The invisible, formless Sword Qi contained an aura that could destroy all things, striking the defensive barrier of the battle formation formed by the ten-man squad in an instant.
In a single moment, a massive hole was blasted through the defensive barrier. The sword's momentum did not diminish, and it struck the cultivators near the breach directly.
"Ah!!"
"No!!!"
Cries filled with terror rang out.
These were not the cries of those struck by Qin Huaian's invisible Sword Qi. Apart from Ma Jianling at the very center, the few people hit by his Sword Qi did not even make a sound before they were utterly annihilated.
Ma Jianling, meanwhile, had relied on a top-grade defensive artifact to block this powerful strike.
Though he had not immediately lost his life, that defensive artifact had been completely destroyed, and a massive wound had opened across his chest.
The destructive aura within the wound was still trying to erode his flesh. Ma Jianling poured all his Immortal Essence Power into resisting the corrosion of that destructive force.
Three other cultivators behind Ma Jianling had also survived the disaster: one at the great perfection of Immortal Venerable, and two at the late stage of Immortal Venerable.
The three behind Ma Jianling were the ones who had cried out in terror.
In that brief instant, they had felt an overwhelming threat to their lives.
Had it not been for Ma Jianling's powerful defensive artifact, the three of them—and perhaps Ma Jianling himself—might have been slain in a single blow.
Too powerful! Qin Huaian was far too powerful! This was absolutely not an opponent they could handle.
After blocking that strike, Ma Jianling did not utter a word. He immediately pushed his Immortal Essence Power to its limit and fled into the distance.
But he had