target movement speed reduced by 46%.
Internal injuries continue worsening.
Probability of target detecting host while maintaining current distance: 4.2%.
Recommendation: Continue pursuit]•
Lin Sheng's expression remained calm.
He had no intention of attacking immediately.
Although Gu Qing's master was heavily injured, a Purple Palace cultivator on the verge of death was often the most dangerous.
If cornered...
He might possess another life-saving treasure.
Waiting a little longer would only increase the chances of success.
Several li behind them...
The serpent slowly emerged from the collapsing cove.
Its enormous body trembled slightly.
Dark-blue blood still flowed continuously from the massive wound around its neck.
The lingering heavenly lightning had nearly destroyed the flesh surrounding the injury.
Its breathing had become noticeably weaker.
The crimson fury within its eyes gradually faded.
It lifted its head toward the direction where the grey-robed cultivator had fled.
For a brief moment...
Its killing intent surged once more.
Yet after taking a single step, the serpent suddenly stopped.
Its instincts had already judged the situation.
Its injuries were far too severe.
If it continued pursuing that human, another powerful enemy could easily take advantage of its weakened state.
That was unacceptable.
The serpent let out a low, unwilling growl before slowly turning around.
Its colossal body disappeared into the depths of the mist, returning toward its underwater territory.
There...
It would recover.
There...
Any intruder would become prey.
Watching this through his Mental Perception, Lin Sheng quietly released the breath he had been holding.
The greatest variable had finally withdrawn from the battlefield.
Now...
Only one prey remained.