The Black-Scaled Giant Python had caught up, its body thicker than a house, coiling up like a massive mountain.
Two small antennae grew on its head, a clear sign of dragon transformation.
Every tree along its path was completely crushed and toppled.
A massive tongue extended, wantonly flicking a crimson appendage as a foul wind assailed their faces. Its blood-red serpent eyes gazed down from a commanding height at the group.
"The Black-Scaled Giant Python has caught up!"
Among the six, a young lady cried out in alarm, her delicate face filled with terror, showing she was quite afraid of the Black-Scaled Giant Python.
"Let's go!"
The leading beautiful young lady spoke, also sending a message via voice transmission to Ye Chen, telling him and his companion to flee with their group and find an opportunity to break away midway.
Yet Ye Chen merely smiled slightly, shaking his head at them. The Cang Dragon behind him remained unmoving, its expression unchanged.
To these six, this Black-Scaled Giant Python might be powerful and unbeatable, but to Ye Chen and his companion, it was nothing noteworthy. At worst, they could just kill it.
Hiss—
The Black-Scaled Giant Python fixed its gaze on Ye Chen and his companion. Its thick, long tongue directly shot forth, sweeping towards them with a whoosh, aiming to engulf and swallow them both.
"Foolish fellows, who do they think they are, actually not dodging or fleeing."
While fleeing, a young prodigy secretly cursed the audacity of the two, but the corner of his eye caught the leading beautiful young lady suddenly turning around. Her graceful figure twisted sharply in mid-air, shooting back.
Her slender jade-like fingers quickly formed seals. Divine power surged as a dazzling rainbow instantly streaked across the sky, clashing with the python's tongue with a metallic clang that seemed ready to shatter the surrounding trees.
However, from the recoil, the young lady was forced back two steps. She let out a muffled grunt, a trace of pallor appearing on her exquisite face, and a streak of bright blood stained her red lips.
She was injured.
But seizing this moment, the beautiful young lady landed lightly before Ye Chen and his companion. A gentle radiance emanated from her, directly enveloping the two. With a light tap of her lotus-like feet on the ground, she turned and swiftly departed.
Ye Chen was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting the young lady to return and save them after leaving. However, he sent a voice transmission to the Cang Dragon. In those eyes that had always seemed indifferent and calm, when looking at the young lady, there was now a touch of genuine softness.
Towards this young lady, the Cang Dragon also felt considerable goodwill and dared not act recklessly, allowing itself to be carried by the beautiful young lady.
The beautiful young lady's speed was fast. Soon, she caught up with the other five, reuniting with them.
The Black-Scaled Giant Python behind, seeing its almost-captured prey vanish, flew into a rage and charged forward in pursuit again.
Seeing the young lady cough blood and get injured, the other five looked at Ye Chen and his companion with eyes that were anything but friendly, holding traces of anger.
It was precisely because of these two, who so recklessly refused to flee, that the beautiful young lady had been injured and bled. In their eyes, they were simply criminals.
The Cang Dragon's expression darkened. Within the Huang Gu Demon Domain, it was in a way a dominant force whose word was law. Even facing a demonic domain overlord like the Dark Abyss Demon Dragon, it feared nothing. Aside from Ye Chen and the Corpse Devouring Insect Emperor, it bowed to no one.
Naturally, the master of the Demon God Ruins and the old knight were exceptions.
Now, being stared at like this by a few weak young human cultivators, how could it endure? Just as it was about to act, Ye Chen placed a hand on its shoulder, shaking his head slightly, signaling not to act rashly.
"Miss Ke'er, are you alright?"
The other five first quickly glanced at Ye Chen and his companion before focusing on the beautiful young lady, inquiring with concern. Another handsome prodigy, while fleeing rapidly, offered a precious pill with fervent eyes, saying, "Miss Ke'er, this is a Fu Qing Pill. It has extraordinary effects for healing injuries. Please take it immediately."
"Young Master Xia, I appreciate your kindness, but Ke'er has only suffered a minor injury. It's nothing serious."
The young lady named Ke'er gently shook her head, causing the young prodigy some disappointment.
Ye Chen and the Cang Dragon, enveloped in Miss Ke'er's radiant light, observed the expressions and demeanor of the three young Talents.
Unsurprisingly, all three harbored admiration for the young lady Ke'er before them. Although the other two young ladies were also exquisite and outstanding, charming and beautiful, compared to the present Miss Ke'er, it was like the faint glow of fireflies competing with the Bright Moon.
However, the two charming young ladies showed no signs of jealousy.
"Hmph, if not for these two, how would Miss Ke'er have been injured?"
The young Talent who had earlier tried to offer the pill spoke up, coldly sweeping his gaze over Ye Chen and his companion. The others felt the same; if not for these two, how would Miss Ke'er have been hurt?
The Cang Dragon felt the urge to rage, but Ye Chen shook his head, stopping it. Moreover, Miss Ke'er spoke up: "This matter cannot be blamed on these two gentlemen. It was our recklessness, venturing onto this path, that implicated them. I hope the two of you won't take it to heart. Ke'er apologizes on behalf of my friends."
