The roars of the three-headed beast echoed through the narrow canyon, shaking loose chunks of rock from the cliffs. Its six scarlet eyes locked onto Dustin . The central head suddenly reared back, spewing a torrent of blazing, sulfur-reeking dark-red flames. Like a flood of molten lava, the inferno surged toward the group. Even before the fire arrived, the searing heat warped the air. Shallow puddles on the ground evaporated instantly. The guards felt their hair singe and their skin sting. “Fall back!” Dustin barked the order, yet instead of retreating, he stepped forward, placing himself at the front. He did not draw his sword. Instead, he pressed two fingers together like a blade and slashed through the air. Shhh! A crescent-shaped arc of azure sword-qi appeared from nothingness, sharp and condensed to the extreme. With a piercing whistle, it cleaved straight into the torrent of flames. There was no thunderous explosion—only the effortless slice of sharpness cutting throug...