Chapter 701: [Crossed Spinning Top]
Translator: Irene_ Editor: Lucas, TYZ
For a moment, Xujing could see the monster's gently swaying hair and its strengthless body, but in the next instant, his field of vision became empty.
"Beware!" was all he could manage before the light around him dimmed and a ball of shadow clouded overhead.
It all happened so quickly!
Fortunately, catching sight of the monster previously had prepared Xu Jing. Like an invisible string that had been strung, the heavenly elemental energy that had been accumulating within the darkness was engaged. At lightning speed, two palms came together with fingers interlocked into a mudra, effectiving opening up the Heavenly Elemental Shield.
The palm leaf fan-sized palms pressed against the shield without a sound.
At the other end of the shield stood Xu Jing, shocked as he had never seen palms like these before. The dense scales that were ice-cold and satiny reminded him very much of snakes and lizards. The hook-like fingers had long and ink black nails that resembled bent daggers.
He then saw transparent layers of ripples spread outward from the outline of those palms.
"Pu", he heard a sound like a feline would make when its paw landed solidly on a dried branch. It was muted, as though the animal made effort not to break the forest's silence.
Xu Jing's pupils dilated as he heard a thunder crack within his ears before rumbling incessantly.
His straightened body sank abruptly and the soil instantly reached up to his knees. He was like a nail that had been hammered halfway into the ground. Fresh blood flowed out of his nose and mouth, panic evident in his face.
The other Sky Leaf members finally snapped out of their daze and started roaring and charging toward the monster. The fact that Xu Jing had lost the ability to resist just after one exchange came as a shock to them, and it instantly put them in a tense mental state.
Despite their determined dash, they were outsped by a streak of blood-colored sword light that lit the sky like a lightning bolt and shot swiftly toward the monster's head.
It was Xiao Buyu's doing!
The disparity in experience between Sky Leaf and Radiance Blood was made obvious once again. While more powerful individually, the Sky Leaf members were still a tad slower when reacting to sudden battle situations.
As the leader of the Radiance Blood Division, Xiao Buyu was much more seasoned and quick than Sky Leaf.
Xiao Buyu's hawk-like eyes were, at this point, as calm as water. He did not wait for Sky Leaf and the monster to enter battle mode to reap the fruits. Neither did he choose to escape. He knew right off the bat that the Sky Leaf members were not the monster's match.
His judgment was proven accurate, but there was not a trace of joy in his heart. They were now caught in a sticky situation.
What… was this monster?
Seeing his strike shatter like a bubble upon an effortless wave of the monster's palms, Xiao Buyu felt his throat dry up.
Nevertheless, his attack had successfully stalled the monster.
The Sky Leaf members' attacks whizzed past the sky, producing brightly-colored and enchanting elemental energy rays that fluttered like rain. The hazy, colored rain made the whole scene dreamy. Members flocked toward the monster from all around, leaving it with no escape path.
With their keen sense of smell, the elites of Radiance Blood seized this opportunity to assemble in the sky. Their actions were nimble and adept. Even at a crucial and urgent time like this, they moved with an unruffled aesthetic appeal.
Xiao Buyu hesitated not one bit after his attack. He sat on a radiant tiger and moved silently to the forefront of his team. He grasped a long and narrow, blood-colored treasure sword in each hand. The swords' bodies were thin and almost transparent, just like a cicada's wings. They carried a faint rouged lustre that resembled a blossoming sakura.
Together they had a really nice sounding name – Cherry Warmth.
His division ridiculed Xiao Buyu to no end for being gloomy and cold yet possessing such feminine swords. It was definitely a mismatch visually. Of course, Xiao Buyu could not care less about their teasing. He had been deeply and helplessly drawn to Cherry Warmth from the moment he set eyes on it.
The only downside was its name.
Names like Savage Blood would appeal to and suit him more, but Swordmaster Nai Hezhu had made it clear that he would not sell it if its name were to be altered. Xiao Buyu had no choice but to concede.
Cherry Warmth was like a budding young lady; no matter how much enemy's blood it had absorbed, it continued to shine a crimson red, as indifferent as before.
Xiao Buyu overlooked the light splendor with his murderous eyes. He turned the sword hilts with his palms and held them by his side. With his upper body leaning forward, he tightened his legs around his tiger's abdomen and bellowed, "Kill!"
"Kill!" his officers and soldiers roared, thunder-like, in response.
Radiant tigers were not as agile as ardent flower blood wolves, but they generated a more powerful charging force when diving down from the sky. The blood spiritual force within their bodies surged rhythmically and achieved resonance immediately. Rich and radiant blood rays could be seen shooting out from their bodies and fusing together.
Each small team moved in a tight formation shaped like a triangle.
Six seemingly blood-filled darts split swiftly, drawing six amazing yet fatal light traces, as if a fresh flower had blossomed in the sky. They dove down simultaneously from different angles.
