86: Altar Battle

The Qingjiao Sea Serpent's tail whip, carrying a tearing sound, lashed towards the altar. Mo Chu, coiled in the groove, couldn't move and could only watch as the whip's shadow approached.

"Clang!"

The Thunderclap Saber blocked the tail whip in time, and the clash of metal vibrated people's eardrums. Liu Shan was knocked back three steps, his arm numb—the Qingjiao Sea Serpent's strength was even more overbearing than the Abyssal Octopus Demon's before!

"Hiss—!"

The Qingjiao Sea Serpent was enraged, its single horn glowed with green light, and it spewed out a stream of dark green venom. The venom transformed into poisonous arrows in the air, shooting towards Liu Shan!

"Be careful! This venom is corrosive!" The Hall Master of Hundred Herbs Hall exclaimed, throwing out several Medicinal Pills. The Medicinal Pills exploded in the air, forming a faint golden barrier that blocked the poisonous arrows.

Liu Shan seized the opportunity to close in, his Po Wang Swordplay slashes continuous, each strike aimed at the gaps in the sea serpent's scales! Although the Qingjiao Sea Serpent's scales were hard, they were not as strong as Mo Chu's defense. Soon, several wounds were cut by the saber light, and dark green blood flowed out.

"Roar!"

Other sea serpents also launched attacks. Some coiled around, others spewed poisonous mist, and the area around the altar instantly fell into chaos.

The Dan Wang Valley Master and others immediately stepped forward to meet the enemy. Dan fire and wind blades intertwined, Magic Treasures and demonic bodies collided, and screams and roars rose and fell.

The Valley Master of Wind Spirit Valley manipulated strong winds, blowing the poisonous mist towards the sea serpentgroup. The Qizong Elder's Sea-Shattering Crossbow specifically shot at the sea serpents' eyes, while the Hall Master of Hundred Herbs Hall continuously threw out Medicinal Pills, protecting everyone.

Liu Shan was entangled in a fight with the Qingjiao Sea Serpent. This Nascent Soul Stage sea demon had extremely rich combat experience. Its tail whip and poisonous arrows cooperated seamlessly, forcing Liu Shan to retreat repeatedly. If not for the Po Wang Swordplay to see through its flaws, he would have been injured long ago.

"Mo Chu, are you done yet?!" Liu Shan roared, forcing back the sea serpent with a slash. He glimpsed the golden box on the altar still slowly rising, and the runes were flashing faster and faster.

A hint of anxiety flashed in Mo Chu's snake pupils. The light beam on its golden horn flickered, clearly fully resonating with the altar, striving to get the key as soon as possible.

The Qingjiao Sea Serpent noticed Liu Shan's distraction, seized the opportunity, and its single horn slammed into his chest!

"Be careful!" Dan Chen's voice came, and a Dan fire bomb exploded on the sea serpent's single horn in time. Although it didn't cause damage, it forced it to temporarily slow its attack.

Liu Shan took the opportunity to retreat, new spiritual energy flowing through his body, and the golden-black saber light surged again: "Thunderclap—Dragon Break!"

A Dragon shadow roared within the saber light, carrying the residual power of the Golden Dragon Scale, and slashed towards the Qingjiao Sea Serpent's single horn!

"Pfft!"

This time, the saber light actually split open the scales on the single horn, leaving a deep, bone-visible wound!

"Awoo—!"

The Qingjiao Sea Serpent let out a mournful hiss, blood vessels in its eyes surged, and it completely fell into a frenzy, pouncing on Liu Shan recklessly, its massive body completely occupying the open space around the altar!

Just then, the golden box at the top of the altar finally stopped rising. The lid opened automatically, revealing a crescent-shaped golden key inside. The key was engraved with Dan patterns and Dragon patterns, precisely the key to the Dan Palace!

"Mo Chu!"

Mo Chu suddenly looked up, a golden light shot from its golden horn, reeled the key to its front, and swallowed it in one gulp. Then, it shot out from the groove, transforming into a black lightning bolt, and slammed into the Qingjiao Sea Serpent's wound!

"Pfft!"

The golden horn accurately pierced into the single horn's wound. Golden Dragon Qi surged along the wound, and the Qingjiao Sea Serpent's body instantly stiffened. The madness in its eyes gradually receded, replaced by fear and despair.

"It's over!" Liu Shan seized the opportunity, his Thunderclap Saber condensing all his spiritual energy, and slashed towards the sea serpent's head!

"Pfft!"

The saber light fell, and the Qingjiao Sea Serpent's massive body twitched a few times before completely losing its life.

The other sea serpents, seeing their leader killed, immediately scattered, but were stopped by the Dan Wang Valley Master and others, and were soon all killed.

The area around the altar returned to peace, with only the sea serpents' corpses and bloodstains remaining.

Mo Chu swam to Liu Shan's side, spat out the golden key, its snake pupils filled with excitement—the moment it got the key, a piece of information appeared in its mind, which was the exact location of the Dan Palace.

"We got the key!" Dan Chen shouted excitedly, his eyes full of anticipation as he looked at the key.

The Dan Wang Valley Master also breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face: "Liu Xiaoyou and Mo Chu have worked hard. With the key, we can find the Dan Palace."

Liu Shan picked up the key, feeling it warm and smooth in his hand. The Dan patterns and Dragon patterns on the key seemed to come alive, with a faint Medicinal Pill fragrance and Dragon Qi flowing, clearly not an ordinary object.

"Mo Chu knows where the Dan Palace is," Liu Shan said, looking at Mo Chu.

Mo Chu's snake pupils pointed to the sea on the west side of the island, conveying the idea that "the Dan Palace is at the bottom of the sea, and a key is needed to open the entrance."

"Under the sea?" Everyone exchanged glances, seeing determination in each other's eyes.

Since they had already come this far, no matter how many dangers lay beneath the sea, they had to go down and investigate.

Liu Shan gripped the key, his gaze fixed on the sea to the west. The seawater there was a strange deep blue, as if it contained endless secrets.

The Dan Palace was getting closer and closer.