My Demon Husband Is a Snake Chapter 1157: The Ancient Painting of Countless Living Beings

An icy dread washed over my heart, a chilling premonition of impending doom engulfing me.

The lecherous old turtle, a master of sonic arts, clearly intended to weaponize sound against us.

With this understanding, Piao Changji expertly struck a resonant chord upon the zither, his movements imbued with an almost careless grace.

The note struck my very core like a physical blow, leaving me reeling and disoriented.

Xiao Li, however, was merely a mortal, possessing no Spiritual Power to shield herself.

She was violently convulsed, expelling a mouthful of dark blood, which then streamed from her eye sockets and ears.

Another auditory assault might very well shatter her very being.

In this dire predicament, hesitation was an unaffordable luxury; thankfully, Yu Longting had forewarned me of Piao Changji's prowess in utilizing sound to incapacitate foes.

He had entrusted me with several talismans specifically designed to seal the five senses, a defense against such insidious onslaughts.

With no time to waste expressing gratitude for Yu Longting's foresight, I pressed a charm into Xiao Li's hand, urging, "Grip it tight, urgent as law, Heavenly Master lend me your aid."

The true efficacy of many spoken incantations lay not in their ostentatious pronouncements of summoning Divine Power to the Heavenly Master, but in specific, often secret, phrases.

The phrase "as law" was indeed a direct address to a particular spirit, a crucial conduit for transmitting commands to various Deities, and the genuine key to activating the spell's full potential.

The moment the Five Senses Sealing Talisman activated within Xiao Li's grasp, another sonic blast from Piao Changji struck me, violently disrupting the stability of my Inner Breath.

A wave of dizziness washed over me, my ears ringing, and cold sweat beaded on my brow; I desperately fumbled for another charm, intoning "urgent as law."

The cacophony of clashing steel and thundering hooves filled my senses, a phantom battle raging unseen.

Finally, silence descended upon my ears.

Yet, the cost was a dangerously unstable Inner Breath, vibrating uncontrollably.

Blood erupted from my throat in a torrent, its expulsion seemingly without limit, as I witnessed my adversary continuing his assault on the zither.

His objective was to unleash devastating sound waves capable of disintegrating our protective talismans.

"Vast yin and yang, the sun ascends from the east, I command thee to gather this talisman... transform into auspiciousness, by urgent as law decree!" Driven by sheer desperation, my life hanging in the balance, I unleashed a fire charm, conjuring heavenly fire to storm towards Piao Changji.

Piao Changji responded by playing a powerful chord on his zither, his sonic attack attempting to neutralize the heavenly fire.

The heavenly fire, however, burned with exceptional ferocity, forcing him to frantically evade its scorching embrace.

This desperate dance caused the ancient scroll that concealed his form to ignite, as if imbued with a life of its own.

As it burned, an overwhelming sensation, akin to a legion of vengeful spirits, assailed me.

The very air thrummed with heart-wrenching wails, and a terrifying torrent of blood surged forth from the dying embers.

Even more chilling was the realization that the heavenly fire from my charm had exhausted its power, flickering out.

My heart pounded erratically, an overwhelming wave of guilt and sorrow washing over me, as if I had inadvertently caused a thousand deaths, "Piao Changji, what resides within your painting? Did the ancient artifact truly awaken?"

"A mere scorch like that, and you've extinguished the lives of at least a thousand souls; even if you escape the immediate consequences, Heaven's Tribulation will surely claim you," Piao Changji sneered, his gaze suddenly fixed on Xiao Li.

The hairpin adorning my hair was no mere ornament; I plunged it directly into his heart, "If I fall, you fall with me, Piao Changji! Is this your true form, or a mere replica?"

The instant the words left my lips, Piao Changji's eyes widened in mortal shock.

The ancient zither he held was now slick with the blood gushing from his chest.

As I moved to retreat, the zither, untouched by any hand, began to play of its own accord, its resonant notes shattering both Xiao Li's and my Five Senses Sealing Talismans.

Before I could draw another talisman to shield Xiao Li, she suddenly convulsed, as if possessed, rising to her feet.

A thin film of crimson coated her eyes, and she began to move, drawn towards an ancient painting suspended in the air.

The painting floated at a considerable height, and in her state of bewilderment, she leaped towards it.

A ripple disturbed the painted surface, and Xiao Li vanished without a trace.