Chapter 4: Hou Yi Slays the Dragon

"What’s the matter? It’s just a temporary borrowing; I will return it," the little princess said nonchalantly.

Upon hearing the little princess's scream, the guards, enduring the excruciating pain in their bodies, struggled to rise from the ground and drew their long swords to stab at the giant serpent. However, the ordinary iron swords were utterly ineffective against the massive creature. The serpent twisted its body from side to side, its enormous form violently crashing into the guards, who were sent flying like straw men.

You are truly greedy; it would already be quite remarkable to obtain a single petal of such celestial herb. The remaining lotus petals have already fallen into the volcano after ripening.

"Scoundrel, you dare to speak to me like this? I will eventually capture you and make you a eunuch in the palace. Ah... the foul snake is coming..." At this moment, the little princess was no longer composed as before; she was now in a state of utter panic.

The little princess no longer spoke much, leading the group of severely injured guards down the mountain. Of course, Chen Nan had already fled ahead; he did not wish to confront that terrifying little demon

The middle-aged man and the giant snake were once again locked in combat. The middle-aged man relied on his lightning-fast speed and exceptional skills to target the snake's vulnerable spots, such as its eyes. In contrast, the giant snake used its physical advantage to sweep and charge at the man. The two engaged in a fierce struggle, leaping and tumbling on the volcano, while massive boulders continuously rolled down from the mountain.

... ...

Oh, old man, you are truly strange today. You have clearly slain a dragon, no, a giant serpent, yet you still appear so listless?" The young princess blinked her large eyes, gazing at the middle-aged man with a hint of meaning.

"How annoying!" The little princess swatted away the middle-aged man's hand and said, "I came out to find the Fire Immortal Lotus not just for my father. When he turns sixty, I will present the lotus to him, and he will surely be overjoyed."

The middle-aged man said in a deep voice: "Stay away from this volcano; retreat as far as you can."

Chen Nan hid behind the rock, having witnessed everything clearly. No one present understood the Hou Yi bow better than he did; without exceptional skill, it was nearly impossible to draw the divine bow even slightly. If the little princess had sufficient power, she could have pulled the Hou Yi bow back a bit more just now. Not to mention a giant snake, even a giant dragon would find it difficult to escape death. According to ancient legends, the Hou Yi bow once shot down deities from the heavens and is one of the most powerful celestial treasures in the Fairyland continent. If the little princess had sufficient power, she could have pulled the Hou Yi bow back a bit more just now. Not to mention a giant snake, even a giant dragon would find it difficult to escape death. According to ancient legends, the Hou Yi bow once shot down deities from the heavens and is one of the most powerful celestial treasures in the Fairyland continent.

"With the ability to shrink the earth to an inch, his skills are nearly divine! This old fellow is indeed remarkable; it seems his mastery has reached at least the level of a grandmaster." Chen Nan was secretly astonished

The middle-aged man did not evade or retreat, advancing resolutely. He thrust both fists forward, and a vast expanse of white light appeared in front of his fists, as if the white light were a tangible object colliding with the gaping maw of the giant serpent

At that moment, those guards who had narrowly escaped the disaster stumbled and rushed over, avoiding the giant serpent.

Middle-aged person : `` ... ... ''

"Oh... old man, why did you take so long to arrive? If you had come any later, I would have been eaten by this foul snake" the little princess exclaimed

When the smoke and dust have cleared, the middle-aged man stands atop the volcano, the giant serpent rises once more, its massive head level with the crater, its fierce jaws lunging towards the middle-aged man.

As the flames approached the back of the little princess, at that moment, Hou Yi's bow suddenly emitted a faint golden light, blocking the fierce fire outside, causing the giant serpent to come to an abrupt halt

The middle-aged man said calmly: "When a person is overly tense, they may experience hallucinations. You were too tense just now."

"It is a dragon. They clearly saw a dragon, didn't you all just see it?" The little princess said to the guards.

