A Dire Situation

"Mother-and-Child Swords!" Shen Luo was startled. Moon Shadow light blazed beneath his feet, and his forward hurtle abruptly reversed, sending him shooting backward as though pulled by an invisible force.

The change was so uncanny that the two Child Swords failed to react in time, allowing him to escape.

Shen Luo flicked his sleeve, sending a streak of golden light flying out. It was his dragon-patterned golden saber magical artifact.

With a hum, the golden saber projected a blade of golden light half a zhang long. It swept through the air, its light spinning into a circle that instantly formed a golden vortex and engulfed both small swords.

The bald burly man hurriedly channeled his power, driving the two small swords to break free.

But the vortex of golden saber light spun rapidly, holding both swords fast. Loud metallic clangs rang out, and for the moment, neither sword could escape.

Meanwhile, Shen Luo used his other hand to activate the Ghost-Howling Ring. Waves of sound shot forth, forming sonic blades that hacked at the blue Mother Sword following close behind, preventing it from approaching the golden vortex.

At this sight, the bald burly man was both shocked and furious.

The Mother-and-Child Swords were his trump card, acquired during an expedition. The Mother Sword bore six layers of restrictions and was a middle-grade magical artifact. Though the two Child Swords looked tiny, each bore seven layers of restrictions, making them upper-grade magical artifacts.

Yet now, two small swords of upper-grade quality had been trapped by this man's lower-grade golden saber. How was that possible?

Enraged, the burly man circulated his cultivation technique at full strength, urgently driving the Mother-and-Child Swords.

In his haste, he failed to notice what was happening beneath his feet.

The ground several feet away shifted slightly. A