The young woman’s words clearly caught the Masked Moon Sect disciples off guard. Based on their experience from the previous two days, any top-tier demon beast trapped by their Ancestor Master would take at least half an hour to break free from the restriction of the ring treasure. How had this beast escaped so quickly this time?
Though puzzled, they dared not ignore the young woman’s warning and immediately heightened their vigilance. At the same time, they intensified their attacks with the red and blue light beams, quickly riddling the Black Flood Dragon’s body with over a dozen bloody holes. The bright red flood dragon blood dyed a large patch of the swamp below crimson.
This only enraged the flood dragon further. It opened its mouth, emitting a continuous, piercing screech that reverberated throughout the underground world, causing everyone present to feel dizzy and disoriented.
*Rip!* A strange tearing sound echoed through the air. When the disciples regained their senses and looked up, their faces turned pale with shock.
The ring treasure remained suspended motionless in mid-air, but the Black Flood Dragon that had been trapped inside had vanished without a trace. All that was left was a tattered, black scaled skin dangling from the ring, swaying back and forth. The beast had actually shed its skin and escaped!
Not only were the Masked Moon Sect disciples astonished, but even the young girl was taken aback by this sight.
Her earlier warning had not been because she anticipated the flood dragon’s molting. Rather, she had sensed that the beast’s struggling force was too great, and her magical power was insufficient to continue restraining it. The flood dragon should have realized that the restriction of the Vermilion Bird Ring was weakening, so why would it resort to such a draining move? Unless…
A terrifying possibility flashed through her mind, and her face instantly turned deathly pale. She urgently scanned the area, searching for the Black Flood Dragon, hoping to confirm her dreadful suspicion.
“Over there!” a sharp-eyed Masked Moon Sect disciple shouted, pointing to the top of the underground world where the demon beast was now slithering. It had undergone a complete transformation.
Its once jet-black body was now snow-white and scaleless, its length had increased from three or four zhang to five or six zhang, and it had grown significantly thicker. The wounds it had sustained were now barely visible faint scars. Most astonishingly, a jet-black, inch-long sharp horn had sprouted from its triangular snake head, gleaming faintly, and a pair of sharp white claws had emerged on its belly. The beast had transformed from a snake into a flood dragon, its appearance now identical to the legendary creatures.
The Masked Moon Sect members were both shocked and suspicious upon seeing the flood dragon’s new form. But before they could react, the young woman at the front issued a command that left them utterly stunned.
“Everyone, retreat immediately! The Black Flood Dragon has evolved to the second stage! Its strength is comparable to a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. Together, we are no match for it. Escape now! I can hold it off for a short while.”
After speaking gravely, she summoned the Vermilion Bird Ring back to her side, adopting a fully defensive stance.
The disciples behind her hesitated briefly. Although the flood dragon had shed its skin and changed form, they had just severely injured it and found it hard to believe that its strength could have increased so dramatically in such a short time.
But that moment of hesitation was enough for some to regret it for the rest of their lives. The white flood dragon suddenly moved, darting toward the Masked Moon Sect members with lightning speed. It opened its mouth and began spewing an endless stream of purple liquid.
“Dodge! Don’t try to block it!” the young woman urgently shouted, her face filled with anxiety. At the same time, the Vermilion Bird Ring expanded several times in size, flying forward to block the majority of the purple liquid.
Some quick-witted disciples either scrambled back into the blue stone passage they had come from or hurried forward into the protective range of the ring treasure. However, five or six other disciples, confident in the power of their magical instruments, not only refused to dodge but also released one or two glowing objects to shield themselves, intending to withstand the attack head-on.
“Fools!” the young woman exclaimed, a flash of blue light crossing her face in anger. Limited by her magical power, she could not expand the protective range of her treasure further and had no choice but to leave them to their fate.
What happened next confirmed the young woman’s warning. The purple liquid that bypassed the ring treasure sprayed fiercely onto the heads of those few disciples. Their seemingly impressive magical instruments merely flickered a few times before emitting wisps of green smoke and dissolving completely under the impact of the purple liquid.
The disciples had only enough time to let out a brief cry before they vanished without a trace under the onslaught. All that remained where they had stood was a several-zhang-deep hole dissolved by the purple liquid, leaving the surviving Masked Moon Sect members pale with terror.