Ah ... Master ... Ugh ...

After a dozen minutes, the giant serpent ceased its thrashing, rising upright once more, its fearsome head towering several dozen feet above the ground. It glared menacingly at the little princess, but when the giant serpent caught sight of the bow in Hou Yi's hands, an instinctive look of fear emerged.

They are not encouraging you

The middle-aged man pinched her nose and, changing the subject with a smile, said: "You little girl actually managed to sneak out of the palace; do you not know that your father is almost beside himself with worry?"

The massive serpent's body was pierced by the earlier light arrow, creating a large gaping wound that allowed light to pass through from front to back, with blood gushing outwards.

A novice magician said: "Your Highness, please draw the divine bow once more. If you can hit the same wound as before, it will surely be able to slay the serpent in one strike"

The little princess appeared extremely panicked and let out a piercing scream: "Ah..."

However, the little princess's master moved like lightning, evading wave after wave of deadly attacks. Subsequently, he wielded the Hou Yi bow and launched frequent strikes, causing the giant serpent to bleed profusely

The little princess wondered: "Aren't you coming back with me, old man?"

Suddenly, the giant serpent came to a halt, its body rising upright in the air, emitting a faint golden light. An astonishing transformation occurred on the serpent's body; its multicolored scales turned into golden scales, four protrusions appeared on its abdomen, and a pair of shimmering golden antlers sprouted from its head. A dragon's roar erupted from the serpent's mouth, resonating through the heavens. A powerful dragon aura emanated from the giant serpent, causing all animals within a hundred miles to prostrate themselves on the ground

The giant serpent fell from the sky to the ground, causing rocks to scatter in all directions. The middle-aged man was also thrown from one side of the volcano's mouth to the other by the tremendous force of the impact, landing awkwardly on the ground.

Brother Snake, this may be fate. If the Fire Immortal Lotus had matured half an hour earlier, perhaps you would have transformed into a dragon by now. That lotus would surely have ensured the immortality of your spirit. May you achieve true dragonhood in your next life

The middle-aged man said: "I have come to seek you; I was originally supposed to take you back. However, along the way, I heard that a Qilin divine beast has appeared in the Luofeng Mountain Range. This is indeed an extraordinary matter, and I want to go and take a look. I just can't help but worry about you!"

... ...

The guards certainly affirmed.

The giant serpent had already caught up to the little princess, opening its blood-red maw to unleash a vast expanse of flames, the roaring fire surging towards the little princess.

It has perished beneath the bow of Hou Yi

A person and a snake moved further away from the volcano's mouth, gradually descending the mountain. Chen Nan sensed something was amiss and quickly made his escape. The others, including the little princess, also felt uneasy and hurriedly retreated a mile back.

"Yuer, do not panic, your master has arrived." The voice of the newcomer was so loud that it caused the debris at the volcano's mouth to continuously roll down the mountain.

In the days since Chen Nan was captured, he has suffered greatly, and at this moment he retorts fiercely: "You foul princess, dreaming in broad daylight, I will make you pay your debts sooner or later, I XXXXX......"

Chen Nan secretly admired: this middle-aged man is actually able to single-handedly fight against a hundred-zhang giant serpent, his cultivation is indeed extraordinary and transcendent.

Before long, a middle-aged man in loose-fitting clothes appeared more than a hundred zhang away

The middle-aged man leaped high into the air, a flash of dark light streaking by. The giant serpent's scales, as hard as steel, were shattered and scattered by the arrows of Hou Yi, while blood rained down from the sky. The giant serpent, in a fit of rage, twisted its massive body wildly, its enormous tail sweeping and striking, causing the very ground to tremble.

Yuer, do not cry; Master is fine. This little snake will not take my life.

"Yuer, do not be afraid; this little snake cannot harm the master. With the Hou Yi bow in hand, it is doomed now." As the middle-aged man spoke, he struck the giant snake's head with two powerful punches, and a blazing white light instantly pushed the snake's head back three zhang. He extended his hands, emitting a gentle white light that guided the Hou Yi bow and the carved feather arrows into his grasp.

