Stepping to the side, and lowering Shui Yue, Long Hua allows Xun Yu to fall.
And just as the tip of Xun Yu's umbrella stabs itself into the ground, Long Hua sweeps out a kick with his right leg—aimed at the former's abdomen; however—
*Boom!!!* pulling out a portion of the straight sword that is hidden away in the umbrella's handle, Xun Yu manages to block off Long Hua's kick—much to the latter's surprise.
"…!"
But despite having blocked off Long Hua's kick, the force behind the attack still manages to throw Xun Yu backwards.
Bouncing her feet off the ground twice, Xun Yu dampens the momentum of Long Hua's attack—prior to landing, and stabilizing her stance.
"…"
Enduring the numbness, which emanates from her right arm, Xun Yu draws out the straight sword completely, to which—
"Hm?"
Narrowing his eyes, Long Hua raises a frown, as an odd force of energy—in the form of a blue aura, emanates from Xun Yu's body.
The nature of this energy is strikingly similar to—
(Spirit Qi?)
Lead to believe that weapon spirits are incapable of manipulating spirit Qi, and that whatever energy they release through their attacks to be just an ability of their Relics—only to be proven otherwise at this instance, Long Hua can't help but rethink about the potential combat strength that the Leng Bing Realm's denizens possess in response to this sudden discovery.
*Arrruuuuoo!!!* accompanied by the howl of a wolf, Xun Yu slashes with her sword—sending out a mass of blue energy, which vaguely resembles the form of a wolf's head!
*Boom!!!* receiving the strike by lunging Shui Yue forward, the blast throws Long Hua's dark hair backwards.
"…"
Getting a feel for the heaviness of this attack, which seems to have been formed from spirit Qi, Long Hua's eyes flashed with a light of contemplation—prior to forcefully deflecting the attack back at Xun Yu's feet.
"…"
"Oh?"
Emerging from the dust clouds, Xun Yu still has her body shrouded in the blue aura, and with her next slash—
*Arrruuuuoo!!!* a larger mass, one that is much more reminiscent of a wolf's head is thrown forth!
"…"
Raising a subtle smile, Long Hua strikes with his left fist—smashing the wolf's head apart!
"…"
Teleporting her umbrella into her left hand, Xun Yu swings it towards Long Hua.
*Klang!* receiving the strike with Shui Yue, Long Hua brushes Xun Yu back, to which, the latter recovers her stance, prior to pressing her feet forward, and—
*Klang! Klang! Klang!* in the span of a single second, the two exchanged more than 20 hits with each other.
...…
In response to the fight that Xun Yu is putting up, the official chat box—
[She's exchanging hits with the IML!]
[Will she be able to win?]
[Is she going to be the hero?]
Remarks of this nature are posted, but for those on the actual battlefield—
"That Immortal…"
"He's still smiling…"
In the eyes of the experienced, the upper-hand holder of this exchange couldn't be clearer.
...…
*Klang! Klang! Klang!*
"Uh…!"
*Klang!* upon their 56th exchange of hits, Xun Yu finds it difficult to feel her limbs.
Every exchange with Long Hua thus far has forced her to push herself to her limits, causing her body to scream in pain, as muscle fibers tear, and bones crack—at a faster rate than she can hope to recover from.
"…"
Detecting Xun Yu's breathing turning erratic, while her legs begin to show signs of folding, Long Hua narrows his eyes.
"Still a long way to go."
"…!"
Muttering this, Long Hua abruptly pushes his left palm outwards, and lands it onto the center of Xun Yu's chest—causing her Weapon Spirit True Body state's armor to shatter!
"Uh!"
Emerging from the dark armor like an insect out of its carapace, Xun Yu is revealed to be drenched in sweat, as her body flies backwards!
*Thud! Thud!* as Xun Yu hits the ground, and rolls to a stop—
"…"
Long Hua turns his attention towards the right.
In the far distance—
"…"
Covered in blood—with much of his armor damaged, Zhou Chen has his trident raised over his head.
*…!!!* and just as Zhou Chen shrouds the head of the trident in a mass of golden flames, Long Hua mutters—
"Qilin flames, is it?"
Considering how the Qilin is a beast that symbolizes righteousness, Long Hua—who is scheming an act of evil, definitely didn't dare to take its flames head on.
But just as he is about to take a step forward—
"Stop him!"
"Let the general ready his strike!"
Lead by Ning Qiu Heng and Lan Shan are the remaining weapon spirits, as they make a charge towards Long Hua's direction.
"Hahaha!"
Laughing aloud, Long Hua smiles in a venomous manner, as he sheaths Shui Yue; and performing three Martial Emperor's Steps—
*Boom!!! Boom!!! Boom!!!* he throws out three heavy-handed strikes, tearing the air apart, and—
*Boom!!!!!*
"Ack!"
"Ugh!"
Similarly to a set of bowling pins, numerous weapon spirits are thrown off their feet, as their bodies creak with immense pain!
"…"
"Hm?"
As the wall of floating bodies scatter, Long Hua sees Yang Ning taking aim with his bow, and—
*Boom!!!!!* at the release of the bow's string, Yang Ning fires off a massive comet of blue energy.
"…"
Detecting energy that is probably spirit Qi emanating from this blue comet as well, Long Hua's smile widens, as he throws out an Immortal Suppression Palm!
*Boom!!!!!* as soon as the black and white handprint collides with the blue comet, a devastating explosion goes off—knocking the nearby weapon spirits aside with the force of a cannonball, while the area beneath Long Hua's feet caves inwards!
And even before the billowing dust clouds can begin to settle—
"Die!"
*Boom!!!!!* following Zhou Chen's roar, his Qilin flame shrouded trident pierces through the dust clouds to close in on Long Hua!
Seeing this, Yang Ning smiles with glee, expecting this to finally be over; however—
"Devourer."
Following Long Hua's mutter, a phantom maw manifests in front of him, and in the face of the Qilin flame shrouded trident—
*…!!!!!*
"How…?!"
"What?!"
Both Zhou Chen and Yang Ning widen their eyes in astonishment, as the trident halts in front of the phantom maw.
As a powerful force of suction emanates from the maw, the Qilin flames that shrouded the trident are mercilessly drawn into its throat, and in a powerless manner—
*Klang…* the trident falls onto the ground.