Within the sky-scorching inferno, Luo Yue's face was devoid of emotion as he raised his long spear and surged forward with an imposing presence.
"Hah!" With a furious roar, the spear transformed into a streak of light and crashed down towards Chu Xingchen.
Chu Xingchen's expression was calm. He raised the Wan Bian, which had taken the form of a longsword, and met Luo Yue's overwhelming momentum without hesitation, slashing his own blade upward.
BOOM!
The two figures flickered within the sea of fire, and even the simplest of their clashes seemed capable of annihilating everything.
Frightening aftershocks wreaked havoc.
Yet, the shockwaves that could have leveled countless mountains failed to even stir the flames here.
The two combatants, locked in their duel, appeared to be fighting with intense fervor, but both were carefully guarding against treacherous moves, still probing each other for weaknesses.
It seemed perilous, but neither had yet committed everything to the fight.
But within the flames, the small flower spirit, who bore a resemblance to Luo Yue, was truly at the end of its rope.
The small flower spirit cried out with all its might, only to meet the merciless flames.
All around fell silent.
Until several figures materialized, their bodies glowing with fire-prevention talismans.
Their purpose was clear. With joyful expressions on their faces, they strode towards the small flower spirit, still struggling to escape amidst the raging flames in the central prefecture.
A shimmering yellow cloth cage shot directly towards the small flower spirit.
The inferno that burned the sky seemed to have consumed the flower spirit's last strength, or perhaps it had long since been exhausted, and thus could not dodge the yellow cage.
Just as it could not escape its fate.
Though the fight was still in the probing phase, Chu Xingchen was still able to use the Wan Bian to press Luo Yue.
The grade of the Wan Bian was ridiculously high; at least during each pure clash of treasures, it held a complete advantage, nearly fully suppressing the long spear.
On top of that, Luo Yue's use of spiritual energy was remarkably stingy, relying solely on the experience gained from its long life to make up for the gap.
A sword intent rose, a flash of swordlight passed like a drop of water falling into a still pond, creating ripples upon ripples.
Only, what this sword cut open was space.
Luo Yue's long spear gleamed as he faced the sword that was before him in an instant. He could only pour everything he had into the defense.
His expression was extremely grave. Chu Xingchen's cultivation level was exceptionally high. While his divine ability cultivation could only be considered preliminary, its grade was too high. Even without reaching perfection, its power could not be underestimated.
The main issue was that the divine weapon was too formidable, possessing a sense of being fundamental to all things.
It was as if… it was the Dao.
Chu Xingchen's only weakness was his lack of proficiency in brutal combat, which could be described as somewhat rusty.
He had likely always won by overwhelming force, perhaps never even encountering a worthy opponent.
This weakness should have been Luo Yue's key to victory, but this man was far too… timid!
No matter how many openings Luo Yue presented, Chu Xingchen refused to take the bait.
He was unwilling to risk anything at all, adopting a stance of winning simply by outlasting his opponent.
But this was precisely Luo Yue's fatal flaw.
The spiritual energy it could command was not great to begin with.
Especially when faced with an unavoidable attack of this caliber.
Luo Yue could only use the long spear and his own body to block. It had no more spiritual energy left.
The spear turned into a streak of light to meet the blow.
Luo Yue felt the terrifying power fed back from the spear, the surging of space, and the pain of the energy tearing through its meager defenses, cutting into its being.
Just as Chu Xingchen, having caught Luo Yue's disheveled state, was preparing to press his advantage, he stopped his movements.
An illusion surged forth.
The flames vanished, and the scene churned and shifted.
Under the moonlight, amidst the countless mountains, countless spirits of all kinds rose to their feet, their gazes fixed on the spirit at the forefront—the young Luo Yue.
Luo Yue's expression was filled with hatred as he pointed his long spear at the dozen or so figures before him.
The spirits behind him surged in response, their momentum magnificent.
Yet the dozen figures before them only revealed mocking smiles.
Luo Yue raised his spear and charged forward. The next moment, the scene froze.
The mocking men, the spirits filled with righteous indignation.
But the young Luo Yue did not stop. Instead, he turned and charged directly at Chu Xingchen.
The young Luo Yue's expression was one of extreme fury. He disregarded everything as he rushed towards Chu Xingchen, his long spear seeming to pierce space as it thrust towards him.
Chu Xingchen could sense that long spear, and the imposing aura it radiated.
However, compared to the Luo Yue of today, it seemed incredibly naive.
Chu Xingchen casually raised his sword and struck, and the furious young Luo Yue was cut down and fell to the ground.
"Is this your memory?"
Chu Xingchen's gaze shifted to Luo Yue, whose left arm's battle armor had shattered and fallen away, and from whose left shoulder spiritual energy was now beginning to dissipate.
A piece of its left shoulder was gone, though what flowed from it was not blood, but spiritual energy. Luo Yue had withstood this divine ability, but it had paid a sufficient price.
Luo Yue gripped his long spear, his gaze sweeping across the group of motionless spirits.
He wanted to look, yet dared not.
He should have died there as well.
Chu Xingchen stood in the air and spoke directly:
"We don't necessarily have to fight to the death. Even if you defeat me, what then? There is no place for you in the outside world anymore. This is not the world from a thousand years ago."
"If we don't fight to the death… then there will be no place for us at all. Are you saying we should trust you instead?"
Luo Yue raised his spear, his figure flashing towards Chu Xingchen:
"My debt is not yet repaid! I promised them their homeland has not yet been restored!"
To this end, it had already resorted to every means possible.
Deception, lies, theft, murder and robbery.
It had done it all. It had deceived humans, and even deceived monsters.
For all of this, it had even paid with its own life, trapped here for who knows how many years, all for the homeland it had once promised.
Luo Yue raised his spear and charged forward, launching a suicidal assault on Chu Xingchen.
Spiritual energy churned around him, and in a flash of light from his long spear, it was already before Chu Xingchen.
A pure white light shone, piercing the sky and the night of the illusion.
Chu Xingchen looked directly into Luo Yue's eyes. He understood what Luo Yue was thinking now—if he cannot succeed, then he will meet his death.
He raised the longsword in his hand, and the Flowing Sword Intent manifested.
Facing Luo Yue, who attacked but did not defend, Chu Xingchen struck down with the Wan Bian.
——————
On the walls of Wan Hua City.
Everyone looked towards the Flower Ridge with tense expressions, waiting for the outcome.
San Dong pressed close to Li Yingling, gazing together into the distance at the Wan Hua Ridge it knew best.
It understood nothing, only wondering why the Wan Hua Ridge, where it had lived for so long, had become so dangerous.
"Can San Dong still go back?"
It looked up at Li Yingling and asked in a small voice.
Li Yingling looked down at San Dong.
"That is San Dong's only home."
Before Li Yingling could respond, San Dong quickly explained.
"It's okay." Li Yingling reached out and stroked San Dong's little cheek, her expression serious.
"No matter what happens, San Dong can always go back. I promise you."
Even if everything collapses, even if everything turns to nothingness.
Li Yingling would rebuild Wan Hua Ridge for San Dong, no matter the cost.
Because if the Flower Ridge was gone, then the one at fault would be Li Yingling. She was the one who had disturbed the peaceful Wan Hua Ridge, who had disturbed San Dong.
She would bear everything.
Because San Dong was her friend.
Because this was San Dong's only home.
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