Addendum: Double update tomorrow! Separated, it's not right; a huge explosion awaits tomorrow! "Who is there? I ask which of the other two Great Sacred Lands is present. Please show yourself. Let not a momentary misunderstanding affect the friendship between us."
Yellow Sun's expression instantly became solemn. An expert reveals themselves with their first move. Though it was a simple sentence, Yellow Sun had fully grasped the speaker's immense power. He didn't even notice the hint of insult in the words, immediately demanding an answer with a drastically altered tone. This was because he rapidly judged that the speaker's strength was exceptionally high.
Compared to his own safety, a slight verbal insult was a trivial matter! How could Yellow Sun, with over a hundred years of rich Jianghu experience, fail to grasp this truth?
The Jun family truly had a master!
And judging by the voice, their strength was likely no less than his own!
Yellow Sun was profoundly shocked!
It seemed he had consistently underestimated the Jun family. If this person joined forces with Ying Bokong, who had already reached the Supreme realm, they could pose a considerable, even fatal, threat to him!
At this moment, Yellow Sun's intention to seek revenge or extort the Ye Gu Dan from the Jun family vanished automatically. He even began subtly glancing sideways, scouting for an escape route, because he keenly sensed that the night was extremely perilous, and a single misstep could mean death on the spot!
This was the instinct forged and tempered by over a hundred years of Jianghu experience! Yellow Sun had always implicitly trusted his intuition!
A rustling sound echoed, and a young girl in green clothes materialized silently beside Ying Bokong, gazing coldly at Yellow Sun. "It is I."
The one speaking was Mei Xueyan, but the one appearing was Serpent King Qian Xun.
Yellow Sun’s eyes snapped wide open. He had expected someone of his own age at the Supreme level, or at the very least, an old woman with skin like wrinkled parchment. He was stunned speechless to see such a young and beautiful girl, and he asked, "Who are you?"
This was also the Serpent King's first meeting with the Prairie Eagle God, Ying Bokong, since arriving at the Jun family residence. This time, she had not used her disguise. Ying Bokong, seeing it was her and that she was on his side, had his eyes widen immensely. If his composure wasn't extraordinary, he would have nearly cried out in shock! Although he managed to restrain himself, his face and eyes were filled with utter disbelief!
How could the Poison King of Heavenly Punishment, the Supreme among Serpents, appear so abruptly here?
"Old Eagle, why are you staring? Are you surprised to see me here?" Serpent King Qian Xun snorted, clearly displeased with his expression. "But—but how did you get here?" The Great Supreme Eagle’s mind seemed to short-circuit, and he stammered. Shouldn't this girl have returned to the Heavenly Punishment Forest with her boss? How could she suddenly appear at the Jun residence? The distance between the south and north was simply too vast!
"I followed you all back, hehe," the Serpent King smiled.
"Oh—so that's how it is!" Ying Bokong appeared enlightened, and then his gaze toward the Serpent King became unusually suggestive. He wondered if Jun Moxie's inexplicable two-day disappearance back in Tiannan was when he managed to sneak into the Heavenly Punishment Forest and seduce this Serpent King? What a formidable man!
What is a formidable man? Isn't one who achieves what others cannot formidable!
It seemed that during those two days, Young Master Jun had been intimately entwined with the Serpent King in the Heavenly Punishment Forest, sharing deep affection. Thus, after Jun Moxie left Tiannan, the lovesick Serpent King pursued him all the way here. Right, those past few days, Young Master Jun often vanished without a trace; perhaps he was meeting someone secretly as well.
It’s easy for pretty boys to charm even the Beast Kings!
In just a moment, the Supreme Eagle had mentally scripted a romantic drama, directing and acting every scene so vividly that he became increasingly convinced of its high probability.
Instantly, the Supreme Eagle was overcome with admiration. Seducing the beauties of the mortal world was nothing! Look at Young Master Jun, quietly sneaking away with a Heavenly Punishment Beast King, and a powerful one at that! This was true skill!
It must be said that although Ying Bokong's thoughts were somewhat far-fetched, they were not entirely divorced from the truth. It was just that he had misinterpreted the roles...
