?
They fought a running battle, retreating inch by bloody inch.
But the Demon Beasts here were endless. Under the command of the Foundation Establishment beast, they surged forward like a relentless tide, fearless and frenzied.
Xiao Yifeng’s hands blurred as he formed seals, his flying swords spinning like a meat grinder in the dark water. Yet, despite the slaughter, their progress was agonizingly slow, as if they were wading through quicksand toward the exit tunnel.
While forcing a path forward, Xiao Yifeng kept a vigilant watch for the hidden commander. Just as they neared the mouth of the tunnel, his instincts screamed.
A massive column of pressurized water blasted toward them—not from the swarm, but from the very exit they were retreating to. The attack was indiscriminate, obliterating the charging Demon Beasts in its path as it roared toward them.
Xiao Yifeng gestured sharply. His flying swords snapped into a defensive formation, creating a shimmering shield before him.
Boom!
The water column smashed into the sword shield. The force was overwhelming; the defense buckled, and the residual impact slammed into Xiao Yifeng. He only had time to cross his arms over his face before he was launched backward.
The momentum sent him crashing directly into Ling Sisi.
She hadn't expected him to be blown back so violently. Xiao Yifeng slammed into her, and she let out a delicate cry as the impact sent her stumbling backward, her arms instinctively wrapping around him to steady them both.
Xiao Yifeng coughed, spitting a mouthful of blood into the water.
Ling Sisi hurriedly supported him with one arm, her other hand gripping her sword tightly as she stared ahead. "Senior Brother, are you alright?"
Xiao Yifeng shook his head to clear the dizziness. He gently disengaged from her soft embrace and fixed his gaze on the tunnel entrance.
The swarm had surrounded them, but the path to safety was blocked by a nightmare.
A massive crocodile floated in the mouth of the tunnel, watching them with a covetous, predatory gaze.
It possessed burning golden pupils. menacing spines ran down its vertebral column all the way to its tail, which ended in a massive, hook-like barb. Its maw was slightly agape, revealing rows of serrated teeth, and a low, resonant growl vibrated through the water.
The Heavenly Luo Crocodile.
Xiao Yifeng had suspected it. A random Foundation Establishment Demon Beast appearing here made no sense—unless it was the one that had escaped.
Finally forced you out of the dark.
Xiao Yifeng had deliberately driven them toward the tunnel to lure the beast out, hoping to avoid being flanked. He hadn't expected the creature to be cunning enough to flank them and cut off their retreat.
"Junior Sister Ling," Xiao Yifeng whispered, his voice grim. "That is the Heavenly Luo Crocodile. I don't know how it broke through to Foundation Establishment, but we must hold it here. We cannot let it escape through the passage."
He glanced at her pale face. "If it breaches the barrier, these numerous Green-Eyed Swimming Fish will flood the outer waters. We’ll never catch them all."
Ling Sisi stared at the beast, her face draining of color. Hearing Xiao Yifeng’s analysis, she snapped out of her shock like one waking from a dream. The consequences of failure were catastrophic.
"I understand," she said, her grip on her sword tightening.
Xiao Yifeng raised two fingers. His fallen flying sword trembled and shot back to him, hovering obediently at his chest.
"I will engage it in close combat," he instructed rapidly. "You stay on the periphery and support me with spells. Your priority is to kill the Green-Eyed Swimming Fish—do not let them harass me. We need to push it back and seize the tunnel."
"Alright. Senior Brother, be careful!" Ling Sisi nodded.
Xiao Yifeng wasted no more words. He gripped his flying sword and shot forward like a torpedo, his body cutting through the currents.
His figure flickered, vanishing and reappearing closer to the beast in disjointed bursts of speed.
Gale Flash.
Originally a wind-attribute movement technique, Xiao Yifeng had adapted it for the water. By borrowing the momentum of the currents, he moved with the same terrifying speed as he did on land.
Seeing the human charge, the Heavenly Luo Crocodile roared. It unleashed another massive water column, the pressure enough to crush bone.
This time, they were ready.
Both Xiao Yifeng and Ling Sisi unleashed beams of Demon-Slaying Sword Qi. The combined strikes sliced into the water column, dissipating its force before it could connect.
Xiao Yifeng twisted his body in mid-water, letting the weakened torrent brush past him. As he closed the distance, his silhouette suddenly split.
One became four.
Four identical Xiao Yifengs, glowing with a faint blue hue, materialized around the beast.
The Water Clone technique of the Wentian Sect. Used in its native element, the technique’s power was amplified. Each clone possessed one-tenth of his true strength.
The crocodile, possessing limited intelligence, was visibly confused. The clones scattered, surrounding the beast and stabbing at it from all angles. The beast blasted one clone into dissolution with a jet of water, but the others continued to hack at its scales.
