Stamping the earth, Teng Qingshan suddenly leaped toward the high sky. With his physical strength combined with his control over the power of heaven and earth, this leap carried him over a hundred zhang high. Simultaneously, the Six-Footed Saber Cicada in the distance had already grasped Teng Qingshan's intent. With a whoosh, the beast beat its wings once, tracing an arc as it swooped toward Teng Qingshan at astonishing speed.
Teng Qingshan landed effortlessly upon the Six-Footed Saber Cicada.
"Jing Yi, don't you dare flee!" the Blind Sword Saint roared in fury, transforming into a streak of black light as he shot forward.
A flicker of disdain crossed the Saber Cicada's blood-red eyes. It beat its wings, executing a high-difficulty maneuver mid-air—a flight curve nearly folding back on itself—making it impossible for the Blind Sword Saint to pursue. The Six-Footed Saber Cicada then dissolved into a black phantom, rapidly lunging toward the black-haired hunter, ‘Shen Gongtu,’ in the distance.
"Hahaha, Tie Wu, take your time catching up," Teng Qingshan’s laughter echoed in the Blind Sword Saint’s ears.
"The flight speed of this demonic beast is truly too fast," a sharp glint flashed in the Blind Sword Saint’s ash-gray eyes.
Perched atop the Saber Cicada’s back, Teng Qingshan’s gaze was like lightning.
"We'll deal with them one by one."
One-on-one, there was no way he could kill this expert from the Sun-Shooting Divine Mountain who had reached the Void Realm. However... two-on-one, he still held some confidence.
"Oh? Still relying on the bow?" Teng Qingshan sneered as he watched Shen Gongtu draw his bowstring taut.
A cold light also flashed in the Six-Footed Saber Cicada's blood-red eyes. Its two pairs of wings began to vibrate at high speed. In an instant, it seemed as if two Six-Footed Saber Cicadas were flying parallel in the air... This sight momentarily stunned Shen Gongtu, who was preparing to loose an arrow.
"Not good," the black-haired hunter ‘Shen Gongtu’s’ expression changed. Given the speed and deceptiveness of the Six-Footed Saber Cicada’s flight, Shen Gongtu wasn't confident he could land an arrow in a single shot during high-speed travel.
"Hmph, the Saber Cicada's ability to alternate flight paths while maintaining high speed—even Xiao Qing couldn't achieve this level," Teng Qingshan mused internally. "The Cicada has two pairs of wings, and they are extremely thin, allowing for such high-frequency changes." Since the Six-Footed Saber Cicada broke through to the Void Realm, he had practiced and coordinated with it countless times. After all, the continent of Kyushu was teeming with experts from various major sects; Teng Qingshan naturally needed to be thoroughly prepared.
"Awooo~~" Shen Gongtu let out a low roar.
Whoosh!
The silver giant wolf also bounded over, staying close to Shen Gongtu’s flank. Teng Qingshan, riding the Six-Footed Saber Cicada high above, now began his dive. At this critical moment, Teng Qingshan suddenly leaped forward, raising the Mountain-Splitting Divine Axe high above his head, unleashing the eighteenth stance of the Thirty-Six Stances of Mountain Splitting.
"Hmm?" Shen Gongtu drew the short blade at his waist. Facing this axe strike from Teng Qingshan, he knew he could only meet it head-on, as he sensed that even if he retreated several zhang, the axe would still reach him... so, standing his ground and bracing for impact was the better choice. Compared to his archery, his swordsmanship was significantly weaker.
"But I am Great Perfection in the Void Realm; surely I won't be outmatched by someone who hasn't reached Great Perfection?" Shen Gongtu’s eyes turned icy. His short blade remained poised at his waist, locked firmly onto Teng Qingshan's incoming axe.
Chii, chii~~
Before the axe even landed, the space around them began to violently oscillate. Teng Qingshan’s thick arms, wielding the might of the heaven and earth power, unleashed the strongest axe strike he could muster at this moment!
