Demons and monsters wreak havoc: gain one new confidante every day.

"Shen You, let's go!"

Hong Xiugu carried Liu Gongbai on her back and shouted to Shen You from afar.

Given the current situation, the demon has already been captured by Liu Gongbai at great personal risk, so they don't need to do anything else. As long as they take Liu Gongbai and leave this place alive, their mission will be accomplished.

Shen You used all his strength to unleash the "Gecko's Swimming Steps," and was drenched in sweat under the onslaught of the third-grade demon snake. Upon hearing this, he was overjoyed and hurriedly retreated towards Hong Xiugu while fighting.

With Hong Xiugu taking care of Liu Gongbai, who was injured, and Tian Yier dealing with Bi Lin Langjun on the other side, Shen You felt that he could finally breathe a sigh of relief. As long as he could continue to hold off the third-grade demon snake before everyone left, today would be a success.

—That was Shen You's original thought.

But as he fought and retreated, something felt off.

To be precise, ever since he started fighting the third-grade demon snake, he felt that everything was strange.

"Why...why doesn't this battle give me that burning sensation I usually feel? Why doesn't it feel like my body and will are being burned in a furnace? Why isn't my blood pumping, my heart racing, or that feeling of being alive?"

Shen You actually loves fighting.

He loves the feeling of pushing himself to the limit, then forcing his body to unleash its potential in seemingly impossible situations, and then turning defeat into victory.

But now... why don't I feel that way anymore?

Shen You continued to retreat, when suddenly her gaze fell upon Liu Gongbai's figure, who was almost on the verge of death.

Although the battle between Liu Gongbai and Bilin Langjun was short, he had given it his all. Even though he had been seriously injured once, he still mustered his last strength to engage in a final exchange of blows with Bilin Langjun. Both of them were even more broken and fragmented. In the last moment, he risked his own life to completely cut off Bilin Langjun's hope of escape.

That's what real fighting is all about!

Shen You's heart began to pound.

At that moment, he was slightly distracted and did not notice that another gust of wind was descending from above.

"Brother Shen, watch out!"

Suddenly, Tian Yi'er rushed out from the side, knocking Shen You away. He then crossed his arms to block a giant tail lash from above, spitting out blood as he was sent flying.

"Oda!"

Shen You was startled and looked up again.

In addition to the third-rank snake demon that he had been entangled with, another snake demon swam up from above. This snake demon was huge and was also a third-rank!

Two third-grade demonic snakes?

Shen You cursed inwardly, "Are Rank 3 items here free?"

"Run! Run!"

The situation was critical, and Shen You didn't have time to think about why Tian Yi'er had suddenly run over. She waved for him to leave quickly.

Tian Yi'er gritted her teeth, got up from the ground, shook her head, and said, "Brother Shen, I won't run away. I want to fight alongside you!"

"Are you stupid?!" Shen You couldn't help but yell, "With your mere first-grade cultivation, are you just asking for death here?!"

Tian Yi'er's face showed a pained yet resolute expression: "I know I'm only at the first rank, too weak... but I already often run away when facing humans. Now, facing demonic beasts, if I run away again, when will I ever be able to muster the courage?"

"You cower before second-rank villains, but you unleash your full power against third-rank demonic beasts, is that it?" Shen You shouted angrily. "Why don't you try this with a second-rank demonic beast?"

"Brother Shen," Tian Yi'er shook her head, looking at him earnestly, "A second-grade demonic beast isn't difficult for me... Besides, Brother Shen, you need me right now, don't you?"

He said no more, closed his eyes slightly, and dazzling light shone from his body.

"White Ape Strength", "Mysterious Jade Hand", "Cloud Crane Skill"... He didn't learn much, but he was very solid in each one and had a deep understanding of them. At this moment, two illusory figures of ape and crane lit up on his body, covering his palms which looked like mysterious jade, and he looked quite imposing.

boom!

A third-rank snake demon swept its tail at him from the front. He slipped and, with his Xuan Yu palms and the Ape-Crane Dual Form, fearlessly met the attack.

In an instant, his stance collapsed, and he was knocked away.

But at that moment, the white ape and cloud crane on his body also lit up.

His body flipped in mid-air like a nimble ape, or like a crane spreading its wings, suddenly defying the laws of physics, gliding and rushing towards the snake demon in the opposite direction.

This sudden change brought out the agility of the white ape and the lightness of the cloud crane to the extreme. Even after being repelled, he instantly appeared in front of the demon snake, and his pair of black jade hands thrust forward fiercely, mercilessly piercing into the demon snake's two scarlet snake eyes.

sizzle~~

The serpent's body twisted and turned, letting out a deafening roar.

