Chapter 120: Each Plays Their Own Trump Card

Yi Tian unleashed the Sun-Shooting Heavenly Technique, his fists raining down upon the head of the Three-Eyed Dragon Centipede. Its incredibly tough carapace began to crack, oozing streams of blood. The sheer power behind Yi Tian’s punches was terrifying, possessing an unparalleled offensive force capable of shattering anything in its path. An Qing, Princess Zhaixing, and over a dozen others also launched a frenzied assault on the creature. The deafening reverberations of metal clashing echoed through the mountain range, sounding as if celestial beings were forging divine weapons.

Because Yi Tian focused his relentless attacks on the creature's head, it suffered significant trauma, unable to even lift its cranium, which prevented it from launching any effective counterattack.

Meanwhile, a separate group of nine masked figures, each exuding a formidable aura, chose not to join the assault. Instead, they charged toward the mountain peak, intent on seizing the Blood Bodhi fruits.

"Despicable!"

Noticing their movements, Yi Kuang, Yi Feng, Princess Zhaixing, Lan Chen, and the others were incensed.

Just then, the body of the Three-Eyed Dragon Centipede coiled and writhed like a serpent. Only a handful of attacks from An Qing and her companions landed. A moment later, the creature’s hundred legs began to churn madly; it carved a massive hole into the mountainside and plunged inside. Yi Tian and the others could sense the beast burrowing through the mountain at high speed. With the creature hidden within the rock, they were unable to strike it.

As the centipede vanished into the mountain, Yi Tian, An Qing, and their group rushed toward the peak. However, the group of masked men had already reached the Blood Bodhi tree and were on the verge of success.

Suddenly, Yi Shan brandished a precious bow. The Sun-Shooting Heavenly Technique erupted, and a terrifying arrow streaked across the sky, piercing the back and chest of the leader of the masked group before he could even react.

The top-tier expert at the Origin Law level was killed by Yi Shan’s single shot. This outcome stunned An Qing, while Princess Zhaixing, Luo Hong, Young Master Lan Chen, and the other experts were left in disbelief. The power of Yi Shan’s strike was monstrous, allowing him to slay an opponent of a higher cultivation tier. Even if the victim had been momentarily distracted by his impending success, the lethality of the shot was undeniable.

The masked men were rattled; many retreated in fear, terrified of being killed by another arrow. However, two of them seized the opportunity to dash toward the Blood Bodhi tree, hoping to pluck the fruits.

Suddenly, a hole ruptured in the ground near the tree. The Three-Eyed Dragon Centipede burst out, exposing half its body. Its third eye unleashed a terrifying beam of black light, instantly engulfing the two masked men.

"Ah..."

Two harrowing screams pierced the air. Within the black radiance, two spheres of light flared—the masked men were desperately unleashing their Origin Essence to resist. But the lights flickered and shattered before long, and the screams were abruptly silenced.

Having eliminated the two, the centipede immediately turned on the remaining seven, who were blocking its path and attempting to steal its fruit.

"Kill it!"

The masked men launched a barrage of attacks—Origin techniques and precious talismans filled the air. Yet, the centipede plowed through the assault. Its limbs swept across the earth like giant blades, carving deep fissures into the ground. Its third eye pulsed with light, forcing the men into a chaotic struggle. Their artifacts were corroded and tainted by the black radiance, and their combat effectiveness plummeted. One wrong move, and they would be touched by the venomous light and perish on the spot. It was clear that the masked men would soon be slaughtered.

Yi Tian, An Qing, and the others reached the summit. They had no choice but to engage; waiting for the two sides to exhaust each other was no longer an option. The Blood Bodhi fruits were too precious to risk, and they feared the collateral damage of the battle would destroy them.

"You hold off the centipede and the remaining men; I will harvest the fruits!" Yi Tian ordered. He realized the masked men had no hope of success, and the centipede was far too troublesome—if it burrowed back into the mountain, they would be helpless. Its defense was immense; the combined efforts of dozens of human-level experts had failed to deal a decisive blow. Killing it was incredibly difficult.

An Qing nodded. "Everyone, stop holding back. Let's contain them before things get even more complicated."

Young Master Lan Chen of Gulan City stepped forward, his expression arrogant. "In that case, let me lead the way." He cast a provocative glance at Yi Tian and pulled a delicate, intricately patterned sphere from his storage ring. He flicked his finger, and the sphere shot through the air, hovering above the centipede.

Boom!

The sphere exploded, releasing a cloud of pink powder. Suddenly, the masked men froze, their attacks ceasing entirely. Even the Three-Eyed Dragon Centipede began to stumble. However, its instincts kept it moving; its limbs slashed through the masked men like supreme blades, hacking them into pieces.

After killing the men, the centipede lunged for the Blood Bodhi tree, but its movements were no longer fluid; it swayed unsteadily.

"What was that? It’s incredibly potent," Princess Zhaixing asked, clearly impressed. She was well-traveled, yet she had never seen such a device.

Lan Chen smirked. "That is the Soul-Bewitching Incense my father obtained from the Soul-Bewitching Sect. Once inhaled, even an Origin Pill level expert will be hallucinating. Holding one's breath is useless; even skin contact produces the same effect."

Everyone, save for An Qing, was shaken. The centipede was clearly under the influence of the incense, its strength severely compromised. Yet, it was closing in on the tree. If they couldn't stop it, it would swallow the fruits, and they would be unable to kill it in time.

An Qing reacted, summoning an exquisite bell from her storage ring. She poured her energy into it, and the bell swelled to dozens of meters in size, crashing down over the centipede. Chains of light descended from the bell, binding the creature and forcing its movements to grind to a crawl. It was as if an insurmountable force was suppressing it.

Now was the chance!

Yi Tian utilized his Divine Displacement technique, covering the thousands of feet to the tree in an instant. He appeared beside the Blood Bodhi tree and began rapidly plucking the thirty-three fruits.

The centipede was driven into a feral rage. Seeing its treasure of hundreds of years being stolen, its aura surged violently. Its third eye opened wide, preparing to unleash another beam of black light. But at that critical moment, the bell’s light flared, and the crushing pressure intensified, suppressing the creature's attack.

In that brief moment, Yi Tian finished harvesting all thirty-three fruits.

Just then, An Qing reached her limit. The bell’s light dimmed, shrinking back to the size of a palm as it returned to her hand. She looked pale, her energy reserves depleted.

Freed from its bonds, the centipede shrieked in fury. It instantly fired a beam of black light toward Yi Tian, desperate to tear the thief who had stolen its treasure to shreds.