Chapter 31: Shattering the Darkness to Vanquish the Foe, The Ecstasy of the Pinnacle

A sudden burst of golden light erupted, as dazzling as a miniature sun, forcing the dark shadow to temporarily retreat from its sharp edge.

Niu Yichen seized this opportunity to pull Zhan Qingxue along, flashing back several meters.

"Is this guy on steroids? His attack power is off the charts!" Niu Yichen grumbled, though his hands moved with no delay. He quickly formed hand seals, and golden runes manifested out of thin air like fluttering butterflies.

Chu Xiu did not argue this time. Every wound on his body stung as if bitten by ants, and even the slightest movement caused him pain; naturally, reducing his workload was for the best.

The demon turtle would not run off to report to the king. At most, it would return, devour a few unlucky fishermen or crew members making a living in the coastal waters, destroy a few merchant ships, or harass the shipping lanes. It would not pose the slightest threat to the life of the well-guarded lord, so whether or not it lived was of little consequence.

The scene was overwhelming: arrows shrouded in white spiritual energy flew toward the city walls, followed by five warships, while soldiers bearing scaling ladders prepared to storm the city.

"What strange feeling?! I think you've lost your mind! We are doing serious work here, don't you go pulling any funny business!" the kidnapper leader snapped impatiently over the phone.

Seeing the police drawing closer, the men retreated through the back door with great reluctance. Even though they didn't want to, there was no other way.

Faced with this sight, pedestrians on the street cast curious glances, and some even pointed and whispered at the group.

"Tell me, why are there so many people today?" Mo Fan remarked, looking at the crowded restaurant and the bustling street outside.

When Zuo Mo brought Su Ya into Yun Zheng's hospital room, Yun Yan was lying in Yun Zheng's arms, acting coy and spoiled.

This type of black wood is quite rare. Because its hardness exceeds that of steel, it has been heavily logged. Both the felling and processing require specialized tools, making it exorbitantly expensive. Generally, only places with high requirements for airtightness, like combat training rooms, would use doors made of this black wood.

The pressure on the twin swords gradually weakened. Douglas held them up without exerting further force, waiting quietly for the demon turtle's strength to fade. Suddenly, his hands, gripping the hilts, felt a release of tension, and the demon turtle fell to the ground with the sound of crumbling rocks.

The person who spoke was Li Hao. Yang You naturally recognized him as the man who had once represented the Fuxi Sect in recruiting world-contending prodigies on the ancient battlefield of gods and demons.

Qin Shou smacked his lips, rubbed his rumbling, hungry belly, and casually tossed the shimmering Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart to the terrified Hogg, before hoisting Zhang Hao up with one hand and heading into Gray-Clad Alley.

In short, everyone understood that a formidable enemy was approaching and an evenly matched battle was imminent. Further talk was useless. Under Lu You's arrangements and orders, the Taiqing disciples took up their respective duties. Yue Chen had previously been refining magic arrays and later engaged the enemy; Lu You first sent Yue Chen back to the Heavenly Record Terrace. The responsibility of temporarily patrolling Heavenly Slaughter Peak was handed to Su Shi.

Jing Ye was still lost in thought when he heard Gu Jiuzhen say, "This sword technique is called 'Fixing the Universe.' It consists of only one strike, shattering time itself. It embodies the Great Dao of the Laws of Time, capable of freezing time around an enemy for several breaths. For every extra inch of sword radiance, the time freeze lasts one breath longer, all while causing no hindrance to the user. It can slay a powerful enemy in an instant."

Even a dog will jump over a wall if cornered; pushed to the limit, Duan Meng had no choice but to fight for his life. Thus, he held nothing back.

As soon as Tang Qi made his move, he unleashed his sect's ultimate skill—a swordsmanship he had painstakingly practiced for years. He started with his most desperate technique; facing this unfathomable man in black robes, he had no hope of escape, so he could only fight with everything he had. Even if he couldn't inflict the slightest injury upon his opponent, he could at least buy time for Qing Ling to escape.

Why was this young master acting so stealthily in broad daylight, like a thief? It left him completely bewildered.