I Pick Up Talents on the Interstellar Battlefield Chapter 696 - 508: Frenzied and Forceful Tribulation Crossing

Clang!

The Sword Intent slashed across the heavens.

A sword at Hou Yuansheng’s waist drew itself, a blue light flashing as it settled into his grasp.

His gaze fell upon Zhuge Yu, caught in a siege of Spiritual Energy. A slight flick of his wrist sent a sword shadow, seemingly solid, cutting through the atmosphere.

Even before the shadow's arrival, its chilling Sword Qi had sliced the air with a steamy hiss. The three Golden Bloodline prodigies surrounding Zhuge Yu felt a prickling sensation on their scalps. They hastily raised their Spirit Shields, only for them to be pulverized by the sword shadow, propelling them backward, their Qi and Blood churning violently.

"Whew..."

Hou Yuansheng retracted his sword, a slight pant escaping him, his chest heaving subtly. It was clear that his recently attained realm was not yet fully solidified. Nevertheless, the Tier Seven Spiritual Energy pulsing around him, coupled with his unyielding Sword Intent, was sufficient to impede Shengongsi’s assault for a crucial moment.

He turned towards the beleaguered Zhuge Yu, his voice laced with apology, "My apologies, I was slow to act."

"You arrived precisely when needed."

Zhuge Yu dabbed at the blood trickling from his lip, his strained nerves finally finding a measure of relief. He swiftly moved to Hou Yuansheng’s side, forming a defensive circle with Qin Tian and Taishi Feng, who had just broken free from their own entanglements. They positioned themselves back-to-back, relying on their companions for protection.

The conflict within the icy valley abruptly ceased, leaving only the ragged breaths of the assembled group. This brief silence was as heavy as the stillness preceding a tempest, with Spiritual Energy, Sword Intent, and the oppressive aura of calamity intermingling in the air, generating visible undulations.

"It appears we were a moment too late."

Shengongsi Yuzuo’s voice pierced the quiet, his eyes glinting with icy malice as he surveyed Hou Yuansheng. He perceived the still-unsettled aura of a newly formed Tier Seven cultivator, and a mocking smirk touched his lips.

"But it matters little; at best, it’s merely another fledgling Tier Seven."

Shengongsi Xin Fu added with a sneer, "None of you will depart here today."

The six Golden Bloodline prodigies behind him regained their footing, their Spiritual Energy surging anew, tightening the cordon. Eight formidable presences coiled around Qin Tian and the others like manacles, rendering even the surrounding air thick and burdensome.

"Qin Tian, find a way to teleport us out of this place," Zhuge Yu’s voice, transmitted via Spiritual Energy, reached Qin Tian, Taishi Feng, and Hou Yuansheng directly. "The three of us will attempt to contain them and establish an opening for you."

Qin Tian’s eyes flashed with understanding, and he gave a subtle nod, his expression unchanging.

Taishi Feng and Hou Yuansheng also adjusted their stances with unspoken agreement. The former’s Heaven-piercing Halberd angled towards the ground, while golden Spiritual Energy began to gather. The latter held his longsword horizontally across his chest, Sword Intent condensing but not yet unleashed.

They were all acutely aware of the current power imbalance: their opponents boasted two Tier Seven Holy Bloods, with Shengongsi Yuzuo himself being a top-tier Seven Stars Spiritualist. The remaining six Golden Bloodline prodigies were seasoned combatants. On their side, Hou Yuansheng and Taishi Feng had just achieved unstable breakthroughs, while Qin Tian and Zhuge Yu remained at Tier Six. Engaging in a direct confrontation would be akin to a fragile egg striking a solid rock.

Nevertheless, executing this escape strategy was far from simple.

Shengongsi Yuzuo had evidently foreseen such a tactic, his attention constantly fixed on the spatial anomalies surrounding Qin Tian. The instant he detected any attempt to harness the Power of Space, the chilling aura of calamity would immediately envelop him, disrupting the stability of the spatial coordinates.

Their success hinged entirely on their coordination.

"Attack!"

Shengongsi Yuzuo’s command sliced through the air like an icicle. Before the sound fully dissipated, the ominous gray calamity Spiritual Energy surrounding him intensified exponentially, contorting into a grotesque gray shadow that lunged directly at Qin Tian. Its talons tore through the atmosphere with a piercing shriek.

Clang~

Qin Tian’s Black Frost Saber slashed outward, arcs of purple-golden lightning instantly encasing the blade. As the sword’s edge collided with the calamitous claws, the resultant energy shockwave reverberated through the ice valley, showering them with falling ice fragments.

On the opposing front, Shengongsi Xin Fu advanced on Taishi Feng and Hou Yuansheng with a malevolent grin. The skin on his arm instantly ruptured, revealing a flood of dark blue scales covering his limb. The extremity of his right arm morphed directly into a serpentine head, its fangs bared, exhaling a corrosive gray mist with every flick of its tongue.

With a whistling arc, Taishi Feng’s Heaven-piercing Halberd unleashed a crescent wave of golden Spiritual Energy. However, the serpent head lunged forward, its jaws clamping down on the attack with a screeching clash as scales grated against the Spiritual Energy.

Seizing the opening, Hou Yuansheng directed his sword, imbued with needle-sharp Sword Intent, straight for the serpent's eye. Shengongsi Xin Fu, unfazed, retaliated with a ferocious punch from his scaled left arm. Hou Yuansheng reacted swiftly, parrying the blow with his sword. A dull impact resounded, splitting his tiger's mouth and nearly wrenching the longsword from his grasp.

The serpent head exploited this moment, breaking free from the halberd's hold and lunging viciously towards Taishi Feng’s shoulder. Despite Taishi Feng's evasive maneuver, the serpent's fangs still carved a deep, bone-exposing gash. Calamity's aura surged into his body from the wound, causing paralysis and halting his Spiritual Energy circulation.

Meanwhile, Zhuge Yu, battling the encirclement of six Golden Bloodline prodigies, had pushed his Array Plate to its absolute limit. The pale blue, layered defensive arrays buckled and fractured continuously under their coordinated assaults.

It was as anticipated: Taishi Feng and Hou Yuansheng, having only recently attained Tier Seven, found themselves overwhelmed and rapidly losing ground against the Tier Seven Three Stars Holy Blood Shengongsi Xin Fu, even with their combined might.

Zhuge Yu’s Spiritual Ability Level was not particularly high; facing six Golden Bloodline prodigies single-handedly, his ability to withstand them for this long was already remarkable.

Qin Tian faced a comparable, if not greater, ordeal. His adversary was Shengongsi Yuzuo, a Tier Seven expert wielding multiple Holy Blood Martial Techniques and possessing Seven Stars. Were it any other Peak Tier Six Spiritualist, even one with a Holy Blood body, they would have fallen within three moves.

Qin Tian managing to hold his position against Shengongsi Yuzuo’s relentless assault was a testament to his skill, but extending protection to others was beyond his current capacity.

"I am aware you intend to flee," Shengongsi Yuzuo taunted amidst the exchange of blows.

"But I shall not grant you that opportunity."

Qin Tian's expression remained impassive, yet his eyes betrayed an intense, unyielding seriousness.