Dense cracks spread across the ground, and gray-brown tendrils whipped out from the fissures like dancing lashes. Basil Bertram darted among these roots, clearly intent on avoiding contact. He kept closing the distance toward Lord Shenyan.
Suddenly, Lord Shenyan charged right up to Basil Bertram. All the tendrils around him abruptly shifted, forming pillar-like barriers that completely surrounded Lord Shenyan, his figure vanishing into a cluster of thick, gray-brown roots.
With a thunderous boom, a streak of fiery red light pierced through the dense mass of gray-brown tendrils. Magma-like crimson liquid erupted forth, and I glimpsed a flash of red. Lord Shenyan broke free from his restraints, thrusting the Sinblade toward Basil Bertram.
Two sharp cracks rang out as black tendrils suddenly extended from Basil Bertram's hands, lashing toward Lord Shenyan. The left tendril looped around and instantly coiled around Lord Shenyan's sword, while the other circled widely around him, slowly tightening.
With a whoosh, Lord Shenyan yanked his left hand, pulling both himself and his sword toward Basil Bertram. The outer ring of black tendrils instantly closed in.
Lord Shenyan suddenly spun in midair, twisting against the tendrils' grip. His right hand drew a circle with the sword, and with a sweep, he flipped forward and lunged with the blade. In the instant the outer black tendrils closed, he slipped through a gap and shot out.
A metallic clang rang out as Lord Shenyan slashed the sword toward Basil Bertram's head, but Basil's black tendrils blocked the blow. Meanwhile, the gray-brown roots outside kept gathering closer.
Thin, elongated tendrils branched out from the black roots, slowly winding around Lord Shenyan's arm and crawling up his body.
"Looks like things are getting complicated!"
Redmond suddenly stood up. Judging by his expression, he seemed to know what was about to happen next. Lord Shenyan's swordsmanship was formidable, but against Basil Bertram, he appeared to struggle, as if his strength couldn't be fully unleashed.
Gradually, Lord Shenyan's body became completely entwined in black tendrils. The tendril that had tightened earlier now shot over and bound his feet, lifting him into the air before Basil Bertram. The black roots constricted tighter and tighter, while the gray-brown roots from the periphery twisted together, forming massive new tendrils.
I could hear the creaking clearly as the roots tightened. Lord Shenyan's face darkened, black tendrils creeping across his skin.
Suddenly, Lord Shenyan released the Sinblade from his grasp. With a sharp whistle, the Sinblade flashed a fiery red and shot straight at Basil Bertram's head, leaving a burning trail in its wake. Basil twisted aside just in time—boom!—a burst of blazing red erupted in a violent explosion.
A large chunk was torn from Basil Bertram's shoulder, blood and flesh mangled. Lord Shenyan grabbed the black vines with both hands, tearing them off himself bit by bit. Seizing the moment when Basil's control faltered, he broke free, waving his arms to whip the lingering flames like lashes, sending a fiery serpent surging toward Basil Bertram.
Suddenly, I saw Lord Shenyan twist his hands into a strange gesture. With a metallic clang, the Sinblade stabbed into the ground. The fire lashed at Lord Shenyan but instantly split like water, scattering in clumps across the ground, the flames burning ever redder.
The flying tendrils swept toward Lord Shenyan from all directions.
"Crimson Lotus Inferno..."
The small flames scattered across the ground suddenly sprouted new streams of fire. In an instant, the flames turned a deep crimson and merged, forming a blooming Crimson Lotus before my eyes. Its petals unfurled one by one, and the attacking roots were instantly reduced to nothing.
"So eager to use that move, Lord Shenyan? Heh, I suppose this is the only way. The outcome may already be decided."
Redmond burst out laughing at the side. Suddenly, I felt a chill—icy yet blazing—sweep over me. The sky above us was tinged with crimson, and a gigantic Crimson Lotus had fully bloomed.
All the nearby tendrils had turned pitch black, gradually crumbling into ash and vanishing. Thunder rumbled as Lord Shenyan sat cross-legged in midair, raising his hands. That strange gesture slowly closed, and then his palms pressed together—snap!—in an instant, Lord Shenyan formed a Buddhist mudra.
"Crimson Lotus Hellfire... Purify..."
At the center of the Crimson Lotus, I saw a patch of black—it seemed to be Basil Bertram, still resisting Lord Shenyan's Hellfire. I watched closely, my eyes turning gold; I could see clearly the Hellfire surging and weaving, intent on melting Basil Bertram away completely.
