Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Seeing that Shi Wuchen had not held anything back in launching his attack, Kong Luoyue rose to the challenge as well. His wrists flicked, the onyx Stealth Marker went up and down respectively and reflected each other’s dark gleam; he seemed to have camouflaged himself, blending into the dark, creating a stark contrast against the spreading autumn sky.
The sight was like a ghost melting into the dark night, as natural as nature itself. There were only two ghoulish, glinting specks that seemed like the last embers of the night, blinking and flickering ceaselessly.
Then, Shi Wuchen sprung up with his sword shining in the air. A swathe of autumn chill cut the space open like a gushing waterfall, and as it landed, its speed triggered the wind of fall that billowed across the field.
Halfway through the technique, the sword light turned into an overwhelming autumn rain that showered the ring completely, becoming a wide-ranged mass attack.
There was a saying that real experts could along always tell the truth. The Demiurge-Flawed Ten, who were making noise about eliminating Shi Wuchen from the Nine Supremes, looked serious now that they saw this technique of his. They did not expect Shi Wuchen’s swordsmanship to have developed to such an astonishing level, largely exceeding their initial estimations.
The sword intent was brimming. It was at this point that Shi Wuchen finally spoke, “Kong Luoyue, I’d like to see how many techniques of mine you can take on when you’re so full of yourself about having a killer weapon. This is the first sword style of Dreary Misery, Enveloping Fall After Summer. I don’t mind telling you, this form is called the Start of Autumn!”
Kong Luoyue maintained a straight face as he turned into a cloudy fog like a ghost, abruptly creating a hundred feet of distance between him and Shi Wuchen. Mist gushed as the two black glimmers of the Stealth Marker raced outwards, transforming into two high and low black rivers midway. The rivers were flowing rapidly, with turbulence chasing after water, and finally, they soared into the sky, blocking the autumn rain and wind like it was retaliating against them.
At the same time, a cold voice rang out. “The gate of hell opens, the river of darkness flows!”
The rising autumn vibes and the ghoulish fog intensified once more with two soft clangs. For an area of a hundred feet where the pair fought, the forces escalated, covering five hundred feet of space. There was even a green-robed silhouette that sprung up like a projectile.
It was Shi Wuchen, becoming one with his sword, charging towards the clouds with unnatural swiftness.
As Shi Wuchen’s sword light shone across the sky, two dots of gleaming light chased from below; it was like two lights of hell that had never gone out flickering in the river of the underworld, looking more intimidating than it had before.
Everyone’s attention was on the battling duo. They watched as the escalating sword light unfurled in the sky, turning into dots of stars and falling in a fan-shaped formation. The stars then transformed into a sky full of frost as they fell halfway through!
“Relentless autumn chills, raindrops, and frost! Take this form of mine, White Dew!”
The delivery of another tyrannizing attack caused the dark tidal river of hell to draw back. With a drawn-out howl, Kong Luoyue’s dark form shot out like an arrow; he was avoiding the attack at an incredible speed but the two rays of chilling gleams in his hands spun instantly in countering Shi Wuchen’s sword style.
“Look back from the Homeward Terrace in Hell!”
“Look back once more!”
“Take a step on the Homeward Terrace and look back thrice!”
The ghoulish Stealth Marker churned continuously and transformed once again into an upward flowing river of darkness. The water was tidal, accompanied by a massive cloud of fog. The overall aura seemed stronger than Shi Wuchen’s autumn-styled sword forms.
As they spectated the match, Dong Qitian shook his head and Yun Yang frowned while the eight Demiurge-Flawed looked sympathizing. The winner could already be guessed from here as Kong Luoyue was already on the losing side.
Although the current situation was still stable for the pair, and Kong Luoyue even had a slight upper hand by doing a combination of three forms, what was the actual state of things?
Shi Wuchen had only executed two forms up to now, using Start of Autumn and White Dew of his Tri-Autumn swords art. He had yet to perform techniques in mid-autumn and depth of autumn. Yet, Kong Luoyue had already countered with four forms.
What was happening currently was one thing but Kong Luoyue was already in a passive state based on their individual skill repertoire.
This was discernible, not only to Dong Qitian and Yun Yang but the rest of the Demiurge-Flawed Ten as well, thus they had an approximate judgment towards the battle.
As was expected, Shi Wuchen’s sword light flickered as it formed a siege from top and bottom. Immediately, there was another ray of chilling glint that tore out of thin air from the center and ambushed Kong Luoyue.
“Autumn that separates heaven and earth! Autumnal Equinox!”
The icy gleam birthed a sword that came from the flow between the heaven and earth; spearing through the air; not only had it pierced Kong Luoyue’s thick fog, but it also went straight for his throat.
In spite of it, the flying sword had subtly halted all of a sudden right before it reached Kong Luoyue. The tip of the sword fell a centimeter lower, slightly missing the predetermined aim.
Kong Luoyue’s crisscrossed Stealth Marker was gearing up for an attack, a frightening ghost head still in the process due to a lack of force, but the halt of Shi Wuchen’s sword, a hair’s breadth of tilt from its tip, gave him an opportunity. Kong Luoyue’s eyes were shining as he took in a deep breath riding on the time he was given; the skull that was formed dissipated instead as he cried out, “Let’s do this!”
The Stealth Marker welcomed the attack head-on, colliding against the incoming Tri-Autumn Sword in the most direct and explosive way. A boom could be heard, green cloth could be seen fluttering; Shi Wuchen tumbled outwards and landed softly while Kong Luoyue drew thirty feet back, wobbling, unable to gain his footing.
There was a sense of gladness that flashed across Shi Wuchen’s gaze.
Kong Luoyue stabilized himself as he smiled bitterly, raising his head and announced grimly, “I’ve lost.”
“You haven’t used your Stealth Marker’s needles. Won’t you regret if you admit defeat?” Shi Wuchen asked after a moment of silence, to which Kong Luoyue replied angrily, “You can stop gloating. We know the match. Are you amazing now that you’re a tiny bit better than me? So what if I used the Stealth Needles? So you get severely injured and I get killed?”
Shi Wuchen laughed. “Brother, this elder brother acknowledges your favor.”
“Who wants your acknowledgment?” Kong Luoyue pouted.
As he spoke, the Stealth Marker that he had already pulled back to his grasp vanished with a flick of his wrist. He turned and walked back, talking loudly, “F*ck this, I lost! Yituo actually got so much stronger than before? This doesn’t make sense!”
The rest of the Heaven-Demiurge Ten laughed. “Still criticizing Yituo now when you can’t even defeat him!”
The group became rowdy with laughter and chatter.
A smile hung itself on Yun Yang’s face, comfort filling him.
Shi Wuchen had undoubtedly taken the upper hand in the match. Everyone could see it. However, if they were to fight with their lives, Kong Luoyue might not be the losing one. Once he were to use the Stealth Needles, the worst-case scenario would be a heavily injured Shi Wuchen and a dead Kong Luoyue.
There would be another more probable consequence – both of them would die together!
Kong Luoyue gave up on his trump card that he had long planned for, the Stealth Needles, during the final moment when the result was decided. It could be said that he showed mercy, holding himself back. Yet, Shi Wuchen had also done the same in the last second, never fully launching his ultimate kill and pulling back his punches even earlier.
