Reborn as a lotus, she initially refuses to hand it over to the state.

The mountain range trembled more and more violently.

Deep within the mountain, crimson cracks spread across the ridges, spewing out blood mist, instantly making the already oppressive sky even more gloomy.

On the battlefield in Nanjiang City.

Zhou Zhenshan had just repelled the Crimson Scale Python and was preparing to kill it when he heard the commotion. He looked towards Crimson Cloud Ridge, and his expression instantly became serious.

At the very moment the unexpected change occurred.

Suddenly, a grayish-white light shone from the deepest part of Crimson Cloud Ridge.

boom!

The entire Crimson Cloud Ridge trembled once again.

The next moment, a huge phantom stone tablet emerged from the depths of the blood mist.

The stone tablet was dilapidated and covered with cracks.

But the moment it appeared, the blood mist that was originally churning wildly was actually forced back by a portion of it.

Everyone was stunned.

Lu Cang stared at the illusory image of the stone tablet, his voice strained: "What is that?"

Zhang Xuanling stared intently at the stone tablet, his eyes filled with shock: "If I'm not mistaken, that should be the seal that suppresses the Blood Nest. The Blood Nest wants to break the seal, so this is a violation of the seal."

"This might be an ancient stele left behind by our human race. That thing below Crimson Cloud Ridge was suppressed here long ago."

Lu Cang's scalp tingled: "You mean, this thing already existed before the spiritual energy recovered?"

Zhang Xuanling paused for a moment before speaking, "I'm afraid so."

Upon hearing this, all the members of the Ninth Bureau fell silent. They had always believed that these monsters only appeared after the spiritual energy had recovered.

But now it seems that things are far more complicated than they thought.

Some things may have existed for a very long time.

They had been sealed away for a long time, and the revival of spiritual energy only made these things stir again.

On the Blood Nest side of Crimson Cloud Ridge, the crimson fleshy embryo was still pulsating, and the illusory stone tablet emitted light, constantly suppressing the crimson fleshy embryo.

Under its suppression, on the other side, the blood patterns on the Crimson Scale Python's body began to flow backward, and all the blood evil power was converging towards the core of the snake's body.

Its body swelled to an extremely exaggerated degree, with large patches of scales cracking open.

Blood flames erupted from his body, and when they landed on the ground, they immediately corroded deep pits.

Seeing this, Lu Cang and Zhang Xuanling could easily tell that the Crimson Scale Python was choosing to self-destruct, as the effects of a fifth-tier beast's self-destruction were extremely severe.

Lu Cang and the others had no intention of gambling. His expression changed instantly, and he ordered the awakened ones and soldiers to lead the crowd to continue their evacuation.

Over here, Su Wan, holding Lin Qingxue with one hand and supporting Chen Xueli with the other, said, "Don't look back, let's go!"

Lin Qingxue knew that this was not a place for her to stay, so she did not hesitate and quickly left the battlefield with Su Wan and the others.

"Director Zhou, aren't you going to retreat immediately?"

When Lu Cang saw that Zhou Zhenshan had not left, his expression changed. Zhou Zhenshan remained calm and said, "If I retreat, what will happen to the people of Nanjiang City behind me? This beast wants to self-destruct, and I will not allow it."

Upon hearing Zhou Zhenshan's words...

Lu Cang's expression changed. He knew exactly what Zhou Zhenshan wanted to do. Upon hearing this, Grandmaster Chen Wuji laughed loudly: "As expected of Director Zhou, I admire you. Since Director Zhou is willing to risk his life to protect the safety of the people of this city, I, Chen Wuji, am naturally no exception."

He stood up abruptly, and an aura instantly erupted from his body, indicating he was at the mid-stage or late-stage of the fourth rank, his body brimming with blood and qi.

In this battle against the fifth-tier beast, the Crimson Scale Python, Chen Wuji not only recovered from his injuries, but also broke through to the late fourth tier right before the battle.

Inside the live stream, the viewers fell silent for a moment, their hearts heavy with sorrow at the sheer resolve of this death-defying act.

As soon as Chen Wuji finished speaking, he took a step forward.

When Chen Xueli saw her grandfather Chen Wuji about to make a move, her expression changed drastically, and she cried out, "Grandpa!"

Chen Wuji didn't turn around, but waved his hand and said, "Girl, don't cry, I'm not dead yet."

Zhou Zhenshan glanced at him: "Mr. Chen, your injuries haven't healed yet."

Chen Wuji grinned and said, "Director Zhou, you're risking your life, how can I lie here? Besides, all I've done in my life is practice, and that's all I've trained for."

