This specter fiend, not only possessed potent Yin Sha energy, but was also much more cunning than the surrounding specters. After using the lesser specters as cannon fodder to wear down my master and me, it began its attack, and stealthily at that. The target of its ambush was me, not my master.
But at this moment, I had no retreat. Seeing it pounce, I raised my sword to block. With a "clang," its claw struck my peach wood sword. The blow was incredibly powerful. I felt a searing pain in my hand, my arm gone numb. My body was sent reeling backward by the impact. Its strength surpassed mine, definitely reaching the mid-stage Soul Palace realm.
As soon as I was pushed back, the specter fiend attacked again. It opened its massive mouth, revealing fangs, and let out a piercing shriek. "Aooo…" The sound was so deafening it made my eardrums ache, and it lunged for my neck, attempting to bite.
Though I was repelled, I maintained my composure and reason. With a cold snort, I leaned back, performing a graceful dodge. My left hand grabbed the fox claw hanging from my wrist and thrust it towards the specter's neck. The movement was fluid, utterly without hesitation. The specter was startled, contorting its body mid-air in a bizarre arc to evade. But with a sweep of my fox claw, I still managed to slash a deep gash across its face.
The specter let out a pained cry, black mist spewing from its wound. It recoiled in agony, dodging to the side. I regained my footing. My master, having dispatched several lesser specters, turned to me, "Xiao Qin, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Master! It won't be so easy to injure me." With that, I raised my sword and cut down the remaining specters.
The wounded specter fiend stared at me, its face contorted in a savage glare, filled with fury. "Die, I will make you die!" its low, sharp voice rasped. Raising its clawed hands, it charged at me again.
Seeing this, I took a deep breath, circulating the Qiankun True Method. I formed a mudra with my left hand, preparing to unleash the "Break" character technique. The specter fiend raised its claws, slashing through the air once more. A terrifying aura of pressure enveloped me. I met it head-on, thrusting my sword forward, shouting, "Heaven and Earth boundless, Qiankun has laws, Break!"
Following my roar, a surge of powerful true essence flowed into my sword. With a "hum," it clashed against the specter fiend's claw. My strike was immensely powerful. Coupled with the specter fiend's lack of defense, this sword blow instantly severed its claw. The peach wood sword continued its descent, carving a gash across its chest. The specter fiend shrieked and was flung to the ground.
The surrounding lesser specters swarmed forward, attempting to shield the wounded fiend and attacking me simultaneously. However, my master had also freed himself. With a sweep of his sword, a torrent of Daoist qi and energy rippled outwards. With two "humming" sounds, seven or eight lesser specters nearby were sent flying or disintegrated into soul fragments. I seized this opportunity and gap, raising my peach wood sword and charging.
"Die!" My face was grim, determined to make this specter fiend understand that it had provoked the wrong person. I was not easily bullied.
Having suffered multiple setbacks at my hands and bearing a gash on its chest, the specter fiend was startled by my fierce charge. Furthermore, my master's aura field had locked onto it, making the specter fiend appear even more terrified. Its immediate instinct was not to defend, but to flee. This choice, however, sealed its doom.
As I landed, I swung my sword, wounding the specter fiend. It stumbled, losing its balance. I followed up with a swift lunge, thrusting my peach wood sword behind me. With a "whoosh," it pierced directly through the specter fiend's body. The specter fiend shuddered violently, black mist billowing outwards from its form. It lowered its head slightly, seeing its body impaled by my sword. Behind it, my voice echoed, "You can die now!"
With that, I yanked my peach wood sword free and kicked it to the ground. The specter fiend crashed down, convulsing and trembling, its form flickering. In less than three seconds, it dissolved into black smoke and vanished.
The surrounding lesser specters, witnessing this, became panicked. This specter fiend was clearly their leader. With their chief slain, these lesser specters let out fearful, low whimpers: "Wuwu…" Their bodies began to retreat. Finally, with more "wuwu" sounds, they drifted away in all directions. Over a hundred specters disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Seeing this, my master and I let out a sigh of relief. After all, our true qi was finite. If we continued fighting like this, it would have been disadvantageous. Where the specter fiend had died, a small, dark bead was left behind. Curious, I stepped forward and picked it up. Holding it, I examined it. It turned out to be an "Yin Bead," the inner core of the specter fiend…