Yan Feng's angry "Sky-Burning Fire Python" roared ferociously. Wherever it passed, the air distorted, vegetation instantly withered and scorched, and the intense heat made Li Mo and Wang Zhong feel their eyebrows and hair were about to curl up. Dozens of emerald water arrows moved like venomous snakes flicking their tongues, cunning and ruthless, sealing off all space for Xiaoqi to dodge left or right. Stone Yue's earth-yellow light wall stood like a fortress, while Liu Xu lurked in the shadows, her killing intent held in reserve.
The combined attack of these four talented cultivators instantly pushed Xiaoqi into a desperate situation!
However, facing this assault that would have left ordinary peak Foundation Establishment cultivators scrambling, Xiaoqi's eyes remained as calm as an ancient deep well, without a single ripple. He didn't even look at the incoming fire python and water arrows, but slowly raised his right hand holding the frying pan.
Just as the fire python was about to bite down, and the water arrows were already upon him—
"Buzz!"
A low sword hum sounded not from a scabbard, but from within Xiaoqi's body! He didn't draw his sword, yet a majestic, indomitable, impenetrable sword intent suddenly erupted!
With him as the center, countless fine, condensed, pale golden sword qi manifested from thin air—not attacking, but layer upon layer, instantly forming a translucent spherical sword qi barrier that completely enveloped the space within three feet of his body! On the barrier's surface, sword qi flowed and transformed, vaguely forming mysterious runes, radiating a heavy, protective aura of "ten thousand methods cannot invade, all evils must retreat"!
This was precisely what Xiaoqi had initially condensed by combining his own Guardian Sword Heart with his understanding of the sword dao—the Guardian Sword Barrier!
"BOOM!!!"
The Sky-Burning Fire Python crashed viciously against the pale golden sword qi barrier!
The expected scene of the barrier shattering and Xiaoqi being consumed by flames did not appear. That violent and blazing fire python, the instant it struck the sword barrier, was like waves crashing against an ancient reef, producing a deafening roar. Fire splashed in all directions, energy dissipated wildly, yet it couldn't shake that seemingly thin sword barrier in the slightest! The sword barrier flowed and circulated, layer by layer weakening, guiding, and dispersing the terrifying power of the flames.
Almost simultaneously, those dozens of emerald water arrows also arrived!
"Ding ding ding ding...!"
Dense sounds like rain hitting banana leaves rang out continuously. The water arrows, containing penetrating and corrosive power, struck the sword barrier, but could only stir up tiny ripples before shattering and dissipating like ice crystals hitting an iron wall, unable to penetrate even a bit!
Water and fire intertwined, and the shockwaves from the violent energy collisions spread in all directions, scraping away a layer of ground. Li Mo and Wang Zhong were forced to retreat again, their faces filled with horror. They hadn't expected that Xiaoqi possessed such powerful defensive means!
The sinister smiles and mockery on Yan Feng and Shui Wu Hen's faces instantly froze, transforming into disbelief and shock.
"Sword barrier?! How could he condense such a solid sword barrier?!" Shui Wu Hen cried out in alarm. A sword barrier was a defensive divine ability that could only be deployed when one's sword dao cultivation reached an extremely profound level and one's control over sword intent became microscopic—certainly not something ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators could master, let alone so perfectly solid!
Yan Feng's pupils contracted even more sharply. He felt his Sky-Burning Fire Python had been completely blocked by that sword barrier, and the jealousy and killing intent in his heart burned even more wildly as if oil had been poured on them. "Let's see how long you can hold out! Sky-Burning Sea-Boiling!"
He went completely mad, not hesitating to consume vast amounts of spiritual power. His palms suddenly pushed forward! The fire python that had been somewhat scattered after hitting the sword barrier suddenly exploded, transforming into an even more surging, seething sea of flames covering a dozen zhang in all directions! The flames were no longer python-shaped but like a true molten ocean, churning and roaring, wanting to completely melt and evaporate the golden "reef" at its center!
The temperature rose sharply again. Rocks around them began to melt, trees turned to ash, and even the air became scorching and unbearable.
Shui Wu Hen, seeing this, also suppressed his shock. His jade fan waved rapidly, sending even more emerald water arrows, even condensing several water dragons to coordinate with Yan Feng's sea of fire, continuously bombarding the sword barrier from different angles, trying to find a weakness.
Stone Yue maintained his earth wall, his brows tightly furrowed. He felt that the sword barrier's defensive power was probably even more solid than his giant shield light wall. Liu Xu's figure flickered in and out of sight behind the firelight and water vapor, still not finding a suitable moment to strike—that sword barrier seemed to have no blind spots.
The pale golden sword qi barrier flickered violently under the sustained burning of the sea of fire and the continuous bombardment of water dao techniques. The ripples on its surface grew more intense, but it remained as stable as a mountain. Xiaoqi stood at the center of the barrier, his posture straight, his gaze focused. He wasn't simply resisting blindly; his spiritual sense was highly concentrated, precisely controlling the flow of every strand of sword qi, using minimal consumption to neutralize attacks from all directions. His Guardian Sword Heart remained clear and pure, supporting the stability of the sword barrier.
"How can his spiritual power be so enduring?!" Yan Feng grew more alarmed the longer he fought. Deploying this "Sky-Burning Sea-Boiling" consumed enormous amounts of power, and maintaining such an intense sword barrier should have consumed even more. Yet looking at that kid's aura, it remained steady!
He had no way of knowing that the spiritual power in Xiaoqi's dantian was far more pure and robust than that of his peers. Combined with the warm, nourishing energy constantly transmitted by the jade pendant to replenish consumption, and the powerful recovery ability from the "Everlasting Spring Art," supporting this sword barrier, while not effortless, was far from reaching his limit.
Water and fire intertwined, energy constantly colliding and annihilating, producing deafening roars. The scene was both spectacular and tragic. On one side, flames surged to the heavens, wanting to burn everything; on the other, the sword barrier stood like a mountain, guarding its core.
This duel had already transcended a simple token competition—it had become a collision of dao techniques and wills.
Just as Yan Feng and Shui Wu Hen grew increasingly anxious from their unsuccessful attacks, Xiaoqi moved.
His eyes, which had been maintaining a defensive posture, flashed with light. The Guardian Sword Barrier that had been held steady suddenly contracted inward, becoming even more condensed, forcefully withstanding the pressure of the sea of fire and water dragons. At the same time, the index and middle fingers of his left hand came together like a sword, and the spiritual power within him circulated at an unprecedented speed. His Crimson Flame Sword Intent and Guardian Sword Intent actually began attempting to fuse!
An even more terrifying aura gathered at his fingertips.
Should he continue maintaining defense, waiting for the enemy to exhaust themselves? Or... take the initiative and break the deadlock?
Xiaoqi's choice would instantly push this duel between sea of fire and sword barrier in an unpredictable direction. Liu Xu, lurking to the side, finally captured the opportunity she had been waiting for. Her figure, like a ghost, silently circled to a blind spot in Xiaoqi's vision, a dark light at her fingertip stabbing straight at the back of his heart! The true killing move had suddenly revealed itself at this moment!