"Fool!" Yida shouted, watching Xiao Tan fall from the sky. "Are you running up to the sky to die!"

What he said made sense. A character like Xiao Tan, who couldn't move horizontally in the air, was essentially putting himself in a helpless position by jumping into the air. And Yida… would never let this opportunity pass.

Bang, bang, bang...

For a moment, the continuous sound of gunfire rang out again, aiming precisely at Xiao Tan, who was falling.

But Wang Tanzhi was also prepared. He took out the [Titanium Alloy Jinhua Ham] again, using the advantage of being suspended in the air to position his body vertically behind the shield. This way… the weaknesses of the shield's irregular shape and excessive weight disappeared. It could not only defend against all the gunfire but also accelerate Xiao Tan's downward attack.

"Tch... you took it out again... that strange shield." Yida spat, seeing this. "Always playing petty tricks..." As he spoke, a plan formed in his mind, and he immediately sneered, "Hmph... but the attack itself is still laughably simple!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he moved, a lightning-fast *suo di* (ground shrinking technique) bringing him to the rear side of Xiao Tan's falling point.

"Let this young master tell you... that combat isn't such a simple thing!" Yida, aiming for the moment his opponent was about to fall, made this high-speed movement. At this moment, his raised sword blade was aimed precisely at Xiao Tan's blind spot, unprotected by the shield.

However...

"That's right..." In that instant, a murderous intent flashed in Xiao Tan's eyes. "Combat... isn't such a simple thing."

The next second, the sword blade struck, and the sound of metal clashing against metal rang out.

"What!" Yida was shocked to discover that his sword had "passed through" his opponent's body and struck the inner side of the shield.

"I fell for it!" In almost half a second, the stunned Yida realized the problem. "It's a phantom!"

He was right. What he had struck was a residual image created by [When the Wind Ceases, the Fragrance of Dust Remains, the Flowers are Gone]; the real Wang Tanzhi had released the shield in his hand at the same time as the sword was swung and activated his skill.

The falling shield was just a distraction; and the seemingly simple, easily predictable attack method was a trap to lure the One-Eyed Dragon.

The killing intent… was in that instant after Yida attacked, the moment he thought he had succeeded. In this brief moment, he was defenseless, off balance, and his Musou bar was not full. His only means of defense… was the armor on his body.

In front of [Assassin's Edge], that kind of defense… was not worth mentioning.

"It's over..." Both Jian Jun Shi Er Hen and Zhao Yun, who were watching the battle, had already made their judgment in their hearts.

Even Yida himself felt that his end was near.

But… his fate was not sealed.

"Ha!"

A low shout pierced through the air.

Demonic sounds entered his ears, and his three souls trembled.

Arriving with the shout was a string of massive prayer beads.

The giant string of red and black beads flew horizontally like a gust of wind, striking Wang Tanzhi, who was about to thrust out his hidden blade, in the waist.

Xiao Tan was extremely alert and did not lose his cool because of the seemingly easily obtainable head in front of him. In that moment of life and death, he promptly perceived the danger, retracted his attack, twisted his body, and used his arm to block… barely managing to withstand the sneak attack of the string of prayer beads.

"Tch..." This time, it was Xiao Tan who spat, because this attack had cost him dearly.

The prayer beads were full of demonic energy. Although the rotational impact force of the beads themselves was not very strong, under the blessing of the demonic energy, they became a tremendous force.

Xiao Tan was, after all, using a short weapon. When blocking, most of the force would be quickly transmitted to his arm. With that block, his survival value dropped by 14%, and half of his body was numb.

"Little brother! Be careful!" Seeing Xiao Tan being knocked away by the force, his whole body full of openings, Jian Jun immediately stepped forward, wanting to lend a hand. Since the other side had someone interfere first, it was justifiable for him to help at this time.

Fortunately… Yida was arrogant by nature and didn't like to do those despicable things in battle. He didn't take the opportunity to pursue Xiao Tan but stood in place, turning his head to look in the direction the prayer beads had come from.

Seconds later, Xiao Tan landed suddenly, and Jian Jun and Zhao Yun arrived one after another, protecting him.

And the string of prayer beads had already flown back, returned to its master's hands.

"You家伙... who told you to meddle?" Yida looked at the other party and asked in a bad mood.

Xiao Tan and the other two also looked at that person together.

It was a burly man, tall like an iron tower. His upper body was only equipped with shoulder armor and gauntlets, revealing his sculpted pectoral and abdominal muscles; he wore a string of small (relatively speaking) black prayer beads around his neck, and held the giant string of prayer beads, each bead as big as a human head, in his hand; his lower body wore wide black pants and boots, with a light yellow cassock skirt wrapped around the outside.

As for his appearance… he was bald, with four black diamond-shaped runes printed on his forehead, and four red horns, two large and two small, growing on the top of his head; his face was very fierce, his face sallow, looking to be fifty or sixty years old, with white eyebrows and a white beard, his beard like steel bristles, scattered in front of his throat; his hands were no longer human hands, but a pair of red claws, their surface covered with shell-like skin.

"Yida... don't be ignorant." That person walked slowly from the wasteland, saying as he walked, "If it weren't for this humble monk's intervention, you would be a dead man at this moment." His voice was like thunder, and his tone revealed a sense of majesty.

"Taira no Kiyomori..." Zhao Yun stared solemnly at the newcomer, murmuring the other party's name.

"Looks like a very powerful guy has come..." Xiao Tan added.

"He is a mad monk who is obsessed with Orochi's power... his body has already been demonized." Zhao Yun continued, "However... his strength is indeed very strong. Not only is he immensely powerful and has tyrannical demonic energy, but he is also cunning and skilled in military strategy... even surpassing Da Ji..."

As they were talking, Taira no Kiyomori had already walked in front of Yida. "One-Eyed Dragon, the work of guarding is also very important. If you lose your life because of a momentary impulse, it will trouble Lord Orochi."

"Hmph..." Except for Orochi, Yida didn't submit to anyone. Even if Taira no Kiyomori was his superior, he would still dare to retort, "Enough nagging! This young master has his own sense of propriety and doesn't need you to teach me."

Hearing this, Taira no Kiyomori glanced at Yida and didn't bother with him anymore.

A moment later, he walked to the bridgehead, turned his face to look at Xiao Tan and the other two, and said, "A swordsman who is focused on asking about the sword, a Azure Dragon soaring in the battlefield, and... a deeply hidden assassin." He paused, and continued in a mysterious tone, "You want to participate in the Martial Arts Tournament, don't you? Then let's travel together..."