The Unicorn Black Python had also noticed the tiny human before it, foolishly trying to stop a chariot with a mantis's arms!
Mockery filled its golden, vertical pupils.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
It spewed poison mist once more, sweeping over them like a vast net.
"Break!"
Xiao Yang immediately channeled his Internal Energy and unleashed the first move of Thunder Prison World Destroying Saber—Heavenly Thunder Flash!
His blade flashed, fierce winds howled, and he cleaved open a vacuum tunnel.
"Clang!"
The next moment, his blade struck the Unicorn Black Python's seven-inch spot.
"I hit it!"
Xiao Yang was thrilled, but he soon realized that its scales were far tougher than he'd imagined.
Even though he'd hit its weak point, he still couldn't penetrate its defenses!
After all, the gap between them was enormous. He was only a Third-grade Martial Artist, while the Unicorn Black Python was equivalent to a Sixth Grade expert!
His attack also enraged the Unicorn Black Python.
It lashed its tail at Xiao Yang once more.
Fortunately, Xiao Yang was still wearing the Emperor Grade High Rank Mysterious Scale Ten Thousand Dragon Armor.
"Dragon's Wrath Resonance!"
He activated the armor's special ability, absorbing the attack and turning it into a True Dragon Phantom to strike back.
Golden light blazed as a dragon-shaped phantom shot out and slammed into the Unicorn Black Python, blasting dozens of scales off its body.
"That was close!"
Xiao Yang retreated to a safe distance and panted heavily. Even though the Mysterious Scale Ten Thousand Dragon Armor had absorbed nine-tenths of the attack's power, the remaining force still left his blood and qi churning.
A Fourth or Fifth Grade Martial Artist would have been crushed to a pulp.
The next moment, Xiao Yang tightened his grip on his War Saber and looked toward the Unicorn Black Python, which was over ten zhang long. His eyes blazed with Battle Intent.
"I refuse to believe it!"
"If one strike isn't enough, then I'll strike a hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times!"
Xiao Yang's figure turned into a bolt of lightning as he shot forward again, slashing at the Unicorn Black Python from every angle.
"Clang! Clang! Clang..."
He didn't know how many times he'd struck. His palms were split open, and his War Saber's edge had curled, yet he never stopped. It was as if his very will was burning.
"Roar! Roar! Roar..."
Soon, wounds of varying depths appeared across the Unicorn Black Python's body.
It naturally refused to simply wait for death. It opened its huge, blood-red jaws and repeatedly snapped its sharp fangs at Xiao Yang.
Each time, Xiao Yang danced on the edge of a blade, skirting the brink of death...
Yet the immense pressure also awakened his potential. He seemed to have entered a mysterious state!
Man and blade as one!
[ Ding! The host has comprehended the Jade Shatter Saber Intent in battle! ] [ Jade Shatter: A life-or-death Saber Intent that burns the user's essence, energy, and spirit for a short time, increasing the power of their saber techniques tenfold! However, it places an immense strain on the user and may even cause self-injury. ]
Saber Intent!
Seeing the system notification, Xiao Yang was deeply shaken.
He knew that weapon cultivation could be divided into three stages: Force, Intent, and Soul.
Earlier, when he'd fought Huo Gang, the commander of the Vermilion Bird Army, Huo Gang had demonstrated the Saber Force of Thunderclap Saber Technique—a feat to be proud of.
But now, at the brink of life and death, Xiao Yang had skipped "Force" and directly comprehended Jade Shatter Saber Intent.
Better to be shattered like jade than remain intact like a tile!
If you're willing to risk your life, you can even drag the emperor from his throne!
Across the entire Great Xia Dynasty, only a handful of people had comprehended Saber Intent. They were usually Martial Arts Grandmasters who had cultivated for decades, or great generals.
Yet Xiao Yang was barely twenty. If people learned he'd comprehended Saber Intent, they'd be astounded, and marvel that Great Xia had produced another once-in-a-century Martial Arts Prodigy.
"With this strike, I'll cleave through the Divine Golden Body above and split the Mountain River Dragon Vein below!"
