Just as a spiritual beast profoundly enhances the power of a spirit sorcerer, so too does a martial swordsman's weapon directly determine the strength of their prowess.
A martial swordsman equipped with a formidable weapon wields a decisive influence over the outcome of any battle.
"Dead girl, it shall be your honor to perish beneath my cherished crescent blade today!" Vice Commander Qi declared with palpable murderous intent.
Gu Zhan's face turned ashen.
"Xiaoli, retreat at once! Go summon reinforcements! We are no match for him!"
Gu Zhan's sole desire was to shield his daughter, his heart pounding fiercely under Vice Commander Qi's unmistakable aura of deadly resolve.
But Gu Qingli had no intention of fleeing; she knew that if she left, her father's death was all but certain.
Vice Commander Qi's hatred had reached a boiling point—he was determined to finish them both.
"Xiaoli!" Gu Zhan shouted urgently upon seeing her unyielding composure.
Qi, however, granted them no quarter; with a fierce swing of his crescent blade, he summoned a raging tempest, sand and stones swirling violently along the street as the winds howled.
Gu Qingli swiftly pulled her father behind her and summoned a radiant longsword, its length nearly half her height.
The blade shimmered with a crystalline brilliance.
Indeed, the longsword gleamed like a streak of light across the sky.
Embedded within the blade's core was a high-grade demonic crystal.
In sheer presence, it rivaled Vice Commander Qi's weapon.
Gu Zhan's face betrayed astonishment—he had been unaware his daughter possessed such a formidable artifact.
How could Gu Qingli be without treasures? Though the Gu family had previously neglected her, she still possessed many prized possessions, gifts from her master, Dongfang Kunlun.
Though Dongfang Kunlun rarely appeared, he had always been generous to his cherished young disciple.
This weapon was bestowed upon her long ago.
For her current abilities, it was a perfectly suited armament—child's play for Dongfang Kunlun to provide.
Once, Gu Qingli had grumbled about her master's supposed stinginess, but Dongfang Kunlun had merely laughed heartily:
"A man bearing treasure cannot escape envy. Given your present strength, such a weapon is most fitting."
Gu Qingli had reluctantly accepted the truth with a dismissive pout.
As her longsword clashed against the crescent blade, Vice Commander Qi's weapon radiated a dense azure glow.
Gu Qingli struggled to parry, her feet digging fiercely into the earth before her body was violently hurled backward, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
"Vice Commander Qi! What kind of skill is bullying a little girl? If you have the guts, come fight me!" Gu Zhan roared, his fury almost uncontainable upon seeing his daughter wounded.
"Think you can escape? Today, you will both perish here!" Qi snarled, raising his crescent blade once more.
Unbeknownst to him, Gu Qingli's expression had turned icy; within her slender phoenix-like eyes swirled thick black mist, the murderous aura coalescing steadily.
Though many frowned at Vice Commander Qi's cruelty, none dared voice objection, especially after witnessing his formidable strength and ruthless demeanor.
No one noticed the silver needles that appeared silently in Gu Qingli's hand, tipped with black venom—a weapon she had been reluctant to employ for fear of reproach, but now driven to desperation.
Just as she prepared to release the poisoned needles, an overwhelming wave of pressure descended abruptly, causing Vice Commander Qi's face to blanch!