Qianlong's gaze darkened slightly. He did not want to be disturbed by anyone, and still less did he want new branches to sprout outside the knot at this crucial moment.
He looked at Lin Taichu, a trace of resolve flashing through his eyes. In a flicker, he charged toward Lin Taichu again, the Black Long Sword gathering all his Soul Power as it stabbed toward the space between Lin Taichu's brows.
A trace of resolve flashed through Lin Taichu's eyes. He did not dodge; instead, he rushed up to meet Qianlong, pouring the last thread of Soul Power at his fingertips into the dagger and stabbing it toward Qianlong's chest.
He intended to trade life for life. Even if he died, he would severely wound Qianlong and stop him from falling into Hell.
The long sword and the dagger closed in at the same time. The distance between the two of them grew shorter and shorter, and even the surrounding air seemed to freeze solid.
The cultivators gathered in the distance held their breaths as they watched the scene before them. No one dared step forward to interfere.
Just as the long sword was about to pierce Lin Taichu between the brows, and the dagger was about to pierce Qianlong's chest, Lin Taichu suddenly tilted his body, avoiding Qianlong's long sword. At the same time, the dagger shifted slightly and stabbed into Qianlong's shoulder.
Pfft!
The dagger stabbed into Qianlong's shoulder, and black blood gushed out. Qianlong cried out under the pain, and, by instinct, struck out with a palm, hitting Lin Taichu in the chest.
Lin Taichu was sent flying backward by the palm force. He crashed heavily to the ground and spat out a large mouthful of blood, utterly drained of strength, no longer able to rise.
Yet