The surroundings were deathly quiet! Yet, my intuition screamed that this place was far from as tranquil as it appeared or sounded.

Indeed, after walking only a short distance, I felt the surrounding fluctuations become somewhat chaotic, quickly followed by muffled roars shaking the very ground beneath me, as if an army of a thousand horses were charging en masse.

What in the world is this! Though I couldn't yet see the source of the disturbance, anything causing such a massive commotion couldn't be an ordinary small creature. And in the old Demon Dragon stronghold, there should be no other lifeforms besides the Demon Dragon Blade Soldiers.

With that thought, I instinctively tightened my grip on the Dragon Shadow Sword! Staring tensely in the direction the vibrations originated! Soon, a massive silhouette burst through the mist! Its frame was even larger than that of a Zuma Guardian. Easily standing at least three and a half meters tall! Within the hazy gray fog, it radiated a heart-stopping shudder and oppressive gloom.

Heavens! Could this be a Demon Dragon Blade Soldier? At my stature, I couldn't even reach its waist! Clearly, the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier had also detected my presence and was charging toward me with astonishing speed! The sheer momentum was like a speeding train.

Thirty meters! Not a vast distance, but certainly enough time for me to react! Without hesitation! The Soul Chasing Flash of Ten Thousand Miles shot out, golden arcs of Blazing Fire Sword Qi howling toward the rapidly approaching massive figure! The target: its throat!

Clang! The outgoing Blazing Fire Sword Qi was blocked and deflected by a colossal shield, but the mountain-like figure suddenly accelerated. By the time I registered the shift!

The enormous long saber swung down over my head!

Although it lacked the distinctive wave of Dou Qi, the fierce saber energy contained within felt like a life-reaping Asura from the Nine Hells, stirring the most fragile and fearful nerves within the human heart!

What terrifying killing intent! My immediate reaction was that I absolutely could not block this strike! I deployed the Fencing Footwork instantly, executing an Electric Step retreat!

Boom! The spot where I had been standing moments before was smashed into a large pit by a single blow! But with a heaven-shaking roar! The massive saber that missed its mark instantly transitioned into a sweeping arc!

The blade edge rushed toward my chest!

The swordsmanship became frighteningly fast, without a single pause for breath! Compounded by the ridiculously long saber, a single sweep overtook my rapidly retreating form. With no other choice, I could only raise the Dragon Shadow Sword with both hands to desperately parry the strike!

Crash! A deafening boom echoed! The force transmitted through my wrists felt as if both arms were about to shatter, and my entire body was flung far away like a kite cut loose, slamming heavily onto the ground. However, the moment I landed, I rolled several times, dissipating much of the intense impact. Even so, my hands gripping the saber couldn't help but tremble uncontrollably.

Oh my god! What kind of monster is this? This strength is absolutely monstrous! Before I could even catch my breath, the mountain-like figure flashed forward with lightning speed. It gave me absolutely no chance to recover!

A streak of snow-white, gleaming silver flashed toward me instantly!

Roar! In a flash of lightning and fire, I rolled sideways, tumbling toward the left! Such rapid successive attacks gave me no chance of survival. While frantically dodging, I tried to formulate a strategy.

It was clear that the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier—tall, long-armed, and wielding that ridiculously long three-meter saber—gave it an effective attack range of at least five meters with a single swing. Coupled with its astonishing movement speed, a single stride plus its weapon and limb length meant an effective attack radius of at least ten meters. I had been fighting it using the experience gained from battling human warriors, which explained why I suffered such a heavy disadvantage initially!

This realization flashed through my mind in an instant. After dodging that blow, I dared not linger. I had to put distance between us immediately, or certain death awaited.

As I sprang away, I rolled forward several times before immediately springing up and dashing away with Electric Step speed! Only then did I manage to escape the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier’s immediate attack range!

Roar! Roar! Three consecutive missed strikes made the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier appear utterly berserk!

