The moment Ma Kui picked up his massive blade with one hand and turned toward Su Qingshi, the entire arena seemed to tilt under the weight of his confidence.
"Accept defeat now, Su Qingshi. I won't hold back," he declared, his voice booming like a war drum.
The crowd erupted in a frenzy.
"He tanked Su Qingshi's attack! Is she doomed?"
"If she can't penetrate his Barbarian God Body, then she might as well just give up!"
Speculations ran wild, voices rising like a storm over the arena. Yet, at the eye of this chaos stood Su Qingshi, calm, elegant, and utterly fearless. One hand was tucked behind her back in perfect posture, while her sword was angled toward the ground, gleaming faintly in the light. Her eyes, sharp and unshaken, locked onto Ma Kui without the slightest tremble.
"What do you think?" MeiYing asked Gojo beside her, voice low with curiosity.
Gojo smirked, reclining casually. "He's in for a surprise."
"Qingshi, here I come!!!" Ma Kui roared.
He took a step forward and spun with unnatural force. His entire frame twirled like a cyclone, the blade in his hands tearing through the air with tremendous velocity. Winds surged violently around him as he gained speed, the sheer force whipping the arena into a storm of pressure.
"Heavenly Wolf Slash!!!"
AWOOOOO!
A massive blue wolf phantom burst out from his slash, howling with primal rage as it raced across the battlefield. Its glowing eyes glinted with merciless hunger. Its jaws widened, ready to devour everything in its path. It charged at Su Qingshi, tearing apart the very fabric of the arena as it surged forward.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The impact was catastrophic. The arena trembled as dust and debris exploded outward in every direction. The stands shook with a tremor, and gasps filled the air.
Through the rubble emerged Ma Kui, blade slung over his shoulder. He laughed darkly.
"I told you, Qingshi. You're just too stubborn—"
But then he stopped.
The dust settled.
And Su Qingshi floated above the destruction, her figure untouched, standing upon a swirl of ethereal rose petals. Her eyes burned like twin stars as they locked onto him.
She raised her sword.
"Crimson Petal Severance."
Her weapon spun in her palm, slicing the air with delicate precision. Instantly, a torrent of rose petals burst from her body like a blossoming storm. They twirled around her with divine beauty before forming into a singular, deadly slash, a crimson wave laced with invisible power.
"Heavenly Fang Sword: Lunar Fang Break!!" Ma Kui retaliated.
He stepped forward, lifting his blade high and slashing upward. A silver arc, shaped like a great wolf fang, raced toward the oncoming tide of petals.
BOOOOM!!!
The two forces collided in a clash of elegance and brute strength. Yet when the dust cleared again, Ma Kui was on one knee. Blood trickled down his arms. Slivers of rose petals shimmered where they'd pierced his skin.
"She broke through his defense!"
"She's pushing him back!"
"She's more than exceptional!"
Gojo leaned forward slightly now, his casual air gone. His blue eyes sharpened.
"She's wrapping her sword in a thin layer of sword light. That thin film bypasses defense. I've seen MeiYing use it before..."
Su Qingshi surged forward again, light as wind, fast as thunder. She seemed to vanish and reappear with each step, her sword a blur of graceful motion.
"Eternal Fall...
Where do the flowers bloom?"
Her voice was a song. Her sword swept out in an arc, releasing a tempest of crimson petals that danced with deadly intent.
Ma Kui gritted his teeth, panicked.
"Heavenly Wolf Slash!!"
He summoned his phantom wolf once again, larger and fiercer than before. But something went wrong. The petals began to rot.
They withered mid-air, falling like dying stars. But it wasn't weakness.
It was misdirection.
A golden slash of raw Yuan Power erupted from the decaying storm and cleaved through Ma Kui's phantom. The wolf was shredded into motes of light. The golden slash continued on, slicing toward Ma Kui like a divine judgment.
Eyes wide, Ma Kui bit into his palm, blood spilling out. He slammed his hands together.
"Barbarian God Transformation!!!"
BOOM!!!
An explosion of golden-brown Yuan Power radiated outward, shaking the arena.
His body shifted.
Hair lengthened, muscles expanded, his eyes glowed crimson with madness. His nails and canines grew sharp. He stood twice his former size, a feral god cloaked in savagery.
The crowd went wild.
"That's a forbidden transformation!"
"He'll lose his mind!"
Even Ma Kui's own brother stood, fists clenched, his face pale.
The new Ma Kui didn't hesitate. He vanished from view.
Su Qingshi blinked, too slow.
BANG!
Her sword danced defensively but could only do so much. Ma Kui's fist connected with her gut, launching her across the stage. Her body tumbled violently until she skidded to a halt, limp and bloodied.
She coughed, blood staining her lips. Her red veil fluttered down, revealing her full beauty. The audience stilled.
Porcelain skin. Soft pink lips. Angelic features unmarred by hardship.
She gritted her teeth and rose. Then he came again.
Ma Kui charged, fury in his eyes, fists ready to crush.
BOOM!!!
But this time, he was the one thrown back!
The crowd gasped. What they saw was not a woman on the brink. It was a goddess surrounded by a constellation of swords.
Dozens, no, hundreds, of swords floated around her, orbiting her like stars. They shimmered with power and grace, responding to her every breath.
With a calm exhale, she lifted a finger. A single gesture, and chaos erupted. From the stands, swords unsheathed themselves.
Spectators screamed as blades flew from Qiankun bags and hilts, slipping from desperate hands to obey her call. The sky above the arena filled with swords.
She rose into the air, standing atop a levitating blade. Her presence eclipsed the sun.
"What in the heavens is that technique?!"
Even the elders stirred.
Gojo sat frozen, eyes wide. "She's controlling them without Yuan Power?"
MeiYing's brows furrowed. "It's sword intent, but this precision..."
"No," Gojo murmured. "She's cultivated sword intent, but this is different. This... is something greater."
Du Yun, who had remained silent till now, finally spoke.
"The Empowered Sword Heart." Everyone turned.
"It's the level beyond sword intent," Du Yun continued, eyes glowing. "Few ever reach it. It's rarer than a Dao Heart. Those who awaken it can reign over ten thousand swords. They are called Sword Emperors, or Empresses."
Gojo's lips parted slightly. He was watching a legend awaken.
"A Sword Empress," he whispered.
Su Qingshi stood at the heart of the blade storm, her blood drying on her cheek, eyes burning like stars.
And this battle, was far from over.
A/N: I know, I know. I kept you all waiting. I was out of chapters so I had to take the time off to draft ahead. Bad news is, I think I'm burnt out. But...you know the gist, powerstones, reviews, comments. That might heal me...