The Heavenly Thunder Python had already taken Tang Tian's four strikes, three of which had pierced its eyes. It had long since suffered grievous wounds.
Now that it had desperately unleashed its innate battle skill, it had exhausted even more of its strength.
Ye Ruxue had always been powerful. Striking in fury, her swordsmanship became even more terrifying.
The sword technique she used was called the Wind-Snow Sword Technique.
True to its name, her sword flashed out with speed and grace, swift and ethereal, impossible to predict.
Though Ye Ruxue was furious, she remained extremely rational. Naturally, every strike targeted the Heavenly Thunder Python's eyes.
The Heavenly Thunder Python's eyes had long been reduced to a bloody mess beneath wave after wave of Sword Qi.
The Thunderclap Beast also liked Tang Tian very much. After all, this was the first person it had encountered who was willing to give it so many spirit herbs to eat.
Seeing that Tang Tian's fate was unknown, the Thunderclap Beast squeaked furiously, darted out of Ye Ruxue's arms, and leaped onto the Heavenly Thunder Python's head to gnaw at it wildly.
"This..."
Ye Ruxue, who had been relentlessly attacking the Heavenly Thunder Python, was startled as well, her lovely face paling.
The reason she had encountered the Thunderclap Beast in the first place was because she had seen Ximen Lian and Falling Star Sect disciples hunting the little fellow down and had intervened to help it.
Yet she had never expected the little fellow's teeth to be so formidable.
Even the top-grade Mortal Artifact Wind-Snow Sword in her hand could do nothing to the Heavenly Thunder Python's body.
And now, the Thunderclap Beast had actually gnawed straight through a scale on the top of the Heavenly Thunder Python's head.
This showed just how sharp the Thunderclap Beast's teeth were!
If Tang Tian had seen it, his scalp would have gone numb as well.
After gnawing away the scale, the Thunderclap Beast exposed the bloody flesh beneath and continued chewing madly.
The Heavenly Thunder Python twisted its body continuously and shook its head, trying to fling the Thunderclap Beast away.
But the little fellow clung to it like a maggot to the bone; it simply could not be shaken off.
Earlier, it had wanted to devour the Thunderclap Beast. Yet the wheel of fortune had turned, and it was now the one being gnawed apart by the Thunderclap Beast.
As for Tang Tian, after being smashed into the mountain wall, thunderous power ran rampant within him. Though that terrifying force was destroying the life force inside his body—
Tang Tian possessed the Nine-Turn Heavenly Thunder Art. His body had already been tempered by heavenly thunder power and was incomparably strong. What could mere thunderous power at the Organs-Hiding Realm level do to him?
As the Nine-Turn Heavenly Thunder Art circulated, it instead continuously absorbed the thunderous power, transforming it into physical strength that nourished his body and repaired his internal injuries.
"What luck..."
Tang Tian smiled bitterly. If not for the Nine-Turn Heavenly Thunder Art, and if the Heavenly Thunder Python's innate battle skill had not happened to be thunder power, then any other attribute of innate battle skill striking him would have left him only one road: death.
"Kid, did that feel good?"
Fan Siren's voice carried a trace of teasing.
This kid's madness had once again exceeded his expectations.
After all, the gap between the Blood-Burning Realm and the Half-Step Organs-Hiding Realm was far from insignificant.
If it were anyone else, let alone someone in the Blood-Burning Realm, even an Advanced Bone-Forging Realm expert would have had no choice but to turn and flee upon encountering the Heavenly Thunder Python. Who would dare confront it head-on like this?
"Hehe, Master Fan, that current striking my body felt just like a massage. It was very comfortable. Would you like to try it too?"
Tang Tian's lips curled slightly as he smiled.
"What? Such a powerful attack still wasn't enough for you? Want me to get you some heavenly thunder to enjoy?"
Whenever he saw how infuriating this kid was, Master Fan could not help pouring cold water over him.
Tang Tian's mouth twitched, and he hurriedly said with a placating smile, "No, no, no. I know you are wise and mighty, sir. I was just saying it, just saying."
"Enough. Hurry up and deal with that little snake. We still have serious business."
After saying that, Master Fan fell silent again.
"Serious business?"
Tang Tian grew even more curious. What could be important enough for Master Fan to consider it more important than the Heavenly Thunder Python, Heavenly Thunder Vine, and Thunder Cherry Blossom?