Its two blood-red eyes fixed squarely on me, and it immediately gave chase. I retreated rapidly, carefully maintaining distance, while seizing the opportunity to scrutinize the mountain-like monster before me. Standing at least three and a half meters tall, it sported long, brownish-yellow hair, a markedly flat nose bridge, and terrifyingly large tusks, making its face bear some resemblance to the Beastmen Chieftains I had encountered before. However, compared to them, it was far more robust, and its features were more savage and terrifying.

Its entire body was covered in something that looked like either bone or armor, and even its muscles were formed into large, ghastly green lumps. In its right hand, it gripped that huge, thick-backed cleaver, while its left hand held a shield—a star-shaped, rhomboid shield nearly two meters in size. Yet, relative to the Blade Soldier's immense body, this shield seemed almost delicate.

Evidently, the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier not only possessed monstrous offensive power, but judging by its armor and shield, its defense must also be incredibly formidable. My head felt huge! My earlier Soul Chasing Flash of Ten Thousand Miles had been easily blocked by its shield. What recourse did I possibly have against this behemoth?

Thus, the two of us—one giant, one small—moved at terrifying speeds, one desperately fleeing, the other relentlessly pursuing. But my escape wasn't passive; I was running while carefully controlling the distance, and the direction of my flight was strategic: constantly circling its periphery. I dared not flee carelessly in any other direction, fearing that accidentally drawing another Demon Dragon Blade Soldier would spell disaster.

Furthermore, I attacked whenever a suitable opening presented itself during my retreat!

Clang! Another heavy chop, as powerful as thunder!

It was deflected by my light Electric Step retreat. Relying on my speed, I consistently maintained a distance of about fifteen meters. As I flew back, I unleashed three swift Soul Chasing Flashes of Ten Thousand Miles, like lightning, aiming for the exposed armpit gap, the abdomen, and the face revealed as it swung its weapon!

Boom! That familiar shield accurately blocked all three Soul Chasing Flashes! The one aimed at its face was dodged by a slight head movement. The one targeting the abdomen was blocked by its white armor, leaving not even a scratch.

Damn! This is unbelievable! This defense is ridiculously tough! Before I could even complain, the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier’s massive form suddenly accelerated, closing the gap like lightning again. But I had been prepared for this move.

When the enemy advances, I retreat; I would never engage in close-quarters fighting, always staying outside its attack range. Though its speed was astonishing, mine was not slow either! If I activated the Gale Ring, my speed would increase even further.

And so! The Demon Dragon Blade Soldier and I entered a peculiar chase. Every time it tried to close in, I would deftly evade, and during the pauses in its attacks, I would target its openings with the Soul Chasing Flash.

However, against the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier’s monstrous defensive power and superior reaction time, my sword Qi attacks were completely ineffective, unable to leave even the slightest mark.

Naturally, the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier was equally helpless against me.

Dragging this out was not a solution! I began to analyze the situation carefully! Unquestionably, in close combat, I stood no chance against the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier. But distant sword Qi attacks simply couldn't penetrate its defense.

What other means could I possibly employ to defeat this behemoth? As I observed it with fluctuating emotions, the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier was also scrutinizing me. I could even catch a hint of surprise in its eyes!

Blast it, if I could just break into its close range, perhaps I could penetrate its defense using the Three Swords in One Line technique. But its monstrous greatsword swept across a vast area, coupled with its incredibly fast reaction speed, I was certain that any attempt to approach would be suicidal.

Speed! At that moment, all I could think of was speed. Only by vastly surpassing the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier's velocity could I breach its personal space in a short enough time to unleash the Three Swords in One Line ultimate skill.

With this realization, I held nothing back. Dou Qi surged instinctively, and the Gale Ring activated instantly! The long-absent feeling of lightness enveloped my body once more.

Without further hesitation, I charged toward the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier's inner circle!

Roar! The huge long saber swept toward me instantly, its fierce blade energy pressing against my heart, almost paralyzing me. But being this close, I wouldn't give up easily.

