Qingyun gripped his sword tightly. Initially, adapting to a change in style was difficult for him. Sometimes, these unfamiliar styles showed a few flaws. Fortunately, it didn't matter much. Having seen other opponents use different styles, he could learn and apply them, gradually refining his transitions. Xie San could barely gain an advantage.
The current match was a stalemate between Qingyun and Xie San, at best fifty-fifty. This was still because his sword style was under refinement. Once it was perfected, he would dominate the battlefield. His spiritual sword gleamed as he swung it, his figure transforming into a streak of sword light as he unleashed a blow.
No one could resist the overwhelming momentum of this strike. It was an unstoppable, head-on charge. He spun his scythe 180 degrees in a collision of ultimate strength. The resulting shockwaves were destructive, though the spacious arena could withstand the clash of their current power.
As the storm of energy dissipated, a figure flickered in and out of existence. He nimbly switched his spiritual sword between his left and right hands, his attacks unpredictable. The air was filled with sword light, making it impossible to distinguish the real from the illusion. Relying on instinct, he realized the true body was hidden amongst these sword lights. This style of fighting was easy to counter.
The scythe swung behind him, and the grappling hook was thrown. Like a venomous snake, the chain pierced through all the sword lights, tracking their movements. With a clang, the hook collided with the sword body, finally revealing the true form. He flicked his arm, wrapping the chain around the sword and pulling back, attempting to force the figure out. But was this truly effective?
The answer was yes, it would have been effective against the former Qingyun. But not the current one. The sword was entangled, yet Qingyun remained unhurried. He raised his spiritual sword above his head, shaking it. A force emanated from the chain. Sensing his intent, Xie San reluctantly released his grip. Continuing would allow the opponent to transfer power through the chain into his body, which would be detrimental.
"So troublesome. I should have gone all out from the start. Trying to test him was the wrong decision."
He fretted inwardly. With his opponent constantly switching styles, gaining the upper hand was impossible. He himself only mastered two combat styles. The scythe and grappling hook fighting methods were distinct. Yet, this opponent commanded so many styles. Although many had flaws, he couldn't exploit them.
Furthermore, the battle had already lasted for days, and his opponent's styles were gradually becoming his own combat instincts. If this continued, the fight would drag on even longer. With this thought, Xie San unleashed his full power, determined to end the battle quickly without further delay.
In his fully unleashed state, his body was wreathed in black energy. The scythe and grappling hook joined together, the scythe straightening and the hook forming a handle, creating a glaive in his hand.
The black glaive looked incredibly heavy. This transformation was observed by Qingyun. "Good heavens, a second form! I had just adapted to the scythe and hook attack patterns, and now you've changed weapons."
It seemed to matter little. He could cope. His long sword flashed, unleashing a series of slashes. The glaive swung, and the two engaged in a dizzying display of speed, their movements so fast they made one's scalp tingle.
The clanging sounds were like melodious notes forming a musical score.
In the clash between the long sword and the glaive, Qingyun, not Xie San, held the advantage. Facing the glaive's attacks, Qingyun's style began to solidify. The glaive's offensive style was singular: fierce and overbearing. Therefore, he chose to meet it head-on with his own broad, powerful strikes, a pure contest of strength.
After all, their power levels were similar; it was a matter of who could control their strength better. Clearly, he had a slight edge.
His spiritual sword moved continuously, forming a net of sword light and a sea of sword energy that surged from behind him towards Xie San. The glaive gathered power, and Xie San raised both hands, slashing downwards with great speed, cleaving the net and sea of sword energy in two. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
A terrifying, supremely domineering power. But it wasn't over. After cleaving everything apart, the blade continued its trajectory towards Qingyun's face. Was he afraid? Of course not. He gripped his spiritual sword, channeling nearly seventy percent of his power into the weapon.
A horizontal sweep of his sword collided with the glaive, creating a wave of energy that engulfed them both, forcing them to retreat a few steps.
Even when unleashing his full power, he was still at a disadvantage. He couldn't believe such a being could exist in this universe, considering they, the Evil Spirit race, hailed from higher cosmic planes with different hierarchies.
"Something is wrong, very wrong. You are no ordinary human. What exactly are you?"
Faced with the interrogation, Qingyun sighed and said, "Just a homeless person."
His words stunned Xie San. The phrase sounded so familiar. Then, a cold glint appeared in his eyes. "It's you, it's you. You actually succeeded in reincarnation."
As if witnessing something terrifying, his eyes widened. The person before him was his reincarnation.
It seemed the reincarnation had failed, leaving only fragments of memories while everything else was forgotten.
"Do you think you are qualified to fight me in your current state? Don't forget, it was because of your universe that it was destroyed in the past."
He aimed to strike at the heart, to expose old wounds and break his opponent's psychological defenses.
"What's the point of saying so much? It is precisely because of what happened that I wish to protect this world."
He sighed. That incident was a sorrow he would never forget.
Grasping the hilt of his spiritual sword with both hands, he began to charge energy. The battle was about to end.
Energy erupted, and a beam of light shot towards the sky. The power of this move filled his heart with a sense of impending death.
This move was familiar. He chose to meet this ultimate attack head-on. Xie San refused to believe the reincarnation had succeeded. If it had, he wouldn't possess this much power.
But how could he explain this surge of energy? Was this a successful or failed reincarnation?
"This sword will be the end. And for me, it is also the day I end my past memories."
"You, ha ha ha, I understand."
He burst into mad laughter, as if realizing the reason. He didn't even consider resisting. To resist? What a joke. That attack was his full power, his final strike before reincarnation.
This came at the cost of sacrificing all his reincarnation memories and energy. This attack was inherently irresistible.
The beam of light descended. The pure white beam and the energy sword collided, and where they met, there was no longer any figure. They had completely vanished.
The battle was over.
Xie San's eyes suddenly shifted focus, and his figure flew towards the fortress. He had no ability to continue fighting. The cost of this battle was too great.
The rest was up to them.
As he flew towards the fortress, his aura gradually weakened, his realm and strength significantly diminished.
Meanwhile, on another battlefield, Shuzi was still fighting Xie Hui. This battle was slightly tougher than the other two.
Every move Xie Hui made contained a hundred streaks of blade light, and with dual blades, the effect was doubled. While fighting, he also had to guard against the onslaught of blade light, which was incredibly frustrating.
His spear could initially hold the advantage due to its length. However, Xie Hui was aware of this. If Shuzi tried to exploit his reach, Xie Hui would instantly launch blades from his position, creating a storm of blades that even Shuzi couldn't withstand.
This led to their current close-quarters combat. He dared not create distance; this way was slightly better.