Stung by pain, Jiuxiao grew utterly frenzied as well, tearing into the beast's flesh with no regard for its own injuries.
Its body coiled like a serpent, binding the white lion tightly, and its jaws clamped down savagely on the beast's neck.
With a whip of the dragon head, it ripped away a massive chunk of flesh!
The Scarlet Thunder Suanni struggled with all its might to break free of Jiuxiao's hold, scoring gash after gash across the dragon's body as it hurled itself backward more than a thousand zhang.
Blood sprayed along its path. A huge swathe of flesh had been torn clean from the beast's pristine white ruff, and blood drenched its entire body.
This clash between two great beasts came down to raw physical strength, and their fight was vicious in the extreme, neither yielding an inch!
In a flash, the two great beasts collided again, trading frantic, ferocious blows.
Jiuxiao's breathing was heavy, yet it showed no fear whatsoever before the higher-ranked Scarlet Thunder Suanni.
Though Jiuxiao was clearly weaker in cultivation, it fought on even terms against the wounded beast that had only just broken through.
Suddenly!
Jiuxiao deliberately showed an opening, baiting the Scarlet Thunder Suanni to strike.
*Spurt!*
Sharp claws tore through dragon scales and sank deep into its flesh, but Jiuxiao abruptly coiled around the white lion's waist, constricting its body with crushing force!
Both dragon claws dug savagely into the lion's shoulders, pinning it firmly to the ground.
Icy killing intent gleamed in the dragon's eyes. It lowered its head, gaping its maw wide to gather its most devastating breath of thunder!
Seeing this, the white lion began to struggle desperately. Meng Wanshu darted in, gripping her hilt with both hands and channeling every ounce of her strength into the sword!
*Skreil!*
A resonant sword cry rang out, and terrifying sword light flared across more than a hundred zhang.
The surrounding void was frozen solid in an instant!
A flicker of panicked terror surfaced in the depths of the Scarlet Thunder Suanni's eyes, and the mysterious mark between its brows blazed to life.
Yet at that exact moment, Jiuxiao drove a claw ruthlessly into the creature's forehead, violently tearing away the flesh atop the white lion's head!
The power within the white lion faltered. Desperate resolve flashed in its eyes, and apocalyptic thunderous power erupted from its frame!
Ignoring the rampaging thunderbolts that tore the flesh from her hands, Meng Wanshu slashed her sword down with all her might!
"Clear Cold Grand Nether Slash!"
*Rumble!*
A terrifying, hundred-zhang sword light shattered the lightning and crashed down with overwhelming force.
Jiuxiao pinned the Scarlet Thunder Suanni down tight, bowing its head to blast its dragon breath straight into the beast's skull!
*Boom!*
*Roar!*
A mournful wail tore through the air.
In an instant, tens of thousands of thunderbolts burst outward, turning the area for a hundred li around into a purgatory of lightning.
Jiuxiao hastily coiled Meng Wanshu behind itself, shielding her firmly.
The raging lightning felt like the Scarlet Thunder Suanni's dying scream.
Meng Wanshu's full-powered strike cleaved through most of the creature's head, while Jiuxiao's breath pulverized what remained!
Slumped in the distance, Pengluo grinned at the sight.
"We won."
Then his head lolled to the side, and he passed out cold.
Scales were torn away across Jiuxiao's back, leaving charred, mangled flesh exposed to the air.
By contrast, Meng Wanshu, sheltered behind the dragon, was spared the final blast of lightning.
Jiuxiao's body plunged from the sky, but just as it was about to tumble into the void, a gentle force caught and supported it.
Jiuxiao weakly opened its eyes to look at the woman before it, its heavy panting easing considerably.
Pained by its condition, Meng Wanshu clutched her arm and fed the dragon several healing pills before setting it down.
Jiuxiao was gravely wounded, its aura languid and weak, hardly a patch of its flesh left unscathed.
