Chapter 1174: Sacrifice
The two women were embarra.s.sed. It was just that when they recalled Yu Yanluo’s previous a.n.a.logy, they had subconsciously thought of the fact that she was a Medusa. The Snake race actually seemed quite similar to the deathworms, so they had ended up unwittingly making that connection.
However, they both knew that wasn’t actually the case, so they quickly looked elsewhere. They wanted to see if Zu An would succeed this time.
Yu Yanluo couldn"t be bothered to blame them. She also moved close to them to see what was happening. Unfortunately, apart from the deathworms, she didn’t sense anything. She was worried, so she quickly asked the grandmasters at her side, “Where did Ah Zu go?” Their cultivations were higher than hers, so their senses might be a bit sharper as well.
“I don’t know either,” Yan Xuehen replied, embarra.s.sed.
Yu Yanluo was speechless. You don’t know, but you’re still so focused?
Yun Jianyue said with a sigh of admiration, “Ah Zu’s stealth technique is way too formidable! There are many techniques to hide one’s aura in this world, but almost all of them have some flaws, and would struggle to escape the detection of a grandmaster.”
For example, the Devil Sect’s Mirror Mirage could also conceal one’s aura. However, if the user were seen, they’d still be exposed. Besides, it wouldn’t help them avoid detection by high-level cultivators capable of sensing with their soul.
But Zu An’s skill completely hid himself from all detection through both the senses and the soul. Even though they knew he was right there, they still couldn"t sense where he was at all.
“He should… be able to succeed this time, right?” Yu Yanluo asked, clenching her hands nervously. They had barely managed to escape last time by relying on the drugs. They wouldn’t have another chance. After all, the mother worm… had already released everything just now.
“I don’t know,” Yun Jianyue replied worriedly. Even though the Star Shattering Imprint was powerful, its weaknesses were apparent. There was no way of ensuring whether the next attack would succeed or not.
“The most important part is that the Star Shattering Imprint can only be used three times every day. If that’s exceeded, the physical body will break down,” Yun Jianyue said with a serious expression. “He already used it once during practice. Between that and the time he failed earlier, he only has one last chance.”
“What kind of shoddy technique did you end up teaching him? It does not even work at the most important time,” Yan Xuehen remarked, feeling extremely unsatisfied. She was really worried about Zu An’s safety, but she couldn"t show it, so she already had a lot of irritation bottled up.
Yun Jianyue was also starting to feel annoyed. She snapped, “Why don’t you do it then, if you’re so amazing?!”
“What I taught has a hundred percent success rate, unlike a certain someone’s technique,” Yan Xuehen said with a snort.
Yun Jianyue harrumphed. “What use is there in just hiding killing intent? What we need now is offensive power.”
“Please stop fighting…” Yu Yanluo pleaded, panicking internally. Her mental image of the two grandmasters had already been completely destroyed. Whenever it involved each other, the two would become like little girls. “It’ll be bad if we alert the mother worm and put Ah Zu in danger!”
Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue were just getting started, but when they heard that, both of them shut their mouths.
…
Just then, Zu An approached the mother worm. He used the Unshaken Daoist Manual to hide his killing intent as he slowly approached its abdomen with the dagger. Then, he used the Star Shattering Imprint, stabbing forward!
Clang!
The dagger was blocked by the monster’s armor again!
Yun Jianyue cried out in alarm, “No, it failed again!”
Yan Xuehen was even more discouraged. According to what Yun Jianyue had said, this was already the last time. They could only try again the next day. But the mother worm would already recover by then! If it hid underground again and went on guard, they might not have another chance to ambush it.
“Zu An, come back!” Yan Xuehen cried out in alarm. At that moment, the best plan was to leave the mines first. Once they recovered, they would try again, and possibly ask for help from other powerful humans.
Of course, she knew that if they did that, these worms would already proliferate like crazy. The surrounding Cloudcenter civilians might end up in trouble then
Yun Jianyue was shocked when she saw Yan Xuehen fly over to help, thinking, Doesn’t this stone cold woman usually strongly dislike Zu An? Why does she seem to care more about him than me now? However, she didn’t dare to hesitate either, also rushing forth to help Zu An.
Yu Yanluo didn’t blindly charge forward. She knew she was at a disadvantage in terms of cultivation compared to them. If she went there, Zu An might be distracted by having to take care of her too. As such, she simply used her painting brush to a.s.sist them from a distance.
The Scaled Deathworm sensed the attack and was instantly enraged. This human ant had challenged it again and again! And he had actually disturbed it at such a time, no less. Absolutely preposterous!
You have successfully trolled the Scaled Deathworm for +999 +999 +999…
Its normally large and ponderous body twisted around, then swept at Zu An like a whip of lightning.
