Chapter 354: A Fine Saber

Right at this moment, Qiu Yuebai and the three celestial maidens of the Imperial Heavenly Dao each gulped down a vial of talismanic water.

Immediately afterward, Qiu Yuebai began chanting an incantation, and a terrifying aura erupted from her body spreading outward in all directions.

A crushing pressure instantly descended upon everyone on the battlefield, as if something extremely terrifying were about to emerge from her body.

A series of loud cracks rang out as patches of dragon scales began to appear across Qiu Yuebai's skin. Her body swelled slightly, and a pair of thumb-sized horns emerged on her forehead.

Throughout history, dragons had always been regarded as the envoys of the Imperial High God. By combining talismanic water with an incantation, Qiu Yuebai had temporarily gained the power of a dragon.

She then pulled out a second vial of talismanic water and carefully tipped a drop onto her finger before gently flicking it into the air.

The drop of talismanic water instantly transformed into a shower of rain that fell upon the battlefield, filling Yi Siman and the others with a soothing warmth.

The circulation of their qi and blood immediately accelerated, and their stamina began to recover. Chu Qiguang was the only one who didn't benefit from the talismanic water, clearly by Qiu Yuebai's design.

Immediately afterward, Qiu Yuebai opened her mouth and released a fierce gust of wind. Storm clouds instantly gathered overhead before unleashing a torrential downpour.

The combination of icy rain and biting wind made Chu Qiguang feel as if he had been plunged into a glacial pit, draining his body heat and forcing him to expand his qi and blood at an increased rate.

Meanwhile, the protection of the talismanic water ensured that Yi Siman and the others remained completely unaffected.

Under the effects of the talismanic water, the three celestial maidens swelled drastically in size before charging at Chu Qiguang like a trio of giants.

Chu Qiguang forced one of the celestial maidens back with a palm strike, only to be struck in the chest by a wolf fiend's paw.

At the same time, Yi Siman swung Heavenslash down at him. Chu Qiguang was a fraction too slow to sidestep the attack, and the saber slashed a gash into his shoulder.

This was the first time his defenses had been breached, and the sight greatly encouraged his assailants. Blood spurted from the wound, only to be instantly washed away by the torrential rain.

Chu Qiguang immediately flexed his shoulder muscles to close the wound before smiling and remarking, "That's a fine saber you've got there."

As the battle continued, the battlefield constantly moved from one place to another, laying waste to large sections of the surrounding forest.

Faced with over twenty formidable assailants at once, Chu Qiguang was firmly contained and unable to claim any more victims.

Even so, the longer the battle dragged on, the more astonished Yi Siman and the others became. Although they undoubtedly had the upper hand, Chu Qiguang remained as resilient as reinforced steel, seemingly withstanding their attacks without much difficulty.

Fortunately for them, Yi Siman's Heavenslash clearly posed a significant threat to Chu Qiguang.

Ever since sustaining the gash on his shoulder, Chu Qiguang had avoided confronting Yi Siman directly, seemingly wary of his weapon.

Both Qiu Yuebai and Yi Siman felt extremely fortunate that they had caught Chu Qiguang on his own and decided to join forces against him. Otherwise, there was a very good chance that he would've already escaped.

It was clear that Chu Qiguang was trying to break out of the encirclement. Thus, instead of continuing to pursue him, Yi Siman began prowling around its perimeter with Heavenslash in hand, ready to intercept him the moment he attempted to escape.

As the battle wore on, Chu Qiguang's qi and blood reserves continued to dwindle. Yet just when his assailants thought they had him on the ropes, a massive commotion suddenly erupted around them.

Qiu Yuebai looked around in bewilderment, only to discover that they had somehow been surrounded.

This sudden turn of events came as quite a shock to everyone, but while the others were distracted, Yi Siman kept his gaze firmly fixed on Chu Qiguang. He noticed that with the arrival of the reinforcements, Chu Qiguang seemed to have let his guard down ever so slightly.

Yi Siman immediately seized the opportunity, channeling the Baleful Blood Arts as he launched himself at Chu Qiguang like a bolt of lightning, raising Heavenslash to deal a lethal blow.

However, Chu Qiguang seemed to have anticipated this. He immediately sprang back in retreat while whipping out a pair of yellow paper talismans. They were none other than the Big Dipper Talisman and the Golden Armor Talisman.

Without the slightest hesitation, he activated both priceless talismans. Layers of golden light appeared around his body like a suit of golden armor, while the power of the Big Dipper Talisman enhanced his physical constitution.

With his powers enhanced by the two talismans, Chu Qiguang was able to reach out and catch Heavenslash with his bare hand.

Yi Siman was momentarily caught off guard by this turn of events, but a vicious look quickly appeared in his eyes as his muscles bulged and Heavenslash began vibrating at a high frequency, instantly tearing through the defenses of the Golden Armor Talisman.

However, it was already too late. The enhanced strength granted by the Big Dipper Talisman allowed Chu Qiguang to forcibly wrench Heavenslash from Yi Siman's grasp.

Yi Siman's heart immediately sank as he rushed back in retreat. Meanwhile, Chu Qiguang grabbed Heavenslash by the hilt before abruptly swinging it behind him.

There was no technique involved, just a swing backed by sheer brutal force. Coupled with the saber's unparalleled sharpness, it was enough to instantly slice the two generals behind Chu Qiguang in two.

In the face of the divine-grade weapon, the two generals might as well have been made of tofu.

All of a sudden, Yi Siman and the others found themselves caught between a rock and a hard place, with none of them willing to take on Chu Qiguang now that he was wielding Heavenslash. All the while, reinforcements continued to close in from every direction, cutting off their escape.