The two spoke as if no one else was present, completely ignoring Yellow Sun, the master whose status and cultivation surpassed even the Supreme realm, leaving this powerful expert utterly marginalized. Yellow Sun endured it again and again, yet seeing these two grow more animated in their conversation, not paying him any heed, he became enraged. With a long roar, he snarled ferociously, "Two juniors, how dare you show such utter disregard for this old man! Today, I shall let you know my might!"
"Whoosh!" Suddenly, Yellow Sun’s figure swept down from the pagoda's peak. His white hair whipped back, his hands made a small, strange circle in mid-air, and he descended lightly and indistinctly!
In the very instant his figure dropped downward, everyone present felt a strange, abrupt sensation. They all felt as if their bodies were uncontrollably pitching forward, and a wave of suffocation washed over their nostrils, causing them to gasp in shock!
Yellow Sun’s plunge seemed to have instantaneously sucked all the air from the vicinity, creating a vacuum in the vast courtyard! Furthermore, a vortex of Xuan Qi formed in the center, pulling bodies toward the middle!
It was believed that once anyone fell into it, they would be completely at Yellow Sun’s mercy.
This technique bore a resemblance to the 'Prison of Heaven and Earth,' but the skill level was far inferior. It certainly lacked the terrifying ability to trap an enemy within an inch of space, yet it was still astonishing enough to shake the world!
The four people in the courtyard activated their respective Xuan Gong almost simultaneously. Among Jun Zhantian, Jun Wuyi, the Serpent King, and Ying Bokong, the weakest possessed at least the strength of a Heavenly Profound expert, allowing them to react promptly. As for the others, they all fell into a brief state of lost control. Jun Zhantian and his son knew their own strength was insufficient, and rash action would only drag their allies down; they sharply turned, swiftly escaping the vortex's control. Ying Bokong waved a hand casually, directly removing the father and son from the fighting circle.
As Jun Zhantian turned back, he saw Ying Bokong and the Serpent King both floating lightly, already engaged in battle with Yellow Sun!
Their movements were identical. Ying Bokong spread his arms wide, spinning rapidly to counteract the powerful suction, his eagle claws letting out sharp screeches in the air; the Serpent King spun in the opposite direction, first remaining still, then lunging forward rapidly, tracing a winding trajectory in the air as she pounced toward Yellow Sun!
A sharp gust of wind sounded as Ying Bokong sprung up, like a hawk diving toward the sun, surging upward, only to crash down instantly.
One above, one below, like a spirit snake flicking its tongue and an eagle soaring toward the heavens, they instantaneously completed a near-flawless combined strike!
The Eagle and Serpent Life-and-Death Struggle!
Yellow Sun roared in disdain: "Tricks! A mere firefly dares to shine!" Suddenly, his entire body spun strangely, as if dissolving into nothingness in that instant, yet everywhere—above and below—there were only shadows of palms and fists, as if thousands of hands and feet were attacking simultaneously.
Ying Bokong roared: "Ghost Eagle!"
His body rose up abruptly, his eagle claws pouring down like a massive net. A sudden jade-green glint flashed in Serpent King Qian Xun’s eyes, and countless hair-thin gray shadows flew out from her body. Simultaneously closing in on the enemy, her hands, feet, and even her head launched a fierce, coordinated attack!
Yellow Sun let out a surprised, cold "Hmph," saying, "The sky is cold and the earth frozen, yet there are so many thread-like snakes!" He shook his arms, and the gray shadows scattered. At this very moment, Ying Bokong and the Serpent King closed in!
With several muffled thuds, the three figures shot out in three different directions, but before their retreating forms could stop, they instantly reversed course, each leaving dozens of ethereal, illusory afterimages in the air, swiftly converging again in a flash!
Jun Zhantian and his son hovered nearby to support the Eagle and Serpent Venerables. At first, they could still discern the three figures faintly exchanging hand strikes and kicks, fleeting and hazy. But in the blink of an eye, the three accelerated further, almost merging into three dark masses. Then, they completely unified! Only the sound of tearing, like a raging storm, remained, moving from south to north, then east to west, from the ground to mid-air, and back down from mid-air...