"Where my blade passes, heaven and earth will split apart!"
Xiao Yang leaped into the air, carrying the resolve to shatter like jade and lay the mountains and rivers to waste as he slashed at the Unicorn Black Python.
"Roar! Roar! Roar..."
The Unicorn Black Python sensed the extreme danger too. It spat an eerie green Inner Core from between its forked tongue, unleashing a sky full of poisonous miasma, ten times more terrifying than before.
"Beast, die!"
Xiao Yang swung his saber. Its power surged with every instant as it struck the python's seven-inch spot.
"Crack!"
In an instant, the scales that had once been so sturdy were as fragile as paper.
"Crash!"
The Unicorn Black Python's vital spot was severely wounded. A fountain of blood gushed from its wound, instantly soaking Xiao Yang from head to toe.
But his War Saber kept falling.
"Thud!"
The huge snake head was chopped off and fell into Yin Water Pool. The beast was dead at last.
Standing amid the fountain of blood, Xiao Yang truly looked like a demon-slaying lord descended from heaven!
Even if the heavens collapsed, I would still rise through the nine skies, hold up the firmament with my spine, boil the seas with my courage, burn through this body, and never hesitate, even unto death!
Autumn, Year 805 of the Great Xia calendar.
Ninth Young Master Xiao Yang of King Zhenbei's Mansion slayed a giant python at Yin Water Pool!
Meanwhile, at the entrance to West Mountain Hunting Ground, night had fallen.
The young masters had all returned, their hunts bountiful.
The one who'd drawn the most attention was Eldest Prince Xiao Junlin.
He'd slain a Fourth Grade Bear Demon, as well as dozens of Second and Third Grade Demonic Beasts.
"Eldest Brother, you really are something!"
"You're the undisputed champion of this hunting competition!"
"Hm? Why hasn't Ninth returned? Could he have come back empty-handed and be too embarrassed to show his face?" Second Prince teased.
Xiao Junlin, meanwhile, looked smug and wore a strange smile.
Ninth?
He was probably dead by now!
In the crowd,
Ning Hongye frowned deeply. Not only had Xiao Yang failed to return, but her bodyguard, Azure Luan, was nowhere to be seen either.
At last, she could no longer hold back. She mounted the Night Shining Jade Lion, preparing to enter West Mountain and search for them.
"Miss Ning, if you're going to look for Xiao Yang and Commander Azure Luan, don't bother wasting your time!" Xiao Junlin said with a smile.
"What do you mean? Do you know where they are?" Ning Hongye asked coldly.
"Heh!"
Xiao Junlin smiled maliciously. "I told them there was a Heavenly Origin Fruit at Yin Water Pool, fifty li to the north. They wanted to find it and heal your injuries, so they went there to search for it!"
"But I didn't mention that Yin Water Pool was also home to a giant python that had cultivated for nearly a thousand years. Its strength was comparable to a Sixth Grade Mountain Moving Realm expert!"
"Since they still haven't returned, they're probably as good as dead!"
"If you hurry, you might still be able to collect their bodies!"
Xiao Junlin spoke as though it had nothing to do with him.
Though he'd plotted the scheme, it was the Unicorn Black Python that killed Xiao Yang. It had nothing to do with him, and Father King couldn't blame him for it.
"Bastard!"
Beneath Ning Hongye's mask, her eyes blazed with murderous fury. Her hair stirred in the wind as she seemed like a Female God of Slaughter from a mountain of corpses and sea of blood.
"If anything happens to Xiao Yang, not only you... I'll make the entire King Zhenbei's Mansion join him in death!"
Her murderous aura swept across the land. The area within a thousand meters seemed to turn into an asura battlefield, chilling everyone to the bone.
The next moment, Ning Hongye urged the Night Shining Jade Lion forward. She shot off like a streak of rainbow light toward Yin Water Pool in the north.
"Hiss... What a terrifying killing intent!"
"Why provoke her? That Fiend Star Woman has slaughtered an entire city!"
"What's there to fear? With Father King here, she won't be allowed to run wild!"
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