While it possessed offensive capability, close-quarters combat remained its weakness; without projecting inner strength, Wuying couldn't even defeat Shandian.

Shandian stared vigilantly at the massive creature ahead. This behemoth exerted far greater pressure than the Five-Crowned Golden Python had previously.

The Five-Crowned Golden Python, only at the early Third Layer back then, was incomparable to the Ten-Crowned Golden Python before them now. With the gap of an entire layer between them, Shandian was under the most intense pressure.

Zhuifeng's small horns began to stand erect on its head.

The Golden Python had not moved yet, but they all understood that it would inevitably unleash a fierce strike sooner or later; a great battle was about to commence for them.

At this moment, Zhang Yang appeared remarkably calm.

His hand rested on the hilt of the Cold Spring Sword, yet the Heaven-Shattering Sword Art was already circulating, drawing surging waves of Heaven and Earth energy to coalesce around Zhang Yang.

The two parrots standing off to the side watched Zhang Yang with considerable astonishment.

Clearly, neither of them had expected Zhang Yang to be capable of directly manipulating Heaven and Earth energy. While they were not unfamiliar with this ability, seeing it displayed by someone at the mid-Fourth Layer was unprecedented.

This was something only Great Perfection masters or Fifth Layer powerhouses could achieve, yet it was manifesting in a mid-Fourth Layer cultivator.

"Ahua, did you notice? Its energy is even more potent than that of a typical Great Perfection cultivator!"

The parrot speaking with the male voice suddenly remarked, though its eyes remained fixed on Zhang Yang.

"I noticed. Ever since I first saw this person, I sensed he wasn't simple, but I never expected him to be able to utilize energy ahead of schedule, and even achieve energy materialization, something even Great Perfection cultivators cannot do!"

The other parrot, without turning its head, responded while also observing Zhang Yang.

Despite their words, their expressions hadn't changed much; after the initial shock, they quickly regained composure.

Energy materialization—they had witnessed it countless times. Their previous master performed feats far superior to what Zhang Yang was achieving.

Compared to their former master, Zhang Yang was merely an infant, one who couldn't yet walk. The energy he refined was only slightly stronger than that of a Great Perfection master—still energy laden with impurities.

The effective force of this energy, in their eyes, was quite limited.

However, with this ability, Zhang Yang’s strength was no longer as simple as a newcomer to the mid-Fourth Layer; he now truly possessed the foundation to contend with a late-Fourth Layer expert.

But this Ten-Crowned Golden Python was no simple foe. Spirit Beasts were inherently stronger than humans, and this was a notoriously venomous beast; Zhang Yang would not find defeating it easy.

The two parrots now watched with keen interest, eager to see the battle unfold.

Following their master’s orders, they were forbidden from harming others, seeking no profit, and never interfering in others' disputes. But this did not mean they disliked watching excitement. Having lived in the Savage Mountain for so long, they craved something stimulating.

Undoubtedly, the confrontation about to begin was a highly meaningful event for them.

"Roar!"

The Ten-Crowned Golden Python let out another furious roar. All small creatures within several dozen meters prostrated themselves, afraid to move. Even the birds flying in the air began to tumble down, pata-pata.

In this regard, it was inferior to the Fifth Layer Spirit Beast, the Phantom Mouse; when the Phantom Mouse roared, all animals within a hundred miles lay immobilized. Its might was significantly less than the Phantom Mouse’s.

After roaring, the Golden Python remained still.

Spirit Beasts possessed acute spiritual senses. It perceived that this human’s overall strength was less than its own, yet he was condensing Heaven and Earth energy akin to a Great Perfection master. Fourth Layer Spirit Beasts were profoundly attracted to Heaven and Earth energy; it had already detected this impulse.

Just then, a flash of inner strength streaked out; Wuying was the first to break the deadlock.

It keenly noticed that the Golden Python’s entire focus was fixed on Zhang Yang. Seizing this opportunity, it expelled the inner strength it had held back for a long time.

Wuying was now also a Fourth Layer Spirit Beast, and its inner strength had grown considerably stronger than before, its might not inferior to the expelled inner strength of a late-Fourth Layer expert.

This burst of inner strength struck the Golden Python solidly.

Wuying’s attack was too sudden. The Golden Python had been watching Zhang Yang intently and guarding against Zhuifeng, never imagining that the small creature beside it would dare to attack it.

The potent inner strength caused the Golden Python’s body to jerk violently backward, and it let out a muffled groan of pain.

Zhang Yang’s eyes instantly brightened—this was an opportunity, an excellent one. If he let such a chance slip by, he wouldn't be Zhang Yang.

The Cold Spring Sword was swiftly drawn, and two beams of silver sword light shot out, slashing toward the Golden Python.

The two sword glows, one blade of light, felt like three razor-sharp daggers aimed at piercing the heart.

Zhang Yang had immense confidence in the Cold Spring Sword; after all, it was a renowned artifact from the Divine Weapon List. No matter how tough the Ten-Crowned Golden Python's hide, the Cold Spring Sword could pierce its defenses.

Previously, Zhang Yang, using an ordinary short blade, could wound a Five-Crowned Golden Python one layer above him; naturally, he could do so now. The current Zhang Yang was far more powerful than before.

"Bang!"

"Pata-pata!"

