Like wind sweeping across the plains, like an eagle soaring through the sky.
The figure's speed was so great that even Bai Zihe could not match it.
As if...
He had long since merged with his surroundings.
As if...
He was a fish in water, unimpeded, and in the blink of an eye, he was before Bai Zihe.
So much so that.
The chilling murderous intent emanating from his dagger had reached Bai Zihe's throat before Bai Zihe could react.
"Boom!"
In a flash, Bai Zihe had no time to think.
His legs pushed off the ground, and his entire body floated backward like a wisp of willow catkins, his hands immediately striking out a palm towards the shadow.
"Whoosh!"
A strange thing happened.
Bai Zihe's palms struck out as if they had hit empty air.
By all rights.
At such close range, with Bai Zihe's full power, the opponent should have had no chance to dodge.
But in fact, he did.
While keeping his dagger aimed at Bai Zihe's throat.
He also maintained his body's horizontal flight, with the dagger in front, his hand behind, and his body trailing last.
As if...
He himself was a sharp sword.
This was the first time Bai Zihe had encountered such a troublesome opponent, and his heart grew solemn.
However, the shadow gave him no chance to think.
It always maintained.
The dagger was only an inch away from Bai Zihe's neck.
If Bai Zihe dared to slacken even slightly, he would surely have his throat pierced by the dagger and die a most agonizing death!
"Whoosh!"
In a flash.
Bai Zihe retracted his hands, brought them together in the middle, attempting to sandwich the opponent's dagger between his palms to resolve this life-or-death crisis.
"Heh..."
Seeing Bai Zihe's move, the shadow suddenly grinned.
His smile was contemptuous, dismissive.
As if...
Bai Zihe's actions were childish and laughable in his eyes.
Indeed.
The next moment, he changed his move in sync with Bai Zihe's.
He suddenly retracted his dagger.
Before Bai Zihe could react, he thrust it out a second time.
The cold dagger tip traced a sinister trajectory through the air, stabbing out again, this time aimed at Bai Zihe's heart.
His speed was too great, leaving Bai Zihe no time to think.
Only instinctive reactions.
Only the subconscious, best response to a fatal threat.
"Bang!"
Bai Zihe clenched his fist and struck towards the wrist of the shadow holding the dagger.
Not only were his punches fierce, but they were also imbued with an immense, unbridled force, intending to use sheer power to compensate for his lack of speed and contend with the shadow.
"Too slow."
A sinister smile played on the shadow's lips.
"Swoosh..."
The next moment, the dagger's sharp tip brushed across Bai Zihe's chest, easily cutting through his clothes and leaving a shallow wound on his skin.
A fleeting chill, and blood welled up.
Bai Zihe was filled with terror.
If he had put in even a little more force, he might... he would already be a corpse!
"Bai Zihe..."
The shadow, having struck successfully, wore an even more arrogant smile.
While maintaining high-speed movement, he continued to taunt, "I see you are also a cultivator at the Deity Transformation stage, why are you so easily defeated?"
"I..."
"You are merely at the Nascent Soul stage, and yet you are already making me feel like I'm facing a formidable enemy!"
"Hahaha..."
With that, the shadow burst into laughter.
Bai Zihe could not bring himself to laugh; a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Indeed.
The strength displayed by this shadow was only at the late Nascent Soul stage.
And he, after consuming the Blood of Hell, already possessed the strength of the Deity Transformation stage, and after recent refinement, was at least at the mid-Deity Transformation stage!
Yet he was injured by someone at the late Nascent Soul stage...
This was a disgrace!
Suddenly.
Bai Zihe's entire bloodline began to expand, to boil, to erupt with astonishing heat, spreading through his limbs and bones.
Bai Zihe's expression changed drastically.
This was a sign that the Blood of Hell, provoked, was about to activate itself.
No!
If this continued, even if he wasn't killed by the opponent, he would likely become a puppet of the Blood of Hell once more, a soulless killing machine!
Bai Zihe could not guarantee that someone would always be there to play the flute to save him.
"Calm down!"
Bai Zihe took a deep breath, forcing himself to settle down.
"Whoosh..."
"Swish, swish, swish..."
The shadow did not give Bai Zihe a chance to recover.
After a round of taunts, he attacked Bai Zihe again!
This time...
At three feet from Bai Zihe, he suddenly vanished.
Bai Zihe knew he hadn't left but was brewing a more potent killing move, so he immediately darted away from his original position.
"Rumble..."
The next moment, the shadow appeared at the original spot.
No.
It was not the shadow that appeared.
It was the dagger in his hand, still embedded in its thrusting pose.
He himself...
Could not be seen.
"Dodging?"
The shadow was unconcerned, his eyes still held that cold glint, that same murderous intent. "Let's see how many times you can dodge!"
"Whoosh!"
"Swish, swish!"
As the words fell, he vanished again.
Bai Zihe's expression was as deep as water, and he did not reply, but instead unleashed his divine sense to its fullest.
He refused to believe.
That an opponent at the Nascent Soul stage could be so heaven-defying.
But reality was cruel.
"Swoosh..."
The next moment, a chill ran down his left arm, and instantly, blood splattered. Bai Zihe was wounded again.
"Slow, too slow!"
Bai Zihe's expression grew increasingly stern.
The more dire the situation, the more unyielding he became.
"Whoosh!"
"Swoosh..."
Another cold glint swept past, and Bai Zihe's black hair at his temples was sliced off by the dagger, passing mere inches from his ear!
The lingering chill...
Was unforgettable.
"Bai Zihe!"
"As a Nascent Soul stage powerhouse, is this all you've got?"
The shadow continued his attacks, wounding Bai Zihe repeatedly, while chattering incessantly, his words filled with contempt, mockery, and provocation.
Bai Zihe was already seething with rage.
He could see it.
This shadow...
Was utterly toying with him, like a cat playing with a mouse!
Knowing he had an absolute advantage, he amused himself by toying with his opponent, making them despair, making them cry out in helplessness!
"Swoosh!"
"Bang..."
"Whoosh—"
The battle continued.
Bai Zihe, battered and bruised under the shadow's torment.
But he did not give up.
He maintained a high level of vigilance, a high level of observation, and a high level of confrontation.
Until...
The shadow grew impatient.
After slashing Bai Zihe's back once more, he suddenly stopped at a distance.
"Bai Zihe."
His eyes fixed on Bai Zihe, a chilling coldness swirling within them. In the pupils, Bai Zihe suddenly saw himself being stabbed in the heart by the dagger and falling lifelessly to the ground!
Murderous intent permeated the air, crisscrossing.
"Since you are so useless..."
"Then die!"
The shadow, having grown bored, prepared to deliver the final blow to Bai Zihe.
"Whoosh!"
The next moment, the shadow vanished from his spot again.
Silently.
Without a trace.
Leaving no one to know where he had gone or where he would appear from.
But without a doubt.
He was coming for Bai Zihe.
And Bai Zihe...
At this critical juncture, at this moment of life and death, actually... closed his eyes.
"Fwoosh!"
In the blink of an eye.
The shadow arrived, cloaked in the might of heaven and earth.
The dagger tip, as desired, was aimed at Bai Zihe's heart.
One foot.
One inch.
One millimeter!
Just as it was about to pierce,
A smile flickered across Bai Zihe's lips, and he abruptly opened his eyes.