At this moment, Chen Nan's soul was in turmoil, with a little demon following closely behind him, while a giant serpent relentlessly pursued her

The golden arrow brushed past the giant serpent, leaving everyone in utter disappointment. However, in the blink of an eye, the sound of wind and thunder roared again, and the golden arrow, which had already vanished, whistled back from afar. Its dazzling golden light made the sun in the sky appear dim, and the golden arrow instantly pierced into the body of the giant serpent

Isn't that the legendary divine beast? Does a Qilin really exist in this world?" The little princess's eyes sparkled with excitement as she said, "I want to go too.

"Dragon, I have seen the legendary dragon!" Chen Nan exclaimed excitedly

The middle-aged man arrived at the volcano with a heavy heart. He soared to the place of the fiery celestial lotus, plucking only a single petal of the lotus. Afterwards, he uprooted the entire plant and threw it into the volcano

It is definitely a dragon, I can see it clearly

"Hey, you scoundrel, you filthy thief, stop right there! If I catch you, I will skin you alive," the little princess shouted fiercely.

He said softly: "Brother Snake, I apologize. I thought you were merely a snake demon who had failed in your cultivation. I never imagined you to be so proud, having spent countless years cultivating into the form of a true dragon. If it were not for the fact that you have reached the critical stage of transformation into a dragon, I believe we would have long since perished without a burial place."

After three to five ups and downs, Chen Nan had arrived at the foot of the mountain. Ignoring the angry shouts behind him, he plunged into the depths of the nearby forest. He did not leave at that moment, wanting to observe the battle between the recently arrived middle-aged man and the giant snake. He concealed himself in a corner of the dense forest.

Everyone was astonished

The middle-aged man took a breath and said, "Little girl, do not speak recklessly. If you cause any more trouble, you will be punished to face the wall for 100 days when we return."

If I had come earlier, could I have just watched you being chased and bitten by that little snake

In an instant, the middle-aged man had arrived before the little princess, while the giant snake nearby was watching this uninvited guest with a "snake's gaze".

At this moment, facing the giant serpent alone, the little princess's master exuded a changed aura; he seemed like a giant standing proudly between heaven and earth, his face devoid of fear, filled with immense confidence

You truly do not understand the gravity of the situation. The divine bow has been sealed by someone before, and it can only be used once within a year. How can it be used so casually? Fortunately, the State of Chu currently has no formidable enemies, so it is generally not needed.

"Ah, my mother is ill? Very well, I shall return at once." The little princess's face was filled with disappointment

Chen Nan was left dumbfounded, as the little princess's master actually used the Hou Yi bow as a club, causing him great pain in his heart

The middle-aged man chuckled, "You little girl, always lost in your thoughts. Here, this is the blazing fire lotus you are to pick."

Fainting! Chen Nan is truly amazed by this master and disciple, who actually refer to that enormous creature with the term "small".

The middle-aged man said: "You are mistaken, how could it possibly turn into a dragon?"

"Is it right, or is it wrong? Perhaps this world inherently lacks a distinction between right and wrong." He sighed deeply

The little princess exclaimed, "Oh my goodness! We are fighting against a dragon!"

The giant serpent's tail is on the ground, its hundred-zhang body standing upright in the air, exuding a terrifying presence, as if it is about to transform into a dragon and ascend.

"Wuwu... Master, I am sorry. I wanted to see your true strength, so I didn't give you the Hou Yi bow earlier. Wuwu..." The little princess began to cry again

Oh dear, you are so foolish, how did that nasty snake gain the upper hand again? Is it that when I praise you, you become arrogant?

It is a dragon

More than a dozen guards each stepped forward to try, but none were able to draw the divine bow

The middle-aged man radiated brilliance. After nocking the feathered arrow, he exerted all his strength to draw the bowstring and shouted, "Release!" However, to his astonishment, the bowstring did not budge in the slightest.

