1565: Echo

Echo

It was then that the second sentinel reminded them that it was still there. Its long, flexible spear cut forward using the third [Echo] as its support. Its ability was far more lowkey than [Echo], but how could supreme grade weapons be lackluster? 2

Eleven spasmed as the spear pierced into her shoulder. She felt as though she had lost control of her qi in that moment, causing it to rampage around in her body. The feeling couldn't be described in terms of discomfort. It was as though a hot coal had fallen into the cool water that was her body.

This spear had the ability to [Pierce]. Its strength was in ignoring the defense of its enemies, but the manner in which it did so was by disrupting qi flow and sabotaging the defense of a cultivator.

If this happened outside the body, it wasn't a huge deal. As of the celestial realm, cultivators could easily create a layer of qi skin to increase their defenses. Dao experts took this ability much more seriously due to how powerful their counterparts were.

However, what would happen if this qi disruption that broke qi skins occurred within the body?

Under normal circumstances, it would cause one to lose control of the general area the pierce occurred in. If the right shoulder was pierced, one would lose use of their right arm for a few fractions of a second.

A few fractions of a second wasn't a big deal in a fight amongst essence gatherers. But, when one became a dao expert, every split second could mean the difference between life and death!

Ten and Nine immediately realized something was wrong when Eleven's left arm went limp. But, matters became even worse when her humanoid beast transformation suddenly receded along her left arm. Not just that, but what was left behind was grossly pale skin pulsing with purple and green veins.

A roar of pain escaped Eleven's lips. Unfortunately, this was when the fourth [Echo] began to form.

"No!" Ten roared.

Dyon had realized long ago. Unlike the others, the relationship between Ten and Eleven was definitely much deeper. When Dyon sent four immortal puppets after Ten, against Eleven's better judgement, she screamed out and charged forward, which eventually forced Fifteen to reveal herself as Nine.

Now, the exact opposite was playing out.

When Eleven's qi was disrupted, the accumulated neurotoxins of the past several days suddenly began to take hold of the left side of her body. The effect of [Pierce] should have only lasted a few split seconds, but in combination with the King jellyfish's lightning, it caused permanent damage!

Dyon shook his head as he watched Ten rush toward Eleven. 'The same trick, time and time again. You should be embarrassed to be dao experts. But, to answer your question… No, I don't believe it would take a dragon so long to heal. But, you aren't a dragon, now are you?'

The fourth [Echo] wasn't aimed toward Eleven or Nine at all.

Suddenly, the expansive tower shield shrunk, its overflowing qi concentrating back from its five meter width back to just one meter and a half.

Before Nine and Eleven could react, [Echo] charged through a crevice in their formation and toward Ten who had just been rushing to support Eleven.

A concentrated blast of rectangular, golden light pushed the ocean currents away as they slammed into Ten's body, sending him flying into the distance.

Blood flew from his lips as injuries he had been trying to suppress erupted from his body. What a joke. Who did he think he was trying to fool? He merely had a few strands of dragon blood yet he dared to call himself a dragon. As far as Dyon was concerned, he was just a larger than average bird beast, just how Ri described him.

A few days to recover from a near fatal strike given by an immortal puppet? As if.

Nine and Eleven wanted to go after Ten, but he had already disappeared into the endless darkness. It was their failure. Dyon had finally succeeded in truly separating them. It didn't matter what they tried because the fifth [Echo] was already coming.

The sentinel sidestepped, blasting Nine and Eleven 90 degrees away from Ten's direction. In this sort of situation, they might as well have been several universes apart.

A flexible spear shot forward once more, but the two women had learned their lesson. They had to dodge at all costs. Even if it meant withstanding all ten [Echos], they couldn't easily approach that spear. In this situation, it was the reaper's looming scythe.

In the distance, toward Ten, his silver scaled body skidded across the dense sands and wet muds of the ocean floor, pain racking his body. The wound in his stomach opened once more, and though he couldn't see it in the darkness, it muddied the water with a gross crimson.

Suddenly, Ten's Perception caught a shift in the waters around him.

His rage was mounting. The enemy's schemes were like torture to him, but he looked down upon them from the bottom of his heart.

A man should fight everything head on. Could you even call yourself a cultivator if you needed such tactics to win? It seemed he had forgotten that he started this battle by hiding Nine's true strength.

"Coward!" Ten growled dark.

'I spent much of my life holding dao experts in high esteem… But it seems they're only worth this much. Dragon? You're just a sore loser. Thirteen.'

Dyon didn't bother with Ten's fate anymore. The moment he was pushed out of their group, his death was completely sealed.

An agile jaguar lurked in the dark, unbeknownst to Ten. After losing her Kingship, Thirteen could no longer enter her much more powerful humanoid beast form. However, she had gained much more. Though she hated being the puppet of another, she felt that Dyon's potential was too scary. This entire time, they believed they were fighting dao experts like them. Maybe weaker than them, but still dao experts nonetheless. Who would have known that all of this was orchestrated by a young man who would be nothing more than a child in their eyes?

Thirteen's beast form was massive. It was several kilometers long which was why a humanoid beast form was far more convenient. However, as things stood now, it was her only option.

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