Engulfed in a whirlwind of destruction, Ye Kai and Kori clashed ferociously, their blows echoing through the crumbling surroundings.
From a distance, Wu Wan, the 4th prince, wore a mask of sheer horror. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine someone as young as Ye Kai could possess such formidable strength. In comparison, he felt as insignificant as an ant. The prince had always prided himself on being the strongest among the younger generation, but witnessing Ye Kai's power shattered his confidence and left him feeling utterly inferior. The bitter reality of a younger, more powerful adversary was a pill he struggled to swallow.
Yet, he had no choice but to accept this grim truth.
...
Ye Kai's sword sliced through the air, aiming for Kori's vulnerable frame. In a swift response, Kori raised his fist to counter the attack, but Ye Kai's sword abruptly halted halfway through the lethal arc. With an astonishing maneuver, the slashing blade changed its trajectory, thrusting menacingly toward Kori's chest.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtReacting with lightning speed, Kori evaded the deadly strike, leaving Ye Kai's sword to meet empty space.
"I need to accelerate," muttered Ye Kai, determination gleaming in his eyes. He lunged at Kori, the tip of his sword aimed directly at his opponent's face. Seizing the opportunity, Kori unleashed a forceful punch toward the sword's tip. However, as soon as their clash seemed imminent, Ye Kai's sword veered off course. The intended strike at Kori's face transformed into a targeted assault on his shoulder, narrowly avoided by Kori's swift evasion.
"I must be faster," Ye Kai murmured as if channeling his determination into each word. He pushed his speed to even greater heights, his sword closing in on Kori with unyielding resolve.
Kori watched the sword hurtling towards his chest, fully aware of the immense spiritual energy infused within it. The prospect of a direct hit sent a shiver down his spine. Yet, what troubled him even more, was Ye Kai's unpredictable swordsmanship. It morphed from a slash aimed at his neck to a sudden thrust toward his stomach, making evading each attack a formidable challenge. To make matters worse, Ye Kai's speed increased after each assault.
Realizing that passivity would lead to his downfall, Kori made a crucial decision.
"Defeat... To think that on this tiny island, there exists someone who forced me to resort to this," Kori spoke slowly, his voice tinged with an amalgamation of surprise and acceptance. As Ye Kai's sword closed in on his head, Kori opted not to dodge. Instead, he clenched his fist tightly, drawing all the lesser spiritual energy towards it, creating a vacuum-like pull.
Ye Kai felt an overwhelming surge of power emanating from Kori's fist, his face contorting into a confident smirk. "System, gather."
"Roger."
Ye Kai's sword ignited with blinding brilliance in an explosive display reminiscent of a volcanic eruption. It became a vessel, devouring the surrounding lesser spiritual energy and harnessing it into an unfathomable force.
Kori's expression shifted, his struggle against Ye Kai's overpowering sword becoming increasingly arduous. Avoidance was no longer an option; his only recourse was to strike back. With determination, he directed a punch at Ye Kai's sword, meeting the cataclysmic clash head-on.
Ye Kai sensed the tremendous power coursing through Kori's fist, surpassing his expectations. Nevertheless, he refused to yield. With every ounce of energy coursing through his being, he pressed forward, intending to cleave through Kori's fist. The system feverishly absorbed the surging energy, feeding it into Ye Kai's sword.
Ye Kai's sword surged forward in a mere heartbeat, rending Kori's fist asunder, relentlessly advancing until it completely severed Kori's hand.
Wide-eyed, Kori stood dumbfounded, his previous awareness of Ye Kai's formidable swordplay eclipsed by the shocking reality before him. He recoiled, blood spouting from his shoulder in a crimson fountain. However, despite the severity of his wound, Kori remained eerily composed, his face devoid of emotion. His gaze fixed upon the dismembered limb, he sighed.
"Such carelessness and underestimation of my opponent led to the loss of my arm," Kori spoke in a detached tone, devoid of any hint of emotion.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmYe Kai, his breaths heavy and sweat streaming down his face, locked eyes with Kori. He couldn't fathom that he had only managed to sever Kori's hand despite unleashing his full power.
Employing the First Heaven Sword Slash: Celestial Cascade, Ye Kai wielded a blade comprised of seemingly basic techniques. Yet, it was their unpredictable nature that rendered them immensely potent. However, imbued with tremendous power, even the final strike fell short of delivering a fatal blow.
"Well, I expected as much," Ye Kai smiled, a glint of determination in his eyes. With the system's restoration of his energy, he stood ready, just as he had been at the outset.
"Host, while he may not employ Spiritual Energy for combat, employing it for recovery is well within his capabilities. Be cautious. Do not underestimate the energy he possesses, nor believe that losing an arm has weakened him. Fight him as if he has grown even stronger," the system cautioned.
"Yes, I understand," Ye Kai replied, an unwavering smile playing upon his lips. His gaze lingered on Kori, observing the cessation of blood flow through the intervention of the mysterious blue energy surrounding Kori's shoulder. Gradually, this energy morphed, merging into the shape of an arm. It solidified, transforming into icy crystalline form, exuding an ominous and chilling aura.
Ye Kai smiled as he felt an even more dangerous feeling from Kori, and when Kori's fist began to generate terrifying coldness with lots of energy, Ye Kai knew that he shouldn't wait but move forward and use his strongest attack. Otherwise, the more battle dragged on, the more disadvantage he was going to.
He didn't think that this Kori would be just like him. Ye Kai could recover as many times as he wanted because of the system, and Ye Kai thought this was his biggest bet on winning this match.
However, The spiritual energy that Kori stored in his dantian could also heal Kori in an instant. Because Kori wasn't attacked by spiritual energy, he would able to recover instantly with very less spiritual energy.
Ye Kai might be able to recover a hundred times or thousands of times, but Kori could also do the same, so the only option Ye Kai had was to attack with the strongest attack so Kori won't get a chance to recover.
"System prepare."
"Yes, Roger," System answered as out of thin air, a terrifying amount lesser spiritual energy erupted around Ye Kai's sword.