It was Cang Juezi!
He had a look of willing sacrifice, of heroic defiance.
He made a fist salute towards the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent.
He actually treated the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent as a genuine Heaven-tier expert!
But this also meant he knew he was no match for the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent.
This departure—
Was for no return!
"Sect Master!"
"No, Lord Sect Master!"
"If the Sect Master goes, how dare we cower from battle! Sect Master, wait for me!"
Seeing Cang Juezi's actions, the other Shen Nong Sect disciples who feared death felt a surge of courage, shouting aloud.
However, Cang Juezi gave a bitter smile and said, "Don't be brave for a moment at a time like this. How have I usually educated you? 'To fight a tiger with bare hands and cross a river in flood, dying without regret, I would not join him.' Bravely fighting a tiger with bare hands or wading across a swift river is indeed heroic, but it is foolish bravery; dying in vain, achieving nothing."
"Do I willingly go to my death so that you can follow me to the underworld? No! I want to leave the seed of inheritance for our Shen Nong Sect, I want you all to survive!"
"Later, I will do my utmost to create an opportunity. Escape as many as you can, do not hesitate, and certainly do not stay to help me!"
"I, your Sect Master, have not treated you particularly well. Just consider it… as leaving you with a good impression before I die! Lest, after I'm dead, you not only fail to offer sacrifices during festivals, but also stomp on my grave and curse me."
Having spoken, Cang Juezi took a deep breath.
He reached into his robes.
Instantly, eight talismans appeared between his fingers.
His entire aura surged, and the eight talismans fluttered without wind, making a rustling sound.
Faint lines of runes rose from the talismans, connecting them together.
Cang Juezi gazed at the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent and grinned, "This move of mine, Eight Talismans United, I even hesitated to use it against an Ancestor. To use it on you now, you can consider yourself fortunate for three lifetimes."
"These eight talismans all originate from some profound mystic ruin, possessing astonishing power. It's a pity that they form one body, and cannot be separated for individual use. I'll let you have the benefit."
At this point, Cang Juezi paused.
Everyone thought he was going to say more.
Unexpectedly, Cang Juezi suddenly shouted, "Wind and Thunder Decree, Eight Talismans United!"
"Wind come! Thunder come!"
"Slash!"
Boom!
The heavens and earth rumbled, winds and clouds changed color.
The eight talismans emitted dazzling light, forming a giant circular dome in mid-air.
Within the dome, thunder raged and lightning flashed.
Chains of lightning descended from the sky, forming a thunder prison, instantly enveloping the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent!
The Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent was greatly alarmed, and for the first time, its vertical pupils revealed a flicker of fear.
This kind of mutated creature was most afraid of heavenly lightning!
Legend had it that whenever they cultivated to a certain level and could transform into spirits, they would immediately be struck down by heavenly lightning.
Ninety-nine percent of mutated creatures could not escape this tribulation, and the remaining one percent, even if they survived, would be left severely wounded and drained of power.
Therefore, they harbored an inherent fear of heavenly lightning.
As soon as they heard the sound of thunder, they would inevitably become afraid.
This scene undoubtedly gave Cang Juezi a glimmer of hope.
It also gave the other Shen Nong Sect disciples within the great hall a glimmer of hope.
Cang Juezi increased his effort, pouring all his strength into making the electric chains forming the thunder prison thicker.
The Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent, agitated and uneasy, coiled in the center of the thunder prison, not daring to move.
It seemed to be completely suppressed by the thunder prison.
"Die, beast!"
Cang Juezi pointed forcefully at the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent!
Instantly, ten thousand bolts of lightning erupted, and there was no longer any space for the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent to coil within the thunder prison.
One dazzling arc of electricity after another struck the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent's body!
The Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent let out a mournful cry, as if it knew its death was imminent.
And everyone in the great hall rejoiced and was greatly encouraged, exclaiming in unison, "Good!"
However, in the next second, something that left everyone dumbfounded happened.
The lightning that landed on the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent, apart from creating large patches of electrical sparks and dazzling visual effects, had no other effect!
Oh, it also scorched the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent's scales, making it look even more sinister and ferocious.
"How… how could this be?"
Cang Juezi was stunned.
"It's over!" The others were also frozen on the spot.
If they had fled when the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent feared the heavenly lightning, they might have already escaped by now.
But they hadn't!
They had all stayed, wanting to witness the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent's death.
The result was: not a single one of them would be able to escape now!
The Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent also seemed to have not expected this. It shook its scales, and its coiled body slowly unfurled.
Then it revealed a mocking expression towards Cang Juezi.
Clearly, it had overestimated the lightning created by Cang Juezi.
This kind of lightning posed no threat to it whatsoever!
It feared the ultimate yang heavenly lightning, not this yin lightning!
Rustle…
The eight talismans, having expended their power, turned to dust and dissipated in Cang Juezi's fingers.
In other words, Cang Juezi's last trump card was used up.
What awaited him and the Shen Nong Sect disciples was a one-sided slaughter!
Thump!
Cang Juezi collapsed to the ground in despair.
He didn't even intend to resist anymore.
If his trump card had no effect, would any other move work?
It would be a waste of effort.
As for the others, they all stared blankly at the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent in despair, clearly having completely given up struggling.
Everyone in the hall, awaiting the arrival of death.
They tried to control themselves, to suppress any sounds of fear, striving to maintain the last shred of dignity of cultivators.
But this dignity, in the eyes of the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent, seemed so laughable and meaningless.
The Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent slithered, its massive body fully entering the great hall.
With a flick of its tail, it scooped up Cang Juezi from the ground.
Its vertical pupils gazed quietly at Cang Juezi, then its mouth opened wide, about to swallow him.
Cang Juezi closed his eyelids, waiting for death.
The great hall was filled with a desolate atmosphere, and every disciple's face showed deep pain.
Who would have thought that the Shen Nong Sect's four-hundred-year foundation, which had not been destroyed by enemy sects, nor by Ying Chen, would be destroyed by a mere beast?
Just as Cang Juezi was about to be swallowed by the hooked serpent, a deafening sword cry suddenly came from afar!
This sword cry was like thunder, splitting the deep night sky with a brilliant flash of lightning.
Concurrently, a golden figure, seated in the void, entered an opened heavenly gate!
In a blink, it disappeared without a trace.
A powerful sword intent, like the sun bursting through the clouds, suddenly erupted, showering the mortal realm!
Everyone was stunned, including the Xuan Yin Hooked Serpent.
Everyone looked towards the source of the sound and light.
They saw that the source was none other than Ying Chen's secluded cultivation chamber!