The Viper's Last Gambit

This time, they were gravely mistaken!

Their technique was indeed potent enough to corrode even a returned-void Fiendgod, and even an ordinary Celestial Immortal patriarch would fall to it. Unfortunately, the person trapped within the ‘Viper Prison’ was Ji Ning—a cultivator who had trained in the Arcane Art to the third cycle! Ji Ning’s physical body was comparable to an Immortal-ranked magic treasure. Their Viper Prison’s corrosive power was strong, but it was not strong enough to corrode an Immortal-ranked treasure!

“I can’t stay trapped like this. I have to get out.” Ji Ning activated his Heavenly Transformation, his body suddenly swelling in size until the blood-colored lake reached only his knees.

Wielding six divine swords, he began to hack wildly at the viper’s abdominal wall beside him.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The viper trembled violently.

“He’s still alive?”

“How is that possible?”

“The Viper Prison… how can it be unable to kill him?” All twelve of them were stunned. They immediately sent their divine senses to probe, and what they discovered was… a giant, three-headed, six-armed youth standing in the blood-colored lake. The beast-hide he wore glowed with a hazy golden light, and the blood-colored lakewater was completely unable to harm him in the slightest.

This giant was madly hacking at the viper’s abdominal wall. Each blow carried tremendous power, and the raging ‘Soulvessel River’ was sweeping everywhere, grinding against the viper. All of this caused the twelve white-robed men to burn their Yuan power at a frantic rate just to maintain the viper.

“He’s a kid who’s been cultivating for less than a century, just a returned-void Earth Immortal. How can he possibly withstand the Viper Prison?” They couldn’t believe it. This was a forbidden art they had used at great cost, even injuring their ‘Golden Lotus Primordials’ to unleash it. They were confident it would succeed, yet they had failed.

“It must be that golden light on his body! The golden light on his body is the manifestation of a protective treasure. It’s precisely because of that protective treasure that he can resist the Viper Prison!”

“Right, he probably apprenticed himself to a True Immortal or Empyrean God. He was bestowed a protective item.”

“It must be so.”

“The protective item won’t last forever. Once its power is exhausted, Ji Ning will be dead for sure.”

After all, their horizons were limited. Although they knew there were some mighty divine abilities in the Three Realms that could make the body comparable to a magic treasure, Ji Ning was only at the fifteenth stage of the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens. They believed that even if he had trained in some divine ability, like the ‘Five Thunders Diamond Body’, he still wouldn’t be able to withstand the Viper Prison.

They guessed it was a protective treasure.

A protective treasure gifted by a True Immortal, an Empyrean God, or perhaps even a Daofather. Once activated, such a treasure could protect its owner. However, once the power within the treasure was completely consumed, it would become useless.

“But the ‘Viper Prison’ we unleashed using the forbidden art can only last for the time it takes to burn an incense stick!”

“If Ji Ning’s protective treasure runs out of power first, we win. But if the Viper Prison collapses first… are we supposed to use the forbidden art again?”

“Captain. What do we do?”

The others were all waiting for their captain’s orders.

None of them wanted to use the forbidden art again.

“Disciples with backgrounds and backers are always the most troublesome.” The white-robed man sent mentally, his voice harsh. “We have no choice. Proceed with the backup plan.”

“Alright.”

“Let’s go.”

Everyone acknowledged the order.

The backup plan required external assistance. They would have to share the credit for killing Ji Ning.

The formation power unleashed by the Whitewater Hound using the Fuxi Staff Formation was immense. If it were the actual serpent, it could threaten the formation by using raw force to break the laws. But the Blood God教主, ‘Blood God’, was hiding within that small black boat, unwilling to fight desperately. He stood even less of a chance of breaking the formation.

The Whitewater Hound and the Wufeng Immortal both watched the outside world with worried expressions.

In the sky outside, a river coiled around the immensely powerful serpent. The serpent struggled and roared, its power truly terrifying.

“Rend.”

The serpent spoke in the human tongue, letting out a furious roar. Its tail lashed out violently.

Whoosh~~~

The void was torn open, and on the other side, one could faintly glimpse the ocean.

One must understand that this minor world was attached to the ‘Grand Xia World’. The entrance deep within the volcano was a fixed connecting passage. However, powerful beings could forcibly tear open a channel. For example, that ‘Ancestor Xuanji’ had once torn open a channel to enter the Wu Jiang Immortal Estate.

And a blow from this serpent was absolutely no weaker than one from Ancestor Xuanji.

“Swoosh~~” After tearing through the void, although it was entangled by the river, the serpent still charged directly into the spatial rift and entered the ‘Grand Xia World’.

The minor world fell silent.

“It’s gone?”

“It disappeared?”

The Whitewater Hound and the Wufeng Immortal were both stunned.

They hadn’t expected the enemy to tear through space and leave the minor world so directly. They both looked worriedly towards the nearby black-robed Ji Ning. One must understand that the one who had been taken was Ji Ning’s true body! The true body was far more important than the Primaltwin.

“Ji Ning.” The Wufeng Immortal spoke.

“Don’t worry about me.” The black-robed Ji Ning shook his head, then sat down cross-legged, silently guarding his master, the Diancai Immortal.

No matter what.

He absolutely could not allow anyone to disturb his master’s Tribulation. The Primaltwin had to stay here and guard his master! As for the true body… the true body was carrying the aquatic palace. If it encountered mortal danger, he would rather expose the aquatic palace than hide inside it. After all, the true body was far too important. Techniques like the Arcane Art and the Starseizing Hand could only be used by the true body.

