Volume Five: Emerging Brilliance Chapter Eighteen: Strike the Snake at Its Vital Spot

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The Rainbow Restraint not only restricted the enemy’s movements but also limited the flow of their spiritual energy. One of the nine-headed demon flood dragon’s massive heads was tightly bound by the Rainbow Restraint, rendering it immobile and unable to gather spiritual energy. This nine-headed demon flood dragon, arrogant for thousands of years, had never suffered such a loss. Every disciple and follower had always treated it with utmost respect, fearing to provoke its wrath. Yet, today, these two individuals not only stole countless sacred fruits but dared to confront it in battle. Now, it was immobilized. Although the nine-headed demon flood dragon had not evolved to its ultimate form, it was far from foolish. These two people before it, though resembling its disciples in appearance, emitted an entirely different aura.

Enraged, the nine-headed demon flood dragon raised its massive claws, fiercely trying to tear off the black whip-like Rainbow Restraint binding one of its heads. Meanwhile, its remaining eight heads unleashed spiritual energy blasts at Yuanmu below, and even its long, thick tail lashed about wildly in sweeping motions. Fortunately, when Li Chengzhu set up the formation, he spaced the mystical formation stones widely; otherwise, such chaotic tail sweeps would have shattered the formation.

At this moment, Master Yuanmu looked increasingly distressed, his full cultivation exerted to its limit. Yet the nine-headed demon flood dragon’s defense was overwhelmingly strong. Its innate divine power engaged in a tug-of-war with the Rainbow Restraint he controlled, while he had to guard against attacks from the other eight heads. Luckily, the demon flood dragon could not wield weapons or cast spells and relied solely on its natural abilities. Otherwise, with its Golden Immortal-level cultivation, the two of them wouldn’t merely survive without serious injury.

The nine-headed demon flood dragon intensified its assault. Gritting his teeth, Yuanmu controlled the Rainbow Restraint tightly around the bound head, leaping and dodging its attacks, praying silently for Li Chengzhu to act quickly.

The anticipated white staff did not appear for Yuanmu; instead, an immortal sword sliced through the air with a sharp whistle.

To strike a snake, you must strike its vital points.

No matter what kind of celestial beast this nine-headed demon flood dragon was, Li Chengzhu had already classified it as a monster—a massive serpent demon. And serpents have their weaknesses.

The vital spot, the heart, was on the back, out of Li Chengzhu’s reach, so he aimed at the dragon’s spinal column.

A snake’s body is incredibly flexible; only the spine is easily broken and vulnerable.

Neither the God-Extinguishing Bow nor the Meteor Sword disappointed Li Chengzhu. The Meteor Sword, acting as an arrow, zipped with a rush of wind to the connection point of the nine heads, striking with a crisp clang. Without hesitation, Li Chengzhu executed the hand seals of the attack formation within the Meteor Sword. With an explosive boom, the nine-headed demon flood dragon staggered, its massive body shaking violently and nearly toppling. Even those nine heads, once arrogant and unapproachable, drooped as if severely wounded.

Yuanmu’s heart leapt with joy, preparing to hurl a hula hoop attack, when suddenly he sensed a tremendous force. The Rainbow Restraint began to slip loose, no longer responding to his control. Alarmed, Yuanmu realized the nine-headed demon flood dragon was far more formidable than expected and quickly focused his mind to tighten the restraint.

The demon flood dragon flared its eighteen blood-red eyes in fury, glaring at the tiny figure of Yuanmu before it. Its thick tail swept fiercely, aiming directly at Yuanmu.

Though there was no spiritual pressure fluctuation, Yuanmu knew being hit by that tail would be disastrous and hastily ascended. Yet the tail seemed to follow him like it was enchanted with a tracking spell, curling upwards at a speed even faster than Yuanmu. As the tail neared, Yuanmu considered using teleportation to evade.

He had already used teleportation once; using it again would jeopardize subsequent combat.

At that moment, the piercing whistle sounded once more. The nine-headed demon flood dragon, feeling the sting of its recent wound, was startled. Its tail suddenly slowed, allowing Yuanmu to dodge sideways.

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Struck twice in the same spot, the nine-headed demon flood dragon’s spine nearly fractured. Although the spiritual arrows were no longer made of refined wood essence, the Meteor Sword remained a celestial sword with formidable power, further enhanced by the God-Extinguishing Bow. Both speed and attack power had risen to an incredible level.

Watching the massive beast convulse and then straighten, Li Chengzhu sighed deeply. Using a celestial sword instead of spiritual arrows meant a significant reduction in damage. Had the three pieces of wood essence remained intact, Li Chengzhu was confident he could have pierced the nine-headed demon flood dragon with a single shot. Now, he could only break through its defenses and chip off thick scales.

