Chapter 216 The Eight Trigrams Demon-Subduing Formation

"Form up! Qian, Gen, and Kan positions in front, defend! Zhen, Xun, Kun, and Li positions in the back, attack!"

Bai Junyi roared, and although the group was startled, they remained calm. The tacit understanding forged from long-term training was fully displayed at this moment.

With a muffled shout, Shi Yong took a fierce step forward, slamming his iron shield heavily into the ground, firmly occupying the Kan position.

Lu Dachuan followed closely to his right, his thick-backed broadsword held horizontally across his chest. Crimson Protective Aura surged around his body, solid as a mountain, guarding the Gen position; Bai Junyi stood to Shi Yong's left, his zhan yue blade pointing diagonally at the ground, embodying the vigor of Heaven, guarding the Qian position.

The three formed a triangular stance, like a copper wall and iron bastion, facing the Green-Scaled Python Dragon head-on.

Feng Qing and Shen Suning moved swiftly. Feng Qing silently dashed to the Dui position behind and to the left of Shi Yong, his iron bow fully drawn, the arrowhead locked onto the Python-Dragon's seven-inch vital spot. Shen Suning drifted down to the Zhen position behind Lu Dachuan, her soft whip coiled like a snake.

The Li position was supposed to be occupied by Ji Xiang, but Bai Junyi's gaze swept over Chen Mu. His thoughts raced, and he shouted sharply.

"Chen Mu, switch positions with Ji Xiang. You guard the Li position and take the lead in attacking. Ji Xiang is heavily injured; retreat to the Kun position to provide support!"

Ji Xiang's face was deathly pale, and her wounds were still oozing blood. Upon hearing this, she didn't hesitate, staggering back to the Kun position to take up a defensive role. Bai Junyi pointed a finger at Ling Xiaoning.

"Xiao Ning, take the Xun position. Your movement should be swift and agile; maneuver to provide flanking support. Listen to my commands and do not move without authorization!"

Ling Xiaoning gripped his short sword, nodded heavily, moved to the Xun position, and held his breath, focusing his mind.

Chen Mu took a step forward, standing at the very rear of the formation, which was also the Li position directly facing the Python-Dragon. He flipped his right hand, and the soul-slaying blade silently slid into his palm. Hunyuan Calamity Astral Qi surged through his Meridians, his gaze locked tightly onto the Green-Scaled Python Dragon that had finished devouring Li Hu's corpse.

The Eight Trigrams Demon-Subduing Formation was complete!

Once the formation was set, an invisible aura began to circulate on its own, faintly connecting the blood, Qi, and Protective Aura of the eight people.

The water Qi of Shi Yong's Kan position moistened the mountain-like nature of Lu Dachuan's Gen position, making its might stable rather than explosive. Bai Junyi's vigorous Qian position drew upon the sharpness of Feng Qing's Dui position, ready to strike but held in reserve. Shen Suning's thunderous Zhen position secretly aligned with the fire-based attack of Chen Mu's Li position. Ji Xiang's heavy, grounded Kun position provided support, while Ling Xiaoning's agile Xun position filled the gaps.

The Green-Scaled Python Dragon seemed to sense the extraordinary nature of this formation. It flicked its tongue frequently, its massive body slowly coiling tighter, the scales at its abnormally swollen abdomen opening and closing slightly.

"Formation, activate!"

Bai Junyi roared, and almost simultaneously, the Green-Scaled Python Dragon moved.

Its massive body sprang up, but it did not pounce on Shi Yong and Lu Dachuan at the front. Instead, it headed straight for Bai Junyi, clearly recognizing that he was the core of the command.

A golden light flashed in Bai Junyi's eyes. Instead of retreating, he advanced, hacking his zhan yue blade toward the python's head. His blade aura surged, emitting a sharp, piercing sound as it cut through the air.

"Gen is the steady mountain, Kan is the nourishing water!"

Lu Dachuan and Shi Yong moved at the sound of his voice.

Lu Dachuan swung his broadsword horizontally, blocking the Python-Dragon's path to the right, while Shi Yong slammed his iron shield forward, aiming straight for the Python-Dragon's seven-inch vital spot. The two closed in on the Python-Dragon from left and right.

The Python-Dragon jerked its head violently, forcibly knocking aside Shi Yong's iron shield. Unable to withstand the force, Shi Yong retreated two steps, his shield scraping against the ground with a sharp sound. Lu Dachuan's blade struck the side of the python's neck, but only shaved off a few green scales, leaving a shallow white mark.

"Dui position, sharp arrow! Zhen position, thunder whip!"

Feng Qing released his fingers, and the armor-piercing arrow shot from the string, flying straight toward the python's eyes. Shen Suning's soft whip moved like lightning, coiling toward the wound on its neck.

The Python-Dragon's vertical pupils contracted, and it tilted its head slightly. The arrow grazed its scales, leaving a bloody streak. Shen Suning's whip precisely coiled around the wound on its neck; she pulled hard, causing scales to fly off and blood to gush out.

The Python-Dragon felt the pain instantly and let out a low hiss. Its tail swept horizontally, aiming straight for Shen Suning's waist and abdomen.