Above the North Sea.

The endless ocean was silent. In the distance, a merchant ship could be seen moving across the sea, traveling between the surrounding islands.

“Boom~~~”

The void above the ocean was torn open, and a gigantic monster emerged from the rift.

It was a serpent over three thousand zhang long! A surging river coiled around its body like a rope.

“What is that?”

“Heavens!”

“A great demon?”

Mortal and a few more powerful Xiantian lifeforms on the merchant ship were all dumbstruck. However, the three-thousand-zhang-long serpent flickered and had already reached the horizon, then completely vanished.

…

From within the serpent, Ji Ning, relying on the Soulvessel River unleashed through his Thousandbull Sword, was also very clear about the situation outside.

“Oh? We’re in the Grand Xia World? This should be the North Sea.” Ji Ning guessed. At the same time, he continued to madly swing his six divine swords, hacking at the serpent’s abdominal wall. The serpent trembled again and again, and the Yuan power of the twelve white-robed men was being consumed at a terrifying rate, forcing them to take out some spirit-pills and swallow them to replenish themselves.

Swoosh.

The serpent casually teleported through space, arriving above a vast mountain range on the endless land of the Grand Xia Dynasty.

“This is a mountain range on land? Why did the serpent teleport here?” Ji Ning, trapped within the serpent, felt a twinge in his heart.

Immediately, the raging ‘Soulvessel River’ began to expand wildly, restoring itself from a length of ten li to a full ten thousand li! The endless river water instantly flooded the mountain range below, though Ji Ning was still careful. He did not wish for the Soulvessel River water to harm any ordinary mortals. His main goal was to probe the surrounding environment.

“A formation!”

As soon as he probed, Ji Ning was greatly alarmed.

The vast mountain range immediately became shrouded in mist, completely enveloping the ten-thousand-li-long Soulvessel River.

“Not good. I’ve fallen into a formation. My ten-thousand-li Soulvessel River was only able to probe a part of it. This clearly means the formation is extremely vast in scope. It seems this entire mountain range is a secret ground.” Ji Ning understood. It was just like his homeland, the Yan Mountains. The hundred-thousand-li Yan Mountains were layered with countless formations.

The headquarters of major powers like the Rift Sword Sect were all protected by countless formations.

It was the same principle.

The mountain range where the serpent had just landed was just such a dangerous place.

…

Grand Xia Dynasty, Flamespan Commandery, Eastwood Mountain Range.

This Eastwood Mountain Range was the location of a sect called the ‘Eastwood Sect’!

“General.” The leader of the Eastwood Sect said respectfully, “A white serpent has suddenly appeared within my Eastwood Mountain Range. There is a river ten thousand li long surrounding the serpent. It has immense power. Could this be the man from the Bloodcloud Hall that you mentioned earlier?”

Seated above the hall was a tall, powerfully built, handsome youth in silver armor. His aura was powerful; he was at the ‘Celestial Immortal’ level.

“It seems those useless bastards from the Bloodcloud Hall couldn’t kill Ji Ning, so they led him here to me.” The silver-armored youth said with a contemptuous laugh. “Pathetic. They can’t even kill a kid like Ji Ning who’s been cultivating for less than a century. Hmph… Eastwood Sect Leader, this is your territory. Take control of the grand formation and help that serpent finish off Ji Ning.”

The Eastwood Sect Leader answered respectfully, “Yes, General.”

In his heart, he sighed.

As the leader of a top-tier sect, just thirty years ago, his entire Eastwood Sect had been completely ‘brainwashed’. Even he had been hit with a ‘Samsara Talisman’ and forced to become a loyal pawn.

“General Han.” The silver-armored youth suddenly called out.

Whoosh~~~

A shadow in the darkness solidified into a middle-aged man with a bush of stubble. He said respectfully, “Master.”

The silver-armored youth said, “The Bloodcloud Hall sent out assassins to kill Ji Ning. They had an agreement with me: if they couldn’t handle him, they would come to this Eastwood Mountain Range… and now, the Bloodcloud Hall has used the ‘Viper Formation’ and brought Ji Ning here. You go with the Eastwood Sect Leader. If necessary, you can make a move to help.”

“Yes.” The middle-aged man with the stubble answered respectfully.

“Mm. I’m going to the ‘Forbidden Zone’. Don’t disturb me unless it’s important,” the silver-armored youth instructed.

“Yes.” The middle-aged man with the stubble answered once more.

The Eastwood Sect Leader voiced his agreement, but was filled with confusion.

Ever since this mysterious force descended and took control of the entire Eastwood Sect all those years ago, they first set up an even more terrifying formation within the ‘Eastwood Mountain Range’. Then, they designated a section of the mountain range as a ‘Forbidden Zone’. Ordinary disciples of the Eastwood Sect were not qualified to enter; anyone who did would die!

The Forbidden Zone was inhabited by the subordinates of the Silver Armor General. As for what exactly was inside, the Eastwood Sect Leader, at least, did not know.

“Boom~~~”

From a great distance came the mad crashing of the Soulvessel River, causing nearby mountains to collapse and trees to shatter. The serpent struggled desperately to break free from the river’s restraint.

“Eastwood Sect Leader, come with me.” The middle-aged man with the stubble changed his expression and immediately shouted. He then led the Eastwood Sect Leader away to help the Bloodcloud Hall.

The silver-armored general watched from afar and shook his head. “Ji Ning is proving quite difficult to kill. No wonder he was first in the Immortal Fortunes Assembly.” With a single step, he vanished, heading towards the Forbidden Zone.