As she spoke, Miss Ke'er truly gave a slight bow in apology. Ye Chen vaguely seemed to catch a glimpse of the young lady's exquisitely proportioned figure, a flash of snow-white jade-like skin at her chest, hinting at a captivating abyss that lingered in the mind.
As if noticing Ye Chen's gaze, a faint blush appeared on the young lady's face, making her indescribably beautiful. Her limpid, autumn-water-like eyes also held a hint of shy annoyance.
Ye Chen coughed lightly in embarrassment, saying, "Miss Ke'er, you are too kind. Thank you for saving us earlier. I am immensely grateful."
Seeing his master offer thanks, the Cang Dragon had no choice but to step forward and express gratitude as well, though its feelings towards Miss Ke'er's rescue were more of disdain, as such a rescue was utterly unnecessary. Slaughtering the Black-Scaled Giant Python would have been a simple matter for it.
"The two of you need not be so polite. It should be us who inadvertently implicated you." Miss Ke'er offered a gentle, radiant smile, like a hundred flowers blooming, truly stunning and transcendent, captivating everyone who saw her.
But at that moment, a fearsome roar came from behind, startling everyone awake, for the Black-Scaled Giant Python had caught up once more.
And with its maw agape, a torrent of fiery light surged forth, flooding towards them.
"You two gentlemen, please go ahead. If there's a chance, turn and leave midway. The Black-Scaled Giant Python is only chasing us, not you."
Miss Ke'er pushed Ye Chen and his companion away with a gentle force, sending them swiftly ahead. She then turned to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the other five.
The six young prodigies stood side by side, each wielding Dao weapons, attacking the Black-Scaled Giant Python. They even unleashed various powerful divine abilities, divine radiance gleaming as they bombarded the python's body, erupting in bursts of dazzling fiery light.
"Six Gods Dao Technique!"
One of the young Talents wearing a purple crown shouted lightly, forming seals to cast the technique. His entire person split with a whoosh into six figures, each as real as the other, emanating powerful divine energy fluctuations. Each held a war sword, slashing out intense sword beams towards the Black-Scaled Giant Python.
Ye Chen watched and nodded slightly. Naturally, the so-called Six Gods Dao Technique couldn't possibly create six powerful clones with the same combat strength as the main body, but they possessed at least thirty percent of the main body's power, making it an extraordinary divine ability.
The six avatars cooperated with the main body, perfectly synchronized, continuously forming seals and casting techniques, unleashing strength surpassing their usual capabilities by twofold.
"Void Shattering Seal!"
"Space Piercing Palm!"
"Treasure Lotus Sword Art!" ...
The six young geniuses of the Ancient Emperor Realm joined forces. Although each was only around the Fourth Heaven of Divine Transformation in cultivation—with Miss Ke'er being the strongest among them, a Sixth Heaven Divine Transformation expert—they summoned one dazzling rainbow after another, streaking across the sky, slicing through the void to arrive.
Moreover, the six prodigies' attacks summoned surges of elemental power from heaven and earth, bombarding forward. Mountains and valleys seemed to tremble in fear.
But the Black-Scaled Giant Python they faced was a Seventh Heaven demonic beast, a variant demonic beast infused with dragon blood, with thick, rough skin.
Although their various attacks appeared extremely powerful, blowing apart much of the surrounding forest, causing mountains to crumble and earth to split, they had little effect on the Black-Scaled Giant Python, unable to shatter many of its hard black scales.
Roar—
The Black-Scaled Giant Python roared. Its massive demonic body suddenly rose into the air, its thick tail sweeping out. A howling gale scattered all the divine abilities, sweeping through a thousand troops, striking later but arriving first.
The six young prodigies' expressions changed slightly as they hurriedly moved to defend.
Thud, thud, thud—
Six figures were sent flying on the spot, each turning pale, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths. They tumbled several times in the air before barely stabilizing.
The next moment, the Black-Scaled Giant Python opened its maw and spewed a breath of dragon fire. Upon contact with the air, it ignited instantly, transforming into sparks filling the sky that continuously bloomed and burned, blazing fiercely, setting the heavens ablaze.
Swathes of forest caught fire, flames soaring into the sky, illuminating half the horizon.
The six young prodigies were sent flying again, crashing to the ground, wounded. Some were even burned, coughing up large mouthfuls of blood. They were no match for the Black-Scaled Giant Python.
Hiss—
Watching helplessly as the Black-Scaled Giant Python opened its bloody maw to bite down, their faces turned ashen with despair. They reluctantly closed their eyes, awaiting death.
Was this how they would die?
Miss Ke'er's lovely face was pale and pitiable. She clenched her delicate fists tightly, but felt waves of powerlessness.
Between her eyes, two lines of clear tears slowly fell.
"I'm sorry, everyone. It was Ke'er who harmed you."
What use was an apology at this point?
Now, the other five actually resented Ye Chen and the Cang Dragon even more. If not for their sudden appearance, delaying time, how could they have ended up in such a situation?
Whoosh—
Suddenly, a figure silently appeared before the six. It was none other than Ye Chen, who had been sent away earlier, now returned. He stood before everyone, startling them.
Why had he come back?
Ye Chen turned and gave her a gentle smile, his teeth white and brilliant: "Don't worry. I'm here now."