Mo Yichen’s arms shook as he tried to press his sword forward, but it wouldn’t budge. His power was being completely overwhelmed by Bai Zihan’s.
He had always believed that even if a Nascent Soul expert were to face him, he could hold his own.
But Bai Zihan was like an immovable mountain, utterly unaffected by his strength.
With his superior cultivation level and a body refined by the Primordial Chaos Body technique, there was no way someone at Mo Yichen’s level could overpower him.
“This can’t be happening!”
Mo Yichen’s expression twisted, panic flashing in his eyes.
He gritted his teeth and leapt backward, his feet skidding against the marble floor.
The golden aura around him surged even brighter, expanding outward like a raging storm.
His pride was cracking. A Golden Core Stage cultivator—no, a Late-Stage Golden Core Stage—stood before him.
And it was Bai Zihan of all people!
“I don’t believe this!”
Mo Yichen roared, his face a mix of disbelief and fury.
“You… You were hiding your strength all along!”
Bai Zihan chuckled, a mocking smile tugging at his lips.
“Hiding? Maybe! What? Scared already?”
“Arrogant bastard!”
Mo Yichen snarled, but this time, his voice was tinged with desperation.
His grip tightened on his sword—Eternal Spirit Sword—an evolving divine weapon, his greatest trump card.
He could feel the sword’s hunger for battle, its desire to devour and grow stronger.
“I’ll show you… I’ll show you the difference between us!”
Mo Yichen’s aura flared once again, and he raised his sword. His Qi condensed, swirling around him like a golden vortex.
“Radiant Fang Slash!”
A brilliant arc of golden light exploded from his blade, rushing toward Bai Zihan with devastating speed.
But Bai Zihan didn’t even flinch.
“Nine Shadows Flowing Light Sword—First Form: Flickering Shadow Step!”
His body blurred, becoming a series of overlapping afterimages.
The radiant slash cut through one of the afterimages, but the real Bai Zihan was already gone.
Mo Yichen’s eyes widened.
“Where—?!”
A cold, calm voice echoed behind him.
“Over here!”
Mo Yichen spun around just in time to see Bai Zihan’s sword flashing toward him—fast, too fast to fully react.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Mo Yichen barely managed to parry, his sword clashing repeatedly with Bai Zihan’s.
But each time their blades met, Bai Zihan seemed to split into multiple shadows, his strikes coming from unpredictable angles.
“Damn it!”
Mo Yichen shouted, his arms going numb under the relentless assault.
“Struggling already?”
Bai Zihan’s voice dripped with contempt.
“You will lose if you continue like this.”
“Shut up!”
Mo Yichen roared, pouring even more Qi into his sword.
But it didn’t matter.
“Second Form: Phantom Light Strike!”
Bai Zihan’s figure flickered, vanishing from Mo Yichen’s sight. A split second later, pain exploded across Mo Yichen’s left arm.
“AAARGH!”
Blood sprayed as a deep gash appeared on his arm, his sleeve torn and soaked in red.
The Mei Clan members gasped, their excitement rapidly turning to horror.
“How did he…?”
“I didn’t even see him move!”
“How is Bai Zihan so powerful? It doesn’t make any sense!”
…
The power Bai Zihan displayed was enough to even overshadow some of the Mei Clan’s elders.
He wasn’t just strong—he was overwhelmingly so.
Even by Heaven Sword Sect standards, Bai Zihan’s current strength was near the top, rivaled only by Core Disciples and above.
On the other side, the Bai Clan elders were equally stunned—but for a different reason.
“When did Bai Zihan achieve minor mastery over the Nine Shadows Flowing Light Sword?”
“He used to struggle with even the Flickering Shadow Step. How did he become so proficient?”
“I thought his lack of combat experience would be a disadvantage, but it seems my worries were unfounded. With his mastery of the Nine Shadows Flowing Light Sword, someone like Mo Yichen doesn’t stand a chance.”
…
Bai Clan members went from panic to confidence without any worries.
With Bai Zihan’s overwhelming strength and his mastery of the Heaven-Grade Technique of the Bai Clan, there was no longer any doubt in their minds about his victory.
Mo Yichen stumbled back, clutching his bleeding arm, his breathing ragged.
But even when pushed to the brink of defeat, Mo Yichen didn’t feel despair.
His pride and arrogance wouldn’t allow it.
What he was still looking for was a chance—a chance to overturn the situation, just as he had done many times before.
“Falling Star Slash!”
Mo Yichen roared, swinging his sword with all his might.
The air shimmered as a blinding, crescent-shaped beam tore towards Bai Zihan.
But Bai Zihan didn’t dodge.
“Third Form: Nine Shadows Flowing Light!”
A surge of silver light enveloped his body, and he seemed to split into nine identical shadows, each moving in a different direction—like illusions, yet each as sharp and deadly as the original.
The Falling Star Slash crashed into one of the shadows, but it passed through like mist.
“This can’t be!”
Mo Yichen’s eyes widened in horror.
And then—
Nine silver lights converged on him.
Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!
Nine precise, lightning-fast strikes slashed across his body.
Mo Yichen’s expression froze, his eyes wide and unfocused. His sword slipped from his grip, clattering to the ground.
Blood sprayed from nine deep wounds crisscrossing his body. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, gasping, his vision blurring.
“Impossible…”
He whispered, his voice a faint gasp.
Mo Yichen’s body swayed, blood pouring from the crisscrossing wounds on his chest. His vision blurred, and his legs wobbled, barely keeping him upright.
But his pride wouldn’t let him collapse—not yet.
“Not… not yet!”
Mo Yichen roared, his voice hoarse but defiant.
The golden aura around him exploded, blazing with a furious, almost blinding light.
His Qi surged to its absolute peak, the ground beneath his feet cracking under the pressure.
“Eternal Spirit Sword… awaken!”
Mo Yichen screamed, and his sword—which had seemed so ordinary before—suddenly erupted with golden radiance.
Its blade elongated, ethereal runes glowed along its surface, and a fierce, divine presence enveloped it.
Even Bai Zihan’s expression shifted slightly.
“Oh?” he murmured, a flicker of genuine interest in his eyes.
It seemed like Mo Yichen was burning his life force for that extra boost in his strength, specifically to unleash the full power of the Eternal Spirit Sword.
Mo Yichen’s hair turned gray in an instant, his youthful appearance rapidly aging, but his aura continued to grow—higher, stronger—reaching a level that made the air tremble.
“Bai Zihan!”
Mo Yichen’s voice echoed like thunder.
“Try dodging this!”
A violent, blinding light burst from his sword, condensing into a massive, golden blade of energy—a phantom sword towering above him.
This was Mo Yichen’s ultimate, last-ditch attack!
