An Alchemist's Path to Eternity-Chapter 634: The Burrowing Earth Dragon; The Four's True Strength (II)

Chapter 634: The Burrowing Earth Dragon; The Four's True Strength (II)
Ding dong!
At that very moment, another sharp flute note rang through the air. The beast froze again. Fu Jiusheng extended his hand, and the flying sword he'd apparently lost came plummeting down, piercing into the beast's abdomen, right where its core was.
Puff!
A wet popping sound followed. With that strike, the Burrowing Earth Dragon lost all strength to resist. Its enormous body went slack, collapsing limply upon the ground. The silk tightened one final time, until at last it devoured the beast completely, leaving behind nothing but a pale white skeleton.
Again, she had used that same move! Everyone turned to look at Yousha, their faces tinged with wariness.
Yousha only smiled faintly. "This isn't some devil-path method. It is merely a variation of the Water-Absorbing Dragon Transformation. Surely, you wouldn't me to the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect for it, would you?"
Water-Absorbing Dragon Transformation? Who would believe that!
He Lianyun thought grimly. With a flick of his hand, the streak of black light he had unleashed earlier returned swiftly to his grasp.
From afar, Luo Chen finally caught a clear glimpse of what that streak of black light truly was. It had appeared only for an instant before He Lianyun slipped it into his storage pouch, yet that brief moment was enough for Luo Chen to recognize it for what it was. The familiar craftsmanship was unmistakable.
A Soul-Breaking Nail!
For a moment, Luo Chen felt a jolt of shock. Back when he had been weak, he had obtained a pair of Soul-Breaking Nails, and he still kept them in his storage pouch. However, that pair had been terribly flawed. They could be launched but not recalled, and the inscribed formation was overly simple, meant only for piercing. They were called Soul-Breaking, but in truth, they were little more than armor-piercing nails.
He Lianyun's display just now showed effortless control, releasing and recalling at will. That was unmistakably a genuine Soul-Breaking Nail, and a low-grade enchanted treasure at that. Its armor-piercing power was a far cry from Luo Chen's old weapons, and even the innate scales of a late-stage second-tier earth-element beast could not withstand it for a heartbeat.
I wonder, would my third-tier Archaic physique and blood-qi armor hold up against such a treasure?
Before he knew it, Luo Chen had begun to grow wary of He Lianyun. While Luo Chen pondered, He Lianyun put away the enchanted treasure without claiming credit and instead offered praise to Fu Jiusheng.
"This beast almost reached the third tier, and it was no slouch," He Lianyun said with an easy smile. "Even after my strike, its life force still let it struggle on the brink of death. If not for you, Fellow Daoist, piercing its demon core with your sword, we might have had a real mess on our hands."
Fu Jiusheng waved it off. "It had little to do with me. The credit belongs mostly to Fellow Daoist Xiao, who rattled its spirit, and to Lady Yousha, who held it down. Only thanks to them could I land a clean strike."
Instant kill. It truly had been an instant kill. Although this was the first time the group had fought together, their coordination was unexpectedly smooth. They had first bewildered the Burrowing Earth Dragon with the flute's resonance, then Fu Jiusheng had sealed its escape route, and after that the three had struck in unison to bind and attack.
It sounds long in the telling, but the entire battle lasted no more than one or two breaths. When cultivators fought opponents of equal power, a kill might be possible, but an instant kill was exceedingly rare. That was especially true of demonic beasts, which were said to be dull of wit yet monstrous when it came to life force. For a first joint effort, such a result truly pleased them.
Fu Jiusheng looked at the pile of bones and shook his head as he said, "What a pity. Burrowing Earth Dragons have a fine reputation as treasure hunters. They sure hold grudges, but precisely for that reason, once they are tamed, they are extremely loyal. If we'd subdued this one, its Earth Escape could have found us more heavenly materials than we could count."
"A treasure hunter of this size?" He Lianyun asked with a faint smile. "Fellow Daoist Fu, surely you are joking."
"
Hehe
," Fu Jiusheng chuckled.
While they chatted, Luo Chen approached quietly. The previously quiet Hermit Xiao spoke up, "Rumor had it that Fellow Daoist Dan Chenzi had slain late Foundation Establishment grand cultivators in an instant more than once. Even Zheng Xian at Perfected Mastery of the Foundation Establishment Realm could not withstand a single exchange from you.  We four joined forces merely to slay a dull-witted late second-tier beast. Compared to that, I fear we must look like fools in your eyes."
Luo Chen frowned slightly as he sensed a shift in the mood. Moments ago, they had smiled and shared credit with easy grace. Yet each praise had been aimed at someone else. In the end, the merit had been placed upon Hermit Xiao.
The more one stood out, the more one invited suspicion. Hermit Xiao clearly understood that, so he casually brought up Luo Chen's past feats. It felt as if he were saying
"Do not focus on me; focus on Luo Chen. He is the formidable one."
With that prompt, the other three turned their gazes, whether deliberately or not, toward Luo Chen. Luo Chen gave a light laugh, glanced down at the ground, and said nothing in reply.
"Let us move on," he said evenly. "If we delay any longer, nearby beasts might be drawn here by the noise."
His refusal to deny or accept only left the others awkward and ill at ease. The group could do nothing but continue their journey.
Guarded at the center by the four, Luo Chen sneered inwardly. From the moment this team had formed, their hearts had never been united. Even if not everyone harbored ill intent, there was certainly someone who did.
If the attempt failed, so be it. But if they truly succeeded in refining the Nether Origin Pill, that would be when the real conflict began.
So be it,
Luo Chen thought. If they parted on good terms, he would uphold his principles and share a few of the Nether Origin Pills. But if anyone dared set their sights on him, then they could not blame him for being ruthless.
***
After the sudden encounter with the flock of snow owls and the Burrowing Earth Dragon, the road ahead proved far from peaceful. The "safe route" Fu Jiusheng had spoken of was filled with unforeseen dangers. From time to time, roaming demonic beasts would appear along their path. Once, they even came across a third-tier Ice Spike Lion blocking the road. They were forced to take a detour, wasting two additional days. And by the time they finally reached their destination, two full months had passed.
Atop a high mountain, five figures cloaked in white crouched behind boulders, peering down into the valley below.
"Ten Thousand Pythons Grotto? I'd say Ten Thousand Pythons Valley sounds more fitting," Yousha murmured.
Within the valley surrounded by mountains, countless Snow Pythons coiled upon one another. Each was marked with strange black rings that stood out sharply against its snowy scales. The sight of these snakes, white as frost yet bound by bands of shadow, was enough to make one's scalp prickle.
Hearing Yousha's remark, Fu Jiusheng explained softly, "The Ringed Snow Pythons in the valley are merely low-tier demonic beasts. The true Seven-Ring Snow Python dwells below, deep within the earth. The snakes' constant burrowing has formed a vast and tangled network of tunnels, and that is where our destination lies. Everyone, follow me."
With that, he turned to leave. Yet instead of heading into the snowy valley, he moved in the opposite direction, away from it. The others exchanged uncertain glances at the sight, but none dared linger. Without a word, they quickened their pace and followed closely behind.