Myth Beyond Heaven

2236  Trap (2)

"What is this?" Long Jingxia's voice trembled, no longer the confident battle cry it once was.

"Venerable Darkness," Gu Bingning replied, her voice a strained whisper. The icy composure she was known for wavered under the relentless assault on their senses. "He's trying to isolate us."

The grotesque figures emerged from the darkness, their metallic bodies gleaming ominously in the dim light. Their movements were a symphony of discordance, a chilling dance of death that sent waves of nausea through the swordswomen.

The first strike came without warning. A claw, dripping with a noxious liquid, tore through the air, narrowly missing Long Jingxia's face. She stumbled back, her sword instinctively swinging in a wide arc, but it met only empty air.

Gu Bingning fared no better. Her frost-imbued blade, usually a weapon of precision, sliced through the shadows, leaving no mark on her unseen assailants.

"We can't fight what we can't see," Long Jingxia cried out, desperation edging into her voice.

"Focus on your inner senses," Gu Bingning urged, her voice a thread of calm in the growing chaos. "Feel the vibrations in the air, the shifts in temperature. Trust your instincts."

Long Jingxia closed her eyes, her breathing shallow and rapid. She reached out with her spirit sense, trying to pierce the veil of darkness that enveloped them. But it was like groping blindly in a fog, her senses disoriented and confused.

A sudden gust of wind, heavy with the stench of decay, alerted her to an incoming attack. She twisted her body, her sword deflecting a blow that would have shattered her ribs.

Gu Bingning, meanwhile, had surrendered to the darkness, her eyes closed as she attuned herself to the subtle fluctuations in the air. A flicker of warmth on her left cheek warned her of a looming presence. She pivoted, her blade whistling through the air as she countered a strike aimed at her neck.

The battle continued in this disjointed, chaotic manner, each strike a desperate gamble, each dodge a testament to their honed instincts. But the strain was taking its toll. Their movements grew sluggish, their reactions delayed.

"Ugh!" A sharp pain erupted in Long Jingxia's side as a claw raked across her flesh. She cried out, her sword arm faltering.

Gu Bingning, sensing her companion's distress, lunged forward, her blade carving a path through the darkness. But it was too late. Long Jingxia collapsed to her knees, blood staining her white robes.

"Jingxia!" Gu Bingning shouted, her voice filled with anguish. Her Solitary Sword Heart had long shaken.

She knelt beside her fallen comrade, her hands trembling as she pressed them against the gaping wound. But the blood flowed freely, staining her fingers crimson.

A wave of despair washed over Gu Bingning. She looked up, her eyes filled with a burning rage.

"Kill!" she hissed, her voice barely a whisper.

She rose to her feet, her sword held aloft. The darkness seemed to recede, revealing the grotesque figures surrounding them. Their eyes gleamed with triumph, their claws dripping with Long Jingxia's blood.

Gu Bingning's spirit ignited, her body surging with a power she had never known before. The air around her crackled with a frigid energy, the temperature plummeting as a blizzard of ice shards erupted from her blade.

The puppets were caught off guard, their movements slowed by the sudden onslaught. Gu Bingning seized the opportunity, her sword a whirlwind of death as she cut a swathe through their ranks.

Her attacks were no longer precise or calculated. They were fueled by raw emotion, a primal fury that sought only vengeance.

The puppets fell before her onslaught, their bodies shattered, their cores extinguished. But for each one that fell, another took its place, seemingly endless in their numbers.

Gu Bingning fought on, her body battered and bruised, her spirit unwavering. She would avenge Long Jingxia, no matter the cost.

As the battle raged, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was Chi Du, his eyes fixed on Gu Bingning with a mixture of amusement and contempt. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Such futile resistance," he sneered. "You cannot win."

Gu Bingning turned to face him, her eyes blazing with defiance.

Chi Du chuckled. He raised his hand, and a wave of dark energy surged towards Gu Bingning.

Bang!

Gu Bingning tried her best to block the attack, but it was futile. She was instantly sent flying, crashing to the ground with a thud.

Chi Du looked at the two women sprawled on the ground and sneered, "I was planning to capture you, but you decided to deliver yourselves. How foolish you are."

Chi Du wasn't in a hurry to subdue them. Aware of the protective mechanisms within their bodies, he'd deliberately struck a non-lethal blow to avoid triggering them. Otherwise, Gu Bingning and Long Jingxia would be gravely injured.

"Bring them over," Venerable Darkness' voice boomed suddenly. "It's time to deal with the remaining two."

Chi Du asked cautiously, "My Lord, are we targeting the young man in white?"

"He's currently cracking the formation. His understanding of formations is impressive," Venerable Darkness replied calmly.

Chi Du understood immediately. If the formation broke, Huang Ba and the two women could contact their masters, leading to a dire situation.

"I'll do it now," Chi Du declared, waving his hand toward the puppets.

On the deck, Huang Ba's brow furrowed as he sensed a sinister aura emanating from the cabin. The other passengers screamed in panic as a group of metallic creatures rushed out.

"You were absolutely right, Brother Yun. They didn't let us go." Huang Ba said, pulling his axe from his side.

Yun Lintian glanced at the puppets. "Be careful. They're as strong as Lower Gods."

Huang Ba grinned. "That's good!"

His giant axe glowed blood-red as he prepared for battle.

Suddenly, darkness descended, completely obscuring everyone's vision.

"Hmm?" Huang Ba frowned, now understanding why Gu Bingning and Long Jingxia had fallen so quickly.

"On your right," Yun Lintian's voice suddenly echoed in Huang Ba's ear.

Without hesitation, Huang Ba swung his axe, the blood-red light flashing as it slammed into the puppet.

BANG!

The puppet was directly shattered into pieces under the tremendous force.

"Above and to your left," Yun Lintian's voice guided again.

Huang Ba unleashed his power, swinging his axe vertically.

Bang! Bang!

Two explosions rang out as the axe struck two more puppets.

Yun Lintian nodded approvingly. Huang Ba's strength was indeed impressive.

"Impressive," a cold voice echoed. "You've seen through my power."

A figure slowly emerged several meters away from Yun Lintian. It was, of course, Venerable Darkness…