"Boom—"
With a deafening roar, the entire Flood Dragon Boat trembled. On its right flank, a figure, trailing a beam of sword light, rapidly pulled away. Intense sword energy continuously impacted the Flood Dragon Boat, causing it to shake violently. However, this sword strike did not manage to slice through the boat; it merely shattered the boat's multiple Mohist restrictions!
"Not good!"
Lin Xuanzhi suddenly hovered in mid-air, raising his sword to point at the right side of the spirit boat. He bellowed, "It's a twelve-realm Sword Cultivator of the demon race!"
"Lord?!"
A cultivator at the Star River realm exclaimed in horror, "What do we do?"
"What else can we do?"
Lin Xuanzhi, brandishing his sword, rose into the air and roared, "A Flood Dragon Boat of our Great Shang Dynasty, along with five hundred cultivators, can't possibly be a match for a single twelve-realm Sword Cultivator of the demon race? Everyone, attend to your duties and counterattack immediately!"
With that, Lin Xuanzhi twisted his body and appeared at the right side of the Flood Dragon Boat, unleashing a sword strike that cut through the void. He ferociously slashed towards Feng Quan's back as he dragged the sword light. A tide of dense sword energy surged forth. A sword strike from an eleven-realm Sword Cultivator was indeed extraordinary, but Feng Quan didn't even look back. With a sudden flick of his left index finger, a sword-finger, wreathed in potent sword qi, intercepted Lin Xuanzhi's attack.
"Spirit Crystal Cannon!"
Lin Xuanzhi, while pursuing and attacking, roared, "Lock on and fire!"
"Yes, Lord!"
On both sides of the ship's hull, Mohist disciples stationed on the Flood Dragon Boat manipulated their compasses, aiming at Feng Quan's position. Beams of artillery fire then erupted from the right side. Instantly, intense explosion waves constantly erupted around Feng Quan, distorting and deforming his protective sword qi. He gritted his teeth, inwardly lamenting his misfortune. The Mohist Spirit Crystal Cannons were not ordinary. They fused extraordinary restrictive techniques with artillery mastery, firing and detonating entire spirit crystals. The spiritual energy contained within a top-grade spirit crystal instantly transformed into cannon fire, the power of which was immeasurable. Even a twelve-realm Sword Immortal could not withstand such relentless bombardment indefinitely!
"Dream on!"
Feng Quan roared, his figure flashing as he moved to the stern of the boat. He slammed his sword down heavily onto the stern of the Flood Dragon Boat. With a resounding clang, the sword energy struck the Mohist restrictive barrier, causing layers of multicolored ripples to emanate. For the time being, it was almost impossible to break through the barrier with sword energy alone.
"Ballista bolts!"
Lin Xuanzhi stomped onto the stern, and as his sword was thrust forward, it transformed into a rain of sword energy that pitter-pattered against Feng Quan's protective sword qi. Simultaneously, dozens of cultivators at the stern drew their ballistae and unleashed a dense volley of shots at Feng Quan. A few Spirit Crystal Cannons mounted at the stern also roared to life, their continuous explosions relentlessly pushing Feng Quan's body backward.
"A bunch of scoundrels!"
As a twelve-realm Great Sword Immortal of the demon race and the commander of the Tenth Army Corps, Feng Quan had never suffered such humiliation. His sword qi buzzed around him. This mission could not be in vain; he had to leave this Flood Dragon Boat in the south. Otherwise, the 400,000 demon troops guarding Pan Yun Mountain would be in danger. If a Flood Dragon Boat with such formidable combat power were to hover above the two army camps, who could stop it? Shi Jun Gang and Bai Ye, with their strengths alone, would surely be insufficient.
"This Northern Region! It's not your Great Shang's place to call the shots!"
Feng Quan roared, his blade slashing viciously across the left flank of the ship.
In the air, a figure pierced through the wind, it was Lin Xuanzhi. This young Sword Cultivator, clad in a deep blue robe, attacked Feng Quan from above with a single sword strike, heedless of the fact that his opponent was a twelve-realm Sword Cultivator and possessed the power to kill him.
"Seeking death?"
Feng Quan suddenly looked up, raising his long sword to block Lin Xuanzhi's attack. Simultaneously, he lightly flicked his left finger, and a wisp of sword qi directly pierced Lin Xuanzhi's protective sword qi, leaving a bloody gash on his abdomen. An eleven-realm cultivator fighting a twelve-realm one, and moreover, a demon whose strength was amplified by nearly thirty percent, it was expected for Lin Xuanzhi to suffer a disadvantage in the first exchange.
But the moment he was struck, Lin Xuanzhi leaned back, hooked his heel, and delivered a powerful kick to Feng Quan's chin. With a thunderous thud, Feng Quan was forced to tilt his head back, seeing stars. He was also greatly astonished. He had always thought cultivators of the Great Shang Dynasty were spineless, but this fellow… seemed fearless of death.
"Swish~~~"
Lin Xuanzhi leaped forward and landed on the deck of the Flood Dragon Boat, clutching his abdominal wound. "Damn it, you scared me half to death! Quickly, suppress him with all your might, hurry!"
"Yes, Lord!"
The Spirit Crystal Cannons unleashed a barrage of attacks. At the same time, dozens of cultivators at the Star River and Nascent Soul realms unleashed their Natal Artifacts and bombarded Feng Quan from the air. Artifacts rained down, a dazzling spectacle!
For these cultivators, as humans, how many peak moments would they experience in their lives? This was it. Although they were only in the middle five realms, daring to unleash their Natal Artifacts against a twelve-realm Sword Immortal of the demon race, even if their artifacts were damaged and their cultivation regressed, so what? Upon returning to the human realm, this would be enough to boast about for a lifetime!
