"Lin Xingchu!"
Liu Bai slowly rose from the Ku Song River, countless water droplets falling from his enormous body. His pair of pale golden eyes fixed eastward, a grim smile curling his lips. "This place is the Ku Song River, the Ghost Realm. Do you really think of yourself as a genuine Fourteenth Realm cultivator? Here in Ku Song River, you're merely Thirteenth Realm. Do you truly believe I, Liu Bai, fear you?"
With that, Liu Bai drew a Jade Wave Mace. The moment he raised it, ten thousand streaks of golden water energy connected to the mace. Just as in the past, while recuperating his injuries in Ku Song River over these years, Liu Bai had secretly been refining it. Now that he had refined eight or nine tenths of it, his combat power was nearing the Fourteenth Realm!
"Oh, so that's how it is."
Lin Xingchu narrowed her beautiful eyes, and in the next instant, she thrust out her sword. Instantly, the sky-filled sword Qi collided with Liu Bai's water energy. Unforeseenly, Lin Xingchu's sword Qi was shredded in moments. Instead, Liu Bai manifested his dharma body, tens of thousands of feet tall, rising with a roar. He smashed through Lin Xingchu's water curtain barrier, raised the Jade Wave Mace in his right hand, and fiercely brought it down towards Lin Xingchu's head.
"Since you've come to Ku Song River, don't think of leaving!"
He let out a low roar. With the advantage shifting, Lin Xingchu, away from Ku Song River, could now only be considered half a Fourteenth Realm cultivator. Liu Bai, at this moment, was also effectively half a Fourteenth Realm cultivator. However, Liu Bai was a great demon bearing the destiny of the demon race, his innate strength formidable. Lin Xingchu, on the other hand, was a deity, an阴神 (yin god) whose golden body was sculpted by incense offerings. Her cultivation foundation was naturally far inferior to a genuine, living cultivator like Liu Bai.
Therefore, at this very moment, Liu Bai was superior to Lin Xingchu!
"Seeking death!?"
From within the river, a figure thrashed about – it was Lin Xingchu's mount, the flood dragon Lin Xiaoke. His dark scales shimmered dazzlingly under the morning sun. Lin Xiaoke's body snaked out of the river and directly unleashed a vital divine ability, striking Liu Bai's Jade Wave Mace with immense force. For a moment, his dragon scales vibrated with a humming sound. Lin Xiaoke retreated rapidly in the water, his vision swimming with stars from the impact.
"Damn it!"
Lin Xiaoke cursed loudly, "You dog Liu Bai! Other great demons are fighting to the death for the demon race's world, yet you, you scoundrel, are here secretly refining Ku Song River. Have you no shame?"
Liu Bai roared in anger, "I curse your mother! Is that any better than you traitor?"
Lin Xingchu smiled faintly, raising her sword blade. Once more, countless river water energies surged, transforming into sword Qi and striking Liu Bai from all directions. In this battle, Lin Xingchu knew she wasn't the primary force to kill Liu Bai. Her objective was merely to contain Liu Bai, preventing him from escaping. As for how he would be killed, that depended on Lin Zhao's plans.
"Die!"
Lin Xiaoke let out a low roar, his body transforming into a golden streak. He manifested his colossal dharma body and instantly lunged before Liu Bai, opening his gaping maw to swallow Liu Bai's head.
Liu Bai roared in fury, spread his right hand, and firmly gripped Lin Xiaoke's neck. He raised the Jade Wave Mace, poised to shatter Lin Xiaoke's head. With Liu Bai's current combat strength, a few more blows would indeed shatter Lin Xiaoke's head.
However, at this very moment, Liu Bai suddenly felt a chill from behind.
In the air, a figure appeared, holding the Zhan Lu sword – it was Lin Zhao. The instant Lin Zhao burst forth from Lin Zhujie's illusion, with a resounding "bang," strands of milky white energy erupted around him, billowing his cloak and whipping his hair. His eyes were tinged with a faint golden glow, as if a divine being had descended!
