Chapter 1413: Water Surface Killing Intent

Zu An was startled. The water was acting strangely; how could it be rising by itself?

He had to keep flying upward. Suddenly, the strange black birds he had encountered earlier while evading the giant octopus sea monster flashed in his mind. He knew this couldn't continue; the steadily rising water was clearly forcing him higher, and there was undoubtedly great danger above.

Disregarding everything else, he immediately summoned his Wind-Fire Wheels. He revved them to full power and surged towards the shore, as the Wind-Fire Wheels were significantly faster than his own flight.

Just then, the river ahead suddenly churned, and a massive wave rose, blocking his path.

In a normal river, Zu An could have simply powered through any wave, no matter its size.

But this Weak Water was far too peculiar, and he had no idea what would happen if it touched him.

Would his body turn heavy as stone, making him unable to fly and sink directly to the riverbed, or would something else happen? He dared not risk it.

He quickly activated "Great Wind" to teleport sideways, but the Weak Water seemed almost sentient. He had evaded the previous waves, but this one was so vast that no matter which direction he moved, he couldn't see its end.

In that moment, Zu An felt the same suffocating sensation he remembered from watching the colossal wave in *Interstellar* in his past life.

Yet, he was no longer an ordinary man. Without hesitation, he shot directly skyward, intending to use his speed to outpace the immense wave temporarily and then pass over its crest.

But for some reason, the colossal wave's ascent speed was no slower than his own flying sprint. It rose almost exactly as high as he flew.

Within moments, the massive wave was only a few feet from him. He could already smell the water and sense its destructive force.

Gritting his teeth, he activated the "Star-Shattering Profound Seal," boosting his combat power tenfold. He then conjured the Yin-Yang Twin Swords, which he had acquired from Chiwen, summoned the Snow Phoenix, and unleashed the "Snowflake Divine Sword" technique. Spinning rapidly, he surged towards the immense wave before him.

With the combined empowerment of the "Star-Shattering Profound Seal" and the Snow Phoenix, his "Snowflake Divine Sword" wielded incredible power, instantly freezing the surrounding Weak Water.

However, he still felt as if he had been struck by lightning. The immense force vibrated through his body, causing veins to bulge and tiny beads of blood to seep from his skin. Such was the terrifying might of the colossal wave that he was severely injured in mere moments.

Even the Yin-Yang Twin Swords, heaven-grade weapons, let out mournful cries, their blades trembling incessantly as if they might shatter at any moment.

He desperately circulated the *Primordial Chaos Scripture* to heal his injuries, simultaneously channeling vital energy to protect the twin swords, knowing that if they broke now, it would be over.

To his surprise, the Yin-Yang Twin Swords seemed to sense the power of the Fire Phoenix and Blue Fu within him. The Fire Phoenix's energy flowed into the Yang Sword in his left hand, while the Blue Fu's energy surged into the Yin Sword in his right. The Yang Sword glowed with a dazzling fiery red, and the Yin Sword emitted a soft, light blue luster. The two lights subtly merged, forming a Tai Chi symbol.

This greatly amplified the swords' power. Zu An felt the pressure before him suddenly lighten, and then he, like a spiral drill, rapidly burrowed through the ice layer.

Soon after, he successfully passed through the immense wave. Looking back, the section of ice he had frozen had long since vanished within the surging waters. The massive wave then crashed onto the river surface behind, sending a cloud of mist skyward.

Fearing another such colossal wave, Zu An dared not pause for a second, frantically rushing towards the shore.

Thankfully, after his recent burst of speed, he was now very close to the shore, clearly able to make out the anxious expressions of the three women.

Zu An waved at the three women. Just as he was about to greet them, he suddenly noticed their faces contort in shock.

A warning surge shot through him. He swiftly activated "Great Wind," shifting several yards sideways. A cavernous maw, like a blood basin, snapped shut precisely where he had been moments before.

In that instant, he clearly saw his assailant: a monster with a dragon's head and a cat's body suddenly burst from the Weak Water.

Seeing its chilling, gleaming teeth, Zu An thought that even with his body tempered multiple times by the *Primordial Chaos Scripture*, a single bite would likely leave him severely wounded and near death, if not outright killed.