"Xun position, maneuver! Kun position, provide support!"

Ling Xiaoning obeyed the order. Ignoring his panic, he flickered like the wind and cut in, his short blade stabbing directly at the snake's tail. Although Ji Xiang was heavily injured, she gritted her teeth and stepped forward. The aura of the Kun position surged, like the earth supporting them, stabilizing Shen Suning's stance.

The short sword stabbed into the gap in the joints of the python's tail, but it only penetrated half an inch into the flesh before being stuck by the muscles. The force of the tail's sweep slowed slightly, and Shen Suning seized the opportunity to retreat, narrowly avoiding the blow.

"Li position, fire attack!"

Chen Mu finally moved.

He did not rush directly at the Python-Dragon's vital spot as everyone expected. Instead, he activated the Divine Void Step, his figure moving like a phantom as he circled to the side and rear of the Python-Dragon. The soul-slaying blade extended silently, its edge coated with a layer of dark golden Hunyuan Calamity Astral Qi, stabbing directly into the gap between the scales on the Python-Dragon's abdomen.

The timing, angle, and force were all impeccable.

The Python-Dragon was being constrained by the group in front, and its tail was being harassed by Ling Xiaoning, so it failed to detect this fatal strike from the side and rear in time.

"Puchi!"

The soul-slaying blade precisely pierced into the gap between the scales. Chen Mu shook his wrist, and the Hunyuan Calamity Astral Qi surged madly along the blade.

"Hiss!"

The Python-Dragon let out a sky-shaking roar of pain. Its massive body twisted crazily, and foul blood gushed from the wound on its abdomen, where something could faintly be seen wriggling inside.

"It's about to give birth!" Shen Suning exclaimed.

How could Bai Junyi let such an opportunity slip by? He immediately shouted.

"Attack with full force! It is at its weakest right now!"

The group's spirits were greatly lifted, and they all unleashed their various techniques in a fierce assault.

Lu Dachuan slashed wildly with his broadsword, Feng Qing fired arrows in rapid succession, Shen Suning's soft whip fell like rain, Ling Xiaoning maneuvered swiftly, and even the injured Ji Xiang forced herself to throw flying daggers.

The Python-Dragon fell into a frenzy, sweeping its giant tail wildly and spraying poisonous saliva everywhere. From its mouth, it occasionally exhaled a pale cyan cold mist, freezing the vegetation wherever it passed. However, the Eight Trigrams Demon-Subduing Formation operated ceaselessly, managing to forcibly withstand its desperate counterattack.

After his successful strike, Chen Mu immediately retreated. The Hunyuan Calamity Astral Qi surged within his body, repairing the minor damage caused by the hard clash, his gaze never leaving the Python-Dragon.

Just when that blade stabbed in, he clearly felt an extremely uncoordinated aura fluctuation within the Python-Dragon. That aura... actually carried a hint of the Protective Aura characteristics of a Human Race Martial Artist, exceptionally pure and sharp.

Just at this moment, the Python-Dragon suddenly opened its blood-red maw and let out a sharp, ringing sound. It did not sound like a snake's hiss, but rather like the vibration of metal.

As the sound rang out, the aura around the Python-Dragon suddenly skyrocketed, and the golden light on the soft horn on its forehead flared brilliantly.

"This is..." Bai Junyi's pupils constricted sharply.

Shen Suning's expression suddenly changed, and she blurted out.

"The sound of a golden bell! It's the life-bound golden bell of the Golden Bell Guards ringing."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.

How could the golden bell of the Golden Bell Guards be ringing inside a Python-Dragon?

Numerous clues flashed through Bai Junyi's mind like a revolving lantern.

The golden bell distress signal had persisted for several days without extinguishing, the elites of the Tian Di Xuan Three Teams were all lost, and not even a single piece of accurate information had been sent back. This Python-Dragon before them, which was currently undergoing a dragon transformation and was pregnant...

He understood!

He raised his head abruptly, staring fixedly at the Python-Dragon's abdomen.

"It devoured the Golden Bell Guards, utilizing the Golden Bell Guards' life essence, cultivation, and life-bound golden bells to trigger the distress signal, luring us here... to become its blood-food supplement before it gives birth!"

These words struck like a thunderclap.

No wonder the golden bell signal never extinguished. No wonder this demon beast, despite having the upper hand, chose to devour Li Hu's corpse first. It wasn't hunting for food; it was supplementing its nutrition, accumulating the final and most crucial energy for the upcoming birth.

So, from the very beginning, this was a trap.

The Python-Dragon seemed to understand Bai Junyi's words. A trace of mockery flashed in its vertical pupils. It raised its head violently, its throat vibrating intensely, and a ball of golden light slowly rose from its throat.

Within that golden light, a golden bell the size of a fist could be vaguely seen. The body of the bell was engraved with mysterious runes, and at this moment, it was vibrating violently, emitting a sharp, ringing sound.

At the same time, the Python-Dragon's aura skyrocketed to its peak. The soft horn on its forehead grew another inch, shining with brilliant golden light, and the might of a Dragon began to manifest.