72 Fight For The Ranking (1/2)
Without any momentum needed, Ken Duang pushed his sword to the side, forcing Shin Sumi to accompany his movement in order to not have her sword yanked away from her.
Strength. Because his sword was heavier, Ken Duang didn't have a fighting style as fluid and elegant as Shin Sumi's but rather relied on his strength.
Shin Sumi stabilized her foot on the ground and instantly lept to the side. She had anticipated Ken Duang's next move.
The young man spun on his heel, the flat side of his sword swiping at Shin Sumi's side right as she dodged.
”Heh, we're starting to know each other's style, Brother Bai.”
”You're right... Why don't you show me something new?”
Ken Duang's upper lip curled. The Shinsoo in the air instantly twisted as he concentrated more power from his dantian.
Being a top practitioner in the most selective branch of the sect meant that his power couldn't be only due to his strength. After all they were cultivators.
”But even that is too easy to-” Shin Sumi's thoughts were completely cut off, the large blade unpredictably connecting with hers. Due to their relative position Ken Duang had been unable to attack her directly, instead forced to attack Shin Sumi's weapon. The dark Sky Deception didn't offer much resistance as its flat part dug deep into Shin Sumi's side before dispersing the strength of the blow.
Even if she had predicted the blow, there was no way she could have parried it. The strength sent her rolling across the platform under the widened eyes of the audience.
The Shinsoo inside her dantian was in turmoil. She could already see Ken Duang's follow-up attack coming from above.
”Steady one foot and all the Shinsoo in one arm.”
An attack like Ken Duang's was not meant to finish a fight. Instead its purpose was to throw the opponent's cultivation in disarray to then strike them down. But how could he know that Bai Fulong in front of him had achieved a perfect Shinsoo Gathering with Sixty Four Shinsoo Doors opened?
Shin Sumi's control over her own dantian was incredible, allowing her to steady her cultivation base instantly and have her power back where she needed it the next moment.
Ken Duang reached the apex of his jump, his sword looming ominously over Shin Sumi.
”I've got you now” thought the young man. It was then that Shin Sumi disappeared from his vision. Only a faint trail was left in front of him as she fended forward, passing underneath the attacker.
Sky Deception was raised, the full power of her arm making it look like a black rainbow.
The tip of the blade was painted in red, as was the backside of Ken Duang's leg.
Compared to the bruise she had received due to the earlier strike, it was impossible to tell which side had the upper hand for now, and now both fighters were back at the starting point.
”How good. You always manage to surprise me, Brother Bai. Should we take it up a notch then?”
Smiling as if they were simply having a discussion and not a fight with real blades, Shin Sumi nodded.
From the five or six disciples currently watching the scene unfold, one promptly left the Star Arena. Unlike the other spectators, he wasn't transfixed by the display of power and fighting ability.
Tai Bu was silent.
”K-Ken Duang is going toe to toe with that monster Bai Fulong!! Is he really the lowest qualifier for the Star-Sword Pavilion?! No, there's no way. I'll find somebody else.”
When he had heard that Ken Duang was in the Third Star Arena, he had immediately thought of the perfect opportunity to provoke him and rise in the rankings. It all changed when he saw his opponent and he heard they were not at their first battle.
A deep scar was etched in Tai Bu's mind. From the moment they first met, he had been ridiculed over and over by Bai Fulong. Like a shackle on his heart, Bai Fulong's shadow completely pulverized his willpower.
”As long as I stay far from him, I can still reach the top. I'll only be number two instead of one” had been his line of reasoning ever since the Rising Star Tournament.
But now the fight between Ken Duang and his nemesis, both seemingly equally powerful, had shown him exactly how many steps separated him from his goals.
Gnashing his teeth, Tai Bu looked back at the Star Arena with a hardened look one last time before leaving.
”Come on Bai Fulong, you have to win this fight. If you're the only person I'll never win against, then at least you have to be at the very top.”
On the central platform of the Third Star Arena, Shin Sumi and Ken Duang were looking at each other. Two drops of blood fell from the latter's leg before his Shinsoo magically stopped the bleeding.
”Brother Ken has strength. With Sky Deception I can't quite match him in raw power. Spirit formations are out of the way, my only option is to strike quickly and efficiently.”
Keeping her thoughts silent, Shin Sumi leaned forward, once more taking the offensive.
As the fight progressed, it was clear that the two were quite evenly matched. Shin Sumi concentrated her attacks together in a neverending salvo in order to not leave Ken Duang enough time to complete a more powerful strike.
In turn, Ken Duang's strength made sure to impact Bai Fulong heavily, each blow having to be absorbed in order to continue.
Both were starting to breathe hard and the fight had gone on for minutes when Bai Fulong's side stopped for a second after successfully pushing Ken Duang away. Breaking the ongoing rhythm, it was only a slight pause but long enough for Shin Sumi to make her Shinsoo flow.
Instantly feeling something was about to happen, Ken Duang bolted forward, his sword sweeping sideways at the same time.
It was already too late.
”Star-Sword Canon, first form: Cleaving Meteor !”
Sky Deception fell, a sad whistling sound accompanying its descent as it cut the air open.
Ken Duang raised his blade in an attempt at defence at the last moment. After all, he, too, was a member of the Star-Sword Pavilion and was familiar with the Pavilion's first form. But how could he have thought that in the very short delay after the last attack, Bai Fulong had enough time to condense his Shinsoo in the right way to invoke the Star-Sword Canon?!
A blast of Shinsoo in the form of a powerful wind blade left the yellow light at the tip of Bai Fulong's sword. A straight line of fresh red blood appeared from Ken Duang's left clavicle to his right hip, leaving intact only the part of his chest that was behind his blade.
Ken Duang fell back, pain tearing through his whole body, his sword dropping to the ground next to him.
The moment his eyes focused again after the intense pain allowed him to think straight, a dark cold metallic blade was pressed against his throat. Bai Fulong had won, the fight was over.
Sky Deception left Ken Duang's neck, returning to Shin Sumi's bag of holding. The moment the outcome of the fight had been decided, all animosity disappeared. Taking a knee to the ground, Shin Sumi helped Ken Duang to his feet, inquiring about his injuries.
”I'll be okay” he replied,” the cut is not too deep. A few days of rest and I'll come back stronger.”
Shin Sumi sighed from relief.
”It's scary to receive the Star-Sword Cannon's first form. You unleashed it on me so quickly I couldn't do anything against it.”
”To be honest it's also quite scary to use it on a real person... I didn't - COUGH COUGH!”
Shin Sumi was interrupted by a fit of cough. Gripping her stomach, it felt like her insides were about to come out of her throat.
Waving away Ken Duang and the observers' worries, Bai Fulong sat down next to Ken Duang.
”As expected, unleashing that technique so fast and with an already low Shinsoo level really takes a toll on your body” Shin Sumi thought to herself, ”I need to strengthen my cultivation base and fast.”
Having watched the whole fight, two disciples decided to step on the fighting platform. They introduced themselves as they approached the fighters.