"Break for me!" Teng Qingshan roared.
"Now is the time!" Shen Gongtu instantly swung his blade!
Clang!
A flash of light erupted as it collided with the gleaming edge of the Mountain-Splitting Divine Axe. Both Shen Gongtu and Teng Qingshan were blasted backward. At the same instant Teng Qingshan engaged Shen Gongtu—the 'Six-Footed Saber Cicada,' which was about to attack Shen Gongtu—was intercepted by the silver giant wolf, the 'Sun-Shooting Heavenly Wolf.'
"Awoo~~" the silver giant wolf howled.
"Hooo~~" The Six-Footed Saber Cicada growled low, fixing its blood-red eyes on its opponent before charging forward.
As the Saber Cicada closed in on the silver wolf, the wolf suddenly sprang forward, and the sharp horn on its forehead abruptly shot out a beam of silver light. This beam, like a bolt of lightning, struck toward the Six-Footed Saber Cicada at astonishing speed. However, the Cicada merely waved one of its bladed limbs.
Clang! The silver light shattered. The Six-Footed Saber Cicada paused momentarily, then continued its pursuit.
The silver giant wolf agilely leaped three times in place, leaving behind a trail of illusions, before violently pouncing toward the Saber Cicada, bringing with it a gust of foul wind. The wolf’s two forepaws, gleaming with icy light, slashed swiftly toward the Six-Footed Saber Cicada. Perhaps the wolf’s pounce was too fast, or perhaps the Six-Footed Saber Cicada was overconfident.
The Saber Cicada made no attempt to dodge, meeting the attack head-on by wildly swinging its four bladed limbs at the silver wolf!
Clang! Clang! Chii—
The collision between the bladed limbs and the wolf's front claws produced a piercing screech, even sparking electricity and fire. However, the Saber Cicada held the advantage with more limbs. Despite the silver wolf's efforts to dodge, one of its bladed arms managed to slice across the fur of the wolf’s foreleg.
The silver wolf’s hide was incredibly tough, but the sharp bladed arm managed to carve a shallow wound, allowing a trace of red blood to seep out before the giant wolf sealed the injury.
"Awww, awooo~~"
The silver giant wolf, as if maddened, engaged the Six-Footed Saber Cicada in a close-quarters frenzy. Though seemingly chaotic, every move was as fast as lightning and incredibly cunning, incorporating techniques like borrowing and diverting force, with sneak attacks that were impossible to guard against. "Peng!" The Six-Footed Saber Cicada was struck by the wolf’s tail and sent flying.
"Awoo~~" The silver giant wolf, already bearing four or five wounds, sprang forward excitedly.
But the Six-Footed Saber Cicada beat its four wings mid-air, swiftly regaining its balance. Rage filled its blood-red eyes—it was finally angered. It dove straight down, sweeping its four upper arms plus its two lower limbs—six 'war blades'—simultaneously hacking at the silver wolf.
Shwooo! Shwooo!
During the clash, two spikes also shot out. The silver wolf’s hide was too tough; the spikes only managed to penetrate halfway before the Saber Cicada reeled them back in. However—the six 'war blades' of the Six-Footed Saber Cicada were terrifying. The wildly dancing six blades embodied the knife mastery the Cicada had cultivated over millennia. Though seemingly chaotic, this technique would severely disadvantage even a Great Perfection Void Realm expert like the Blind Sword Saint, who commanded a far greater measure of heaven and earth power.
"The Cicada has gone berserk," Teng Qingshan glanced over, inwardly startled. When the Six-Footed Saber Cicada went into its frenzy, it relied on its four wings for balance while unleashing full-power attacks with its six blades. Such a Cicada was terrifying; even Teng Qingshan would admit defeat in that state.
Indeed—
Puchi! Puchi!