With a mid-air leap—my speed maximized by the Gale Ring—this jump cleared the saber's horizontal sweep and propelled me toward the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier's chest!

The perfect opportunity, right now, while the Blade Soldier couldn't retract its weapon and raise its shield quickly enough, the Dragon Shadow Sword, already charged with Dou Qi and poised for impact, flashed out. The target was precisely the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier’s left chest.

Stab!

The familiar sound and sensation of steel piercing flesh confirmed that the Dragon Shadow Sword had embedded itself in the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier’s chest, and the potent Dou Qi immediately flowed down the blade into its body.

Then! Using the momentum, I stomped hard with both feet onto the Blade Soldier’s thick breastplate! My body sprung back like a maximally compressed spring.

Spurt! Hiss! As I recoiled, a pillar of blood shot upward like a fountain!

Roar! Roar! With a muffled, pained roar, the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier’s enormous body crashed to the ground.

Hah! Success! I was ecstatic.

It seemed the best way to deal with a Demon Dragon Blade Soldier was to surpass it in speed, waiting for it to commit to a swing, and then striking decisively before it could defend.

Having found the method to counter the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier, I eagerly sought out the next one.

Continuing my advance toward the northeast, listening intently to every rustle of the wind, I soon heard another heavy, labored breathing sound, originating about forty meters ahead. It had to be another Demon Dragon Blade Soldier. Perhaps it hadn't spotted me yet, as it didn't charge directly like the previous one.

Now, I was no longer as tense. I quickly closed the distance.

Roar! Soon, it detected me too.

The familiar sound of rapid footfalls confirmed that the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier was now charging toward me at high speed.

As expected, a massive, blurry silhouette burst from the thirty-meter mark. This time, however, I advanced instead of retreating, rushing toward the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier at a similarly astonishing speed.

But this time, I resolved not to rely on the Gale Ring's assistance. I desired not just victory, but a complete victory achieved solely through my own speed and skill! The Gale Ring would only be used as an absolute last resort. In the process of using it earlier, I had discovered another way to enhance my speed!

That method was relative speed. The other way to maximize speed without the Gale Ring’s help!

The first strike! I absolutely had to see through the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier’s initial attack. If I could successfully evade it, a brief opening would follow, which would be my only chance. At this moment, both the creature and I were moving at high speeds, charging directly at each other!

This alignment pushed our relative speed to its absolute peak. I believed this speed would overwhelm the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier’s reaction time. Moreover, at this velocity, perhaps a single thrust would be enough to pierce its tough armor.

I had absolute confidence in this thrust. After prolonged training, I was certain that at my current speed, the time required to deliver a single sword thrust was around 0.08 seconds, and that would be enough.

0.08 seconds! Coupled with massive inertial impact, and the inherent hardness and sharpness of the Dragon Shadow Sword! These three factors combined were the secret weapon to victory.

The situation now resembled a duel between medieval European knights! Two charging knights!

There was only one chance! It was either my death or its own!

Roar! The Demon Dragon Blade Soldier’s massive body flashed closer, its huge long saber delivering a devastating, straight overhead chop! Although devoid of external Dou Qi, the sheer intensity of its lethal energy and near-tangible killing aura sent a chilling numbness and tremor through my entire body.

Good! This is the moment!

Already prepared, I executed a sudden Electric Step sideways! My body flashed out in a Z-shaped arc due to the rapid movement!

Boom! With a sky-rending crash that shook the earth, the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier's powerful strike missed, slamming violently into the ground. By this point, I had already entered its close range. Due to the height difference, I had to jump to strike its vital points. Calculating the distance during my rapid approach, I leaped forcefully! The poised Dragon Shadow Sword flashed out!

Stab!

Clang!

Identical to the previous encounter!

Dou Qi rapidly infused the blade! Then, I pulled back and retreated swiftly!

Before the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier could even react, I had already sprung away, landing lightly on the ground.

Rumble! With a massive thud, the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier’s giant body collapsed.

Hah! Success, a one-hit kill! I almost let out an unrestrained yell!

