The Might of Illusion Arts

Blood Firmament had yet to close in on Song Wen with his crimson flying sword when he suddenly heard a shrill whistling sound tearing through the air from behind him.

With a thought, a ten-foot-tall shield abruptly appeared behind him.

Bang!

It was a black Soul-Breaking Awl, stabbing into the shield.

Having blocked the Soul-Breaking Awl, Blood Firmament did not spare much attention for Blood Brow's sneak attack. Instead, he focused on controlling his flying sword, intent on eliminating Song Wen first.

Just then, another Soul-Breaking Awl descended from above, thrusting straight toward Blood Firmament's head.

Blood Firmament hurriedly moved the shield above his head.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Before the Soul-Breaking Awl overhead could fall, another series of piercing whistles rang out. Several Soul-Breaking Awls shot toward him from every direction.

The spiritual power within Blood Firmament surged into the shield like a raging torrent.

In an instant, the shield's might swelled dramatically, creating several phantom images that tightly guarded every side of his body.

The shield's true form, meanwhile, remained before him.

Clang, clang, clang...

The Soul-Breaking Awls struck the shield one after another like raindrops battering plantain leaves.

Though these Soul-Breaking Awls failed to break through the shield's blockade, neither were they knocked away. Instead, they melted in an eerie fashion, becoming black liquid that clung to the shield's phantoms.

Wherever the black liquid adhered, the shield phantoms began to become pitted and scarred at a visible rate.

The phantoms gradually dimmed, then abruptly shattered amid faint cracking sounds.

Blood Firmament's expression darkened. This black liquid was far too strange.

He could no longer continue attacking Song Wen. Controlling the shield, he rammed through the two masses of black liquid before him and broke out of their encirclement.

The two masses of black liquid stuck to the shield,