Chapter 376: Chapter 319
The moment the Power Demon Incarnation exited the flying device, it lost effectiveness, and the Demon Thunder Wings continued to function because Li Zheng had reserved some Genetic Force in advance.
The fully expanded Demon Thunder Wings resembled a pair of gigantic, fossilized electric snakes in blue and purple, composed of several thick lightning bolts forming a framework interlaced with a myriad of fine electric lights, an exceptionally brilliant sight.
At this moment, Li Zheng stood in mid-air; his control over the new ability unexpectedly reached a level of ease during the recent process of expanding the fascia.
This counted as a blessing in disguise.
He raised his hand and touched his cheek, feeling a burning sensation, as if it had been scorched by something.
This was because of the acidic liquid spat by the 33rd Variant from its bone skull mouth at the last moment when he shot out of the device, but due to Li Zheng’s swift response, he evaded most of it, with only a small amount landing on his face.
The 33rd Variant didn’t know that its last move exposed its fatal weakness.
The reason Li Zheng had corrosive liquid on his face was precisely at that moment; he saw a small unusual object emerge from the mouth of the 33rd Variant.
It was a crystal heart, only the size of a baby’s fist, hidden in the throat of the bone skull, which Li Zheng wouldn’t have discovered if not for the perfect angle.
"Attack its throat, there’s a small heart inside; that’s its weak point!"
Having exhausted his Genetic Force, Li Zheng’s combat power was reduced by more than half, so he could only shout out his discovery to Zhan Zhouzhou, urging her to make the kill.
"Phoenix Mountain!"
Zhan Zhouzhou, tangled with a massive amount of bone spikes, couldn’t break free and had to ask for help.
"Speak!"
Phoenix Mountain shouted from afar, his expression gradually twisting with excitement.
He and Zhan Zhouzhou were quite alike, transforming into completely different people when in battle.
Zhan Zhouzhou became cold, silent, and reticent.
He, however, turned wild and mad.
The former was absolute calmness, the latter brave to the point of fearlessness.
"Share some pressure for me!" Zhan Zhouzhou dodged two sharp bone spikes, seized a gap, drilled out of the encirclement, and with the sword, disappeared from the scene.
Boom!
A loud explosion echoed in the air as a burly but not overly tall figure burst out, diving headlong into the dozens of bone spikes, bearing all attacks head-on and punching fiercely in return.
At the same time, Zhan Zhouzhou reappeared three meters away, her face slightly pale.
Ka-ka-pa-pu~
The sound of a sharp blade penetrating flesh came from the bone spikes; Phoenix Mountain’s weapon was spiked knuckles, while the Variant’s exterior was merely skeleton.
So the answer was evident; Phoenix Mountain got injured shortly after joining the fight.
Zhan Zhouzhou glanced back, hesitating whether to return for help.
"You go, I’ll be okay!" Phoenix Mountain seemed to sense it, shouting confidently, "What a thrill! What a thrill! What a thrill! It hurts, so you have to hurry!"
Still having time for banter indicated that his injuries weren’t severe.
Zhan Zhouzhou turned and moved swiftly, approaching the 33rd Variant from another side.
Yet it was at this moment that the Variant revealed its true strength.
All its bones erected like a porcupine covered in countless sharp spikes, and the bone armor outside the fascia was merely a disguise!
"Little Sakura!"
Original Force finally exhausted, Li Zheng, in a free-fall, shouted to call Little Sakura nearby.
The little one had high combat talent but lacked combat methods; Li Zheng had yet to find a suitable ability for Little Sakura, resorting to passively developing skills from what he acquired.
The Pink Poli originally used continuous Monster Fist attacks but found them ineffective, so it transformed into two soft whips, wrapping around a bone spike in an attempt to break it.
Before Li Zheng’s summoning, they were still wrestling with that bone spike.
"Awooo?"
Little Sakura tugged back Pink Poli, pointed in the direction where Li Zheng was falling, and signaled for assistance.
"Poli..."
Pink Poli, though reluctant, transformed into a highly elastic waterbed, positioning itself on the ground to catch Li Zheng.
Li Zheng descended rapidly, and just as Pink Poli got into position, he fell onto it.
Poof.
Bounced by Pink Poli, Li Zheng, slightly breathless from the recoil, pointed towards Zhan Zhouzhou’s location and shouted, "Help, Earth Ridge Stab!"
Little Sakura instantly grasped his intention and launched two consecutive Earth Ridge Stabs at Zhan Zhouzhou’s feet.
Rumble——
The ground shook, two spike-less earth ridges rose one after the other.
The front one was faster and also higher than the rear one.
Zhan Zhouzhou stood on the top of the rear earth ridge.
"A mistake?" Li Zheng had landed, paused to retrieve a Flying Device for Little Sakura to send over to Zhan Zhouzhou.
But then, Zhan Zhouzhou suddenly ducked, single-handedly clutching the edge of the earth ridge platform, hanging mid-air.
The next moment.
Schwing!
A gray-white bone spike, from who knows where, suddenly swiped across, lopping off another layer of the front earth ridge’s top.
If Zhan Zhouzhou hadn’t dodged earlier, she would have jumped, landing defensively.
Or had her lower leg severed, losing combat ability.
"Could it be..." Li Zheng suddenly realized something, glanced at Little Sakura.
Finding that it showed no surprise whatsoever.
The little one, of course, wasn’t surprised since before Li Zheng summoned it back, it and Pink Poli were entangled with that most agile bone spike.
Having barely started the battle, Li Zheng got swallowed by the device, unaware of that bone spike’s peculiarity.
Had Little Sakura and Pink Poli not been constantly harassing it, Zhan Zhouzhou might not have held out amidst such intensive attacks.
Zhan Zhouzhou tightened her grip on the platform’s edge, lightly bounced up, using the foremost earth ridge as a springboard, leaping towards the Variant’s bone skull.
As she soared over the place where Li Zheng was swallowed, she swiftly glanced down to avoid being ambushed like him.
Though when Li Zheng escaped from there, he’d already destroyed most of it, making her concerns unnecessary.
Swoosh!
The most agile bone spike tentacle returned, striking at Zhan Zhouzhou.
Should this hit, at the very least, it would result in a severed tendon or fractured bone.
In a critical moment, Zhan Zhouzhou’s long leg kicked mid-air, hooking onto that bone spike tentacle, and swung forward with momentum.
The Purple Thunder Longsword appeared in her hand, and Zhan Zhouzhou saw the small heart Li Zheng had mentioned.
No one would have imagined that the weak point of a more than three-meter-tall Variant would be such a tiny object hidden in its throat.
Placed here, besides being protected by bones, there at the entrance was the Genuine Swallowing Device that engulfed Li Zheng, as well as a most agile bone spike tentacle, a spot of absolute security.
But unfortunately...
The Variant forgot.
The most dangerous place is indeed the safest.
Had it obediently placed its heart in its stomach, breaking through several layers to reach it would’ve been a real chore for Li Zheng and the others.
Yet it placed its weakness in the spot it thought safest, only to find it was the most dangerous.
Lightning flashed.
The long sword came out and then was sheathed.
Crash!
Like a glass cup shattering on the ground, the crystal heart crisply broke into dust.