I Pick Up Talents on the Interstellar Battlefield Chapter 656 - 490: Slaying the Holy Blood

The blizzard hurled ice shards against their faces as Shengongsi Hao Er and his six companions fled rapidly, their dark robes and kimonos snapping furiously in the gale.

"Young Master Hao Er, what exactly is this Qin Tian’s background?" the swordsman inquired, his hand gripping his katana tightly, his voice laden with bewilderment and utter confusion.

He still couldn't fathom how Shengongsi Hao Er, a Seven Stars Tier Seven Holy Blood, could be compelled into a hasty retreat by a Tier Six without Holy Blood, completely shattering his existing perceptions.

"I don't know!" Shengongsi Hao Er clenched his teeth and uttered a low growl, the semi-awakened state of the Yamata-no-Orochi not yet dissipated, the crimson vertical pupils on its multiple snake heads still radiating intense fury.

The doubt and skepticism subtly present in the gazes of those around him felt like sharp needles piercing his very soul.

As a direct descendant of the Shengongsi family, a Seven Stars Tier Seven Holy Blood, being thoroughly beaten and forced to flee by a mere Tier Six—if this news were to spread, both he and his entire lineage would face utter and absolute disgrace.

"Young Master, perhaps we should seek assistance from Young Master Yuzuo!" an Onmyoji hastily proposed, desperately trying to salvage the dire situation. "As long as he intervenes, Qin Tian is certain to meet his demise!"

Upon hearing this suggestion, Shengongsi Hao Er spun around abruptly, his frigid gaze causing the Onmyoji to freeze in place. The latter quickly forced a smile and averted his eyes, daring not to utter another word.

"Hmph."

Shengongsi Hao Er let out a cold snort.

Could he possibly be unaware of his cousin, Shengongsi Yuzuo’s, formidable strength?

He was a paramount expert of Seven Stars Tier Seven, standing at the absolute zenith within the entire relic, with only a select few possessing the standing to contend with him.

Yet, he was acutely aware of the true nature of their relationship—appearing amicable on the surface, but engaged in a fierce, clandestine rivalry for supremacy.

Should Yuzuo discover that he had been routed by a Tier Six individual lacking Holy Blood, the sheer mockery and contempt that would surely flood his cousin’s expression would be a torment far greater than the threat posed by Qin Tian's Thunder Saber.

Precisely at that moment, a deafening rumble suddenly reverberated from beneath their feet.

"Boom!"

A colossal ice wall, easily dozens of meters in height, surged abruptly from the ground, acting as a natural rampart barring their path forward. Its surface was adorned with sharp ice ridges, emitting an intensely chilling luminescence.

Concurrently, azure-gold patterns ignited on the ice layer beneath their boots, as intricate Array lines rapidly coalesced, weaving themselves into a vast Eight Trigrams Array that spanned several miles. The central nexus pulsed with light, exuding an aura of absolute dominance that suppressed all else.

"I have been anticipating your arrival for some time now."

A faint, ethereal chuckle emanated from above them, compelling Shengongsi Hao Er and his retinue to snap their heads upward. There, standing atop the ice wall, were Qin Tian and three other figures, their attire fluttering elegantly as they gazed down upon them like eagles surveying their unsuspecting prey.

"Qin Tian! Zhuge Yu! Are you truly set on a fight to the bitter end?" Shengongsi Hao Er’s countenance darkened significantly, mirroring the stormy sky.

Zhuge Yu lightly fluttered his feathered fan, his smile serene: "And who was it that just boasted of taking our lives? Are you permitted to slaughter indiscriminately while we are forbidden to retaliate? Furthermore, my divination indicated—this time, the fish will perish, yet the net shall remain intact."

His pronouncement landed like a heavy blow, striking a resounding chord within the hearts of Shengongsi's followers. The Zhuge family’s divinatory arts were notoriously accurate; consequently, his words were tantamount to an unalterable decree of their fate, leaving several of them visibly paling, their weapon-gripping hands beginning to tremble uncontrollably.

