Chapter 80: Azure Skies and Yellow Springs, Sacred Gear

The Sinner Swordsman was suddenly forced back by the combined assault of the group. As the black mist shrouding him dissipated, his tattered garments and bronzed skin, now soaked in blood, became clearly visible. At this point, the Sinner Swordsman’s health had dropped to an alarming level, and thanks to strikes targeting his weak points and breaking through his defenses, his condition was at its absolute worst. Other than relying on his speed to dodge, he was utterly incapable of counterattacking Nightfeather and the others.

Such a design undoubtedly made the battle strategy far richer and more nuanced. Under Nightfeather’s command, the group’s efforts had a decisive effect, and in mere moments their combat prowess unleashed shocking results.

At that moment, Old Hu raised his shield and pressed forward with his greatsword, then lunged out in a sudden thrust like a cannonball clad in heavy armor. The greatsword was wreathed in a powerful magical aura, flashes of starlight gleaming along its edge, transforming into a piercing ray that slashed across the Sinner Swordsman.

Finally, Huang Hong leaped high, spear in hand, and hurled it forward. With a sharp whistle, a piercing sound split the air as the spear became a blazing beam of crimson-gold, shooting straight toward the Sinner Swordsman’s chest.

A thunderous crash resounded. The group watched as the Sinner Swordsman was struck in the chest by the spear, the tremendous force hurling him through the air.

With a boom, Qu Zheng stepped forward, his form blurring into a phantom wind, a trail of silver light marking his passing. In the blink of an eye, he swept upon the Sinner Swordsman like a gust of silver wind, knocking him flat. Huang Hong was upon him in a flash, driving the spear into his chest. The Sinner Swordsman was pinned to the ground, the black mist around him dissipating, revealing the spear lodged in his chest.

The group’s assaults continued relentlessly. Unable to retaliate, the Sinner Swordsman endured their attacks for several minutes, with two-thirds of the damage targeting his weak points. With his health already depleted, he was quickly finished off.

“I never expected we’d be able to coordinate like that. Quite the surprise,” Old Hu remarked, shrugging as he glanced at Nightfeather and the others, a wry, thoughtful look in his eyes despite the amused curve of his lips.

Though Old Hu spoke lightly, the seamless teamwork was largely due to Nightfeather’s crucial command. These seemingly novice players had already shown remarkable gaming talent—a formidable group indeed. Should they pursue a professional path, their potential could truly shine.

“We have you to thank, Old Hu. With a veteran like you, we managed to defeat the Sinner Swordsman,” someone said.

“I watched the replay just now. That was like an action movie—absolutely brilliant!” Huang Hong grinned, scratching his nose.

“This was nothing. You should see the world-class ‘Godfall’ team matches. Now those are real action movies,” Old Hu replied.

Huang Hong looked thoroughly baffled by Old Hu’s words. Nightfeather merely smiled, “Alright, let’s see what loot we’ve earned. Rewards from a dungeon like this don’t come cheap.”

At that moment, a circle of luminous white light appeared where the Sinner Swordsman had fallen, revealing information about an item.

After clearing the Sinner Swordsman’s dungeon, everyone’s experience and loot were displayed in their personal inventory interfaces. Each person received an item, but only special items floated above the boss, their details visible for the group to distribute as they saw fit.

“No way! Our luck is incredible—a special item dropped!” Old Hu’s eyes gleamed as he swallowed hard, staring at the item’s stats. “It’s a Sacred-class weapon.”

“A Sacred-class weapon?” someone echoed in awe.

“In the weapon rankings, Sacred is second only to Imperial. Imperial weapons are reserved for celebrity or professional players,” Old Hu explained. “This weapon is Netherstream, and it has a special effect: it can block most types of magical damage. It’s practically magic-immune.”

Nightfeather’s brows furrowed as he examined the weapon. Clearly, this was the same divine armament wielded by the Sinner Swordsman himself. They had stumbled upon an extraordinary prize.

“We don’t have any sword-wielders in our party,” someone pointed out.

“That’s not an issue. Let’s discuss distribution—it can be reforged for another class,” someone else replied, eyes shining.

But Old Hu only smiled and shook his head. “Count me out. You all decide who gets it.”

The others were surprised by his words, and their gazes instinctively turned to Nightfeather, since his leadership had been pivotal to their victory.

Seeing this, Nightfeather could only smile wryly. “I think it should go to Old Hu. You’re the veteran—you provided the experience we needed. No matter how good my commands were, without your guidance, we couldn’t have beaten the Sinner Swordsman.”

“In truth, I’m not interested in this weapon. If any of you want it, just speak up. But I should warn you: once you claim this Sacred weapon, its unique properties can’t be changed. For melee classes, it’s practically useless.”

The group fell into thoughtful silence, realizing the truth of his words. The weapon’s attributes sounded impressive, but that was only because the Sinner Swordsman could wield them effectively. For a player, the situation might be very different.

“Looks like you all understand. But you may have overlooked something—if you give it to a ranged class, it has to be someone with high health and dual defenses. Only then can this weapon’s effects truly shine.”