Meanwhile, sharp water blades sliced through the gloom from a distance, targeting the beast's eyes and joints. Ling Sisi was multitasking perfectly—slaughtering the fodder fish while providing suppressive fire.
Enraged by the harassment, the crocodile snapped its jaws and sprayed a torrent of water toward Ling Sisi.
Now.
With the beast distracted, Xiao Yifeng’s true body activated the Pointing Star Sword Art.
His form dissolved into a streak of starlight. He flickered through the water, bypassing the beast's defenses, and appeared directly in front of its face. With a roar of exertion, he drove his flying sword with all his strength into the crocodile's remaining good eye.
Thunk!
The blade pierced the eye but jammed halfway in, wedged tight against the beast’s skull.
The Heavenly Luo Crocodile shrieked in agony. Its massive tail whipped around, smashing toward Xiao Yifeng like a siege weapon.
Xiao Yifeng tried to yank his sword free, but it wouldn't budge. With no time to spare, he abandoned the weapon, planted a heavy kick on the beast's snout, and used the recoil to launch himself backward.
The tail swipe missed by inches.
Blinded in one eye and humiliated, the crocodile went berserk. It threw its head back and let out a piercing howl that churned the water.
Suddenly, multiple vortices formed around its body.
Water Tornadoes.
They expanded rapidly, tearing through the water and destroying everything in their path. The surrounding Green-Eyed Swimming Fish were sucked in indiscriminately, their bodies shredded into a bloody mist by the chaotic currents.
Xiao Yifeng’s face changed. He hadn’t expected an AOE attack of this magnitude.
Caught off guard, he was snagged by the outer rim of a tornado. His remaining Water Clones were instantly ripped apart.
The suction was inescapable. Not far away, Ling Sisi screamed as she too was dragged into a neighboring vortex.
Inside the tornado, the water pressure was a physical weight, crushing him from all sides. Chaotic Qi tore at his defenses like invisible claws, while debris and water blades sliced through the darkness.
Xiao Yifeng felt the world spin dizzily as he was dragged toward the vortex’s eye—the grinder at the bottom.
Weak Demon Beasts that were sucked in were instantly reduced to paste. Even the stronger ones were being disassembled bone by bone.
The barrier of his Water-Avoiding Pearl distorted violently. The pearl leaped in his robes, cracked loudly, and then—shatter.
The barrier collapsed.
Frigid, high-pressure water slammed into him. His clothes were shredded instantly, turning into floating rags. The water cut into his skin like a thousand knives, a burning, stinging pain washing over his entire body. Water forced its way into his nose and mouth, choking him.
He held his breath, forcing his mind to stay clear.
Panic is death.
Fighting the spin, Xiao Yifeng reached into his Storage Bag. He pulled out a Top Grade Spirit Weapon—a small sword given to him by his master’s wife—and a thick stack of Talismans he had crafted himself.
He flooded the items with spiritual power.
"Break!"
He released the handful of Talismans. Dozens of slips of paper ignited in the water, swirling down into the heart of the tornado.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Sword Qi, water arrows, fireballs, and exploding earth mounds detonated simultaneously at the vortex's core.
Individually, they were weak. Together, the chaotic explosion disrupted the tornado’s perfect rotation.
The vortex stuttered.
Xiao Yifeng seized the split second of instability. He channeled every ounce of his remaining Qi into the small spirit sword and slashed outward.
The blade of light shore through the weakened wall of the tornado. He shot through the gap, tumbling into the calmer water outside.
He didn't stop to breathe. He retreated to a safe distance and scanned the area.
"Sisi!"
She was nowhere to be seen.
He looked toward where she had been. A massive Water Tornado was still spinning violently there. Deep inside the swirling darkness, he saw a faint flicker of jade-green light.
Then, the light extinguished.
Xiao Yifeng’s heart hammered against his ribs. Without a second thought, he gritted his teeth and dove straight into the tornado.
Thump.
The turbulence hit him like a hammer. He fought the dizziness, stabilizing his body with brute force.
Inside the vortex, he saw her.
Ling Sisi was thrashing weakly. Her Water-Avoiding Pearl had shattered. Her clothes were tattered remnants, exposing her skin to the biting currents. Her flying swords drifted aimlessly around her, no longer under her control.
Her face was dangerously flushed, her eyes unfocused. She was drowning.
Xiao Yifeng propelled himself toward the center. He fought the current, while she drifted helplessly with it.
He intercepted her.
Seeing her consciousness fading, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into his embrace.
Instinct took over. Ling Sisi’s delicate body convulsed, and she clung to him with a desperate, death-grip strength.