Having eliminated those disciples, the demon beast Black Flood Dragon seemed slightly less ferocious and finally closed its mouth, ceasing its spray. It fixed its cold, emotionless eyes on the young woman, clearly recognizing her as its main adversary.
“What are you standing around for? Get out now! This beast has just transformed into a flood dragon; it shouldn’t have much Dan liquid left and won’t spray easily again!” Ignoring the flood dragon’s menacing gaze, the young woman coldly issued orders with an icy expression.
Then, she muttered resentfully to herself, “Just a little snake that’s barely entered the second stage, yet you dare act so arrogantly in front of me! If I had my full power, I’d have captured you long ago to guard my cave!”
Ignoring the young woman’s unwilling expression, the other disciples of the Masked Moon Sect, having witnessed the tragic fate of their comrades, dared not delay any longer. They immediately scrambled into the passageway and fled outward in a panic.
Soon after, the sounds of the demon beast’s roars, the young woman’s shouts, and the thunderous noise of battle echoed from behind. The disciples clambered up the steps, hearts filled with fear.
Their Ancestor Master had made it clear that she could only hold the beast off for a short while. If they were too slow and the Black Flood Dragon caught up, there would be no room to dodge its terrifying purple liquid in the narrow passage. That would be a truly unjust death!
Meanwhile, the young woman was darting through the air, drenched in fragrant sweat, engaged in a continuous battle with the flood dragon. She wielded the Vermilion Bird Ring with incredible skill, provoking the beast into constant roars of fury. Yet, for the time being, it could do nothing against her agile movements.
Clearly, the young woman was not using her full strength. She controlled the Vermilion Bird Ring with one hand while holding a red fire spirit stone in the other, continuously absorbing spiritual energy to restore her magic power.
After a while, feeling that enough time had passed, she put away the spirit stone and took out a golden, glowing talisman.
Without a word, she seized the moment when the flood dragon’s attention was fully on the Vermilion Bird Ring and threw the talisman. It transformed into a golden light shooting toward the beast. Just before reaching it, the golden light suddenly split into countless thin golden threads, instantly binding the flood dragon tightly and rendering it completely immobile, much to its enraged roars.
A flicker of mockery passed through the young woman’s eyes. She glanced reluctantly at the golden box floating in the white jade pavilion before gritting her teeth and flying toward the passage entrance. She knew full well that this mid-grade Golden Thread Talisman wouldn’t restrain the beast for long; it was best to leave quickly. As for the treasure in the golden box, she would have to find a way to obtain it later.
As she landed and prepared to step into the blue stone passage, a deafening thunderclap erupted from within. The sound grew louder and closer, causing her to hesitate, her raised foot frozen mid-step.
A dazzling blue divine light suddenly appeared in the passage, surging forward like a tidal wave. Wherever it passed, the blue stone passage seemed to come alive, squeezing inward frantically. In the blink of an eye, the several-zhang-high passage was completely sealed without a single gap.
The young woman recoiled in horror, retreating several steps as if she had seen a ghost. “The Minor Five Elements Sumeru Restriction!” she exclaimed, her face deathly pale as she stared dumbfounded at the vanished passage entrance. Her previously confident demeanor vanished in an instant.
At that moment, behind her in the air, the golden threads binding the Black Flood Dragon began to snap one by one. The beast was on the verge of breaking free. When the young woman turned and saw this, her heart sank as if plunging into a bottomless abyss.
Outside the passage, in the stone hall, a dozen or so Masked Moon Sect disciples were staring fixedly at a young woman in white—the same willful girl who called herself one of the Masked Moon Twin Jewels. But now, her face was pale, and she looked utterly lost.
“Junior Sister Zhao, what exactly did you do? Why did the passage entrance disappear right after you threw that strange talisman in? Are you trying to harm Ancestor Master Nangong?” the disciples demanded anxiously, their faces filled with panic.
This was no joking matter! If their Ancestor Master couldn’t emerge because of this, they would be in grave trouble! Upon returning, the lightest punishment would be the abolishment of their cultivation and expulsion from the sect; the most severe could mean losing their lives and suffering the agony of military dissolution. They well understood what the loss of a Core Formation cultivator meant to a sect, which was why they were extremely nervous.
