Translator: CinderTL
The world fell silent, and a cold, indifferent voice echoed through the heavens.
The massive, brown Winged Serpent, which had been dead, levitated into the air. Flesh buds sprouted from its pierced body, rapidly regenerating.
It resembled an eerie resurrection, but closer inspection revealed its Serpent Eyes were abnormally black, and its entire body was covered in a crimson glow.
"This... is the Winged Serpent King!!"
A Serpentfolk's voice trembled as they finally realized what was happening.
Even Sage Barbone, who had been holding Kali at bay, widened his eyes before erupting into excited laughter.
"It's the Winged Serpent King!"
"Hahaha, an angel has descended! You vile creatures are doomed!"
His tone was filled with smug satisfaction and unwavering certainty. His aura surged again, driving the black spear forward with renewed force.
Boom!!
Dark light pierced the air, tearing through everything in its path.
At the critical moment, a massive vine burst from the earth, shielding Kali from the deadly assault.
"The Winged Serpent King..."
Her expression turned grave. Cracks spread across the vine before her, and the silver dagger in her hand had completely dulled, reverting to its ordinary appearance.
The other Holy City warriors also snapped out of their daze. Their movements, which had been aimed at continuing their slaughter of the Serpentfolk, faltered as their eyes widened in shock.
The Winged Serpent King—a true angel-level being.
How could it have suddenly revived and descended when rumors had long claimed it vanished from the Serpent Spirit Continent, surpassing even the ranks of the saints and the lower orders?
Doubtful thoughts surged through everyone's minds. Molly, who had been wielding her curved blade to slay a Serpentfolk, paused, her expression turning grave as she urgently scanned the distance.
"Master Feng Chen..."
The spinning Small Stone Statue landed on her shoulder. Watching the azure-black figure confronting the massive Winged Serpent, worry filled her face.
All eyes converged on Chen Feng as he descended slowly from mid-air, frowning at the brown Winged Serpent hovering over the lake.
"Is it you?"
He had been puzzled at first, but soon recalled the Serpent Spirit Sect's nest he had destroyed in the Luohe River suburbs of Earth.
At the time, the Church members had been sacrificing to the Winged Serpent King.
He had even exchanged blows with it in the real world, seizing a significant amount of Serpent Spirit Power in the process.
"Daring to steal my power..."
"Insignificant human, you are bolder than many of the weaklings I have encountered."
The Winged Serpent did not speak, yet its voice echoed in their minds.
Then, with a whoosh, the massive Winged Serpent vanished from its spot, leaping into the sky and appearing before them.
Its black Serpent Eyes were filled with cold, savage fury. Its blood-red maw snapped open, blotting out all light and plunging the world into darkness.
Faintly, corrosive liquid could be seen dripping from its fangs, capable of delivering a fatal strike.
At the same time, a powerful pressure emanated from the Winged Serpent, as if it were a being from another plane of existence. It instantly sealed off the entire space, pinning Chen Feng in place, making evasion impossible.
The people of the Holy City watched in horror from afar, Sage Barbone's grin growing increasingly savage and triumphant.
Finally, the Heavenly Pillar's fist descended from the heavens, tearing through all light and shattering the spatial seal.
Boom!!!
White energy exploded, and a violent storm erupted.
The massive Winged Serpent was visible plummeting through the air before crashing into the ground.
With a thunderous roar, a hundred-meter-deep crater appeared, spiderweb cracks spreading across the landscape.
The storm's shockwave swept through layers of forests and green fields, shattering massive boulders into dust. The faces of those watching froze in shock.
Whoosh!
Stone wings beat, and the Holy Shield Colossus materialized beside Chen Feng.
Its immense power was completely unrestrained, a diamond-shaped crystal beneath its crown reflecting a ray of heavenly light.
Roar!!
From the depths of the crater, the Winged Serpent roared in fury. Its murderous intent coalesced into tangible blood-red beams that shot skyward.
These attacks resembled the barrier chains from before, but were far more potent, like a swarm of pythons biting down. Each beam was seven or eight meters wide.
The Winged Serpent's aura had nearly surpassed the Sixth-Tier level. Yet, facing this onslaught, Chen Feng remained calm. The Holy Shield Colossus before him suddenly transformed.
"Mo!!"
The war cry echoed through the world as golden light shot into the heavens and plunged into the earth!
The white-gray body rapidly expanded, transforming in an instant into a colossal fifteen-meter-tall giant that towered over the world.
Blood-red beams struck its body, causing muffled explosions that shook the ground and pierced the eardrums of those watching from afar.
During the onslaught, some of the blood-red beams merged, forming a massive crimson Winged Serpent that coiled around the Holy Shield Colossus.
Its gaping maw opened wide, poised to devour the colossus from its crown down.
But...
Clack!
A massive stone-carved hand seized the serpent's head, while another arm reached out to grasp its lower jaw.
