Gu He stepped forward, gripping his sword tightly, his eyes filled with tension. However, before he could move further, Yun Yun immediately raised a hand, stopping him.
"The other chieftains have arrived," Yun Yun said in a firm, yet gentle tone. "In this situation, fighting them is impossible. We must retreat."
Gu He's pupils narrowed, frustration filling his chest. However, despite his raging emotions, his mind remained clear. He knew Yun Yun was right, staying here would only make things worse.
It was true, for an alchemist, seeking the Heavenly Flame was a journey full of risks.
Going home empty-handed was a lifetime of regret, but trying to refine the Heavenly Flame unprepared would only lead to destruction.
Although it did lead to destruction, at least Gu He had tried to refine the Heavenly Flame even though he ultimately failed.
However, Yun Yun was not wrong. In this situation, their chances of victory were slim, even with Yun Yun who was a Dou Huang on the side of Gu He's group.
Moreover, Yan Shi and Feng Li were seriously injured to the point of unconsciousness.
Gu He clenched his fists tightly, his jaw hardening in frustration. With a voice full of anger, he cursed, "Damn it!"
Gu He and Yun Yun immediately approached Yan Shi and Feng Li. Without hesitation, they carried the two, then Dou Qi Wings appeared on their backs.
In a single flutter, they shot into the sky, away from the Snake People Chieftains, who were now preparing to face that abnormal Da Dou Shi, the masked man who was still hidden behind a puff of dust.
It was likely that after killing El, the Snake People Chieftain intended to seize the Heavenly Flame hidden within his body.
Through his Spiritual Perception, Gu He could clearly sense that El was not dead. He didn't know what he was planning, but a bad feeling was gnawing at his mind.
The stronger the feeling became, the more convinced Gu He became that they should leave immediately.
Getting involved further would only lead to disaster, although losing the chance to obtain the Heavenly Flame would still be a deep regret.
"Hahahaha."
El's laughter echoed from within the puffs of dust and sand before Gu He actually left. Instantly, a strong wind blew, sweeping away the mist that shrouded the place, revealing his figure that was still standing tall.
Gu He and Yun Yun spontaneously stopped their steps, looking back. Their eyes widened to see El still standing despite the tremendous attack earlier.
His black robe was now in tatters, revealing his purplish-blackened skin from the poison eating away at his body.
"What a monster..." muttered Gu He with a furrowed brow.
On the other side, the Snake People Chieftains were staring at El warily. The aura emitted by the masked man was still so strong, as if the attack earlier was not enough to knock him down.
Then, without warning, a subtle cracking sound was heard. The white mask covering El's face broke and fell to the ground, revealing his true face.
Upon seeing it, one thought came to their minds in unison.
"He's... deformed?"
As they said, the face seen at this moment was not El's original androgynous face with a slight feminine side.
Instead, what was visible was a disfigured face, full of horrible tear scars, as if it had been mercilessly ripped apart.
The Rinnegan-a water ripple-like eyeball with six rotating tomoe-is currently deactivated.
El had deliberately deactivated it because Yun Yun had seen the Rinnegan.
Even if it was only for a moment, Yun Yun could recognize her identity, which might make her worry and try to interfere in the scheme El had created.
At least, this way, she wouldn't worry too much.
However, El's damaged face was no coincidence.
From the very beginning, before putting on the mask, El deliberately damaged her own face, leaving gaping wounds that were later healed with a restorative potion mixed with water to weaken its effect.
All of this was done as a precautionary measure, a preparation in case his identity needed to be further concealed.
Of course, El was not worried about this appearance. If necessary, El could use Hell Path to rejuvenate her body or utilize the healing facilities while undergoing Mission Evaluation.
After seeing El's disfigured face, Gu He and Yun Yun said nothing more.
They only exchanged glances with each other for a moment, then without hesitation immediately left, again flapping their Dou Qi Wings to get away from that place.
For Gu He, this decision was simple, the mission had failed, and staying longer would only bring greater risks. He was not a sentimental person.
El's original appearance might be shocking, but that was none of his business.
In his heart, Gu He still regarded El as an abnormal Da Dou Shi whose strength could rival that of Dou Huang and Dou Wang's gang.
No matter what he looked like, what mattered was the danger.
Yun Yun, on the other hand, felt that something was bothering her. From the beginning, she sensed that El was not really trying to kill her.
And now, after seeing that face, that face full of wounds, as if someone had deliberately destroyed himself, curiosity mixed with pity arose in her heart.
However, this was not the time to look for answers. In the current situation, retreating was the best option.
After all, knowing El's true appearance better, it meant she wasn't someone who could easily hide her identity anymore.
Without looking back again, they disappeared into the horizon.
Yun Yun and Gu He, along with the unconscious Yan Shi and Feng Li had left, El grinned.
Because this grin was shown with his disfigured face, the five snake people chieftains shuddered, it was so terrifying.
Just as El was about to open his mouth to speak, a notification screen suddenly appeared in front of him, a Side Mission.
Ding!
[Beyonder with Serial Number 120,000 has triggered Side Mission Level A -Defeat the Chieftain-]
_____________________
Title: Defeat the Chieftain
Description: Provoke them, take 10 hits without falling, defeat them and show your fearsome Dominance!
Reward: 20,000 Points
Punishment: None.
_____________________
"Abnormal side mission as usual," El muttered to himself in a flat tone, before suddenly laughing softly. "Hahaha... But, no problem. This abnormal mission, I'll handle it wholeheartedly."
El's eyes flashed sharply, as if a wild idea had just popped into his mind.
"Incidentally, I've long envisioned a destructive technique..." El paused for a moment, his fingers clenched tightly into fists. "...It's just that, back then, I was too weak to realize it."
Seeing El laughing and babbling aimlessly made them feel something more than just ordinary madness. Their opponent was not just an insane human, but someone beyond reason.
"What do you think... how, Yin Shi?" asked Yue Mei in a worried tone, a wary expression evident on her face.
Mo Ba Shi, Nan Shi, and Yan Ci waited for Yin Shi's opinion, but before the chief could open his mouth, El interjected with a mocking tone.
"Was that an attack or a massage?" El sighed softly, then stretched his shoulders as if he had just woken up. "I almost fell asleep."
Instantly their expressions hardened, and their foreheads creased in anger.
"Arrogant humans!" growled Mo Ba Shi, his fists clenched tightly.
However, before they could move, El raised his hand, gesturing for them to listen. They stopped and understood what he meant.
"Alright, I'll give you guys a chance," he said casually, his head raised slightly, El paused for a moment to let silence fill the space.
In an instant, El's eyeballs transformed again, a sharp glinting Rinnegan, with six tomoe spinning slowly.
The light reflected unique patterns in his eyes, creating a deep impression that was hard to ignore.
Seeing that strange gaze, their hearts pounded. However, they ignored it, thinking it was just the reaction when an insane person with a disfigured face looked at them.
On the other hand, El suddenly deactivated the Dou Qi Armor and Susano'o aura that enveloped his body, only to activate the Ashura Path, strengthening his physique to the extreme.
This action, as if deliberately lowering his defenses, made them even more wary, especially after seeing how the Dou Qi Armor and that strange dark purple aura simply vanished.
El wore a faint smile on his disfigured face, his gaze sharp, meaningful.
Then, in a low but intimidating voice, he said: "Your ten best attacks... straight away, without pause."
"I wonder if you'll be able to keep me a little interested," El continued with mocking intent.