The fierce gale generated by the passing air - blade stung Aiden's skin, causing him a sharp pain.

  "What a terrifying slash," Regina murmured, her eyes filled with profound dread as she beheld the fearsome air - blade that had momentarily arrested the flow of the river.

  With a single stroke of this slashing air - blade, the Hongya Xi they had encountered previously could have been cleaved asunder.

  As a four - star martial artist boasting extensive combat experience, Regina possessed a discerning judgment of their capabilities.

  Aiden, meanwhile, fixed his gaze intently across the river, the very direction from which the attack had originated.

  This formidable slashing air - blade not only left a deep gully in its wake but also rent asunder the white mist along its path with the howling blade - wind, significantly enhancing the visibility.

  Across the river, a majestic figure was slowly advancing, treading upon the water's surface.

  Nearly five meters in height, humanoid in form, its exposed upper body was adorned with muscles as well - developed and robust as those of a bodybuilder, exuding a palpable sense of formidable strength.

  Its deep - purple skin was emblazoned with light - gold patterns. A string of large red prayer beads hung around its neck, its forearms bulged with prominent veins, its fingernails were long and pointed, endowing it with an eerie allure.

  On its head, light - gold bone protruded forward, extending from the front of the forehead along both sides and curving upwards towards the back of the head, resembling, from a distance, a domineering, curved - brimmed hat.

  Beneath the large bone brim, its eyes remained hidden; only its mouth, filled with sharp teeth, was visible.

  A thick, long, single - braided black scorpion - tail extended to the lower back, its tip securely bound by a large red prayer bead.

  Lower down, light - gold bone protected its thighs in a manner reminiscent of Chinese - style skirt - armor, and on its feet, it donned a pair of rhinoceros - horn battle boots fashioned from bone.

  In its grasp was a massive bone - sword, even more ostentatious than Regina's axe - lance, its entire body suffused with a light - gold hue.

  The overall image resembled an enlarged, bare - chested swordsman ronin, exuding an air of unbridled dominance and a striking visual appeal.

  Upon witnessing this eerie, purple - skinned humanoid battle - beast approaching with ill - intent, Regina tightly gripped her axe - lance and turned to inquire, "What manner of battle - beast is this? Quickly don the detector and take a look."

  The detector was an instrument designed to glean information about battle - beasts, somewhat akin to the power - level detector in Dragon Ball.

  Once worn over the eyes and directed at the target battle - beast, the relevant information would be displayed on the lens monitor.

  However, Aiden had not brought such a device, nor did he deem it necessary.

  The reason was straightforward. In his view, such technological devices carried the risk of privacy leakage.

  Who could say whether this device was, in fact, a covert camera? Perhaps, upon donning it, the scenery one beheld would also become visible to others.

  Thus, Aiden had long committed to memory the encyclopedias containing information about various battle - beasts.

  The instant the five - meter - tall creature across the way revealed its true form, he immediately ascertained all of its details, and was nearly left speechless on the spot.

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  "Dark - type, demon - class, B - rank mid - tier rare battle - beast, the Demon Blade Master, also known as the Blind - Blade Swordsman, Gulosha."

  A mixture of bitter laughter and excitement welled up within him.

  Upon hearing Aiden's words, Regina felt as if she had plunged into an ice - cellar, rendered dumbstruck on the spot.

  Although she was unfamiliar with the specific details of this battle - beast before her, the descriptors "B - rank", "mid - tier", and "rare" were cause for alarm.

  If circumstances permitted, she would have liked to inquire whether surrender or flight were viable options.

  Regina had never lacked the will to fight, but she was no fool.

  There was no need to court death needlessly, was there?

  Aiden, too, felt a sense of consternation.

  I admit I was being avaricious, but I had only sought a modest gain. Alas, reality has dealt me a far greater hand than anticipated.

  Encountering this creature was a high - stakes gamble: victory would elevate them, while defeat would mean starting anew. There was little else to be said.

  "What shall we do? Retreat?" Regina queried.

