Looking at the multicoloured rays heading in his direction with unimaginable speed, Liang opened his serpent mouth and let out a bone-chilling roar.
The roar sent shockwaves rippling through the air, causing the pellets to scatter and lose their momentum.
Suddenly dark flames began to appear around the his body. However, these flames seemed to be devoid of any heat but once they came in touch with the multicoloured ring, it caused the ring to ripple and fracture as if it were made of glass.
Mi Ling's eyes widened in shock as she saw her attack being dispelled. She had never seen such a strange flame before. Nevertheless, she was not one to be easily deterred.
With a quick swirl of her saber, she unleashed a new wave of attacks towards the serpent. The pellets collided with the flames, creating a dazzling display of light and colour. But even though her attacks were powerful and numerous, they seemed to be ineffective against the strange black flame surrounding Liang Yifei.
Wrapped in black flames, Liang launched towards Chang Jin in the blink of an eye, caught off guard, he retreated with unimaginable speed.
Liang looked at the crimson serpent beside him, and without warning the space around them began to distort rapidly. The black flames ignited more and grew in size surrounding the two serpents, shrouding them completely. For a moment, deep silence enveloped the battlefield.
As the black flames subsided, a new serpent emerged from the ashes. It was larger than both Liang's and the crimson sword serpent, shimmering with a brilliant golden hue. Its scales were sleek and smooth, and it had massive crimson-black wings that glinted with a bloody hue. Its eyes glowed with an intense light, and its movements were precise and calculated.
It flexed its wings with a mighty beat, causing a gust of wind to sweep through the battlefield, stirring up dust and debris. The sheer force of its wings caused the ground beneath it to tremble, sending shockwaves reverberating through the air.
Looking at the winged serpent, Chang Jin's eyes flashed with battle intent. He looked at Mi Ling, "I will take care of it, just make sure he doesn't escape."
Without waiting for a response, Chang Jin took a deep breath and started performing ancient incantations. The air around him shimmered with energy, and Dao runes began appearing around him, glinting with a bright golden hue.
As he continued chanting, the runes grew in intensity, and the ground beneath him cracked and trembled. Suddenly, his body began expanding, growing taller and broader until he stood towering over the battlefield.
His skin turned as hard as metal, with intricate designs etched into it, and his eyes glowed with intense light.
Like Mi Ling, Chang Jin also had a special Physique. Or to make it more accurate, he had an ancient and mysterious bloodline that gave him that power. As for what kind of bloodline it was, he hadn't told anyone.
He extended his hand and a golden spear materialized in front of him. He grasped it, and with a deafening roar, he charged towards the winged serpent.
Liang's serpent eyes glowed with an intense light as he opened his mouth again. An even more powerful black flame erupted heading for Chang Jin.
Chang Jin's response was swift and decisive as he raised his spear and cut through the incoming infernal void flame with ease. Liang's sneer only grew, as he knew that this flame was no ordinary one. To keep the flame burning, he had to burn his blood essence, which was steadily depleting with each passing moment, causing the burden on his body to increase, even depleting his precious life force.
Suddenly his eyes widened in disbelief as the golden spear sliced through the black flames with ease as if they were nothing more than soft tofu. With a swiftness that exceeded the imaginable, the spear darted towards Liang's neck. The spear tip glinted with a metallic sheen, its sharpness amplified by the scales enveloping Liang's body. As the spear pierced through his scales, a deafening explosion erupted, shrouding the area in a dense cloud of dust.
Once the dust settled, Liang's body lay motionless, his once shimmering scales now charred and blackened and a gaping hole where the golden spear had penetrated his neck.
looking ar the massive body on the ground Mi Ling and Chang Jin smiled .However, to their surprise, the massive serpent began to disappear in the blink of an eye, leaving only the Crimson Serpent Sword in its place.
Then, without warning, the sword began to glow and charge towards Mi Ling with incredible speed.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Mi Ling leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the sword's deadly blade. Before she could even react, a space crack appeared beside the sword and sucked it in, before closing instantly.
Chang Jin and Mi Ling stood frozen, staring at the spot where the sword had been. They couldn't believe what had just happened - Liang was gone, and the sword had disappeared.
The battlefield fell silent as the two fighters tried to make sense of what had just happened. After a moment, Mi Ling let out a sigh and turned to Chang Jin. "I guess that's the end of this battle."
Chang Jin nodded in agreement. "I suppose so. It seems that his final transformation was just an empty show to distract us."
Mi Ling clenched her fist in frustration. "I should have been more careful."
Chang Jin put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't blame yourself. We both fell for his trick."
Mi Ling's eyes narrowed, her expression growing colder. "It doesn't matter anyway," she said. "I'm certain that every cultivator in the world will be searching for him now. It won't be long before he's found."
Chang Jin nodded, his face grim. "As you suspected, he is indeed the serpent that you encountered at the Black Lotus Forbidden Grounds. And it seems he's managed to obtain the Golden Lotus as well."
Mi Ling's suspicions were confirmed. "That explains the rapid increase in his strength," she said. "But I can't say for certain whether the serpent form he transformed into was also obtained from the Lotus, or if he possessed that ability from the beginning."
Meanwhile, The Free Heart pavilion was now surrounded by numerous cultivators, among them was Han Zhi and his disciple.
One of the cultivators couldn't contain his impatience any longer and raised his sword, charging towards the gate of the Free Heart Pavilion with all his might. With a deafening bang, the gate shattered into pieces, signalling the start of the battle.
Four figures emerged from behind the gate, their expressions grim as they surveyed the sea of cultivators before them. The four members of the Wandering Shadow Tavern stood their ground, determined to protect the treasures within the pavilion at all costs.
The leader of the Wandering Shadow Tavern let out a heavy sigh as he looked at the other three, a sad smile on his face. "It seems like we won't get the chance to see the upper realms," he said, his voice filled with resignation. He knew that their chances of survival were slim, but he was determined to fight until his last breath.
The cultivators, numbering in the hundreds, charged forward with their swords and spears raised. The four members of the Wandering Shadow Tavern stood their ground, ready to defend the Free Heart Pavilion with their lives.
However, the sheer number of enemy cultivators proved to be too overwhelming. The leader of the Wandering Shadow Tavern, despite his best efforts, was struck down by a flurry of swords and arrows. One by one, his companions fell beside him, each succumbing to their wounds.
The cultivators barged into the Free Heart Pavilion, destroying everything in their path. They looted the treasures and artifacts, even taking the sacred texts and scriptures that were stored there.
Han Zhi and his disciple watched from afar, feeling a sense of triumph as they witnessed the destruction of the Free Heart Pavilion and the death of the four assassins.
In a desolate mountain outside the city, Liang's figure emerged from the void, his body trembling and on the verge of collapse. He coughed up a mouthful of blood and looked at the hole in his chest grimly. He had put everything on the line for this battle, even burning his blood essence to increase his strength, But he was outmatched in number and power.
He stumbled forward, using every ounce of his remaining strength to keep moving, to keep from collapsing.
Finally, he reached a small cave hidden in the mountain, where he collapsed onto the rocky ground. His body was battered and broken, his consciousness slipping away.