Having witnessed this sight from far away, the clay doll on Hong Rongyan's shoulder blurted out, "How beautiful."
She could see the six blood traces hanging down from the sky in a spiraling arc, akin to a freshly bloomed flower whose petals were retracting.
It was unimaginably beautiful but concealed unimaginable danger as well.
Xiao Buyu had no clue, of course, that someone was generously throwing compliments at them. He was focused solely on his attack. It was not a reckless strike; he had strategically accumulated power and waited for the right moment to release.
In the face of a powerful enemy, he needed to be vigilant and resolute.
Attacking recklessly would only cause him to lose the chance at turning the situation around. Such a chance would only present itself once. The moment he had decided to strike, there was no room for hesitation.
Beneath, the gorgeously lit rays expanded like soap bubbles as a black shadow pierced through these layers of light curtains and shot upward into the sky. Such brilliance, so brief yet limitless, had never been seen.
Seeing that the monster was completely unscathed, witnesses drew in cold, long breaths. Xiao Buyu, on the other hand, remained calm and unmoved.
His Cherry Warmth swung slightly and an almost undetectable wave motion swept across the sky.
Everyone tensed up. It was a signal to get ready to attack!
The positions of the six teams were clearly visible when viewed from above. They were not arranged symmetrically. Some were nearer while others were further. They were also stationed at different heights. The overall formation appeared rather messy, but upon closer inspection, one would be able to sense the indistinct yet fearlessly murderous aura.
Cherry Warmth quivered under Xiao Buyu's grip. It was in high spirits and full of yearning for fresh blood.
Xiao Buyu's palms were like pliers, tightly and steadily gripping the sword hilts. His narrow eyes emitted a cold light ray like what an eagle produced while spiraling in the sky and gazing down upon its unknowing prey.
The monster that broke Sky Leaf's attack turned slightly sluggish.
It was time!
The cicada wing-like Cherry Warmth produced a penetrating buzz as Xiao Buyu brandished his swords, the right horizontally and the left vertically.
His members broke from their triangular formation and advanced forward in two groups, the right horizontally and the left vertically.
The blood rays enveloping Cherry Warmth entered the sword light, causing the cross to brighten instantly and transform into blood-colored bolts that shot the monster beneath.
Xiu xiu xiu!
Scalp-numbing, snake-like hisses could be heard.
The cross bolts were in fact formed from whirling and tangling sword rays. They reached a certain equilibrium and continued revolving around one another.
The other five teams moved at the same time and the abruptly lit blood rays reddened the whole sky in an instant. It was as if the clouds had been dyed a sunset red. Different whistling sounds blended into one another, becoming erratic and a disturbance for the monster.
Six attacks landed in a picturesque disorder around it, effectively locking up all possible escape routes and forming a perfect trap.
Xiao Buyu had chosen the optimal moment, and the monster, having charged out of the circle, sank into immediate danger.
It lifted its head and advanced head-on with no intention of retreating.
The whizzing, blood-colored light rays reflected off its almond-shaped eyes, vacant and apathetic.
Unknowingly, Xiao Buyu's heart started to throb harder.
Most of the attacks fell short due to the monster's unexpected move. Nevertheless, there was nowhere for it to run upon reaching the crossed sword light that Xiao Buyu's team had released.
Instead of dodging them, the monster opened its right palm and reached for the crossed light.
Noting its action, Xiao Buyu emptied all thoughts. A curl appeared on the corner of his lips to match his malicious-looking face. He looked very much like a scheming fox at this point.
This round of attacks contained the most formidable power, or rather, the true core of it was the crossed sword light.
[Crossed Spinning Top]!
It was a fatal move that Xiao Buyu had invented upon receiving Cherry Warmth. It was an original skill that displayed astonishing power. While experimenting with it, not even Boss Shan Minxiong had the courage to face it straight on.
Xiao Buyu was full of confidence.
The monster moved fast. It extended its clawed fingers, instantly tripling the size of his hands.
It managed to get a firm grip of the crossed sword light.
A tinge of joy spread across Xiao Buyu's face, but the anticipated explosion did not occur. His expression froze up gradually.
The red sword light was whirling at a high speed in the monster's hand.
How… how was that possible?
Xiao Buyu was evidently at a loss. The scene had unfolded in an unimaginable way. [Crossed Spinning Top] was essentially in a subtle yet frail equilibrium. Any slight motion would disrupt this balance and trigger a mighty explosion. Even he, as the creator, could only guarantee its stability during release and when following trajectory.
In order to achieve this, he had spent untold amounts of effort and time, from idea generation to product experimentation.
Seeing the crossed spinning top spinning amid the monster's grip, Xiao Buyu felt as though he had just seen a ghost.
On the other hand, the monster paid him no heed.
An explosion as gentle as a candle flame sounded along with a surge of dazzling spear rays that submerged the monster's silhouette.