Everything stood still. The surroundings seemed to slow to a crawl, the curse script, spirit fire, and white water all seemingly suspended.
Fan Qingzhu and Liang Yong threw everything they had into pinning Luo He down, giving Xu Xuan the chance to devote himself wholly to his sword strike.
The paths his mana followed and the timing of the curse script's manifestation were all clear in his mind. Xu Xuan's gaze was empty and lucid as he held Constant Light upright, its blade gleaming, thunderfire blazing brilliantly.
Above him, a heavenly soldier formed from the Upper Firmament Thundercloud descended from the Thunder Pool. Its somewhat illusory form merged with Xu Xuan's figure, and the sword mystic qi and lightning he had accumulated for so long poured entirely into the blade.
Xu Xuan's mind was perfectly clear, his essence, qi, and spirit reaching their peak. The Tribulation Pool sent down heavenly lightning to shelter him.
Then he slashed straight down.
Constant Light carried the sword mystic qi as it soared forth as though alive. Countless curse inscriptions dissolved upon contact. Layer upon layer of lightning surged down, driving against the opposing force, its Thunder-Shock Movement unstoppable.
A trace of the Thunder Palace's true intent-to patrol the heavens and mete out punishment-lay within the sword, locking Luo He's golden body in place and leaving him nowhere to dodge.
Fear filled the eyes of Luo He's divine statue. He felt only that his opponent's sword qi had changed, its might surging as it struck the most minute vulnerabilities in his curse script and shattered the true intent within.
He means to strike my wound.
The moment that thought arose, Luo He's heart trembled. He frantically drove the Golden Silkworm, gathering dense incense-offering power before his chest and turning the area the color of