Overhead, Dan Heng stood upon a lotus platform, his ears elongated and pointed.
Long hair cascaded to his waist; a pair of azure dragon horns broke through the skin at his forehead.
The Profound Pearl floating in his palm flickered with faint radiance.
Dan Heng opened his eyes, glancing at Blade from the corner of his vision, a cold snort escaping his nostrils.
"How about it?"
Blade flicked the fractured sword up with his toe, caught it in his hand, and the corners of his mouth curved.
"Did you think the only ones infiltrating the Luofu Xianzhou were the Stellaron Hunters?"
Yanqing's knuckles turned white; bone-chilling cold spread from him as the center, instantly freezing the ground into spiderweb-like ice crystals.
Five flying swords hovered behind him; the frost qi spitting from their tips froze the air into fine ice shards.
"Since that's the case—"
Cold qi and sword qi rose together around Yanqing.
His youthful face was full of chill; between his brows condensed a stern killing intent unfit for his age.
"I can only take both of you down and leave it to the general to judge!"
The screen split; battle commenced.
[Huh?]
[Not brothers?]
[You're fighting Jingliu and Blade, that's not enough; now Dan Heng too?]
[Of five people, I Yanqing will fight—pfft hahaha! Sorry, couldn't hold it!]
"Huh, Blade entering the pool in 1.2 with a plot trial is normal; didn't expect big Dan Heng to have one too!"
Not just Ah Xian; countless players got excited.
In gacha-based games, what excites people most? One is definitely the characters' skills.
Special effects and practicality are both top-tier important.
"I've heard of your infamy, Imbibitor Lunae."
Yanqing pointed his sword at Dan Heng, tone icy.
"Never thought that besides the Stellaron Hunters, another major criminal sneaked into the Luofu Xianzhou."
The Profound Pearl in Dan Heng's palm slowly rotated.
"...I have no intent to start conflict. Returning to Luofu is only to confirm my friends' safety."
"Hmph, excuses! We'll talk more in The Shackling Prison!"
Yanqing formed a sword seal with his left fingers; the flying swords behind him rang in unison, launching attacks at both Dan Heng and Blade.
"..."
Dan Heng frowned, forced to first deal with Yanqing's assault.
"Speaking of which, don't you think the Express has a stabbing tradition?"
[What tradition?]
"As everyone knows, Belobog had two plot lines: Leon and Dan Heng."
"In Dan Heng's line, the Trailblazer got stabbed directly by Cocolia; in Leon's line, his wing took the stab instead."
"No matter how stabbed, the Trailblazer awakened the Preservation Path, right?"
"Now Dan Heng got stabbed by Blade, awakening... well, revealing his true form and power."
"All stabbed, so Express stabbing tradition, hehe."
[What kind of wild joke hell?]
[Dan Heng & Leon & Trailblazer: Kids, this isn't funny.]
[Of six Express people, how many will get stabbed?]
"Anyway, Leon doesn't need stabbing; he already used hidden power in Belobog."
Casually replying to a barrage, Ah Xian clicked the screen to continue the battle plot.
Blade glanced at Dan Heng forced to counter, coldly smiling.
"Very good, very good, just like this..."
"Imbibitor Lunae, I'm afraid you'll never see your friends again. You know... they're deep in bitter battle right now."
Dan Heng's face sank.
He understood Blade's words were to force him to go heavy on Yanqing; worry for his companions grew.
Before getting off, he thought the greatest danger source was now right before him.
But now he realized the greatest danger source was related to the mastermind reviving the Ambrosial Arbor.
He didn't recall the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus having the ability to cause such chaos.
There must be a terrifyingly powerful pusher behind it.
"No harm telling you; the ones your companions face are an Emanator..."
Blade chuckled lowly, as if kindly guiding.
"...Imbibitor Lunae, don't you want to leave here quickly and save them?"
"Heh heh heh... ha ha ha ha ha—"
"Shut up!"
