The grayish-white Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast hovered within the spiritual energy condensed into a white mist, as if riding the clouds, opening its cavernous maw to reveal its chipped fangs, and drew a massive breath!
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth beneath them violently gathered toward its aerial position, constantly compressing. For a moment, winds whipped up and clouds swirled from the ground, kicking up mud and dust everywhere!
"Not good!"
Zhang Hefeng and Li Jianyi shouted simultaneously. They were the closest to this Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast and immediately recognized that this beast was truly fighting for its life, gathering energy one last time for a final strike!
"It's severely injured and hasn't healed; it must know its time is near, which is why it’s making this desperate attack! Brother Zhou, Brother Li, we only have a chance to slay this Three-Eyed Beast if we join forces now!"
Zhang Hefeng of Wudang Great Perfection understood the grave danger. Since Shi Ming had stepped up to protect Zhang Pinglu, Zhang Pinglu was fated to live, but if they failed to stop the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast, all of them would be in peril!
No one dared to guess the true power of a desperate final strike from a Great Perfection Spirit Beast!
"Agreed, the three of us will join forces to slay this Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast first!"
Li Jianyi made a swift decision, immediately agreeing to join forces with Zhang Hefeng.
"Good, we join forces!"
Zhou Gu nodded in agreement, stepping forward as if preparing to combine efforts with Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng to kill the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast!
With their decision unified, Zhang Hefeng and Li Jianyi immediately leaped up, charging toward the grayish-white Three-Eyed Beast!
But a sudden change occurred!
Zhou Gu stomped the ground and sprang into the air, but his trajectory was not toward the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast above; instead, he shot sideways toward Zhang Yang. His figure swept past the dirt pit where Di Wanfang lay, snatched up the near-dead Di Wanfang, and immediately turned, fleeing toward the underground exit!
"Zhou Gu!!"
"Zhou Gu!!"
Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng were utterly stunned that Zhou Gu had chosen to flee, having deceived them into thinking they would cooperate against the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast!
"Dealing with a struggling Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast is enough for the two of you. Brother Li, Brother Zhou, my apologies; this Zhou is taking Brother Di and departing first!"
Zhou Gu’s voice only echoed back after he had grabbed the dying Di Wanfang and escaped the underground.
Master Shi Ming’s intervention had completely shattered Zhou Gu’s entire plan. If he couldn't hold Zhang Pinglu hostage, he couldn't kill Zhang Yang, and if Zhang Yang lived, the Medical Saint Zhang Family would not collapse. Regardless of how the situation developed next, it would be extremely disadvantageous for him.
Under these circumstances, Zhou Gu had long harbored thoughts of retreating. Taking Di Wanfang with him was within Zhou Gu’s calculations.
If Zhang Yang could not be killed today, the Medical Saint Zhang Family would inevitably retaliate against the entire Southern Border Demonic Path. Saving Di Wanfang was tantamount to saving his Zhou family. Facing the overwhelming wrath of the Zhang Family in the future, the Southern Border Demonic Path would inevitably unite. Without Di Wanfang, when the two Great Perfection experts from the Zhang Family came knocking, it would be the day his entire demonic faction was wiped out!
In Zhou Gu’s mind, the desire to contend for the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach and the Three-Eyed Beast had vanished. With Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng now blocking the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast for him, this was the best opportunity to escape, and he could not let it pass!
Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng were livid, their faces flushed red, yet they were helpless. They were already engaging the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast; retreating now would certainly lead to severe injuries!
"Brother Li, please lend me your strength!"
Zhang Hefeng drew his divine weapon, the Wudang Two Poles Sword, shouted at Li Jianyi, pointed his sword at the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast, and charged straight in.
The Wudang Two Poles Sword Style encapsulated the mysteries of the Tai Chi Formation, offering a more exquisite understanding of the energy of heaven and earth. Sword blossoms danced in Zhang Hefeng's hands, and for a moment, the speed at which the grayish-white Three-Eyed Beast was condensing the energy of heaven and earth noticeably slowed.
Li Jianyi dared not delay, leaping up, channeling the energy of heaven and earth around him to support Zhang Hefeng, and launched an assault against the grayish-white Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast!
Zhou Gu hadn't been entirely wrong; Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng were currently uninjured and at full strength. If the three of them joined forces, they would surely defeat the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast, but even with just two of them collaborating, they still had a chance of victory!
"Boom!!"
The pitch-black underground suddenly erupted with a dazzling white light. The entire underground was instantly swept by surging waves of heat, intensely scorching!
The underground lake, silent for so long, began to explode in succession, sending countless plumes of water into the air. Kunlun shook again.
The magnitude of the disturbance in Kunlun was rare in China’s thousand-year history.
This upheaval had already drawn the attention of many.
Deep in the Changbai Mountains, a long, slender figure repeatedly glanced northwest, flicking its tongue out, hissing sharply.
The entire Changbai Mountain seemed to tremble in response to the tremors of Kunlun.
