Serpent Ancestor
Chapter 416: Step over the ranks and cut, can Xu Hei comprehend the realm of enlightenment?

The shadow of death loomed over every corner of the Penglai Sea, as the black curtain of the sky spread from the dome, growing larger and larger, leaving no doubt that when the world was completely engulfed in darkness, death would descend.

"Destroy everything and become a sinner for eternity, Yu Jianqiu, are you sure you want to do this?"

A ghostly voice echoed from beyond the heavens once more.

"If I don't cut you down, when you descend, the entire East Sea will be annihilated!"

Yu Jianqiu's voice was firm, as always.

For this one strike, he had honed his skills for five hundred years. Five hundred years ago, he had sealed off his senses, all for the sake of one sword strike that would pierce straight to the heart and obliterate the source of darkness.

For this, he would stop at nothing, even if it meant sacrificing himself, even if it meant sacrificing his best disciple.

Even if... it meant sacrificing most of the people here!

Nothing could shake a sword cultivator, his Dao heart had been resolute since five hundred years ago.

The battle continued.

Bai Luo was piloting a silver-armored warship, fleeing at high speed, with a blood-soaked demonic cultivator in hot pursuit, covered in scars and bone spurs, like a hideous monster.

On the warship lay an unconscious young man, his clothes in tatters, barely clinging to life—it was Bai Qiushui.

"Weak body cultivator, this is the second time I've saved you, why are you always so useless?"

Bai Luo cursed angrily as he steered the ship away.

They were unfortunate to have encountered a Sea God Sect elder at first sight. Bai Qiushui had faced him head-on, entering his strongest form to fight, but the gap in cultivation was too great, and he was defeated in just a few moves.

However, the elder was also severely injured, pushed to his limits, transforming into a monstrous being neither human nor ghost.

The demon's eyes were blood-red, its body covered in strange lumps, and it mumbled incoherently, neither human nor demonic beast.

"This demon has lost its mind, with only brute strength left. Perhaps I can use this to my advantage," Bai Luo's eyes flickered with thought.

He circled around the area a few times, and after a moment's pause.

Suddenly, Bai Luo's warship came to a halt, and eight warships emerged on the sea, rising from eight directions, connecting to form a formation, with their cannons aimed at the center.

At the center was the frenzied demon.

This was a trap set by Bai Luo.

"Aurora Instant Kill Formation!"

At Bai Luo's command, the eight ships simultaneously unleashed beams of aurora, bombarding the center, riddling the demon with holes, causing it to howl in agony.

In this battle, Bai Luo gave it his all, forcing the opponent into a dead end.

In his palm, he clutched a golden bean tightly, his last resort.

"If this demon still doesn't die, I'll have to use this."

Just as the thought crossed Bai Luo's mind.

Suddenly, his vision blurred, and the demon, riddled with holes, burst out of the formation, appearing before the warship, its crimson claws tearing the deck apart, sending both of them flying.

Bai Luo soared into the air, gritting his teeth, blood splattering onto the golden bean, which he then hurled with force.

"This move was originally meant for Bai Qiushui, but now, you can go to hell!"

"Divine Ability, Scatter Beans into Soldiers!"

Bai Luo formed a seal with his hand, and the golden bean expanded instantly, its complex structure transforming infinitely, like a compressed piece of cotton suddenly expanding.

In the blink of an eye, the golden bean transformed into a gigantic golden figure.

This golden figure was a life-saving trump card given to him by Qin Xuanji, possessing the combat power of the Elemental Infant stage, though the cost of control was immense, requiring the burning of divine sense.

The moment it appeared, the golden figure rose without hesitation, charging at the demon, its claw gripping the demon's head fiercely.

Bai Luo's mouth bled from the force of his clenched teeth, his fist tightened, and the golden figure's power surged to its limit, causing the demon's head to explode like a watermelon, spraying crimson everywhere.

Simultaneously, the remaining seven warships fired lasers, blasting the demon's body into oblivion, leaving not even a trace, completely annihilated.

The golden figure lost control and fell into the sea.

"I... won..."

Bai Luo, too, lost all his strength, plummeting into the deep sea.

Two Core Formation stage cultivators, working together, defeated an Elemental Infant stage. If word got out, it would surely make them famous.

Unfortunately, there were no spectators here, leaving the severely injured and unconscious duo without anyone to support them.

...

"Hahaha! This is what a protagonist should be like, Elemental Infant stage, nothing more than this, hahaha!"

Hai Teng lay on a desolate island, covered in blood, his breath weak, yet he laughed wildly at the sky.

In front of him lay a bizarre corpse.

If it could still be called a corpse.

This corpse, just a stick of incense ago, was a fierce demonic cultivator, boasting that he would devour Hai Teng alive, only to be turned into minced meat in the blink of an eye, even his Elemental Infant ground to dust.

"Gong Tianhe, are you dead? If not, let's continue fighting!"

Hai Teng got up and looked at the calm sea in the distance.

Floating on the sea was a figure like a dead fish, motionless—it was Gong Tianhe.

He didn't know why these two proud Chosen would join forces. But it had happened, and if it weren't for this guy taking the brunt of the attacks, Hai Teng alone could only barely hold his ground, let alone defeat the opponent, much less kill him.

"Hey, hey, cat got your tongue? Speak up!" Hai Teng shouted angrily.

