A toe tap sent Jared flickering aside, the venom missing by inches. His left hand formed a seal, and his Heart-Focusing Mantra Ignited, a pale gold beam burst from his palm and smashed into the wyrm’s skull.

The cavern shuddered beneath the creature’s shriek. Writhing in agony, it thrashed through the pool, sending sheets of water across every rock face.

Flaxseed poured everything into the emerald badge, and the spear-like beam of white light stabbed through the wyrm’s eyes. Blinded, the beast lurched and toppled toward the bank.

“Now!” Jared’s eyes flashed.

The Dragonslayer Sword became a streak of light and pierced the creature’s single vital node. Black blood geysered across the stone. The body twitched once, twice, then sagged into stillness. Only then did the two men exhale. They collapsed onto the slick rock, lungs heaving.

“That wyrm was nearly a third-tier Earthly Immortal Realm cultivator,” Flaxseed muttered, still staring at the corpse. “The Abyss of Fallen Demons has only opened. If this were the guardian, whatever comes next will be worse.”

Jared rose, walked to the carcass, and worked his fingers into the skull until pried free a fist-sized black core. Dark miasma licked its surface, yet the power within felt startlingly pure.