The Demon Dragon Blade Soldier that had caused me so much trouble earlier was instantly dispatched upon meeting me this time.

Even now, I found it hard to believe that killing the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier could be this simple. One only needed to see through its first attack, find that instant flaw, and victory would be easily achieved.

This success bolstered my confidence immensely. Without any hesitation, I continued moving northeast.

Soon, I encountered the Demon Dragon Blade Soldier for the third time, but this time, three of them appeared at once!

Though risky, I had no intention of backing down! However, facing three at once, my heart held a touch of tension, mixed with greater anticipation and eagerness.

Let me properly witness the exquisite combined tactics of the Demon Dragon Blade Soldiers!

I adjusted my stance while rapidly closing the distance!

Roar! Roar! Roar! Quickly, the three Demon Dragon Blade Soldiers rushed toward me, appearing within the thirty-meter range in the blink of an eye.

The three massive figures closed in a tightly spaced 'Pi' shape (∧). Even in their rapid movement, I could discern they maintained about a five-meter distance between each other. Moreover, their movements were synchronized with astonishing uniformity, reminiscent of when Long Xin and the others initiated the Five Rings Grand Formation.

Even before engaging, I sensed that these three Demon Dragon Blade Soldiers would not be easily managed.

Roar! The one in the middle suddenly swept its massive long saber horizontally across my path.

I instinctively prepared to leap, only to notice the Blade Soldiers on either side maintaining an upward-angled striking posture. Their cold gazes fixed on me darkly. My heart tightened; clearly, if I jumped, the other two would meet me with fierce and sharp interceptions.

All of this happened in a split second! I immediately abandoned the notion of rushing in to instantly kill one of them!

Clang! The huge, thick-backed cleaver chopped down overhead! Having anticipated this, I executed another Electric Step sideways! Dodging the chop of the cleaver with a Z-shaped arc! My forward momentum did not slow. As I evaded, I performed a leaping upward thrust! My body suddenly sank low, pressing toward the ground, while the Dragon Shadow Sword swept toward the lower leg of the attacking Demon Dragon Blade Soldier!

This maneuver was actually inspired by modern soccer—I recalled that goalkeepers find low, driving shots difficult to defend against, especially those aimed at the lower left foot. Given the Blade Soldier’s height and bulk, its defenses targeting the lower body might not be as tight. It seemed utterly unprepared for this move.

The Demon Dragon Blade Soldier, having swung and missed, had no time to react! As my Dragon Shadow Sword was about to sweep across its left leg!

Whoosh! Suddenly, a white shadow crashed down from above my head!

Ah! So fast! Terror gripped me, and I instantly changed my thrust to a tap! The Dragon Shadow Sword rebounded off the ground, and using that rebound force, I flipped backward like lightning!

Thump! With a crash, the blow aimed at me completely missed, but before I could catch my breath, a fierce wind rushed toward my back!

Too fast; I didn't even have time to dodge. I could only instinctively hook the Dragon Shadow Sword back and block behind me without turning, while executing an Electric Step retreat.

Boom! A massive impact hit my back, transmitting a wave of force like an overturned mountain. My body was uncontrollably flung forward! Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Although my counter-block with the sword accurately intercepted the third Demon Dragon Blade Soldier's sweeping saber, the disparity in strength was too great, and weapon-wise, I was at a severe disadvantage.

Fortunately, while blocking that blow, I used the direction of the saber sweep to execute an Electric Step retreat! But I was still clipped by the edge of the monstrous long saber, and my entire body was knocked away like a baseball struck by a bat, flying into the distance at an alarming rate.

Thwack! I slammed heavily onto the ground. It felt as if every bone in my body had been shattered, accompanied by numbness, soreness, and the crisp sound of fracturing joints. But at this moment, I couldn't care less. I hadn't expected the combination of three Demon Dragon Blade Soldiers to be so overwhelmingly powerful. I was utterly outmatched.

Gritting my teeth against the near-fainting pain, I activated the Gale Ring and bolted.