For a moment, Li Jia Yi felt like he was going to die.
The tip of the Frost Condensation Sword was mere inches from Li Jia Yi's throat, and with a slight push, it could easily pierce through.
Fortunately, at the last moment, the Twin Suns and Moon blades struck the Frost Condensation Sword, deflecting its point. It grazed Li Jia Yi's neck, leaving only a tiny wound.
After the sword strike, Li Jia Yi quickly leaped backward. Seeing Bai Ye's intent to pursue, Li Jia Yi waved his hands, and a materialized scythe appeared in his grasp.
"Cold Moon, Sever!"
Li Jia Yi swung the scythe towards Bai Ye, releasing a crescent-shaped silver light.
Bai Ye immediately brought his Frost Sword horizontally in front of him.
Clang!
The weapons collided with a crisp ringing sound.
Bai Ye blocked the scythe attack. Just then, Li Jia Yi opened his palm, revealing two grenades, which he hurled towards Bai Ye.
Bai Ye looked up and immediately conjured a Taoist charm.
"Earth Spell!"
As the charm burned, two earth walls rapidly rose, forming a barrier before Bai Ye.
Boom, boom!
Two deafening explosions erupted, and fireballs burst forth, shattering the earth walls.
But the moment the earth walls broke, Bai Ye sprang up, passing through the flames and black smoke. He raised his sword, but...
Li Jia Yi was gone again.
Bai Ye landed, rolling to absorb the impact by propping himself on one hand. He then looked towards the other side of the street, where Li Jia Yi was sprinting away.
"You think you can escape?"
Bai Ye took a deep breath, pushed off the ground with his legs, and gave chase.
They ran, one pursuing, the other fleeing. Moments later, Li Jia Yi dashed into the stairs of a subway station, and Bai Ye, undeterred, pursued him, leaping up behind him.
"Flying Sword Style, Dragon Hammer Flash!"
Bai Ye slashed downward from mid-air. In the next instant, a breathtaking silver sword light illuminated the surroundings. As it struck the stairs...
Boom!
A tremendous explosion!
The stairs leading to the subway station crumbled, scattering debris downwards.
Bai Ye descended from the air, standing atop the rubble, and surveyed his surroundings.
"Is he dead?"
Bai Ye mused, feeling that Li Jia Yi shouldn't be so easily defeated. He couldn't pinpoint a reason, just a hunch that this guy was more troublesome than he imagined.
Rumble!
As Bai Ye pondered, a loud noise suddenly came from below the debris, and then the top of the rubble exploded outwards.
Bai Ye quickly leaped up and descended from the rubble. Li Jia Yi, looking somewhat battered, crawled out of the debris.
Li Jia Yi appeared disheveled, covered in dust, his clothes torn in several places. However, he held a massive tower shield in his left hand, which had clearly protected him, leaving him only looking worn.
Without further ado, Bai Ye leaped up, using the rubble to bound towards Li Jia Yi and swiftly slashed horizontally with his Frost Condensation Sword.
Clang!
Li Jia Yi quickly raised his shield to block Bai Ye's attack. The immense force sent him tumbling from the rubble and crashing to the ground.
"Flying Sword Style!" Bai Ye seized the opportunity, thrusting the Frost Condensation Sword into the rubble and flicking it upwards, "Earth Dragon Flash!"
Instantly, silver sword light erupted from the rubble, and along with it, countless fragments of stone were flung towards Li Jia Yi.
Li Jia Yi quickly raised his tower shield in front of him, shrinking his body backward.
Clang, clang, clang…
The falling stones continuously struck the shield, and the impact forced Li Jia Yi to retreat.
Bai Ye leaped down from the rubble again and delivered a forceful kick to the tower shield.
This time, Li Jia Yi couldn't hold on and flipped onto the ground. However, Bai Ye couldn't follow up. The Twin Suns and Moon blades circled in the air and struck Bai Ye from behind.
Li Jia Yi's combat experience was more seasoned than Bai Ye had anticipated. Facing the Twin Suns and Moon blades, Bai Ye had a choice: either turn back and block the attack or risk being cut from behind to kill Li Jia Yi with a single sword strike.
It seemed like Li Jia Yi would suffer a heavy loss, sacrificing himself to wound Bai Ye.
But would Bai Ye choose that?
Of course not!
Clang!
Bai Ye spun around, his sword meeting the Twin Suns and Moon blades, knocking them aside.
If Li Jia Yi were his final opponent, Bai Ye would undoubtedly reveal his ferocity, willing to sustain injuries to finish him off. But Li Jia Yi was not.
Therefore, Bai Ye needed to remain calm and consider his future battles.
With the Twin Suns and Moon blades temporarily stalled, Li Jia Yi finally had a moment to catch his breath.
"Divine Radiance of the Twin Suns and Moon!"
Li Jia Yi whispered, and the Twin Suns and Moon blades suspended in the air began to emit a radiant glow.
Bai Ye raised an eyebrow. "Trying to run again?"
Bai Ye had witnessed the "Divine Radiance of the Twin Suns and Moon" before. It could unleash a blinding flash that impaired vision, allowing for an attack or an escape.
An attack…
Bai Ye didn't believe Li Jia Yi had the nerve. With the formidable close-combat prowess and speed of the Flying Sword Style, even without sight, Bai Ye wouldn't let Li Jia Yi succeed based on hearing alone.
So…
Bai Ye immediately took out a deck of playing cards. The moment the light flared, he activated his Paper God ability, flinging the cards forward.
The next instant, Bai Ye felt a sharp pain in his eyes and involuntarily closed them.
Meanwhile, Li Jia Yi intended to escape, but he didn't even have time to turn. A dense barrage of playing cards flew towards him, obscuring a large area, leaving Li Jia Yi nowhere to dodge.
Li Jia Yi could only reluctantly raise his tower shield, blocking the incoming cards.
This round of wits and battle ended in a draw. When the radiance dissipated, Bai Ye unhesitatingly charged forward again.
Li Jia Yi used his tower shield to block Bai Ye's attack, rapidly retreating. But at that very moment…
Bai Ye suddenly curved his lips into a smile!
"That tower shield…" Bai Ye said, "It's heavy, isn't it?"
Li Jia Yi's heart sank. Immediately, he saw Bai Ye disappear from his front and flank him with a sidestep.
*Pfft!*
The Frost Condensation Sword thrust out, piercing Li Jia Yi's side.
Li Jia Yi gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, and retreated while urging the Twin Suns and Moon blades to strike Bai Ye again.
Sensing the whistling wind from behind, Bai Ye released his sword hilt and leaped up, spinning his leg to kick the Twin Suns and Moon blades away. He landed, twisted his ankle sharply, turned back to face forward, and kicked the hilt of the Frost Condensation Sword.