SWORD OF FLAME

Fang Yun vs Li Xue

Fang Yun leapt backward to avoid Li Xue’s kick while still crouching on the ground.

“Mercy, Auntie... please don’t hit me!”

Because her kick missed, and the young man had once again escaped, Li Xue launched another kick aimed directly at Fang Yun’s head.

Quickly, he threw himself into a bowing position, and her kick sliced through the air just above his back.

“Mercyyyyy, Auntie...!”

“Damn it! Twice you’ve gotten lucky, boy!” Li Xue growled, swinging her leg again toward Fang Yun’s back.

With agility, Fang Yun responded first—delivering a sweeping kick that struck Li Xue’s left leg, sending her tumbling to the ground.

Fang Yun immediately stood up and began hopping and laughing as he saw Li Xue’s face now covered in dust.

Li Xue stood up, cursing furiously. She could no longer contain her exploding rage.

“Lizard scum! Sewer rat! So you actually know martial arts too?! You’ll die today...!”

She charged at Fang Yun with incredible speed. Her combination of punches and relentless kicks forced Fang Yun to remain on full alert. He knew he was still inexperienced compared to the woman now attacking him.

He kept dodging while studying her movements. Occasionally, he feigned a counterattack—but never with full speed, deliberately letting her feel superior.

This was a trick he’d learned from Fei Hung, a peerless warrior who had tasted every bitter and sweet flavor of the martial world.

Li Xue felt increasingly confident. She believed she would soon teach this cocky young man a painful lesson for ruining her makeup by smashing her face into the dirt.

“Ah, she always leaves an opening when she attacks,” Fang Yun thought to himself with a smile.

Li Xue continued attacking wildly. As one of the elite warriors of the black sect, she was no joke. Every strike she delivered carried a dangerous poison. That became obvious when her claw grazed a banana tree that happened to be nearby—when Fang Yun dodged.

The banana tree instantly blackened where it was scratched, and its leaves withered, drying up in mere seconds.

Fang Yun shuddered at the sight. He didn’t even want to imagine what would happen if those poisoned claws touched his skin. He would probably dry up and die in minutes.

“No... I don’t want to die yet! I’m not even married!” he screamed inwardly.

He became even more alert, especially watching out for her claws. He narrowly avoided another swipe aimed at his head and countered with a punch to her exposed left shoulder.

“AAAKH!”

Li Xue cried out as the punch landed squarely on her shoulder joint.

“You’ll pay for that!” she growled, her eyes wide with fury. Fang Yun, meanwhile, puckered his lips mockingly as if sympathizing with her pain.

“Two to nothing, hehehe!” he taunted.

The poisonous woman pulled the sword from her back, growing even more furious at being mocked.

Without hesitation, Li Xue slashed at Fang Yun’s abdomen. He jumped back and tried to reach for his own sword, usually strapped behind him.

But his hand grasped nothing.

“Grandpa… I’m dead! I forgot to bring my sword!” he screamed inside.

Fang Yun kept dodging Li Xue’s sword, which slashed and thrust with frightening speed. Blow after blow nearly sliced through him. Desperate, he decided to use the Quiet Wind technique, to match her speed and mount a counterattack.

His speed increased dramatically, shocking Li Xue.

“His speed… it’s surpassed mine! Who is this boy?!”

Her shock grew even greater when she realized her every move was being read and anticipated.

“Without Form Strike!”

Fang Yun leapt high into the air and struck toward Li Xue’s chest. Instinctively, she blocked by crossing her sword in front of her.

“AAARGH!”

She was thrown forward and spat blood.

“No way! He clearly hit my chest—so why does my back feel like it took the blow?!”

“Get up, Auntie! Let’s keep exercising!” Fang Yun teased, jogging in place with a grin.

“Damn you, devil spawn! I won’t hesitate to kill you now!” Li Xue shouted, her eyes blazing as she glared at him.

Silently, she gathered the remnants of her internal energy and began channeling her ultimate move. Slowly, she plunged her sword into the ground, infusing it with her power.

Moments later, the sword began glowing with an eerie greenish-purple aura that rippled along the blade.

“You’ll now taste the wrath of Twin Venomous Serpents! A single cut is enough to kill you!”

With those words, Li Xue yanked the sword from the ground and dashed toward Fang Yun, who now stood ready to face her.

He dodged gracefully, watching every step of her movements carefully. But now, he was truly in trouble. He feared the consequences if even the tip of that blade touched his skin.

“DIE!!!”

Li Xue saw an opening—an exposed blind spot—and attacked with full force. Fang Yun was too slow to dodge completely. The blade slashed across his left waist.

Though only a shallow cut, blood immediately seeped out and began soaking into his clothes.

Li Xue looked overjoyed as her final attack landed. Though it wasn't a deep strike, she was confident that the venom of the green serpent had already begun to spread through the young man's body. To her, it was now only a matter of time before her opponent died.

"You're going to dry up and die soon, you crazy brat! My poison has already spread inside your body. The more you move, the faster you’ll die!"

Gulp!

Fang Yun swallowed hard at Li Xue's words.

"Father, Mother... looks like I’ll be joining you in heaven soon. If I make it there, please prepare a good meal for me—I haven’t eaten yet," he thought sadly.

Had Qiang Mo been with him at that moment, the spirit residing in the sacred blade would surely have cursed him endlessly. Facing death and yet making such ridiculous final requests.

Fang Yun clutched his wound with his right hand. But then, something strange happened—something he could hardly believe.

The palm of his right hand began to glow with a bright red light, and that light seeped into the small open wound on his side.

Suddenly, a reddish mist mixed with a greenish-purple hue burst out from his left waist—and the wound began to close, healing itself completely.