The four colossal beasts exchanged a glance, then simultaneously opened their gaping maws. Dense clusters of pitch-black wind blades surged forth like a torrential downpour, blotting out the sky as they hurtled toward the blood-colored giants.
These black wind blades were clearly far different from ordinary ones — not only did they flicker in and out of existence as they streaked through the air like wraiths, but upon striking the giants' bodies, they merely flashed with a dark light before vanishing into nothingness alongside large swathes of flesh.
The four beasts themselves blurred in the next instant, their enormous bodies lunging forward in the wake of the wind blades. Their forelimbs swept down, and streak after streak of cold black light cleaved through the air from above.
The blood-colored giants showed no fear. They thrust both massive hands forward, and roiling waves of bloody energy surged outward. At the same time, the blood-colored tentacles writhing behind their backs danced wildly before merging into a curtain of blood that rose to meet the assault.
Although these blood giants were clearly no match for the Black Ni Beasts and were riddled with wounds in an instant, their advantage lay in their immortal bodies — no matter how badly their flesh was torn or slashed, once the blood river behind them swept over them, they were restored to their pristine state in the blink of an eye.
The four Black Ni Beasts held a clear advantage, yet they still harbored a measure of wariness toward the giants' tentacles. Neither side was able to gain a decisive upper hand, and the battle ground to a stalemate.
"Master, allow me to go and assist. These Black Ni Beasts may be troublesome, but I happen to know certain weaknesses of theirs," Yang Lu said respectfully upon seeing the state of affairs.
"That won't be necessary. These four Blood Spirits were only just refined not long ago — letting them gain more combat experience against opponents does them no harm. As for you, I have something else for you to do," Ma Liang replied, his gaze fixed on the distant melee, his tone indifferent.
"Command me, Master!" Yang Lu's heart skipped a beat, and he answered with utmost deference.
"I've already used Magical Power to secretly survey the area. This formation should have two formation eyes. Go and destroy one of them for me. Once a formation eye is broken, I won't need to divert most of my Magical Power to resisting the formation's restrictions, and I can strike with devastating force to wipe out the enemy in one fell swoop," Ma Liang said without hesitation.
"Understood, Master. I will go at once. But how does Master intend to deal with the other formation eye?" Yang Lu bowed in acknowledgment, then asked after a brief moment of hesitation.
"Hmph. Just focus on what you need to do — the other formation eye is none of your concern," Ma Liang's expression darkened, and he let out a cold snort.
"Forgive me, Master, for overstepping. I will go destroy that formation eye immediately," Yang Lu's heart went cold, and he hastily lowered his head.
"Wait. I have two more things to give you."
The words had barely left Ma Liang's lips when he raised a hand toward the sky and beckoned. The enormous umbrella shrouding the blood river rippled with radiance, and a ball of azure light shot downward. With a flash, it transformed into a miniature umbrella several inches in length. With his other hand, he pressed a finger to his brow, and a crystalline pearl emerged.
"Take them! This Thought Pearl contains the location of the formation eye I just sensed — carry it and you'll be able to find the exact position. I can also monitor your situation at any time through it. As for this Azure Chaos Umbrella clone, it will shield you from the formation's restrictions, but its duration is limited. You'd best go and return quickly." Ma Liang tossed both items over as he issued his instructions in a deep voice.
"Rest assured, Master. I will not disappoint you," Yang Lu caught the two objects and said with grave solemnity.
He then tossed the miniature umbrella before him, and it immediately unfurled into a curtain of azure light that enveloped his entire body. Sweeping his spiritual sense across the Thought Pearl, he rolled on the spot and reverted to his true form — a beast with a deer's head and a bear's body.
A piercing sound of breaking air rang out!
The colossal beast burst out of the blood river and plunged headlong into a certain direction among the towering banners. A swirl of radiant light enveloped it, and it vanished without a trace.
Ma Liang watched Yang Lu disappear into the distance before shaking his sleeve once more. A crimson jade box flew out from within, and he tapped a finger toward it.
*Bang!* The lid sprang open, and a small crimson figure floated out from inside, its body adorned with several golden talisman seals. The figure was barely half a foot tall, with crimson long hair and a ghostly mask covering its face. Its eyes were closed, and its entire body was traced with crimson spirit patterns that faintly glowed with threads of red light.
Ma Liang gazed at the small figure, and for the first time a look of gravity appeared on his face. Yet his hands did not hesitate in the slightest — he formed a series of hand seals with one hand and launched a streak of silver light.
The silver light flashed and vanished, sinking into the crimson figure's body and disappearing without a trace.
In the next instant, the golden talisman seals affixed to the crimson figure's body drifted silently to the ground, one after another. And behind the ghostly mask, the closed eyes slowly opened, revealing a pair of vacant, lifeless red irises.
Ma Liang channeled Magical Power through his brow without another word, and another Thought Pearl materialized. Flicking his finger, he sent it into the small figure's body as well.
"Go. Destroy the other formation eye. Anyone who tries to stop you — kill them," Ma Liang said, staring into the figure's eyes, enunciating each word with deliberate weight.
The crimson figure's red eyes merely flickered once with a faint glow, then its body rose into the air. After a single mid-air pivot, it transformed into a streak of crimson radiance and pierced through the sky, vanishing in an instant.
The law-based restrictions of this world seemed to have absolutely no effect on it whatsoever.