Ssshhh—
The sharp hiss of the sword cutting through the air hadn't yet faded,
when the crimson sword qi, like a blood-red crescent moon,
swept cleanly across the serpent's tail.
There was no resistance at all.
That tail, thick as a mountain pillar, was sliced clean through.
The cut surface gleamed smooth as glass—then, a heartbeat later, molten gold-red blood gushed forth like lava.
It hissed and crackled as it plunged into the Blood River,
Sending up billowing clouds of crimson mist.
"Guaaah—!"
The Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent's scream shook the cavern walls to trembling.
That last strike of its tail had been its full strength—
now, though its tail was severed,
the residual momentum hadn't yet dissipated.
Its massive, hundred-meter-long body slammed violently into the Blood River.
Boom—!
Boom—!
The Blood River exploded, surging in monstrous waves.
The entire stretch of river went mad, churning and heaving.
A storm of bloody mist and heat-laden vapor rushed toward them, slick and hot against Li Zhexian's face.
Dozens of breaths later—
The river began to calm.
The crimson mist slowly thinned.
Qian Renxue's gaze wavered in uncertainty.
"Is it… over?"
Li Zhexian's fluttering robes and long hair slowly settled.
His expression remained grave as his eyes stayed locked on the raging Blood River below.
"It won't be that easy."
The words had barely left his lips when—
BOOM—!
The Blood River burst apart once more, scarlet rain scattering through the air.
A foul, burning wind roared toward them, carrying a shrill, piercing cry.
Through the roiling crimson mist,
the serpent's enormous form lunged upward at impossible speed,
reaching them in the blink of an eye.
The exploding Blood River fell back as scalding blood rain,
hissing as it vaporized in midair.
The temperature spiked sharply.
Li Zhexian, blessed with the Molten Frost Spirit Vein Body, was utterly unfazed.
Qian Renxue summoned her Light Spirit Power,
forming a shimmering barrier that deflected the burning rain.
The serpent's lava-like jaws gaped wide below them—
ready to swallow both whole.
"Xue'er!" Li Zhexian shouted.
At his call, Qian Renxue released her grip.
Li Zhexian dropped like a stone.
Her body grew light; the Angel Wings at her back snapped once—
She became a streak of golden light, skimming perilously close along the serpent's massive body.
She glided low, just above the boiling surface of the Blood River—
And at the very last instant, as Li Zhexian was about to fall into the river,
Her arms wrapped around his waist once more.
"Let's go up!"
The two of them soared skyward,
sending up another tidal surge in the river below.
The Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent reared its monstrous head,
its triangular pupils glowing with blood-red liquid fire,
locking unerringly onto the two small figures above.
Its massive body began to twist—
Buzz… buzz…
The nine bulging lumps atop its head started to flash and pulse.
The golden liquid within them flowed rapidly toward its gaping maw.
A surge of scorching heat exploded outward—
the river beneath boiled violently, bubbling with crimson foam.
The serpent fixed its aim on the pair's flight path.
In its mouth, a blazing golden sun condensed—
then burst forth as a beam of golden-red annihilation,
tearing through the air toward them.
Li Zhexian and Qian Renxue exchanged a glance.
Qian Renxue released her grip once more.
They didn't dodge—
Instead, one above, one below, both dove straight into the oncoming beam.
Li Zhexian's entire body was engulfed in gold-red light,
but the raging fiery energy could not harm him.
Qian Renxue danced along the beam's edge like a celestial butterfly,
weaving through the radiant heat.
Their eyes were cold as ice—
their combined descent carrying the full force of a thunderbolt
straight toward the serpent's head.
Clang—!
The crimson glow surrounding Li Zhexian's Qinglian Sword
was burned away by the golden light,
revealing its pure, jade-like blade—
yet deep within, faint veins of dark crimson still flowed.
In Qian Renxue's hands,
her Light Holy Sword coalesced in brilliance.
The two swordbearers hurtled toward the serpent—
100 meters!
80 meters!