At this moment, Basil Bertram was wrapped head to toe in black tendrils, like armor covering his entire body. Gradually, they formed a spherical shell, enclosing Basil completely within.
A humming sound filled the air as the Sinblade embedded in the ground beneath Basil Bertram's feet began to vibrate. Flames erupted from the massive Crimson Lotus before us, and as they touched the ground, they instantly formed flower buds that slowly unfurled into petals—fiery red lotuses spreading all around the giant lotus.
A huge, fiery red swastika appeared beneath Lord Shenyan. I felt my Shadow Realm begin to tremble, growing dangerously unstable.
"Zhang Qingyuan, what are you staring at? Hurry and reinforce your Shadow Realm! Do you want to get hurt?"
Ouyang Meng shot me a disgruntled look and muttered. With a whoosh, the Deathbane Ghost standing beside me darted toward the base of the apartment building, vanishing into the ground. Instantly, I felt my strength drain away, nearly unable to stand. The Spirit Snake and Yin Ghost each grabbed one of my arms to steady me.
The four Ghost Sovereigns still watched quietly as the number of Crimson Lotuses kept growing. I wasn't sure what would happen next, but one thing was clear—Basil Bertram's situation was dire.
Gradually, the spherical mass of black tendrils began to dissolve. Lord Shenyan seemed to be waiting for the right moment, and suddenly he stretched out his left hand. Another ghostly black ruler sword appeared in his grip.
With a roar, Lord Shenyan bellowed as he prepared to charge into the massive Crimson Lotus. Suddenly, a black tendril shot up from the ground beneath him. Though caught off guard, Lord Shenyan quickly leaned back, but the tendril pierced straight through his right palm with a sickening rip.
Instantly, the giant Crimson Lotus at the center began to destabilize, its form collapsing. Gritting his teeth, Lord Shenyan hurled the black ruler sword at Basil Bertram.
With two sharp cracks, the black tendrils coiled around Basil Bertram's body suddenly unraveled. Dozens of dense tendrils sprang up behind him like sharpened spears, all thrusting toward Lord Shenyan in unison.
With a tearing sound, the black ruler sword pierced Basil Bertram's chest, but the dense tendrils also struck at Lord Shenyan. As the Crimson Lotus vanished, Lord Shenyan leapt aside, but his left side was riddled with wounds.
Watching all this unfold from the rooftop, I was overwhelmed with excitement, hot energy surging from deep within me.
"I almost couldn't hold on, Lord Shenyan. You were too impatient, trying to defeat me in one blow."
Blood kept spilling from the corner of Basil Bertram's mouth. With a rustling sound, the black tendrils retracted. Lord Shenyan landed on the ground, half his body mangled and bloody. Basil Bertram also hit the ground, grimacing as he struggled to pull the ruler sword from his chest, tossing it toward Lord Shenyan. Then, with a wave, a tendril wrapped around the Sinblade and flung it at Lord Shenyan as well.
Lord Shenyan raised his right hand and caught the ruler sword, then slowly stood and flicked it lightly. The Sinblade spun around the ruler sword before embedding itself in the ground. Lord Shenyan gripped the Sinblade with his recovered left hand.
Both men's wounds gradually healed, and before long, they had mostly recovered. However, their strength had dropped sharply.
"That's enough of the contest of realms, Basil Bertram. From here on, it's a real sword fight. Can you withstand both my blades?"
As Lord Shenyan spoke, he lifted both swords slightly. Basil Bertram shook his head.
"I can't guarantee I can withstand both your blades. No one in the ghostly arts of the living world has ever managed that! But your power loss is far worse than mine, so the advantage is split. Right now, I'm not inferior to you. After all, you used that move just to make the duel fairer."
Lord Shenyan said nothing, his gaze sharpening. Ji Yuner clapped her hands and burst out laughing.
"Interesting, I need to steal a few tricks."
Ji Yuner immediately stood up and leaned over the edge of the rooftop, watching intently.
"Heh, Ji Yuner, back when Lord Shenyan taught us swordsmanship, didn't you say it was boring? Said it was nothing special—so why now..."
"Shut your filthy mouth, Redmond. You don't use weapons, so of course you don't get it. I just thought it wasn't any fun back then. That guy was so stiff and rigid, I couldn't stand it."