NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1227: Patrol
Zhang Po had been waiting for an opportunity, and seeing Xiao Yifei was about to collapse, he couldn't wait any longer. He quickly scanned the surroundings and indeed found his dropped great sword in a corner of the stone chamber.
"Hold on, Xiao Yifei!" Zhang Po shouted, leaping to the corner and picking up the great sword. Then, gathering all his Qi, the treasure sword emitted a dazzling golden light. After a brief charge, he swung the sword at the Drilling Armor Corpse's arm.
Clang, sparks flew everywhere. The strike seemed unremarkable, but Zhang Po used all his strength. However, the Drilling Armor Corpse
didn't budge an inch, instead tightening its grip on Xiao Yifei's hand.
"This... this is impossible!" Zhang Po exclaimed, eyes widened in surprise, finding no trace of his strike on its arm. This creature's body was far more formidable than the Golden Armor Corpse.
"Ah!" Xiao Yifei screamed in pain, feeling he had lost feeling in his lower leg. Everything was going black; he was about to pass out.
Seeing the crisis, Zhang Po dared not hold back any longer. He swung another powerful sword strike, the immense impact sending even himself flying.
This attack finally had an effect. The Drilling Armor Corpse was clearly enraged, flinging Xiao Yifei aside. Its monstrous face turned toward Zhang Po, emitting a beast-like roar.
Thanks to Zhang Po's repeated attacks, Xiao Yifei escaped death's edge. Without time to think, he endured the weakness within and checked the injury on his lower leg.
This examination filled Xiao Yifei with despair. His lower leg was utterly ruined, bones shattered, tendons torn, and meridians dead. He tried moving his leg but found his brain's commands couldn't transmit. He hadn't expected the Drilling Armor Corpse's destructiveness to be this horrific.
"Zhang Po, hold it off for a while!" Xiao Yifei notified before ignoring the battle before him, sitting cross-legged to begin healing.
He recalled Zhang Po once saying the wood attribute Qi has healing properties. Thinking quickly, he attempted using his Qi to repair damaged muscles and bones.
Upon trying, Xiao Yifei was overjoyed. Indeed, as his wood attribute Qi flowed to the lower leg, it immediately began to repair the shriveled cells. Like a rescue team, within Xiao Yifei's senses, the muscles, bones, and meridians of his lower leg started recovering at an eye-visible pace.
At this rate, Xiao Yifei knew that within an hour, he'd regain the use of his leg. Although it might be challenging to rejoin the battle, it was the only way.
"You must hold on!" Xiao Yifei sat in the corner, hoping Zhang Po could withstand for this hour. Then, together, they could definitely take down the Drilling Armor Corpse.
Seeing Xiao Yifei beginning to recover, Zhang Po steeled his heart, engaging the Drilling Armor Corpse in a tight dance of swords. In a blink, he swung dozens of swords, crosshatches of golden light with astounding power.
Looking at the Drilling Armor Corpse, its two elephantine legs stood firm like a mountain in a field, efficiently deflecting all of Zhang Po's strikes with a single hand.
Surprised, Zhang Po exerted force in his legs, leaping backward to the center of the stone chamber. The Drilling Armor Corpse fearlessly followed, taking light strides.
The previous battle took place in the shadowy corners of the stone chamber. Now, as the battlefield shifted to the stone chamber's center, Zhang Po finally examined his adversary closely.
The Drilling Armor Corpse stood over three meters tall, fragments of diamond covering its body, shimmering under the lanterns. The gaps between diamonds, its exposed skin, were black, resembling a diamond-studded black mountain. Just like Chang Wutian said, the Drilling Armor and its body were one. Muscles robust, face fierce, its eyes flickering with pale blue phosphorus light.
The Drilling Armor Corpse coldly glanced at Zhang Po, a hint of majesty in its gaze, surprisingly speaking human words: "Those who defy the Chang Family's might, kill without mercy!"
Zhang Po was shocked that it could speak, unsure if it understood. Holding a try-and-see attitude, he hastily cupped his fists and responded, "I am Zhang Po, head of the Zhang Family, one of the Seven Ancient Clans. I've come only to gather the Chang Family's tokens, with no intent of offense. Please forgive any transgressions."
Resting nearby, Xiao Yifei overheard their dialogue, shaking his head and thinking, "Fool, this Drilling Armor Corpse is probably like a robot, input with a few programs by its creator; it likely only spouts intimidating words and can't converse like a human."
Sure enough, as Xiao Yifei thought, the Drilling Armor Corpse ignored Zhang Po's greetings, repeating: "Those who defy the Chang Family's might, kill without mercy!" Saying that, it took the initiative, reaching its large hands straight for Zhang Po.
Zhang Po sighed, realizing gentleness wouldn't work; only force remained. He needed to endure until Xiao Yifei recovered. Then, partnered together, losing would be difficult!
Zhang Po swung his sword to face the challenge. Clang, a huge sound erupted, with Zhang Po sent flying backward. The Drilling Armor Corpse quickly followed, and Zhang Po shifted to defense. Lightly lifting his left leg, he stood on one, with a slight wave of his sword hand, using "Guest Welcomes Pine" to ward off the Drilling Armor Corpse.
The Drilling Armor Corpse recoiled rather than advanced, its stretched arm suddenly twisting in an attempt to sneak attack from behind. Zhang Po, expecting this move, ducked and dodged the attack, counter-striking at the Drilling Armor Corpse's chest.
This sword strike, Zhang Po gave it his all, seeking a breach in the Drilling Armor Corpse's defense. Yet, things did not go as he wished. The Drilling Armor Corpse's invincibility halted Zhang Po's sword completely, without giving way. Both exerted force against each other, yet Zhang Po was determined not to retreat, sending an additional burst of Qi to the sword, struggling with the Drilling Armor Corpse.
After a brief standoff between the human and the corpse, Zhang Po's sword bent at an unnatural arc. Astonished by the Drilling Armor Corpse's strength, Zhang Po hurriedly withdrew the sword.
When two forces oppose, the side releasing force is disadvantaged. As Zhang Po first retreated and withdrew his sword, the Drilling Armor Corpse's brute strength, having no outlet, inadvertently accompanied Zhang Po, pressing heavily against him.
Zhang Po panicked, realizing how this Drilling Armor Corpse's three-meter tall body indicated its weight wasn't under three hundred pounds. Pressing unprepared against Zhang Po's body, he felt a sweetness in his chest and spat blood, frantically pushing the Drilling Armor Corpse away.
The Drilling Armor Corpse wouldn't squander such a chance, sitting up to pin Zhang Po's abdomen, immobilizing him. Zhang Po dry heaved again, while the Drilling Armor Corpse raised its fists, fiercely punching Zhang Po's face.
In the blink of an eye, dozens of punches were thrown. Zhang Po, his face bloodied, knew at this rate he'd be pounded to death by the Drilling Armor Corpse. Holding nothing back, his Dantian's Qi poured out, instantly filling Zhang Po's body. Zhang Po's arms exerted force, pushing against the Drilling Armor Corpse.