In less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the entire forest was reduced to rubble

The little princess laughed and said, "Yes, as you command, I shall return to the Library Palace at once."

"Indeed, old man. That blood hole on the stinky snake is from my shot. Are you happy now? I have finally drawn the divine bow."

Puff

Old man, you are truly disappointing, oh dear, you are so foolish, how could you let that nasty snake burn your hair

At this moment, the little princess and the others had already rushed over, "Master, what just happened? How did that stinky snake turn into a dragon?"

Hmph, who knows whether what you say is true or false

Only at this moment did the little princess truly show a look of panic, "I have overestimated my own abilities!"

At this moment, the middle-aged man seemed to have the upper hand, his lightning-fast figure frequently appearing near the wounds inflicted on the giant serpent earlier. His fists, accompanied by a blazing white light, relentlessly struck the same spot, leaving the giant serpent in a state of utter disarray as its massive body continued to roll about.

The guards who narrowly escaped disaster were eager to rush over and capture him, but they were severely injured and could only shout and curse from a distance, powerless to act. The young princess had never endured such humiliation; her silver teeth clenched tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably. Had she not exhausted her energy, she would have likely chased after Chen Nan and killed him a thousand times over.

"What? You little scatterbrain, the Hou Yi bow can only be used once a year, you really have brought about your own demise."

The giant serpent moved as swiftly as lightning, and in the blink of an eye, it caught up with the crowd that was rolling downwards. On the spot, two individuals were crushed under the massive body of the serpent, not even having the time to let out a scream before being reduced to a pulp. The guards watched in horror, their hearts nearly breaking. The giant serpent did not continue to attack the other guards; its eyes glinted with a fierce malice as it pursued the little princess ahead.

At this moment, the golden scales on the giant serpent began to shed, revealing blood and flesh in the areas devoid of scales. The giant serpent let out a mournful dragon roar and expelled a golden inner elixir that shimmered with light from its mouth. The inner elixir suddenly shattered in mid-air, transforming into specks of golden rain that vanished into the sky. The giant serpent, having failed to transform into a dragon, turned into a beam of golden light and rushed towards the volcano, disappearing into the crater in the blink of an eye

Master, you are truly a coward; how could you escape like this

Boom

The middle-aged man moved like lightning, leaving a residual shadow in place, and instantly shifted a distance of five zhang to the side. He then leaped high and struck the previously injured wound of the giant snake with his palm, causing a fresh surge of blood to spout from that wound.

The giant serpent, feeling fear from the Hou Yi bow, has already been taken away by the little princess, yet it has not launched an attack on the little princess's master. The giant serpent has long been spiritually aware, and it has sensed that the seemingly weak body before it contains immense power. It restlessly twists its massive serpent body.

The little princess casually took a carved feather arrow and placed it on the bowstring, then exerted all her strength to pull the Hou Yi bow back slightly. The dark Hou Yi bow began to emit a faint golden light, which flowed like a thin mist towards the carved feather arrow on the bowstring. The ordinary carved feather arrow, infused with the essence of gold, transformed entirely into a golden hue, and finally shot away as a beam of golden light.

Ah, why is there only one petal

Meanwhile, a long howl echoed from afar, its sound resembling the rumbling of thunder, reverberating in the air for a long time

"Alas, what a pity," sighed the little princess

The destructive power of the giant serpent is greater than that of a middle-aged person; with each breath of flame it expels, vast areas of forest are incinerated, turning into scorched earth. Each strike of "sweeping away a thousand troops" results in rows of trees falling down

This perverse man actually ... ... what a waste of resources!

I understand now, the little princess said, dragging out her words.

The giant serpent seemed to realize that the middle-aged man could not wield the divine bow. It lunged fiercely at him, and the middle-aged man swung the Hou Yi bow to meet it. The dark back of the bow collided with the giant serpent's menacing white fangs, shattering four or five venomous teeth that were each half a meter long, sending a spray of blood into the air. In pain, the giant serpent violently whipped its tail, throwing the middle-aged man away.

