Liu Dashao sneered coldly, “Japanese ninja techniques—aren’t they supposed to be invincible? Shouldn’t it be you showing mercy to a young kid like me?”
Xiaocang Youzi let out a few mocking chuckles, then suddenly flicked her wrist, sending the silk ribbon she held flying upward. It hissed loudly, like a venomous snake—no, not like one—it was a real venomous snake.
At this moment, everyone finally saw clearly: the ribbon had transformed into a real snake, its mouth wide open, revealing blood-red fangs and black venomous teeth, hissing and lunging toward Liu Dashao. Liu remained calm, slightly flicking the talisman in his hand. In an instant, a purple and a yellow beam of light flashed by. The battle was decided in a flash. Daoist incantations shimmered midair, and the purple snake recoiled rapidly, leaving behind droplets of blood scattered on the ground.
Before anyone could react, Xiaocang Youzi raised her hand, and the purple snake vanished into thin air. She let out a soft, seductive laugh, gazing at Liu Dashao with bewitching charm. “Master Daoist, you truly have a ruthless heart. My purple snake was merely greeting you, yet you struck with such deadly intent.”
Before Liu Dashao could respond, Xiaocang’s expression suddenly shifted. Her eyes turned as sinister as the snake she had summoned moments ago, glaring at Liu Dashao. “I didn’t expect your inner energy to be so formidable. It seems I’ll have to show you a little of my true power, Master Daoist.”
As she spoke, her body began to twist in a snake-like manner, just as she had appeared earlier. Her form slowly underwent a grotesque transformation, accompanied by eerie, spine-chilling moans that made everyone shudder. This time, her body grew taller and thicker. Her skin color shifted from white to red, then black, and finally settled on a deep, dark purple. When the writhing ceased, her body had transformed into a cylindrical form over two meters tall. Except for her head, which remained unchanged, her limbs had vanished—replaced entirely by a serpentine body.
Everyone was horrified. How could a delicate woman transform in an instant into a monstrous creature with a human head and a snake’s body?
Yet, amidst the stunned silence, Xiaocang Youzi let out a coquettish giggle. She slowly raised her serpentine body, coiling her tail in front of her, and said to Liu Dashao, “Master Daoist, I’m about to attack. Please be careful.”
Liu Dashao suddenly barked out a stern command: “Hold on!” He pointed at Xiaocang, his face filled with fury. “You’re a half-demon! Don’t you know that demons are forbidden from opposing humans? What you’re doing violates the natural order and will invite destruction from both the human and celestial realms!”
Xiaocang’s expression changed slightly. She replied, “I am half-demon, but I’ve long abandoned the demon path. You must know about the supernatural beings in America and Europe?”
Liu Dashao hesitated, then nodded. “I see. So you’ve not only betrayed the Eastern path, but also the demon path. Are you now a rogue or a vampire from the West?”
Xiaocang sneered coldly. “Senior, your insight is impressive. What path I walk now matters little. What matters is that I am an American, a member of the American supernatural community. I fear no human path, demon path, or celestial law. Enough talk. We serve different masters. Senior, be careful—I’m coming for you.”
Liu Dashao shook his head. “Since you’ve become a half-demon, you should cultivate yourself properly and abandon worldly desires. If you insist on challenging me, I fear you’ll destroy all the hard-earned progress in your cultivation.”
Xiaocang laughed maniacally, her eyes turning blood-red. She glared at Liu Dashao fiercely. “No matter how powerful you are, you’re just a Daoist practitioner. Let me show you the might of a half-demon!” With that, she twisted her massive body, and her thick tail, roaring with wind, lashed toward Liu Dashao like a storm.
The crowd, still confused by the Daoist and demonic talk between Liu Dashao and Xiaocang, felt the immense demonic energy radiating from her enormous tail. Even from ten meters away, the force was strong enough to sting their faces and nearly knock them off their feet. Everyone paled. Jia Zhuanyuan, especially anxious, shouted at Liu Dashao, “Liu, watch out!”
But Liu Dashao seemed not to hear Jia’s warning, nor did he seem to notice the giant tail rushing toward him. He stood still, unmoving.
The crowd was frantic. Jia even drew his whip and rushed forward. Just as the giant tail was about to strike Liu Dashao, he suddenly let out a sharp whistle and leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the devastating blow.
Relief washed over everyone. In midair, Liu Dashao flicked his talisman, which transformed into a dazzling white light. With his gray-clothed figure slicing through the air like a sword, he aimed straight for the snake’s vital spot.
