- In Marvel: I Start by Marrying Scarlett Witch [Complete]
- MWM Chapter 233
“Righteous spirit, Seven Swords to vanquish demons! Monster, face our swords!”
As they neared the nine-headed demon python, the Seven Sons of the Cloud immediately broke out of their sword-escape technique, shouting in unison. They wielded seven distinct flying swords, all aimed at the python’s vulnerable seven-inch point.
The nine-headed python, sensing that the spiritual ganoderma was about to transform, noticed seven Core Formation cultivators suddenly appear. It raised its nine massive heads, ready to confront them.
Each of the python’s nine heads had unique abilities. The middle five heads could each unleash attacks from one of the five elements—gold, wood, water, fire, and earth—while the remaining four heads were as tough as Nascent Soul cultivators’ defensive treasures. The python used these four heads to block the flying swords aimed at its vital point.
However, it underestimated the power of the Seven Sons of the Cloud. Their flying swords weren’t ordinary Core Formation-level treasures. While the python managed to block the strikes, deep wounds appeared on its four defensive heads, revealing bone.
Likewise, the five elemental attacks the python unleashed were formidable. The Seven Sons of the Cloud didn’t dare take them head-on and quickly recalled their flying swords to defend themselves.
Shushan sword cultivators typically focused all their energy on a single sword. Instead of using fancy formations or spells, they embodied the principle of “one sword to break ten thousand techniques.” Their attacks and defenses all relied on their swords.
After delivering an initial strike, the Seven Sons of the Cloud used their flying swords’ speed to scatter the python’s elemental attacks.
Leo, watching from a distance, originally expected the Nascent Soul-level python, with its massive size and power, to fiercely engage the Seven Sons of the Cloud. To his surprise, the python turned out to be quite timid. As soon as it realized that its four defensive heads had been wounded and its elemental attacks were countered, it ignored its higher cultivation level and turned to flee. It darted toward the ganoderma, intending to swallow it whole and escape.
In hindsight, Leo realized this made sense. In a world dominated by cultivators, a demon would likely not reach the Nascent Soul stage without a healthy dose of caution. Any overly brave or reckless demon would have long been slain and its core harvested by cultivators.
Though the ganoderma had not yet completed its transformation, consuming it would still allow the python to break through to the next stage. With increased power, it could devour the human cultivators and even the Lotus Fairy later on.
Engaging in a prolonged fight with these human cultivators only risked death, and if the ganoderma was stolen in the chaos, the python would gain nothing. Its core philosophy after a millennium of cultivation was clear: seize the opportunity, and if it can’t win, run.
The Seven Sons of the Cloud were momentarily stunned by the python’s retreat. Even a demonic cultivator wouldn’t flee so quickly after just one exchange of blows.
Fortunately, the Lotus Fairy, being a demon herself, understood the python well. She had already shifted from her water-escape technique to earth-escape, appearing beside the ganoderma. Just as the python opened its massive jaws to swallow the ganoderma, the Lotus Fairy revealed her true form—a lotus flower that wrapped around the ganoderma, preventing the python from devouring it.
While she wasn’t strong enough to defeat the nine-headed python, she could hold it off for a moment with her full defensive effort. And that was all the time the Seven Sons needed to vanquish the demon.
Indeed, the Seven Sons quickly recovered from their surprise and launched their flying swords again, forcing the python to turn back and engage in battle.
Thus, everything unfolded according to the Lotus Fairy’s plan.
“As expected of the Emei sword cultivators, the strongest in their realm—righteous and formidable,” Leo mused, maneuvering his Red Spirit Fire Pearl closer to watch the battle. Within just a few moments, the coordinated efforts of the Seven Sons had left the Nascent Soul-level python covered in wounds.
He couldn’t help but compare them to the Xuanyin Sect elder he had fought earlier. That elder wasn’t weak, but his strength relied heavily on the Nine Heavens Demonic Formation and the demonic spirits within it. Outside the formation, Leo could have easily defeated him using the *Eight Gates Technique*.
However, the strength of the Seven Sons was genuine. Leo knew that even if he opened all eight gates, his body wouldn’t be able to withstand their flying swords directly. None of his defensive spells could hold against the power of those swords either.
That said, the Seven Sons weren’t without their weaknesses. If Leo were the one facing them, while he couldn’t block their attacks head-on, he was confident he could dodge them.
The flying swords were incredibly fast, far outpacing Leo physical speed, even with all eight gates opened. But because the swords were so fast, he noticed that the Seven Sons’ movements slowed considerably whenever they attacked.
This made sense—if they didn’t slow down, their reactions wouldn’t keep up with the swords, and they wouldn’t be able to control them perfectly.
It was like driving a car: on a straight road, you can floor the gas pedal and reach top speed, but when you need to make a sharp turn, you have to slow down. Otherwise, the car might skid out of control.
The same principle applied to controlling flying swords and magical treasures. If an opponent dodged, the sword cultivator had to guide the sword to follow. If the sword’s speed exceeded their control, it would fly too far before they could redirect it, lowering efficiency.
Only by slowing the sword could they control it perfectly in close combat.
This control was part of what tested a sword cultivator’s true skill. The more experienced the sword cultivator, the better they could control their sword without needing to slow it down. At the Earth Immortal stage, sword cultivators could wield their swords at full speed without sacrificing precision.
At his current Foundation Establishment stage, Leo magical treasures were no match for the Seven Sons’ flying swords. His power simply wasn’t in the same league. However, his body, enhanced by the *Eight Gates Technique*, was comparable to that of a Nascent Soul-level demon.
And, unlike the massive python, Leo smaller, more agile body allowed for greater flexibility. As long as his reactions were fast enough, he could potentially dodge the swords. If he had a weapon capable of withstanding the flying swords, he might even be able to block them.
But this was just defensive evasion—counterattacking would be a different challenge.
Sword cultivators could kill their enemies from thousands of miles away, while his spells couldn’t reach nearly that far.
However, Leo had *Apparition*. His teleportation technique could cover distances much farther than the range of their flying swords. And since sword cultivators focused entirely on their swords, they typically didn’t set up formations that sealed off space.
So, Leo could lure their flying swords far away and then use *Apparition* to teleport directly to the cultivators, striking at their physical bodies before they could react.
Even though their swords were incredibly fast, they couldn’t beat his teleportation.
In a real fight against the Seven Sons, Leo felt his chances of winning were quite high.
Against other Core Formation cultivators, his chances were even better. Their magical treasures weren’t nearly as fast as flying swords, and he could easily break them with his enhanced physical strength, just like he had done against the Xuanyin Sect elder.
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