The little princess quickly ran to within ten paces of the giant serpent, her voice choked with emotion: "Master ... ... sob ... ... "

The middle-aged man returned the Hou Yi bow to the little princess and said, "Yuer, how did you manage to steal the Hou Yi bow? You must know that this is the national treasure of the State of Chu, primarily used to deter unparalleled masters from other nations"

"With such formidable sound skills, could it be the sound-killing ultimate technique, the Canglong Xiao? The little demon refers to him as 'old man'; could he be a rejuvenated old fellow?" He fixed his gaze intently on the middle-aged man, and in the blink of an eye, the newcomer had closed the distance by another fifty zhang.

Chen Nan was jolted, his blood surging, and due to the excessive tension he had just experienced, he sat down abruptly on the ground

The little princess secured the Hou Yi bow, cast a deep glance at the crowd before her, and turned to run down the mountain

At this moment, the giant serpent swooped down, stirring up a whirlwind. Its massive head appeared before the crowd in an instant. The blood-red forked tongue and the white, venomous fangs were mere inches away from the bodies of the onlookers. The three apprentice mages quickly raised a pale blue barrier. The giant serpent's head crashed violently against the magical shield, shattering the pale blue barrier in an instant. The three apprentice mages spat out blood, and the guards were thrown far away by the tremendous force, rolling down the mountain.

Yuer, step back quickly, be careful not to hurt yourself

It is not acceptable; you have been away from the palace for more than half a month. Your mother has been worried sick about you and has fallen ill because of it. You should return quickly.

"Alright, alright, I understand. You are even more talkative than my grandmother. Master, I heard that you had a crush on my grandmother when you were young. Is that true?" the little princess said with a mischievous smile.

The little princess and others hiding in the jungle were overjoyed to see the middle-aged man able to fight the giant snake

The middle-aged man, after being "stimulated," displayed extraordinary prowess, beating the giant snake into a state of weakness. Just when everyone thought the middle-aged man was assured of victory, the giant snake's tail suddenly wrapped around his waist with lightning speed, lifting him high into the air. Even the thinnest part of the giant snake's tail wrapped around him just once, completely binding him from the chest down.

A surge of blood erupted from the wound of the giant serpent, and the volcanic crater was filled with a sky of blood light. The massive serpent's body rolled continuously at the crater, and countless large stones were sent flying in all directions from the impact of the serpent's body, causing the little princess and the others to hurriedly take cover

Amidst the overwhelming excitement of everyone, the little princess's master revealed a look of sorrow. Only he understood that the transformation of the giant serpent into a dragon had not succeeded; the dragon claws on its belly had not emerged, and the failure of the transformation could only lead to one outcome—death

The middle-aged man fell to the ground in a disheveled state from the air. After taking a long breath, he gripped the divine bow and charged towards the giant serpent

It is a dragon

The little princess smiled broadly and said, "Haha, the old man is truly amusing"

A thunderous sound echoed through the heavens

The little princess immediately cheered, "Master, do your best, quickly kill that stinky snake and avenge my guard."

Chen Nan had already sensed that something was amiss and immediately ran down the mountain

The middle-aged man wore a look of helplessness and said, "You are too mischievous; I truly do not feel at ease about your safe return."

The middle-aged man extended his palm to sever the strand of long hair that was ablaze, quickly retreating over ten paces.

The little princess exclaimed, "Ah..."

Chen Nan was stunned, his ears ringing, and he nearly collapsed to the ground

You... don't change the subject

"Yuer, has anyone ever used the Hou Yi bow?" the middle-aged man shouted loudly

"I hate it, don't hit my head." The little devil princess pushed the middle-aged man's hand aside, pouting and said, "Hmph, old man, have you been here all along with your *pictures* and *books*, deliberately hiding in the shadows to watch me make a fool of myself?"

