I'm about to be struck down. My heart jolts as the Sevenstar Abyss, gleaming with its eerie green light, flashes before my eyes.
With a rush of breath, I hover in midair, watching Xu Fu's back as he swings his sword. The me before his eyes vanishes like a shadow.
"Do you want to die, Ethan Zhang? Powerful swords all possess a sword spirit. What you just saw was merely the aura of two swords colliding, materializing as an image because of your instincts."
I swallowed hard. With a thunderous crash, the pile of rubble in Xu Fu's direction was instantly destroyed by a violent surge of energy. Sand and stones flew, leaving a clear trail where everything had been swept aside.
My impression of Xu Fu completely changed. He'd always seemed like a frail doctor, but this time, I was utterly mistaken.
"So it seems you aren't just skilled at tempting people's hearts."
I joked, and the illusion slowly turned around. His eyes were now entirely red, and his smile was twisted and sinister.
"In the endless years of this world, if you don't want to fall behind, you pursue power—any kind of power, as long as it can kill your enemies. Swordsmanship, in every era, was forged for killing."
Defeating Xu Fu is almost impossible, but I still want to keep swinging my sword against him. I've noticed many things—every strike from his sword, every angle and position, is cunning and powerful. It looks chaotic, yet it's incredibly effective. This kind of sword can kill quickly.
One sword alone won't be enough.
I smiled, raising Belle in my hand. Then, in my left hand, a swirl of black and white began to spill out, intertwining until a sword, clear as night and day and identical to Belle, appeared.
"Dual swords, huh? Heh."
With a roar, I swept in front of Xu Fu, brandishing my twin swords and pressing down hard on him. Xu Fu dodged in an instant, and Deathbane Aura surged from all around me, crushing the spot where he had just stood.
With a crack, Deathbane Aura splashed uncontrollably in front of me, like two colliding currents.
"You're not suited for this nimble fighting style, Ethan Zhang."
Xu Fu appeared at my left side. Seeing the glow of Sevenstar Abyss, I immediately raised the Deathbane sword I'd conjured in my left hand to block.
With a clang, followed by a sharp crack, the Deathbane sword split with a web of fractures—powerful force already crashing toward me.
"No matter how tenacious, Deathbane Aura is always formless. Without a Wraith Armament, you can't block my Sevenstar Abyss."
With a swish, I crashed to the ground. One arm flew high into the air—I gritted my teeth, sweat the size of beans dripping from my cheeks.
Xu Fu stood in midair, gripping my severed arm in his left hand. His eyes were cold and merciless. With a snap, my arm exploded instantly, turning into a mess of flesh.