Hi-hi-hi…
"Luo clan's Ice and Fire Lords are nothing to look at either!" The shadows let out ghastly laughter while the other black men looked on from a distance.
Qiu Yanhai and Xue Qingjian were startled yet being unable to accept the situation, charged at them for another attack.
It was utterly ridiculous how some Profound Heaven cultivators were mocking two 8th layer Radiant Stage experts.
Ice and fire surged once more towards the shadows, but it merely phased through them and made a loud bang far behind them.
Those shadows weren't even real to begin with.
The two jerked back, to which the shadows cackled louder and sharper. With the blow of an eerie wind, it was now the shadows's turn to go on the offensive with their glinting curved blades.
Boom~
The duo sent blows all this time, but not even one was of use. They couldn't lay a finger on them.
As the shadows drew closer, they shot silver lights at them, forcing the tense couple back. A moment of carelessness was enough for one of the lights to land, dissolving their clothes. It was this close to poisoning their bodies too.
That only got the two of them even more frightened. And while they were pulling back, the shadows grew cocky with laughter and movements.
Qiu Yanhai and Xue Qingjian grew grave, unable to block the shadows' advance. And there were still many more of those black men glaring over as well.
Li Jingtian watched it all with a cold trembling eye. [Their cultivation method is like those pygmies' unity tactic, but not quite.]
The four Scheming Demons' every move matched flawlessly, in tune with each other, while these guys fought by themselves. There was no mystical art behind it to allow them to phase in and out of reality either.
[It ought to have the same weakness either way.]
Li Jingtian's eyes flashed with resolve.
The power couple had had enough, by the looks of it. Xue Qingjian cursed back, "Old Li, what are you standing around for? Do something!"
"Ah!"
Xue Qingjian cried, getting scared by a curved blade flying at her neck. Qiu Yanhai was distressed, yet he was blocked by six shadows himself. All he could do was watch his dear wife get skewered.
Li Jingtian roared, "They have no bodies. Use soul attacks!"
The couple woke up to this obvious truth.
[Of course! We're Radiant Stage experts while they're only in the Profound Heaven Stage. Killing with intent may not do them in, on account of their strong souls, but it should give them a pause.]
Two hums later, a pulse flashed past.
Bam!
Like a tidal wave, it flung the black men dozens of meters back.
The effect perked up the two.
They were finally getting somewhere with removing these creepy guys. But it also stunned them as to how these Profound Heaven shadows had such strong souls.
The duo's powerful souls were unable to even make them pause, and only pushed them back.
Nevertheless, they could see a solution to their headaches, restoring their calm.
While they were calm, the enemy was deadly calm as well, not one bit phased about the fact that their weakness had just been found out.
"Fall in!"
From among the calm black observers, one aged and hoarse voice came. The cackling shadows gathered together.
As they linked, they formed a giant net, floating in the sky.
As more of them joined, their soul power surged.
Squinting, the couple turned grave as they stepped backward. They had felt it too. The shadows' combined soul power had reached the Radiant Stage.
"Unity tactic!" Li Jingtian gasped.
The black men laughed in pride, "A soul unity tactic to be exact. One made particularly with Radiant Stage experts in mind. He-he-he, get ready, attack!"
The shadows snickered and released a sound at Qiu Yanhai and Xue Qingjian, who were balking under the pressure.
As they pulled back, they fought back with their own souls.
Much good did that do.
Their soul attacks against the shadow's combined attack was like a breeze against a wall.
The two panicked, sweating buckets. [What's with these guys? They're way too creepy!]
No matter what they did, it proved to be pointless.
[Life and Death Art then?] They had tried it earlier and it didn't do a damn thing. A stronger attack, but still very much physical.
That left backing up more and more the only choice, leading to their increased vexation.
And lead to the growing joy of the black men, cackling like victors.
Whoosh!
Li Jingtian flashed in front of the couple, facing the incoming shadows.
"Elder Li, what are you doing?" Qiu Yanhai shouted.
Grinning, Li Jingtian's eye shone, "He-he-he, isn't it obvious? Shutting them up!"
With jumping eyebrows, the couple was still clueless when Li Jingtian made a sign, staring at the shadows, "Humph, ignorant whelps, a Luo clan's elder isn't someone you can understand!
"Wraith Style, 3rd move, Necro Dragon's Screech!"
Roar!
Li Jingtian's roar sent the surroundings rumbling.
The image of a dragon charged with claws and fangs bared, ready to tear anything to pieces.
The shadows only noticed when the dragon was upon them.
Boom!
The explosion shook the entire mountain range and cracked the land. The shadows' perfect formation scattered like flies.
They had no time to make sense of it as they blacked out. Falling to the ground, the shadows scattered.
A singular strike wiped out a dozen shadows, laid to rest for good this time.
"It's a soul martial art, look out!"
The black men moved back, losing their previous cool and watching Li Jingtian with trepidation.
Unlike the Ice and Fire Lords, Li Jingtian actually posed a threat.
Sticking his chin out, Li Jingtian laughed full of himself, "Anyone else?"
The black men looked at each other and started to make tactical steps backward.
Yun clan was overjoyed. Seeing Ice and Fire Lords at a severe disadvantage had them more than a little worried.
And then came Li Jingtian, in the nick of time, dispersing the shadow net in a single strike, easing their worries.
All in all, their safety was assured.
As for the couple, they felt sour looking at Li Jingtian stroking his ego. With so many witnesses, they didn't look the part of elders, unlike Li Jingtian. It was a humble pie neither of them wanted to taste.
"Old Li, you're really something to know even a soul martial art. How come we've never seen you using it?" Xue Qingjian grumbled, prickled by envy.
Li Jingtian scratched his nose, "He-he-he, you don't have to be jealous. When we joined the Luo clan, Steward Zhuo gave each of us a matching art. Each of us has our own strengths. I was also enticed by that Life and Death Art of yours, but can I train in it? Necro Dragon's Screech is a sound martial art, but it is a body martial art at its core. Since you two train by combining fire and water, this art doesn't seem to fit you, does it?"
The two paused, [He does make a fairly good point.] They got over it just as fast as they had gotten jealous.
"Old Li, you deal with them while we bring up the rear!" Xue Qingjian looked at the people and said, "Let's end this quickly!"
"No problem." Li Jingtian laughed and shot up.
The black men fell back farther in fear of Li Jingtian's gaze.
But a cold shout fell from the black cloud above, "Humph, ignorant whelp, you're awfully confident in your parlor tricks…"