Accompanying the furious roar, a hundred-zhang-long violet blade beam cleaved through the water. The purple-robed cultivator's expression abruptly changed. He frantically exploded backward. As a lightning-element cultivator himself, he sensed terrifying power radiating from the incoming strike—a force that made his very soul tremble. He didn't even spare a glance to identify the newcomer, retreating dozens of meters in an instant.
The violet blade beam slashed through the space between the purple-robed cultivator and Lin Feng, striking the seabed below. A low, resonant boom echoed as turbulent silt surged upward. Through the murk, a long, deep fissure marred the ocean floor became visible.
As the blade brilliance faded, the purple-robed cultivator snapped his head up. Beside Lin Feng and An Xiyue now stood a burly figure, a massive violet warblade resting casually on one shoulder. The newcomer's cold eyes swept over him like shards of ice.
It was, unmistakably, Hu Sha.
Hu Sha's entrance radiated dominance, yet he didn't immediately press the attack. Instead, his sharp gaze darted between the two enemies flanking them. Turning to Lin Feng, his voice rumbled with concern, "Brother Mu, how bad is it?"
Lin Feng exhaled a long breath of relief, a faint smile touching his lips. "Just exhausted. Nothing serious."
"Good…" Hu Sha nodded, visibly relaxing, then did a double-take, his eyes widening. "Huh?! You've broken through to Nascent Soul?!"
"Yeah…" Lin Feng offered a wry smile. "That's a long story, Brother Hu Sha. Maybe we deal with these problems first?"
"Right, right." Hu Sha grinned fiercely, his warblade snapping into a ready stance with a fluid motion. "Just sit tight a moment, Brother Mu. I'll clear out this trash!"
"…"
The two Nascent Soul cultivators exchanged bewildered glances. Their initial shock had faded, replaced by cold assessment. They'd clearly sensed the newcomer's cultivation level: Nascent Soul Stage One.
Hmph! Such arrogance!! The green-robed cultivator's face twisted with rage at Hu Sha's dismissive tone. His voice dripped venom. "A mere Stage One dares run his mouth?! If death's what you crave, I'll oblige!!"
Without another word, murderous intent erupted in his eyes. His right hand flashed. A cyan longsword materialized, instantly erupting with a dazzling ten-zhang-long sword beam. It sliced through the water like a hot knife through butter, aimed squarely at Hu Sha's head!
Heh! Facing the full-force strike of a Stage Five cultivator, Stage One Hu Sha showed not a trace of fear. If anything, he looked exhilarated. A fierce gleam lit his eyes as his right arm, gripping the warblade, seemed to swell with power. The violet blade itself hummed with predatory eagerness. He swung!
ROAR!!!
As the blade descended, an ear-splitting tiger's roar shook the ocean. Violet brilliance erupted from the blade, coalescing into a gigantic, snarling purple tiger's head—easily ten meters across—that surged forward to meet the incoming cyan sword beam head-on.
BOOM!!!
Violet and cyan collided in a cataclysmic explosion. Yet, it was the cyan light that shattered and dispersed. The purple tiger head, undiminished, blasted through the dissipating energy, its maw wide open as it lunged towards the stunned green-robed cultivator!
"WHAT?!" The green-robed cultivator had expected Hu Sha to dodge frantically, setting him up for a finishing blow. Instead, this Stage One madman had countered directly… and shockingly, his attack had been overpowered! His pupils contracted to pinpricks as the monstrous purple tiger head filled his vision. A terrified shriek tore from his throat: "A… a Dao Artifact!!!"
Instinct screamed at him to flee. He exploded backward while desperately activating his spiritual light barrier. A shimmering cyan shield flickered into existence just as the tiger's gaping maw engulfed him.
"AAARRGGHH!!!" KRA-KOOM!!!
A scream of utter despair was instantly drowned by a thunderous detonation—the tiger head detonated like a miniature sun made of lightning!
Countless tendrils of violet lightning, like enraged serpents, writhed through the water. The blinding purple light faded quickly, revealing the figure at the blast's epicenter. It was the green-robed cultivator… or what remained of him. A charred and grotesquely contorted corpse, still vaguely human-shaped, drifted lifelessly in the current.