The royal guards shouted loudly: "Your Highness, the princess, please escape"

The giant serpent indeed displayed a look of fear upon seeing Hou Yi's bow, retracting its massive head a distance of seven or eight zhang.

You little girl are truly reckless, do you not realize that what you are doing is very dangerous? How can you be so careless...

The little princess felt relieved after the middle-aged man received the Hou Yi bow, and she turned around and ran away

The middle-aged man struggled with all his might, his entire body emanating a faint white light. The radiance grew stronger, and the serpent tail entwined around him gradually loosened. It seemed he was about to break free from the giant serpent's grasp. However, at that moment, the ferocious serpent head suddenly opened its blood-red maw and lunged at him. He hurriedly swung his fists outward, a blazing white light blocking the menacing serpent head. Yet, the now-loosened serpent tail once again tightened its grip around him.

Chen Nan watched in trepidation; he had seen unparalleled masters before, as his father was the greatest among them. However, he had rarely witnessed such intense combat.

Ah, Master, what about that snake? Have you killed it?

Chen Nan shouted loudly behind him: "Little demon, stop making those ghostly sounds and don't follow me like a shadow."

The little princess secretly felt fortunate; had the giant serpent displayed such ferocity towards them earlier, she would have likely reported to heaven by now. Of course, this was merely her wishful thinking, while Chen Nan was more inclined to believe that she would go to hell to seek out the demons.

No, I no longer have the strength to draw the divine bow, you all come!

Chen Nan secretly smiled; having such a demonic apprentice as a middle-aged man is truly a great misfortune in life

The middle-aged man seemed to pay no attention to the giant snake, gently patted the little princess on the head, and laughed, "Haha, has the little girl had enough of her hardships?"

The giant serpent is the king of beasts in the vicinity, and no animal dares to step foot within several miles. However, in just half a day's time, its authority has been challenged. At this moment, under the immense pressure of the middle-aged man's powerful aura, it has been completely enraged, and a scorching wave of fire erupts, surging towards the middle-aged man like a tidal wave.

The little princess exclaimed in surprise, rushing past the guards' obstruction and running forward

The princess said, "Master, take the Hou Yi bow." As she spoke, she threw the Hou Yi bow and a carved feather arrow into the air

The little princess said, "Hmph, old man, why are you acting so strange today? You must be hiding something from me."

As soon as the crowd had just dispersed, their original hiding place became a new battlefield. The middle-aged man and the giant serpent fought from the top of the mountain down to the bottom, and with each swing of his fist, a vast expanse of intense white light erupted, causing the rocks and trees to shatter upon contact

The giant serpent seemed to realize that everyone could no longer use the "dark tool" that instilled fear in it. Its eyes gleamed with ferocity as it glanced back at the blazing fire lotus within the volcano, then charged directly towards the crowd not far away

The giant serpent could no longer endure the immense pain, its upright body collapsing to the ground, its blood-red eyes glinting with a chilling ferocity. A fierce wind suddenly arose, and the massive tail of the serpent swept horizontally towards the middle-aged man. This tail strike, if placed on the battlefield, would truly be a sweeping force capable of vanquishing thousands. With a thunderous roar, debris flew in all directions, and dust filled the sky, as the serpent's strike left a massive gash on the mountainside.

The wind and thunder roared, the heavens and earth lost their color, and the golden light seemed to tear through the void, arriving before the giant serpent in the blink of an eye. The giant serpent was filled with immense terror, as if it had sensed the tremendous energy contained within the golden arrow. It quickly descended towards the ground, its massive body barely evading the blinding golden radiance that dimmed the world. The entire serpent coiled around the volcano's mouth, trembling incessantly.

The little princess's master felt a profound sense of loss; had he killed a mere demon snake, he would not have felt such overwhelming sorrow. However, having slain a sacred serpent with the potential to transform into a dragon, he felt an immense weight in his heart