As soon as Wu Xuan caught sight of Lin Qian's eager gaze, he felt like crying but had no tears left. He couldn't help but slap himself again.
He deeply regretted his earlier actions. Why had he provoked Lin Qian? What was the point of taunting him?
Now, he found himself completely targeted by Lin Qian.
Although they didn't understand the blood-red aura surrounding Lin Qian, it was clear that with each enemy he killed, the aura intensified, and by the time he attacked the fifth Qin Dynasty awakened expert, it seemed like slicing through vegetables!
Even a fool could see that Lin Qian's strength had increased significantly compared to earlier.
It was evident that the blood-red glow around Lin Qian, and his act of first killing five Qin Dynasty experts, were part of some mysterious soul technique that was boosting his power.
Seeing the determined and battle-hungry look in Lin Qian's eyes, Wu Xuan knew full well that Lin Qian was increasing his strength specifically to deal with him.
At the same time, Lin Qian raised his Thunder Night Sword toward Wu Xuan and said with a voice full of disbelief, "Today, I will see if I can break through your turtle shell!"
Boom!
As Lin Qian's words fell, he vanished from his original position, the air behind him exploding as he sped past many onlookers, the wind from his movement stinging their faces.
Seeing this, Wu Xuan quickly put away his pained expression and raised his massive staff. Earth-element soul power surged within him, forming an incredibly thick protective shield in front of him.
But just as Wu Xuan's solid protective shield took shape, Lin Qian appeared before him, raising his wide-bladed Thunder Night Sword high and slashing down on Wu Xuan with immense force.
Boom!
When the Thunder Night Sword struck Wu Xuan, a deafening explosion erupted, the soundwave reverberating far and wide, causing many to frown as they hurriedly used their soul power to protect their ears.
The massive commotion drew everyone's attention, causing most to pause their battles and curiously look in Lin Qian's direction, eager to see if he could break through Wu Xuan's formidable defenses.
Under the fierce impact of Lin Qian's sword, Wu Xuan felt his entire body freeze as he was sent crashing downward. The protective soul power surrounding him trembled violently, like a calm lake suddenly disturbed by a massive boulder.
Wu Xuan's heart tightened. He had never imagined that his protective soul power could be shaken like this, as if tossed about in a storm. He even felt short of breath, the overwhelming force making him acutely aware of the fear creeping into his heart.
As Lin Qian's sword sent Wu Xuan flying, Lin Qian followed up with unparalleled speed, diving down and flipping in mid-air to catch up with Wu Xuan.
Boom!
The black and gold-lined Thunder Night Sword, unyielding and sharp, slammed into Wu Xuan's protective soul power once again.
The already plummeting Wu Xuan's speed increased further, the air around him tearing apart as he fell. Below, the raging river began to form a vortex, as if drawn by the powerful force.
At the same time, the protective soul power around Wu Xuan rippled violently, with cracks beginning to appear on its surface. Cold sweat dripped down his face, and his expression turned to one of shock and fear.
As Lin Qian's second strike hit Wu Xuan, many onlookers felt a shiver run down their spines, deeply impressed by Wu Xuan's defense. Despite enduring such terrifying attacks, his protective soul power had yet to shatter.
Some of the Qin Dynasty's awakened experts began to imagine themselves in Wu Xuan's position, uncertain whether they could withstand such blows.
Even the weaker first-realm awakened experts doubted they could survive such a strike, believing they might be crushed to pieces by Lin Qian's overwhelming force.
Lin Qian's physical body was already incredibly strong, and with his Golden Thunder Soul Power boosting his strength tenfold, combined with the effects of the Blood Thirst skill at its peak, his power had doubled yet again.
This meant that Lin Qian's strength was now twenty times greater than before, explaining why he could possess such terrifying power despite being only at the Life and Death Realm.
As Wu Xuan continued to plummet downward, the enormous impact force caused the river below to part, revealing the riverbed.
To everyone's surprise, they saw massive structures built on the riverbed, each equipped with metal cannons. The black muzzles were aimed skyward.
Thud!
As Wu Xuan crashed into the riverbed, his legs sank deep into the ground, embedding him up to his thighs.
At the same time, the protective soul power around him was covered in cracks, and his aura fluctuated wildly. However, he forcibly suppressed the chaotic energy and tried to stabilize his breathing.
Meanwhile, the earth-colored protective soul power around him slowly began to heal, seemingly on the verge of returning to its original state.
But at that very moment, Lin Qian descended from the sky. Holding his black Thunder Night Sword in both hands, the golden thunder and yellow flames that once danced along the blade receded into the sword.
The black blade, lined with gold patterns, emitted a faint glow, as if enveloped in a soft golden light with no visible soul power.
Yet no one dared to underestimate this strike. Although there was no visible soul power on the blade, the force it carried made everyone hold their breath, anxiously awaiting the outcome.
Golden light flickered in Lin Qian's eyes as he brought down the Thunder Night Sword with all his might on Wu Xuan.
A Sword to Subdue Mountains and Rivers!