Whoosh, whoosh-
Taishu Dan raised his left hand to absorb the surrounding blood energy. By the time Xie Jinhuan closed in, he had already raised his vine staff.
At that very moment, brilliant sword light flared atop the Boat Tower's main beam:
Clang-
Xie Jinhuan drove through his legs, his figure becoming a fierce dragon unleashed. Midway, three feet of Green Edge flashed from its sheath, pointing diagonally behind him, while his left hand reached out like Azure Dragon Claw Probe, grabbing straight for the thrusting vine staff!
Taishu Dan did not understand why Xie Jinhuan would catch a blade barehanded, but he seized the opportunity nonetheless, mustering his energy for a ferocious attack, intent on shattering his opponent's arm:
"Die-!"
Boom-
The vine staff struck the center of his palm, unleashing a torrent of formidable force!
But what Taishu Dan never could have dreamed was that Xie Jinhuan, who seemed to be flailing wildly with frenzied eyes, had already shifted his shoulders and back rearward the instant the Vine Staff struck his palm.
The formidable force pouring into his body did not shatter his arm or energy channels. Instead, it raised concentric ripples along his sturdy arm, spreading toward his torso before finally passing into his right hand behind him!
Whoosh-
Without any sign of gathering energy, Xie Jinhuan delivered a forward sword cleave powerful enough to split mountains and part seas!
The piercing shriek of his sword swept up the churning red mist, tracing a crescent arc above the roof ridge!
Although Taishu Dan was no martial warrior, he had fought plenty of battles. He could not fathom how that terrifyingly powerful slash had come without any buildup.
But far away in the river, Linghu Qingmo's eyes shone with admiration as he murmured:
"Cautious Dragon, No Blame. What