Wait, How Did My Digital Girlfriend Become a Sword Immortal? Chapter 856.13: In and Out

"Those two bronze statues appear utterly ferocious."

Wang Shouyi drew near the bronze statues, uncertain which divine entities they depicted.

Each gripped a lengthy ornate axe, displaying blue faces, fangs protruding, eyes bulging menacingly. Their savage expressions evoked not fear, but immense grandeur.

Nevertheless, deep in his thoughts, he had embraced this site as the Upper Realm.

Thus, he positioned himself reverently before the duo of bronze statues and offered a deep bow.

"Two Great Gods, this junior means no offense. May I ask where this place is? Should we proceed upwards along the iron chains?"

"If the two Great Gods can hear this junior's prayer, please grant us some guidance."

Wang Shouyi murmured softly to himself, while Chen Huaian, a step behind, suddenly shifted his expression.

"Watch out!"

Before his warning fully echoed, the previously still and silent bronze statues trembled abruptly.

Enveloped in a foul gale, the hefty ornate axes slashed down savagely from left and right.

Their momentum pure and overbearing, as though set to split the space itself apart!

"Pfft—! Ugh!"

Wang Shouyi, weakest of the bunch, lacked time to respond. Though he activated his protective treasure, the dreadful axe blast still flung him sideways. A huge spurt of blood erupted from his mouth in midair, his chest ribs cracking with gruesome pops.

"Fiends! Cease your arrogance!" Zhang Yibai thundered in wrath.

The enormous axe chopping toward his head met no direct opposition. Instead, feet braced wide, he gradually sketched a circular arc in the air ahead with his palms.

Black and white forces instantly swirled in his hands, coalescing into a hazy Tai Chi Yin-Yang Fish.

"Yin and Yang give rise to change, the two energies endure forever! Four ounces deflects a thousand pounds!"

Zhang Yibai's palms appeared to seize the massive axe blade remotely, sharply slowing its plunge.

"Clang—!"

The giant axe impacted the Tai Chi diagram without explosive clash, more like plunging into mire. Yet the statue's power proved horrifyingly vast. Though Zhang Yibai diverted seventy percent of it, the leftover thirty percent demolished his Protective Energy barrier.

A grunt escaped him as his form shot back dozens of steps.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Deep craters marked the white jade floor with each footfall. He steadied himself barely on the last, crimson blood trickling from his mouth's corner.

Gu Changsheng fared no better, scrambling and rolling to dodge, half his sleeve ripped by the ferocious wind.

Yet just as all assumed the statues would exploit their edge and wipe them out—

"Crack… crack…"

After unleashing their opening assault, the two bronze statues synchronized perfectly, pulling back their long axes and thudding to original stances.

Their eye glows dimmed out, restoring them to mere lifeless objects, prior frenzy like a dream.

"They… stopped?" Gu Changsheng swabbed cold sweat from his forehead, heart hammering. "What's the meaning? Cat toying with mice?"

"No, it's a mechanism."

Chen Huaian now led the pack, staring fixedly at the statues with intense eyes. Gravely he stated, "In that instant earlier, This Venerable One observed the axe swinging at Wang Shouyi make the other statue hesitate momentarily, awaiting some verdict."

He turned to the group. "This formation strengthens against force, yet targets only one primary energy signature at once."

"Our group rush before unwittingly activated their collective mode, stacking power."

"Brother Chen, you mean…" Zhang Yibai dabbed blood from his lips, lost in contemplation.

"One at a time."

Chen Huaian's voice rang firm. "Avoid large-scale triggering, and each handles a personal 'trial'."

True to words, Chen Huaian spared others the danger, striding ahead first.

That lone step pressed some taboo switch.

*Crack—!* Bronze statues sprang alive.

Chen Huaian retracted his foot.

Bronze statues withdrew.

Chen Huaian advanced anew.

Bronze statues hefted giant axes again.

Chen Huaian pondered, then toed a line on the ground.

In and out he went.

"Hey~ This Venerable One is coming in!"

"This Venerable One is going out~"

"Coming in again~"

"Going out again, hehehe!"

Chen Huaian relished the play.

Zhang Yibai and rest stood speechless.

The two bronze statues raged.

As Chen Huaian crossed the line one final time—

*Boom—!* The silent plaza detonated. Twin 30-meter bronze titans berserked without prelude.

Mechanical clanks *crack crack* mingled with piercing shrieks.

*Hum—!* Spectral green flames spewed from armor joints.

Whatever their type, in this Underground Palace, no fire was commonplace.

Heat-distorted air blurred the giants' forms. Only the earth-rending ornate axes, left and right, sheathed in all-consuming blue flames, scissored at law-defying speed toward his skull!

Fast.

Unbelievably fast.

Zhang Yibai scarce blinked before dread axe edges rent air over Chen Huaian's head.

Others would lie minced.

Chen Huaian acted once.

Drew sword.

*Shing—!*

Sword light surged not as lone chill glint, but silvery-white curtain avalanching down.

— Sword technique: One Sword Guards the Pass.

Ten thousand men cannot breach it.

"CLANG—!!!"

Tens-of-thousands-jin blazing axes hammered the fragile-seeming silver Sword Curtain, roaring like colossal bells.

Sword Curtain endured unshattered, surface ripple-free.

One hand on sword, stance pine-firm, Chen Huaian etched forbidden ground amid the frenzied giants' shears.

Cross this, die.

Next instant, wrist twisted lightly.

That twist stirred heaven-earth vigor.

Dim turbulent sky starless, yet peerless full moon soared lone.

No moon.

Sword Qi.

Clear, chill, remote, all-pervading.

— Sword technique: The Moon Rises Over Tianshan.

The bright moon rises over Tianshan, amidst vast seas of clouds.

That instant, time froze.

…