The Emerald Water Black-Scaled Python's hiss containing endless rage was like the horn of death. Its massive dark green form ground through the air, carrying suffocating bloody wind as it lunged toward Xiaoqi and Chen Feng on the white boulder! Its bloody maw gaped open, revealing rows of vicious fangs. In its cold vertical pupils remained only the疯狂killing intent from having its treasure stolen.
Xiaoqi's hand froze in mid-air, the jade shovel merely inches from the second Vermilion Fruit, but the onrushing pressure of death made his blood nearly freeze. Chen Feng's face went pale as he subconsciously tried to pull Xiaoqi back in retreat, even knowing their speed was far inferior to this second-tier demon beast.
At this critical life-and-death juncture—
"WHIST! WHIST! WHIST!"
Several sharp sounds of breaking air suddenly rang from the valley entrance! Immediately after, five or six multicolored yet equally sharp lights, like venomous snakes emerging from their holes, didn't shoot at the python but instead precisely covered all possible evasion routes around Xiaoqi and Chen Feng, even including the white boulder beneath their feet!
These were spell attacks! And the target was directly them!
Xiaoqi and Chen Feng's faces drained of color—this sudden attack was completely unexpected! If they persisted in harvesting the Vermilion Fruits or evaded in place, they would certainly be struck by these dense spells—death or severe injury at minimum. If they retreated, they would fall right into the python's bloody maw!
Trapped between advancing and retreating—a certain-death formation!
"Careful!"
In the distance, Mu Qingfeng and Liu Yun, desperately trying to intercept the python, also witnessed this sudden turn. Their eyes nearly split with rage, but they were powerless to help!
At this life-and-death moment, Xiaoqi's combat instincts honed through long training and his extraordinary calmness beyond ordinary people came into play. He didn't attempt to block the spells that couldn't be countered in time, nor did he blindly retreat. Instead, he made an extremely bold decision!
He abruptly kicked Chen Feng's waist with well-measured force, pushing him toward a relatively safer position to the side of the pool, while using the reaction force himself, his body becoming as if weightless, leaning backward, plunging straight down into the cold, deep pool water!
"SPLASH!" "SPLASH!"
Both hit the water almost simultaneously. The position they had just stood on was bombarded by several fireballs, ice spikes, and earth thorns, sending碎石 flying. The Vermilion Fruit that had nearly been harvested shook violently in the explosion's aftermath but was fortunately undamaged.
"HISS?!"
The Emerald Water Black-Scaled Python's lunge instantly missed. Its massive head slammed heavily into the white boulder with a dull crash, even cracking the rock in several places. It grew more enraged but was also partly distracted by the sudden spell attacks, its cold vertical pupils abruptly turning toward the valley entrance.
At the same time, Mu Qingfeng and Liu Yun's attacks arrived. Sword qi and wind blades viciously slashed at the relatively thinner scales on the python's neck exposed by its lunge. Though still unable to pierce its defense, they left deeper marks, and the pain made the python let out a pained roar.
The scene instantly became extremely chaotic!
Xiaoqi fell into the bone-chilling pool water. The cold made him shudder, but he immediately held his breath, circulating spiritual energy to resist the chill while swiftly swimming toward the pool's edge. Chen Feng also emerged from nearby, coughing up water, his face showing lingering fear.
At the valley entrance, seven figures now appeared! They uniformly wore dark red martial attire with a burning flame emblem embroidered on their sleeves. Their auras were fierce, with cultivation at minimum sixth-layer Qi Refining. The young man leading them, with a sinister face, had even reached peak ninth-layer Qi Refining!
"Li Yang Sect people!" Xiaoqi, just climbing from the water, immediately recognized their origin. The Liyang Sect was a sect with strength comparable to Qingxu Temple, but the two sects' relationship had long been disharmonious. When disciples from both sides met outside, conflicts and battles were common. He hadn't expected them to enter the Cloud Mist Secret Realm too—and appear at this critical moment!
The sinister young man's greedy gaze swept across the three Vermilion Fruits (one already in Xiaoqi's robes) emitting tempting auras on the white boulder, then looked at Mu Qingfeng and Liu Yun entangled with the python, and Xiaoqi and Chen Feng just emerging from the water. A cruel sneer curled his lips: "Quite lively indeed! Qingxu Temple's trash, thanks for helping us lure away this beast! Now, the Vermilion Fruits and your lives—the Liyang Sect will collect both!"
Before his words faded, he waved his hand: "Move! Seize the Vermilion Fruits, kill the Qingxu Temple people!"
The six Liyang Sect disciples behind him immediately sprang into action. Two headed directly for the white boulder, intent on seizing the remaining two Vermilion Fruits. The other four split into two groups—one group killing toward Xiaoqi and Chen Feng just ashore and unsteady, the other toward Mu Qingfeng and Liu Yun, releasing ranged spells to interfere, preventing them from returning to aid or calmly handling the python.
Before them was a second-tier giant python driven to complete rampage by multiple provocations. Behind them were hostile sect cultivators lying in wait and taking advantage of the chaos!
Qingxu Temple's five-person squad instantly fell into an unprecedented desperate situation!
Facing the python's crazy attacks and Liyang Sect cultivators' ranged harassment, Mu Qingfeng's pressure steeply increased. Though his sword light remained steady, he could no longer maneuver as composedly as before.
Liu Yun was even more pressed—her willow brows tightly furrowed as she dodged the python's sweeping tail and Dark Yin water arrows while also splitting attention to deal with incoming fireballs and arrows, situations arising at every turn.
Shi Jian roared as he charged in from the valley entrance, wanting to support Xiaoqi and Chen Feng, but was deadlocked by two Liyang Sect disciples, fighting fiercely.
Xiaoqi wiped the water droplets from his face. Looking at the two Liyang Sect disciples (one seventh-layer Qi Refining, one sixth-layer) charging with vicious grins, then glancing at that still-terrifying python entangled with Eldest Senior Brother and Third Senior Sister, and the two Vermilion Fruits emitting seductive light on the boulder not far away—
His heart sank to the valley floor, but his eyes, like a lone wolf driven to desperation, erupted with cold light.
The chaotic three-way battle had completely erupted in this secluded valley!