20 meters!
Until finally—
They were mere meters from the monster's massive head.
At their feet, a transparent platform of condensed sword qi appeared.
Li Zhexian stepped hard, using it as a springboard to surge upward—
rising to Qian Renxue's side,
their swords gleaming in unison.
The two stood side by side, their hands tightly gripping their sword hilts.
They gathered the unstoppable momentum of their descent—
and with a sharp, deadly thrust, drove both blades down toward the serpent's massive head.
The Qinglian Sword and the Light Holy Sword seemed small—
but in the instant they pierced the serpent's flesh,
their sword intent exploded, and Spirit Power erupted like thunder.
"Screeeech—!"
The agonized shriek of the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent
shook the entire Blood River backward.
Its enormous head whipped violently,
its colossal body thrashing in the river,
stirring up surging waves of boiling crimson.
Li Zhexian and Qian Renxue held fast to their swords,
their robes and hair whipped by the furious wind—
yet they did not budge an inch.
Crack—crack—!
The sound of splintering filled the air.
Starting from the serpent's head,
webs of crimson-gold cracks began to spread,
spidering across its body in seconds—
until the fractures covered it entirely.
Its frenzied struggling froze mid-motion.
"Xue'er! Fall back!"
Qian Renxue immediately dismissed her Light Holy Sword,
and in one smooth motion, wrapped her arms around Li Zhexian,
her wings beating hard as they shot hundreds of meters into the air.
Boom—!
Boom—!
Almost at the same instant—
the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent detonated from head to tail,
following the path of its own glowing fissures.
A storm of scorching heat swept through the river,
sending up billowing crimson mist,
and the violent shockwave hurled the two high into the air.
When the storm finally subsided—
A stream of gold-red light emerged from the mist,
hovering quietly before Li Zhexian.
It was a golden-red core,
a sphere radiating heat so intense it made the air itself shimmer and twist.
"The inner core of the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent."
Li Zhexian reached out, collected it, and said calmly to Qian Renxue:
"This Ancient Beast may lack a Spirit Ring,
But with ten thousand years of cultivation, it condensed this inner core instead."
Qian Renxue nodded slightly, indifferent to the treasure.
Still holding Li Zhexian, she flew toward the field of ghostly red spider lilies.
Li Zhexian let out a trembling breath,
then carefully produced a container
and began to gather the precious Yellow Springs Dew.
"The Yellow Springs Dew… finally obtained."
After collecting enough,
They finally landed upon solid ground once more.
Before them—
A pale, misty light curtain shimmered faintly in the distance.
From within it came the faint, tranquil aura of the Douluo Continent.
"This…"
Li Zhexian and Qian Renxue exchanged glances—
Uncertainty flickered in both their eyes.
Was it truly the way back?
"Where's the third trial—the Heart Demon Trial?"
Li Zhexian frowned slightly, then said quietly to her:
"When we pass through the light curtain, stay focused."
"The Killing God Domain might surge out of control."
"Understood."
Qian Renxue's exquisite features softened into a radiant smile.
She extended her jade-like hand toward him.
Li Zhexian's lips curved upward.
Their fingers interlocked.
Together, they stepped forward—
And in the next instant, vanished into the light.
Boom—!
Boom—!
The killing intent they had accumulated over three years within the Slaughter City
Erupted like a floodgate bursting open.
Thick, scarlet mist exploded from their bodies.
Especially Li Zhexian—
The blood mist around him was so dense it was almost black.
It writhed and churned, contracting upon itself—
Until it condensed into two blood-engraved, circular domains,
Which shot directly into their brows.
Qian Renxue's Light attribute purified the killing intent within her,
Diminishing its effects to the bare minimum.
Her tensed features slowly relaxed.
But Li Zhexian—
His eyes remained closed, brows furrowed.
His consciousness sank—
Falling into a world of blood.
At the center of that crimson world—
Stood a towering figure, over two meters tall,
Clad in dark blood-colored armor,
Its back turned toward him...