Meanwhile, Xiaocang’s tail still carried momentum from its swing, creating a whirlwind that sent everyone behind Liu Dashao tumbling. However, her massive body also brought her a disadvantage—lack of agility. As Liu Dashao’s calculated attack approached, Xiaocang’s expression twisted in panic. She helplessly watched the gray-white light hurtling toward her neck, unable to shift her body weight from her tail to evade.
With no choice, Xiaocang let out a hideous shriek. She twisted her head, opened her mouth, and spat out a stream of black mist interlaced with red threads directly at Liu Dashao.
Liu Dashao was about to pierce the snake’s vital spot with his talisman, now sharpened like blades by his inner energy, when the black mist suddenly appeared before him. Realizing the danger, he executed a perfect bridge-style backward dodge, yet still hurled the talisman straight at the giant snake’s body.
The black mist whizzed past Liu Dashao’s head, dispersing into the air. The red threads within, now powerless, splattered onto the floor. Upon contact with the crystal surface, they released a hissing purple vapor. After the smoke cleared, the crystal floor bore visible corrosive marks.
In the blink of an eye, Liu Dashao’s talisman struck the giant snake. Xiaocang let out a shriek of pain, swiftly turning her body to glare at Liu Dashao, who had landed gracefully after his successful strike.
Liu Dashao shook his head regretfully and smiled at Xiaocang. “You should know that when a half-demon reveals its true form, it’s both at its strongest and most vulnerable. Especially in your case, as a giant snake, your agility is compromised. Fortunately, you risked expelling some of your essence to block me. Otherwise, if I had struck your vital spot, all your hard-earned cultivation would have been destroyed.”
Xiaocang glared at Liu Dashao with fury and hatred in her eyes, as if she wanted to devour him whole. Yet, she also seemed to fear her opponent. At a loss for words, she stood there, her massive serpentine body trembling. Due to her enormous size, no one could see if she had been seriously injured in the back. But judging from the black mist she had expelled, it seemed Liu Dashao hadn’t hit her vital spot.
Liu Dashao sighed softly and said to Xiaocang, “You’re no match for me. Now that my inner energy has wounded you and you’ve also expelled part of your essence, don’t persist. Retreat and heal yourself.”
The half-demon snake woman, Xiaocang Youzi, shook her massive body in frustration and glared fiercely at Liu Dashao. At that moment, the bald man beside James suddenly stepped forward with a sinister chuckle. His smile was charming, revealing a row of white teeth that contrasted sharply with his dark skin.
He bowed to Liu Dashao in fluent Mandarin, surprising everyone. “Master Daoist’s skills are indeed extraordinary. I know that in the mysterious East, especially in China, there are many miraculous individuals. I admit I’m no match for you.”
His innocent smile and humble words left everyone puzzled. What was he up to?
Liu Dashao smiled faintly. “What exactly are you trying to say?”
The bald man chuckled again, his lips curling into a sly grin. “What I mean is, I know I can’t match your martial arts or Daoist techniques. I’d like to challenge you to something else.”
Liu Dashao and the others were taken aback. Fan Debiao suddenly shouted at the bald man, “Screw you! What kind of trickery are you planning?” Then he turned to Liu Dashao. “Master Liu, don’t fall for this baldy’s tricks. Let’s not waste time. Let’s finish off these Americans and their lackeys and get the treasures back to the surface already!”
Everyone nodded in agreement. After all, outsiders often have ulterior motives. These foreigners were clearly here to steal China’s treasures.
As the crowd buzzed with discussion, Liu Dashao turned around and raised his hand to quiet them. Then he smiled at the bald man. “What do you want to challenge me to? I hope you Americans will give up after this. China is a vast and ancient land, known for its etiquette and civility. You may choose any challenge you like. But after this match, I hope you’ll leave and abandon any further schemes against China. This is our final act of mercy toward you.”
Liu Dashao’s words were firm and resolute, causing the bald man and his companions to pale. James suddenly stepped forward, motioning the bald man to retreat. As the bald man reluctantly returned to his side, James turned to Liu Dashao with a grim expression. “You’re quite full of yourself. But there’s an old Chinese saying: ‘Another mountain may be higher.’ How about we make a bet? Each side will send three representatives to compete in three rounds—supernatural abilities, martial arts, and sorcery—in a best-of-three match. The winner takes the treasure, and the loser leaves. What do you think, Master Daoist?”
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