The Hua family disciples stationed in Changbai Mountain were suddenly struck by dizziness and extreme discomfort.
In the Savage Mountains, two parrots had stopped their playful squabbling and looked toward the northwest.
"The emergence of this treasure this time causes quite a stir!"
"Aren't humans always like this? When has any treasure emerged quietly?"
"This one seems different."
"Don't worry about it. I trust that young man. It seems the day we leave the Savage Mountains is fast approaching!"
"Indeed, indeed. We just need to wait patiently!"
Yinlong Mountain, usually shrouded in mist, was suddenly covered in dark clouds, resounding with thunder, and ravaged by lightning!
It seemed another colossal dragon was weaving back and forth restlessly within those dark clouds!
"What a pity, what a pity, what a pity... After finally achieving the Great Perfection stage, yet..."
A great dragon's roar shook Yinlong Mountain for a time, but sadly, no one could discern the meaning of that roar...
In Changjing, within a private residence, several silver-robed figures stood guard around the courtyard, perfectly straight and motionless.
Inside the house, three figures clad in black robes that concealed most of their faces sat on a sofa, staring blankly at the three cups of tea on the coffee table. Among these three was Huang Longshi.
Opposite them sat an utterly ordinary old man, lounging lazily on the sofa opposite them, his eyes half-closed as if dozing.
Huang Longshi seemed restless, looking up several times, wanting to speak but ultimately remaining silent. The disturbance from Kunlun Mountain was too significant; even from a thousand miles away, he was not entirely unaffected.
"Has that little fellow called you for help yet?"
The old man opposite suddenly asked in a lazy voice.
Huang Longshi knew the question was directed at him and immediately replied, "No."
"Then that settles it!"
Hearing Huang Longshi's reply, the old man rolled over, adjusted his posture to lie more comfortably, and muttered.
"The little fellow seems quite proud. Forget it, I won't bother. You’ll beg me eventually..."
At the location of the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach underground, the energy dissipated, and the dust settled. Kunlun, which had been shaking violently, finally regained its tranquility.
The grayish-white Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast dropped back to the ground and walked past Zhang Yang, letting out a low growl.
Hearing its growl, Zhang Yang set down the silver needles he had picked up, as well as the remaining Elixir of Essence Blood.
The grayish-white Three-Eyed Beast refused Zhang Yang's offer to heal it; it only sought for Zhang Yang to move his Tai Chi Staff so it could return to reunite with the golden Three-Eyed Beast.
Zhang Yang sighed, moved one Tai Chi Staff aside, allowing the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast to enter the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation. He understood that this beast's heart meridian was utterly broken, and its breath was nearly gone; logically, it should already be dead. It was only relying on this final surge of power to return to the golden Three-Eyed Beast.
"Roar..."
Behind Zhang Yang, the golden Three-Eyed Beast looked at the approaching grayish-white one and wailed, a streak of bloody tear tracing from one of its three eyes—a sight of utter desolation.
Thud!
After taking only a few steps, the grayish-white Three-Eyed Beast collapsed to the ground from sheer weakness, kicking up a layer of dust.
"Roar..."
It let out a low roar, then lifted its head and saw the bloody tear in the golden beast's eye. Some inexplicable strength propped it up once more. Since it couldn't stand, it began to crawl forward instead.
With every difficult step it took, a streak of blood was dragged behind it.
One step.
Two steps.
Three steps...
A long bloodstain trailed across the ground. Finally, it managed to crawl before the golden Three-Eyed Beast, stretched out its tongue, and licked the bloody tears from the other’s eyes, swallowing them.
"Roar!!"
The grayish-white Three-Eyed Beast suddenly roared, pouring out the last vestiges of its strength to embrace the golden one, using its own body to erect the final wall in front of its companion in its final moments.
It perished in this manner.
"Amitābha..."
Master Shi Ming looked at the beast, his face showing compassion. He sat down cross-legged and began chanting the Buddhist Sutra of Rebirth loudly, offering passage for its soul.
"Cough, cough..."
On the other side, Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng crawled up from the ground, covered in dust. They looked utterly wretched. Although they had managed to withstand the final desperate blow from the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast, they were not unscathed and had sustained considerable injuries.
"Roar!!"
The golden Three-Eyed Beast wailed, revealing its teeth, its three eyes fixed intently on Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng, filled with hatred, determined to sear their images deep into its memory.
"Brother Li, I beg you, take me back to Changbai Mountain..."
In the distance, Hua Feitian slowly extended a hand. His face was now ashen; the energy explosion had overwhelmed his ability to resist the potent venom. He knew clearly that only by returning immediately to Changbai Mountain and seeking help from that Fifth Level Spirit Beast was there any hope of detoxification. For now, only Li Jianyi might be willing to help him.
Looking around, Zhang Hefeng clearly saw their surroundings. He knew perfectly well that if he didn't leave now, he wouldn't be able to once Zhang Yang recovered!
"Brother Li, I'll take my leave first!"
Zhang Hefeng cupped his hands toward Li Jianyi, then immediately turned and fled toward the exit.