  "Retreating spells death. Let us fight. Either it succumbs, or we perish," Aiden declared resolutely.

  Despite the high - stakes nature of this confrontation, Aiden had no intention of retreating. Moreover, facing this creature, retreat was tantamount to a death sentence.

  Despite Gulosha's imposing five - meter stature, its speed statistic was remarkably high.

  "Perhaps you should go first, and I shall cover our retreat," Regina suggested through gritted teeth.

  "Aren't you afraid of death?" Aiden jested, yet a strange feeling stirred within him.

  Regina shot Aiden a fierce glare, astonished that her master could find the time to jest in such a dire situation.

  "Enough. It was my decision to come here. I cannot countenance the idea of you covering my retreat. This is a peril, yet also an opportunity. I have never entertained the thought of withdrawing without a fight."

  Scarcely had the words left his lips when Aiden abruptly produced a shoulder - fired rocket launcher. "The times have changed!"

  Amid a thunderous shout, the missile streaked through the air, trailing a white plume, and struck Gulosha's chest with pinpoint accuracy.

  Following a deafening explosion, the towering figure emerged unscathed from the billowing smoke.

  "Very well, the times remain unchanged," Aiden remarked, shrugging as he stowed the rocket launcher. Regina responded with a sidelong glance, her expression one of exasperation.

  Using pectoral muscles to deflect a missile? I'm truly the fool here.

  What incredible physical fortitude!

  With a flash of bloody cold light, the Scarlet Crescent Moon blades were already in his hands, and a spherical protective qi - shield, resembling a tortoise shell, shimmered faintly around his body.

  "You?" Regina was momentarily taken aback. Wasn't her master a beast - tamer? How had he suddenly assumed the guise of a martial artist?

  "Don't stand there gaping. Have you never encountered a beast - tamer proficient in close - combat?"

  The Black Dragon Martial Lady nodded involuntarily. In truth, she had not.

  Roar!

  Although the rocket - propelled grenade had failed to injure Gulosha, the pain had enraged it. Throwing its head back, it opened its fang - filled maw and emitted a furious roar. The massive blade in its hand was suddenly swung horizontally, unleashing a terrifying seven - to - eight - meter - long saber - qi that hurtled towards them.

  Regina nimbly leaped aside, while Aiden dove to the ground. Although their maneuvers were somewhat ungainly, they successfully evaded this ferocious slash.

  "Infernal Slash. Truly a display of brute force," Aiden muttered, his heart pounding with a mixture of trepidation and excitement as he surveyed the trees that had been sliced through in the aftermath and the expanded field of view.

  We must subdue it!

  Regardless of Aiden's thoughts, having missed its mark, Gulosha propelled itself forward with a powerful thrust of its feet. Amidst a towering surge of water, its majestic form soared into the air from the water's surface.

  Raising the bone - blade high above its head, it launched a powerful downward strike towards Regina, akin to splitting Mount Hua.

  "Do not engage it directly! Evade!" Aiden shouted in warning.

  In truth, even without his admonition, Regina had no intention of facing the creature head - on.

  Even a six - star martial artist might struggle to overcome this Demon Blade Master before them, let alone a four - star martial artist like herself.

  Regina sprinted sideways, narrowly evading the blade.

  With a deafening boom, the ground was once again rent asunder, a deep gully carved into its surface. The intense shockwave sent Regina's form staggering.

  However, with her wealth of experience, she deftly utilized the force of the blast to roll away, creating some distance between herself and the creature.

  Having missed once more, Gulosha twisted its feet and, brandishing the sword, charged towards Regina once more with lightning speed.

  In the blink of an eye, its form was upon her.

  So swift?!

  Regina's pupils constricted in shock. She had never anticipated that beneath that massive frame lay such astonishing speed.

  In comparison to Gulosha's imposing stature, the nearly two - meter - tall Regina seemed almost diminutive, like a Hobbit.

  Just as Regina was steeling herself for a desperate confrontation, a fierce sword - hum resounded from the side.

  "Make way!"

  Netherworld's Endless - One - Blade Ghost Burial!