"If I don't vent this anger today, I won't be able to die in peace."

Zhou Zhenshan was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright, let's join forces to suppress it today."

The Crimson Scale Python's body was still expanding.

The blood flowed backward faster and faster.

Its enormous serpentine body resembled a blood-red mountain about to explode, with the surrounding ground constantly cracking.

Zhou Zhenshan took a step into the air and pressed his palms down sharply.

boom!

The golden-red blood energy transformed into a huge mark, which descended from the sky and pressed directly onto the Crimson Scaled Python.

The Crimson Scale Python struggled frantically, its massive body smashing through rocks, stubbornly pushing upwards against the golden-red seal.

Zhou Zhenshan's face turned pale. Seeing this, Chen Wuji roared, "You beast, kneel down before me!"

He stomped his feet on the ground and charged to the side of the Crimson Scaled Python.

"Eight Extremes, Sky-Piercing Cannon!"

boom!

Chen Wuji punched the Crimson Scale Python's seven-inch blood-stained crack, but this punch was certainly not enough to kill a fifth-tier python.

But his strike was so precise that the blood patterns that were flowing backward were abruptly halted by the punch.

Zhou Zhenshan seized the opportunity and pressed down with both palms again.

The golden-red seal crashed down.

The massive body of the Crimson Scale Python was forcefully pressed into the ground.

"good!"

The soldier in the distance couldn't help but shout, and the live stream chat exploded with comments.

"Grandmaster Chen has also broken through!"

"A fifth-tier expert and a late-stage fourth-tier expert teaming up to kill the Serpent King—that's so exciting!"

"Grandpa, please don't die! Please don't die!"

However, the Crimson Scale Python was not so easily subdued. After the blood-red eye sank into its brow, the blood evil within its body went completely berserk.

It opened its mouth and spewed out a ball of blood flame, which rushed straight at Chen Wuji.

Zhou Zhenshan's expression changed: "Mr. Chen, step back!"

Chen Wuji wanted to retreat, but his old injuries slowed him down for a moment, and the blood flames were about to engulf him.

Zhou Zhenshan appeared in front of him in one step, raised his hand and punched, dispersing most of the blood flames.

The remaining flames grazed past the two of them, corroding the ground and creating large, deep pits.

Chen Wuji coughed up blood and cursed, "This beast is really tough."

Zhou Zhenshan said in a deep voice, "It can't hold on much longer, let's do it one more time."

Chen Wuji nodded: "Alright, I'll clear the way for you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Wuji charged out again, no longer confronting the Crimson Scale Python head-on.

Instead, he circled around the seven-inch blood pattern, and with each punch, he struck the most unstable part of the blood pattern.

His fists pounded down again and again, tearing the skin on his arms and dripping blood from his knuckles, but Chen Wuji seemed to feel no pain.

"I've practiced boxing my whole life. Today, let's see if your snake scales are harder, or my fists!"

boom!

Another punch struck, finally creating a bloody gash on the Crimson Scale Python's seven-inch mark. Zhou Zhenshan's eyes lit up, and he shouted, "Now!"

The illusory humanoid furnace behind him was completely engulfed in flames.

Qi and blood, spiritual energy, and spirit—these three forces coalesce into one.

In the sky, the golden-red seal became even more solid.

"The Martial Arts Forge, the Mountain-Suppressing Seal!"

A golden-red seal descended from the sky, enveloping the Crimson Scaled Python, which let out a final, frantic roar.

It wanted to self-destruct, but the blood evil flowing backwards within its body was forcibly suppressed by Zhou Zhenshan.

Chen Wuji roared and slammed down with both fists at the same time.

"Cut it for me!"

Crack! The seven-inch blood-red pattern completely split open.

A sliver of clarity returned to the Crimson Scale Python's eyes. It looked at Zhou Zhenshan and said in a hoarse voice, "Don't let it out."

Zhou Zhenshan said in a deep voice, "I know."

The Crimson Scale Python lowered its massive head, using its last shred of consciousness to suppress the bloodlust within its body.

Without further hesitation, Zhou Zhenshan took a step forward and appeared atop the Crimson Scale Python's head.

A golden-red fist intent condensed into a long sword, and it spoke: "This sword will grant you liberation."

As soon as he finished speaking, he slashed at the head of the Crimson Scale Python, and the python's massive head crashed to the ground.

The enormous snake twitched a few times, then finally became completely still.

The fifth-tier demonic python is dead.

The battlefield fell silent for a moment, then cheers erupted from the crowd.