Yanqing interrupted Blade's laughter.
"None of you will leave!"
"...Fine, then let's add fuel to the fire, Kafka!"
Blade's expression turned abruptly cold.
Kafka's lips curved.
"Mm, Blade, listen to me—release the restraints."
Blade wiped his palm over the fractured sword's surface, sacrificing blood to the blade.
"Then, let's begin!"
One slash; all flying swords attacking him were brutally repelled in an instant.
Yanqing's face didn't change; he controlled the weapons to launch another assault.
"Suspects, surrender immediately!"
Seeing this, Dan Heng didn't want to tangle further; he immediately flashed to the flank, attempting to break out of the battle circle.
But unexpectedly, Yanqing abandoned attacking Blade and persistently entangled him.
"What, can't go heavy on this kid?"
Dan Heng blocked; Blade didn't kick him while down, just fanning the flames verbally.
Dan Heng frowned: "(Don't know how March and the others are... must end this quickly.)"
He knew he couldn't drag on; from passive defense counter to active offense.
"Ha... excellent!"
Bloodlust flashed in Blade's eyes; he actually followed Dan Heng in attacking Yanqing.
From the player perspective, Dan Heng used his second attack form, shattering the flying swords Yanqing summoned.
Blade: "Taste this sword!"
Sensing the crimson blade flashing lightning-fast toward his neck, Yanqing's heart jolted; he hastily parried horizontally.
Immense force erupted, nearly sending him flying.
He dissipated the force; both arms trembled slightly. He looked up gravely.
"You two are indeed troublesome."
"To keep you, I'll have to use this move!"
The flying swords fused, forming a massive frost greatsword emitting oppressive cold.
"River of Heaven Pour!"
On that greatsword descending from the sky, both Dan Heng and Blade felt a familiar sword momentum.
Dan Heng used Skypierce Rainbow, instantly distancing from the sword momentum's coverage.
Blade neither dodged nor evaded, swinging his sword to hard-counter the strike.
As the cold dispersed and the ground's state came into view, Yanqing's heart slowly sank.
Actually... no major damage?!
Blade wiped his mouth corner, revealing bloodlust.
"This sword... really familiar."
"That woman taught you?"
"Then... your only path is death!"
Dan Heng took a deep breath: "(Can't delay anymore.)"
"Young man, I didn't want large-scale combat, but now there's no choice. Sorry."
At this moment, a tutorial box popped in the player's lower right.
[Use Skill to enhance Dan Heng • Imbibitor Lunae's Basic ATK, up to 3 consecutive enhancements.]
Ah Xian pressed E three times; the Q icon lit up.
[Cast [Coiling Brilliance Leap]]
Surging waves gathered under his feet, condensing into an azure dragon body.
The instant the skill cast was confirmed, the screen seamlessly transitioned from Dan Heng's 3EA into the cutscene CG.
Dan Heng changed hand seals; the Profound Pearl flew from his hand.
The azure dragon coiled from under Yanqing's feet, then broke the waves, completely swallowing him.
Dragon roar shook the heavens; oppressive might like a tide.
Yanqing gritted his teeth in a low shout, controlling the flying swords into a sword array, desperately resisting the impact.
But having just used his strongest strike, his consumption was too great.
Even if he could barely block, there was no way to detain the two.
"As a Cloud Knight retainer, I absolutely cannot allow major criminals to escape!"
Yanqing let out a battle roar; bone-piercing chill covered his treasured sword as he resisted with his life.
Dan Heng frowned; a moment of hesitation flashed in his heart, then he swiftly shifted the attack target.
The azure dragon turned; its tail slammed the sword edge, precisely breaking his defense without harming the root.
Even so, it still knocked Yanqing from midair.
Sensing Dan Heng's main attack target switch to himself, Blade was visibly surprised; in hasty response, he nearly got washed into the ancient sea of waves.
"...Smart, Imbibitor Lunae..."
"But thinking you can leave with just this level—aren't you being too naive?"