The Golden Python’s body sank abruptly. It dared not meet these two streams of energy sword light head-on; this was an energy attack only a Great Perfection master could unleash.

No, even a Great Perfection master couldn't achieve this; their energy lacked materialization.

The sword glows could not curve; they narrowly grazed its body, finally striking the ground behind it and carving out two large pits.

As the sword light passed, it scraped against its scales, sending a chill down its spine. The power of these two beams was in no way inferior to the sword Zhang Yang held; if truly struck, they could pass clean through its body.

Before that thought fully formed, the Golden Python felt a sudden sharp pain, its tail involuntarily leaping up and smashing violently toward the source of the pain.

Zhang Yang quickly leaped back. A few beads of blood dripped from the Cold Spring Sword’s blade; a small patch on the Golden Python’s abdomen began to slowly redden.

While the sword glows couldn't turn, the sword in Zhang Yang's hand was extremely agile, slicing a mark across the Golden Python's skin in the ensuing movement.

Just as Zhang Yang had suspected, the Golden Python’s defense could not withstand the sharpness of the Cold Spring Sword. Although the Golden Python was a semi-strength-type Spirit Beast, its primary function was poison; its defense was far inferior to that of the Long-Armed Spirit Ape.

If it were a pure strength-type Spirit Beast at the late-Fourth Layer, Zhang Yang would not have been able to injure it so easily even with the Cold Spring Sword in hand.

"Roar!"

The injured Golden Python roared again, its massive head instantly appearing where Zhang Yang had just been, snapping its jaws shut.

It had lived for over seven hundred years; even human Great Perfection masters did not possess its lifespan.

Since successfully advancing to the Fourth Layer more than two centuries ago, it had never suffered an injury. This was the first time it had been wounded in all these years.

Though its body was immense, this small wound inflicted by Zhang Yang could not incapacitate it, but injury was injury, sustained right at the start of the engagement.

The enraged Golden Python unleashed all its strength, relentlessly snapping and biting at Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang moved flexibly, his speed, thanks to the system’s modifications, no longer inferior to a late-Fourth Layer cultivator. The Golden Python was fast, but he could still manage.

While evading, he managed to counterattack against the Golden Python several times.

Even if he couldn't inflict a grave injury, constantly slashing its body and causing it to bleed would eventually take its toll; excessive blood loss could still prove fatal.

"Pa!"

The Golden Python, which had been wildly snapping at Zhang Yang, suddenly felt its head spin violently. Its head had just been struck by an immense force.

Its eyes only registered a flash of white shadow, immediately followed by dizziness.

Before it could react, two more sounds erupted from its body, forcing it to recoil unnaturally. Wuying had taken advantage of the moment to unleash two consecutive bursts of inner strength, both striking the Golden Python.

The one who had just launched the sneak attack was Zhuifeng. This was a good chance for Zhuifeng, and it did not waste it.

Though only an early-Fourth Layer cultivator, its hooves possessed considerable power. Even if it couldn't severely wound the Golden Python, it could certainly make it suffer. Coupled with Wuying’s coordination, the Golden Python was already sustaining injuries.

Right from the initial clash, it suffered repeated blows, causing it to become even more frenzied.

Zhang Yang, however, felt significantly calmer. This late-Fourth Layer Golden Python was not as overwhelmingly powerful as he had imagined, and his current strength truly allowed him to contend with late-Fourth Layer experts. With the coordination of Zhuifeng and Wuying, he felt this fight was even easier than confronting the Five-Crowned Golden Python.

Of course, facing a ferocious Spirit Beast like the Golden Python, one could never afford any carelessness.

Zhuifeng clearly paid the price. Its successful sneak attack had given it a slight sense of underestimation toward the behemoth. Preparing to repeat the maneuver, it tried another ambush, but this time it was swept away by the Golden Python's tail.

The flung Zhuifeng bled slightly, already suffering a significant injury.

Wuying hurriedly ran over and bit it once. Both small creatures watched from a distance, and in another area, a pair of small eyes were fiercely fixed on the behemoth.

The owner of those small eyes was Shandian. Having prior combat experience with a Golden Python, it knew well that it could not breach the Golden Python's hide. Only the wounds already opened by Zhang Yang were susceptible to its venomous attack.

Its poison was inferior to the Golden Python’s, but if the opponent was poisoned, it would still be affected. The previous Five-Crowned Golden Python’s bodily functions had been impaired after being poisoned, leading to its demise.

The Ten-Crowned Golden Python reared its body up again, relentlessly pursuing Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang was the principal culprit in the death of its offspring, and he was also the greatest threat to it. Only by killing Zhang Yang first could it deal with the other small creatures.

Without Zhang Yang, the remaining few would be no match for it.

Its reasoning was sound, but its attacks were not going smoothly. As Zhang Yang dodged, materialized sword glows were occasionally sent out, posing a significant threat to the Golden Python, which dared not absorb them directly.

If not for the fact that Zhang Yang's sword glows were not very fast and lacked maneuverability, it would likely have been severely wounded by now.

"Opportunity!"

Shandian's eyes flashed brilliantly. A white shadow darted out rapidly, instantly latching onto the Golden Python’s abdomen. Shandian bit down without hesitation, then retreated immediately, successfully injecting venom into the Ten-Crowned Golden Python's body.