"Big White, fly! Fly!
To the right, to the right! It's reaching out!"
Zhang Qianyu had long lost the composed and effortless demeanor he displayed earlier while standing atop the white crane with his hands behind his back.
Now, he clung desperately to the crane’s long neck, screaming and shouting as he directed it.
The white crane, too, had abandoned its usual elegance, frantically dodging left and right in midair to evade the gaping maw of the colossal purple serpent, its feathers scattering everywhere.
The purple serpent clearly had no intention of letting Zhang Qianyu go, pursuing him with increasing ferocity.
The group of Daoist priests wore uneasy expressions.
At this moment, Zhang Qianyu was too preoccupied with the serpent to pay them any attention.
This was the perfect opportunity to escape!
But would it be too heartless to abandon Zhang Qianyu like this?
After a moment of hesitation, the Daoists from Dragon Elephant Mountain silently apologized to Zhang Qianyu in their hearts and prepared to slip away unnoticed.
"If you don’t let go of me soon, your fellow disciple from Dragon Elephant Mountain is going to be bitten to death by that snake," An Yi said helplessly, feeling Xiao Xiao clinging to him like an octopus.
Xiao Xiao trembled. "T-then, you have to come back quickly!"
"Understood!"
An Yi draped his down jacket over Xiao Xiao’s shoulders and strode forward. The black ring on his finger instantly transformed into the Dragonfang Demon Sword.
As he eyed the massive serpent snapping at Zhang Qianyu, a faint smirk curled at the corner of An Yi’s lips.
"It seems the Hundred Ghosts Sect really does have deep ties to the Ancient Continent!"
"This snake—I need to capture it alive and get some answers!"
"Little White! Fly faster!"
Zhang Qianyu clung to the crane’s neck as it soared higher, putting distance between them and the serpent below.
He let out a sigh of relief, growing calmer as the ground grew farther away.
"We’re so high up now!
Let’s see you try to reach us!"
The purple serpent coiled around the building, effortlessly scaling it to the rooftop in mere moments.
Then, with a sudden lunge, its massive body shot toward the crane!
"Damn it!"
Zhang Qianyu screamed.
This height was clearly still not safe enough!
Sssshhhhk!
Just as Zhang Qianyu was about to resort to a desperate sword technique, a crescent-shaped sword slash sliced through the air—straight toward the purple serpent!
Emerald-green blood sprayed out as a gruesome wound split open on the serpent’s body.
Its enormous frame toppled backward.
"First Form of the Dragon-Slaying Nine Swords—Parting Sorrow!"
An Yi retracted his sword stance.
The scene left everyone utterly stunned.
Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes.
"No wonder the proud and formidable Lin Chen willingly follows him.
He really does have some skill."
The purple serpent glared coldly at An Yi. "I remember now—you’re the one who killed Gourd Immortal?"
"If you’re talking about that fat old man who called himself Gourd Immortal, then yeah, that was me," An Yi replied with a grin, twirling the Dragonfang Demon Sword in his hand.
As he spoke, his fingers brushed against the blade.
Flames erupted along the sword’s edge!
Xiao Xiao’s eyes widened in shock.
"What the—?!"
"Flame Infusion!"
How did he know this technique? Wasn’t this supposed to be an ability exclusive to her, as a natural-born Dao Body?
Ding! Skill [Flame Infusion] mastered!
The system’s voice chimed in.
An Yi glanced at the notification dismissively.
[Flame Infusion]
Skill Description: Channels fire-attribute spiritual energy into a weapon, imbuing it with a burning effect.
The explanation was vague—practically useless.
An Yi swore to himself that if he ever bothered reading another skill description from this system, he’d be a fool.
He had indeed learned this move by observing Xiao Xiao.
In this world, spiritual energy was scarce, making it nearly impossible for An Yi to cultivate it.
But "scarce" didn’t mean "nonexistent."
