The ashen-white Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast hovered in the spiritual energy congealed white mist, as if riding the clouds, opening its massive maw to reveal its jagged, incomplete fangs, and took a deep breath!
The Heaven and Earth energy below surged toward it in the air, compressing relentlessly. For a moment, winds whipped and clouds rolled underground, tearing soil from the surface in a rampant dust storm!
“Not good!”
Zhang Hefeng and Li Jianyi shouted in unison. They were nearest to the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast and instantly recognized that this beast had gone all out, concentrating its energy for one final strike!
“It is severely injured and has not healed; it must know its end is near, which is why it’s fighting to the death! Brother Zhou, Brother Li, we only stand a chance if we join forces now to slay this Three-Eyed Beast!”
Zhang Hefeng of Wudang, at the Great Perfection level, understood the dire urgency. Since Shi Ming had stepped forward to protect Zhang Pinglu, Zhang Pinglu was clearly destined to survive. But if they didn't stop that Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast, all of them would be in danger!
No one dared to guess the true power of a desperate strike from a Great Perfection spirit beast!
“Fine, the three of us will join forces to finish off this Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast first!”
Li Jianyi made an immediate decision, quickly agreeing to ally with Zhang Hefeng.
“Good, we join forces!”
Zhou Gu nodded in agreement, stepping forward as if to join Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng in striking down the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast!
With their intentions aligned, Zhang Hefeng and Li Jianyi immediately leaped up, charging toward the ashen-white Three-Eyed Beast!
But a sudden change occurred!
Zhou Gu stamped his foot, leaped into the air, but his trajectory was not toward the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast above, but sideways toward Zhang Yang. His figure swept past the earthen pit where Di Wanfang lay, snatched up the near-dead Di Wanfang, spun around instantly, and bolted toward the underground exit!
“Zhou Gu!!”
“Zhou Gu!!”
Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng had never imagined that Zhou Gu would choose to flee, having deliberately deceived them into thinking they would cooperate against the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast!
“Dealing with a dying Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast is enough for the two of you. Brother Li, Brother Zhou, forgive me, but this Zhou is taking Brother Di and leaving first!”
Only after Zhou Gu had dragged the near-lifeless Di Wanfang and fled the underground did his voice drift back.
Master Shi Ming’s intervention had completely shattered Zhou Gu’s elaborate plan. Without holding Zhang Pinglu hostage, he couldn't kill Zhang Yang, and without Zhang Yang’s demise, the Zhang Family of Medical Saints would not collapse. No matter how things developed afterward, it would be extremely detrimental to him.
Under these circumstances, Zhou Gu had long nurtured the intention to retreat. Taking Di Wanfang with him was within his calculations.
If Zhang Yang could not be killed today, the Zhang Family of Medical Saints would inevitably seek revenge against the entire Southern Border Demonic Path in the future. Saving Di Wanfang was tantamount to saving his own Zhou family.
Facing the towering wrath of the Zhang Family later, the Southern Border Demonic Path would certainly need to unite. Without Di Wanfang, when the two Great Perfection experts from the Zhang Family arrived, it would mean the annihilation of his Southern Border Demonic Path sects!
In his heart, Zhou Gu had already abandoned any thought of competing for the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach or the Three-Eyed Beast. Now, with Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng occupying the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast, this was the best opportunity to escape, one he absolutely could not miss!
Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng were livid, their faces flushed crimson, yet they were helpless. They had already engaged the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast, and retreating now would inevitably result in serious injury!
“Brother Li, please lend me your strength!”
Zhang Hefeng drew his divine weapon, the Wudang Two Extremes Sword, shouting at Li Jianyi, his sword pointing at the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast as he charged forward.
The Wudang Two Extremes Sword Style contained the mysteries of the Taiji Formation, offering a more exquisite understanding of Heaven and Earth energy. As Zhang Hefeng’s sword danced, the rate at which the ashen-white Three-Eyed Beast could gather energy suddenly slowed down.
Li Jianyi dared not delay; he ascended, drawing the Heaven and Earth energy surrounding him to support Zhang Hefeng, attacking the ashen-white Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast!
What Zhou Gu said was correct: Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng were currently unharmed and at full strength. If the three of them fought together, they would surely win against the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast. But even with just the two of them, victory was not out of reach!
“Boom!!”
In the pitch-black underground, a blinding white light suddenly erupted. The entire subterranean space was instantly swept by surging waves of heat, intensely scorching!
The long-silent underground lake began to explode repeatedly, sending countless splashes of water into the air, and Kunlun shook once more.
The magnitude of the disturbance in Kunlun was rare in China over the past thousand years.
This commotion had already attracted the attention of many.
In the Changbai Mountains, a long, slender figure kept looking toward the northwest, its tongue flicking out, hissing sharply.
