Chapter 1085 - 677: Encirclement, Qin Tian Appears (Part 3)

Chapter 1085: Chapter 677: Encirclement, Qin Tian Appears (Part 3)

The next instant—

A figure suddenly appeared beside Dongfang Haoyue.

He appeared without the slightest warning on the highest branch of the Profound Spear Willow, standing side by side with Dongfang Haoyue.

His black clothes hung motionless in the wind, his face cold and stern, his features as if cut by blade and chisel, giving no hint of emotion, yet the corners of his mouth carried a faint smile.

In his hand he held a black saber, the blade as dark as ink, without the slightest gleam of light, yet exuding a chilling aura that made one’s heart tremble.

When the black clothed Men’s gazes fell on that face, their hearts jolted violently.

They recognized his identity at a glance—

Qin Tian

When this name branded itself into their minds like a searing mark, the actions of the eight black clothed Men showed an almost imperceptible pause at the same time. That pause was extremely brief, no more than a spark in the clash of lightning, but on the battlefield, any tiny flaw could prove fatal. And what shook their hearts at this moment was not fear, but a deeper, more profound dread.

This name had long circulated among the major forces of the Empire, and accompanying it was a string of achievements that could not be ignored—slaying Tier Seven Holy Blood, breaking into Subspace alone to rescue people, turning the tide of battle by his strength alone. Every step he took shook the heavens and the earth, every step forced his enemies to weigh his name over and over again.

Dongfang Haoyue was a Holy Blood Side Branch; the blood flowing in his veins was not pure, and his Spiritual Ability Level was only Tier Six. The reason he had been able to resist their eight-man siege for so long was merely because he relied on the deep foundation of Holy Blood, as well as that extraordinary Tier Seven Companion Spirit Plant, the Profound Spear Willow. The Azure Wood Bloodline of the Dongfang Clan granted him immense Life Force and recovery ability, and the Profound Spear Willow had pushed his defensive power to a staggering height—but in the end, it was still only defense.

In the battle just now, Dongfang Haoyue had never displayed any of the Dongfang Family’s Azure Wood Secret Technique. That Azure Longsword of his, though exquisite, seemed more like a means to make up for the defects of his impure bloodline. His sword techniques were graceful and agile, but every stroke lacked that trace of fierce dominance and deep, steady weight unique to the core disciples of the Dongfang Family’s Direct Lineage. That was a gap determined by bloodline purity, something that could not be bridged by hard practice alone.

The black clothed Men could clearly feel that as time passed, Dongfang Haoyue’s sword momentum was slowing, and the sharpness of the willow branches was dulling. They held an absolute advantage in numbers, and combined with their war of attrition where they conserved strength and waited for openings, it would not take long before they broke through the willow’s defenses and either captured Dongfang Haoyue alive or cut him down on the spot.

But Qin Tian was different.

He was not born of Holy Blood, but the battle records in his hands were more terrifying than those of most Holy Blood Lineage. The blood staining his blade belonged to more than one scion of a Holy Blood Clan. Those who had crossed him before, regardless of bloodline or origin, had never gained any advantage under his saber. He had once broken into Subspace alone and brought the Dan Tower Grand Elder out alive from the heavy encirclement of the Xieshen Association—something that even the top experts of the Holy Blood Clan might not be able to accomplish.

For someone who could slay Tier Seven Holy Blood, dealing with them would not be difficult. Of the five Tier Six present, they likely could not withstand even two moves from Qin Tian, and as for the three Tier Seven, even if they joined forces, how long they could last under Qin Tian’s blade was an unknown.

In an instant, their encirclement showed a visible loosening—not that the formation broke apart, but that the sharp, murderous intent was drawn away by a fraction. Someone quietly adjusted their position, shifting their focus from offense to defense; someone else turned their body slightly and retreated half a step, leaving themselves more room to react; another unconsciously tightened the grip on his blade, his knuckles turning white.

They did not flee, but neither did they rush to strike again.

Qin Tian’s gaze slowly swept over them, the faint smile at the corner of his mouth unchanged, yet it made everyone feel an invisible pressure bearing down on them.