Everywhere they passed was left in ruins. Blades of grass and broken branches danced in the air, only to be transformed into weapons against their opponents. Flying blossoms, falling leaves, grass, wood, stones, and gravel—everything could wound, even instantly kill!
The Serpent King and Ying Bokong were both famous for their speed and agility. Ying Bokong was incomparably fierce, while the Serpent King was insidious and venomous. As natural enemies, their union surprisingly achieved the wonderful effect of compensating for each other's weaknesses. Although this was their first time cooperating, they had not yet reached the state of effortless perfection, but they were already capable of contending with an existence higher than the late-Supreme level!
However, Yellow Sun’s movement technique was also astonishing, not yielding in the slightest to either of them. Coupled with his profound Xuan Gong, his style was both expansive and decisive, yet incredibly swift, fusing might with flexibility. Despite fighting two opponents, he held his ground completely.
When the three fought, ordinary people could not possibly interfere. In almost every blink of an eye, countless punches and kicks were thrown, while simultaneously enduring countless blows!
Among the onlookers, Jun Zhantian, the elder of the Jun family, whose strength had officially entered the Divine Profound realm, was the strongest, yet he was utterly unable to distinguish friend from foe. Interfering rashly would only make him a burden, not a help!
Yellow Sun certainly lived up to his reputation as a renowned master of a hundred years; his strength was truly extraordinary. Facing the joint assault of Ying Bokong and the Serpent King, he never fell behind. In the beginning, he even seized the upper hand. However, the Eagle and Serpent Venerables were truly a pair of natural partners. The more they fought, the more harmonious they became, their coordination approaching perfection. Currently, they had not only successfully suppressed Yellow Sun but were also subtly gaining the initiative. Still, truly defeating Yellow Sun remained a formidable task!
Yellow Sun met the challenge with composure, advancing step by measured step, without haste or impatience. A cold smile played on his lips. If the Jun family only had these two, Yellow Sun was still confident he could defeat them and achieve his goals!
As the battle reached its climax, Ying Bokong laughed wildly, "Exhilarating, truly exhilarating! This fight today has been utterly satisfying!"
Suddenly, with a great roar, Ying Bokong's body paused strangely in mid-air, then he returned to the fray, suddenly meeting force with force, palm striking palm head-on, refusing to retreat even half a step—only attacking, never defending!
Faced with the overwhelming pressure from this peerless master, Ying Bokong’s inherent heroic spirit burst forth from his blood. He soared, charging forward fearlessly, seeming ready to sacrifice everything! Yellow Sun’s fierce offensive was absorbed by Ying Bokong for at least eighty percent.
This significantly reduced the pressure on Serpent King Qian Xun. And how could the Beast King of Heavenly Punishment stand by while his partner took advantage? Thus, Serpent King Qian Xun also let out a sharp cry, her eyes instantly turning a ghastly green. Her body shot high into the air, then descended like a javelin dropped from the heavens, aiming directly for Yellow Sun’s head. Suddenly, her body flickered, transforming into eight figures—eight Serpent Kings—attacking simultaneously!
Yellow Sun’s hair flew, and he roared, "Well met!" His palm struck out with the force of wind and thunder. A cold smile touched the Serpent King's lips; she met the blow head-on with a loud bang, then her body shimmered, and suddenly the entire space—everywhere—was filled with the beautiful figures of the Serpent King! From one perspective, it seemed that this entire battlefield was occupied solely by her!
Yellow Sun was greatly surprised by this astonishing, world-shaking move. At the same time, Ying Bokong lunged forward as if disregarding his life, a cold smile on his lips, striking mercilessly downward to seal off the sky—the only open area in the Serpent King's fatal move!
Ghost Eagle Descends from Heaven!
Yellow Sun roared in fury, laughed in anger, and counter-attacked with his full strength!