Gong Tianhe remained motionless, still clutching a salted fish he regarded as a flying sword.

Hai Teng's divine sense swept over, unable to detect any sign of life, Gong Tianhe was as lifeless as the salted fish in his hand, his body gradually stiffening.

...

In front of the Nine-Headed Worm lay eight pieces of corpse fragments.

He stared at the eight fragments, his mouth twitching slightly, suddenly feeling an inexplicable irritation.

He quickly stepped forward and tore one of the pieces into two, making a total of nine pieces.

"I hate the number eight."

The Nine-Headed Worm removed his blood-stained robe, put on a clean one, and meticulously cleaned the dirt from his body, organizing everything neatly.

Then, he placed a jade bracelet on each of his nine heads.

Pearls and jade, shimmering with brilliance.

His father had taught him that techniques didn't have to be strong, but they had to be stylish.

Heads could be severed, blood could flow, but the nine strands of hair must not be disheveled.

Even in defeat, it must be clean and elegant, not as wretched as a stray dog.

After finishing, he took out a neat bed, placed it behind him, and lay down, closing his eyes.

...

Zhao Wenzhuo was feeling very frustrated.

He just wanted to complete his mission properly, return safely, and cultivate quietly, without anyone noticing any anomalies.

However, he had been targeted by an Elemental Infant stage elder.

This elder was not like other demonic creatures or Ghost Infants, who only possessed Elemental Infant stage cultivation without the realm.

This was someone with realm, definitely not easy to deal with.

"Damn it, I didn't want to expose myself, but don't push me!" Zhao Wenzhuo was anxious.

His cultivation was only at the early Core Formation stage, like Xiao Chou, but the body he had taken over was genuinely at the Elemental Infant stage.

Back then, he encountered a dying senior in the Dragon Triangle, who pretended to teach him a cultivation technique but intended to devour his soul to heal.

In the end, Zhao Wenzhuo used the Soul Burning Technique to reverse his fate, risking his life to seize the senior's body.

He didn't know why he succeeded in body snatching, the cultivation technique he practiced was called the Heaven Seizing Art, and he didn't know what mysteries it held.

"A mere top sixteen brat, running pretty fast, prepare to die!"

A ghostly voice came from behind.

Zhao Wenzhuo suddenly turned around, his eyes bursting with astonishing momentum, his body exploding, and a divine sense directly blasted into the opponent's mind.

"Heaven Seizing Art!"

...

Above the clouds in the sky, the long-closed eyes of Yu Jianqiu's incarnation suddenly opened, looking at various corners of the Penglai Sea.

He was merely an external incarnation, connected to his true self's mind.

After unlocking the sensory blockade, his perception had reached its limit, allowing him to clearly see everything happening. The fall of the Sea God Sect elder, the performances of the eight Chosen, all were clear.

His unwavering gaze showed a hint of hesitation.

Especially when he saw Xiong Dabao, using the Drunken Sword Technique he had taught, nearly perishing together to kill an elder, his heart was inexplicably shaken.

"Is this... the golden age?"

...

At this moment, under the shadow of death, Xu Hei had the thought of retreating immediately.

With his current strength, if he unleashed his full power, he could definitely leave this place, taking Xu Bai with him, and escape into the Enforcement Hall's dungeon at the fastest speed.

Even if all the exits of the Penglai Sea were blocked.

However, inside there was a teleportation array leading directly to the Dragon Triangle.

That ghostly place, even if the Sea God Sect knew, they wouldn't possibly block it, the Dragon Triangle was fraught with danger, the enemy wouldn't take such a big risk.

It was the only chance to escape.

He had to make a choice!

"If I retreat now, I have over a ninety percent chance of surviving!"

"But..."

Xu Hei's thoughts spun rapidly, staring at the heavily injured Blood Vengeance trapped by plants, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.

This Blood Vengeance, he had to kill!

There was no time to hesitate, the longer he stayed, the greater the danger. In fact, Xu Hei could abandon killing Blood Vengeance and turn to flee, increasing his chances of survival.

But that wasn't Xu Hei's style now, that was the old him, not the present!

"Azure Dragon Immortal Spell, Summon Wind!"

The true essence within Xu Hei surged like flowing water, and this time, he didn't use the Wind Control Bracelet, a wisp of breeze naturally emerged from within, blowing towards the already heavily injured Blood Vengeance.

"This is... realm?"

Blood Vengeance's pupils contracted, staring in horror at the breeze that appeared out of thin air.

Summon Wind was a divine ability, impossible to use without realm!

This time, Xu Hei didn't rely on the Wind Control Bracelet, using Summon Wind with his own strength, its power even stronger than before!

"Whoosh!"

Blood Vengeance's body vanished mostly, blown away by the wind, not even bones remained, half of his head still bore deep shock and fear.

He couldn't believe he would die at the hands of two Core Formation stage cultivators working together.

"Hmm?"

In the sky, Yu Jianqiu's gaze focused below, locking onto Xu Hei and his companion.

He had already witnessed four instances of Chosen killing enemies beyond their level, but all had given their all, sustaining heavy injuries, on the brink of death, even exchanging life for life.

Even if they killed the opponent, they had little strength left, most had directly fainted.

Yet Xu Hei's group seemed to still have strength remaining!

What surprised him even more was that he had just sensed the birth of a hint of realm.