24: Instant kill

Hoofbeats rang out, shaking the heavens and earth.

Inside the Monster Beast Mountain Range, a black Netherworld Spirit Steed galloped, everything in its path giving way.

Sitting inside the netherworld chariot, Shen Lian closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, striving to adjust his state to the peak.

After two days, he finally arrived at the Monster Beast Mountain Range.

Upon entering the Monster Beast Mountain Range, without any delay, he drove the netherworld chariot directly toward the depths of the mountains.

"Whoa—"

Suddenly, the warhorse let out a sharp, long neigh and came to a halt.

Shen Lian slowly opened his eyes and immediately lifted the carriage curtain.

What met his eyes were severed limbs and broken arms of humans scattered everywhere; it was truly horrifying.

"Hmm?"

With a soft murmur, Shen Lian seemed to have discovered something; he leaped off the chariot and walked to a deep mud pit to inspect it.

This was a giant pit, fully a hundred meters wide and three meters deep.

Shen Lian closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, the corners of his mouth gradually curling into an arc.

"These are the footprints of a Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon. It seems the memories of this trash are not entirely useless; at least, when there is trouble, he really dares to face it."

After venting about the predecessor who occupied his dharma body, Shen Lian immediately unfurled his Folding Fan, slowly spreading out his other palm.

"Let me see just how many moves you beast can withstand in my, Shen Lian's, hands!"

The moment his palm clenched, a fierce wind suddenly arose all around.

"Whoa—"

Behind him, the Netherworld Spirit Steed let out a long neigh, seemingly sensing something, and quickly transformed into a black cloud that enveloped Shen Lian, before turning back into a spirit horse and galloping rapidly forward.

...

"Junior Sister, I will find a way to lure this beast away in a moment. You must run in the other direction immediately, and whatever you do, do not look back, understand?"

"No, Senior Brother. If we leave, we leave together. We are fellow Disciples; how could I abandon you and ignore your plight?"

Deep in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, on a plain, two male and female Disciples, both only at the Pill Formation Realm, were hiding behind a granite boulder, struggling to calm their emotions.

They were Disciples of the Yun Lei Sect; the man was named Han Zhirang, and the woman was named Sun Xiuying.

"Roar~"

Outside the granite boulder, a giant Demonic Beast with three heads, its body exuding a contrary gale capable of shattering mountains and splitting stones, was slowly searching for its target step by step.

Under the giant beast's feet, wherever it passed, there were shattered corpses of Cultivators and broken weapons everywhere; it was a truly gruesome sight.

These Disciples were truly unlucky. They were originally only responsible for the outer area of the Monster Beast Mountain Range where low-level Demonic Beasts roam, but unexpectedly, they encountered a level seven Demonic Beast comparable to the Tribulation Crossing Realm.

The result was predictable: under the assault of the Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon, nearly a thousand Sect Disciples were as vulnerable as clay chickens and pottery dogs, and except for the two Disciples from the Yun Lei Sect, all the others became fodder for the Demonic Beast.

"Roar—"

With a roar, the sound waves shook the heavens.

Han Zhirang and Sun Xiuying covered their ears in unison, painfully enduring the roar of the Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon.

After the roaring subsided, the Senior Brother and Junior Sister immediately swallowed a Meridian-Soothing Pill.

The Demonic Beast's sound waves from just now had already given them internal injuries.

At this moment, heavy footsteps approached them.

Han Zhirang seemed to have sensed that their position was exposed; he immediately showed a look of determination and grabbed Sun Xiuying by the shoulder.

"Junior Sister, go quickly! Remember, you must survive to report the situation here to the Sect Master!"

"No, Senior Brother!"

Without waiting for Sun Xiuying to reply, Han Zhirang had already jumped out indignantly.

Facing this Demonic Beast that stood dozens of zhang tall, like twin iron towers, even though Han Zhirang was prepared to die, he could not help but feel fear in his heart.

"Beast! I am here; if you have the guts, come after me!"

He roared and immediately flew away on his sword in the opposite direction.

"Roar~"

The Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon roared and immediately spread its giant feet to chase after him.

"Senior Brother!"

Sun Xiuying's eyes instantly turned red. Unable to bear leaving her Senior Brother behind, she immediately revealed herself and chased after him.

"Junior Sister, you..."

Seeing that Sun Xiuying had also chased after him, Han Zhirang did not know what to say.

"Senior Brother, if we are to die, we die together!"

Sun Xiuying replied very firmly.

"Fine, Junior Sister, let us go together."

At this point, Han Zhirang could only turn back and take Sun Xiuying with him to start evading the pursuit of the Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon.

