"There was still too little time. If Taiping had another two months, he might really manage it."
Fairy Lingyue sighed, regret written across her face.
Two months in the outside world could be years or even decades within the Infernal Blade Prison, enough for Xu Taiping to comprehend the second of the Blade Domain's nine levels.
Beside her, Blade Ghost pondered briefly before suddenly turning to ask Fairy Lingyue:
"Fairy, you wouldn't mind if I tested that boy one more time, would you?"
Fairy Lingyue froze slightly, then said with a trace of puzzlement:
"There's no problem with testing him again, but is it necessary?"
Blade Ghost gave Fairy Lingyue a serious look, then turned back and nodded firmly.
"Yes!"
As soon as he spoke, he raised his arm and snapped his fingers hard with a sharp crack.
Boom!
Almost the instant his fingers snapped, a Sand Worm roughly ten times the size of those Sand King Worms burst from beneath the distant desert and lunged straight at Xu Taiping, who was still regulating his breathing.
Its appearance was so sudden, and this Sand Worm could conceal its aura, that Xu Taiping barely managed to assume the Mountain-Bearing Form's Fist Stance.
Bang!
Under the Sand Worm's fierce impact, the Bull Demon phantom that had only just appeared around Xu Taiping immediately shattered.
However, the recoil unleashed as the Mountain-Bearing Form shattered also sent the Sand Worm flying dozens of zhang.
"This worm's power of qi and blood is even greater than those Sand King Worms'?"
Fairy Lingyue was somewhat surprised.
"This is the Sand Worms' Insect Queen, the only worm among them capable of developing intelligence and cultivating like a human."
Blade Ghost answered without turning his head, his eyes fixed intently on Xu Taiping in the distance.
"A Sand