In the middle of Meishan Villa, Mei Daxia and Qin Fu stood opposite each other in an open clearing.
The bald old man stood off to the side, watching the field with solemn eyes.That kid—he didn't even know where he came from. The internal force flowing through him was strange, powerful in a way that defied convention. If he hadn't dodged earlier, it wouldn't just have been his sleeve that got torn.
At that moment, Qin Fu glanced at his mana bar, quickly running calculations in his head.
With his [Meditation] skill now improved, his total mana had reached 400 points. The brief clash earlier had cost him 70. Judging by the old man's attack power, to block a strike from Mei Daxia would take at least 50 mana points for a single cast of Stopping Power.
After factoring in the mana needed for Cang and He, he'd have, at most, four more casts of Stopping Power left.
If he switched to the [Fireball]-derived Void Missile, that number could go up to six.
The thought made his chest tighten.He resolved silently: once this fight was over, he'd have to optimize the mana structure of Cang and He.
Tsk… damn Gojo Satoru. Six Eyes this, Six Eyes that—must be nice to do whatever you want.
While Qin Fu's mind raced, Mei Daxia suddenly moved.
His sword flashed—an instant strike.A vast wave of sword qi shaped like a plum blossom roared toward Qin Fu.
Qin Fu didn't dodge. Know yourself, know your enemy—only then can you win.
He invoked Stopping Power while simultaneously using the park's detection function.
There was no other choice—he hadn't obtained any proper detection skills or items yet, so he could only rely on the park's temporary system.
[Detected target's hunter level: Lv.2. Below the derived world's level. Temporary skill activation available.][Temporary Skill: Basic Detection. Cost: 800 Paradise Coins. Enable?][Note: This skill disappears after leaving this world.]
"Pay," Qin Fu said curtly.
The skill icon appeared in his list. He selected it.
Basic Detection (Temporary)
Skill Level: Lv.2
Mana Cost: 10
Effect: Observe biological data. Data completeness depends on the difference between your own power and the target's.
Note: Each level increases data accuracy by 5%.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
[10 mana points consumed. Basic Detection activated.][Information obtained:]
Name: Mei DaxiaHealth: 100%Internal Force: 1000Strength: 15Agility: 15Endurance: 15Intelligence: 10Charm: 4Luck: 1
Skill 1 – Mei Swordsmanship: A synthesis of a hundred schools; boosts sword qi power by 20%.Skill 2 – Qingyun Flowing Water Sword: Qingyun Kingdom's strongest style; increases sword speed by 20%.Skill 3 – Plum Petal Body Shield: Converts internal force into a protective barrier shaped like plum petals. Shield durability scales with internal strength.Skill 4 – Mei Divine Art: Increases physique by +2; converts mana into internal force (max 1000 points).
Qin Fu stared at the panel, scalp prickling.
This man's stats were monstrous—like staring down a raid boss.
Is this the high-end combat power of Wu Liuqi's world?
Just as Qin Fu was probing, Mei Daxia's sword qi had already reached him.
Qin Fu's mind spun at full speed, mana values surging wildly as he poured power into his defense. The massive plum-blossom sword qi halted mere inches before him—then slowly dissipated into the air.
Seeing the 60 mana points vanish from his personal interface, Qin Fu felt his heart sink to the bottom.
What a terrifying opponent... I'll have to finish this quickly.
When Mei Daxia saw his sword energy stop and fade, even he couldn't hide a flicker of surprise. His expression hardened, seriousness settling into his face.
In the next instant, five streams of plum sword qi split from his blade, sealing every path around Qin Fu.
Qin Fu's expression didn't waver. He raised his [Secret Scepter], and the silver-gray void energy gushed forth.
Five Void Missiles appeared out of thin air, swallowing the incoming sword qi within their gravitational fields. With a thought, Qin Fu redirected them—five streaks of shimmering destruction roared outward.
They were followed immediately by [Void Power – He], radiating immense repulsion.
The ground split open in long, jagged scars.
This combination—so fluid and relentless—was one even Gojo Satoru himself had once praised.
Mei Daxia's face shifted. He lifted his sword to parry, but sensing the raw destructive energy behind it, he instantly abandoned the thought.
His body flickered backward like a drifting plum petal, countless illusory blossoms blooming around him—the manifestation of his [Plum Body Protection Divine Skill] combined with the [Qingyun Flowing Water Sword].
Even so, he couldn't avoid damage completely. His once-neat robe tore open in several places.
Only now did Mei Daxia truly regard Qin Fu as an opponent—no longer as a junior needing guidance.
He raised his long sword. A surge of sword intent burst forth, the sheer pressure shaking the leaves around them. His gaze sharpened like steel.
"Junior," he said, voice calm yet edged with excitement. "It's rare to see such strength at your age."
"I, an old man, haven't met a worthy opponent in years."
He grinned, raising his sword high. "Come! Continue!"
Qin Fu said nothing. His mind was furiously calculating combat paths and mana flow, simulating dozens of outcomes at once. He didn't realize it himself—but his thoughts had become that of a true mage: cold, logical, precise.
Mei Daxia, seeing his silence, merely advanced.
Da—da—da…
He started walking, then burst forward in a blur. In an instant, he was upon Qin Fu.
A sword came down, the cutting intent so sharp it seemed to lock onto Qin Fu's very soul.
Mana surged through Qin Fu's body into the [Secret Scepter]. He instantly compressed the space between himself and the building behind Mei Daxia, vanishing from sight.
Void energy coated his arm as he thrust forward from behind.
Mei Daxia's instincts screamed. He twisted midair, narrowly evading Qin Fu's ambush, and countered with a sweeping slash.
A massive plum sword qi hurtled back at Qin Fu—but Qin Fu wasn't one to yield. He launched a Void Missile, detonating the sword qi mid-flight.
Sparks and shockwaves collided.
Qin Fu narrowed his eyes, locking onto Mei Daxia's flickering figure. Second time.
He raised the [Secret Scepter].
Instantly, Mei Daxia felt his sword become unbearably heavy, as though sinking into mud.
Then came the counterforce—an overwhelming repulsion erupted point-blank.
Caught off guard, Mei Daxia was hurled backward, crashing into a wall. Dust exploded through the courtyard, obscuring everything in a cloud of smoke.
A whistling sound cut through the air. Qin Fu blinked once—then teleported away just as a blade cleaved through where he'd stood.
Mei Daxia emerged from the haze, his aura blazing.
For a while, the bald old man watching from afar could only see two streaks of light flashing across the courtyard—one silver-gray, one white-blue.
Their movements were beyond his eyes' ability to follow. All he could see was sword qi tearing through the air and void power detonating against it.
His eyes glowed with awe.
"So this… this is the realm I've always longed for…" he murmured.