The fierce crocodile let out a roar, and a waterspout appeared out of nowhere in the black swamp, blocking its front from afar.

The sword light, like a long rainbow, descended from the sky, slicing vertically through the spout, almost about to strike the crocodile’s head. Suddenly, the Poison Blood Profound Crocodile whipped its tail.

A "bang~!" was heard as the cyan sword light was shattered, flying backward. Although Qin Mengyao showed no obvious injuries, blood seeped from her mouth, clearly shaken.

As for the fierce crocodile, it merely had a slightly noticeable wound on its tail. Its scale armor was extremely hard, and breaking its defense was already a testament to Qin Mengyao’s outstanding swordsmanship and powerful artifacts.

This is the essence of suppression by cultivation level. Had it been the Poison Blood Profound Crocodile at its peak, this battle would be unwinnable.

While both sides were fiercely fighting, on a nearby hill, Xiao Yue watched nervously, her heart pounding incessantly. She had never witnessed such a spectacle before, and seeing her senior sister injured, she showed a worried expression.

Jiang Yiyi, on the other hand, was not afraid at all and was gesturing continuously, "Oh no, you can’t fight like that. Strike its belly, there’s such a big wound there, why aim for its head?"

Yue’er was speechless, "Master Ancestor, it’s not like this Golden Core Stage beast is foolish enough to expose its belly for you to strike."

"Then how did it get injured?"

Yue’er was momentarily speechless and had to say, "It’s better to pay more attention around us."

...

On the other side, Old Seven had quietly sneaked into the valley.

Of course, he dared not get close but hid in a distant concealed corner to observe the battle.

The more he watched, the more envious he became. These disciples of great sects indeed had a lot of good stuff in their hands.

Among them, one was at Foundation Establishment completion, and two at the early Foundation Establishment stage. Not only were they lacking in strength, but the overall battle situation was unfavorable.

But they continually produced arrays, talismans, and pills, all specifically restraining items. Although the situation seemed precarious, they always managed to turn danger into safety.

Especially the leading woman, her swordsmanship was exceptionally strong, each attack was very sharp and always managed to inflict a wound on the Poison Blood Profound Crocodile.

At first glance, the damage seemed minor, but small injuries accumulate, and it turns out differently, especially since the fierce crocodile was already wounded.

Single-handedly, Old Seven knew he was no match for her and could only rely on the Earth Escape Technique to flee for his life.

Watching the situation change, the Poison Blood Profound Crocodile’s movements became increasingly sluggish, and its belly wound unexpectedly reopened, spilling a large amount of black and purple blood into the air!

Old Seven’s heart tightened, realizing he needed to report back immediately. Judging by how the opponents were fighting, they were likely to take down the target.

As for whether these people were really disciples of a grand sect, he still couldn’t tell.

The woman’s swordsmanship was powerful but did not seem to follow the style of the Celestial Sword Palace. The other two’s techniques and magic artifacts were mediocre without any distinctive sect features.

Moreover, the poisonous mist obscured vision, so Old Seven hadn’t seen the occasional fleeting cyan lotus mark on Qin Mengyao’s brow.

Subtly burrowing underground, Old Seven sprinted back to the cave.

Upon emerging, he said, "It’s bad, these people came prepared, using secret treasures, talismans, and pills as if they were free. I estimate that the poison crocodile being slain by them is just a matter of time."

Old Three felt a bit heartbroken. Those items should have been theirs, and these wastrels, given their fighting style, might not even recover the cost even after defeating a Golden Core Stage beast.

Old Four, however, was extremely anxious, "Are they really from a grand sect?"

Old Seven shook his head, "I can’t tell."

After hearing his battle report, the others looked at the deep-thinking Old One. If they intended to act, they should do so now, or they wouldn’t have the time to intercept the others.

"Did the Poison Blood Profound Crocodile use its demon pill?" the middle-aged man suddenly asked.

Old Seven was momentarily startled, "It seems it hasn’t."

"Then it hasn’t reached its last resort yet, let’s go over and take a look first," Old One maintained a calm exterior, but his heart was somewhat moved.

Three Foundation Establishment cultivators fighting a Golden Core demon beast; even if they win, their trump cards must be mostly depleted.

The only remaining risk is the potential investigation and pursuit after killing and seizing treasures; but if handled cleanly, it’s not entirely impossible, and they might even find a way to bluff about their origins.

...

Inside the valley, once Old Seven left, the situation immediately shifted.

Previously, the residual power of the heavenly thunder was still ravaging the black swamp, forcing the Poison Blood Profound Crocodile to abandon its geographical advantage and engage in combat outside with the cultivators.

But now the thunder light had ceased, and the fierce crocodile unhesitatingly attempted to plunge back in.

Chu Xuan and his companion had already closed the distance, each restraining with flying swords and talismans, but with their strength, they dared not block head-on.

So Qin Mengyao once again merged with her sword, transforming into a cyan sword light to strike.

Unexpectedly, the previously sluggish fierce crocodile suddenly accelerated, opening its bloody maw and finally spitting out the demon pill honed over many years.

This was a Profound Nether Poison Pill, its surface shrouded in a deep black poisonous mist, exuding an immense sense of pressure upon appearance.

It itself equated to a tremendously powerful artifact, and for Qin Mengyao, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, if struck head-on, she would be either dead or severely injured.

"Watch out!"

The caller was Ye Xingming, feeling ashamed, he had always been fearless, fantasizing about showing his prowess before setting out, to the point of being too excited to sleep.

But in reality, on the battlefield, facing the terrifying might of a Golden Core Stage beast, the threat capable of taking his life with a mere hit left him trembling and his mind blank, forgetting everything his master had taught him.

Fortunately, his senior brother occasionally transmitted guidance, gradually helping him find his grounding.

At this moment, seeing his senior sister in extreme danger, Ye Xingming couldn’t worry about anything else.

Gritting his teeth, he desperately mobilized his magical power, merging with his sword, becoming a golden sword light, slashing towards the crocodile’s abdomen to force a defensive response.

Strangely enough, despite both practicing the "Cyan Lotus Technique," Ye Xingming’s sword light was distinctly different in color.

On Chu Xuan’s side, he too was quite tense despite having witnessed ten times more terrifying beasts in the past, as those instances never required his participation!

Luckily, over the years, he had developed a steadfast mind, maintaining a calm facade and even managing to direct his junior brother.

Seeing Qin Mengyao in peril, Chu Xuan held an item in his left hand, flicked a finger on his right, and flung a small pebble to his side.

As the black demon pill was about to hit the cyan sword light, a gentle "snap~" sounded.

The sword light inexplicably transformed into a pebble, easily ground to dust, while Qin Mengyao appeared unscathed beside Chu Xuan.