Bai Ran flashed and quickly appeared behind Ma Huai.
"Captain Bai, don't stop me! If we delay any longer, Ran Shuang will die!" Ma Huai continuously bled.
"Bang!" With a chop to the neck, his body went limp and fell to the ground.
Bai Ran moved Ma Huai to a safe spot, then turned around, frowning at the powerful Ten Thousand Year Python before her.
The more the Ten Thousand Year Python raged, the more Ran Shuang in its belly suffered...
She slightly raised her palm, and dark energy transformed into a black spiritual energy that swiftly struck the Ten Thousand Year Python.
"Break!"
The black spiritual energy morphed into a cross slash, carrying the momentum of an army of a thousand men and horses as it struck its vulnerable spot!
Scarlet blood instantly flowed out, and the Ten Thousand Year Python contorted in pain.
"Quick! There's a breakthrough!" The disciples furiously attacked the injured spot of the Ten Thousand Year Python.
Its tail thrashed in pain, and gradually, the amplitude of its swings lessened.
"Thump!" The Ten Thousand Year Python crashed heavily onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of soil and dust.
Bai Ran leaped and landed on the Ten Thousand Year Python's back, delivering a final blow.
"Quickly cut open its belly!" Wen Hongyi slashed at the snake's abdomen with his sword, while the disciples with remaining strength also attacked ferociously.
However, they had lost too much spiritual energy. After countless attacks, the snake's skin remained completely intact.
"What do we do! My spiritual energy is depleted!"
"Damn it! Senior Sister Ran, hold on!"
The disciples were in a frenzy.
"Move aside." Bai Ran conjured a ball of fierce fire. The high temperature forced the disciples to scatter.
The Vermilion Bird Divine Fire landed on the snake's body, causing its skin to sizzle.
Bai Ran gripped the Phoenix Cry Sword and slashed a long opening in the snake's belly.
Inside the snake's belly, Ran Shuang was seen with her eyes tightly shut, her skin bleeding profusely from the corrosive acid within the snake's gut.
"Ran Shuang!" "Senior Sister Ran!"
Several people worked together to lift Ran Shuang out and gently lay her on the ground.
"Senior Sister Ran has no breath!"
The disciples' faces turned ashen. How could this be! Ran Shuang wasn't breathing!
Bai Ran pushed through the crowd and took out the Nine Bends Life-Taking Needles. "Be quiet."
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately fell silent.
After more than a dozen needles were inserted, Bai Ran's dazzling needlework deeply shocked them.
"Cough, cough, cough!" Half an hour later, Ran Shuang violently coughed out a mouthful of viscous fluid.
"Senior Sister Ran!" The disciples were overjoyed. Ran Shuang was alive!
Bai Ran's lips were devoid of color. She retracted her needles and stood up. "Wash the acid off her body, and she'll be fine."
At this moment, Ma Huai also woke up. "Ran Shuang!"
He scrambled up and rushed to the front of the crowd. "Ran Shuang, are you alright!"
"Cough!" Ran Shuang weakly managed a smile. "I'm fine..."
"Who pushed you!" Veins bulged on Ma Huai's neck, but she shook her head. "I didn't see..."
Everyone fell silent, their faces growing grim. At this moment, Sun Jianning stepped forward. "It was Zeng Rou."
"I was right next to Zeng Rou at the time, and I saw her push Senior Sister Ran and then flee."
A murderous aura surged around Ma Huai. "Zeng Rou!!!"
...
At the same time, Zeng Rou fled back to Que Tian Sect as if pursued.
"Oh, you were eliminated too?" Ning Xue looked Zeng Rou up and down, speaking with a hint of sarcasm. "Why the pale face? Did someone hit you?"
Zeng Rou's face was ashen. "I... I..."
I can't say it... If I say it, Sect Leader Xiong will definitely expel me from Que Tian Sect!
"I left voluntarily..."
Gu Ke sneered, her face full of disdain. "She's just an outer disciple, does she really think she's so capable?"
Ning Xue chimed in, "She even dared to accept an SSS-class mission. Don't get yourself burned and lead them to their deaths!"
Just then, a figure rushed past in a hurry.
"Sect Leader Xiong! Sect Leader Xiong! Something terrible has happened!" A disciple was in a panic, searching everywhere for the Sect Leader.
Xiao Ya stopped him. "Hey, why are you looking for Sect Leader Xiong in such a hurry?"
"Oh no! The spiritual energy fluctuations in Soul Scattering Forest have suddenly become extremely strange! Those disciples out for training are probably in danger!"
The disciple was frantic. "What should we do! At this critical moment, we can't find anyone from Sect Leader Xiong's group!"
Gu Ke and Ning Xue exchanged a look. Ning Xue stepped forward. "It's alright, we'll inform Sect Leader Xiong."
"Really! That's great! I still need to inform a few elders. Please find the Sect Leader for me!" The disciple repeatedly thanked them and then turned to run away.
"Heh." Gu Ke chuckled. "It seems even heaven can't stand it."
Zeng Rou's heart pounded. "You... you don't plan to tell Sect Leader Xiong?"
"Tell Sect Leader Xiong?" Ning Xue acted as if she had heard a great joke. "Hahahaha! Isn't this precisely the perfect opportunity to get rid of that outer disciple!"
"I've been annoyed by her for a long time. We can't participate in the competition, and she has to be responsible for it."
Gu Ke patted Zeng Rou's shoulder. "You need to understand, it was her own decision to rashly take core disciples on an SSS-class mission. She should be responsible for everything!"
Zeng Rou gradually clenched her fists. Yes... As long as they died, no one would know she pushed Ran Shuang...
She could remain safely in Que Tian Sect, and even participate in the sect ranking competition for them!
...
"Give her some water to drink." Bai Ran looked at Ma Huai. He quickly took out a water flask and gave Ran Shuang some water.
Wen Hongyi walked up to the Ten Thousand Year Python, about to hack off its fangs with his sword.
"No." Bai Ran walked over. "The fangs of the Ten Thousand Year Python contain potent poison. Even after death, its fangs will still emit poisonous energy after detaching."
Wen Hongyi was startled and quickly lowered his sword. "Then what do we do?"
Bai Ran squatted down and sprinkled some powder on the Ten Thousand Year Python's fangs. They began to sizzle.
"Wait until the powder has neutralized the poison and there's no more sound, then you can cut off its fangs."
Wen Hongyi nodded and sat down in front of the Ten Thousand Year Python, waiting for the poison to be neutralized.
The fog gradually thickened, obscuring the sun.
"Huh? Do you guys feel like the fog has gotten thicker?" Sun Jianning looked around the scenery with confusion.
"Yeah, I can barely see you guys."
"It's just normal fog, it should dissipate in a while."
The disciples sat on the ground to recover their strength. They had already depleted their spiritual energy in the battle with the Ten Thousand Year Python.
Bai Ran looked at the increasingly dense fog and frowned.
What's going on... The spiritual energy fluctuations in the forest are a bit off...
"Kid, there's something in the depths of the forest," Little Purple transmitted to Bai Ran.
"A living creature?"
Little Purple shook its head. "I don't know either, but the feeling this thing gives off is extremely dangerous."
Extremely dangerous? Bai Ran looked at the disciples around her.
Ran Shuang was severely injured, and the remaining disciples had depleted their spiritual energy. If they were to fall into danger at this moment, it would likely be...