"Do not be deceived by his psychological ploys!" Shengongsi Hao Er commanded sternly, striving to bolster their flagging morale.

"Psychological ploys?" Zhuge Yu’s lips curved into a subtle smirk. He tapped a fingertip against his Array Plate, "Then, allow yourselves to personally experience the profound weight of this 'psychological ploy'."

"Boom!"

The Eight Trigrams Array suddenly burst forth with a dazzling display of azure-gold radiance, its suppressing force surging with palpable intensity. However, Shengongsi Hao Er's expression remained utterly unperturbed, as Zhuge Yu’s Wuhou Eight Trigrams Array lacked the potency to affect him, a Tier Seven Holy Blood, at this juncture.

Nevertheless, for the individuals accompanying him, their Spiritual Energy was palpably diminished, suppressed by nearly twenty percent due to the Eight Trigrams Array's influence. What he failed to realize was that this was merely an array Zhuge Yu had hastily erected; with sufficient preparation time, its suppression capabilities would have been exponentially more devastating, rendering even a Tier Seven Holy Blood vulnerable.

"Attack!" Taishi Feng bellowed furiously, his golden Qi and Blood surging with immense power. He launched himself from the ice wall, the Heaven-piercing Halberd clutched firmly in hand, hurtling directly toward the burly adversary enveloped in crimson flames.

Huo Yuan's physique moved with lightning-like speed, his longsword a blur of cold, sharp light, as he targeted the swordsman he had previously engaged in battle.

The expressions of Shengongsi Hao Er’s followers shifted subtly; they steeled themselves to meet the assault directly, the unresolved conflict reigniting within the net-like Array.

In mid-air, Qin Tian spun, his Thunder Saber, crackling with golden electricity, flashed forward. The saber's light tore through the void like a shooting star, its trajectory aimed resolutely at Shengongsi Hao Er’s neck.

Shengongsi Hao Er’s four remaining snakeheads thrashed erratically. Two unleashed poisonous fire to shield him, while the other two coiled with ferocity around the blade.

With a twist of his wrist, Qin Tian altered the saber's momentum from a downward chop to a horizontal sweep. The golden lightning instantly annihilated the poisonous fire. The blade scraped against snake scales, inflicting a wound deep enough to reach the bone on Shengongsi Hao Er’s chest.

Shrieking, Shengongsi Hao Er recoiled backward. His snake heads seized the chance to strike at Qin Tian’s ankle, but they were repelled by the golden Qi and Blood that surged from Qin Tian’s body, their scales cracking and bleeding.

Qin Tian pursued relentlessly, his Thunder Saber a whirlwind. The blade's light wove a tight net, compelling Shengongsi Hao Er to utilize his snake body's agility for an awkward evasion. His back was grazed by the saber's wind, tearing his black robes to expose skin adorned with scales.

Shengongsi Hao Er bellowed in pain, desperately channeling Spiritual Energy into his snake heads. Yet, every strike was effortlessly parried by Qin Tian's Thunder Saber. The 500% all-attribute boost from his Overlord Body state rendered him as immovable as a war god.

"You court death!!!"

Shengongsi Hao Er's eyes blazed blood-red, disaster qi erupting with immense power. A grey mist blanketed the entire icefield, even tainting the azure-gold luminescence of the Eight Trigrams Array with a dull grey hue.

Qin Tian retreated several steps, projecting a barrier of Qi and Blood, his gaze warily fixed on the mist's center.

"Roar——!"

A roar that shook the heavens and earth emanated from within the mist. A colossal silhouette gradually materialized. As the mist dissipated, the ominous form of a Yamata-no-Orochi revealed itself—eight fearsome snake heads positioned at varying heights, eight thick tails sweeping across the ice layer. Its body was covered in dark golden, hardened scales, and each head bore a scarlet vertical pupil, radiating the ferocious and violent aura of an ancient demonic beast.