All manner of thoughts flashed through Xu Yun-shen's mind.
From the corner of his eye, he also caught sight of Eighth Master Tang's lean figure, his wide sleeves billowing.
Even as he secretly steadied himself, he heard a thunderclap explode.
"Boom..."
Cries of alarm rang out from every side.
Xu Yun-shen's spear had only thrust halfway when it could go no farther.
His vision went black, and he knew nothing more.
The lean old man who had just closed in from the servants' battle formation had his pupils shrink to needlepoints. As if he had seen a ghost, his body faltered, and he retreated even faster than he had come.
He had been about to strike from both sides when he saw the monkey-faced man, who had clearly been locked in an inseparable struggle with Xu Yun-shen, a spear master at the peak of Fifth Rank Blood Exchange, suddenly have the longsword in his hand scatter into a halo of light.
Thunder exploded in his ears.
The air around them shattered, rippling outward in rings of tiny waves.
Then the left half of Xu Yun-shen's head exploded away.
The force whistled past, trailing a long streak of blood and punching a hole into the ground to the right.
"This sword art..."
Eighth Master Tang was so startled that not only did his arms leave eight afterimages, he practically wished he could grow eight legs beneath him as well.
He had only just broken through to Fourth Rank and enjoyed the treatment of an Attendant in the Zhao household, living out peaceful days of wealth and ease.
He had never imagined he would have to risk his life against a sword master of this caliber.
"Ultimate release conceals intent, intentless true meaning—this is actually Thunder Sound Sword Art at the consummate