In this direct confrontation between two Void Realm demonic beasts filled with primal ferocity, the silver giant wolf accrued more and more wounds. Specifically, one existing injury on the wolf’s body was struck again by the Six-Footed Saber Cicada, instantly creating a severe gash.
"Awooo~~" The silver giant wolf, which had been fighting wildly moments before, let out a pained howl, turned tail, and fled, transforming into a streak of silver light retreating rapidly. The silver wolf didn't fear shallow wounds, but the Saber Cicada had managed to cleave the same spot twice... The wolf was terrified. Its entire hide and muscle were constantly wriggling and shifting to avoid being struck twice in the same location on its massive body—a near impossibility. Unfortunately, the Six-Footed Saber Cicada possessed six blades, and the wolf was struck inadvertently.
"Hooo~~" The Six-Footed Saber Cicada rose into the air excitedly. Its black scales bore several scratches and fissures; clearly, the silver wolf’s claws were not to be trifled with either.
Whoosh!
The Six-Footed Saber Cicada sliced through the air. How could the running silver wolf match the speed of the flying Cicada?
"Tie Wu, you wretched blind man! Quick, quick, help Heavenly Wolf!" Shen Gongtu, currently tied up by Teng Qingshan, urged desperately via sound transmission.
What seemed long was incredibly brief. The close combat between the silver wolf and the Six-Footed Saber Cicada likely involved hundreds of exchanges in the blink of an eye; therefore, their entire engagement only lasted the span of a single breath.
Whoosh!
"Shen Gongtu is truly anxious. If that demonic wolf dies here, the feud with the Sun-Shooting Divine Mountain will become immense," the Blind Sword Saint dared not hesitate. For the Divine Mountain, this demonic wolf was far more crucial than a single Void Realm expert.
The Blind Sword Saint was hurrying over, but—
"Awoo~~" Unable to escape on the ground, the silver giant wolf suddenly plunged into the earth, employing its specialty: burrowing. Before breaking through to the Void Realm, the silver wolf had evaded many flying beasts by using this exact technique. This time, it resorted to it again!
Burrowing!
"Hooo~~" The Six-Footed Saber Cicada roared with excitement and plunged into the earth after it.
Once underground!
The Cicada’s two foremost bladed limbs converged at the front, while the middle and lower limbs curved inward, drawn close to its body. The myriad spikes on its bladed limbs began to move frantically. In an instant, the Six-Footed Saber Cicada resembled a 'centipede' with over six hundred legs. The six hundred-plus spikes formed a helix, acting like an electric drill. Whoosh!
If a Void Realm human expert relied on brute force to charge, and quadrupeds dug by furiously pawing the earth, then the Six-Footed Saber Cicada acted as an 'electric drill,' controlling the direction of every spike to generate terrifying rotational force. Coupled with acceleration from the power of heaven and earth, it moved at the absolute limit of speed!
In mere moments, the fleeing silver giant wolf was caught up by the Six-Footed Saber Cicada.
"Awooo~~ awooo~~" The silver giant wolf was filled with terror. Its domain clearly registered the Saber Cicada closing in. The wolf had never expected a flying demonic beast to be so fearsome underground. It was absolutely the most terrifying burrower it had ever encountered. A tactical error!
Whoosh!
The silver giant wolf tried to shoot upward toward the surface.
"Hooo~~" But it was too late; the Six-Footed Saber Cicada was already upon it.
...
At this moment, Shen Gongtu, entangled by Teng Qingshan and unable to fully aid the silver wolf, turned bright red with anxiety. He transmitted his voice sharply: "Tie Wu, get underground! Quick, quick!!!" If he arrived too late and the silver wolf perished, Shen Gongtu would surely hate the Blind Sword Saint to death.
"Should I burrow down to fight?" The Blind Sword Saint, who had been waiting on the surface for the silver wolf to emerge, gritted his teeth and dove into the earth.
"Awooo~~" A cry of agonizing terror echoed up from beneath the ground.