Xia Youyu stood to one side, shock written all over her face. From time to time, she glanced into the cave, terrified that the Fire Qilin would pounce again.
Little One stood before Shi Teng, earnestly guarding his older brother.
Shi Teng had nearly drained all the fire spiritual energy underground, yet his Scarlet Emperor Fire Emperor Qi had only formed a tiny flame. He had barely crossed the threshold and was still far from minor mastery.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, towering waves surged through the previously calm magma. An enormous serpent burst out, sweeping up countless streams of molten rock.
Shock once again crossed Xia Youyu's face. "This... a Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent!"
The Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent had fiery red eyes and an enormous, dark red body.
Nine protrusions rose from its head and back, each resembling a bright red mushroom, with what looked like blood flowing inside. Its body was three feet wide and dozens of zhang long.
Shi Teng's brows furrowed slightly. He had never expected such a monstrous creature to be lurking in the underground magma.
Worry covered Bai Yun's face. "Senior Sister, this Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent is an Ancient Mythical Beast with dragon blood in its veins.
"Judging by its length, it must be at least a hundred thousand years old. We're no match for it. Let's leave!"
Xia Youyu glanced at Shi Teng and said in a low voice, "No. We brought them here. We absolutely cannot abandon them!"
Bai Yun sighed softly, her face full of displeasure.
"Roar!"
In a flash, the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent lunged at them.
The girls retreated in fright.
Only Shi Hao rushed forward. He wrapped his arms around the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent, heaved with all his strength, and hurled it away.
Its enormous body slammed heavily into the stone wall.
The entire cavern rumbled.
The four girls were stunned. They had overlooked this little boy all along.
They had never imagined he possessed such tremendous strength.
Shi Hao glared furiously at the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent and shouted, "Stay away from my brother!"
A vicious gleam shot from the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent's eyes as its enormous body coiled in the air.
It let out a roar,
and dozens of fireballs immediately hurtled toward the six of them.
With her slender sword in hand, Xia Youyu swiftly slashed apart two. Shi Hao leaped up and kicked away another two, while the other three girls each destroyed one.
The attack did not injure any of them.
The Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent writhed, its entire body seeming to flow with scarlet magma.
Its enormous head immediately came crashing toward them.
Xia Youyu stepped in front of Shi Hao first, slender sword in hand. She slashed out and plunged into fierce combat with the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent.
Seeing this, the other three girls rushed forward as well.
After a prolonged, fierce battle, the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent swept sideways, its powerful tail suddenly smashing toward all four of them.
"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"
A single blow sent all four flying, slamming them heavily into the stone wall.
Then a vicious gleam flashed from its eyes as it stared straight at the two brothers.
Shi Hao lifted a boulder twice his own size and hurled it at the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent.
"Bang!"
It struck the serpent squarely on the head.
The Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent shuddered slightly, waves of dizziness washing through its head.
Then it steadied itself and lunged at Shi Teng again.
Shi Hao picked up another boulder and hurled it at the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent, but this time it dodged.
He threw three or four boulders in succession, yet only one struck its head.
The Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent opened its blood-filled maw and lunged at the pair. Shi Hao leaped up, aiming a kick at its head.
Just as his body rose into the air, the enormous serpent tail swept toward him again.
It sent Shi Hao flying.
"Rumble!"
He slammed into the nearby stone wall again, sending rubble tumbling everywhere.
The Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent roared, and a powerful suction pulled Shi Teng straight into its mouth.
Shi Hao's expression changed drastically at the sight, and he bellowed, "Let go of my brother!"
His small body shot into the air with incredible speed, and he drove a punch into the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent's head.
"Bang!"
Shi Teng was flung out of the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent's mouth. The serpent's body plunged straight into the magma, throwing up a molten splash dozens of zhang high.
Xia Youyu leaped over and caught Shi Teng in her arms, landing lightly on the ground.
"Roar!"
The Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent roared, and its enormous tail swept toward Shi Hao once more.
This time, Shi Hao's blood burned throughout his body, and his eyes seemed ready to spit fire.
This was the unique constitution of the Ancient Desolate Sacred Body: under exceptional emergencies, it could unleash extraordinary combat power.
His two little hands seized the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent's tail, and he hurled it away, smashing it heavily into the stone wall.
Shi Hao leaped up and drove his right fist into the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent's head.
The serpent's entire body went tumbling into the distance again.
But the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent was an Ancient Variant with dragon blood in its veins, and its combat prowess was extraordinary.
It opened its blood-filled maw and spewed a blaze straight at Shi Hao.
Shi Hao unleashed the Green-Scaled Eagle Precious Art, sending a Purple Blade to meet it.
Yet the flames melted it outright.
Shi Hao flipped through the air, rapidly launching Purple Blades from his hands at the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent's body.
Unfortunately, they had no effect at all. His small body became locked in fierce combat with the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent.
The girls from the Heaven Mending Pavilion were utterly dumbstruck. How could a boy only a few years old be so formidable?
Even the Heaven Mending Pavilion could scarcely find a few people with such talent.
Xia Youyu set Shi Teng on the ground so he could continue condensing his Scarlet Emperor Fire Emperor Qi.
Her eyes remained on Shi Hao, her heart filled with shock.
Were these two brothers really born in the Great Wilderness? How could their talent be so astonishing?
Then her expression changed, shock filling her face.
Just as she turned her head, the Fire Qilin inside the cave lunged at Shi Teng again.
With no time to use her sword techniques, Xia Youyu threw herself forward and tackled the Fire Qilin to the ground.
The Fire Qilin roared. Though it was already gravely wounded, it thought nothing of dealing with Xia Youyu alone.
Scarlet flames burned all around it, and golden blood showed in its wounds.
The sight made Shi Teng really want to go over and lick it. That blood should be tremendously nourishing too!
Bai Yun said weakly, "Senior Sister, let's leave now. With a Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Serpent and a Fire Qilin here, we're no match for them!"
Xia Youyu replied coldly, "We came together, and we'll leave together. I will never abandon my companions!"
A cold gleam flashed from the slender sword in her hand, and she immediately advanced to meet the Fire Qilin.
Woman and beast clashed fiercely.
But Xia Youyu was clearly no match for the Fire Qilin, which sent her flying several times in succession.
Whenever she saw the Fire Qilin turn toward Shi Teng, Xia Youyu struggled forward to intercept its attack.
The sight deeply moved Shi Teng.
You protected me for a moment. I... I will keep your Heaven Mending Pavilion from falling!
In Perfect World, the Heaven Mending Pavilion met a tragic end: it was annihilated!
When Yin-Yang Upheaval comes, I shall stain the azure sky with my demonic blood.
Shi Teng frowned. The fire spiritual energy was still woefully insufficient. Bringing his Scarlet Emperor Fire Emperor Qi to minor mastery did not seem so easy.
So be it. One mouthful certainly won't make a man fat.
The fiery light around him faded, and he slowly rose from the ground.
He said in a low voice, "Leave the rest to me!"
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