Realm Transformation. The precious sixty seconds gained at the cost of one level. Within these sixty seconds, Lin Zhao would no longer be bound by the various restraints of players or the game's rules. His combat power was equivalent to that of a true peak Eleventh Realm sword cultivator – a terrifying sword cultivator possessing a perfect sword heart and having cultivated the Eternal Sword Scripture for many years!
"Buzz!"
The Zhan Lu sword descended from the sky, executing a divine stance that spanned the heavens and seas. Instantly, the area around Ku Song River became incredibly dense with sword Qi. Hundreds of feet tall ancient sword dharma images stretched across the land, emanating an ancient, majestic aura.
"Go!"
At Lin Zhao's mental command, dozens of ancient swords struck Liu Bai in unison. Liu Bai cried out in pain, his health bar plummeting. Lin Xiaoke, in his grasp, rapidly broke free from the restraint.
"Scoundrel!"
Liu Bai, shrouded in demonic energy, turned with the Jade Wave Mace in hand.
However, as he turned, Lin Zhao's second sword had already been swung.
Horizontal Sword Stance!
A horizontal slash of sword light swept across, slicing off nearly 2% of Liu Bai's health bar and also rendering him in a brief state of dizziness. Immediately after, Lin Zhao raised his long sword and let out a low cry, activating the sixth stance.
Qi Charging the Star River!
A torrent of sword Qi rained down, "boom boom boom" striking Liu Bai's body. The damage inflicted was immense. After just a few of Lin Zhao's moves, Liu Bai had already lost nearly 9% of his health bar. The foundation of Lin Zhao, a peak Eleventh Realm cultivator, was unimaginable. His offensive power was too terrifying, even a half Fourteenth Realm cultivator like Liu Bai couldn't withstand it!
"Good!"
Liu Bai grinned savagely. He raised the Jade Wave Mace in his left hand and swept it out. Simultaneously, his gaze turned cold, and a palm descended from the sky, attacking the wind-swept Lin Zhao from above and below with fierce onslaughts!
Without hesitation, Lin Zhao activated the "Li Yue" divine ability of his flying sword, Sheng Si, to first reduce the damage by 50%. Then, he activated Ming Xing to protect himself with his flying sword, Hao Ran. At the same time, he swung his long sword and unleashed the third level of the Eternal Sword Scripture, "Hidden Dragon in the Abyss," instantly summoning a dense layer of sword Qi to protect him.
"Boom!"
With a deafening roar, the Jade Wave Mace crashed down upon Hidden Dragon in the Abyss. The surrounding sword Qi shattered rapidly. Then, the Jade Wave Mace ground its way forward, colliding with the flying sword Sheng Si. Meanwhile, the palm dharma image in the air pressed down, clashing with the flying sword Hao Ran. In moments, both flying swords were forced back, and Lin Zhao's body chilled as his health bar dropped to over 20%+.
Clearly, the difference in realms was still a factor. Even with the Eternal Sword Scripture, Lin Zhao's realm was too low. It would be absurd for him to be able to fight a half Fourteenth Realm Liu Bai alone. However, everything he had done was already sufficient.
"Swish!"
In the wind, supple bamboo leaves suddenly spun, instantly binding Liu Bai's arms.
"What!?"
Liu Bai's face paled in shock. If the attacks from Lin Xingchu, Lin Xiaoke, and Lin Zhao, all surnamed Lin, were merely appetizers, then what followed was the true killing blow!
The instant Liu Bai's arms were bound by bamboo leaves, a sword light streaked straight forward – it was the Thirteenth Realm cultivator Wu Zhi's sword. The blade grazed Liu Bai's throat, continuously cutting through the sword Qi, finally leaving a bloody gash on Liu Bai's neck. Following that, Wu Zhi's body sank, and she slashed horizontally at Liu Bai's waist.
"Scoundrel!"
