Li Yan's counterattack had been too fast. Wan Qingshe had not even had time to recall his flying sword.
By the time the "Jade-scaled Mystic Serpent" flew above his head, it was already barely alive. Its entire body had turned a dull, lusterless gray. Had its true form not been an exceptionally high-quality magical treasure, its artifact spirit might already have perished.
The "Jade-scaled Mystic Serpent's" eyes had lost their light. Its mouth opened, but before it could make a sound, it reverted to a long, narrow flying sword and plummeted from the sky.
Not a trace of the chilling green radiance remained on the slender flying sword. A layer of gray substance covered its blade, making it resemble a gray stone sword drained of all vitality.
"Aah!"
The instant the "Jade-scaled Mystic Serpent" reverted to a falling sword, Wan Qingshe suddenly clutched his head with both hands and let out an agonized scream.
The severe damage to his bonded magical treasure had sent unbearable pain tearing through his soul.
"A poison cultivator... a... a grandmaster!"
He rasped those words amid his screams. Only now did he recall another detail in the information about Li Yan: he was an expert in poison.
Yet he had never imagined that Li Yan could counter the "Jade-scaled Mystic Serpent," a creature of unparalleled rarity, and turn its attack against the artifact spirit itself. His ability to fight poison with poison had reached such a terrifying level.
"Were you trying to harm me?"
Li Yan stared at him, the same eerie glimmer flickering in his eyes as before.
Wan Qingshe was about to explain that they could exchange antidotes. With his soul wracked by pain, he could not tell whether Li Yan had actually been poisoned and was merely suppressing its effects.
Just then,