The entire Changbai Mountain seemed to resonate with the tremors of Kunlun, shaking continuously.
The Hua family disciples stationed in Changbai Mountain immediately felt dizzy and extremely unwell.
In the Wild Man Mountain, two parrots had stopped their playful chatter and looked northwest.
“The birth of this treasure is causing quite a commotion!”
“Aren’t humans always like this? When has treasure ever emerged quietly?”
“This time seems different,”
“Don’t mind it. I trust that young man. It seems the day we leave Wild Man Mountain is near!”
“Indeed, indeed. We just need to wait patiently!”
The Yinlong Mountain, usually shrouded in mist, was suddenly covered in dark clouds, thunder rolling loudly, and lightning raging!
It seemed as if another giant dragon was shuttling back and forth within these dark clouds, restless and agitated!
“A pity, a pity, such a pity… Finally reaching Great Perfection, yet…”
The Yinlong Mountain erupted with a great dragon's roar, but alas, no one could discern the meaning behind that roar…
In Changjing, inside a private residence, several silver-robed figures stood guard around the courtyard, perfectly still and straight.
Inside the house, three figures in black robes, concealing 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 ordinary old man, lounging on the sofa, squinting lazily as if dozing off.
Huang Longshi seemed unable to sit still, looking up several times, wanting to speak but ultimately saying nothing.
The upheaval in Kunlun was too great; even though he was hundreds of miles away, he could still sense it.
“Has that little fellow asked you for help yet?”
The old man opposite suddenly asked languidly.
Huang Longshi knew he was being addressed and immediately replied, “No.”
“Then that’s that!”
Hearing Huang Longshi’s answer, the old man turned over, adjusted his posture to lie more comfortably, and muttered.
“The little fellow seems quite proud. Forget it, I’ll leave you alone. Sooner or later, you’ll be the one begging me…”
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 returned to calm.
The ashen-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 put down the silver needle he had picked up, along with the remaining Essence Blood Pills.
The ashen-white Three-Eyed Beast refused Zhang Yang’s offer of healing. At this moment, it only sought for Zhang Yang to move the Taiji Rod so it could return and reunite with the golden Three-Eyed Beast.
Zhang Yang sighed, moving one Taiji Rod, allowing the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast to enter the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation.
He understood that this beast’s heart meridian was fundamentally broken, its breath almost gone. Logically, it should have died already; it was only clinging on through this final surge of energy because it needed to return to the golden Three-Eyed Beast.
“Roar…”
Behind Zhang Yang, the golden Three-Eyed Beast looked at the approaching ashen-white one and wailed, a teardrop of blood escaping one of its three eyes—a sight of utter desolation.
Thump!
After taking only a few steps, the ashen-white Three-Eyed Beast collapsed to the ground from sheer weakness, kicking up a puff of dust.
“Roar…”
It let out a low roar, then lifted its head, seeing the blood tears in the golden beast’s eyes. Some unknown power supported it once more. Since it couldn't stand, it began to crawl forward directly.
With every difficult step it took, a trail of blood was left behind.
One step.
Two steps.
Three steps…
A long blood trail was dragged across the ground. Finally, it managed to crawl before the golden Three-Eyed Beast, stuck out its tongue, and licked away the tears from the other’s eyes, swallowing them into its own stomach.
“Roar!!”
The ashen-white Three-Eyed Beast suddenly roared, using the very last ounce of its remaining strength, and threw itself into an embrace, using its body to construct a final barrier in front of the golden Three-Eyed Beast as it died.
This Great Perfection spirit beast chose to perish in this manner.
“Amitabha…”
Master Shi Ming looked at the beast, his expression filled with compassion. He sat down cross-legged and began chanting the Buddhist Sutra of Rebirth loudly, performing rites for its transcendence.
“Cough, cough…”
On the other side, Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng scrambled up from the ground, covered in dust. They looked utterly wretched.
Although they had withstood the desperate final strike of the Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast, they were not unscathed and had suffered considerable injuries.
“Roar!!”
The golden Three-Eyed Beast wailed mournfully, exposing its fangs, its three eyes fixed intently on Li Jianyi and Zhang Hefeng, filled with hatred, determined to sear their images into its memory forever.
“Brother Li, I beg you, take me back to Changbai Mountain…”
In the distance, Hua Feitian slowly extended a hand. His face was now bruised purple; the energy explosion had rendered him incapable of resisting the potent toxin any longer. He knew clearly that the only hope for detoxifying himself now was to return immediately to Changbai Mountain and seek aid from that Fifth Level spirit beast.
For now, only Li Jianyi might possibly offer assistance.
Looking around, Zhang Hefeng clearly assessed the 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 must take my leave first!”
Zhang Hefeng cupped his hands respectfully toward Li Jianyi, then immediately turned and fled toward the exit.