“Step forward, and you’re dead!”
Facing the onslaught of desperate assassins, Dustin showed no mercy.
With a swing of his long sword, a dazzling sword aura swept through the darkness like a crescent moon and briefly illuminated the night sky.
The assassins only saw a flash of white light and instinctively stopped in their tracks. When the brilliance faded, those at the front stood frozen as if struck by a paralysis spell.
A moment later, heads tumbled to the ground, like ripe fruit falling from a tree. The headless bodies stood upright for two seconds before collapsing, blood splattering everywhere.
The gruesome sight shocked everyone.
They exchanged uneasy glances and were hesitant to move forward. No one had anticipated Dustin’s sword to be so fast that the fallen couldn’t even defend themselves.
The assassins who had just been killed were among the elites. Yet, none of them could block even a single strike. The difference in strength was clear.
“What are you standing around for? Kill him, and the rewards are yours!” Hank shouted.
“Kill him!”
Reinvigorated by the promise of riches, they all charged forward with fearless determination.
“Reckless fools.” Dustin’s expression turned cold. He had no intention of holding back anymore.
He swung his sword in quick, successive movements and sent out sharp sword auras that struck down the desperate assassins. But for every enemy he killed, more would charge toward him in an unending onslaught.
Most of their attacks were meaningless to Dustin and posed no threat. Only a few team leaders could challenge him but couldn’t even inflict significant harm.
Hank frowned when he realized the situation was turning against them. He had underestimated Dustin’s strength. Finally, it dawned on him that anyone capable of rising above countless geniuses to win the championship couldn’t be taken lightly.
“All of you, team up and take him down. Show him what the Hall of Gods is capable of.” Hank turned to the six men behind him.
The six men, clad in black, stood motionless. Their eyes, hidden under the masks, radiated a chilling indifference. Even as their comrades fell, they didn’t flinch or react. They were like lifeless machines.
Only when Hank issued the order did they spring into action. Without a word, the six men moved forward in perfect unison as their movement reflected rigorous training.
After surrounding Dustin, they didn’t attack immediately. Instead, they threw a spherical object into the air, formed hand seals, and chanted an incantation.
Then, the spheres emitted beams of crimson light. These beams intertwined and formed a massive, crimson Hexagonal Formation, which spanned over 300 feet in radius and floated above everyone’s heads.
While Dustin was distracted by the onslaught of assassins, the six had already completed their setup. Each of them pressed a hand to the ground and shouted in unison, “Seal!”
At their command, the Hexagonal Formation descended and passed through everyone’s bodies before embedding itself into the ground.
In the next instant, everyone, including Dustin, felt a crushing weight settle over them. It was as though their strength had been completely drained.
“What’s going on? Why can’t I use my true energy?”
“Damn it! Me neither. What’s happening?”
“I can sense my true energy, but it’s sealed. It must be that formation!”
The sudden turn of events left them all in disarray. Without their true energy, their combat abilities were practically nullified. They were no stronger than ordinary people in a fight.
However, martial artists focused on body refinement found themselves at an advantage. Without relying on true energy, their raw physical power gave them the upper hand.
“Don’t panic!” Hank spoke up at the crucial moment. “This is a sealing formation created by the Hall of Gods, specifically designed to deal with elite martial artists.”
He continued, “Once activated, even an Ultimate Grandmaster won’t be able to use their internal energy for a short period. Now you can fight him without fear of his cultivation.”
His explanation calmed everyone’s nerves. For them, sealing Dustin’s internal energy was a game-changer. Without it, he had to rely solely on physical strength, which made him less formidable.
In their eyes, Dustin had become vulnerable. He might have looked intimidating but not much of a threat without his energy-driven combat skills.
“You didn’t expect this, huh?” Hank sneered. “This formation was meant for the Sacred Wyrm Summit’s elites, but now it’s being used on you. How does it feel to be powerless?”
“So, you had this planned all along.” Dustin narrowed his eyes. “Seems like I underestimated the Hall of Gods.”
As the formation descended earlier, his mystical pure energy had been sealed. Now, he realized that the Hall of Gods had prepared extensively to counter the Sacred Wyrm Summit’s elites.
“For the sake of our past acquaintance, I’m giving you one last chance. If you surrender and pledge loyalty to the Hall of Gods, I’ll spare your life. What do you say?” Hank looked as if success was a foregone conclusion.
“Spare my life?” Dustin chuckled. “You think sealing my cultivation gives you the upper hand? Even without it, I can still kill you with my sword. Care to try?
“Do you think you can kill me? You’re too full of yourself.” Hank sneered. ” Since you refuse to see reason, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Everyone, kill him!”
“Kill him!”
Once again, they raised their weapons and charged at Dustin.
So what if he was an ultimate grandmaster? Even with advanced cultivation, the sealing formation had stripped him of his internal energy, and he was as helpless as a half- paralyzed man. The formidable
techniques he once wielded were now beyond his grasp.
Though their situation wasn’t ideal, they still had the advantage in numbers. Even relying on a basic swarm tactic, their combined strength would be enough to secure a victory.
“Just like a swarm of moths charging into the fire.” Dustin’s lips curled into a smirk. Instead of retreating, he charged forward to meet them head- on.
He didn’t just focus on cultivation but also practice body refinement. He was a rare example of someone who mastered mental discipline and physical prowess.
Even with his cultivation sealed, Dustin was still formidable with his physical strength and advanced swordsmanship.
