Zhunti Enters the Fray

Yun Xiao and Qiong Xiao's expressions darkened completely at that moment.

What they had feared most had finally happened—these fools, blinded by greed, simply refused to believe that a Da Luo Golden Immortal-level ferocious beast was sealed within the array. They had only one thing on their minds: seizing the Dragon-Binding Rope.

More than a dozen experts joined forces to bombard the Yin-Yang Profound Baleful Array. Spell after spell and spiritual treasure after spiritual treasure poured down like a torrential rain.

The Yin-Yang Profound Baleful Array began to destabilize, and the Dragon-Binding Rope shook violently as well. Golden runes flickered incessantly beneath the assault, letting out a hum of unbearable strain.

"Hahahaha—"

Deep within the array core, the Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon erupted in wild, exhilarated laughter. "Good! Good! Put some more strength into it and destroy this Yin-Yang Profound Baleful Array completely!"

It struggled madly, black and crimson baleful qi charging through the array like two enormous dragons, coordinating with the attacks from outside.

"Stop! If this Da Luo Golden Immortal ferocious beast is released, you'll get everyone killed!" Qiong Xiao shouted sharply, her voice carrying a trace of despair.

No one listened to her.

"Stop trying to persuade them."

Yun Xiao sighed. "The baleful qi here reaches the heavens. It's not that they can't see it—they simply don't want to, and they won't stop."

The temptation of an Innate spiritual treasure was simply too great.

Spells and treasure light rained down without pause. Layer upon layer of ripples spread across the Yin-Yang Profound Baleful Array's barrier, while its once-solid walls visibly thinned and cracked.

Fine cracks spread throughout the entire array like a spiderweb. The profound Innate array patterns flickered uncertainly, and lines of the formation constantly shattered into specks of spiritual light that dissipated into the air.

The Dragon-Binding Rope hovered at the heart of the array, its golden runes thrashing violently as its hum grew increasingly urgent. It was the wail of a spiritual treasure at the limits of its endurance. Under the combined assault of more than a dozen experts outside and the Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon's desperate impacts from within, the sealing system stood on the verge of collapse.

Black-and-crimson baleful qi erupted through the cracks in the array patterns. Its icy ferocity swept across the surroundings, staining even the nearby void black and twisting it out of shape.

Yet the cultivators' eyes held only the Innate treasure light flowing around the Dragon-Binding Rope. Before their overwhelming greed, the baleful aura that should have struck terror into their hearts seemed utterly insignificant.

"Abandon the Dragon-Binding Rope. Prepare to flee for our lives," Yun Xiao suddenly said.

Bi Xiao glanced at the Dragon-Binding Rope. Though reluctant to part with it, she still nodded.

"Alright."

The instant she spoke, Qiong Xiao bit down hard on the tip of her tongue and sprayed a mouthful of essence blood containing the power of her origin onto the Dragon-Binding Rope.

"Hummm—!"

The Dragon-Binding Rope erupted with unprecedented dazzling golden radiance. Driven by that power, the array patterns that had been about to shatter forcibly stabilized for a brief instant.

But it was no more than a final flicker before death.

"Go!"

Qiong Xiao formed seals with both hands and poured the rest of her magic power into it. The Dragon-Binding Rope let out a shrill wail, transformed into a streak of light, and fled the array, shooting into the clouds.

Almost at the same moment—

Boom, boom, boom—!

Without the Dragon-Binding Rope's suppression, the Yin-Yang Profound Baleful Array finally collapsed completely. Countless Innate array patterns shattered inch by inch, turning into spiritual light that scattered into the void.

The Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon, sealed away for who knew how many ages, released an earthshaking roar. Its enormous body suddenly expanded, and black-and-crimson baleful qi swept in every direction like floodwaters bursting through a dam!

"Oh no!!"

The smiles on the faces of the experts, who had been consumed by greed just moments earlier, froze instantly.

Terror surged from the depths of their souls like a tide. Only then did they realize what kind of horrifying monster they had released.

"Run! Run now!!"

Someone let out a hoarse roar. The more than a dozen experts no longer cared about any Innate spiritual treasure and immediately used escape techniques to flee this cursed place.

However, it was too late.

The Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon's massive tail, vast enough to blot out the sky, swept across the air. Several Golden Immortal cultivators who had been too slow to escape did not even have time to scream before they were swallowed by baleful qi and turned into dried corpses that fell into the deep sea.

Meanwhile, Yun Xiao had already burned her essence blood and fled hundreds of thousands of li with Qiong Xiao.

"You two ants, I swore long ago that once I broke free, I would devour you."

The Innate Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon's enormous body rolled amid black-and-crimson baleful qi. Its scarlet vertical pupils locked tightly onto the two fleeing figures ahead, its eyes filled with cruelty and mockery.

"Boom—"

The flood dragon abruptly opened its bloody maw. Dense black-and-crimson baleful light condensed into a beam of destruction that tore through the void and blasted viciously toward the backs of the two women!

At the same time, elsewhere.

"This Innate spiritual treasure is mine."

The old man at the peak of Taiyi Golden Immortal cultivation appeared not far from the Dragon-Binding Rope. He reached out to seize it, his face filled with wild delight.

However, just as his hand was about to touch the Dragon-Binding Rope, it transformed into a streak of light and ran away.

More precisely, the Dragon-Binding Rope had not fled. It had appeared between the Innate Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon and Yun Xiao and Qiong Xiao.

The Dragon-Binding Rope stretched across the void, its golden runes blazing with dazzling radiance like a blazing sun as it firmly blocked the black-and-crimson baleful light capable of destroying everything.

"Boom—!"

The baleful light collided with the Dragon-Binding Rope, stirring up a boundless storm of destruction.

The golden runes on the Dragon-Binding Rope jumped violently. Without a master's magic power to drive it, it quickly began to lose ground.

"The Dragon-Binding Rope... it's protecting us?"

Yun Xiao froze.

Qiong Xiao was equally stunned. Though she had already formed a slight connection with the Dragon-Binding Rope, that connection was not enough for it to protect its master of its own accord.

"A fine treasure."

As the voice fell, a gaunt Daoist appeared on the battlefield. He did not even glance at the Innate Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon, his eyes fixed firmly on the Dragon-Binding Rope.

The Daoist was sallow and thin, his appearance withered. Yet the aura around him was flawlessly natural, as though he had merged with heaven and earth itself. Even the violent Yin-Yang baleful qi and destructive storm around him instinctively avoided him.

"This item is destined for me."

With that, the Daoist raised a hand, and a golden hand reached for the Dragon-Binding Rope.

"Roar—"

The Innate Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon was enraged at the sight. The Dragon-Binding Rope restrained it and absolutely could not be allowed to fall into someone else's hands—especially since the Daoist before it gave it a sense of danger.

It immediately abandoned its pursuit of Yun Xiao and Qiong Xiao. Wrapped in baleful qi surging like an ocean, it raised its head and lunged forward.

The black-and-crimson baleful qi filling the sky condensed into several savage phantoms, their claws and fangs icy cold. Carrying a ferocious might capable of corroding souls and erasing Dao bodies, they all blasted toward the golden hand and the Daoist himself.

The entire region of sky was shrouded in dense blood baleful qi. The void was continuously torn apart by the baleful qi, producing shrill hissing sounds.

"Innate baleful qi... it truly is somewhat troublesome."

The Daoist frowned slightly. Although his cultivation was higher than the Innate Yin-Yang Baleful Qi Flood Dragon's, he could not completely disregard its attacks.