Ye Qiu felt the threat of death.
It was the same sensation he’d experienced facing Miyamoto Musashi years ago.
“You’re strong, but unfortunately, you met me.”
Fearless, Ye Qiu swung the Emperor Sword.
Instantly, a dazzling burst of sharpness erupted.
Ye Qiu’s entire being transformed, his body radiating golden light, like a deity, inviolable.
“Hmph, even with your trump card, you can’t escape death.”
The young man’s blade descended swiftly, accompanied by endless blade light.
Just as Ye Qiu seemed about to be engulfed by the blade light, his figure vanished from the young man’s sight.
Where did he go?
The young man froze.
How could a living person disappear without a trace?
Even with his ninjutsu, he’d leave some mark, but Ye Qiu left nothing.
What’s more, Ye Qiu vanished under the blade light’s coverage—utterly illogical.
This hesitation weakened the blade light’s momentum by a third.
The strike relied on unyielding conviction; any wavering in resolve affected its power.
“Since you’re hiding, I’ll kill your friends first.”
The blazing blade light shifted, aiming for Master Longbrow and Xiao Zhan.
But at that moment, a sword qi abruptly appeared behind the young man.
“I knew you wouldn’t abandon your friends.”
A cruel smile flashed in the young man’s eyes as he spun, redirecting his blade.
Unbeknownst to him, this turn weakened the blade light by another third.
Whether it’s a blade, sword, or fist, power peaks when pressed forward relentlessly. Constantly changing direction inevitably slows speed and strength.
After turning, the young man saw no sign of Ye Qiu, only a sword qi that appeared from nowhere.
The blade light shattered it instantly.
“Where is he?”
As the young man puzzled, another sword qi came from the side, forcing him to redirect his blade again.
Pfft!
The sword qi shattered, still no Ye Qiu.
Swish, swish, swish!
Sword qi kept assailing the young man.
One after another, he sliced them apart.
“Mere tricks, pathetic.”
The young man scoffed, dismissing the sword qi, unaware his blade light had weakened significantly.
Even his aura had diminished.
“Looking for me? I’m right here.”
Ye Qiu’s figure appeared behind the young man.
The young man spun, only to see a golden fist.
Ye Qiu’s punch rocketed toward him.
“Courting death.” The young man slashed at Ye Qiu’s fist.
Clang!
The blade struck the fist, erupting in a thunderous roar.
A thrilled grin spread across the young man’s face. He didn’t believe anyone could block his blade with a fist.
But his smile froze.
After striking Ye Qiu’s fist, a massive force rebounded, sending him and his blade flying.
“Ah…”
The young man screamed, hurtling back, spitting blood.
“Once your fighting spirit wanes, you’re no match for me,” Ye Qiu said, smiling at the airborne young man.
Earlier, he’d found the young man’s strike too formidable, sparking a competitive urge to meet it head-on with Peerless Sword Art.
But he quickly realized that was foolish.
Even if he killed the young man in a direct clash, he’d be injured.
Why not use strategy instead?
So, Ye Qiu used an invisibility spell to dodge the blade light, then unleashed Six Meridians Divine Sword to harass the young man.
He knew the sword qi couldn’t harm a master like the young man, let alone kill him. The sole purpose was to disrupt him.
Combat power and aura must be sustained in one burst, or they weaken with each interruption.
Ye Qiu’s harassment aimed to sap the young man’s strength and momentum.
Plus, the Six Meridians Divine Sword allowed long-range attacks, keeping Ye Qiu safely out of the blade light’s reach.
When the timing was right, Ye Qiu struck with a fist.
With the young man’s aura and strength diminished, and his samurai sword no divine weapon, Ye Qiu had no fear.
Besides, punching someone felt great.
“Boom!”
The young man crashed to the ground, his body like a broken frame, riddled with severe internal injuries and several broken bones.
Before he could rise, Ye Qiu’s fist came again.
The young man gritted his teeth, slashing at Ye Qiu.
But gravely injured, he was no match, and was sent flying again.
“Strange, how did his combat power drop so fast?”
At this level, even injured, a master should retain seventy to eighty percent of their strength.
Yet Ye Qiu noticed the young man’s power was half what it was.
“I get it. That earlier strike drained him, like when I used the Grass Sword Technique and exhausted my strength.”
Striding toward the young man, Ye Qiu grinned, “Looks like the one saying goodbye to this world isn’t me, but you.”
The young man’s face was grim, fear creeping in.
“Spare me, I don’t want the Nine-Leaf Golden Lotus,” he pleaded.
He knew begging as a samurai was shameful, but he didn’t want to die here.
He was young, a genius of the Umekawa family, with ten streams of true qi. Soon, he could become a cultivator, revered by many.
Most crucially, he hadn’t married his beloved.
Thinking of his junior sister’s long black hair, beautiful face, fair skin, and graceful figure…
He refused to die.
Plus, he wanted to return one day, after growing stronger, to avenge this humiliation.
“Pfft!”
Before he finished, Ye Qiu’s Emperor Sword sent him flying, blood spurting.
Ye Qiu sneered, “You were so tough earlier, vowing to kill me. Now, beaten and scared, you beg for mercy?”
“Where’s your samurai spirit?”
“Please, this is a life-or-death fight, not a child’s game. Don’t be naive.”
“And as a conscientious Chinese, I’ll never go easy on a little Japanese punk.”
Boom!
Ye Qiu raised the Emperor Sword, smashing it down on the young man.
Instantly, the young man’s body was pulped, a bloody mess.
At that moment, a rich fragrance filled the air, overwhelming and intoxicating.
The Nine-Leaf Golden Lotus had ripened!
