38: Chapter 38 Working Together to Slay the Python

The Ice Scale Python coiled beside the frigid pool, its sapphire scales reflecting a cold luster in the dim ice chamber.

Its massive body brought a suffocating sense of pressure.

Its emotionless vertical pupils swept over the intruders.

Finally, they fixed on Scarface and Ye Chen, who had the strongest Auras. Its crimson forked tongue flickered in and out, emitting a threatening hiss.

"A second-rank Yao Beast... This is troublesome."

Cold sweat beaded on Scarface's forehead, the veins on his sword-gripping hand bulging.

He was merely at the Peak of the Ninth Level of Meridian Opening, still a step away from the Wheel Sea Realm. Facing an Ice Scale Python equivalent to the Early Stage of the Wheel Sea Realm, his chances of victory were slim.

The Lin family guards grew even paler, facing a formidable enemy.

Lin Dong's Adam's apple bobbed as he forced himself to speak calmly.

"Uncle Scar, what do we do? Retreat?"

Retreat?

Ye Chen's gaze was fixed intently on the slowly rotating ice heart lotus at the center of the frigid pool. Its exceptionally pure cold qi held immense attraction for him.

If he could obtain it, not only would his injuries completely heal, but his cultivation might also Breakthrough to the Late Stage of the Fifth Level, or even reach the Peak!

The opportunity was right before his eyes. How could he give up?

"We cannot retreat."

Ye Chen spoke, his voice calm.

"This Ice Scale Python is a guardian beast. If we retreat, it may not pursue. But if we wait for it to attack first, we'll be even more passive. Fighting together, we still have a chance."

Scarface looked at Ye Chen, seeing the firm determination and complete lack of fear in his eyes. His own resolve solidified, and he gritted his teeth.

"Young Master Ye is right! A beast is still just a beast! Form the 'Greenwood Battle Formation'! Lin Dong, you guard the flank! Young Master Ye, your cold qi is special—take the lead in containing it. We'll wait for an opportunity to attack its vital spots!"

"Understood!" Lin Dong responded immediately, drawing his sword and taking up his position.

The Lin family guards also moved swiftly. Their ten Auras connected, forming a simple battle formation. Blades gleamed and swords flashed, Killing Intent surging.

The Ice Scale Python seemed enraged by their actions. It let out a sharp hiss, and its massive body shot forward like a blue lightning bolt.

Its maw gaped wide, bringing with it afishy wind and a bone-piercing chill, lunging straight for Scarface at the forefront!

"Engage!"

Scarface roared, gripping his saber with both hands. A condensed cyan Saber Qi slashed toward the python's head!

The other guards attacked simultaneously. Saber Qi and Sword Qi rained down on the Ice Scale Python like a storm!

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

Sparks flew everywhere! The Ice Scale Python's scales were incredibly tough. Most attacks only left shallow white marks, utterly failing to pierce its defense!

Only Scarface's Saber Qi made its head pause slightly.

Stung by the pain, the Ice Scale Python grew even more frenzied. Its thick tail swept across like a steel whip, stirring up a howling gale!

"Scatter!"

Scarface hastily retreated.

Several guards couldn't dodge in time. Struck by the python's tail, their protective True Qi shattered instantly. They vomited blood and were sent flying backward, crashing into the ice walls, their fate unknown!

The battle formation was broken in an instant!

"You vile beast!"

Lin Dong's eyes nearly burst with rage. He activated his movement technique, circling to the side, and thrust his sword toward the Ice Scale Python's seven-inch point—the vital spot for snakes!

However, the Ice Scale Python reacted with extreme speed. It twisted its neck, actually using its harder head to block Lin Dong's strike head-on!

*Clang!*

Lin Dong's tiger-mouth split open, his longsword almost flying from his grip. The impact sent his whole body flying backward.

The Ice Scale Python turned its head, its cold vertical pupils locking onto Lin Dong, and lunged again!

At this critical moment, Ye Chen moved!

He had been gathering his strength all along, pushing the Profound Ice True Essence within him and that wisp of Nirvana to their limits.

The ice scar sword emitted a clear, melodious hum. The blade shone with brilliant blue light, its cold qi instantly freezing the surrounding air!

"Profound Ice Slash!"

His figure moved like lightning, arriving later but striking first. He slashed his sword toward the python's lower jaw as it tried to bite Lin Dong!

This strike wasn't a direct clash. Its angle was tricky, its speed astonishingly fast!

The Ice Scale Python seemed to sense the threat of this strike. It abandoned Lin Dong, violently swinging its head to collide with the ice scar sword!

*Boom!*

Ice shards flew in all directions!

Ye Chen felt an irresistible, tremendous force transmit through him. A sweet taste rose in his throat.

His entire body was sent flying backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily into an ice wall. The wall cracked with spiderweb-like fissures!

But the extreme cold and Nirvana imbued in his strike successfully invaded the Ice Scale Python's head, causing its movements to stiffen.

A thin layer of ice covered its sapphire scales. It let out a pained hiss!

"Now's our chance!"

How could Scarface miss such a fleeting opportunity?

He roared, burning all his True Essence. His whole body shot upward like an arrow from a bow. Gripping his saber with both hands, his Saber Qi condensed into a tangible pillar of cyan light.

With an indomitable Aura, he viciously chopped down at the relatively vulnerable scale on the python's neck—the reverse scale—exposed due to its stiffness!

"Mountain-Splitting Slash!"

This was Scarface's trump card! Its power rivaled a strike from the Wheel Sea Realm!

*Thud!*

Blood sprayed!

