Chapter 2236 Trap (2)

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. nÊw stories at no/vel/b/i/n(.)com

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.

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...