Another jet-black streak of sword qi slashed toward his face. Du Yongchang formed the hand seal for an evasive movement and barely dodged it, his expression already exceedingly grim.
He was not the only one. Steward Pang and County Commandant Lin were equally bedraggled.
Demonic qi permeated the Hall Department, inside and out. Azure Mystic disciples fled in every direction; only the three Qi Refining Cultivators could hold their ground amid such demonic qi.
The three now stood atop the walls surrounding Steward Wei's artifact-forging room, enclosing the building.
A great hole had opened in the roof. Demonic qi as thick as ink gushed incessantly through it, shooting straight into the heavens.
Where the demonic qi was densest, a jet-black longsword hovered in midair, scattering sword qi with abandon. Yet the attacks also formed an orderly sword formation, keeping all three firmly outside.
Steward Wei stood beside the refining cauldron, his eyes tightly shut and black qi coiling around his body.
The three had come to rescue him, taking turns unleashing their respective methods, but they could not even break through the sword formation. A few streaks of sword qi rippled out from the black formation and instead forced them to retreat again and again.
"How did he dare refine this sword? You Azure Mystic people are nothing but a scourge! Reckless fools!"
County Commandant Li truly could not contain his anger, indiscriminately blasting them all.
Du and Pang looked displeased.
Du Yongchang snorted. "Why didn't you say that when we divided the spoils? When Old Wei compensated you because he wanted this sword, didn't you know what he intended to do?"
"Who knew he would make such a colossal mess? When he refined the sword, couldn't he tell how dangerous it was? His own disaster is one thing, but