Chapter 276

Chapter 276: Divine Intervention from Heaven

Under the black mist condensed from the evil aura, Lou Yun’s innate senses, including his spiritual awareness, were almost entirely useless. Fortunately, Chang Xiang was still with him. It was Chang Xiang who promptly warned him, "Behind you!"

Without hesitation, Lou Yun moved at the sound. Swinging the Dream Emperor Sword backward in an instant, he heard a loud ‘clang’ as that black sword tip dissolved into a cloud of mist once more.

By now, Lou Yun had grasped some understanding of this weapon technique Tang Qianqiu employed. Concealed by the black mist, the evil aura would coalesce into swords to strike the enemy.

Ordinary people, robbed of their senses upon entering the mist and facing the silent, intangible evil aura, would barely last before being stabbed. Lou Yun, aided by Chang Xiang, managed to avert danger at every critical moment.

After successfully blocking yet another simultaneous assault by four evil swords, Chang Xiang finally couldn’t contain his roar: "Why aren’t you using the heavenly fire to dispel this layer of evil aura?"

This shout finally jolted Lou Yun awake. He had been so preoccupied with defending himself that he had completely forgotten: since his heavenly fire could refine evil aura, it could likewise consume this black mist formed from it.

Considering that unleashing the heavenly fire over his entire body would expend a massive amount of spiritual energy, Lou Yun concentrated on channeling it solely into the Dream Emperor Sword.

Instantly, the Dream Emperor Sword, radiating two distinct kinds of heavenly flame, tore through the thick black mist like a blazing dragon, ripping the shrouding gloom apart.

Tang Qianqiu had been certain this technique would finish Lou Yun. He hadn’t anticipated that Lou Yun’s magical weapon could erupt in flames, and that Lou Yun apparently possessed profound knowledge of heavenly fire. Witnessing the Dream Emperor Sword ablaze with two differently colored and shaped flames, Tang Qianqiu gasped in shock, “You possess heavenly fire too?! And two types at that!”

Upon hearing Tang Qianqiu’s voice, Lou Yun responded with a cold smile. He thrust the Dream Emperor Sword forward in the move "Sword Piercing Cloud Shadows," aiming directly at the source of the sound.

The Dream Emperor Sword effortlessly cut through the lingering wisps of black mist. Wherever its flames touched, the mist vanished instantly. The searing heat forced Tang Qianqiu, unwilling to face it head-on, to hastily retract his own evil weapon and leap back several meters.

The Dream Emperor Sword naturally struck empty air. Yet, a smirk playing on his lips, Lou Yun suddenly bellowed: "Detonate!"

The two heavenly fires instantly surged ten feet high. A deafening roar followed as the flames violently exploded! This was the true power of Sword Piercing Cloud Shadows. Moreover, this time Lou Yun’s Dream Emperor Sword carried the heavenly fire storm – both the weapon technique itself detonated, and the heavenly fire storm erupted simultaneously. The combined force of these two explosions was utterly staggering!

Though Tang Qianqiu had wisely retreated many meters, he had not foreseen that Lou Yun’s technique could explode. Adding to that, the explosion’s force was overwhelming. A thick cloud of smoke billowed out, instantly engulfing him.

As the smoke dispersed, Tang Qianqiu remained standing, but his entire body smoldered with wisps of green haze. His clothes had been blasted into mere ragged strips. Even the fearsome mask on his face had been partially shattered, revealing half his features.

Furious, Tang Qianqiu ripped the mask off completely, finally unveiling his true appearance. To Lou Yun’s surprise, Tang Qianqiu possessed remarkably delicate, almost elegant features.

Rage blazing in his eyes like fire, Tang Qianqiu glared murderously at Lou Yun, grinding his teeth: "Brat! Today, I swear I will kill you!"

Lou Yun replied with a scornful scoff: "I believe you said that earlier already."

Seizing the moment during this exchange, Lou Yun quickly scanned the surrounding battlefield. His heart sank. Apart from Xia Guanqiu who seemed relatively unburdened, everyone else fought their battles at a disadvantage, barely holding their ground with no chance to counterattack. As for himself, though seeming superficially dominant, his multiple attacks had inflicted no real damage on Tang Qianqiu.

In conclusion, the battle situation was extremely unfavorable!

Tang Qianqiu paid no heed to the wider fight taking place. His eyes saw only Lou Yun. His sole objective was to kill Lou Yun now!

Driven by fury, the exposed face beneath the torn mask looked especially savage despite its underlying delicacy. He gripped his evil weapon firmly with both hands, its tip pointing downward at a slant towards the ground.

Suddenly, Tang Qianqiu flicked his hand violently. The blade slashed upward from beneath. Clearly visible in the air, the evil weapon carved a distinct black trail in its wake.

A high-level rank technique: Evil Sword Shattering the Heavens!

A terrifying blast of icy, malevolent power, seemingly conjured straight from the Nine Nether Hells, erupted from Tang Qianqiu’s evil weapon. Like a tidal wave, it surged toward Lou Yun, blotting out sky and ground.

Simultaneously, the blueprint of a new weapon technique flashed into Lou Yun’s mind. He instantly recognized it was transmitted by Chang Xiang. Without a moment’s hesitation, Lou Yun unleashed it.