"Roar~"

The Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon let out another deep roar and stepped forward rapidly in pursuit.

In just an instant, it quickly caught up with the two of them.

"Beast!"

Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, Han Zhirang simply turned around and channeled all his spiritual power, gathering it at the tip of his sword to strike fiercely.

However, this sword strike, which would have been enough to amaze any Mortal, was like child's play in the eyes of the Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon.

With just a flick of its finger, it whipped up a contrary gale, instantly sending Han Zhirang flying a hundred zhang away.

"Senior Brother!"

Sun Xiuying exclaimed and quickly rushed toward the location where Han Zhirang had fallen.

Seeing this, the Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon was not in a hurry to kill them; it just followed slowly behind, as if toying with its prey.

Sun Xiuying anxiously searched for Han Zhirang, and finally found her dying Senior Brother beside a rock.

"Senior Brother, hold on!"

Tearfully, she lay over Han Zhirang and quickly took out a healing Medicinal Pill from her bosom, stuffing it into his mouth.

The moment the Medicinal Pill entered his throat, Han Zhirang's complexion finally improved.

But upon seeing Sun Xiuying's exquisite face filled with concern, he revealed a look of regret.

"Silly girl, why, why didn't you listen..."

"Senior Brother, you and I have cultivated the Dao together for over thirty years. To ask me to abandon you and seek survival on my own, do you know how cruel that is?"

"Junior Sister."

"Senior Brother, if you die, I will not live alone."

"Sigh."

However, before the two could fully express their feelings, the rumbling of the Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon's footsteps grew closer and closer.

Sun Xiuying abruptly drew her long sword and stood in front of Han Zhirang.

"Junior Sister!"

Han Zhirang reached out to stop her, but saw Sun Xiuying look back with a smile.

"Senior Brother, you have always been the one protecting me. This time, let me protect you for once."

After saying this, she resolutely flew toward the Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon.

"No, stop, stop! Junior Sister, don't!"

Han Zhirang watched helplessly as Sun Xiuying's petite figure rushed toward the Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon, but he was powerless to do anything and could only let out a hoarse roar.

"Roar~"

Sun Xiuying knit her brows, her eyes cold, as she pointed her sword at the heart of the Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon.

But the next moment, the Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon let out a deep roar, directly sending Sun Xiuying flying backward.

"Am I... going to die?"

Losing her balance, Sun Xiuying looked at the azure sky, her mind blank.

Clatter, clatter—

"Hoofbeats? Is this Ox-Head and Horse-Face coming to claim my soul?"

The moment she felt her body falling, she slowly closed her eyes.

She only felt the sound of hoofbeats growing clearer by her ear.

The next moment, she felt herself lying in a sturdy embrace.

This feeling was very warm, very safe, causing a smile to appear on her face unconsciously.

After not knowing how long, Sun Xiuying still had not felt the pain of hitting the ground, so she couldn't help but slowly open her eyes.

A handsome, unfamiliar face instantly entered her vision, causing an inexplicable palpitation.

What a handsome man, but why are his eyes not looking at me?

But the next moment, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her shoulder.

It was the hand holding her shoulder tightening its grip.

Before she could react, she heard from her ear...

"trash, get lost, do not block the way!"

After speaking, Sun Xiuying's figure was violently flung backward by Shen Lian, immediately flying toward the direction where Han Zhirang was.

"Junior Sister!"

Han Zhirang mustered his last bit of strength and managed to catch Sun Xiuying.

"Are you alright, Junior Sister?"

"I am fine, Senior Brother. Who is that..."

Han Zhirang also shook his head.

"Roar—"

Suddenly, the Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon seemed to have encountered some massive crisis, letting out a deafening roar.

Instantly, rocks were shattered, and heaven and earth exploded in shock.

Shen Lian lightly waved his Folding Fan, standing in the center of the sound waves, yet he did not dodge or evade, his gaze sharp.

When the roaring stopped, Shen Lian's extremely arrogant voice came through.

"Beast, do you even have the qualifications to open your mouth in front of me? Let your defeat add to the splendor of my victory, hahaha—"

As his laughter ceased, Shen Lian suddenly leaped up, turning into lightning and soaring into the high sky.

The Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon looked up abruptly, immediately revealing a look of terror.

He saw that above the Void Realm, there was a giant blade a hundred zhang long condensed from Spiritual Qi.

"Meteor Extinguishing Dao Slash!"

Boom—

The ultimate blade fell, Dao Rhyme overflowing, spreading for hundreds of miles around.

When the dust settled, the Three-Headed Terrestrial Flood Dragon had already turned into powder and scattered, leaving only a purple essence core slowly floating in front of Shen Lian.