If Luo Lao were here, he might compliment your shamelessness, Huai Shi, saying it has a bit of the flair he possessed in his youth.

But for Luo Xian, whether there was another reason or Huai Shi was truly a genius didn't matter; it made no difference. On the contrary… she grew even more excited.

"In that case, I won't need to go easy on you, will I?"

The chill from Luo Xian's smile suddenly crawled up the back of Huai Shi's head. Death Perception spread wildly from his skull, and a momentary daze nearly made Huai Shi's consciousness succumb to that terrifying murderous intent.

Immediately after, she abruptly appeared before Huai Shi, Dagger held in a reverse grip, and stabbed down toward his face.

Her motion was so gentle and smooth it might have been mistaken for a tender caress, but in reality, the fluid movements were threaded with unadulterated killing intent.

Swift and deadly. Even with the Mirror of Nothingness's precognition, Huai Shi barely avoided having his face slashed open—she was too fast. Her speed was so incredible that he couldn't fully anticipate it. The very moment his precognition registered her attack, she was already upon him.

BANG!

The Sword Blade was parried.

He used no technique, only the most brutal method.

Force against force.

Scorching vital energy erupted from Huai Shi's left arm. Frenzied Power surged from within his frame, bringing searing pain and strength akin to Thunder.

Huai Shi roared, stepped forward, and actually forced Luo Xian back a step.

Luo Xian's eyebrows rose.

She had not anticipated that the combination of the Mountain Ghost Stigma and the Overload State could achieve such an incredible level.

The Axe Blade chopped down, brutally whipping up a gale, tearing the ground beneath them. A fissure shot forward in a straight line, covering tens of meters in an instant, reaching all the way to Luo Xian's feet.

Lavishly wielding this Power, Huai Shi explored the upper limits he could withstand. In an instant, he executed a Space Break!

Muscles have their limits. Legend says that people ordinarily use only a fraction of their muscular capability; if these restraints were removed, one could unleash Power terrifying even to oneself.

But there were still limits.

The Rank of the Mountain Ghost Stigma itself predetermined this upper limit.

However, Source Substance itself knew no such thing as limits. Ignoring individual peculiarities, the transformation of Ranks, and the total quantity of Source Substance, this Power, born from the Soul and consciousness, inherently defied the fundamental laws of physics and thermodynamics.

It could reach a level capable of overturning the three great blockades of Current Circumstances. With a sufficiently terrifying quantity, rewriting this world in the hands of the Creator might not be impossible.

The breakthrough of the Drummer and Yu Step lay precisely here: among the thousands of methods for utilizing Source Substance worldwide, they were some of the few most intimately connected to the physical body.

Through a pure combination of skill and Source Substance application, they could help a person break through their muscular strength limits and unleash destructive Power far exceeding their own.

By endlessly drawing upon the surrounding life force, Huai Shi converted it into a vast amount of vital energy. He continuously infused this into the Mirror of Nothingness and, by relying on this cheat-like Power, mastered a technique that would otherwise have taken him years, perhaps even decades.

At this moment, he could feel his Power continuously rising as the Source Substance was consumed, step by step ravaging a body already riddled with hidden wounds.

He would die.

With the assistance of the Mirror of Nothingness, he meticulously exploited every sinew, every bone, every joint, until, finally, he faced total collapse.

Precisely heading towards destruction.

Under such frenzied exertion, he could feel his lifespan rapidly shortening, as if squandering a lifetime's worth of Power in these mere dozen or so minutes.

No, were there even a dozen or so minutes left? How much time did he have? Ten minutes? Five minutes? Or just three? How much longer could he enjoy this Power that surpassed his limits before this borrowed life was exhausted?

He had long since cast such thoughts aside.

"Come!"

The Sword of Virtue ground against the Sacrificial Knife, showering sparks that illuminated the Mountain Ghost's broken smile. From the cracks in the young man's chest, a blazing light burst forth.

He was burning, putting on a show for his fan.

"Time waits for no one," he murmured softly. "Cherish this final meet-and-greet!"

The Sword Blade came cleaving down!

BANG!

Amidst the roar, Luo Xian raised both arms. Her cracked Longsword and Dagger slashed out, searing dozens of silver-white gleams of steel into the air. The broken arcs seemed etched into the very air, tearing through the gale and colliding with the steel in Huai Shi's hands.

Sparks erupted!

The Longsword shattered. Huai Shi pressed his attack relentlessly, but Luo Xian retreated a step, as if she had anticipated it all. As she moved, an Iron Hammer flew up from the ground into her hand. With a swing, it arced through the air, colliding once more with his Axe Blade.

A dazzling light flashed and vanished.

"Had I known you could be this strong, I wouldn't have waited so long—"

Luo Xian's expression grew increasingly joyful. From within her shattered Soul, the dregs of the Abyss danced wildly, transforming into pitch-blackness that erupted forth, almost swallowing Huai Shi whole.

The killing intent was bone-chilling.

"Did you know?" Amidst the clash of blades, she gazed at the young man before her and suddenly said, "Father... he originally wanted you to kill me."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.