SWORD OF FLAME

Death of Li Xue

Fang Yun was visibly stunned and confused by what had just happened. He immediately pulled aside the clothes covering his left waist. His eyes widened and his mouth hung open in disbelief when he saw the wound had completely healed.

Li Xue, witnessing this, was just as shocked and awed. She hadn't expected that her most potent poison would have no effect on the young man before her.

Li Xue's confidence began to fade, her spirit deflating like her overly powdered face.

"Let us continue our fight!" Fang Yun declared with a serious expression. He then moved swiftly, launching strikes at every opening in his opponent's defenses.

His confidence surged as he realized the poison could not harm him. He gathered a large amount of inner energy into his hand, ready to end the battle.

"Without Form Strike!" he shouted.

Li Xue assumed he would use the same technique as before and turned around to guard her back. But she was wrong again—Fang Yun did not change his strike direction.

Thud!

"Aaaargh!"

Li Xue was thrown far forward, crashing into a large sturdy tree. Her body fell limp to the ground, her skull shattered.

"Li Xue!!!"

A voice screamed out—Su Ji.

Su Ji rushed to the lifeless body of his partner, cradling her one last time. Sorrow and rage were clearly etched on his tear-streaked face.

He gently lowered Li Xue's body and turned toward Fang Yun, who stood motionless.

"You must pay for Li Xue's death!"

"Why blame me? She attacked first. Am I not allowed to defend myself?" Fang Yun replied, feeling no guilt.

"Excuses! If you had handed over the girl peacefully, none of this would have happened. A life must be repaid with a life!"

Rather than respond, Fang Yun walked away nonchalantly.

"Stop! Don’t you dare run from me!"

Fang Yun stopped and turned. He saw Su Ji charging toward him with a piercing glare and a green snake-headed sword in hand. While others might have cowered, Fang Yun stared back arrogantly.

"Looks like you need a doctor for your eyes. I’m clearly walking, yet you accuse me of running."

"Lizard scum! I’ll kill you!" Su Ji roared, pointing his blade at Fang Yun.

A second later, Su Ji launched a furious assault, combining all his techniques. Fang Yun dodged skillfully, leaped toward Li Xue’s body, and grabbed her fallen sword just in time to block Su Ji’s blade aiming for his throat.

"Bastard! Give that sword back!"

"Oh please! Is it fair for you to fight with a sword while I use bare hands? What kind of warrior are you?"

"Return it now!"

"Come and get it, if you can!"

Frustrated, Su Ji attacked again. His movements were sharper and more precise than Li Xue's. Though less experienced, Fang Yun countered with speed and managed to deflect Su Ji’s strikes and even landed a few quick jabs.

Fang Yun used Li Xue’s sword to target Su Ji’s stomach and quickly aimed for the neck, but Su Ji deflected it. Fang Yun followed up with a kick to the abdomen but retreated instantly as Su Ji’s sword swung toward his thigh.

"You’re quite skilled, lizard punk!"

"Thanks. That must mean you're not, old lizard!"

"Damn you! DIE!" Su Ji screamed and charged.

Fang Yun recalled Fei Hung’s teachings—use your enemy’s weakness as your strength. He aimed to exploit Su Ji’s rage.

"Come on, old snake! Struggling against a mere brat?"

Su Ji ignored the taunt and prepared his next technique. His body shook violently as green, foul-smelling smoke began to seep from his skin.

"This technique will turn you into a corpse in seconds, brat!"

Su Ji lunged again. The stench from the smoke overwhelmed Fang Yun, making him dizzy and sluggish.

"This reeks," he muttered. The more he inhaled, the heavier his head felt.

Su Ji laughed, "Breathe it in, brat! Inhale the poison of the serpent!"

"Damn it... the smoke is toxic!"

Recalling how his right hand had healed his poisoned wound before, Fang Yun pressed his glowing red palm to his nose. The light traveled through his nostrils and into his lungs.

A turmoil stirred inside his body until he vomited thick, greenish-black fluid with a foul odor.

Gradually, the dizziness vanished and his body regained its vitality.

"My turn now, old snake! Feel your own poison!"

Su Ji couldn’t believe his ultimate poison was neutralized so easily. Who was this boy?

Fang Yun unleashed Quiet Wind and paired it with the Sea of Fire sword technique. Su Ji was quickly overwhelmed. No matter how fast he moved, Fang Yun outpaced him.

Cuts began to appear all over Su Ji’s body. Blood soaked his clothes.

"Damn it! At this rate, I’ll lose," he thought.

He considered using the Twin Serpent Ambush formation, a technique he once mastered with Li Xue. But now, he had to improvise alone.

Su Ji moved his sword in snake-like patterns.

Fang Yun smiled and stepped into the attack. Sparks flew as their blades clashed repeatedly.

Exhausted, both fighters pushed their limits. Fang Yun tapped into a bit of the Fire God's energy to stay agile.

He thought about combining Without Form Strike with a sword.

"I have to try it!"

He suddenly leapt back and, using his right leg to launch forward, attempted his improvised move.

"Without Form Sword Strike!"

Su Ji was baffled as Fang Yun slashed at empty air, far from him.

Fang Yun grimaced, seeing no result.

"Good thing Qiang Mo isn’t here. That crazy spirit would laugh me to death."

Unwilling to give up, he channeled his inner energy into Li Xue’s sword.

"Without Form Sword Strike!"

Su Ji, assuming Fang Yun had gone mad, ignored the attack as the boy slashed at thin air...