Quinn Shepherd hurriedly activated the Ninefold Heaven Eye Art and looked over. He saw two saber-lights, one horizontal and one vertical, slicing the chest in half. Countless arms, legs, and bodies scattered everywhere, flying up into the sky, diving into the woods, and burrowing into the earth.
"Heavenblade!"
Aiden Starr's voice echoed from all directions: "Sooner or later, you'll become one of my collectibles!"
A burly figure rushed over, saber flashing, hacking apart the limbs that hadn't escaped from the chest into pieces.
"Grandpa Butcher, don't let Aiden Starr escape!" Quinn shouted.
But his cultivation couldn't reach that far, so Granny Sue quickly relayed the message. Butcher roared, and a slaughter saber plunged from the sky, stabbing into the ground. Saber energy slashed out in all directions underground, trying to force out the remnants of Aiden Starr's body, while another saber soared into the sky and vanished.
A moment later, both sabers flew back. Butcher grabbed them, leaping away as his voice echoed: "He's been hit by my saber energy—he can't escape my senses! I'll be back soon!"
"Village Chief and the others haven't come back yet?"
"They're still visiting Grandpa Mark. I was worried and came back early!"
Quinn relaxed a little, but suddenly Grandpa Blind wobbled and fell from the sky. Quinn rushed over and caught him in his arms, but his body abruptly became incredibly heavy—the Dragon Reaver God-Spear had fallen too. The black dragon spear, like Grandpa Blind himself, was badly damaged.
But the spear was forged from black dragon bone—a true dragon, sentient and spiritual, so heavy that Quinn couldn't help but fall downward under its weight.
Granny Sue reached out to grab him, but was dragged down too. Only when they were about to hit the ground did they finally stop falling.
The three landed safely. The last surviving flood-dragon slid off Quinn's body, collapsed on the ground like a dead snake, panting heavily with blood foaming from its mouth.
Quinn barely managed to stand, his limbs shaking uncontrollably. He was gravely injured—having escaped death multiple times. If Grandpa Blind, Crippled Joe, and Deaf hadn't rescued him, he'd have already been caught or killed by Aiden Starr.
Even with over a dozen flood-dragons, forcing his way into this battle, he was still seriously lacking in both strength and experience. Against a being like Aiden Starr, he could only rely on every bit of cunning to turn the tables.
Thankfully, his gambit had worked.
But as he looked around, he saw the estate littered with wounded powerhouses, and couldn't help but feel shocked.
Not just Grandpa Blind, Deaf, Crippled Joe, Emperor Evan, and Tyson Li—even the dozen flood-dragons, if set loose in the martial world, would be more terrifying than most cult masters!
So many mighty figures—plus Her Majesty the Dowager Empress, the other heroines, and Ariel Skyfeather—were nearly wiped out. If not for Quinn's tonic, everyone might have died at Aiden Starr's hands!
"Strong—damn, he's strong... Ow! Ow!"
Just as Quinn said this, his ear suddenly throbbed—Granny Sue had grabbed it and was yanking him down.
"Swearing again!"
Granny Sue scolded, annoyed: "Who taught you that? Butcher, or the Village Chief? Or did you pick up bad habits from those shady friends outside?"
"Ow! I won't say it anymore, Granny, let go!"
Granny Sue released him. Quinn sighed in relief, rubbed his ear, and cautiously asked, "Granny, now that Tyson Li is gone, you don't have to keep up the ugly disguise, right? Please don't be sad..."
"Who's sad?"
Granny Sue walked ahead, shaking her head. "With Tyson Li dead, I've let go of a burden—I should be happy." But despite her words, she didn't smile; instead, sadness flickered across her face.
She avoided Quinn, not wanting him to see her weakness, and summoned the spirits hiding in the main hall to carry the wounded inside.
Quinn called over the injured flood-dragons and had them bring all the pieces of Aiden Starr's body they'd found, tossing them into the True Dragon Nest.
The True Dragon Nest has a hidden space that blocks sensing. Still uneasy, Quinn transformed the Imperial Disc into the True Dragon Lord and sent it into the Nest. Crippled Joe passed out clutching his legs; Quinn struggled to pull out both legs, then found Deaf's painting and sealed it in the True Dragon Nest as well.