Chapter 73: The Power of the Serpent Spirit

Seeing this, the Little Lord of the Supreme Order thought to himself, “Though Sun Xiaoming is young, his tongue is sharper than a blade!”

But when he glanced at Jin Fanyin’s Six Ding and Six Jia Formation and found it still intact, the worry suspended in his heart eased at last.

“Xiaoming, hold your tongue! Don’t provoke her further.” From the other side came Jin Fanyin’s voice. “And one more thing—the opponent’s name is Ming You, not Chang’e…”

“Oh? I thought only Chang’e could control the moon. Seems I didn’t do my homework,” Sun Xiaoming stuck out his tongue and tapped his own forehead.

At this moment, the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Array beneath the feet of the HOPE team began to rotate slowly, and a golden barrier gradually rose around the outer perimeter of the Dao Arts Academy, forming a protective shield.

The Little Lord of the Supreme Order let out a soft sigh of relief. “Fortunately, we still have the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Array as our defense.”

High above, Ming You gazed down at the protective shield and spoke to the black-robed man at her side, “Merely relying on the alien beasts may not be enough to break these formations. Xuanwu Spirit Serpent, I must trouble you.”

The black-robed man stretched his limbs. “Finally, it’s my turn. I haven’t had a good workout in thousands of years!”

“Spirit Serpent, our acquaintance is brief, and you owe me nothing,” Ming You said. “The Dao Arts Academy is filled with formidable foes. Win or lose, you have already done enough.”

“Matters of favor are not something a spirit serpent understands well. But I do know that many spend their whole lives just to prove themselves fools,” the Spirit Serpent replied with a laugh. “Rather than waste ten thousand years underfoot like the Xuanwu Tortoise, why not be a fool and live as I please? Besides, do not underestimate me.”

Having finished stretching, the black-robed man stepped forward on a cloud of black smoke, floating several yards ahead. With a flip, he turned into a colossal black-and-gold serpent, growing ever larger until his body rivaled the entire Dao Arts Academy in size. His scales were inscribed with golden incantations, and he loomed vast as a mountain.

Many disciples had glimpsed the Spirit Serpent during the Xuanwu Festival, but back then, mist shrouded his form, and he had not revealed his true appearance. Now, seeing the Xuanwu Spirit Serpent soaring over the stratosphere, tens of thousands of disciples drew a cold breath.

Weapons trembled in their hands—the enemy’s formation was unprecedented, the pressure upon the Dao Arts Academy immense.

Upon the summit of Xuanwu Divine Mountain, the Dao Spirit Star Lord, who had kept his eyes shut, now opened them slightly to gaze upon the Spirit Serpent hovering above. Alas, unable to leave his post to aid the academy’s disciples, he could only sigh: “This is the boundless celestial incantation, ‘Heaven and Earth Alike.’ I fear the academy’s disciples face a fierce battle against an ancient divine beast. May each formation support one another and weather this calamity together!”

The Spirit Serpent flicked out a glowing crimson tongue, hissing chillingly. Like a shadowy bolt of lightning, he launched himself toward the Dao Arts Academy, darkening the heavens and blotting out the moon.

No sunlight remained on the distant horizon.

Night descended, silent and absolute.

From the stratosphere, the once-luminous moon appeared pale, encircled by endless hordes of alien beasts pouring through the atmosphere.

“Cone-shaped Golden Light Formation! Follow me to meet the Spirit Serpent head-on!”

Just as the Dao Arts Academy snatched a moment’s respite, Master Jueguang swiftly rallied his disciples and reorganized their ranks.

After dozens of waves from the beast horde, the academy’s disciples, who had once fought a thousand with one, were now bloodied and exhausted. Without the Nine-cycle Returning Pills in the mortal realm, their only recourse for healing was celestial arts. Yet, with too few versed in medicine and the chaos of battle, injuries mounted with no time for continued treatment.

At the front lines, the combat strength of the Cone-shaped Golden Light Formation had dwindled to less than thirty percent. The situation was deadlocked, devolving into close-quarters combat with no distinction between friend and foe.

Master Yuran, flying on a crane behind and to the right of Master Jueguang, observed the dire state of the Golden Light Formation and thought, “Master Jueguang’s formation is severely damaged—it may not withstand even a single strike from the Spirit Serpent. Xuanwu is a water god; perhaps Master Huolei’s Blazing Arrowhead Formation could counter it. But if the Spirit Serpent’s power is truly profound, one formation alone may not prevail. We must rally our disciples to disrupt the serpent’s attack from the flanks.”

Just then, the Little Lord of the Supreme Order sent a message with the Thousand-mile Voice Transmission Art: “Master Yuran, if your Fish-scale Frost Array pulls away, the Heaven-covering Earth-bearing Main Formation will be left vulnerable to concentrated beast attacks. Let me lead the disciples of the Crane-wing Absolute Sky Formation in a surprise assault instead!”

Master Yuran replied, “Excellent plan! My formation is already entangled. Little Lord, go first and divert the Spirit Serpent’s attention. If you falter, I’ll come with reinforcements!”

“Understood! Everyone, follow me!” the Little Lord shouted, leaping onto his sword and leading thousands of disciples up toward the stratosphere.

