Heaven Without a Handle.
The Seven Killings Blade plunged into the ground, its blade energy racing forward through the cracks in the rubble.
Meanwhile, outside the smithy aboveground, an armored soldier patrolling the street suddenly witnessed a strange sight.
A blood-red phantom saber descended from the sky, pierced the smithy's roof, and drove deep into the ground.
The phantom blade was roughly three hundred zhang long, crimson from end to end, and radiated intense killing intent. It vanished into the air in less than two breaths, yet everyone within several li felt its keen, fierce blade intent.
The soldier's expression changed drastically. He turned and sprinted toward the City Lord's Mansion.
Deep underground, the Ant finally sensed danger an instant before the Seven Killings Blade's intent thrust upward from below.
Its compound eyes abruptly contracted, and its two forelimbs crossed in front of its body.
The phantom blade struck the shield formed by its crossed pincered limbs with a deafening metallic boom. Blood-red and blue-green light splashed together, and the blow shook the entire underground space violently.
That strike pierced straight through both of the Ant's forelimbs. It gave a low roar, its compound eyes snapping away from Meng Xinghe toward Li Bufan.
In the instant the Seven Killings Blade's surprise attack drew the Ant's attention, Li Bufan was already moving.
Wind-Thunder Nine Heavens Step. He became a streak of blue-violet light, covering dozens of zhang in an instant despite the Gravity Domain's hundredfold pressure. With a flicker, he appeared beside Meng Xinghe.
His left hand clamped around Meng Xinghe's arm and hauled him out of the rubble as wind and thunder surged beneath his feet.
Li Bufan flashed nine times in succession through the cramped underground space. Each time, he appeared in a completely different position, leaving a blue-violet