Clang!
Chu Tianya's second sword strike landed on the Merit Golden Lotus above Bai Yang's head. Their minds were connected, and Bai Yang's face paled another shade. Even the Merit Golden Lotus dimmed a little.
If this continued, the lotus might not be cleaved apart, but after a few more strikes from Chu Tianya, it would surely be knocked down to the mortal realm and no longer be able to protect Bai Yang.
The gap in strength was simply too great; no amount of skill could make up for it!
With no other choice, Bai Yang recalled the golden lotus and retreated, putting some distance between them.
Chu Tianya did not press his advantage. Holding the Son of Heaven Sword and pointing it at Bai Yang, he said coldly, "You're capable of more than this. Use everything you've got. Don't disappoint me. From what you've shown so far, you don't even deserve to make me take you seriously. Don't make me look down on you!"
Taking advantage of this brief respite, Bai Yang secretly regulated his breathing and assumed an attacking stance. "If that's what you want, I'll oblige you!"
As he spoke, Bai Yang glanced down. Lan Xin was fighting seventeen powerful opponents alone. She had already slain four, and five of the remaining thirteen were wounded.
Lan Xin herself had also been injured, despite her fierce swordsmanship and the Imperial Weapon she wielded. After all, she was up against seventeen opponents of the same realm, all veterans who had fought their way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood—not a single one was easy to deal with.
Yet even wounded, Lan Xin continued to charge her opponents with ferocious determination. If anything, her injuries only made her more frenzied, and her swordsmanship more vicious. She was like