Yang Tian's expression went blank. He felt his life force draining away through the wound in his chest. His vision blurred, then darkened completely. His body hit the ground with a heavy thud.
The moment Han Xiao heard reports of an attack sweeping up the mountain, he rushed to the main hall. He barked orders, mobilizing the bandits for battle while waiting for Yang Tian to join him. Minutes ticked by. Instead of his deputy, a frantic underling arrived, gasping out news: Deputy Yang was locked in combat with an intruder—and their strengths seemed evenly matched!
Han Xiao's heart lurched. Equal to Yang Tian? At least a mid-stage Soul Apprentice! Without hesitation, he sprinted towards the reported location.
He arrived just in time to witness Yang Tian desperately fighting for his life, clearly overpowered. Han Xiao surged forward, intent on intervening—but he was a fraction too late. Yang Tian faltered, and the enemy struck the fatal blow!
Seizing the stunned silence that followed Yang Tian's sudden death, Bai Yunfei darted to the wall behind the fallen deputy. He snatched his Frost Thorn dagger embedded there.
He barely turned around before Han Xiao's attack ripped through the air!
Too fast! Bai Yunfei had no time to bring his spear to bear. He twisted aside desperately, but the short blade still found its mark. A bone-deep gash opened on his left forearm, blood welling instantly.
"So this is the power of a Soul Warrior? I miscalculated… He's far stronger than I anticipated!" The bitter realization flashed through Bai Yunfei's mind as he swept his spear horizontally, forcing Han Xiao back a precious step to buy himself breathing room.
Han Xiao wielded a deadly pair of mismatched blades: a two-foot shortsword in his left hand and a compact dagger in his right.
Bai Yunfei whirled his spear, weaving a dense screen of crimson light before him, desperately trying to keep his faster opponent at bay. His spear thrusts were fierce, yet Han Xiao's speed was uncanny; the blades whistled past his defenses without finding flesh.
Suddenly, a cold gleam lit Han Xiao's eyes. Faced with a spear thrust, he didn't fully evade. Instead, he twisted his torso just enough to avoid a vital strike. His left hand shot out, the shortsword licking along the shaft of the spear as he closed the distance!
The spear tip scraped along his right flank. Sparks skittered! His outer robe tore, revealing a shimmering golden soft armor beneath. A deep groove marred its surface, but Han Xiao remained unharmed!
The shortsword flickered again, adding another cut to Bai Yunfei's left arm. Worse, Han Xiao was now inside the spear's effective range! Bai Yunfei couldn't bring the longer weapon back in time!
A flash of grim determination crossed Bai Yunfei's eyes. He ignored the dagger Han Xiao now thrust towards his kidney. The Fire-Tipped Spear vanished from his grasp. His right hand snapped up, the Frost Thorn dagger appearing instantly, driven with all his strength towards Han Xiao's heart!
If you wound me, you die!
Shock widened Han Xiao's eyes. He hadn't expected this suicidal counter! He had no intention of trading mortal blows. Instantly, he abandoned his own thrust and scrambled backwards.
Bai Yunfei matched his retreat, putting distance between them. The Fire-Tipped Spear reappeared in his hand. He locked eyes with Han Xiao, both men tense, searching for an opening.
The defensive power of Han Xiao's golden armor far surpassed Bai Yunfei's own +10 Soft Armor. Unless Bai Yunfei landed a full-force blow squarely on an unarmored spot, he couldn't inflict serious damage.
"So… only the limbs and head are viable targets?" Bai Yunfei's thoughts raced at blinding speed, seeking a strategy.
Han Xiao stared intently at his opponent. Suddenly, he roared towards the bandits still gawking at the courtyard entrance.
"What are you imbeciles waiting for?! Charge! Kill him together!"
Ridiculous! Kill him? He just slaughtered the Deputy Stronghold Master! Even the Stronghold Master himself can't finish him off!
The bandits exchanged terrified glances. Not a single one dared step foot into the killing ground of the courtyard.
"Aaaaaargh!"
A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the crowd behind them. Startled, the bandits whirled around. A figure drenched in gore, wielding twin daggers like extensions of his fury, carved into their ranks like a demon god of slaughter.
Li Chengfeng had arrived!
The bandits, paralyzed by indecision moments before, were now violently plunged into chaos by Li Chengfeng's relentless assault. They had no choice but to engage him.
Both combatants in the courtyard registered Li Chengfeng's arrival instantly. Alarm flared in Han Xiao's eyes; triumph sparked in Bai Yunfei's.
"Chengfeng moved faster than I expected… His hatred for these bandits runs deeper than I imagined. It's erupting now, pushing him beyond his limits! Then… I must give everything I have too!"
The instant Han Xiao's attention flickered towards the commotion outside, Bai Yunfei struck!
If his torso is armored… target his legs!
Bai Yunfei's sudden aggression caught Han Xiao off guard, but the Soul Warrior quickly regained his footing. His movements were fluid, evasive, denying Bai Yunfei any clean shot at his legs.
Abruptly, Han Xiao disengaged, leaping back several yards. His right hand snapped forward!
A sliver of cold light shot towards Bai Yunfei's face!
Bai Yunfei, having practiced throwing daggers extensively himself, sensed the motion instantly. He jerked his head aside. The dagger hissed past his ear, embedding itself in the wall behind him with a thunk.
But Han Xiao wasn't finished! His hand flicked again. Another dagger appeared! He flung it. Then another! A third! Three blades flew simultaneously, forming a deadly triangle aimed at Bai Yunfei's center mass.
Bai Yunfei snorted coldly. His spear became a spinning wheel of crimson light, forming an impenetrable shield before him. "Ting! Ting! Ting!" The three daggers were batted away violently.
Han Xiao pressed without pause. Two more daggers flew, this time aimed low at Bai Yunfei's feet!
Bai Yunfei snapped his spear back, then used its point to vault powerfully sideways. Mid-leap, the spear vanished from his grasp. His arm whipped forward!
A dagger streaked towards Han Xiao's throat!
Flying daggers? I know them too!
Han Xiao, poised to pursue Bai Yunfei's evasive leap, saw the glint of steel too late. Panic jolted him—he uses throwing knives too! He threw himself sideways, avoiding the lethal shot but sacrificing his chance to press Bai Yunfei. Worse, he gave Bai Yunfei the offensive!
Bai Yunfei mirrored Han Xiao's earlier tactic. His arm became a blur, snapping forward again and again. Daggers flew from his hand relentlessly, as if conjured from thin air.
The brutal close-quarters duel had transformed into a deadly ranged contest. Both men seemed to have an endless supply of blades within their Spatial Rings. They weaved and dodged incoming steel while relentlessly hurling their own.
However, a gap in skill soon became apparent. Bai Yunfei, despite his natural aptitude, lacked Han Xiao's years of experience with the flying daggers.
Clang! Clang! Ting! Daggers struck their armored torsos harmlessly. But Bai Yunfei's +10 Soft Armor was clearly inferior. Several sections showed fraying and tears. Cuts bloomed on his arms and legs. He seemed to be slowly losing ground.
"Hmph! Challenging me with flying daggers? You court your own doom! Ten more throws at most… and your life is mine!" A smirk of triumph touched Han Xiao's lips, mocking Bai Yunfei's audacity.
He saw his chance. Bai Yunfei, dodging a particularly tricky throw, stumbled slightly off balance, leaning heavily to one side.
Now! Savage light flared in Han Xiao's eyes. His wrists flicked. Two fresh daggers materialized in his hands. He drew back his arms, muscles coiling to unleash the killing throws.
But then—his face abruptly contorted in shock!