A high-level rank technique: Four Swords of the Black Tortoise from Sword Moment!

Abruptly, four blazing swords, each towering ten feet high, materialized around Lou Yun’s body. Their tips pointed straight towards the heavens!

Anyone viewing this spectacle from above would have seen the four swords arranged in the distinct shape of a turtle: each sword representing one limb. The turtle’s head and tail were completely retracted, leaving only a colossal, fiery shell shimmering with flames!

Boom!

Tang Qianqiu’s evil weapon unleashed its frenzied power, smashing fiercely into the colossal tortoise shell.

After a massive tremor that shook the earth and mountains, the four swords vanished. Lou Yun was still standing there, holding the Dream Emperor Sword aloft, appearing undamaged from head to toe!

But this was just Lou Yun stubbornly holding on. While this Four Swords Black Tortoise technique had successfully dissolved Tang Qianqiu’s strike, inside Lou Yun’s body, a turbulent storm raged. He barely forced down a surge of blood threatening to erupt from his mouth!

In terms of true strength, Tang Qianqiu, at the Earth level five-star realm, was indeed stronger than Lou Yun!

However, Tang Qianqiu had no idea this was the case. Seeing Lou Yun stand firm after his full-power attack made Tang Qianqiu finally shed his disdain. He frowned and charged straight at Lou Yun with his sword raised.

Lou Yun dared not delay. He hastily raised his sword to meet the attack, and an instant later, the two were locked in close-quarter grappling!

Tang Qianqiu never would have guessed that Lou Yun actually preferred this grappling style over the previous hard clashes. In a grapple, Lou Yun had a body tougher than most, movements more agile than others’, and every part of his frame could serve as a weapon. So despite Tang Qianqiu’s superior strength, for now, there was no obvious winner!

But as the pair grappled, a piercing shriek rang in Lou Yun’s ears, making his entire body shudder. The sound came from Qian Ruming, clearly indicating she was either dead or wounded!

Lou Yun’s distraction gave Tang Qianqiu an opportunity. He instantly pressed with several fierce assaults, which Lou Yun frantically blocked.

Then, screams quickly followed one after another—all from the teachers of the Ancient Weapon Academy!

Though Lou Yun knew he must keep his composure, he couldn’t resist scanning the battlefield. Sure enough, half of the Ancient Weapon Academy’s twelve teachers were down. Tang Qianqiu’s evil weapons masters had only two fallen, both struck down by Xia Guanqiu’s desperate fight.

Now, it was six against seven, a numerical disadvantage. In strength, it was worse: five handled five, while the other two evil weapons masters teamed up to trap Xia Guanqiu. Even Xia Guanqiu, the strongest, couldn’t break free to help!

Lou Yun’s distraction cost him dearly. Tang Qianqiu slashed him three times in quick succession. Though the heavenly flame within him swiftly purified the invading evil energy, Lou Yun knew he couldn’t hold out much longer!

Would he die in battle before the gates of the Ancient Weapon Academy today?

Lou Yun was utterly unwilling to fall like this. His mind raced with thoughts, scrambling for a way to turn the tide!

Suddenly, Lou Yun remembered his capable assistant. He launched two rapid attacks, forcing Tang Qianqiu back momentarily, then leaped away. A fiery red shadow burst onto his shoulder!

"Xiao Huo, burn all the black-robed foes to death!"

In this critical moment, Lou Yun summoned Xiao Huo—who had been inside the Chaos Golden Cauldron—because Xiao Huo also possessed two heavenly flames, able to spit them out as weapons.

Even if Xiao Huo could only burn one evil weapons master, it would ease the Ancient Weapon Academy teachers’ burden.

But seeing Xiao Huo, Lou Yun froze in surprise. Xiao Huo had changed visibly: once palm-sized, it now measured half a meter long, with fluffier fur. It no longer resembled a mouse but looked more like a fox!

Most strikingly, its formerly fluffy tail had split into two!

Clearly, inside the Chaos Golden Cauldron, Xiao Huo had trained hard and made solid progress!

Tang Qianqiu instantly recognized Xiao Huo as the one that devoured his Hellfire. Hatred flashed in his eyes; he yearned to gulp down Xiao Huo whole!

But Xiao Huo ignored him entirely. Upon hearing Lou Yun’s command, it leaped from his shoulder, flew through the air to an evil weapons master, opened its mouth, and with a "pfft," shot out a burst of black flame, hitting the opponent dead-on.

"Hellfire!"

Tang Qianqiu, recognizing his former flame, seethed with rage. To stop him targeting Xiao Huo, Lou Yun surged his attacks, trapping Tang Qianqiu completely.

As Xiao Huo’s Hellfire gushed out, that evil weapons master collapsed instantly, vanishing into a dark wisp!

Xiao Huo then opened its mouth again, spraying another Hellfire burst. Naturally, another evil weapons master turned to ashes!

Xiao Huo appeared like heaven-sent saviors, instantly slaying two foes. This electrified the Ancient Weapon Academy teachers’ spirits. Renewed with strength, they roared and fought back furiously.

Just as Xiao Huo aimed at another evil weapons master, ready to unleash a third Hellfire burst, suddenly, the whole earth quaked with violent tremors!