The nine-headed demon flood dragon finally realized that the small monkey-like figure leaping before it was no true opponent. The real threat came from behind.

That sharp pain had tightened the Rainbow Restraint binding one of its heads, immobilizing it and seemingly shackling its entire body.

The demon flood dragon struggled with all its might against the restraint, slowly turning to face the "monkey's" attack, curious to see who could wound it from behind.

Master Yuanmu was at a disadvantage not because of low cultivation but because confronting a Golden Immortal-level eighth-rank low-tier celestial beast head-on was unwise. He relied on evasion. Seeing the demon flood dragon ignore him, he hurriedly tightened the Rainbow Restraint and slammed the humming hula hoop down repeatedly.

A first-grade celestial artifact is still a celestial artifact. The hula hoop’s power became evident with every strike, knocking off thick scales and revealing white-fleshed serpent meat beneath, tinged with blood.

Li Chengzhu chuckled coldly, recalling the Meteor Sword and placing it back on the bowstring of his God-Extinguishing Bow. The serpent’s flesh was far tougher than he imagined, and now it had exposed its front to him. Just as he was thinking how he couldn’t reach the vital spot, the target came to him.

The vital point is a general term—it lies between the head and the abdomen. A serpent’s heart is in its belly, so striking there is fatal.

Aiming at the demon flood dragon’s abdomen, Li Chengzhu shot the Meteor Sword with a whoosh, catching the beast off guard.

Sensing the danger, the demon flood dragon opened its remaining eight mouths, spitting eight spiritual energy orbs to intercept the Meteor Sword.

The Meteor Sword, a wood-element celestial sword, was already fast, and the God-Extinguishing Bow’s boost made it unbelievably swift. Though the eight orbs were powerful and broadly ranged, their speed lagged slightly. Only the last two orbs grazed the Meteor Sword, slightly diverting its path.

With a "pfft" sound, not only did Li Chengzhu’s excitement surge, but Yuanmu, who had been pressing the attack from behind, also thrilled. That sound was unmistakable—the weapon piercing flesh. The meat-slicing knives of Red Rock Plateau had heard this familiar, pleasing sound many times.

A faint "hiss, hiss" followed, slightly easing the pain.

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Yet Li Chengzhu’s excitement gradually dimmed.

Damn, how could this nine-headed demon flood dragon be so formidable? The Meteor Sword only penetrated halfway and remained lodged outside the body. Moreover, disrupted by those two energy orbs, it had missed the vital spot entirely.

In contrast, the demon flood dragon was terrified.

Lowering its head, its eight heads stared incredulously at its abdomen, where a weapon was embedded. Though it did not know what it was, the demon flood dragon sensed it was powerful enough to harm itself. As the supreme monarch who had roamed freely for thousands of years, the dragon had abandoned humanoid form for greater power. In this area suppressing its cultivation, the accumulated wisdom of predecessors had led it to remain a serpent, forsaking human form. Though its cultivation progressed slowly, unlike the previous generation who perished, it held great hope.

Yet now, the invincible, all-breaking creature was wounded by a humanoid resembling its disciples. This realization crushed the nine-headed demon flood dragon’s spirit. Had it chosen the wrong path?

After a brief silence, the demon flood dragon roared in anger, twisting its colossal body to break free from the Rainbow Restraint binding its head.

Gritting his teeth, Li Chengzhu glared at the beast, recalled the Meteor Sword, stepped on the Seven Stars Formation, drew the God-Extinguishing Bow to full draw, and unleashed another arrow at the frenzied demon flood dragon.

The suppression of the Binding Formation, the Rainbow Restraint’s binding, and the piercing power of the God-Extinguishing Bow opened another wound in the demon flood dragon’s abdomen, blood flowing uncontrollably. The beast’s writhing was fiercer, and the blood splattered like scattered seeds, soon filling the area with a nauseating stench.

The demon flood dragon truly went mad. Its eight heads indiscriminately released spiritual energy blasts, none aimed at Yuanmu or Li Chengzhu. Its thick body twisted restlessly, and its tail swirled up layers of fallen leaves in sweeping arcs.

Li, the great boss, and Yuanmu exchanged a glance, puzzled by the dragon’s sudden frenzy. Then they recalled the old adage: strike while the enemy is exhausted. Knowing how to kill a snake, they hurriedly unleashed all their attacks on the demon flood dragon.

In no time, numerous scales were knocked off the dragon’s back by Master Yuanmu, and its abdomen was soaked with blood. The wounds looked as if the dragon had grown several extra mouths.

As they continued hammering the fallen foe, a sudden sharp command rang out: “Hold your fire!”