Liu Bai roared. Relying on the formidable physical body of a demon, he ignored Wu Zhi's sword strike, twisted his body, and raised his arm, bringing down a heavy blow towards the female sword immortal who had just returned to the Thirteenth Realm. However, at the moment Liu Bai raised his arm, a figure suddenly descended from the sky. The figure was peerless in elegance, clad in a long dress, with a sword held behind her back. Her slender feet, enveloped in potent sword intent, stomped down fiercely onto Liu Bai's raising shoulder.
It was a Twelfth Realm young sword immortal.
Liu Bai frowned. A Twelfth Realm cultivator was nothing to him. What was one foot strike? It was time to find an opportunity to leave. So many people had arrived; clearly, Lin Baiyi had set a trap for him. To continue fighting now would be pure foolishness, leading to his own demise.
Unfortunately, in the very next second, a foot imbued with the intense sword intent of Tong Yu crashed down, stomping Liu Bai's body into a rapid descent. The upward sword strike was stillborn, and a chill ran down his spine. How could a Twelfth Realm cultivator be this powerful?
He naturally didn't know that this young woman was a disciple of Lin Wanhua, cultivating the "Thirty-Six Stratagems" of the sword, originating from the founder of the schools of military and diplomacy, the human sage known as the Valley of Ghosts.
While Liu Bai was momentarily stunned, Wu Zhi unleashed five more blazing sword Qi strikes in rapid succession.
Simultaneously, Lin Zhao, with a depleted health bar in the air, suddenly ignited a Swiftness Talisman. He sheathed his sword and transformed into a meteor, descending in a straight line. A comprehensive fist intent swirled around him as he delivered a heavy punch to Liu Bai's head.
"Bang!"
Liu Bai's head spun dizzily. Although Lin Zhao was merely a Heavenly Yuan Martial Artist, in his Realm Transformation state, with the enhancement of the War God's Gall, how could such a punch be easily dealt with? This punch struck so hard that Liu Bai's will to survive was close to collapsing.
"Senior Brother, I apologize. Who told you to commit so many evil deeds..."
A figure in a cyan-green long robe appeared – it was Lin Zhujie. However, he did not draw his sword, adhering to his principle of not actively killing demon cultivators. With a wave of his sword, strands of bamboo root sword intent coiled, binding Liu Bai's feet in the water, preventing him from leaving.
"A bunch of scoundrels!"
Liu Bai roared. The wound on his waist, horizontally slashed by Wu Zhi, throbbed. Golden energy streams surged, attempting to break free from his lower body and escape with severed limbs!
"Dream on!"
In the air, Tong Yu suddenly swung her sword down. The sky was filled with the blazing storm of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, striking Liu Bai's head with bloody wounds. Even more fatal was Wu Zhi. As she thrust her sword, she blurred forward, her index and middle fingers together pointing at Liu Bai's glabella. In the next moment, ten newly refined demon soul swords shot out with overwhelming force.
Instantly, Liu Bai's glabella was pierced through with countless holes, a bloody mess. The demon soul swords already possessed a great Dao suppression effect against demon cultivators, let alone Wu Zhi having returned to the Thirteenth Realm. Under the siege of a group of attackers, Liu Bai suffered such a heavy blow that it would be difficult for him not to die.
"Take this sword from your junior!"
In the air, Zhang Luobai's sword descended, adding another sword wound to Liu Bai's forehead. Simultaneously, Zhuang Yirong landed a heavy punch on Liu Bai's back, causing his colossal dharma body to tremble.
Lin Zhao's body sank, and with a "Dragon Leaps from the Dry Land" move, he struck Liu Bai's chin. Immediately after, his sword light flashed, and in the final moment of his 60-second Realm Transformation, he unleashed a "Sheathed Sword Strike." Instantly, dozens of sword lights rained down, making Liu Bai's entire head a bloody pulp.
...
"Hiss!"
Wu Zhi's blazing sword swept across. In the next instant, Liu Bai's head rolled from his neck.
The situation was decided. From this day forth, the Water and Fire confrontation would exist no more!