With Fu Hua joining the fray, Theresa's situation improved considerably, and she even found some room to counterattack amidst her defense.
But facing both Theresa in her Pledge battlesuit and Fu Hua in her Accipiter battlesuit was clearly not Dark Jixuanyuan's limit. The black Xuanyuan Sword in her hand was like a living thing, still managing to maintain a suppressive stance against the two of them.
The thousands of fist shadows were indistinguishable from reality, the black sword light was obscure and dim, and the golden chains swayed erratically. The scene once again fell into a stalemate.
Watching the battle in the field, Ming Yu's eyes were filled with solemnity, but his mouth couldn't help but twitch a few times.
In terms of swordsmanship, Dark Jixuanyuan was undoubtedly at a top-tier level, and one could even see a hint of Taixu Sword Qi in her movements. Although Ming Yu didn't feel the fluctuation of a Sword Heart from her, he could still tell that her swordsmanship was extraordinary.
But judging from the strength she had displayed so far, it was clear that she was still holding back significantly. Even in terms of the revealed Honkai Energy intensity, it had not yet reached a level comparable to a Herrscher.
And while Theresa seemed to be fighting very hard, Ming Yu had yet to see her don the Luna Kindred battlesuit, or even take out the Violet Executer for show. It was obvious she was just acting.
Although Violet Executer's performance in the game wasn't that great, Ming Yu wasn't foolish enough to think the Principal's battlesuit was just for show.
As for Fu Hua, Ming Yu could only say "hehe" in his mind.
A bunch of actors!
Watching the three of them fight fiercely, with fist shadows and sword lights intertwining, and occasional flashes of golden light, as if they were really in a life-or-death duel, Ming Yu felt an inexplicable fatigue wash over him.
When three big shots are in the middle of a grand performance, what should he, a little newbie, be doing?
Waiting online, urgently...
For a moment, Ming Yu couldn't help but have the thought of turning around and walking away.
Really, why did I have to get involved in this mess? Wouldn't it be nice to just stay on the Hyperion, play games, and eat snacks?!
Glancing at the few mechs standing quietly nearby, Ming Yu couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
In a battle of this level, these mechs were already useless. Even the Godfather, which was a significant step up in functionality, couldn't keep up with Dark Jixuanyuan's speed at all and could only serve as a slightly sturdier target.
Taking a deep breath, the Honkai Energy under the state of Sword Heart circulated throughout his body, adjusting his physical condition to its peak. Ming Yu slowly took a step forward.
Although he disapproved of their fighting methods, Ming Yu wasn't about to actually turn and flee. Having come this far, and with two big shots from his side holding the line, he didn't mind testing his own mettle.
Moreover, he believed he had seen enough of the current level of engagement. Waiting any longer would be pointless; it was better to enter the field and experience it for himself.
As he took this step, the Soul-Etching Armor on Ming Yu's body also changed. A red halo flowed over the armor, and the streamlined body of the armor suddenly became ferocious. A terrifying ghost-faced mask slowly covered his handsome face.
Divine Key: Jizo Mitama, Second Rated Power: Mitama Demon Armor!
Since he was treating this battle as a test of his own strength, Ming Yu naturally wouldn't hold back at all. Besides, in front of an existence like Dark Jixuanyuan, he didn't have the luxury of holding back, even if she was acting.
With a slight sway of his body, Ming Yu took a second step.
The next moment, his body vanished from the spot.
Dark Jixuanyuan, in the midst of battle, seemed to sense something. Her gaze turned towards the direction where Ming Yu had disappeared, a strange light flashing in her eyes. A thick energy shield immediately deployed.
*Screech~*
A black longsword suddenly appeared, its inky tip violently scraping against the translucent energy shield. Dark Jixuanyuan's gray eyes reflected the sharp, cold glint of the blade. Wisps of Honkai Energy escaped from the point of impact, and fine cracks appeared on the shield.
*Bang!*
The sound of something shattering rang out. The black longsword finally broke through the shield's obstruction. The shattered shield broke into irregular small pieces, slowly dissipating in the air.
Against Ming Yu's full-power strike, the energy shield that Dark Jixuanyuan had hastily deployed was still not enough.
The sharpness of a Divine Key was not something an A-rank Valkyrie's fist could compare to.
But the shield's obstruction ultimately bought Dark Jixuanyuan time to react, so she merely tilted her head slightly to avoid Ming Yu's imposing strike.
The ancient black sword just vibrated slightly, blocking the path of Jizo Mitama and abruptly halting Ming Yu's offensive momentum.
Retracting Jizo Mitama, the solemnity in Ming Yu's eyes deepened. He hadn't felt much difference in strength in that last strike, but he still couldn't help but feel a sense of being unable to resist.
Clearly, in terms of swordsmanship, he was more than just a step behind the person in front of him.
After all, even by the most generous estimate, Ming Yu had only been wielding a sword for less than a year. Even if he had decent talent, Fu Hua's guidance, and even a not-so-reliable System, it was still impossible for him to reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
But the one before him not only had extraordinary aptitude and the guidance of three predecessors, but also a long time of practice. It was only natural that she had gone further on the path of the sword than he had.
"Finally decided to make a move?"
Glancing at the Key of Corruption in Ming Yu's hand with some apprehension, Dark Jixuanyuan sneered.
From that black-and-red longsword, she sensed an aura similar to the Xuanyuan Sword and recognized the danger of that blade. But fortunately, the wielder's strength was far from enough to fully release the weapon's power, so it wasn't too troublesome.
Ming Yu kept his head slightly lowered, his pair of blood-red eyes staring fixedly at Dark Jixuanyuan's exquisite face, but he didn't answer.
While enjoying the powerful enhancement of the Divine Key, he also needed to struggle to control the boiling power within him, to prevent the rampaging Honkai Energy from spiraling out of control.
Moreover, he didn't think there was anything for him to talk about with Dark Jixuanyuan. Could it be that he could expect to defeat the enemy with talk-no-jutsu?
A certain hot-blooded white-haired fluffball on the Hyperion might be able to try that level of talk-no-jutsu. But as for Ming Yu, forget it. He was, after all, a person who believed more in the sword than in words.
Seeing that Ming Yu didn't reply, Dark Jixuanyuan wasn't annoyed, but the contempt on her lips grew even stronger.
"It seems this is all you're capable of. Then it's time to end this fight!"
After several rounds, Dark Jixuanyuan knocked Ming Yu and the others back, her expression turning cold as she declared indifferently.
With that, wisps of golden lightning suddenly appeared on Dark Jixuanyuan's battle skirt and quickly spread over her entire body.
Bathed in the golden lightning, Dark Jixuanyuan revealed a cruel smile and lightly swung the ancient sword in her hand forward.
The next moment, an ocean of lightning instantly engulfed the three from the Far East Branch.
The lightning formed a sea, its divine might like a prison!