176: I want this special effect too.

The sky was torn apart.

This was not a metaphor.

The phantom rising from behind Zhao Ya was dozens of zhang tall, wielding a giant sword.

The rain froze in mid-air, then rolled backward and upward.

The surging waves were flattened, just like the serpent head attempting to spit out a death ray.

The arrogant middle serpent head slammed its lower jaw heavily against the scales on its chest, unable to move.

“Lin Yuan!!”

Blood flowed from Zhao Ya's seven orifices.

That was a sign of Mental Energy exhaustion.

Blood dripped down her chin.

“Three seconds!!”

Her voice was hoarse.

Forcing the use of a Forbidden Technique of this level, given her B-rank Middle Stage strength, required burning Mental Energy every second.

“Understood, understood.”

Lin Yuan did not charge immediately.

He hovered in front of the serpent's mouth, even having the leisure to comment:

“That special effect is pretty good, Captain. Teach me later?”

Zhao Ya nearly failed to catch her breath and almost suffered Qi Deviation on the spot.

“Get lost!!!”

“Alright.”

Before the words fell.

Lin Yuan moved.

Lightning wrapped around his feet, creating rings of sonic boom clouds in the atmosphere.

The first second.

He charged into the range of the nauseating stench.

The left and right serpent heads reacted.

The green serpent head spewed poison mist, blocking the retreat path.

The red serpent head swept its fangs, attempting to intercept and kill him.

“Don't block the way!”

Lin Yuan didn't even look, throwing out two Lightning Whips with a backhand motion.

Snap! Snap!

The Lightning Whips lashed against the nostrils of the two serpent heads.

Although no substantive damage was caused, the paralyzing sensation stopped the two serpent heads.

The second second.

Lin Yuan was already standing on the lower gum line of the middle serpent head.

The sensation underfoot was slimy and disgusting; corrosive saliva was everywhere.

Above his head were stark white venomous fangs, each hanging down like a spear.

“Ugh...”

Lin Yuan dry-heaved once and covered his nose.

“How much garlic did this thing eat? Doesn't the Sea God Cult hand out chewing gum?”

Disgusted, he scraped the soles of his shoes against the gum line.

“Hurry up!!”

Outside, Zhao Ya was almost unable to maintain the phantom.

The giant sword phantom began to tremble and cracks appeared.

The giant serpent struggled wildly, letting out a low growl from deep within its throat, attempting to close its mouth and crush the intruder.

The upper and lower jaws began to tremble as they closed.

The third second.

The instant the serpent's mouth closed.

Lin Yuan wrapped his arms around his knees, curling his entire body into a ball.

Lightning Plasma surged across his body, transforming into a protective shield.

Following the barbed tongue, he rolled into the pitch-black abyss.

Crunch!

The massive mouth closed.

The giant sword phantom that had been suppressing the serpent head shattered loudly.

Pfft!

Zhao Ya spat out a mouthful of blood toward the sky and fell from the high altitude.

“Captain!”

Su Wanqing, who had just finished clearing the cannon fodder, arrived just in time.

Frost spread, transforming into an icy hand that caught Zhao Ya.

Zhao Ya's face was ashen.

But her bloodshot eyes were still fixed on the giant beast that had regained its mobility.

“He... went inside?”

Su Wanqing helped Zhao Ya up, looked at the distant monster wildly shaking its head, and nodded.

“He went inside.”

Her voice was somewhat dry.

“ROAR—!!!”

The Three-headed Serpent roared toward the sky.

It felt it.

There was a foreign object stuck in its throat, and instead of falling down, it was climbing up?

That's right.

It was climbing up.

Inside the esophageal wall.

It was pitch black.

The muscles here were violently writhing, trying to squeeze the swallowed object into the stomach.

Furthermore, countless mucus-secreting tentacles sought to ensnare the prey.

A normal person reaching this point would have long been squeezed into a paste or dissolved into bloody water by the strong acidic mucus capable of melting steel.

But Lin Yuan was not normal.

Sizzle—

A ball of light illuminated the darkness.

It was Lin Yuan.

He was currently spread out in a “big” character shape, bracing himself tightly against the fleshy walls on both sides of the esophagus.

Even though the surrounding muscles were squeezing frantically, he remained completely still.

“The craftsmanship isn't great.”

Lin Yuan extended a finger and poked the wriggling fleshy wall beside him.

Sss.

The current from his fingertip scorched the flesh black, emitting the smell of grilled squid.

“The meat is too tough; it gets stuck in your teeth.”

Lin Yuan shook his head, a look of disappointment on his face.

The surrounding fleshy walls seemed to spasm from the pain, increasing the intensity of the squeeze.

Streams of dark green digestive fluid sprayed out from below, pouring onto Lin Yuan.

“Hey, hey, hey! Spitting everywhere is not only uncivilized, it's wasteful!”

A flash of lightning appeared on Lin Yuan's body.

That layer of Lightning Shield vibrated at high speed, deflecting all the acid pouring down.

“But then again.”

Lin Yuan lowered his head, looking at the stomach below that was constantly bubbling green.

He looked further into the depths.

There was an organ emitting a dark red glow, pulsating rhythmically.

The heart.

Or perhaps some kind of energy core similar to an Inner Core.

“I knew it.”

“Since I'm already here.”

“If I don't bring back some local specialty, how can I justify enduring that stench?”

He released one hand.

He pulled out the Scepter he had snatched from the Divine Official.

“Although it's not some Divine Weapon or Sharp Weapon.”

Lin Yuan weighed it in his hand.

“But using it as a toothpick to stab that big heart should be enough, right?”

He slightly bent his legs.

Lightning compressed and accumulated in his calves.

“Takeoff!”

Boom!

Lin Yuan performed a reverse sprint inside the esophagus.

He headed straight for the pulsating red light.

At the same time.

Outside.

The Three-headed Serpent, which had been preparing to pursue Su Wanqing and Zhao Ya, suddenly froze completely.

An intense pain exploded from deep within its chest cavity.

“Aooo—!!!”

A miserable shriek.

The formerly majestic Three-headed Serpent suddenly rolled around on the sea surface as if it were drunk.

Its tail thrashed wildly, smashing several reefs.

The waves surged sky-high.

“What's wrong with it?”

Su Wanqing supported Zhao Ya, rapidly retreating to avoid the flying debris.

She looked at the suddenly maddened monster, her face full of astonishment.

Just a moment ago, it looked like an Apocalypse Demon God, so why is it suddenly doing a shamanistic dance?

Zhao Ya coughed up a mouthful of clotted blood and weakly raised her head.

Seeing the monster's suffering, the corner of her lips curved slightly upward.

“As expected of the God of Thunder...”

There was no hint of worry in Zhao Ya's voice, only relief.

“It seems Zhou Weiguo didn't lie to me.”

“All those things that kid did before... they must have been real.”