Forcing herself onward, Meng Wanshu approached the white lion's corpse. With a flick of her sword, she cut the body open, freezing and storing away a massive heart.
She also dug out a monster core the size of two human heads.
Next, she sliced off a slab of meat from the Scarlet Thunder Suanni's corpse, skinned it, and dragged it over to Jiuxiao.
The flesh of a great demon was immensely nourishing to beasts, and Jiuxiao chewed into it with relish.
Having stowed the monster core, Meng Wanshu finally let out a sigh of relief.
Suddenly!
An inexplicable sense of crisis enveloped her!
With her head still lowered, Meng Wanshu felt as though she had plunged into an icy abyss!
Immediately after, a cold gleam tore through space, thrusting straight toward the back of her heart!
This strike was exceedingly venomous, timed for the exact moment when Meng Wanshu was heavily wounded and Jiuxiao was powerless to come to her aid!
The surrounding void was locked down tight; no matter how Meng Wanshu struggled, it was entirely futile!
"Body Integration Realm!"
*Boom!*
*Crack, crack!*
Two explosive cracks sounded in quick succession as Meng Wanshu's earring and necklace shattered into pieces!
The icy sword light instantly pierced the skin of her back.
Meng Wanshu forced her head around, only to see a black-robed figure wearing a red mask!
The sword spirit within her weapon tried to protect its master, but the terrifying spatial pressure instantly sealed it in place.
Beneath the mask, the corners of the assassin's mouth curled slightly upward as the blade was about to pierce Meng Wanshu's heart.
Suddenly!
*Rumble!*
A brilliant golden light flared, and the phantom of a crimson-gold spear punched straight through the man's head!
The spear light pierced heaven and earth, seeming to bridge two separate realms!
Far away in the Seventh Domain, Long Hou snapped his eyes open!
His figure vanished from his estate in an instant, reappearing outside a secluded study where he spoke in a low, grave voice.
"Someone made a move on the girl Wanshu!"
Inside the study, the old man crushed the golden brush in his hand upon hearing those words, his eyes narrowing as a cold glint surfaced within them!
Nodding, he said softly, "I know."
After Long Hou departed, the old man fell silent for a long moment, then called softly, "Youming."
In a corner of the room, space rippled slightly, and a man clad in a purple-black robe dropped to one knee, lowering his head.
"Domain Sovereign, Youming is here."
The old man rose with his hands behind his back, produced a pipe, and lit it. The flickering flame cast a grim shadow over his face.
He rubbed between his brows, but the swirling smoke could not veil the murderous intent in his eyes.
Facing away from the man, he murmured, "Make a trip to the Great Xia Domain. A mysterious organization has surfaced lately, and the Ancient Clan is growing restless as well.
"Investigate whether there is a connection between the two. See if... it's possible those fellows from the Ancient Clan are pulling the strings behind this."
The man named Youming rose slowly. He was tall and slender, his complexion slightly pale.
His cheeks were thin, his nose high and straight, and a demonic scarlet hue flickered in his narrow eyes.
His thin lips curved slightly, revealing white canine teeth.
He looked every bit like a refined yet sickly young nobleman.
Bowing slightly, the man said, "Youming obeys."
Once Youming had gone, the old man narrowed his eyes.
"Is it you lot...? Hmph!
"It has only been three thousand years... and you can't hold back already?"
As clouds of smoke billowed from his pipe, countless thoughts churned in Su Xuan's mind. He tapped the pipe against his palm and murmured, "Things are growing unsettled...
"Gu Yong, Jiangchu."
Two figures appeared outside the door. Gone was any trace of the lofty, imposing air they held in the outside world.
Their eyes trembled; any random person here was more powerful than they were!
Meng Jiangchu had been on edge ever since sensing that Meng Wanshu was in danger.
Only when Long Hou appeared and spoke to him moments ago did his mind finally settle.
The old man pushed the door open, looked at the two of them, and raised a hand to lift them to their feet, speaking softly.
"Come. I'll take you somewhere."
Chapter 591