At that moment, the colossal Spirit Serpent crashed into the embattled Cone-shaped Golden Light Formation. The disciples within barely had time to be shocked before the serpent’s tail swept horizontally, unleashing a thunderous explosion from its center.

Thousands of disciples, unable to evade, were scattered like shrapnel, hurled into the air in all directions along with tens of thousands of beasts, the devastation unimaginable. Even Master Jueguang at the center vanished without a trace.

The formation collapsed instantly, pushing the Blazing Arrowhead Formation to the very front. Master Huolei shouted, “Disciples! Leave the beasts behind—the Spirit Serpent’s magic is unfathomable! Focus all efforts on the serpent!”

The Little Lord, hurrying toward the Cone-shaped Golden Light Formation, saw it shattered before he could mourn, and now the Blazing Arrowhead Formation was exposed. He rushed forward at full speed to aid Master Huolei.

Just then, a silver greatsword soared upward from below, forged of tens of thousands of swords bound together.

As expected, Jin Fanyin, having repaired the ancient zither, was once more wielding the Legendary Sword Technique through the Guangling Melody.

With a sweep of her fingers, she pointed at the Spirit Serpent; the enormous sword shot straight for the serpent’s head.

“Add some fire! True Samadhi Flame!” Master Huolei stroked his beard and led the disciples in chanting thousands of fire arts. A fire dragon rose from the Blazing Arrowhead Formation, coiling around the silver greatsword, flames turning the blades red-hot.

The Spirit Serpent glared, mouth agape. With a roar, the sword was forced to a halt in midair by the sheer power of his voice.

The crimson greatsword wavered in the sky; within the Six Ding and Six Jia Formation, Jin Fanyin altered the melody, causing the sword to spin rapidly, drilling against the sound-forged barrier.

Just as the stalemate persisted, the Little Lord’s Crane-wing Absolute Sky Formation arrived from the right. Instantly, thousands of spirit talismans shot forth like a torrential rain, bombarding the serpent’s flank. The Spirit Serpent, focused on the greatsword, was caught off guard by this surprise assault.

With a bang, the serpent’s head took a heavy blow, as if struck by a mighty fist. His gaze flickered toward the Little Lord. With his attention divided, the fiery sword pierced through the barrier, driving toward the serpent’s brow. Forced to dodge, the serpent twisted his head, and the sword carved a deep gash along the scales by his jaw.

The Spirit Serpent, enraged and humiliated, twisted violently and unleashed a piercing shriek, shattering the nearby prayer lanterns to dust. The shockwave sent disciples from the Blazing Arrowhead and Crane-wing formations reeling, blood streaming from their ears, as they tumbled from their perches.

“Cover your ears!” the Little Lord shouted, clutching his own tightly.

Jin Fanyin pressed on relentlessly. Within the Six Ding and Six Jia Formation below, a second greatsword rose into the sky, aiming straight for the Spirit Serpent.

This time, the Spirit Serpent was unprepared. The sword met no resistance and in a flash was before him. Just as all believed the beast would be gravely wounded, an astonishing scene unfolded.

The gigantic black-and-gold serpent dissolved into a mass of black smoke; the greatsword passed through harmlessly. The Spirit Serpent had vanished before the eyes of the assembled immortals.

Yet the sword, missing its mark, sped toward Ming You behind where the serpent had been. Before anyone could react, five silken ribbons flew from Ming You’s back, ensnaring the blade. Sparks flew as the sword was shredded to fragments.

“Find the serpent!” Master Huolei swept his gaze about, searching for the beast.

Suddenly, a cry rang out from above: “No! The Dao Arts Academy!” the Little Lord shouted.

Master Huolei looked down and gasped. The Spirit Serpent had used the Art of Shifting Forms, instantly appearing before the Heaven-covering Earth-bearing Main Formation—a strike at the very heart, catching everyone unprepared. Even if Master Huolei and the Little Lord tried to teleport, from so high in the stratosphere, they had no time to chant the celestial incantation.

At this critical moment, Master Yuran, who was closest, realized the danger. But even as he led the Fish-scale Frost Array to the rescue, it was too late. In the blink of an eye, Master Yuran leapt forward like a flash of light, throwing himself into the narrow gap between the Spirit Serpent and the academy’s main formation—any barrier, however slight, might buy the defenders a sliver more hope.

To halt the lunar assault, the fragile Heaven-covering Earth-bearing Main Formation must be protected. If the main formation was destroyed, even the defeat of the Spirit Serpent would not stop the moon’s deadly descent, and the planet and moon alike would be doomed.

The Spirit Serpent, now before the main formation, wasted not a moment. Baring a pair of gleaming steel fangs, he let loose a mighty roar, spitting out tens of thousands of icy spears, some as thick as towers, which cascaded down toward the Dao Arts Academy.

Master Yuran, now amidst the hailstorm of icy shafts, balanced atop two prayer lanterns. Chanting, he cried, “Let all directions cease!”

Countless icy arrows froze in midair. Master Yuran raised his arms, exerting all his strength. Under the immense pressure, the skin on his arms split and bled.

Yet the Spirit Serpent’s power was too great for any one immortal to withstand. A single sharp shard of ice pierced through Master Yuran’s magical shield and struck him in the chest. His immortal aura faltered, and soon more icy spears struck him in succession. With a cry, he fell from the sky.