Despite his last-ditch barrier, the Stage Five cultivator hadn't survived the explosion's fury. Instant annihilation.
Silence descended, thick and heavy. The deafening echoes of the blast faded, leaving only the rush of water. Apart from Hu Sha, the three remaining witnesses—Lin Feng, An Xiyue, and the purple-robed cultivator—stood frozen, jaws slack with stunned disbelief.
Heh, not bad. Didn't disappoint me. Hu Sha looked utterly unsurprised. He patted the gleaming purple warblade affectionately, then turned slowly, his predatory grin fixed on the sole remaining enemy. "Alright then… your turn."
"GYAAAH!!!" The purple-robed cultivator snapped out of his terror-induced trance, his face bleaching white as parchment. Soul-chilling fear consumed him. Any thought of resistance vanished. With a strangled cry, he spun and fled, pouring every ounce of energy into sheer speed. Witnessing his companion obliterated so effortlessly had shattered his spirit. Survival was his only thought.
"Already running? Pathetic coward!" Hu Sha sneered, watching the desperate retreat. Cold fury ignited in his eyes. "Surrender or not… you still die!!"
ROAR!
The warblade flashed again. The tiger's roar resonated once more, though no spectral head formed this time. A simple, yet devastatingly potent violet blade beam lanced out. It crossed the two hundred meters separating them in the blink of an eye.
BOOM!!!
Violet light consumed the fleeing figure. A faint, abruptly cut-off scream might have been heard, swallowed instantly by the detonation. Along with it, the purple-robed cultivator's life force signature vanished without a trace.
— Two Nascent Soul cultivators. One strike each. Both annihilated.
...
An Xiyue stood paralyzed. Her mind reeled from the emotional whiplash of the last few minutes. Despair during the chase… fragile hope when Lin Feng called for aid… crushing disappointment seeing the rescuer was only Stage One… then utter, incomprehensible shock as this Stage One slaughtered two stronger enemies in two strokes. The sheer velocity of this reversal left her mentally adrift.
Lin Feng recovered faster, though equally astonished. As Hu Sha turned back towards them, Lin Feng shook off his stupor, his voice filled with awe. "Brother Hu Sha… that was… f*cking awesome…"
Huh? Hu Sha blinked, genuinely puzzled. "'F*cking awesome'? What's that mean?"
"Uh…" Lin Feng stammered, offering an awkward chuckle. "It means… incredibly powerful. It's, uh… slang from my hometown…"
"Ah." Understanding dawned on Hu Sha's face, quickly replaced by a proud grin. "Heh heh, flattery will get you everywhere, Brother Mu! Mostly thanks to this beauty, though. Pretty impressive, right?"
He held the violet warblade up proudly for Lin Feng to inspect, his expression radiating smug satisfaction.
"A Dao Artifact…" Lin Feng murmured, his eyes alight with fascination. He studied the weapon closely. The blade was crafted from a crystalline violet material, almost translucent, more like polished gemstone than metal. Within its depths, shapes like miniature lightning serpents seemed to writhe, imbuing it with palpable sentience. A peculiar, elongated shadow ran along one edge of the spine, hinting at something concealed within, adding to its mystique. Lin Feng had seen Hu Sha wield this blade before, but its power now was orders of magnitude greater. He must have reforged or awakened it after reaching Nascent Soul, Lin Feng realized. Its status as a true Dao Artifact was undeniable.
"Brother Hu Sha, you—" Lin Feng began, tearing his gaze from the blade. Suddenly, he gasped, a sharp grimace contorting his features. He swayed dangerously, clutching his side.
"Brother Mu!" Hu Sha jerked forward in alarm, instantly dismissing his blade and darting to support Lin Feng. His brow furrowed deeply. "You're wounded this badly?! What in the Nine Hells happened here?"
He cut off any attempt at an explanation, his urgency shifting to concern. "Never mind that now! Talking can wait! Healing comes first! Focus on recovering your strength!"