Then he smiled bitterly. The Heavenly Thunder Python, which had nearly cost him his life, was merely a little snake in the eyes of an expert like Master Fan.
Climbing out of the human-shaped crater, Tang Tian quickly arrived before Ye Ruxue.
Ye Ruxue's face was frosty. Every swing of the Wind-Snow Sword in her hand swept forth with a chill, and the temperature around them dropped sharply at that moment.
"Huh?"
Tang Tian was pleasantly surprised. Ye Ruxue's cultivation had actually advanced—she had become an Initial Organs-Hiding Realm cultivator!
In that case, Lin Yichen's so-called peerless talent was truly not worth mentioning before Ye Ruxue. It was nothing more than a joke.
After all, Ye Ruxue was even a year younger than him, only fourteen years old.
Ye Ruxue had been immersed in anger all this time, so she had not even noticed that she had advanced.
"Young Master Tang, you're all right? That's wonderful!"
When she saw Tang Tian approaching, she could not help feeling delighted. Her face, cold as frost, was like a plum blossom blooming amid the snow—so dazzling and exquisite.
Any Initial Blood-Burning Realm cultivator would have faced certain death before the Heavenly Thunder Python, let alone held out for so long and survived its innate battle skill.
Ye Ruxue clearly realized that Tang Tian was likely the most terrifying existence among Starfall City's younger generation.
Before this, everyone had believed that this useless young master was a useless cultivator.
But now, it seemed Tang Tian had been laying a solid foundation in the Meridian Refining Realm all along. That was why, after entering the Initial Blood-Burning Realm, he could still battle the Heavenly Thunder Python.
The Heavenly Thunder Python was utterly aggrieved. To die at Tang Tian's hands would be humiliation upon humiliation.
"I'll take it from here."
Tang Tian stared blankly for a moment, then hurriedly nodded, easing the awkwardness.
Just as he was about to make a move, he suddenly thought of something and asked, "Where's Little Thunder?"
"Little Thunder?"
Ye Ruxue's lovely face changed. Only then did she remember that, in her fury, she had forgotten about the little fellow.
"Over there?"
Fortunately, Tang Tian had sharp eyes and saw the Thunderclap Beast still frantically gnawing at the flesh atop the Heavenly Thunder Python's head.
"This..."
Tang Tian's pores stood on end. It seemed he had still underestimated the little fellow. Just as Master Fan had said, this Thunderclap Beast was truly extraordinary!
This only strengthened Tang Tian's resolve to build a good relationship with the Thunderclap Beast.
"Little Thunder, come down quickly. Leave the rest to me. Watch me make it into a dead snake today!"
With a flash, Tang Tian arrived before the snake's tail.
"Squeak!"
Hearing Tang Tian's voice, the still-unsatisfied Thunderclap Beast was delighted as well. It waved its little paws, flashed away, and landed on Ye Ruxue's fragrant shoulder.
"Hah!"
Tang Tian reached out and seized the Heavenly Thunder Python's tail. Circulating his physical strength, he swung the several-zhang-long Heavenly Thunder Python into the air.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The pitiful Heavenly Thunder Python, at the end of its strength and grievously wounded, could never have dreamed that such a day would come.
Its head crashed continuously against the nearby trees and rocks.
In only a short while, its head had been smashed into pulp, bloody and mangled beyond sight, while the surrounding area was left in utter devastation.
"Bang!"
"Whew... whew..."
Tang Tian threw the already lifeless Heavenly Thunder Python onto the ground. Its enormous body kicked up a cloud of dust, and he himself sat down, gasping for breath.
"Whoosh!"
The Thunderclap Beast landed on Tang Tian's shoulder and rubbed its head against his cheek. Having gone through a life-and-death separation, it had become somewhat dependent on him.
"Little Thunder, well done. Here, eat this."
Tang Tian was in high spirits. He took a Century-Old Dragon Emperor Ginseng from his spatial storage bag. Shaped like a dragon, he handed it to the Thunderclap Beast.
"Squeak!"
The Thunderclap Beast was overjoyed. Naturally, it could tell that this Dragon Emperor Ginseng contained far more potent medicinal power than what it had eaten before!
Tang Tian rubbed the Thunderclap Beast's head and smiled. Raising his head to look at Ye Ruxue, he found that the beauty was also looking at him...
[Author's note: The second update for today is here! The third will follow soon! Three updates every day, guaranteed!]
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