Yamata no Orochi was like an endlessly untiring primordial beast. Every time it thrashed, it stirred up massive, murky waves, and its suffocating sense of pressure, rather than weakening over time, grew ever stronger.

Above the sea, two aged figures darted through the gaps between the giant serpent's attacks. Though in perilous danger, neither had been hit yet.

However, anyone paying attention could see that the situation was growing increasingly dire.

"Hoo... Hoo..."

Marshal Deng Qihe's chest heaved violently. Though the longsword in his hand remained as steady as a rock, the web of his hand gripping the hilt had split open, oozing dark red blood.

With perfect tacit understanding, the two struck at the same moment, using the shockwave of the impact to rapidly leap backward, putting a distance of a thousand meters between themselves and the massive creature.

"This beast's vitality is even more tenacious than it was forty years ago."

Marshal Deng Qihe stared at the giant beast in the distance, whose wounds were rapidly healing, his brow furrowed deeply. "Chopping off one or two heads is useless; its regeneration is too fast. It seems we'll have to use the tactic from back then."

Zhao Qingcang wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his voice hoarse. "The tactic from back then?"

"Yes."

Marshal Deng Qihe's eyes turned sharp. "To completely kill it, we must sever all its heads in the exact same instant, giving it no chance to breathe or regenerate."

In that bloody battle forty years ago, several top powerhouses from the Great Bear Country risked heavy injury or even death, using their powerful Physical Bodies to briefly lock down Yamata no Orochi's body, creating the opportunity for Marshal Deng Qihe to strike down seven heads with a single sword slash.

Thus accomplishing that historic slay.

History was strikingly similar once again.

Except this time, there were no powerhouses from the Great Bear Country. However, Zhao Qingcang's spatial control capability was only stronger, not weaker, than simple physical restraint.

"Cough, cough..."

Zhao Qingcang pulled a potion bottle emitting a faint blue glow from his robes and threw his head back, draining it in one gulp.

As the potion slid down his throat, a hint of color finally returned to his pale face, and his drained Mental Strength received a touch of nourishment, like a withered tree encountering spring.

Taking a breath, he casually crushed the empty bottle. Amidst the flying glass powder, the old man's gaze grew more resolute than ever before.

"Teacher, I will pave the way for you."

Before his words died away, Zhao Qingcang pushed his hands out to both sides, as if pushing open a heavy, invisible door.

"Domain—【Within Reach, Yet Worlds Apart】!"

Buzz—!

An invisible ripple enveloped the sea within a ten-mile radius.

Within this Domain, the laws of space were forcibly rewritten by Zhao Qingcang.

Qinze Taichiro's massive body was about to charge forward when it discovered in shock that, despite Zhao Qingcang being right before its eyes, no matter how much it accelerated or crashed forward, that short distance of a thousand meters was infinitely stretched out, turning into an impassable chasm.

Its attacks struck into the the void, unable to even touch a corner of their clothes.

On the other hand, while Zhao Qingcang and Marshal Deng Qihe had seemingly not moved, they appeared to be right against Yamata no Orochi's scales.

"Now!"

Zhao Qingcang roared, veins bulging on his forehead. Maintaining a Domain of this caliber was immensely draining on him.

Marshal Deng Qihe did not hesitate for a second. The standard-issue longsword in his hand ignited with a blinding white light.

"Domain—【Myriad Swords Return to Origin】!"

High in the sky, the bright moonlight dimmed, replaced by hundreds of millions of freezing cold Sword Qi strands.

As Marshal Deng Qihe pointed his fingers like a sword, these hundreds of millions of Sword Intent strands poured down like an upside-down Milky Way with unmatched sharpness, roaring toward Qinze Taichiro.

Dense and overwhelming, like brilliant stars from the heavens falling into the mortal world.

"Hmph!"

Solemnity finally appeared in Qinze Taichiro's seven pairs of crimson eyes.

It sensed danger.

"Roar—!"

Accompanied by a low roar, Yamata no Orochi's mountain-like body actually began to shrink at extreme speed.

Its body, originally a hundred meters long, shrank by two-thirds in the blink of an eye, becoming only about thirty meters in size.

Although shrinking its size reduced its attack range, the density and defensive power of its scales exploded exponentially.

At this moment, Yamata no Orochi resembled a piece of purplish-black divine iron tempered a thousand times.

Clang, clang, clang—!

Countless strands of Sword Intent collided with the hard scale armor, bursting into a dense clatter of clashing metal. Sparks flew everywhere like a magnificent firework display igniting across the sea.

In just a single second, Yamata no Orochi endured the barrage of at least tens of thousands of Sword Intent strikes.

Yet, when the sword rain subsided slightly, what was revealed was its hard body—covered in white marks, but with its defenses entirely unbroken.

"Its defensive power actually increased this much?"

Marshal Deng Qihe frowned.

"We're not done yet!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Zhao Qingcang's eyes. He held his hands out as if cupping a sphere, and in his palms, that dark gravitational vortex re-emerged.

"【Starry Return to the Void】"

Empowered by his Domain, the power of this move was no longer simple physical devourment, but absolute restraint on the level of fundamental rules.

The black hole, originally only fist-sized, expanded to the size of a millstone and appeared directly above Yamata no Orochi's shrunken body.

Terrifying gravitational force transformed into an invisible giant hand, seizing Qinze Taichiro.

This time, the black hole's power was entirely devoted to confinement.

Under the pull of gravity, Yamata no Orochi's indestructible body produced a teeth-grinding sound of grinding bones. Its movements froze completely, unable to move even a single finger.

"Teacher! Strike it!"

Zhao Qingcang bled from all seven orifices as he roared out.

No words were needed.

Marshal Deng Qihe was already poised to strike.

He held his sword with both hands, raising it high above his head.

All light and sound between heaven and earth vanished, leaving only that single sword.

That sword expanded infinitely in Qinze Taichiro's pupils, filling its entire world.

Forty years ago, on that freezing winter night.

It, too, had been under such restraint, watching helplessly as this sword fell, followed by endless darkness.

"Is it this move again..."

Qinze Taichiro's seven heads stopped struggling at the same time, a trace of daze appearing in its eyes.

Was the outcome still unchangeable?

It was somewhat unwilling to accept it.

Yet it did not roar or beg for mercy; it merely watched calmly as that falling beam of light descended, as if awaiting a fateful judgment.

"Heaven—Severing—Sword—Drawing—Technique!"

Marshal Deng Qihe's aged voice resounded through the sky.

A white beam of light spanning heaven and earth instantly sliced across Yamata no Orochi's neck.

Without any resistance.

Like a hot knife through butter.

Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!

Seven soft sounds overlapped almost as one.

Seven massive, hideous snake heads soared into the sky together. Blood erupted from their severed necks like geysers, staining the entire sea a blinding crimson.

The giant headless corpse swayed before collapsing heavily into the sea, splashing sky-high waves.