Tian Yi'er pulled her arm out of the snake's eye, bringing with it a large amount of sticky fluid, before being flung away.

With his first-grade cultivation level, he actually managed to severely injure a third-grade demonic snake. This achievement is truly remarkable!

He fell to the ground, spitting out several mouthfuls of blood, but still struggled to get up.

"That's enough!"

Shen You snorted coldly, gritted her teeth, and stood in front of Tian Yi'er.

"Brother Shen?"

Tian Yi'er looked up in surprise, sensing that something seemed different about Shen You.

Shen You reached out and grabbed Tian Yi'er by the collar, saying fiercely to him:

"You've done a great job, you've been very brave, you know?"

"So, leave the rest to me..."

"I finally know what's wrong!"

With a burst of strength, Shen You lifted Tian Yi'er up and threw her out.

Tian Yi'er landed beside Hong Xiugu, who shouted, "Shen You, come back quickly!"

"Turn around!"

Shen You cursed loudly, gripped his broadsword, and turned to face the demonic snake before him.

Two third-grade demonic snakes, one of which was severely injured and was going berserk.

But... so what?

The most strange thing about this is that during the fight, I only thought about escaping and never thought about fighting back.

Even at the first rank, he could comprehend killing intent and "sword aura," and faced opponents far stronger than himself without fear.

Now that he's already at the second rank, and the snake demon in front of him isn't that powerful, why is he still afraid?

Is it because my natural talent has improved?

Do I have more attachments in this world now?

How ridiculous!

If you're not strong enough, you can't protect anything at all, so what's the point of talking about talent and attachments?

"I will not back down! From this moment on, I will not retreat an inch!"

Shen You gritted her teeth and thought fiercely.

This is also the insight that Liu Gongbai and Tian Yier brought him.

"Only those who face formidable enemies without the slightest fear—that is the mark of a true martial artist!"

Shen You felt a familiar killing intent welling up in his heart.

The snake demon before him did not transform into Huang Laogui's old face, but instead appeared as a third-grade snake demon. Every detail of its body was so clear in his eyes, with every fiber visible.

"Run away, you son of a bitch!"

"Slay it!"

"I want to...kill!!"

Killing intent and rage burned fiercely in Shen You's heart.

"Shen You, what are you doing?" Hong Xiugu shouted from behind.

Suddenly, Hong Xiugu opened her eyes wide.

Before Shen You's eyes, giant snakes began to fall from above with a series of thuds.

One, two, three...

Three more demonic snakes have joined the battle!

In an instant, five demonic snakes surrounded Shen You.

Shen You remained unmoved as he faced the five Rank 3 demonic snakes, his eyes burning with intense heat, and he did not retreat an inch!

"Shen You..." Hong Xiugu said blankly.

"kill--!!!"

This time, Shen You actually roared in anger.

He gripped the broadsword with both hands, raised it high above his head, and a crimson light, like a streak of blood, emanated from the broadsword, stretching for four or five zhang.

His body surged with energy, and the phantom images of golden snakes and geckos shimmered on his hands and feet.

His entire being seemed to condense into a single beam of energy, pouring it unreservedly into the crimson light emanating from the blade.

The next moment, he stepped forward, and the crimson serpent swept forward like a wave sweeping across life, slashing horizontally!

The giant snake roared, and blood splattered.

With a single slash, Shen You severed the heads of two third-grade demon snakes.

"Oh no!" Hong Xiugu suddenly exclaimed.

Although Shen You used all his skills to kill two demon snakes, there are still three more demon snakes behind him. How will Shen You deal with them now?

Hong Xiugu gritted her teeth, almost ready to rush forward without regard for her own safety.

But at that moment, she saw a gecko phantom light up on Shen You's tailbone.

A dazzling light surged from behind him, re-infusing into his blade and forming a second crimson glow.

This is the "Scorpion Tail Swing," a deadly move from the "Scorpion Kung Fu."

Shen You channeled this hidden burst of power into his blade, forming the second strike of the Crimson Serpent.

The scorpion's tail wag is a move designed to turn defeat into victory!

He took this characteristic to its extreme!

The three demonic snakes were about to charge forward.

Shen You swung his greatsword back, unleashing a second strike that flashed with blood-red light!

This streak of blood-red light, along with the previous streak, left intersecting marks in the air.

This attack directly killed three Rank 3 demonic snakes!

As the intertwined crimson light dissipated, Shen You watched as the five snake heads, spitting blood, flew into the air, finally revealing a satisfied smile.

Having given his all, he finally unleashed a move that satisfied him.

He named these two intersecting strikes—

Crimson Cross Slash!