Crack, crack, crack, crack!
The serpent's body, which had been constricting the colossus, was torn apart by brute force.
The crimson serpent's head was held firmly between the colossus's white-gray hands. Then, the Holy Shield Colossus unleashed its power, savagely tearing the serpent apart.
Boom!!
A muffled explosion erupted as blood-red light burst forth.
Golden light then enveloped the Holy Shield Colossus, and its stone wings transformed into golden slashes.
Pfft!!
A massive crimson Winged Serpent that had lunged from the ground was severed at the waist and shattered into Spirit Light.
This scene caused Sage Barbone in the distance to widen his Serpent Eyes. Chen Feng, his expression still indifferent, remained suspended in mid-air, watching the Winged Serpent coiled at the bottom of the deep pit.
"Kill it."
A low, resonant voice echoed.
Boom!
The Holy Shield Colossus stomped its foot.
The forest trembled, and those watching from afar staggered.
Dust billowed, trees exploded, and a golden fist erupted from the sky, its radiant brilliance crashing down.
Dong!
A crimson shield materialized on the Winged Serpent's body, remarkably similar in appearance to the barrier's power it had used before.
Ripples surged outward, and the resulting shockwave transformed hundreds of meters of lush forest into barren wasteland, plowing the earth several meters deep.
Gold and crimson clashed again, two opposing forces—sacred and sinister—locked in a fierce struggle.
The ripples intensified, and finally, the Holy Shield Colossus's Golden Stone Wings fluttered. Its left fist, coiled at its waist, shot forward.
Boom!
Crack!
A piercing sound echoed as a crack appeared in the crimson shield.
All the Serpentfolk watching paled. Then, the shield shattered, and the comet-like fist, unimpeded, slammed into the Winged Serpent's head.
Thump!!!
The Winged Serpent's massive body crashed to the ground, deepening the crater beneath it.
Amidst the swirling air currents, a fountain of blood erupted from its shattered head, spraying in all directions.
The crimson light of its blood essence rapidly faded, as if a phantom Winged Serpent was being drawn from its body.
Its Serpent Eyes, filled with rage and murderous intent, glared at Chen Feng from mid-air, as if trying to burn his image into its very bones.
Finally, the golden crown atop the Holy Shield Colossus's head erupted in a beam of light that pierced the heavens. With a swift turn, its Golden Stone Wings slashed upward at an angle.
The clouds in the sky were cleaved in two, leaving a white trail of shattered air in their wake.
The furious crimson phantom of the Winged Serpent gradually vanished. The people of the Holy City exhaled in relief, finally feeling the oppressive pressure that had blanketed the area slowly dissipate.
In stark contrast, the Serpentfolk remained stunned, their faces frozen in shock and horror.
They couldn't believe it, couldn't accept it.
Their revered angel, the Winged Serpent King, had been defeated?
"Kill them!!!"
But they were given no time to recover.
The Holy City's elite warriors roared their battle cry, led by Olon, a Fifth-Tier commander, as they charged into the heart of the Serpent-folk Camp.
Molly's face lit with relief. She followed, wielding her curved blade, and joined the assault.
In the blink of an eye, blood erupted again as Serpentfolk corpses fell one after another.
The brown earth was stained crimson, and Sage Barbone, who had barely reacted in the distance, could no longer afford to dwell on grudges or hatred.
Whoosh!
His figure blurred, leaving behind a phantom as he fled without looking back, charging toward the edge of the Green Forest.
Sensing his escape, Kali in midair narrowed her eyes, the floral patterns on her face flickering faintly.
Buzz!
A burst of green light erupted, striking the ground.
The earth trembled as vines and trees sprouted forth.
Amidst the flying soil, a massive wooden giant quickly materialized, blocking Barbone's path.
"Get out of my way!"
Sage Barbone roared, already transformed into a hulking, Giant Lizard-like form.
The black javelin in his hand flickered with runes of dark light as it pierced through the wooden giant's chest, tearing a gaping hole.
He accelerated, preparing to leap over the obstacle and break through the barrier.
But...
Buzz!
A strand of crimson light ignited in the corner of his Serpent Eyes, and the heavy azure-black shoulder armor seemed to symbolize the limit of some ultimate power.
Pfft!
The serpent's head flew into the air, blood gushing forth.
Sage Barbone stared in disbelief as his headless body, propelled by inertia, continued to lunge forward before crashing into a ground pit.
The Azure-Black Figure, filled with hatred, had materialized nearby at some unknown moment, his golden broadsword still held in a horizontal slashing pose.
Drip!
Drip!
Drops of blood dripped from the sword's tip. Barbone finally regained his senses, his final thought lingering in his mind.
I... actually died?
Thud!
The serpent's head landed on the ground, a fleeting Black Flash completely obliterating all life.
