The back mountain of Changbai, where a barrier of heaven and earth energy had long been constructed, encircling the entire Tianchi Lake and cordoning off a world within.
The space inside and outside the barrier felt like two distinct worlds, and this very barrier had been painstakingly erected by Zhang Yang, who had manipulated the heaven and earth energy of Changbai Mountain during his journey here.
He knew clearly that the Twelve-Crowned Golden Python possessed a fundamental difference from Pu Tian'en, whom he had encountered earlier in the Savage Mountains. Pu Tian'en had possessed five-layer capabilities for a long time, making him a seasoned expert of that realm, but his physical body had always constrained his power, which is why Zhang Yang could still defeat and slay him despite a slight disparity in strength.
However, the Twelve-Crowned Golden Python had not only cultivated for many years in the five-layer realm, but its body had also been continuously strengthened by the Rootless Water beneath Tianchi Lake, making its physical resilience perhaps stronger than any other spirit beast.
Spirit beasts were inherently more powerful than humans; the Grey Great Perfection Three-Eyed Beast residing beneath the Ten Thousand Year Peach had already proven this. Just how powerful could this Twelve-Crowned Golden Python be?
Stopping his steps, Zhang Yang stood by the shore of Tianchi Lake, tilting his head up to meet the gaze of those two eyes, massive as lanterns.
Behind him, Da Lei and Xiao Lei were hidden behind the Golden Three-Eyed Beast, trembling. The two little ones instinctively felt immense terror toward the great serpent coiling above the lake. As for the Golden Three-Eyed Beast, upon entering the vicinity of Tianchi, it had involuntarily slowed its pace, the distance between it and Zhang Yang subtly increasing.
The Golden Three-Eyed Beast dared not approach Tianchi at all. This was reminiscent of that five-layer Three-Eyed Demonic Beast; once Da Lei and Xiao Lei appeared, the front half of its body had buried itself in the mud along the lakeside. With its extremely low intelligence, it acted like an ostrich sensing danger, believing this concealment was enough for safety.
“Take Da Lei and Xiao Lei and retreat to the edge of the barrier I constructed.”
A secret message reached the Golden Three-Eyed Beast’s ear. Zhang Yang was clear that in a confrontation with the Twelve-Crowned Golden Python, the Golden Three-Eyed Beast, burdened with Da Lei and Xiao Lei, certainly wouldn't be able to assist, but its presence was sufficient to restrain that five-layer Three-Eyed Demonic Beast.
After drawing near Tianchi, every step the Golden Three-Eyed Beast took was exceptionally difficult. It had to suppress its innate fear of the Twelve-Crowned Golden Python while also resisting the invisible collision of heaven and earth energies between it and Zhang Yang.
Hearing Zhang Yang’s instruction, the Golden Three-Eyed Beast immediately pulled back Da Lei and Xiao Lei, retreating to the edge of the barrier Zhang Yang had established. From there, it could watch Zhang Yang by the Tianchi shore while staying clear of the immense pressure emanating from the fight between Zhang Yang and the Twelve-Crowned Golden Python.
The spiritual essence Zhang Yang had gifted it was hidden beneath its tongue. If the situation became dire, it could swallow that essence and enter the five-layer state.
By the shore of Tianchi Lake, Zhang Yang looked up, and the massive Twelve-Crowned Golden Python lowered its head.
“Successor of the Medical Saint Zhang family, Sect Master of the Medical Saint Martial Sect, Alliance Leader of the Huaxia World Alliance, Zhang Yang, has come to pay respects to the senior.”
Zhang Yang’s voice was resonant and powerful, exploding by the Tianchi shore like spring thunder from a clear sky.
“Zhang Yang visits Changbai Mountain today, first to resolve some private matters, and second, in the hope of infiltrating Tianchi Lake to obtain the Rootless Water. I request the senior’s fulfillment!”
“Hiss!”
The Twelve-Crowned Golden Python flicked its forked tongue. Above Tianchi Lake, a mass of dark clouds obscured the sun and moon, within which azure electrical arcs leaped back and forth, their thunderous roars no less powerful than Zhang Yang’s voice.
In those two eyes, massive as lanterns, a look of disdain emerged as the enormous serpentine head slowly shook. Rootless Water—it certainly would not grant it to Zhang Yang so easily.
Rumble!
Lightning flashed and thunder rolled across the sky.
Zhang Yang frowned; the Twelve-Crowned Golden Python’s refusal was not unexpected, but...
Boom!
Zhang Yang’s pupils snapped wide. A flash of thought crossed his mind, and he swiftly dodged sideways!
A bolt of lightning, as thick as a bowl, descended from the heavens, striking directly toward his crown. Simultaneously, the colossal figure hidden in the mist above Tianchi instantly straightened, shooting downward like an arrow loosed from a bowstring!
The clouds shattered instantly. The giant serpent’s head plunged towards Zhang Yang, its upper and lower jaws forming an immense maw nearly ninety degrees wide, its sharp fangs glittering beneath the dark clouds!
Zhang Yang braced himself on one leg, raised the other foot high, and then slammed it down heavily!
Crack!!
The solid earth along the lakeshore instantly fractured, huge fissures spreading as if from an earthquake. Zhang Yang himself shot into the sky like a cannonball.
Clang!
A flawless, pure white ice sword materialized suddenly in Zhang Yang’s hand. This ice sword stood nearly half a person tall, its blade broad. Zhang Yang gripped it and swung upward!
Whoosh!
The dense, misty black clouds were instantly cleaved in two, and the back-and-forth crackling arcs of electricity were also split apart by this single sword stroke.
Heaven-Shattering Sword Strike, First Form!
