Donggua's roar was far from quiet, but unlike his bold words, the Soft-Bone Longsword in his hand—though its power had been pushed to the absolute limit—couldn't penetrate the Primordial Chaos Twin Spirit Beads' protection.
"With that cultivation of yours?" Chu Xingchen's expression was cold. "Overestimating yourself to this degree is just asking for humiliation."
Donggua's grip didn't loosen a fraction. He shouted harshly:
"Revered Demon!"
The moment the words fell, the flower Xu Linglong had planted in Donggua's Sea of Consciousness began to bloom instantly.
It started absorbing every trace of power it could within his Sea of Consciousness, gathering it all—and beyond his spiritual consciousness, every ounce of cultivation etched into Donggua's very bones was drained by this flower.
The flower bloomed with sinister beauty, drinking blood and devouring spirit.
Only now did Donggua realize his life had never truly escaped Xu Linglong's grasp.
It had always been a matter of whether she wanted to or not. His so-called "defection"—Xu Linglong probably hadn't cared at all.
A tempest of emotions churned within Donggua, but he struggled to suppress the chaos.
The Donggua of now could only press the Soft-Bone Longsword down with everything he had, casting aside all other thoughts.
This sword could not retreat.
For glory. For the blood flowing through his veins.
Even knowing it was foolish, he would bring down the most dazzling curtain call in the most foolish way possible.
Donggua's realm began to plummet from Spirit Transformation. The flower in his Sea of Consciousness ravenously devoured everything within his body, then channeled it all—through the most violent and unreasonable means—directly into the Soft-Bone Longsword.
The refined energy surged through Donggua's arms. The violent force seemed ready to pierce straight through his hands. His meridians blazed with an extreme crimson glow, as if about to tear his hands apart.
For Donggua, it felt like only a moment's breath before his realm had fallen to Nascent Soul.
The agony of his Sea of Consciousness being torn apart—a pain that made his entire body go numb—shot from his hands straight into his brain.
Donggua didn't even have the strength to groan, but both hands poured every last shred of will into driving the sword toward Chu Xingchen.
The lost cultivation transformed into the purest, most massive energy.
The invisible barrier seemed to crack at last. Donggua's Soft-Bone Longsword appeared to inch forward—just barely, imperceptibly.
Die! Die! Die!
Blood vessels crawled across Donggua's resolute eyes.
In his vision, Chu Xingchen's expression finally began to change.
From initial fury and contempt to a trace of disbelief.
Chu Xingchen's figure began to retreat.
Though his entire body screamed as though being torn apart, Donggua clenched his teeth. The Soft-Bone Longsword remained pressed against Chu Xingchen.
A bizarre, otherworldly sound suddenly rang out.
In the next instant, the barrier that had blocked Donggua's every advance seemed to shatter.
The Soft-Bone Longsword sliced toward Chu Xingchen's body without resistance.
Wanban materialized, and Chu Xingchen raised his sword to block.
But his aura—that feeble Nascent Soul presence—couldn't possibly withstand Xu Linglong's all-consuming strike.
BOOM!
A pillar of crimson light erupted skyward.
The entire ship was engulfed in the crimson pillar.
Donggua's eyes were locked on Chu Xingchen before him, watching the Soft-Bone Longsword blast away the defending Wanban, watching it pierce through Chu Xingchen's shoulder.
Watching Chu Xingchen's protective talisman shatter completely under the force, struck directly against his true body.
He saw Chu Xingchen's face—that face that had always been calm and warm with a gentle smile—twist in pain.
Perhaps it wasn't the pain. Perhaps Chu Xingchen knew he was about to die at his hands.
Chu Xingchen's cultivation truly hadn't recovered. His injuries hadn't healed.
Donggua felt a surge of excitement—it was him! He had killed Chu Xingchen!
"Wanban!" Chu Xingchen's hands gripped the Soft-Bone Longsword desperately, preventing it from driving deeper, as he bellowed.
Wanban soared up from the sea where it had been knocked away, carrying the force of cleaving through the waves, and slammed down on Donggua like a slab of brick.
Donggua had no energy left to spare. All he wanted in this moment was to kill Chu Xingchen right here, right now.
But unfortunately—
Wanban sent Donggua hurtling backward without any defense.
His body tumbled several times before he barely steadied himself. He raised his hand and recalled the Soft-Bone Longsword, which had embedded itself in Chu Xingchen's left shoulder.
Searing pain radiated throughout Donggua's entire body. The flower Xu Linglong had planted continued to drain his energy without pause.
This also meant Donggua didn't know what damage Wanban's strike had actually inflicted.
But...
Donggua didn't care anymore.
Either way, he would die here today.
His face contorted as he looked at Chu Xingchen rising slowly from the sea.
Chu Xingchen's left shoulder bled into the ocean. His face was pale as he reached for Wanban, now transformed into a long sword. His voice was somewhat weak:
"Biting dogs don't bark—and sometimes they wag their tails."
"Your performance was more dog than a dog, but calling you a dog really is an insult to dogs."
"But you're still far too naive. You really think burning your cultivation with some back-alley trick is enough to beat me?"
"I... am someone you can only look up to."
Donggua felt his body barely under control. He needed time to recover, so he answered through gritted teeth:
"Dying by my hand doesn't dishonor your reputation."
Chu Xingchen actually cracked at that:
"If I actually died by your hand, that would truly be the ultimate disgrace. How did you keep a straight face saying that?"
Donggua drew a deep breath, then stepped forward, crossing the distance to stand before Chu Xingchen in an instant. His voice was cold:
"Because! I will truly kill you!"
Chu Xingchen's eyes were calm, as though he'd placed life and death beyond consideration. Wanban in his hand bloomed with light—his aura was faint but utterly pure.
An absurdly exaggerated crimson clashed against that faint, pure radiance.
The aftershock rippled across a thousand zhang, but the victor was decided in an instant.
Donggua's expression went blank. His eyes were filled with utter disbelief as the scenery around him blurred and retreated at impossible speed.
Chu Xingchen's cold, detached gaze receded from his vision just as fast.
The Soft-Bone Longsword shattered into fragments.
Disbelief drowned out all of Donggua's pain.
He... had actually lost.
Donggua's body rolled into the sea and sank beneath the surface—he no longer had the strength to float.
Chu Xingchen, though visibly weakened, reached out with spiritual energy and lifted Donggua from the water, drawing him close.
Donggua's body was limp, but his eyes remained locked on Chu Xingchen.
"Understand how absurd you are?" Chu Xingchen's voice couldn't entirely mask his weakness. "You were so close to surviving. You're clearly a clever person. You're clearly terrified of death. So why did you insist on throwing your life away?"
Donggua grinned:
"I lost, but you're going to lose too. You think you're clever? Can't you even see that?"
Chu Xingchen didn't argue. He raised Wanban in his hand:
"Then—do you think you'll see it?"
Donggua's eyes mocked Chu Xingchen.
"He will!"
Xu Linglong's voice rang out from the distance.
Along with the voice came a nearly invisible dark crimson arrow.
Chu Xingchen twisted his body to dodge, turning his gaze toward the arrow's origin.
Xu Linglong stood in midair, armored, her expression devoid of joy or sorrow as she looked at Chu Xingchen:
"Today, you die."
Chu Xingchen saw who had arrived, and a smile crossed his face:
"The true body at last... that wasn't easy."