For techniques like Flame Infusion, which required minimal spiritual energy, he could use them freely.
The purple serpent’s eyes locked onto An Yi.
She wasn’t afraid of sharp blades—but fire and lightning were her weaknesses.
Clearly, this brat already knew her vulnerabilities. Still, the flames he wielded were far from enough to truly harm her.
An Yi gripped the Dragonfang Demon Sword with both hands and let out a battle cry!
The purple serpent coiled, ready to strike down this overconfident human.
But then—
Whoosh!
An Yi’s sword suddenly expanded—stretching into a ten-meter-long colossal blade wreathed in crimson flames!
Everyone was dumbfounded.
"What the hell is up with that sword?!"
The Dragonfang Demon Sword possessed the ability to transform.
From a black ring, it could shift into a dagger, then a longsword, and now—a towering greatsword.
Each transformation demanded progressively more energy.
When An Yi first obtained the sword, he could barely maintain its longsword form.
But now?
Manifesting a giant flaming blade was child’s play.
"Let’s see you run now!"
An Yi hefted the blazing greatsword onto his shoulder, grinning at the purple serpent.
By now, the serpent was having second thoughts.
This human’s aura was different—far more dangerous than before!
The serpent lunged at An Yi!
But An Yi’s sword was faster—a horizontal slash tore through the air!
Screeeech!
A piercing shriek echoed as the stench of burning flesh filled the air.
The serpent writhed in agony but forced itself to twist away, using its momentum to knock An Yi’s sword aside. Then, with jaws wide open, it shot toward him!
A ten-meter sword was cumbersome to wield.
An Yi tossed it aside without hesitation and swiftly drew another weapon from his spatial storage—a reforged black greatsword, its dark blade now adorned with golden veins, exuding an understated grandeur.
Clang!
An Yi swung the greatsword, meeting the serpent’s fangs head-on!
Both combatants were forced back from the impact.
The serpent grew even warier.
She could sense An Yi’s overwhelming strength—this fight was far from decided!
Shangguan Qianqian was a peerless cultivation vessel.
Back in the underground ruins of the secret realm, she had deliberately used the Dual Cultivation techniques of the Joyful Union Sect.
Now, An Yi’s power had been growing steadily. Just how strong he was now—whether he had reached the Void Realm—remained a mystery.
But one thing was certain: he was more than a match for this serpent.
Hiss!
The purple serpent abandoned all restraint. The scales along its neck flared open as it assumed an offensive stance!
Its massive body coiled and lashed out, attempting to crush An Yi!
An Yi dodged with agile leaps, countering with precise strikes from his greatsword!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Each blow sent sparks flying as the blade chipped away at the serpent’s scales, drawing emerald blood.
The serpent roared in pain and retaliated—its maw gaping as it spewed a thick, poisonous mist!
The onlookers held their breaths, awestruck by the battle unfolding before them.
"Is he going to be poisoned?!" Xiao Xiao gasped, her eyes fixed on the distant fight.
Jiang Cheng shook his head, gazing at the sky. "No. He’s not that easy to defeat."
Zhang Qianyu strained to see through the thick purple haze below, but visibility was zero.
Then—
"Hey, I’m borrowing your bird!"
A voice spoke up right behind him.
Before Zhang Qianyu could react, a foot slammed into his back, sending him plummeting downward.
"AN YI, YOU SON OF A—!"
As Zhang Qianyu hurtled toward the serpent below, An Yi patted the white crane’s back.
"Big Bird, let’s go higher!"
The crane seemed to understand, soaring straight into the clouds.
"This bird is way too obedient!" An Yi chuckled. "Listens to anyone!"
Peering down at the shrinking figure of the purple serpent, An Yi’s smirk returned.
"This height should do it."
With that, he leaped off the crane’s back—his greatsword igniting with flames as he descended like a blazing meteor!
"Second Form of the Dragon-Slaying Nine Swords—Dragon’s Descent!"