Chapter 123: Fierce Battle Against the Eight-Headed Serpent God

The strike from Yamata no Orochi missed its mark, causing its massive body to sway. Suddenly, a pair of wings sprouted from its back, and with a powerful flap, the colossal creature ascended into the air, glaring down at Xiao Yu with fury.

Xiao Yu could not fathom why Yamata no Orochi harbored such deep-seated hatred for him, but it was clear the beast had no intention of stopping. Though the confrontation felt inexplicably bizarre, he could hardly stand by and be a punching bag.

"Damn it, it looks like there’s no way around a fight! Eat steel!"

Xiao Yu flicked his right hand, sending his longsword flying toward one of the beast’s eight heads. He then flashed forward, trailing closely behind the blade. Despite his diminutive size compared to the monstrous entity, his small stature proved advantageous, allowing him to nimbly dodge the snapping jaws of the various heads.

Nevertheless, Xiao Yu remained at peak vigilance. Setting aside the origin of the creature, the black flames emanating from its body warned him that this was no ordinary adversary. Weaving between the heads, Xiao Yu felt no heat from the flames; instead, they sent a chilling sensation through his marrow. This was clearly no earthly fire.

Xiao Yu reached the front of a head adorned with a single horn. With a quick gesture, he recalled the sword to his hand. Gripping it tightly, he unleashed a sharp, piercing sword aura. As his wrist flicked, the aura surged in intensity, slashing down toward the head before him.

To his surprise, the blade passed through the creature as if it were intangible. While the strike inflicted a minor wound, the damage was instantly sealed by swirling black mist.

"What is this? Is this not a physical entity? Is it some sort of energy construct?" A foreboding thought crossed his mind, but there was no time to ponder. As the mist mended the wound, another of Yamata no Orochi’s heads lunged with jaws wide open. Only a lightning-fast retreat saved Xiao Yu from being devoured. He performed a backflip to evade the strike, then darted away to put distance between himself and the creature.

Observing the energy-like nature of the massive beast, Xiao Yu felt a throbbing headache. With the attack having failed again, all eight heads swiveled to fix their gaze upon him.

"Last time, you sealed the seven of us away in the name of 'universal prosperity.' It’s time we settled that debt!" The eight heads roared toward the heavens. To others, it might have sounded like mere venting, but Xiao Yu understood every word.

Xiao Yu was bewildered. What nonsense was this? He was merely a human with some combat prowess; how could he have any connection to this beast or the others it spoke of? Before he could respond, the creature shifted its gaze toward the distant Azure Dragon and his companions.

"Oh? To think you’ve fallen so low that your twelve warriors remain by your side, bereft of ambition. They are pathetically weak now. Tell me, if I were to slaughter them all, would that stir any memories?" The beast’s voice dripped with mockery.

These words ignited a volcanic rage within Xiao Yu. The Twelve Heavenly Guardians were like family to him, as important as Ye Shihan. The threat against his kin pushed him past his limit.

"If you dare touch them, I will kill you!"

Xiao Yu’s eyes clouded with a blood-red mist—a state he only entered when consumed by pure fury. His voice shifted, sounding no longer human, which left everyone around him stunned.

"Hah! Rage! The angrier you are, the more delighted I become! Come, just as you did before, try to seal me away again!" Yamata no Orochi bellowed.

"I will kill you!"

Xiao Yu roared, his aura surging to a new, terrifying level. With a flick of his wrist, he swung his sword, launching several waves of lethal sword energy that struck the beast’s massive frame in an instant.

The sword energy, imbued with the power of the sun, moon, and stars, caused Yamata no Orochi to recoil in pain. This time, the wounds did not heal as quickly; it seemed the celestial energy was effective against it.

"Rain of Ten Thousand Blades! Die!"

Xiao Yu’s shout echoed again. As he whirled his sword, hundreds upon hundreds of blades formed from celestial energy manifested in the void. With a final sweep of his blade, he unleashed them all upon the beast.

Seeing the overwhelming onslaught, Yamata no Orochi did not hold back. Its eight heads spewed black flames, which coalesced into a hideous black fire dragon that charged headlong into the storm of blades.

BOOM!

A series of explosions erupted in the void, and the shockwaves distorted the very fabric of space.

Feng Qingge watched from afar, trembling with terror. Only now did he truly grasp the extent of Xiao Yu’s power. Yamata no Orochi was a legendary deity in the Sakura Kingdom; even if this was not its true physical form, its power was unquestionable. Yet, Xiao Yu, a mere mortal, was holding his own.

"Is this really our eldest brother? This is utterly insane," the Azure Dragon and the others muttered, dumbfounded. The battle had transcended human limits; Xiao Yu appeared as a god descending from the heavens.

To the side, Tojo watched in shock. To their shrine, the Great Yamata no Orochi was an object of worship, equal in status to the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu. Yet, Xiao Yu was fighting its energy avatar to a standstill. It was clear that Xiao Yu’s current combat strength had reached the level of a demi-god.