"Still coming?"
Feng Quan couldn't help but chuckle. He pointed his sword forward, and his sword qi erupted, transforming into streaks that shot forward. At the same time, three flying swords from his Sword Lake soared out, and with a series of "peng peng peng" sounds, they shredded the Natal Artifacts of the human cultivators. This time, Feng Quan was fighting with all his might. He not only unleashed all three of his Natal Flying Swords but also振振 his arm, unleashing a golden Natal Feather that transformed into a golden sword beam and shot straight towards the incredibly sturdy Flood Dragon Boat.
The deafening roars continued. Numerous human cultivators of the Mountain and Sea Division at the Star River and Nascent Soul realms on the Flood Dragon Boat instantly lost cultivation levels, some even dropping directly into the lower five realms. Although Feng Quan's aura completely overwhelmed them, he was ultimately outnumbered. He could withstand ten attacks but not a hundred. Some human cultivators' Natal Artifacts pierced through his sword qi, inflicting some injuries on Feng Quan.
"Screech!"
Suddenly, a brilliant sword light flashed like lightning. Feng Quan's heart turned cold. It was the Natal Flying Sword of that eleven-realm human Sword Cultivator. He hastily dodged to the side, and a bloodstain that exposed bone was slashed across his cheek. Feng Quan became furious and could no longer hold back. The artifact gifted by Shi Jun Gang, it was meant to be used. Trading a wolf-tooth hammer for a Mohist Flood Dragon Boat of the human race was not a loss at all!
In an instant, Feng Quan's figure flickered, evading the sharpness of Lin Xuanzhi and others. He appeared at the bow of the boat, holding a wolf-tooth hammer radiating immortal aura. Raising his hands, he brought the hammer down heavily from the sky onto the bow of the Flood Dragon Boat. With a series of rumbling sounds, the complex and dense restrictive barriers surrounding the Flood Dragon Boat shattered. The wolf-tooth hammer, also suffering a backlash from the power of the restrictive barriers, was continuously disintegrating.
"Boom!"
With a colossal explosion, the entire Flood Dragon Boat violently shook. The bow had a large hole blown open by Feng Quan's hammer, which even affected the boat's propulsion. The entire Flood Dragon Boat began to spiral downwards rapidly in the air, causing terror among those on board.
"Steady!"
Lin Xuanzhi roared, grabbing two thick ship cables and slinging them over his shoulders. He then soared into the air, attempting to forcefully counteract the downward momentum of the Flood Dragon Boat. The other cultivators in the middle five realms followed suit, appearing at the sides and bottom of the boat, trying to support the teetering Flood Dragon Boat with their own strength!
This time, they had truly gone too far. The Great Shang Dynasty only possessed two Flood Dragon Boats. If one were to be lost under his command, the blame… they probably wouldn't even need the Division Master to say anything. Lin Xuanzhi himself would relinquish his position as the Mountain and Sea Commander.
...
In the air, Feng Quan stood in the wind, equally disheveled. After destroying the Flood Dragon Boat, only a charred handle of the wolf-tooth hammer remained. Furthermore, not only the wolf-tooth hammer but Feng Quan himself had suffered severe injuries from the backlash of the restrictive barriers. His armor was tattered, his legs and abdomen bore serious wounds, and the injury on his cheek was the most severe, exposing bone and with fine sword energy continuously corroding his flesh.
That eleven-realm Sword Cultivator, although his realm was one level lower, his sword intent was so sharp! Feng Quan sighed softly. The human race had many geniuses. Now, they were still trying to save this Flood Dragon Boat. Did they not take Feng Quan seriously at all?
Thus, Feng Quan opened his mouth and blew a gentle breath towards the Flood Dragon Boat below. The teetering vessel was finished with a single breath!
The breath of a twelve-realm Sword Immortal transformed into an endless rain of sword energy descending from the sky, like a hailstorm. It struck the people and the already severely damaged Flood Dragon Boat with pitter-patter sounds. Many cultivators in the lower five realms were instantly vaporized into a mist of blood by Feng Quan's breath.
"Scoundrel!"
Lin Xuanzhi roared, continuously slashing out sword qi with his sword to resist the descending air currents. The ship cables on his shoulders snapped under the immense pressure. Lin Xuanzhi ultimately failed to save the Flood Dragon Boat. Looking down, he saw the Flood Dragon Boat plummeting rapidly and crashing into a wilderness forest with a deafening roar. Flames erupted. It could not be saved in the end.
Along with the falling Flood Dragon Boat were countless cultivators who could not yet fly.
"Quick!"
Lin Xuanzhi roared, "Save them!"
The group of cultivators hovering in the air all flew downwards. Heavy hearts filled each of them. The main force of the esteemed Mountain and Sea Division had its Flood Dragon Boat destroyed in a single battle. What was to be done?
In the wind, Feng Quan cast a cold glance towards the direction of the Flood Dragon Boat, then summoned a small world and headed straight for Luo Yan Mountain to investigate.
...
Within a mountain peak not far away, a Golden Core realm Embroidered Uniform Guard assassin witnessed everything. His brow furrowed, and he muttered, "The Mountain and Sea Division has suffered such a huge setback this time. Lin Xuanzhi will surely face death upon his return to Bai Di City. At the very least, his official rank is lost. Humph, so Lin Xuanzhi has a day like this..."
He slowly retreated into the depths of the jungle, seemingly vanishing. Immediately, a flying fish letter ascended from the mountain, heading south.