Liu Yuan, nearly scared witless, spun around, fury erupting at the sight of Gu Tianchen.
"Gu Tianchen! Are you sick?! Don't you know interrupting at a time like this is the worst? If I'm scarred for life, you're paying for it!!"
"Sorry for the intrusion. Carry on."
Gu Tianchen smirked, closing the door.
Liu Yuan turned back, lips puckered, only to see Han Ruoruo's head split open like petals, revealing rows of sharp fangs.
"Ah!"
"Monster!!"
Fueled by unknown strength, Liu Yuan kicked Han Ruoruo three meters, crashing into the piano with a dull thud.
He bolted for the door, but it wouldn't budge.
"Tianchen! Tianchen! Save me! You're my beloved kin, my sworn brother! You can't let me get eaten!"
Behind him, Han Ruoruo rose in a twisted, eerie pose, crawling toward him.
"Tianchen! I was wrong! I shouldn't have stolen your girl, shouldn't have ignored you! I'm kowtowing, I'm sorry! Open the door!"
Liu Yuan pounded the door, survival instinct maxed out.
Gu Tianchen peeked through the window, grinning mischievously. "Wanna get out? Call me 'godfather,' and I'll let you."
"Godfather! Dad! Dear old man! Open the door, and you're dearer than my real dad!!" Liu Yuan sobbed.
"Roar!"
Han Ruoruo lunged with a furious bellow.
"Godfather, save me!!!"
Click!
The door swung open, and Gu Tianchen kicked the pouncing Han Ruoruo away.
"What's that stench?"
Gu Tianchen frowned, noticing Liu Yuan, trembling by the door, his pants soaked.
Han Ruoruo, slammed into the wall, closed her fleshy head-petals, reverting to human form.
"Gu Tianchen, I think we can talk—"
Whoosh!
A fiery flash, and Han Ruoruo's head rolled, splitting into eight pieces.
"Talk my ass."
Gu Tianchen flicked the blood off his sword.
"I've killed all your spawn. Still not showing yourself?" Gu Tianchen twirled his sword.
Liu Yuan, slumped by the door, was baffled. Who's he talking to?
Boom!
The piano room wall exploded, and a cyan-black-scaled, serpent-tailed monster lunged.
Its razor claws sliced the wall like tofu, glinting in the dim light.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two cold flashes clashed. The Nanda Serpent Demon cleaved a desk in half, its cut mirror-smooth.
Bang!
Its massive tail swept the heavy piano aside, striking Gu Tianchen with crushing force.
Gu Tianchen planted his Han sword in the floor, catching the sweeping tail with both hands effortlessly.
Nanda Serpent Demon: ???
Gu Tianchen gripped the serpent tail, spun two and a half circles, and hurled the massive Nanda Serpent Demon like a shot put, crashing it through the building's wall, leaving a gaping hole.
Cold wind rushed through the hole. Liu Yuan, disheveled in the gust, gaped. Is this human strength?!
Gu Tianchen yanked his Han sword from the floor and leaped through the hole, pursuing his prey.
The dazed Nanda Serpent Demon shook its groggy head, staring at the hole in the arts building's second-floor wall, utterly baffled…
Then, a blood-red figure leaped out, launching a Crow on a Plane straight at its head!
"Holy shit!"
The Nanda Serpent Demon dodged. Gu Tianchen's landing cratered the ground, dust billowing.
Emerging from the haze, Gu Tianchen dusted himself off, grinning savagely as he advanced.
"I'll fight you to the death!!!"
The Nanda Serpent Demon lashed out with razor claws.
Gu Tianchen blocked with his arm. The claws shredded his uniform, leaving faint scratches.
The Nanda Serpent Demon's eyes widened in shock.
Damn, he's tough!!
Seizing its distraction, Gu Tianchen slashed its chest, carving a bone-deep gash!
The Nanda Serpent Demon staggered back, steadying itself. This freakish power… he's really just Lamp Realm?!
Gu Tianchen's Han sword erupted in flames, slashing down.
The Nanda Serpent Demon crossed its arms to block, but the sword's terrifying force crushed it, forcing it to its knees before Gu Tianchen.
Crack!
A whip-like kick sent the demon tumbling across the ground.
Despair gripped the Nanda Serpent Demon.
No way to win. No way at all!
Its prized claws couldn't breach Gu Tianchen's freakish defense.
His flaming sword didn't just cut deep—it burned, leaving searing agony!!
Guided by the principle of "a wise man doesn't eat a loss," the Nanda Serpent Demon bolted.
Keep the mountain green, and firewood won't run dry!
"Trying to run? Too late."
Gu Tianchen appeared in front, wrapping the demon in a bear hug.
The Nanda Serpent Demon blinked, bewildered. What's this new move?
A love hug?!
Snap!
Gu Tianchen snapped his fingers. His Divine Fire Avatar in the demon's embrace exploded!
Boom!
A massive blast left a crater, black smoke roiling.
Hongying and Si Xiaonan, drawn by the explosion, stared at the charred Nanda Serpent Demon corpse in the pit, stunned.
"You took it out alone?" Hongying asked, incredulous.
Gu Tianchen smiled. "No big deal."
Si Xiaonan eyed the blackened corpse, muttering, "Freak."
"All the Serpent Spawn in the school are gone. I'll tell Lin Qiye to bring the auditorium kids out," Gu Tianchen said.
"Got it. Xiaonan and I will wait at the gate," Hongying nodded.
…
School Auditorium.
Gu Tianchen and Li Yifei entered, greeted by applause.
Li Yifei grinned at Gu Tianchen. "I was checking for survivors near the arts building and saw you fighting that big monster. All done?"
"Not quite."
An Qingyu drew a pistol from Lin Qiye, firing three shots at Li Yifei's head.
Li Yifei, stunned, touched his head. The bullet wounds were healing.
"Tianchen, Qiye, did you see that? Bullets can't kill me! Have I awakened?" Li Yifei asked excitedly.
Gu Tianchen, perched on a desk, shook his head with a wry smile.
Lin Qiye spoke slowly. "You didn't awaken. You're the Nanda Serpent Demon."
"Me? You're joking! How could I be the Nanda Serpent Demon?!"
"Tianchen, you know me best. I can't be it!"
"Li Yifei, look into my eyes!"
Lin Qiye's eyes blazed gold, Seraph's Divine Majesty forcing out the Nanda Serpent Demon's true form.
"Not helping?" Lin Qiye asked Gu Tianchen.
Gu Tianchen planted his Han sword in the ground.
"I've been killing all day. I'm tired. You handle it. Besides, this guy's my beloved kin, my sworn brother. I can't do it."
Lin Qiye raised an eyebrow. Your beastly stamina's tired?
The Nanda Serpent Demon raised an eyebrow. Beloved kin, sworn brother? Didn't stop you from blowing me up!
Li Yifei's true form emerged, clashing with Lin Qiye.
An Qingyu sat beside Gu Tianchen, offering a bag of melon seeds.
Night fell, and with Starlit Night Dancer, Lin Qiye crushed the Nanda Serpent Demon.
Crushed by two Lamp Realm fighters in one day, the demon's resolve shattered…
Lin Qiye beheaded it, murmuring to the corpse.
"Sorry… Li Yifei…"
"Let's meet again…"
"In the Asylum of the Gods."
Gu Tianchen spat out melon seed shells, thinking:
Brother… go in peace…
You'll be the world's greatest steward…
Mountains high, rivers long, we'll meet again…
***
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