He had no time for reflection, however, because as soon as the monster's bite missed, its other massive, sharp claw was already sweeping towards him.

Its movements were so swift, leaving no room for a moment's breath.

Having already sustained considerable internal injuries from breaching the giant wave, and then hastily dodging again, Zu An was currently in a state where his old strength was depleted and new strength had yet to emerge.

He could only activate "Great Wind" once more, but unfortunately, Mo Xi's Heavenly Jade Terrace's cooldown refresh skill didn't activate this time. His "Great Wind" was currently in the brief interval between uses.

This interval was usually very brief, but at this moment, it was critically long.

Gritting his teeth, he raised his black and white twin swords, preparing to meet the attack head-on.

Just then, a white silk ribbon suddenly extended, wrapping around his waist. Immediately afterward, a gentle force swiftly pulled him back, causing the monster's seemingly inevitable claw strike to land on empty air.

When he regained his bearings, Zu An was already on the shore. It was Yan Xuehen who had pulled him back.

The monster roared a few times at the group, then reluctantly sank back into the water.

The group finally sighed in relief, examining Zu An from head to toe. "You weren't hurt by that monster, were you?"

"No," Zu An said, patting his chest to show he was perfectly fine. "Thank you for saving me, Sister Yan. By the way, where did you get such a long rope?"

Yan Xuehen's face flushed, and she immediately turned away, not answering his question.

"To make the Ice Maiden willingly remove her own belt, you must truly be the greatest man in the world," Yun Jianyue said, gloating.

Yan Xuehen was overcome with shame and irritation. "Are you finished, you demoness!" she snapped. In truth, it wasn't the first time she had voluntarily untied her belt in front of Zu An, and Yun Jianyue's teasing had simply hit a nerve, making her feel both self-conscious and mortified.

Zu An paused, his gaze falling on her now suddenly loose dress. He suddenly understood, realizing that her belt could stretch to such lengths.

Sensing their confusion, Yan Xuehen added, "This belt was specifically enchanted with runes for convenience, giving it an elastic function. Otherwise, it's no different from an ordinary belt and isn't considered a precious magical artifact."

It made sense; who would casually remove their belt to fight someone?

"Sister Yan, to express my gratitude, allow me to tie it for you personally," Zu An said with a smile, leaning closer.

"Get lost," Yan Xuehen retorted, her face as cold as frost. This fellow was truly audacious, daring to tease her so openly in front of others, seemingly unafraid of exposing their relationship.

"Let me do it," Yu Yanluo said, giving Zu An a sidelong glance before moving to help Yan Xuehen re-fasten her belt. "Sister, your waist is so slender."

Yan Xuehen's face slightly reddened. "When it comes to slender waists, who can compare to yours?"

(Yu Yanluo was the Medusa Queen, blessed with the innate gifts of the serpent race.)

Soon, their attention returned to the monster. "That creature seems somewhat like the legendary Qilin," someone noted, "but with a dragon's head and a cat's body, and it looks utterly ferocious."

"That must be the Yaoyu we're searching for. It closely matches Shun's description," Zu An stated in a deep voice. "I just didn't expect it to be hidden not on Mount Shaoxian, but in the Weak Water below it."

"Not even a feather can float in the Weak Water, so how can it move so freely within it?" Yu Yanluo wondered, utterly bewildered.

Zu An shared the same doubt. Earlier, he had specifically used his jade *cong* to detect that there wasn't even a single fish in the water, leading him to believe no creatures could exist there. He hadn't expected to be almost ambushed.

"From that brief encounter, its strength seems inferior to the Taotie we faced earlier and that giant octopus sea monster," Yan Xuehen said, frowning. "However, its ability to hide within the Weak Water makes it truly problematic."

Of course, calling its strength "not high" was relative; the aura it had just emanated was indeed at the Grandmaster level. Any of them facing it alone would be in great danger, but if they teamed up, it wouldn't be an overwhelmingly powerful opponent.

"By the way, Little An, what did you discover just now? Can we fly across this Weak Water?" Yun Jianyue asked.

Zu An paused at her question. "Huh, didn't you see what just happened?"