“I didn’t do anything! I just placed a mid-grade low-tier ‘Minor Five Elements Talisman’ at the entrance, intending to activate it when the beast chased us to teach it a lesson!” the white-clothed girl explained frantically.
She knew perfectly well that in such a disaster, even her powerful backing would be useless. The thought of the young woman being trapped inside filled her with dread.
“Enough talk! Let’s try to break through the tunnel and rescue Ancestor Master Nangong!” an older male disciple said impatiently.
His words snapped the others into action. They immediately summoned various colorful magical instruments and began frantically attacking the spot where the passage entrance should be, trying to break the restriction and save the young woman.
Several hours later, in the underground world dozens of zhang below, the young woman stared in disbelief at the person who had suddenly appeared before her. This person was controlling seven golden blades to attack the Black Flood Dragon with one hand while using a black iron shield with the other to block the beast’s sprays, protecting them both.
It was the little guy from the Yellow Maple Valley she had met once before, whom she had found somewhat interesting. Just as she had been flying around avoiding the flood dragon’s attacks for hours and was about to exhaust her magic power, he had suddenly emerged from nowhere and saved her from certain peril.
Han Li, while barely fending off the flood dragon’s assaults, glanced at the astonished young woman and inwardly sighed with bitterness.
Han Li had been leisurely watching the Masked Moon Sect’s battle with the Black Flood Dragon, even feeling only surprise without any panic when the flood dragon transformed and advanced. However, when the young woman tried to retreat and the blue stone passage entrance suddenly vanished, Han Li could no longer remain calm.
The disappearance of the passage entrance meant that regardless of who won between the young woman and the beast, he might not be able to leave this place alive! This thought filled him with alarm.
At that time, the freed flood dragon had resumed its fight with the young woman, and it was clear that the Masked Moon Sect Ancestor Master was completely at a disadvantage.
Although she repeatedly urged her ring-shaped treasure to attack the flood dragon, the newly molted beast’s defense had become exceptionally formidable. Whether the ring spewed flames to scorch it or struck it directly with the treasure itself, neither method could inflict substantial harm. At most, they left behind some charred marks or minor bruises, which only served to further enrage the creature, driving it to pursue the young woman even more madly. Several times, it nearly cornered her.
However, the number of mid-grade talismans the Masked Moon Sect Ancestor Master carried also greatly broadened Han Li’s horizons. He witnessed a series of rare talismans like “Earth Escape Talisman,” “Water Prison Talisman,” and “Firebird Talisman.”
Whenever the young woman was on the verge of being injured by the beast, she would throw one out, immediately turning the situation around and averting danger. Unfortunately, she clearly lacked any high-damage talismans, so each time she could only barely protect herself.
It seemed impossible to rely on talismans to injure the flood dragon! Watching the young woman being driven into such a wretched state by the flood dragon, Han Li’s internal struggle intensified!
If the passage had still been intact, Han Li naturally wouldn’t have concerned himself with the Masked Moon Sect Ancestor Master’s survival. But now that the passage had mysteriously disappeared, turning the place into a deathtrap, his mindset was completely different.
After all, he had heard the young woman exclaim something about a “Minor Five Elements Sumeru Restriction,” suggesting she had a deep understanding of the restriction that caused the passage to vanish. Therefore, the hope of escaping from underground rested on her. He knew nothing about restrictions, so this young “expert” must not die now!
However, Han Li did not act rashly. He feared the young woman might still have some hidden trump cards. So, he waited until she was exhausted, had used up most of her talismans, and was on the verge of despair with no options left before suddenly stepping in to save her.
The young woman was both greatly surprised and delighted by Han Li’s sudden appearance, but also somewhat annoyed. She clearly saw through his intention to let her fight the flood dragon until the last moment before intervening.
Nevertheless, dealing with the fiercely aggressive flood dragon was the priority. After resting briefly, she wordlessly urged her treasure to attack again.
As soon as Han Li engaged the flood dragon, he inwardly groaned. While watching the young woman fight the beast, he hadn’t realized how formidable it was. But now, facing it personally, he experienced its terror firsthand.
