Numerous cracks appeared in the thick Ice sheet on the lake surface as Mu Shenhua exchanged blows with the 7 great generals of Fallen Yu. Venom Queen kept up on trying to catch Shenhua off-guard with her venomous needles and toxic mist as the rest of them tried to defend and attack in an unpredictable fashion. General Hong was the strongest Great General of Yu and was estimated to be titled Grandmaster soon. He kept on delivering heavy strikes with his guandao. Facing 7 great generals’ combined assault, Mu Shenhua started to show blood. Although she wasn’t injured in any vital organs when she had to divert her attention towards to looming danger of Venomous needles, she would often get caught in a strike from other 6 opponents.

After exchanging moves for almost 2 incense sticks burning time, General Hong finally found an opening in Shenhua as she was busy fending off a massive mace and a metal whip. He immediately gathered his Qi to lend him strength and sent out a vicious strike towards her navel. But his strike was deemed futile as Shenhua suddenly jumped up and used the strength from the tip of General Hong’s guandao to propel herself backward. Just behind Shenhua, the Venom Queen had snuck up, waiting for an opportunity to strike. But she suddenly saw Shenhua flying towards her at great speed. She had released her guard a bit because she saw General Hong’s fierce blow towards Shenhua. But as she tried to process the events, she felt her body going limp and her vision exploded into fading patterns of black and grey. General Hong looked with a flabbergasted expression as he saw venom Queen’s head has been split into two, as he realized that Shenhua used his Qi from the strike and used it against another. He could help but remember his master’s dying message as he said that Shenhua’s control on Qi is unfathomable. He had experienced Shenhua’s control before his very eyes. He had only dazed for a few seconds but that was enough for Shenhua to escape the formation. Hatred flashed through his face as he commanded the use of their best technique, ‘Prepare for Yang Blade Formation’. Immediately other 5 generals assembled behind Great General Hong and formed a triangular Formation. With 3 in the rear, 2 in the middle, and General Hong in the front, they advanced towards Mu Shenhua. All 6 of them focused their Qi into one unit as it accumulated on General Hong’s guandao. The winds roared as the heavy blade parted the air, with a promise to cut anything on its way. Mu Shenhua looked at the blade Formation advancing towards her and quickly looked at her daughter, still rooted to her original position as she clutched the hem of her brown coat. Complicated emotions rose in Mu Shenhua as she put on her most encouraging smile and nodded at her daughter. After that, she turned her head towards the incoming formation and viciously smiled, ‘It’s finally time.’ An ill premonition rose in General Hong’s mind as he saw the vicious and bloodthirsty look on Mu Shenhua’s face, contrasting against her demeanor which is usually gentle and calm as faint winds of spring. And her next series of actions confirmed his instinct. Mu Shenhua spread out her arms and a frightening amount of Qi gushed through her veins as her aura expanded. She immediately converged her palms and the Qi poured out of her being as waves from a primordial ocean. She then raised the index finger of her right hand and leaped towards the sword formation. General Hong felt that his body, his companions, the howling winds, and everything around him slowed down. It’s as if time has slowed itself to show respect to the singular finger strike advancing towards him at a steady pace. There was only an overwhelming feeling of awe in his mind towards the unfathomable power of the advancing strike. It was the eighth and the strongest move of the Heaven’s Glory Hand technique, “Defy the Heavens”.