Zhang Yang wielded it with perfect familiarity; now, he could unleash this strike effortlessly with every movement. Its immense power could cleave the heavens, rendering mere storm clouds insignificant!
Rumble...
The entire Changbai Mountain shuddered violently, yet the raging heaven and earth energy by the Tianchi shore harmed no one. All that energy was blocked by the barrier Zhang Yang had previously erected. The Golden Three-Eyed Beast huddled together, using all its energy to conjure a defensive shield, protecting itself and Da Lei and Xiao Lei. As for the Three-Eyed Demonic Beast, half of whose body was still buried in the mud, it tumbled into the fissure Zhang Yang had cracked open. It curled its body up entirely within the crack in the earth. However, this fissure connected to Tianchi, and the lake water poured into the gap like a bursting dam, instantly drowning the Three-Eyed Demonic Beast within.
“Roar!”
The Three-Eyed Demonic Beast’s eyes widened in shock. Only then did it dare to look up. Through the cascading lake water, it saw Zhang Yang above, holding the massive ice sword, locked in a standoff with the giant python.
It recognized that person!
It was him, the one who killed its master, forcing it to flee here. For over half a year, it hadn't eaten meat once, nor had it slept soundly for a single minute!
Frantic, furious.
The little bit of intelligence remaining in the Three-Eyed Demonic Beast vanished, replaced entirely by negative emotions filled with murderous intent!
It was him, forcing it to endure the threat of that python here, compelling it to remain trapped where it was!
“Roar!”
The third eye of the Three-Eyed Demonic Beast suddenly turned crimson. The killing intent flowing from its eyeball mobilized the heaven and earth energy within the lake water. Suddenly, the cascading water seemed to freeze in place, its explosive force arrested!
In the air!
“Hiss!”
The Twelve-Crowned Golden Python once again opened its gaping maw. Heaven and earth energy rapidly coalesced above, the pale white energy ring instantly turning golden-yellow, its inherent power astonishingly terrifying!
“Energy Burst!”
Zhang Yang had no time to spare for anything else. The hand gripping the sword was poised behind him, ready to strike, while his other empty hand was spread open to its maximum extent. A massive quantity of heaven and earth energy was seized by Zhang Yang and gathered in his palm, forcibly pulled from the Twelve-Crowned Golden Python’s mouth!
The Twelve-Crowned Golden Python was indeed formidable. Although the golden energy cluster in its mouth was only the size of a basketball, it had compressed nearly sixty percent of the heaven and earth energy within the barrier, while Zhang Yang had only gathered thirty percent. In terms of plundering the heaven and earth energy of Changbai Mountain, he lagged behind the Twelve-Crowned Golden Python by more than double!
This was, after all, the place where the Twelve-Crowned Golden Python had dwelled for years; it was intimately familiar with the local energy. However, this was only when facing Zhang Yang. If it were any other five-layer expert, they would likely lack the ability to gather even twenty percent of the local heaven and earth energy in a region habitually inhabited by a five-layer spirit beast!
The basketball-sized golden energy cluster floated toward Zhang Yang, who abruptly pushed forward. The fist-sized golden energy cluster in his palm floated toward the python.
It appeared as if Zhang Yang was attempting the futile effort of stopping a chariot with his bare hands.
However—
“Grand Cycle of the Heavens!”
The hand holding the sword behind Zhang Yang had been gathering power for a long time. Just as he sent the golden energy cluster from his palm away, that sword swung forward again!
Heaven-Shattering Sword Strike, Second Form!
The sword tip pointed downward. As the two golden energy clusters continuously approached each other, the overflow of heaven and earth energy formed a vortex that rushed toward Zhang Yang’s ice sword!
An even larger energy cluster solidified at the tip of the ice sword. As the small and large golden energy clusters drew closer, it continued to swell!
This Energy Burst had upgraded from controlling external heaven and earth energy to controlling his own spiritual energy. Zhang Yang cleverly shifted the decisive factor determining the power of the energy clash to a contest of spiritual power.
However, having comprehended the heaven-defying cultivation technique, the Grand Cycle of the Heavens, Zhang Yang’s control over spiritual energy already surpassed any spirit beast or internal energy cultivator. In this contest, the Twelve-Crowned Golden Python had no advantage other than its own vast spiritual energy reserves!
The large and small golden energy spheres stalled in mid-air, while the energy cluster at Zhang Yang’s sword tip was growing constantly larger. Although it currently appeared minuscule compared to the two golden spheres spat out by the python, it would only take a short time for it to grow into an Energy Burst far more powerful than the one the Twelve-Crowned Golden Python had unleashed!
But before that could happen, Zhang Yang and the Twelve-Crowned Golden Python could only maintain this temporary stalemate!
This state would not last long, merely the blink of an eye, the briefest moment!
It was within that second!
“Roar!”
In the great fissure below, the cascading lake water froze solid, like a glacier locked in the Arctic. Accompanied by a heaven-shaking roar, a pitch-black figure shot up from the ground!
Vast heaven and earth energy transformed into a suffocating cloud of black poisonous mist, completely enveloping the dark figure!
Losing its constraint, the stagnant lake water resumed its flow, filling the massive fissure. A spray of water surged upward with the dark figure toward Zhang Yang.
Everything happened within that single second!
By the Tianchi shore, the violently agitated heaven and earth energy had transformed the area into an energy sandstorm, making it impossible for anyone to spy on either combatant.
Yet, it seemed, as if guided by some unseen hand, someone could still pierce through the barrier Zhang Yang had built and glimpse the center of the energy sandstorm.
Everything transpiring there appeared to be laid bare.
Zhang Yang had long sensed the sneak attack from the Three-Eyed Demonic Beast below, but at this moment, he didn't contemplate how to dodge the beast’s assault; instead, his mind was filled with the sensation of being watched.