Ji Xuan's sword pierced through the air, a strike so fast it left afterimages in its wake.
Qing'er saw death approaching.
Her arms refused to move. Her body screamed, but she was too slow—
The blade was inches from her heart.
I can't stop it!
Then—
The world burned red.
A violent shockwave exploded from her sword, shaking the earth. The air rippled as space itself distorted.
A roar—low, deep, and filled with boundless fury—echoed through the valley.
From within the blade, crimson light surged forth like a volcanic eruption.
A silhouette emerged.
A hand—bare, unarmed—caught Ji Xuan's sword mid-strike.
A single hand.
The air screamed from the sheer force of the collision. A wave of energy burst outward, splitting the blood-stained mist apart.
Ji Xuan's sword did not move.
A figure stood between them.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. His long crimson hair danced in the wind like fire, his golden eyes gleaming with untamed power.
Dressed in flowing black and red robes, he was both ethereal and unshakable.
A voice, deep and calm, yet carrying a weight that made the heavens tremble.
"Did you really think I'd let you kill my master?"
Yao Yan had returned.
Ji Xuan's expression, so calm before, wavered.
Qing'er gasped.
The moment stretched. Unreal. Impossible.
Yet there he stood.
Yao Yan smirked, his grip on Ji Xuan's blade unshaken.
With a flick of his wrist—he shattered it.
The force sent Ji Xuan skidding backward, his boots carving trenches into the ground.
The entire battlefield fell silent.
Qing'er felt her heart pounding. He's here. In human form. Outside the sword.
Ji Xuan straightened, his grip tightening on his now-fractured weapon.
He exhaled slowly. "What… are you?"
Yao Yan chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "A legend that refuses to die."
The air crackled with power.
Then—he moved.
A flash of red. A gust of wind.
In the blink of an eye—Yao Yan was behind Ji Xuan.
A single strike—not with a sword, but with his bare hand.
A crushing wave of sword intent erupted, shaking the entire valley.
Ji Xuan barely blocked, but—the impact sent him flying.
He crashed into the valley wall, debris exploding around him.
Silence.
Qing'er could only stare.
Yao Yan exhaled, flexing his fingers. "Ah… it feels good to move again."
Then, he turned to her. His smirk softened slightly.
"Don't get used to it," he said. "I'm still bound to the sword."
Qing'er clenched her fists. Not for long.
"I'll get stronger," she vowed, "strong enough to free you."
Yao Yan paused. For a brief moment, something flickered in his golden eyes.
Then, he grinned. "We'll see."
A low chuckle echoed from the dust.
Ji Xuan stood. His silver eyes burned with something new.
"You're… interesting," he admitted. He raised his sword, its fractured edge still gleaming with power.
"Let's continue."
The true battle was about to begin.