The edge of the shadow blurred for a moment, and Xiao Han's figure shot out like an arrow. With a slight thought, the Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul was quietly activated from within his body. A deep blue light appeared and disappeared in an instant. Immediately afterwards, the Green Lotus Sword Song transformed into a rain of blood. Each blue sword energy was condensed as if it were a solid substance, with a sharp shriek that tore through the air, weaving together a net of death.
The sentry guards, still frozen in shock from the flames and tremors of the explosion, felt a flash of blue light in their vision, followed by a chill in their chests or throats, then excruciating pain and the icy coldness of their life force rapidly draining away. They didn't even have time to let out a complete scream before collapsing limply, filled with astonishment and resentment, their warm blood quickly soaking the scorched earth beneath their feet.
The deafening explosion and the violent energy shockwave, like an invisible giant hammer, slammed heavily onto the desolate ruins, and the dust and shockwaves it stirred up continued to spread wildly in all directions.
Several miles away, a mobile command platform, haphazardly piled and welded together from countless rusted war machine wrecks, resembled a crouching steel behemoth. In the center of the platform, the enormous figure sitting on a ferocious metal throne suddenly sprang up, its heavy metal frame groaning under the strain of the movement.
"Which bastard dares to touch my artillery?!"
A thunderous roar, accompanied by deafening metallic scraping and tearing sounds, seemed to shatter this desolate world. The violence and frenzied killing intent overflowing in that sound almost materialized, weighing heavily on the hearts of every living being.
Chaos is the best cover. Amidst the smoke and fire, Xiao Han moved swiftly, dodging flying debris and uncontrolled energy turbulence, and reunited with the Tie Lan Squad, who had broken through the checkpoint's defenses.
"Well done, kid!" Tie Lan punched Xiao Han on the shoulder, his face full of excitement and admiration.
However, before they could even catch their breath, a rapid crawling sound of metal limbs approached from afar. A spider-shaped war machine, much smaller than the "Crusher" but incredibly fast, was rapidly chasing after them from the direction of the mobile command platform!
On the back of that spider-shaped war machine stood a burly figure. His entire body was covered by a thick, dark red metal exoskeleton, like a demon god crawling out of hell. On his shoulder was a giant chainsaw battle axe that gleamed with a cold light. The axe's serrated teeth were still slowly turning, emitting a teeth-grinding cutting sound.
It was none other than the enraged Lord "Steel Jaw" himself!
"Steel Jaw's " scarlet electronic eyes, like two searchlights, were fixed on Xiao Han in the crowd. On one side of his shoulder, a menacingly shaped energy cannon slowly rose, began to charge, and emitted a piercing buzzing sound.
"You little bug!" Steel Jaw's voice was hoarse and grating, like metal scraping, filled with undisguised greed and murderous intent. "That 'Skywalker Relic' you have, and your head, are all mine today!"
A terrifying pressure, as if it were a tangible force, swept over us from the Peak of the Martial Emperor Realm, even faintly touching the threshold of the Martial Venerable!
Under immense pressure, Xiao Han felt a tightness in his chest. The newly formed Star Radiance Seal on his back began to show fine cracks under the impact of this pressure! The demonic energy that had been temporarily suppressed seemed to be stirring again!
The terrifying pressure of the "Steel Jaw" lord, a Peak of the Martial Emperor Realm, crashed down like an invisible mountain! The members of the Tie Lan Squad felt their breath catch in their throats, their bones groaned, and their faces instantly turned ashen. They knew the brutality of the "Steel Jaw" lord and were likely doomed today. Although despair filled their eyes, a fierce light, like that of a cornered beast, ignited within them.
Xiao Han grunted, feeling the newly formed Star Radiance Seal in his back crack under the impact of this tyrannical pressure! An even colder and more violent demonic aura, like a shark smelling blood, stirred restlessly, trying to break free of its restraints.
"Hehehe... Little bug, your good luck has run out!" The energy cannon on "Steel Jaw's " shoulder was already fully charged, the eerie blue light condensed to its peak, emitting a heart-palpitating buzz. Its scarlet electronic eyes were locked on Xiao Han, or more accurately, locked on the "Heaven-Piercing Ancient Token" on Xiao Han's body that was emitting a faint fluctuation.
"Call out--!"
A thick beam of destructive light tore through the air, carrying an aura of incineration, and shot straight at Xiao Han's chest!
Xiao Han's pupils suddenly contracted.
Just as the beam of destruction was about to hit him, the Eternal Night King Martial Soul suddenly activated! Only a pitch-black [Shadow Avatar] remained in place, while Xiao Han's main body, relying on the ability of [A Step to the Ends of the Earth], barely managed to move several meters away.
The explosions were almost simultaneous! A beam of light whistled past Xiao Han's clothes, and the [Shadow Avatar] couldn't even withstand it for a moment before being swallowed up by the violent energy and vanished. The aftershocks leveled a large area of towering mechanical wreckage behind them, and dust and metal fragments rained down in all directions.
"Heh." A metallic laugh, tinged with amusement, came from "Steel Jaw." "Still not quite dead? Little thing, you're more troublesome than I thought!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already swung his giant chainsaw battle axe. The heavy axe blade stirred up a shrill stream of metal fragments, and countless broken metal pieces, gears, and pipes mixed in with it, indiscriminately smashing down on the Tie Lan Squad!
"Ugh!"
Two members of the Tie Lan Squad were a little slow to dodge and were immediately cut open by the flying metal shards, blood blooming instantly as they groaned in pain.
"Steel Jaw" is using his teammate's life to force him to come out!
"Beast!" Xiao Han roared, unable to hide any longer. He flashed and revealed himself from behind cover.
The Steel Jaws ' scarlet electronic goggles immediately turned towards him.
"Ken has crawled out, little Rat?"
Xiao Han's chest heaved violently as [Chaos Control] was activated. The already chaotic energy in the surrounding ruins was forcibly drawn and distorted by him, and an invisible force field spread out from him, interfering with the "Steel Jaw's" lock.
The massive metallic body of "Steel Jaw" stiffened for a moment, and arcs of electricity flickered on the dark infrared skeleton covering its body, clearly resisting this sudden interference. Even the charging of its shoulder cannon was slowed down as a result.
"Hey..." A deep, muffled sound came from the metallic cavity of the "Steel Jaw," "You 'Skywalker Relic,' you've got quite a few tricks up your sleeve!"
While Xiao Han was doing his best to maintain [Chaos Control], the crack in the Star Radiance Seal at his back was rapidly spreading under the ever-increasing pressure of the "Steel Jaw". A series of cracking sounds came from behind him. The demonic energy that had been forcibly suppressed had now found an outlet, becoming increasingly frenzied, with cold, violent, and bloodthirsty thoughts assaulting his mind like madmen.
He felt dizzy and his ears were filled with countless eerie whispers, urging and tempting him to give up his futile struggle and accept the purer and more powerful darkness.
In his mind, the emotionless system notification urgently sounded: [Warning! The integrity of the "Star Radiance Seal" is below the warning threshold! It is about to shatter completely! Once the demonic energy is completely out of control, the host faces a high risk of being temporarily possessed or having their mind corrupted, and may be completely turned into a killing puppet!]
Each of those cold words struck his nerves like a heavy blow.