The sudden explosion startled the Eight-Headed Serpent, causing it to falter for a moment. Enraged, it rolled in mid-air and launched itself back towards the sky.
Song Mingqin's brow furrowed. The Eight-Headed Serpent suddenly flicked its tail with a resounding crack, forming a dark purple orb of energy.
"Be careful!" Song Mingqin roared. The purple orb shot towards the army of cultivators at the edge of the crater.
With a surge of his will, Song Mingqin instantly appeared at the crater's edge, his body shielded by sword energy as he charged at the purple orb.
"Boom—"
Song Mingqin collided with the purple orb, which shattered instantly. Seizing the moment, Song Mingqin pressed his attack, charging towards the Eight-Headed Serpent.
The Eight-Headed Serpent seemed to anticipate his move. Its scales detached from its body, forming a shield.
"Bang—"
Song Mingqin swung his sword, his sword energy clashing against the scale shield, sparks flying.
As the two forces clashed, cultivators from all directions suddenly emerged, launching attacks at the Eight-Headed Serpent.
The serpent's scale shield instantly disintegrated. In the stalemate, Song Mingqin surged forward, driving the Eight-Headed Serpent downwards. Several figures appeared behind it, leading to a chaotic exchange of attacks.
Song Mingqin reacted fastest, raising his sword and soaring upwards. The remaining cultivators ceased their attacks, though some still collided and sustained injuries.
Seeing its ploy had succeeded, the Eight-Headed Serpent gathered several round purple orbs at its tail, launching them at the cultivators. Those who reacted in time narrowly dodged the orbs, while others were struck and torn to shreds in mid-air.
"Hahahaha, foolish humans, you will all die!" the Eight-Headed Serpent mocked from the sky. But its laughter froze the next moment as it ascended further.
"Bang!" A burst of purple fire erupted where the serpent had been. Song Mingqin, with his sword drawn, descended from the sky, cleaving downwards. The Eight-Headed Serpent met the attack head-on.
The serpent's scales shifted, forming a cone shape at the point of impact. Song Mingqin's brow furrowed; he hadn't expected the serpent's scales to be so tough.
Ye Bufan soared into the sky, his broken sword, imbued with the Violet Nether Cold Fire, slashing towards the Eight-Headed Serpent.
Upon seeing the Violet Nether Cold Fire, the Eight-Headed Serpent recoiled in shock, seemingly terrified of Ye Bufan's power.
Ye Bufan noticed this and expanded his Sword Domain to its current maximum limit. Within Ye Bufan's Sword Domain, the Eight-Headed Serpent felt its movements severely restricted, as if it were locked in place no matter how it struggled.
"Behind you!" Ye Bufan's voice fell as the Eight-Headed Serpent recoiled. The Violet Nether Cold Fire and sword energy left a charred scar on its body.
"To your left." Ye Bufan stated confidently. The Eight-Headed Serpent whipped its tail to the left.
Within Ye Bufan's Sword Domain, the Eight-Headed Serpent found itself on the defensive.
"Kid, how did you become so much stronger instantly!" the Eight-Headed Serpent gritted out, a trickle of blood seeping from its mouth.
Ye Bufan chuckled, "Isn't that thanks to your good stuff? It allowed me to heal quickly and solidify my cultivation."
"What!" The Eight-Headed Serpent roared in fury upon hearing that its Five Elements Essence had been absorbed by Ye Bufan.
"Give me back my Five Elements Essence!" it bellowed, charging at Ye Bufan. Unhurriedly, Ye Bufan conjured a continuous stream of sword energy before him, forming invisible short swords that attacked the serpent.
The Eight-Headed Serpent gathered its scales into a shield and charged at Ye Bufan.
Ye Bufan frowned, assessing the serpent's stance. He realized he might not be able to hold the Eight-Headed Serpent indefinitely within his Sword Domain. With a leap, he took a deep breath.
"Hummm—"
The broken sword let out a resonant hum, splitting into several sword shadows in mid-air.
Seeing this, Song Mingqin knew Ye Bufan was preparing a powerful strike. He quickly moved to Ye Bufan's side, also beginning to gather his sword energy, ready to support him.
The hum of the broken sword grew unprecedentedly loud. Nearby, the cultivators watched Ye Bufan and Song Mingqin combine their efforts. Inspired, they too began to prepare, their confidence growing with a leader.
"Sword—Open—Heaven's—Gate!"
The broken sword blazed with golden light. At this moment, Ye Bufan exuded an aura of absolute dominance. Song Mingqin was astonished; he had witnessed this very technique from Lin Xiaoyao. His own sword technique originated from this very move.
However, Lin Xiaoyao's sword strike at the time had carried sword intent, sword energy, and the principles of the Great Dao. Song Mingqin still remembered the feeling of that strike, which had greatly advanced his understanding of the sword. Now, though Ye Bufan's sword strike was not as profound as Lin Xiaoyao's, for Song Mingqin himself, it was a strike he wouldn't dare to face lightly.
"Ye Bufan, you dare!" the Eight-Headed Serpent roared.
Ye Bufan's sword strike reached the Eight-Headed Serpent. The serpent met it with all its might, causing the very space to tremble.
"If you want to fight to the death, then we'll perish together. Everyone here will be buried with me!" The Eight-Headed Serpent coiled its tail tightly around Ye Bufan and opened its massive maw to bite him.
Seeing this, Song Mingqin transformed into a sword and charged at the Eight-Headed Serpent. The serpent's tongue lashed out at Song Mingqin, and their impact caused the serpent's tongue to explode.
Ye Bufan struggled and broke free from the serpent's tail, but the serpent's scales, imbued with sword intent, sliced towards him.
"Not good!" Ye Bufan conjured a protective shield of true energy, intending to defend himself.
Soon, the cultivators' attacks rained down on the Eight-Headed Serpent. The serpent looked at Ye Bufan and said, "Return my Five Elements Essence, or next year will be your anniversary of death."
The Eight-Headed Serpent's tail descended, striking Ye Bufan's protective shield, shattering it instantly.
Ye Bufan felt the strain. The Eight-Headed Serpent's physical energy alone was formidable. Neither his attacks nor the combined assaults of Song Mingqin and the other cultivators could inflict severe damage, only causing superficial wounds.
"Pfft—"
The Eight-Headed Serpent's target was clear: Ye Bufan. This was partly due to the dread it felt towards Ye Bufan's purple fire, and partly because Ye Bufan possessed the Five Elements Essence.
Ye Bufan closed his eyes and then snapped them open. Purple flames erupted, engulfing him.