Exposure

Boom!

Something seemed to shatter, and Shen Miaoyin's cultivation surged rapidly.

The aura around her grew ever colder and more aloof, like an iceberg.

She stared fixedly at the giant python before her, snorted coldly, and swept her sleeve.

Five azure flying swords shot out from her cuff.

Each flying sword was only a foot long, shrouded in a thin layer of chill. The moment they appeared, the temperature in the air abruptly dropped several degrees.

Sword light crisscrossed as the flying swords darted through the air, weaving and dancing like five swimming fish.

An even denser chill spread out, driven by the flying swords as it charged straight at the giant python.

The next moment, the chill met the flames.

"Zzzzzz..."

A sound like crackling electricity rang out as the chill and flames dissolved one another, sending mist rising in waves.

Within the mist, the five flying swords slashed down cleanly upon the giant python.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

A series of metallic clatters rang out, scattering clusters of sparks.

Those incomparably sharp flying swords struck the giant python, yet they could not cut through its body at all.

"Hiss—"

The giant python flicked its tongue, looking thoroughly impatient.

With a savage sweep of its tail, it knocked all five flying swords away.

Then it leapt into the air.

Glaring down at Shen Miaoyin, the giant python opened its blood-filled maw once more. Its entire body swiftly turned fiery red, as though it had caught fire, while an even more terrifying blaze erupted from its mouth.

Towering flames rushed straight at Shen Miaoyin.

"Perfect timing!"

"Frost Sword Array!"

Shen Miaoyin gritted her pearly teeth. The backlash from the Ancient Restriction was placing tremendous pressure on her.

Yet when she saw the Fire Cloud Python use this move, her heart settled.

She formed seals with both hands, and the five flying swords that had been knocked away swiftly returned like swimming fish, hovering above the python's body.

As Shen Miaoyin formed hand seals and chanted an incantation, the five flying swords trembled at the same time.

Five streams of chill shot skyward.

The chill gathered in midair, transforming into a rolling cloud of frosty mist.

Within the mist, a massive sword shadow descended from the heavens.

"Pfft!"

With a dull sound, the sword shadow passed directly through the giant python's body.

In an instant, blood rained down.

The giant python twisted in midair, and the attack it had only half prepared was interrupted as a result.

After being wounded, the giant python opened its mouth and inhaled, swallowing all five flying swords in one gulp.

Then, with eyes as large as bronze bells brimming with venomous hatred, it lunged toward Shen Miaoyin to devour her.

That enormous mouth seemed capable of swallowing and eating anything.

Hidden among the boulders, Su Shi'er's heart tightened, and he could not help breaking out in a cold sweat for Shen Miaoyin.

"Courting death!" Shen Miaoyin's gaze turned icy as she changed her hand seals again.

The giant python, halfway through its charge, suddenly froze and revealed an expression of unbearable pain.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft..."

Without a sound, the five flying swords pierced through the giant python's body from within and flew back to Shen Miaoyin.

Having suffered such grievous wounds, the giant python's body stiffened. With a thud, it crashed heavily to the ground.

It was clearly drawing more breath than it exhaled.

Is this her true strength? Th-this is far too terrifying!

That giant python was already powerful enough, yet it could not even withstand three moves in her hands? Just who is this woman?

Su Shi'er lay sprawled atop a rock, secretly horrified by the scene before him.

At that moment, he longed for strength more than ever.

But she seems badly injured too. Could it be because of the formation in this forbidden zone?

Su Shi'er began to speculate in secret.

After finishing all this, Shen Miaoyin's delicate body suddenly trembled, and a thread of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.

Her face turned pale as snow.

With her cultivation at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, dealing with a demon beast like this would not normally have been difficult.

However, she was currently within the Ancient Forbidden Zone. The unsealing of her cultivation, along with the backlash from the restriction, had severely wounded her.

"These restrictions truly are terrifying! Fortunately, I dealt with this fellow in time. Had it taken any longer, I would have died here, body and soul extinguished!"

After glancing at the giant python, she hastily formed more hand seals and quickly placed another seal upon her cultivation.

Once that was done, she gripped her sword and walked toward the giant python, intending to finish it off completely before picking the Cinnabar Fruit from the tree.

But at that very moment, a sudden change occurred.

The dying giant python abruptly reared up, raised its head, and opened its mouth to bite at the Cinnabar Fruit Tree.

"This is bad! You beast, how dare you?!"

Shen Miaoyin's expression changed as fury surged through her. As her voice rang out, she drew upon her true essence in anger and slashed out a streak of sword light at the giant python.

Bang!

The sword light struck the giant python's wound, making its body sway again.

Yet its closing jaws still bit down on three Cinnabar Fruits in one mouthful. Once the fruits entered its stomach, a red glow immediately enveloped its entire body.

Under that red glow, the giant python's wounds healed at a visible rate. The python that had been on the verge of death visibly began to regain its vitality.

"Hiss—"

Within the red glow, the giant python flicked its tongue, its venomous gaze locked firmly on Shen Miaoyin.

With a twist of its body, its enormous form swept at Shen Miaoyin again like a long whip.

A Second-tier Demon Beast already possessed rudimentary intelligence. It could clearly sense that Shen Miaoyin's aura had weakened.

"This is bad!"

Caught off guard, Shen Miaoyin could only instinctively raise her sword to block.

Bang!

After a dull crash, her body was flung backward.

The instant she landed, she spat out a mouthful of bright red blood.

"This is trouble! The giant python has eaten the Cinnabar Fruit. Even if it cannot fully recover in a short time, it is still stronger than I am!"

Seeing the giant python's vitality continually recover, and seeing it flick its tongue as it slithered toward her again after missing with its strike, Shen Miaoyin silently cried out in alarm.

She did not dare unseal her cultivation at all now. Once her cultivation aura leaked out, the terrifying backlash of the restriction would crush her into powder in an instant.

With only Qi Refining Stage Six cultivation and injuries to boot, she had the desire but lacked the strength to face this giant python.

With a glance from the corner of her eye, she saw where the Stone Orchid Flower was located in the distance.

Without the slightest hesitation, Shen Miaoyin leapt up and hurried toward the Boulder Pile. She intended to use those boulders to shake off the giant python pursuing her.

Though unwilling, she knew clearly that if she did not leave quickly, once the giant python recovered further from its injuries, even she would be hard-pressed to escape death.

At the same time, Su Shi'er, who had been hiding among the boulders and waiting for a chance to leave, was dumbfounded. Frightened out of his wits, his soul nearly fled his body.

He was only a little nobody at Qi Refining Stage Four. He did not think he could possibly interfere in a battle of this level.

"What the hell, why are they coming right toward me?!"

"No, I can't stay hidden anymore. I have to run!"

Gritting his teeth, Su Shi'er stopped concealing himself.

He hurriedly dashed out from the gap between the boulders, stepping on the breeze as he sprinted toward the edge of the Spiritual Plant Garden.

"What? There was actually someone else hiding here?!"

Seeing a figure suddenly shoot out from the Boulder Pile, Shen Miaoyin's gaze turned cold, and her back broke out in a cold sweat.

Then, when she saw Su Shi'er, she immediately understood.

"It's him! That kid from Luofu Peak? What is his background? With Qi Refining Stage Four cultivation, he actually managed to enter this place and even evade my detection?"

Though surprised, Shen Miaoyin's thoughts turned, and she immediately came up with an idea.