With a few sharp bangs, in a flash of lightning and flint, the Serpent King’s nine consecutive palm strikes landed solidly and without pretense heavily on Yellow Sun’s back. Simultaneously, Ying Bokong’s seven talons fiercely grasped his chest!
Yellow Sun laughed heartily, showing no intent to dodge. He returned three palm strikes to Ying Bokong, while his feet lashed out like a whirlwind. The Serpent King let out a muffled groan; though hindered, she was kicked by his counterattack.
In an instant, all three sustained injuries. These three were all top-tier masters of their generation, usually figures who tolerated no one above themselves. How could they accept such treatment? They became even more violent, simultaneously letting out long howls, and then unleashed their full power again—attacking with all their might!
The three piercing long howls converged and shot straight into the highest heavens, causing the clouds and mist above the entire Tianxiang City to disperse at once, revealing the clear night sky!
Then came several booming blasts. The Serpent King’s sharp cry, Ying Bokong’s wild laughter, and Yellow Sun’s enraged curses sounded simultaneously, followed by a surge of tremendous power erupting with the loudest bang yet!
The powerful reaction generated by this single explosion seemed to make the entire Tianxiang City tremble slightly!
A massive, irresistible torrent of surging power exploded from the center. The bodies of Jun Zhantian and Jun Wuyi, watching from the side, were violently pushed back over ten zhang! Their backs struck with a bang...
Three figures shot downward like meteors, separating in three directions upon landing. Ying Bokong staggered, and after landing, he retreated two steps. Attempting to steady himself by force, the potent energy from Yellow Sun’s fierce attack still lingering on his chest drove him backward. Ying Bokong could not stop his retreat; he backed two more steps before finally bracing himself firmly. His face flushed, then paled, and a trickle of bright, dripping blood slowly seeped from the corner of his mouth!
The Serpent King flew out like a broken kite, tumbling several somersaults in mid-air. After landing, she staggered back. Her beautiful face was deathly pale, but her two legs seemed rooted to the ground, remaining motionless. However, her upper body could not stop tilting backward slightly, letting out a strange, drawn-out "Hiss!" sound!
Yellow Sun landed heavily, spinning twice. His white hair, usually meticulously combed, was now completely disheveled, cascading over his shoulders, making him look as ferocious as a vengeful ghost. His face was contorted in rage. With another roar, he shook his arms, and suddenly, more than a dozen purple objects floated down from his body like butterflies!
It turned out that during the fierce battle, Yellow Sun had been locked down by the combined attacks of the Eagle and Serpent Venerables, forcing him to respond. He had finally taken nine palm strikes and seven claw attacks. With his level of Xuan Gong and powerful physique, he could still withstand it, but his purple robe had sustained sixteen distinct palm prints. Now that the three had separated, the purple robe bearing the sixteen prints fell away from him!
Drifting softly to the ground!
The purple robe was completely reduced to rags, revealing golden soft armor underneath, which shimmered with a golden light!
Jun Moxie, watching hidden, gasped sharply. Jun Moxie knew precisely how terrifying the palm force of Ying Bokong and the Serpent King was, yet this old fellow remained unscathed despite taking sixteen solid hits!
Although the soft armor on his body must have played a significant role, the man’s intrinsic power was indeed profound to an extremely high level, and the toughness of his physique must have reached a terrifying degree!
No wonder Mei Xueyan once said that even with her incredible speed and strange techniques, coupled with her peerless sharp sword, she would still be powerless against a true master above the Supreme level! Looking at this Yellow Sun, even if he were ambushed by Jun Moxie, the effect might not be very significant! Such a monstrous existence truly existed in this world! Jun Moxie secretly rejoiced that he hadn't used his Divine Sword to attack when he first arrived.
Otherwise, it would have been a case of an attempt to steal a chicken only to lose the rice spread!
Yellow Sun silently looked down at his ruined clothes. After a long moment, he slowly raised his head, his lips parting into a grimace that was far from a smile. He said darkly, "Not simple! In these past hundred years, this old man hasn't sustained an injury. To be forced into such a state by you two juniors today is truly a novel feeling, hahahaha. Very good, very good, exhilarating, truly exhilarating..."
