Faced with the advancing Jade Swann and a squad of special police officers, Andrew Qi suddenly shifted his stance, stepping in a bizarre pattern. His hands rose to his chest, fingers splayed like hooks, rapidly weaving a series of intricate hand seals while chanting an eerie incantation that no one could understand. The sound was chilling and bizarre, like the wail of a night owl or the mournful cry of a beast. In an instant, the Octo-Fiend tattoo on his back seemed to come alive, writhing and emanating a terrifying, sinister aura.
Hissing black mist, like serpentine shadows, began to rise from beneath his feet, coiling around him. As his hands danced through the air, the black mist rapidly condensed, taking the shape of a monstrous entity outside his body. The black creature swelled like a balloon, soon transforming into a giant with a blue face and tusked fangs, its appearance hideous and menacing, radiating savage, murderous intent. Most bizarre of all, eight long black arms suddenly sprouted from its body, flailing wildly. Layers of black and red mist billowed in all directions, as if from the heavens or the underworld, plunging everything into a world shrouded in a hazy, black-red fog.
"Ah! This—this is the Spirit Conjuration Art! Andrew Qi, that old bastard, is so powerful that he can actually unleash the Octo-Fiend, his primordial spirit cultivated in the sea of illusion! That ancient evil god is truly ferocious—" Shawn Young muttered in awe, eyes wide, gaining new insights as Andrew Qi summoned his spirit.
"Bang—bang—bang—bang!"
Surrounding them, Rainie Cheng and the special police officers had never witnessed such a bizarre and terrifying sight; they stared in stunned silence. Fortunately, their rigorous military training kicked in—after a brief moment of shock, they fired at Andrew Qi and his unleashed spirit without hesitation. Gunfire erupted, tongues of flame swept forward, but when the bullets struck the primordial spirit, it was as if an invisible barrier blocked them. Bright sparks burst forth, but not a single shot could harm him!
"Heh—heh—heh—" Andrew Qi gave a wicked, chilling laugh. With a wave of his hands, the Octo-Fiend's eight long arms mirrored his movements, swirling the surrounding black mist rapidly toward his chest, forming a dense ball of black fog.
"Uh—damn! He's about to cast an evil spell! Everyone, fall back—I'll handle him!" Jade Swann shouted, leaping to the front, focusing her energy, planting her feet firmly, her expression resolute.
Hearing Jade Swann's command, Rainie Cheng quickly signaled a retreat. The squad of special police officers immediately withdrew to the far side of the stone bridge. Their weapons were useless against such a monster—if they didn't retreat quickly, the consequences could be disastrous.
"Hmph—trying to run?" Andrew Qi snorted coldly, shaking his arms. The ball of black fog around the Octo-Fiend exploded with a boom, transforming midair into a mass of writhing, snake-like black mist that swept toward the crowd.
"Metamorphosis!" Jade Swann shouted, biting her tongue hard so blood filled her mouth. She planted her feet, formed a sword-finger gesture, pressing thumb and pinky against her ring finger. Using the Metamorphosis Mantra, she drew her hands to her chest and rapidly chanted the Thunder Spirit Incantation: "I call upon the Saint of Heavenly Power, the Vanguard Star, light streaking across the skies, Primordial Unity, birth of my spirit, three energies converging, illuminating the Pure Realm, entering my Yellow Chamber, ten thousand gods transforming, by decree—Fire!"
As Jade Swann's incantation took effect, a blurry apparition of a young girl appeared behind her shoulders. With the Metamorphosis Mantra, the phantom spread its arms, transforming into two long wings. Brilliant red light flashed from the wings, and in an instant, the girl’s spirit form became a majestic, multicolored, flame-wreathed divine bird—the Fire Phoenix!
"Break!" Jade Swann shouted. The Fire Phoenix soared through the air, flapped its wings, and with a mighty cry—"Whoosh!"—unleashed a torrent of blazing red fire, sweeping toward the encroaching black mist!
"Boom—boom—boom—"
Red and black spirit energies collided, erupting in dazzling bursts of light. The earth shook, the waters of the hot spring churned and boiled, and the fake rocks and boulders nearby shattered like scraps of paper under the force of the shockwave!
For a moment, the red and black energies summoned by Jade Swann and Andrew Qi clashed repeatedly in the arena, locked in a stalemate.
"Hmm—this girl's skills are impressive. To summon her spirit and hold her own against Andrew Qi... In time, she’ll be a true master of the Celestial Five Thunders!" Luna Xiao exclaimed with genuine admiration.
Shawn Young watched in awe, utterly captivated by the magical duel between Jade Swann and Andrew Qi. Luna Xiao noticed his intense focus, realizing he was "learning by watching," so she explained: "Every Daoist sect has its own unique techniques, and the spirits they cultivate differ as well. Except for those who practice dark arts like Andrew Qi, most orthodox Daoists summon spirits of heavenly soldiers or deities. Only the Celestial Five Thunders sect has always summoned beast-shaped spirits! Their power comes from the forces of nature, so their primordial spirits reflect their innate characteristics. That Fire Phoenix is the girl’s spirit incarnation!"
Just as she finished speaking, a sudden change swept through the battlefield—a rolling white mist descended from the sky, forcing its way into the stalemated arena and enveloping the area in a hazy fog. Then, a flash of cold light split the mist—a blade gleaming with lethal intent, slicing through the Fire Phoenix’s flames with a thunderous clang, the sound of metal striking stone!
Jade Swann let out a muffled groan, stumbling backward several steps. The flames shrouding the Fire Phoenix’s spirit dimmed significantly. A strange, black-clad figure holding a gleaming long blade stood in the arena, face masked, wolf-like eyes glaring coldly at Jade Swann.
"A ninja!" Luna Xiao gasped in astonishment.
That’s right—the masked figure’s attire was unmistakably that of a legendary Japanese ninja. What’s more, this ninja’s skills were terrifying—he’d actually shattered Jade Swann’s spirit energy with a single blow!
Yet the ninja didn’t press his advantage. Instead, he spun and targeted Shawn Young, Luna Xiao, and the others, gesturing to Andrew Qi and speaking in rough Chinese: “Elder Andrew, the other side has called for reinforcements. Time is short. Leave this to me—go finish your business!”
Andrew Qi nodded in understanding. He braced himself, clasped his hands together, and chanted an incantation. The Octo-Fiend spirit staggered, then with a whoosh, rapidly condensed and re-entered Andrew Qi’s body.
With his spirit withdrawn, Andrew Qi waved to Warren Cloud, pointing at Shawn Young and the other two. “Elder Warren! Help me finish off those three—leave no survivors! Take back the Dragonseal Jade Signet!”
“Understood!” Warren Cloud replied, immediately splitting left and right with Andrew Qi to flank Shawn Young and his companions.