Both spat blood simultaneously as their souls suffered injury, their eyes reflecting the same shock and disbelief. Each was stunned by the sheer power of the other's magical treasure. However, Lin Feng had been somewhat mentally prepared, whereas Qin Gucang was completely blindsided by this outcome.
"A Dao Artifact!!" Qin Gucang gasped, his face deathly pale. Only a Dao Artifact could withstand his Lifebound Magical Treasure! Seething with resentment, he gritted his teeth, forcibly suppressing the chaotic energy surging within him. He desperately tried to command his momentarily stalled staff to launch another attack.
"SHIIING!!"
Unfortunately, wounded and further injured, his reaction was a fraction slower than Lin Feng's. A clear, resonant sword hum pierced the water as a streak of crimson-silver light slashed diagonally from the upper left!
It was the Crimson Soul Flying Sword, previously deflected!!
"Damn it!!" Qin Gucang's expression twisted with fury and alarm. He scrambled backward while simultaneously waving his left hand. The golden alms bowl treasure hovering above his head spun outwards. In his current state, he lacked even the spiritual energy to activate its protective glow, but he could still hurl the artifact itself at the incoming threat.
"CLANG!!!" A prolonged, metallic clang echoed as the golden bowl collided precisely with the streaking Crimson Soul Flying Sword. Before Qin Gucang could even draw a breath of relief, a sharp 'SWOOSH' cut through the water ahead. He jerked his head up just in time to see a streak of golden light hurtling towards him. The potent aura radiating from the projectile within the light marked it unmistakably as another top-grade spirit artifact!
Panic flickered in Qin Gucang's eyes. He tried desperately to dodge. But in the next instant, he suddenly recognized the distinct shape of the oncoming weapon. His pupils contracted violently, disbelief washing over his face. He couldn't stop the shocked cry that burst from his lips, "Vajra Pestle!!"
The attacking artifact was precisely the demon-subduing pestle Lin Feng had acquired from Qin Huangtian! Lin Feng hadn't had time to fully refine it yet, but with its original owner dead, wielding it wasn't difficult, even if he couldn't unleash its full potential. Yet, employing it now served a crucial purpose.
Seeing a treasure that should have been with Qin Huangtian suddenly wielded by Lin Feng sent a seismic shock through Qin Gucang. The implication struck him instantly: If Lin Feng has this pestle... then Qin Huangtian must be...
Already unhinged, this realization caused Qin Gucang's mind to blank for a critical split second. Though incredibly brief, it was enough to rob him of the chance for a complete evasion.
By the time Qin Gucang jolted back to awareness, the Vajra Pestle was terrifyingly close. He managed a desperate jerk to the side at the last possible moment. "CRUNCH!" The pestle slammed into his right shoulder. The sickening sound of shattering bone was audible. The force spun his entire body halfway around before he was sent hurtling backwards, spewing a fresh gout of blood.
The blow wasn't immediately fatal, but it shattered Qin Gucang's defenses completely. As the Vajra Pestle rebounded from its impact, a streak of crimson light flashed into view along the golden trajectory it had just carved...
The Vajra Pestle had merely been the distraction. The true killing strike was the Blood Demon Blade, following close behind!!
"AAAHHH!!!" An overwhelming sense of death crashed over Qin Gucang. He roared in utter terror. A flash of golden light enveloped his body as a concentrated ball of golden radiance surged upwards from the crown of his head – he was attempting to abandon his physical form and flee via his Nascent Soul!
"THWIP!!"
Yet, at the precise moment Qin Gucang's Nascent Soul was about to escape, a soft, wet sound pierced the chaos. The Blood Demon Blade plunged unerringly into the center of his chest. His body went rigid. His expression froze mid-snarl. The golden light gathering at his crown seemed violently yanked back, unable to escape even a fraction further.
"HMMM..." The Blood Demon Blade erupted with a blinding crimson radiance, emitting a low, almost joyful hum. Qin Gucang's body visibly withered at an alarming rate. The light at his crown was forcibly dragged downwards. The faint, protective aura still clinging to his form rapidly contracted towards the point of impact – his heart – and was devoured by the Blood Demon Blade.
Within mere seconds, every trace of life force vanished from Qin Gucang's husk...
...
"Whew..."
Feeling the Blood Demon Blade greedily replenish its energy, and seeing his formidable foe finally vanquished, Lin Feng finally allowed himself a long, shaky exhale. He wiped cold sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, silently acknowledging how perilously close that had been.
His Lifebound Treasure was a nasty surprise... Almost turned the tables completely. Thankfully, he really was at his limit, just as I thought. Even with that trump card, it was only a final, desperate struggle. The outcome wasn't too far off from what I expected, though I did take some damage. Minor, all things considered. Taking down an enemy like that? Absolutely worth the cost.
Having personally slain a late-stage Divine Transformation cultivator, Lin Feng felt a surge of exhilaration. Yet, he remained grounded. I only won because he was already crippled. If he'd been at full strength, a few of me wouldn't have been enough. Was it... dishonorable? Lin Feng swiftly dismissed the thought. He was a deadly threat. Eliminating him was necessary. Honor doesn't enter the equation against such foes.
"Qiu?" A soft chirp came from Lin Feng's chest. Xiao Qiu's little head poked out, clutching a high-grade spirit stone. It looked at Lin Feng as if asking, 'Finished?' It had been hiding inside Lin Feng's robe, 'on standby', hoping for a chance to launch a surprise attack. However, the battle had raged at a distance of two to three hundred meters the entire time, leaving no opening for the little creature.
"Heh, yeah. We won." Lin Feng gently rubbed Xiao Qiu's head. He had already recalled the Strange Fire and the Crimson Soul Flying Sword. With a light push of his foot, he shot towards Qin Gucang's lifeless body. En route, he retrieved both the Vajra Pestle and the now-dull, golden staff, storing them in his storage ring.
He reclaimed the Blood Demon Blade and took Qin Gucang's storage ring, then watched impassively as the corpse began its slow descent into the abyss. Turning, he saw An Xiyue approaching, the Invisibility Cloak now held in her hand.
"Lin... Mu Gongzi, are you alright?" An Xiyue's face still held traces of lingering shock. Seeing Lin Feng's pale complexion, her voice was filled with concern.
"I'm fine," Lin Feng nodded at her, then glanced towards the distant right. "An Guniang, let's get away from this place first... Hmm?!"
His words cut off abruptly. His face drained of color as he snapped his gaze downward towards the seabed. Simultaneously, Xiao Qiu in his embrace let out a terrified shriek: "QIU!!"
"ROOOAARRR!!!"
An Xiyue froze, instinctively following his gaze. She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but before any sound could emerge, a deep, guttural, utterly alien roar erupted from the ocean depths. At the same moment, she felt a violent tremor shake the seabed far below. The surrounding seawater began to churn violently. An immense, terrifying presence radiated upwards from the abyss...
"SWOOSH!!" Simultaneously, a colossal, crimson tentacle, thick as a tree trunk and seeming to ooze fresh blood, burst through the seabed sediment below! It lashed out with terrifying speed, extending dozens of meters in an instant. It wrapped around Qin Gucang's corpse, which hadn't yet reached the bottom, and with sickening ease, crushed it into pulp...
"SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!"
Immediately after, more of the same vile, blood-seeping tentacles erupted from the fractured ocean floor, one after another. The seabed beneath Lin Feng and An Xiyue seemed to tear open like a gaping wound. From this fissure rose a monstrous, blood-red silhouette, towering as high as a five-story building, filling their vision...
The Hundred-Tentacled Blood Octopus!!