Chapter Eighty: True Face

The Four Symbols Array spun rapidly, unleashing an unprecedented power. Instantly, the wild serpent spirit beast was completely subdued. As expected, this transformation was only temporary; it couldn’t become a flood dragon in the blink of an eye. To metamorphose from a serpent into a flood dragon would require at least several days, and during this time, the serpent spirit beast remained weak—unable to display even a tenth of its abilities. Therefore, we must unite and slay it together,” Qin Feng declared.

The others, hearing Qin Feng’s words and observing the situation, found his reasoning impeccable. They pushed their flags with renewed vigor, amplifying the might of the Four Symbols Array. The four giant beasts were now wreathed in surging waves of spiritual energy: Azure Dragon’s was of wood, White Tiger’s of metal, Vermilion Bird’s of fire, and Black Tortoise’s of water. The four forces assaulted the serpent beast relentlessly; the giant beasts advanced, claws and fangs tearing fiercely at it.

The serpent opened its maw, spitting a pillar of icy spiritual energy to block Vermilion Bird’s attack, while its tail swept aside Black Tortoise’s offensive. Yet this left it vulnerable to Azure Dragon and White Tiger, whose strikes carved two deep wounds into its body.

With a mournful howl, the serpent beast fell from the sky into the spiritual spring below. Having just shed its skin, it was truly fragile, unable to contend with the four giant beasts. However, its vitality was formidable. Bathed in the spring, it swiftly recovered from its injuries. Killing it would not be easy after all.

“Everyone, press on! The serpent spirit beast is at its weakest now. If we pour all our strength into the Four Symbols Array, we can kill it. Only by doing so can we obtain the Transcendence Elixir. Hold nothing back—use all your spiritual power!” Qin Feng urged. Setting the example, he poured his energy into his flag, increasing its power.

The others followed suit, driven by the prospect of the elixir—if the serpent lived, none would claim it. Faced with such great reward, all unleashed their spiritual power recklessly.

Their efforts paid off. The Four Symbols Array surged in strength, the spiritual energy around the giant beasts intensified, even emitting blades of light—razor-sharp and deadly. The beasts swooped down, trapping the serpent completely. It managed to fend off the initial attacks, but as its wounds multiplied, its spiritual energy began to dissipate. This signaled a breach in its defenses. Soon, a barrage of strikes hit its vital points. Despite its resistance, in the end, it succumbed to death.

“Well done, everyone. The giant serpent spirit beast is finally slain,” Qin Feng said with relief, taking the lead in withdrawing the Four Symbols Array.

The others followed, equally elated but utterly exhausted. Facing such a powerful spirit beast had drained them completely.

Yang Xiao gazed at the serpent’s corpse, reflecting on its fate. It had underestimated the importance of defense; seeking to shed its skin and break through its realm, it should have chosen a secluded or well-defended place. Its reckless actions doomed it. But the serpent beast lacked human intelligence and couldn’t foresee everything. This incident sounded a warning for Yang Xiao's future cultivation: when breaking through realms, he must plan carefully, lest he suffer the same fate. After all, the cultivation world was a place where the strong preyed upon the weak.

“We’ve finally killed the serpent spirit beast. Now, how should we divide the Transcendence Elixir?” Xia Yu asked with a smile.

“Indeed, should we split the elixir equally among the four of us?” Zhuo Fan chimed in, evidently seeking Qin Feng’s opinion.

“Split it? How naïve. The Transcendence Elixir belongs to me alone; you are nothing but the serpent beast’s burial companions,” Qin Feng replied coldly. As he spoke, his aura flared, instantly breaking through the barrier of the Condensation Realm, entering it with considerable strength.

“You three shall die now,” Qin Feng declared, extending his palm forward. Three streams of spiritual energy shot out from his hand, enveloping the others like living entities.

The others immediately grasped the situation—Qin Feng intended to kill them all and seize the elixir for himself.

Understanding this, they refused to surrender, each employing their own techniques to fend off Qin Feng’s spiritual energy. However, they had already depleted their powers; now, they could barely resist, preventing the energy from descending any further.

Thus, Qin Feng’s energy hovered above their heads like three invisible hands, suppressing them completely—escape was impossible.

Yang Xiao, though drained, was in better shape than Xia Yu and Zhuo Fan. If he wished, he might escape Qin Feng’s grasp. But he wasn’t in a hurry; he wanted to see what Qin Feng was truly up to. How could Qin Feng have disguised himself so well? Was there some other purpose behind obtaining the elixir and killing the others?

The questions in Yang Xiao’s mind were shared by the other two. Before he could ask, Xia Yu spoke first: “Qin Feng, I never expected your true face to be hidden so deeply. But what do you want with so much Transcendence Elixir? Killing us for it—how shameless can you be?”