A Hair's Breadth from Success?

"What do you mean by that?"

Xu Xiao had been forcibly stopped by Ye Xiu and nearly failed to catch his breath. Yan Weiwei and Su Lie beside him wore equally puzzled expressions.

The monster's strength had long since been proven. If they still refused to fight to the death at a time like this, how were they supposed to seize their only chance at survival?

Yet Ye Xiu had no intention of explaining.

"Stay behind me."

There was little expression on his face, but his words carried an unquestionable resolve.

He was clearly nothing more than a medical worker, yet all three of them felt an inexplicable chill run down their spines.

Once he saw them obediently retreat behind him, Ye Xiu took a deep breath and stepped out from cover.

The Sky-Piercing Python in the heavens noticed the ant beneath it and let out an excited hiss.

Then its colossal body suddenly came crashing down.

"Hmph, beast, do you really think you're invincible?"

"Today, I'll show you what it means that beyond the heavens, there are still greater heavens!"

Facing the monstrous creature's overwhelming momentum, Ye Xiu showed not the slightest trace of panic.

A confident smile appeared on his lips as his left hand, held behind his back, suddenly grasped at empty air.

A long sword of mysterious design appeared out of nowhere in his hand.

"Could that be his secret weapon?"

The three watching from behind all showed traces of confusion when they saw the sword suddenly appear in Ye Xiu's hand.

But that confusion soon turned into hope.

It was no wonder they dared to hope. The sword Ye Xiu had drawn looked imposing and majestic, wreathed from hilt to tip in lightning. One look was enough to tell that it was no ordinary item.

And at such a critical moment, Ye Xiu had even stopped Xu Xiao from self-destructing just to seize this opportunity. Clearly, he had tremendous confidence in this sword.

What happened next, as expected, proved their assumptions right.

Following Ye Xiu's movements, a low rumble suddenly echoed through the sky. Beneath the thick clouds, lightning could vaguely be seen flashing.

"Magnificent heavenly might, heed my command!"

As Ye Xiu's voice rang out, the lightning in the sky was abruptly drawn forth.

Golden lightning coiled through the air, weaving and slithering into a lifelike Qilin.

The Qilin stood hundreds of meters tall. Even before the Sky-Piercing Python, it was not inferior in the slightest.

And Ye Xiu, who controlled the Qilin, seemed incomparably towering in everyone's eyes at that moment.

"This might actually work. That thing can't possibly come down and leave the monster completely unscathed, right?"

Excitement flashed through Su Lie's eyes, while Yan Weiwei clicked her tongue softly at Xu Xiao.

"Boss, where the hell did you drag this monster out from? Is this really a medical-type ability user?"

Xu Xiao opened his mouth, but he had no idea how to answer their questions.

When Ye Xiu had fought him before, his strength had been at most evenly matched with his own. But after disappearing for a few months, how had he suddenly changed so drastically?

Still, Xu Xiao had no desire to dig into the matter now.

As long as they could deal with the monster before them, even if Ye Xiu claimed he was a reincarnated god, Xu Xiao would accept it.

Faced with the Thunder Qilin that had materialized from thin air, the Sky-Piercing Python's eyes showed gravity for the first time.

Its entire body coiled up, and a golden halo spread across it in an instant.

Clearly, the beast behind it had also decided to defend itself against the Thunder Qilin's threat.

"Hmph, you think you can escape?"

Disdain flashed through Ye Xiu's eyes.

He raised the sword high with both hands, then slashed down with all his strength.

"Die!"

Following Ye Xiu's movement, the Qilin roared and pounced at the giant python.

For a moment, white light blazed across the heavens amid deafening rumbles, painting a scene straight out of the apocalypse.

After unleashing that strike, Ye Xiu seemed to lose all strength and fell backward.

Had the three watching behind him not reacted quickly enough to catch him, Ye Xiu would have collapsed straight onto the ground.

"Brother Ye, can that move of yours take care of the monster?"

Looking at Ye Xiu's face, pale as gold paper, Xu Xiao knew he definitely could not unleash the attack a second time.

"Take care of it?"

Ye Xiu shook his head.

"How could it possibly take care of it?"

The three of them were horrified at those words. The hope they had only just kindled was immediately doused without a trace.

After all, if even that could not kill the monster, didn't that mean they were doomed to die today?

"No, then while that monster's attention is still on it, we should run. At least there are still places in this area where we can hide."

Su Lie voiced his suggestion.

Even if they could not get out, who would refuse the chance to live a little longer?

Su Lie's words won the agreement of the other two, but Ye Xiu shook his head.

"There's no need for that."

Seeing Ye Xiu act as though he was not worried in the slightest, the three of them were nearly ready to start cursing.

There's no need? Did they have to wait until that monster killed them all before it would become necessary?

As they spoke, the battle in the sky seemed to have finally reached its conclusion.

The Thunder Qilin was ultimately a tree without roots, water without a source. Once it lost its caster, every second of its existence became an enormous drain.

Although the Sky-Piercing Python had been beaten back for a time, it still survived in the end.

"Hiss!"

It let out a triumphant roar, and the entire secret realm trembled from top to bottom.

"It's over, it's over. This time, it's really over."

Despair flashed across Su Lie's face.

He could clearly see lightning glowing within the Sky-Piercing Python's mouth.

The monster's terrifying nature allowed it to devour everything and turn it into its own power.

And clearly, the Thunder Qilin that had failed to kill it was now under its control.

Their final hope had been utterly shattered.

"Now there's really no point in even running."

Xu Xiao could no longer force any expression onto his face.

He looked at Ye Xiu as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, only a sigh escaped him.

"It's fine, Brother Ye. You already did your best."

"Our luck was just bad."

Dark clouds crowded the sky. At the Sky-Piercing Python's summons, the others could already vaguely see the form of the Thunder Qilin emerging once more.

Only this time, the savior had become the Great Devil King's accomplice.

"Damn it, I can't just sit here and wait to die!"

Under the suffocating atmosphere, Su Lie finally could not stand it any longer.

With a furious roar, his entire body swelled by a full circle.

He stacked his golden shields to the maximum. As a Defender, even if he had to die, he would die in front of his teammates!

"Just put all your points into defense. Don't even think about attacking."

Watching Su Lie's seemingly suicidal actions, Ye Xiu revealed a strange smile.

In the sky, the Thunder Qilin had already fully formed.

A humanlike trace of mockery flashed through the Sky-Piercing Python's eyes. It roared and violently drove the Qilin down toward them!