Chapter 79: Gaining the Upper Hand

The Sinner Swordsman blocked Ye Yu’s attack, but Ye Yu’s strike possessed a certain degree of penetration, so part of the damage inevitably landed on the Sinner Swordsman. Ye Yu’s brows furrowed, a grave look flickering in his eyes as he gazed at the distant figure shrouded in black mist.

“This Sinner Swordsman is clearly a special boss with low health but extremely high dual defenses. Its attributes surpass any boss we’ve faced before, and not just by a little.”

Upon hearing Ye Yu’s words, Old Hu was momentarily taken aback, a wry smile appearing at the corner of his mouth as he looked at Ye Yu and said, “Don’t tell me you’ve run out of steam?”

Ye Yu shot Old Hu a disgruntled glance and then, looking at the Sinner Swordsman before them, replied, “Not quite spent yet, but dealing with it will be much trickier now. Its AI is already advanced enough, and with these attribute settings, we’re forced to rely on ‘Overtime Mode’ to stand a chance. The situation has barely balanced out, but it’s clear that the Sinner Swordsman still holds the advantage.”

“You’re right,” Old Hu nodded, “Its physical defense is extremely high; by comparison, its magical defense is just high, weaker than its physical. Though its health is low and its attack isn’t extraordinary, the three-foot black blade it wields greatly boosts its physical attack damage, compensating for its output shortcomings.”

Luo Feng, standing behind them, also frowned and said, “Don’t forget its agility—that alone puts it in an unbeatable position. The earlier settings are hard enough to deal with, and its speed means we must find a breakthrough. Trapping it is one way, but it’s clearly not enough.”

A gleam flashed deep in Ye Yu’s eyes as he suddenly realized something and spoke up, “Old Hu, use your block to create opportunities for Huang Hong’s output. Lao Yao, wait for the right moment to deliver a fatal blow. Since its physical defense is so high, Lao Yao’s explosive output is our path. I’ll focus on trapping the Sinner Swordsman; our healer will keep us topped up and in good condition, and the shaman will fortify our surroundings with totem buffs. Everyone, attack when it’s your turn—keep the pressure continuous. Is everyone ready?”

“No problem.”

“We need to finish this in one go, no mistakes allowed.” Old Hu nodded, evidently agreeing with Ye Yu’s plan, though this approach would only work once—the Sinner Swordsman’s AI was advanced enough to counter it if they tried again.

Without further delay, Old Hu took a quick step back and swung his longsword, his left foot stepping forward with such force that the ground cracked beneath him.

With a whistle, Old Hu leapt into the air, gripping his massive shield in his right hand. Once he reached a sufficient height, he dove towards the Sinner Swordsman’s position, a sharp vortex forming around him as if it could pierce through the Sinner Swordsman’s defenses.

Because Old Hu was at the forefront, he clearly saw the Sinner Swordsman’s form shift slightly, the three-foot black blade already moving in its hand.

“Watch out, it’s about to attack!” Old Hu quickly called out, alerting Ye Yu and the others.

“Got it!” Huang Hong responded, then took a step forward and leaped towards the Sinner Swordsman, his crimson-shrouded spear spinning in a full circle. The fierce red aura was overwhelming, and Huang Hong himself seemed an unstoppable spear god.

This time, the Sinner Swordsman’s attack was exceptionally swift. If Old Hu and Huang Hong hadn’t activated ‘Overtime Mode,’ they wouldn’t have been able to see its movements at all. Even with time slowed, the Sinner Swordsman’s speed was at its peak.

With a resounding “bang,” the three-foot black blade in the Sinner Swordsman’s right hand was knocked aside by Old Hu’s diving impact.

Ye Yu narrowed his eyes, his fingers gliding effortlessly across the strings of his ancient zither. A purple arc of light shot towards the Sinner Swordsman.

‘Light Strings Bind the Wind’

The moment ‘Light Strings Bind the Wind’ struck the Sinner Swordsman, its dark eyes flicked towards Ye Yu in the distance. Suddenly, it swung the three-foot black blade in a horizontal slash—the sword’s edge unleashed a powerful surge of sword energy. A wave of force erupted from the Sinner Swordsman, easily shattering the binding effect of Ye Yu’s ‘Light Strings Bind the Wind.’

“It actually has an anti-control mechanism! This Sinner Swordsman is like the son of ‘Divine Lament’—such a clever system,” Ye Yu exclaimed internally in awe.

The Sinner Swordsman strode out from the attack, its health now down to sixty-three percent and still dropping. When it broke free from Ye Yu’s control, Qu Zheng had already launched a deadly attack. The stealth class’s armor-piercing ability was evident, and the damage was so impressive that it exceeded the combined output of the others.

By now, the black mist encircling the Sinner Swordsman had thinned considerably, though it still looked formidable. The group could clearly see that beneath the mist, its clothes were tattered, and the exposed bronze skin bore numerous sharp, bloody gashes—all thanks to Qu Zheng’s handiwork.

Old Hu and Huang Hong had already resumed their attacking stance, preparing to unleash a fierce assault and pin down the Sinner Swordsman, giving Ye Yu another chance to control it.

Old Hu stepped forward, his form like a heavy cannonball shooting towards the Sinner Swordsman with a violent attack. His massive shield was now wreathed in searing flames.

At this moment, a ‘Weak and Slow’ debuff covered the Sinner Swordsman, its movements clearly less agile than before. Ye Yu seized the moment to cast another ‘Light Strings Bind the Wind.’

Huang Hong advanced, his spear blazing with crimson light, like a scorching weapon that could burn the world. He shot towards the Sinner Swordsman, whipping his spear to conjure a storm of spear shadows.

‘Rain of Pear Blossom Needles’

Old Hu’s shield struck the Sinner Swordsman first, followed by the spear assault. The Sinner Swordsman’s expression finally showed a grave seriousness.

This time, Ye Yu and his companions had fully seized the upper hand!

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