His “Gold Mantis Mother-Child Blades” could be considered top-grade among magical instruments, yet each golden beam that approached the flood dragon was effortlessly swatted away dozens of zhang by its claws and tail, offering no resistance whatsoever.
Even when Han Li attacked with several blades simultaneously, allowing one or two to luckily strike the flood dragon, they left only white marks without any other effect, leaving Han Li utterly speechless.
Moreover, Han Li dared not be the slightest bit careless against the flood dragon’s attacks. Not only did he avoid letting its claws and tail touch him, but he also used his iron shield to block every drop of the black water it occasionally spat.
Even so, this shield that had saved him several times was already pitted and eroded by the seemingly insignificant black water, and he didn’t know how much longer it could hold.
If the power of this black water was so fearsome, how much more terrifying must the malicious purple liquid be! No wonder those Masked Moon Sect disciples had died so instantly, their magical instruments utterly useless.
The more Han Li fought, the more apprehensive he became. He relied almost entirely on his movement skills to evade the beast’s fierce assaults; his golden blades couldn’t hinder it in the slightest.
No wonder the young woman had told her disciples to leave! Aside from someone like himself with exceptional movement skills, Han Li couldn’t think of any Qi Condensation disciples who could hold their own against this beast.
Just then, the young woman’s Vermilion Bird Ring joined the fray, significantly reducing Han Li’s pressure. After all, the ring treasure could still cause the flood dragon some pain, making it somewhat cautious.
“Little guy, you’ve been hiding there for so long. Why didn’t you make a move earlier? If you had, I might have had a chance to severely injure this beast!” the young woman asked angrily while controlling her treasure to attack.
“I was afraid you’d kill me and seize my treasures,” Han Li replied honestly, leaving the young woman speechless for a moment.
Han Li understood perfectly that although this girl appeared young, her actual age was likely great enough to be his grandmother. Thus, it was better not to play tricks and to be straightforward about his intentions to ensure they could cooperate against their enemy without hindering each other.
As for her status as a Core Formation expert and the difference in their seniority, Han Li pretended not to know and glossed over it. After all, given her current state, she posed no threat to him. He felt no fear toward the young woman who had lost most of her magic power.
“Such a young little guy with so many schemes—aren’t you afraid you won’t live long?” the young woman said grumpily after a moment of frustration.
Han Li smiled slightly without retorting, but inwardly he thought, “If I didn’t have so many schemes, I probably would have died several times already. What ‘long life’ are you talking about?”
Seeing that Han Li remained silent and let her have her say, the young woman’s anger subsided a little, and she began considering strategies to deal with their enemy.
“Do you have any way to severely injure this flood dragon? If so, speak up quickly!” she asked impatiently after fighting alongside Han Li for a short while yet still being chased around without any chance to fight back.
“I do, but I need to restrain it for a short time and prevent it from moving,” Han Li replied hurriedly while using his iron shield to block another spray from the flood dragon and leaping back to increase the distance.
“Good! I can use my last bit of magic power to restrain it for a moment longer. I hope it’s enough for you! But is your method reliable?” The young woman’s eyes lit up. She followed closely behind the flood dragon, which was chasing Han Li, and smashed its head with the Vermilion Bird Ring before speaking urgently.
“I have a powerful talisman treasure with immense destructive force. It can definitely break through this flood dragon’s defense!” Han Li declared confidently. He didn’t believe the beast could withstand a full-force strike from the Golden Light Brick Talisman Treasure.
“Talisman treasure?” The young woman’s heart leaped with joy. She never expected this little guy from Yellow Maple Valley to possess such a rare item. Although she had one or two talisman treasures herself, their power was inferior to her Vermilion Bird Ring. Since he was so confident, it must be a purely destructive talisman treasure—an absolutely rare find!
Realizing that Han Li’s method was feasible, the young woman immediately halted in mid-air and recited the incantation that had previously restrained the flood dragon. Once again, she securely ensnared the beast with the Vermilion Bird Ring, causing it to struggle in shock and fury.
Seizing this opportunity, Han Li positioned his Soaring Sky Shield in front of him, pulled out the Golden Light Brick Talisman Treasure with his other hand, and sat down cross-legged.
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