He paused, looking at Ying Bokong: "Ying Bokong, it seems your reputation is well-deserved! After this battle, this old man admits that your title of Eight Great Supremes is not mere fame! However, it is a pity that this Supreme, whom I just acknowledged, is about to die here! A lamentable matter."
Ying Bokong snorted coldly, "Whether I live or die, or when I die, is not for you to say."
Yellow Sun ignored him, his sinister gaze turning to Serpent King Qian Xun, though his look held a degree of gravity: "Little girl, you are also quite remarkable. If this old man's eyes are not deceiving me, and I guess correctly, you must be the Serpent King of the Heavenly Punishment Forest?"
"Knowing that I am the Serpent King of Heavenly Punishment, how can you still call me a 'little girl'? Yellow Sun, you have quite the nerve! You overestimate yourself far too much. A mere fellow who is only a couple of hundred years old dares to act like an elder in front of me?" Serpent King Qian Xun retorted without mercy.
"Heh heh, the Beast Kings of the Heavenly Punishment Forest are ancient, but once they transform into human form, their age must be calculated according to human years! Heavenly Punishment Serpent King, I estimate that you have only been transformed for less than thirty years? This old man has genuinely lived through over two hundred springs and autumns. What's wrong with calling you a little girl? Do you insist that this old man calls you a foul-smelling great snake instead?" Yellow Sun sneered venomously, his words sharp and malicious.
"Nonsense! What are you talking about, who is foul-smelling!" Serpent King Qian Xun had indeed transformed relatively recently, less than twenty years ago, and her temperament was not yet fully settled. Especially since her past flaw had been exposed; women inherently prefer beauty and abhor ugliness. She was instantly enraged by Yellow Sun's words.
"I initially thought the Jun family had somehow aligned with some mysterious master to dare oppose our Illusory Blood Sea, but it turns out the Heavenly Punishment Forest is backing them. Serpent King, hehe, what a grand title. Unfortunately, if the Heavenly Punishment Forest from two hundred years ago could make this venerable one fearful, then now..." Hahahaha, the Heavenly Punishment Forest is already a thing of the past, no longer qualified to rank among the Four Great Sacred Lands, let alone catching the eye of the hidden masters of our Illusory Blood Sea! I suppose you are merely a small snake. Do you really think you are a true Azure Dragon? Hahahaha!" Yellow Sun's expression shifted between gloomy and sarcastic, his words full of ridicule.
"Even if the Heavenly Punishment Forest has indeed declined, the sneaky, reputation-stealing hidden masters of the Illusory Blood Sea are equally unworthy of our Heavenly Punishment Forest's attention!" Serpent King Qian Xun snorted, a sharp light flashing in her eyes as she looked for an opening to strike. This old man’s words were too infuriating; how could she not teach him a lesson to vent her anger?
"However, the Serpent King's appearance here is still quite unexpected for this old man."
A sharp gleam flashed in Yellow Sun’s eyes as he looked at the Serpent King’s slightly trembling right hand, his words becoming even more irritating: "I heard there is a shameless brat in the Jun family who even slept with his own sister-in-law, and that woman loved him deeply without resentment or regret... It seems that brat is quite capable with women, haha!"
The Yellow Sun’s gaze flickered. He drawled sinisterly, "I heard that despicable brat also went to the Heavenly Punishment Forest a while back. Could it be that the Serpent King was somehow tricked by this youngster and, left with no other choice, followed him to Tianxiang? Today, she even goes all out to defend him; ah, it must be so. No wonder Her Majesty the Serpent King would disguise herself as a peerless beauty, acting all demure and delicate. It seems a woman truly adorns herself for the one who admires her! Hahahaha. But I wonder if that frivolous, wastrel young master from the Jun family truly satisfies the Serpent King's desires? If not, this old fellow could certainly introduce you to a few gentlemen who might bring you more pleasure and satisfaction," he chuckled.
Infuriation! That was exactly what the Yellow Sun intended—to provoke the Serpent King! (To be continued.) F