Black scales and flesh turned to ash. Chen Feng retracted his gaze and turned toward the Serpent-folk Camp behind him.
Wooden huts exploded, beams and pillars collapsing.
The last Serpentfolk warrior had his serpent head severed by the broadsword, his body falling to the ground.
Whoosh!
The Small Stone Statue, its wings of white ash fluttering, flew over.
Through their mental link, Chen Feng could sense its joy as it circled him repeatedly.
"You did well, little one," he said, gently stroking its small head. He knew that it was thanks to the statue's help in relaying messages and forging an alliance with the Holy City that this victory had been possible.
Footsteps echoed nearby.
Molly and the others, having finished their battle, walked over.
"Lord Feng Chen!" Molly greeted respectfully, her eyes filled with deep reverence.
Olon and the others had also quickly cleared the battlefield and approached.
Seeing the slain Sage Barbone and the giant stone statue soaring through the sky to retrieve the Obsidian javelin and great axe like a prize collector, their faces still bore traces of shock. Their gazes met with a mixture of awe and disbelief.
Lord Feng Chen was already incredibly strong, capable of holding his own against a Saint before. But why did it feel like he had grown even stronger?
As this thought crossed their minds, a gentle breeze stirred. Looking up, they saw a massive Flying Eagle with brown feathers flapping its wings as it slowly descended.
"Thank you," Chen Feng said, addressing Kali, who was perched on the eagle's back, clad in green vine armor and a white cloak. He knew that without the Holy City's agreement to cooperate and use the power of the Holy Sword, they might not have been able to break the barrier.
"You're too polite, Lord Feng Chen," Kali replied calmly. She glanced at him briefly before turning her gaze to the giant stone statue, which had shrunk in size and landed in the Green Forest.
A flicker of doubt crossed her eyes. Kali, with her heightened sensitivity, could clearly sense the life force of both Chen Feng and the stone statue surging once more.
The stone statue, in particular, had already surpassed Adams and was rapidly approaching the legendary level of an angel.
Such rapid growth made her wonder if there truly existed some special method for accelerated advancement within the Star Realm.
"Having slain two Saints, the Serpent God Temple will surely not let this go easily," Kali said, suppressing her suspicions. "Would you be willing to accompany me to the Holy City?"
Chen Feng didn't refuse. He still remembered his deal with the Holy City: complete three tasks or help them slay a Serpentfolk Saint to receive the second half of the Sacred Flame Awakening Method.
Such a precious technique would undoubtedly be preserved within the Holy City, and he had no objection to returning.
"Then I'll trouble you to lead the way," he replied, nodding.
After a simple cleanup of the battlefield, the group didn't linger. They soon departed.
The Holy City's members rode on giant Flying Eagles, while Chen Feng stood alone atop the Holy Shield Colossus's shoulder, keeping pace with the group. He walked alongside Kali at the front.
During this time, he withdrew his Perception that had enveloped the area.
Whether it was an illusion or not, after the Winged Serpent King's power dissipated, he distinctly felt the rejection and marking he had experienced in the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm intensify.
It was as if a thick wave of malice, spanning vast distances, had locked onto him, determined to achieve its goal at any cost.
"A Sixth-Tier existence?"
Chen Feng's eyes flickered with speculation.
He didn't dwell on this further, instead quietly absorbing the spoils of war brought by the Holy Shield Colossus.
Notifications of Metal Essence flooded his mind, and his Steel Bones progress ticked up slightly.
[Steel Bones LV5: 63/100]
"As expected."
"Obsidian is becoming less effective for me."
He shook his head inwardly, but there was no disappointment.
This journey had yielded other rewards.
Carefully sensing the mark of the Heart of Life on his chest, he found it filled with a warm, nourishing energy.
The essence of two Saints' lives.
Not only did it replenish the energy he had expended in Yun Port, but it also pushed him to the brink of his talent's storage capacity.
It was an exceptionally grounding sensation. Though his Physical Body hadn't undergone any other changes, he felt incredibly fulfilled, his confidence bolstered.
Moreover, there was something else.
[Heart of Glory LV5: 20/100]
A new prompt appeared on his panel. Even though the Holy Shield Colossus hadn't fully completed its second transformation, the accumulation of Glory Points hadn't been affected.
Ordinary Sixth-Tier beings were too far beneath the Holy Shield Colossus to provide much Glory, but this time, thanks to the Winged Serpent King, he had gained a significant amount.
Furthermore...
His gaze drifted downward to the final panel prompt:
[Azure Armor LV7: 1/100]
The Azure Armor Talent had leveled up again, and related information flooded his mind.
He felt an urge to test it immediately, but glanced at Kali and the others from the Holy City flying in the air nearby.
He suppressed the impulse and looked down at the desert and oasis below.
He could wait until they reached the Holy City.
(End of the Chapter)
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