As the array patterns swirled, golden arcs of lightning rose around Qing Xuanzi and Rong Jiaojiao. The two formed hand seals, and the two arrays immediately connected, their power instantly merging.
The two chanted in unison: "Summon heavenly thunder, shatter the demonic soul!"
The human-faced soul-devouring python seemed to sense the danger. Blood beads began to seep from the fangs on its human face, and its bone wings flapped wildly, forcibly drawing the purple poisonous mist outside the formation into it.
The poisonous mist collided with the heavenly lightning power within the array, unleashing a deafening roar, and the array patterns trembled violently. Taking advantage of the moment, Zi Ling transformed into a stream of light, spitting out a beam of light containing the power of thunder and fire, aiming straight for the giant python's face at its seven-inch mark.
The giant python flew into a rage, its long tail sweeping across and slamming heavily onto the edge of the formation.
Qing Xuanzi's face turned pale, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, but he still gritted his teeth and kept the formation running.
Upon seeing this, Rong Jiaojiao used her divine soul power to quickly draw a high-grade Soul Burning Talisman in the air.
Sensing impending death, the giant python's crimson vertical pupils contracted sharply, and its scales stood up like blades as it frantically extracted the remaining spiritual energy from the canyon, using its own demon core as a conduit.
The originally condensed purple poisonous mist merged with the extracted spiritual energy, forming a poisonous spirit barrier around the python's body, deflecting all attacks from the Heavenly Thunder Soul-Destroying Array.
Qing Xuanzi, the master of the formation, coughed up a second mouthful of blood, and the formation's light dimmed slightly: "Jiaojiao! It's about to self-destruct its demon core; this formation can't hold!"
Before he finished speaking, a maniacal smile appeared on the giant python's face, and his entire body began to swell, like a giant airbag about to explode.
Rong Jiaojiao was also shocked by the aftershocks of the Poison Spirit Barrier, causing her severe chest pain.
At the critical moment, the Soul-Burning Talisman was completed, and the high-grade Soul-Burning Talisman instantly transformed into a dark blue sea of fire, which devoured the giant python.
At the same time, Rong Jiaojiao shouted, "Zi Ling, retreat quickly!"
Zi Ling obediently flew into the sky, while Rong Jiaojiao teleported several times in succession, taking Qing Xuanzi away from the battlefield.
"Boom—" The explosion of the demon core shook the heavens and the earth, and the entire canyon trembled. A powerful shockwave spread outwards from the giant python, instantly blasting the surrounding trees and rocks to smithereens, turning them into dust.
Qing Xuanzi and Rong Jiaojiao were thrown by the shockwave and crashed heavily against the distant mountain wall.
Even Zi Ling was carried far away by the shockwave.
Blood trickled from the corner of Qing Xuanzi's mouth, and his face was pale, but he still forced himself to stand up, looking at Rong Jiaojiao with worry in his eyes.
Rong Jiaojiao was also shaken and felt dizzy, her chest trembled, and she couldn't help but cough a few times.
But she quickly composed herself and, seeing her master injured, her heart tightened: "Master, are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Qing Xuanzi shook his head. "Are you and Zi Ling alright?"
Zi Ling flew back from afar, shook off the dust, and let out a clear cry: "Master, Master, I'm alright!"
"We're all alright." Rong Jiaojiao nodded. "Master, how is the giant python?"
Qing Xuanzi looked up at the center of the explosion, where thick black smoke and purple poisonous fog filled the air, making it impossible to see the situation inside even with his divine sense.
"This giant python self-destructed its demon core, so it's probably dead," Qing Xuanzi said in a deep voice. "However, we can't be careless. Let's observe the situation first."
"Mm." Rong Jiaojiao nodded; she knew she had to be careful.
Zi Ling volunteered, "I'll go take a look!"
It leaped into the sky, spread its wings, and flew rapidly towards the center of the explosion. Its body was enveloped in a faint purple light, preventing the poisonous fog from getting close to it.
Zi Ling hovered in the air, carefully observing the situation at the center of the explosion.
As the black smoke and poisonous fog gradually dissipated, a scene of utter devastation was revealed. The giant python's body had been blasted to pieces, with only a fragment of its remains still twitching slightly.
“It’s dead.” Zi Ling’s voice echoed in Rong Jiaojiao and Qing Xuanzi’s minds. “The giant python’s demon core has been completely shattered, and its body is also torn to pieces.”
"That's good." Rong Jiaojiao breathed a sigh of relief. "Master, let's get away from here and go somewhere else to heal our wounds."
"Where is your treasure?"
Rong Jiaojiao said, "I sensed that it was absorbing spiritual energy deep underground, and I feel that it won't be back so soon this time."
“Alright.” Qing Xuanzi nodded. He was seriously injured, but now that the giant python was dead, he could go and heal in peace. “Let’s leave here first and find a safe place to heal.”
Zi Ling flew back from the sky and landed on Rong Jiaojiao's shoulder, letting out a clear cry: "Master, I'll take you."
"Zi Ling, are you sure you can handle this? You seem to have been injured too. Let me carry you on my sword."
Without saying a word, she summoned her flying sword and took her master on board. Zi Ling had no choice but to follow suit.
Rong Jiaojiao found a secluded cave two mountains away from the valley. It was surrounded by dense forest and was not easy to be discovered.
She retrieved her flying sword and carefully helped Qing Xuanzi into the cave.
"Master, let's rest here for a while."
Rong Jiaojiao laid out a cushion for Qing Xuanzi to sit on and poured out a high-grade healing pill for him.
Qing Xuanzi waved his hand: "I have my own pills."
Rong Jiaojiao held the pill to his lips: "We're master and disciple, why are you and I distinguish between you and me? Please take it, I'll go set up the formation."
Qing Xuanzi then accepted the gift, sat cross-legged, and began to circulate his spiritual energy to heal his injuries.
Rong Jiaojiao also gave Ziling a pill, but Ziling shook her head: "Master, I'm fine."
To prove it wasn't injured, it jumped a few times on the ground and let out a clear cry, "I was just hit by a blast of air, I'm not hurt."
"Alright, go and rest. While you're at it, look after my master for me. I'm going to set up the equipment array."
Zi Ling nodded, jumped to Qing Xuanzi's side, curled up into a ball, and closed her eyes to rest.
Rong Jiaojiao set up a defensive array at the cave entrance, and then set up a concealment array outside the defensive array. Only then did she return to the cave to set up a spirit-gathering array, and put a large number of spirit stones inside the spirit-gathering array before she began to cultivate.
A day passed in the blink of an eye. Rong Jiaojiao's injuries had fully recovered, but Qing Xuanzi's injuries were not yet completely healed. Meanwhile, the small secret realm had absorbed all its spiritual energy and was waiting for her to retrieve it.
Rong Jiaojiao instructed Ziling, "Ziling, take good care of Master here. I'll be right back, okay?"
"Understood, Master." Zi Ling nodded, a hint of concern in her eyes. "Master, you must be careful. If you encounter any danger, please use the communication talisman to notify me."
"Okay." Rong Jiaojiao smiled slightly, patted Ziling's head, and turned to walk out of the cave.
She concealed herself and flew cautiously along the path she had taken before, heading towards the valley.
Along the way, she constantly scanned her surroundings with her divine sense to ensure there was no danger.
The valley was in complete disarray, with clear traces left by the giant python after it exploded its demon core.
However, the poisonous gas had already dissipated. Rong Jiaojiao found some bones and fragments of demon cores left behind by the giant python after its self-destruction, as well as the python's two venomous fangs on the ground.
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