lerbook Chapter 545 - 533: Defying the Heavens?
Chapter 545 - 533: Defying the Heavens?
On the surface of the river, amidst the Jiao Dragon’s frenzied thrashing, Qin Fan, who had yet to make a move, scoffed. "I wonder how long you can keep this up!"
The Jiao Dragon, understanding his mockery, paused for a moment before letting out a bellow to the heavens—a fierce scream filled with helpless frustration. Despite its centuries of Cultivation, it could find no way to resolve the situation against this particular human. After its long cry, the Jiao Dragon abruptly flipped over, its back facing downward. Unleashing the boundless might it had accumulated over centuries, it slammed its body heavily toward the river’s surface, attempting to shake Qin Fan off.
In a way, its attempt was successful. Before its back could hit the water, Qin Fan had already leaped away. He sneered, "They say Demon Beasts with awakened intelligence are much smarter than ordinary humans, but that doesn’t seem to be the case! I’d say your intelligence is just barely passable, not utterly stupid!"
He knew the mother Jiao, driven by a thirst for vengeance that wouldn’t end until one of them was dead, would not flee. So he didn’t pursue it. Instead, he stood his ground on the river, a mocking expression on his face as he waited for it to re-emerge.
Sure enough, his words had barely faded when the mother Jiao, its emotions no longer under control, burst from the water. It made no more futile cries. Its red-scaled body, coiling with an overwhelming beastly might that seemed to descend from the heavens, swept directly toward Qin Fan. Under the gloomy sky and the relentless downpour, the scene was utterly surreal.
Standing on the water, Qin Fan watched the massive creature rush toward him like a meteor, its speed unaffected by its size. His expression turned serious as he channeled the abundant True Qi within his body into the Evil Spirit Zen Staff in his hand. He intended to shatter the mother Jiao’s defenses in a single blow.
As the Jiao Dragon closed the distance in the blink of an eye, right at the moment of imminent collision, Qin Fan moved. Silently, in less than the time it takes to draw a breath, he leaped high into the air. Gripping the Evil Spirit Zen Staff, he took advantage of the Jiao Dragon’s momentary hesitation. Without a second thought, his eyes scanned its body and he plunged the staff toward its vulnerable spot.
Whether it’s a snake or a dragon, both are deeply connected to serpents. As such, that weak point is often their most fragile area.
SCHLICK!
Unlike the Orochi, which possessed a near-invincible King Kong body forged from the combined power of nearly every Divine Level Onmyoji in Japan’s Yin Yang Master World, this mother Jiao, despite its centuries of cultivation, was still a creature of flesh and blood. As the end of the staff pierced its iron-hard scales, it sank precisely into the vulnerable spot. A pillar of green blood instantly sprayed forth!
SHRIEK—!
Even as a Demon Beast approaching the Eighth Rank, it could not withstand the fatal injury from a Golden Core Cultivator’s full-powered strike, especially to its weakest point. As it threw its head back and wailed at the sky, the wind and clouds underwent a dramatic change!
BOOM!
Amidst the torrential rain, thunder cracked with an unnerving intensity.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Several streaks of blue lightning shot across the sky, as if lamenting the mother Jiao’s grievous wound.
"Hm? I didn’t expect you to have received the favor of the Heavenly Dao!" Standing on the Jiao Dragon’s body, Qin Fan furrowed his brow.
Receiving Heaven’s favor meant its chances of transforming into a true dragon were greatly increased. It was a tacit approval from the cycle of Heavenly Dao Reincarnation, granting it the opportunity for a future metamorphosis. If I kill it now, I’ll be going against the will of Heaven! The thought gave Qin Fan pause, but this daze was fleeting, gone in an instant.
Against the will of Heaven? To hell with the damned heavens. Since I didn’t die in my previous life, and since I was only a single step away from joining the Immortal Class on the Cangqiong Continent, what is there to fear now that I’ve returned? Defy Heaven? I’ll defy Heaven all I damn well please!
The thought was dismissed. A cold glint flashed across Qin Fan’s serious face. As the mother Jiao continued its agonized shrieks, Qin Fan refused to let it roll over. He gripped the staff with all his might and wrenched it upward. "Up you come!"
RRRIP! RRRIP! RRRIP!
With Qin Fan’s upward thrust, a series of tearing sounds erupted from the mother Jiao’s vulnerable spot. From its back, a thick green tendon was pulled free, releasing a pungent, fishy stench.
SHRIEK—!!
At this strike, the mother Jiao’s wail grew even more pitiful, and tears streamed from its eyes. The turmoil in the sky above intensified in response. The thunder grew louder, and the flashes of blue lightning became more frequent and frantic.
"Is he defying Heaven?" On the riverbank, Lai Zhuge, a master magician, frowned at the sudden change in the elements.
"According to the records, this signifies the displeasure of the heavens—a warning!" exclaimed Master Li, who had insisted on staying behind. "Could it be that this Jiao Dragon received the favor of the Heavenly Dao? How is that possible? Why would the great Heavenly Dao intervene on behalf of a Demon Beast that brings chaos and calamity to the Human World?"
Upon hearing their words, even Hua Xiaotian couldn’t help but furrow his brow deeply. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. If even Lai Zhuge says so, this must truly be a warning from Heaven. But if we don’t slay this mother Jiao, are we supposed to just let it bring disaster to the Qiantang River?
He clenched his jaw, his heart in turmoil as he watched the unbelievable battle on the river. No one knew the price for defying Heaven, but throughout the long course of history, those who tried never met a good end. But do they even have a choice now? Hua Xiaotian’s thoughts were a mess.
"Haha! Damned heavens, are you pitying this beast? Fuck your holy mother act! Why didn’t you pity me back then? Why didn’t you pity those connected to me? The Heavenly Dao? Rules? What a load of bullshit! Today, I’m going to smash your bullshit rules! I’m going to do the exact opposite of what you want! You failed to strike me down last time, so if you’ve got the guts, try it again!"
Feeling the escalating turmoil in the sky and the deepening roar of the thunder, Qin Fan knew it was a manifestation of Heaven’s rage. He had seen such displays far too often on the Cangqiong Continent. After his infinitely arrogant roar, he reached out and grabbed the tendon he had partially pulled free. Then, with a great leap, he soared upward!
RRRIP—!
With that single motion, he tore the entire tendon out of the Jiao Dragon’s body! Eerie green blood sprayed out, mingling with the rain, but the pungent, fishy stench permeated the air above the entire Qiantang River.
SHRIEK! SHRIEK! SHRIEK—!
With its tendon almost completely extracted, the mother Jiao could no longer withstand the rapid loss of its life force. Its head was thrown back, and its wretched shrieks sounded like a death rattle. The cries began as thunderously loud wails, but after a few moments, they faded to feeble gasps—a clear sign of its life force fading away.
SWOOSH—!
At the same time, in the sky, the thunder and lightning abruptly ceased. Even the torrential downpour that had been falling just a second before vanished without a trace.
The world, it seemed, had suddenly fallen silent.