"Watch out!" the gray catfish roared, his massive body abruptly shifting sideways to shield the thorny sea urchin. He opened his mouth and spat out a mass of gray-black mucus so dense it was almost liquid, forming a thick mucus shield before him.
Hiss...!
The blade aura struck the mucus shield, producing a piercing, corrosive hiss. The shield trembled violently, ripples spreading across its surface, but ultimately held against the strike. The gray catfish grunted, his enormous body driven several yards backward by the tremendous impact, plowing two deep furrows into the ground.
Seizing the opportunity, the sea spider pushed off with all six legs, hurtling toward Ao Yu like a meteor. Six crimson points of radiance gathered at the tips of his legs, each radiating a piercing force capable of penetrating a hundred-thousand-year soul beast's defenses.
Ao Yu's gaze sharpened. Instead of retreating, he advanced, sweeping the Molten Fire Longblade upward and raising a blaze that soared toward the heavens. The instant its edge collided with the sea spider's six crimson points, a deafening clash of metal erupted. A visible shock wave spread outward from the collision, shattering every remaining stone pillar in the great hall.
The savage recoil hurled the sea spider's enormous body backward, his six legs flailing through the air as he tried to regain his balance. Before he could land, however, Ao Yu had already appeared above him like a phantom.
Looking down from above, Ao Yu raised the Molten Fire Longblade high. The flames burning along its blade swelled severalfold, illuminating the entire hall as brightly as daylight. His face expressionless, he brought the blade down.
There was no fancy technique to this strike, only a simple vertical cleave. Yet that one simple slash sent a chill rising from the depths of every leader's