The Saber Qi precisely struck the gap in the reverse scale, sinking several feet deep!

The Ice Scale Python let out an agonizing shriek. Its massive body writhed wildly. Blood gushed out like a fountain, dyeing a large area of the frigid pool red!

But its vitality was incredibly tenacious. This severe injury only incited its ferocity!

Ignoring the grave wound on its neck, it turned and spewed a cloud of ice-blue poisonous mist toward Scarface, who was exhausted and falling!

Even before the mist arrived, its extreme chill nearly froze Scarface's blood solid!

His old strength spent, new strength not yet born, he watched helplessly as the poisonous mist was about to engulf him!

"Uncle Scar!" Lin Dong cried out in alarm, but couldn't reach him in time!

At this life-and-death moment, a figure appeared before Scarface like a ghost!

It was Ye Chen!

Suppressing his churning qi and blood, he swung the ice scar sword, laying down a dense curtain of icy Sword Qi before him!

*Sizzle— Sizzle—*

The poisonous mist collided with the sword curtain, emitting a corrosive sound. The curtain rapidly thinned!

But it held, if only for a moment!

Ye Chen grabbed Scarface's arm and activated Mist Transformation Steps, narrowly escaping the range of the poisonous mist!

"Cough... cough..."

Scarface landed, coughing up several mouthfuls of blood mixed with ice shards. His face was deathly pale, clearly suffering internal injuries, but he had at least survived.

He looked at Ye Chen, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Young Master Ye, such a great kindness needs no words of thanks!"

"Deal with it first!"

Ye Chen's gaze remained fixed on the frenzied Ice Scale Python.

Now, with its neck grievously wounded, blood gushing wildly, its Aura had weakened considerably, but it had become even more dangerous!

The Ice Scale Python thrashed its body madly. The ice chamber shook violently, chunks of ice clattering down.

Its remaining single eye locked onto Ye Chen and Scarface, filled with venomous hatred.

"It's weakening! Wear it down!" Lin Dong struggled to his feet, gritting his teeth.

The few surviving guards also regrouped, harassing from a distance with bows, arrows, and hidden weapons.

Ye Chen took a deep breath, suppressing his injuries, and raised his sword again to advance.

He knew they had to end this quickly. If the Ice Scale Python launched a death throes counterattack, the consequences would be unthinkable.

He connected with the jade booklet in his Sea of Consciousness. The indigo-blue bond light chain connected to Lin Qingxue flickered faintly.

It transmitted a wisp of weak but exceptionally pure cold qi as support, refreshing his spirit.

He concentrated his entire mind on the ice scar sword, elevating his Nirvana to its limit.

The Ice Scale Python also seemed to sense the lethal threat. It coiled its body into a defensive posture, its single eye fixed unwaveringly on Ye Chen.

Man and python stoodstandoff in the ice chamber, the atmosphere tense to the extreme.

Suddenly, Ye Chen moved!

He didn't attack directly. Instead, he moved rapidly around the Ice Scale Python, his footworkeerie, leaving afterimages in his wake!

Simultaneously, he flicked the ice scar sword repeatedly. Streams of condensed cold qi weren't aimed at the python's body, but shot toward the ground and air around it!

"What is he doing?" Lin Dong was puzzled.

But Scarface's eyes lit up.

"He's setting up a formation! Using cold qi to alter the environment, restricting the Ice Scale Python's movements!"

Sure enough, as Ye Chen pointed and flicked his sword, the temperature around the Ice Scale Python plummeted. The ground beneath itCondensation into an extremely smooth sheet of ice.

The air grew thick with viscous cold qi, slowing the movements of the python's massive body!

The Ice Scale Python grew restless and anxious, wanting to attack Ye Chen.

But due to the slippery ground and theBlock of the cold qi, its movements became clumsy, repeatedly missing its target.

Now!

A sharp light erupted in Ye Chen's eyes. His speed suddenly increased, transforming into a blue streak of light. Man and sword merged into one, stabbing straight toward the Ice Scale Python's remaining intact eye!

This strike concentrated all his strength, his Concept, and his grasp of the timing!

Fast! Accurate! Ruthless!

The Ice Scale Python tried to close its eye and twist its head, but due to the environmental restrictions, it was half a beat too slow!

*Thud!*

The ice scar sword accurately pierced the bowl-sized snake eye! Extreme cold and the Sword Intent of Nirvana instantly erupted, flooding into its brain!

The Ice Scale Python's body stiffened violently, then let out one final, despairing hiss. Its massive form collapsed with a crash.

It slammed onto the ice, twitched a few times, and then lay completely still.

The second-rank Yao Beast, the Ice Scale Python, was dead!

The ice chamber fell into dead silence, broken only by the heavy panting of the survivors.

Several breaths later, Lin Dong murmured.

"...Dead? We killed a second-rank Yao Beast?"

Scarface let out a long sigh of relief. The look he gave Ye Chen was filled with shock and admiration.

With a cultivation at the Meridian Opening Stage Five Middle Phase, to lead the slaying of a second-rank Yao Beast—such an achievement, if spread, would be enough to shock the entire city!

This Young Master Ye's future was limitless!

Ye Chen leaned on his sword, breathing heavily, his face as pale as paper.

That final strike had nearly drained all his strength.

But his eyes were bright. Although perilous, this battle had deepened his understanding and application of Nirvana by several degrees.

He walked to the edge of the frigid pool, looking at the completely intact ice heart lotus.

Its seven petals were crystalline and translucent. The lotus heart emitted a dreamlike blue halo. The pure cold qi made every pore on his body relax.

Finally, it was his.