“嗡——”

vague resonance rippled through the air, a dissonant note in the symphony of nature. 7 parallel lines of light shot forth, converging toward the distant mountain peak where the Gourd Brothers had just demonstrated their technique. 8 silhouettes formed at the apex, the 7 brothers and the8th figure, a stripy, multi-limbed creature that looked uncannily like the Wuchang Jiao (Centipede Demon) the brothers had originally fought.

However, the details were off.

Its scale was significantly smaller, maybe only as tall as a child. Its movements were less fluid, more jerky, like a malfunctioning mechanical toy. Its body was segmented, but the joints seemed less defined, almost as if it was stitched together rather than naturally occurring. Most strikingly, the red light swirling within its bizarre eyes was calm, too calm. It held no malice, no fury, only an unnerving passivity.

Incompetent, the red light thought. Again. Just like the last 7 times. The human children, they are too good. My spells falter under their pressure.