Zu An felt as if a fire truck had rammed into him. It was as if all of the bones in his body were about to break apart.
The rational choice would be to use the recoil force to quickly leave the place and reconsider the situation. However, he felt that this was a really precious opportunity that had been created after much difficulty, and it might not reappear again.
Even though he was no Mother Teresa, he was a flesh and blood human. He still felt that he had some responsibility when he thought about how all of Cloudcenter Commandery would become overrun by the worms and be left in absolute chaos.
He clenched his teeth and forcefully endured his injuries. He activated Grandgale, instantly appearing in front of the mother worm and stabbing outward with the Poisonous p.r.i.c.k again.
Because of the huge disparity between them, even with his speed, he wouldn’t be able to hit it. That was why he used the Star Shattering Imprint again! Only if his speed and power were increased tenfold would he be able to hit the monster.
As long as it could create even the tiniest of injuries on the mother worm, it would be a success!
Pfft!
Failed again? What kind of blasted RNG is this?! Zu An thought. He was about to curse out loud! He was going to grab Yun Jianyue and give her a good spanking the first chance he had in the future!
But he probably wouldn’t have another chance, because the mother worm had already opened its large, sinister mouth and was about to bite down again.
Zu An had just used up all of his strength. Furthermore, because he had forcefully used the Star Shattering Imprint again above the daily use limit, all of the meridians within his body were being ripped apart. He didn’t have a chance of evading the attack at all.
Suddenly, a lantern flew above him, casting a yellow radiance. It was the Empress Lantern!
The mother worm’s body froze for a moment under its light. However, it resumed moving a second later.
The Empress Lantern grew dim, falling to the ground. Yun Jianyue’s entire body trembled, and she coughed out a mouthful of blood. If not for the buffs Yu Yanluo had given her, she might not even have been able to use the Empress Lantern in her current state.
But even so, forcefully using the lantern still wasn’t enough to truly stop the mother worm.
Fortunately, Yan Xuehen had already arrived at Zu An’s side. One hand wrapped around his waist, while the other held a sword, thrusting it toward the sky. She used the Snowflake Sword!
A layer of frost quickly appeared all over the mother worm. Yan Xuehen took the chance to kick off the ground in an attempt to bring Zu An away.
But the mother worm only slowed down for a split second.It shook off the frost covering its body, firing a blast of black light outward.
Yan Xuehen groaned, coughing out a mouthful of blood. She had been hit in the back and could no longer continue flying. She dropped out of the sky carrying Zu An.
Fortunately, Zu An had already caught his breath, and he caught her instead. If it were any other time, he wouldn’t mind staring into her eyes as they slowly spiraled down through the air like in the movies. However, he knew that at that moment, they no longer had any chance of getting away.
Right at that moment, the aura of a primal beast filled the entire place!
Zu An and Yan Xuehen were both alarmed. They were both extremely familiar with that aura. It was the pressure released by the Medusa’s Eye when Yu Yanluo used it with all her strength!
Yu Yanluo slowly rose into the air. Her long hair fluttered around wildly, and the vague sound of snakes hissing even filled the air. Her eyes were becoming a light brown color, the color of mother earth!
Has she gone mad?!
Yu Yanluo had already used the technique several times before, so she was already seriously injured. If she used it again without holding back at all, no matter what happened afterward, her life would probably be over.
Yan Xuehen was horrified. Even a fiend race individual could be so loyal and true? She obviously knew that Yu Yanluo was doing it because of Zu An. However, the fact that Yu Yanluo was saving her too was an undeniable fact.
Yan Xuehen had always been after Yu Yanluo’s life, and yet now, she was the one being saved. Just how ironic was that?
The mother worm’s skin was beginning to be petrified. However, Yu Yanluo had already reached her limit, and she fell from the air. Soon afterward, the mother worm went berserk, releasing a wave of terrifying force. The petrification began to disappear.
Zu An didn’t pay Yu Yanluo any attention, nor did he have time to catch her. There was only one thing on his mind at that moment: He needed to kill the mother worm! Only then would they have a chance at survival.
He didn’t waste the moment Yu Yanluo had bought him. He quickly appeared next to the mother worm.
Star Shattering Imprint! Activate!
“You’ll die!” Yun Jianyue on the ground cried out in horror when she saw that. She could only use it three times, and yet how many times had Zu An used it already? Even if he succeeded, his body would break down completely! He was clearly doing so because he planned to sacrifice himself to save them.
She was a glorious Devil Sect Master, a demoness who left the entire world in fear and awe. Ever since she was five, she had never cried once. Yet now, her eyes were blurry from tears.
?