Chapter 77 - Mua Lin x Sui Lin (1/2)
Sui Lin's paintbrush appeared, amazement could be seen in every disciple's eyes around. Even Mua Lin marveled at the peculiar weapon.
”Sorry for the waiting, Mua Lin. Now we can get serious?”
If Sui Lin was intimidating before, now that she had traded her junk blade for her proper weapon her aura grew a dozen times thicker.
If Mua Lin wasn't too impressed by the radical change in atmosphere, it was only because she was completely immersed in her own will to fight. Her Despairing Blossom was pointing straight at Sui Lin, ready for the second exchange of blows when she suddenly paused.
”Hey hang on. No matter how I look at it, a paintbrush isn't a weapon. If you plan on using spirit formations on me you don't deserve to be in the Star-Sword Pavilion.”
Mua Lin was right, it was also something Shin Sumi was wondering about. She knew better than anyone else what it meant, being in both pavilions at the same time.
”Don't talk idly during a fight or you will regret it. Star-Sword Canon First Form: Cleaving Meteor...!”
The tip of Sui Lin's brush now glowed with a bright yellow light. No matter how she looked at it, Mua Lin couldn't deny that this was indeed the Star-Sword Canon's first technique.
Used with a low level blade, Cleaving Meteor's devastating strike was reduced by a large margin. The power behind the technique was directly linked to the swordsman's strength as well as its weapon.
And yet when Sui Lin released the yellow light, the pressure from the impending Cleaving Meteor was definitely not fake.
”It's the real deal... I need to evade that” Mua Lin realized. From an outsider's perspective it seemed as if she had been mocking her opponent when in reality she was probing Sui Lin.
If she was able to release the Star-Sword Canon through her paintbrush, her weapon was truly terrifying. What else was she capable of?!
Mua Lin who was very familiar with Cleaving Meteor evaded the strike easily. Locking eyes with Sui Lin, both girls knew that all of this was simply a demonstration and no real intent at a strike.
”Show me the worth of your paintbrush in close combat!” Mua Lin jumped forward, pressing on the offensive.
Nevermind the techniques Sui Lin was capable of using, she was only brandishing a large paintbrush after all. It wasn't a blade or an offensive weapon.
With a deep confidence in her own Despairing Blossom sword, Mua Lin struck down against the wooden paint brush.
A loud metal-on-wood bang resounded but the paintbrush remained unscathed. Forcing the pinkish blade to run along the leather wrap around the pole of the paintbrush, Sui Lin pushed the brush tip down.
Sui Lin took great pride in her weapon. If it weren't capable of deflecting a sharp edge, how could she be using it for combat?
Imbuing Shinsoo on the silk like hair of the brush, the writing tool immediately became as sharp as any sword. By the time Mua Lin realized what was happening to the paintbrush, the tip was already brushing against her shoulder.
Both weapons were interlocked, but Sui Lin had the advantage of range.
”WUAAAAH!” Mua Lin let out a scream. Forcing her arm to push harder than before, she finally shoved Sui Lin to the side, allowing her to take a step back.
Under her fingers, her shoulder was gushing out blood. She hadn't felt the tip of the brush enter her flesh and yet she had been cut deeply by Sui Lin's peculiar weapon.
”You're asking for death. And when this is over I will break your brush in half!”
On the side of the platform opposite Shin Sumi, Mua Lin's twin brother Mua Jin was gnashing his teeth. His fingers were digging deep into his crossed arms, leaving red marks on his biceps, and yet he tried to remain calm as his sister was being hurt.
With a battle cry, Mua Lin lunged forward once more. It seemed as if she had gone crazy from shock, swiping her pink sword horizontally.
Sui Lin defensively slammed the ground with the end of the paintbrush pole, intent on blocking the horizontal strike. And yet her eyebrows were furrowed. ”Something doesn't feel right.”
Despite appearing to be attacking without restraint, the cunning Mua Lin was in fact very calm. What bothered Sui Lin was the sensation of Shinsoo being condensed, that her divine sense was picking up subconsciously.
”Star-Sword Canon Second Form, Piercing Heavens!”
At the last moment, the crazed Mua Lin suddenly changed stance. Despairing Blossom accelerated in a straight line like a comet, going straight towards her opponent's c.h.e.s.t.
It was too late for Sui Lin to block with her weapon, the speed of Piercing Heavens ever growing. The only solution that would allow her to escape her predicament was...
'CAGE'
Faster than a sword technique, manipulating Shinsoo in the way that was most familiar to her, Sui Lin summoned the Shinsoo cage from her Character Formation technique on herself.
”The air is the canvas. The blood is the link. The energy is the ink.” Sui Lin's voice spoke softly as a small cloud of dust receded.
Her breathing had gone a bit heavy and irregular but she was completely unscathed. Around her, the 'cage' character that had shielded her from Piercing Heavens was slowly fading.
Even Shin Sumi took a few seconds to understand what had transpired. From having experienced first hand, she obviously knew what the Character Formation technique was, and she had seen and felt the 'cage' before.
”She attacked in order to protect herself? She used her Character Formation without the paintbrush? She was faster than Piercing Heavens?!” Shin Sumi didn't know what was the most impressive thing about what just happened.
”I'm glad she's the only one that ever completely beat me. Sui Lin is terrifying.” She recalled the fight in the last stages of the Rising Star Tournament. Even then without having condensed her Shinsoo Sea, Sui Lin was strong and she could use her technique almost perfectly.
Now that she had opened her Shinsoo Doors and reached the Liquid Realm, her affinity with Shinsoo had changed entirely. It made sense that the same technique she could use previously would now be easier for her to execute.
And yet she had done so with perfection at the right moment. It only served to wonder what she was now capable of 'writing' with her paintbrush.
”This is my Character Formation technique. I had no choice but to use it, I was surprised by your Piercing Heavens. I hope you don't consider this cheating, I was using magic after all but on myself. This is the equivalent of using a spirit pill in my opinion.”
Sui Lin and Mua Lin were staring at each other's eyes from across the platform. From their looks alone, it was obvious that Mua Lin was in worse conditions.
The petite girl's shoulder was torn open and the gushing blood had only now stopped to flow. She was breathing heavily and her face was pale from having her Piercing Heavens, undoubtedly one of her strongest attacks, stopped at the last moment.
Shin Sumi squinted her eyes a little. She knew something was off. Had Sui Lin been a little late in writing her 'cage' on thin air? Did using her ability without the brush cost too much Shinsoo that she had to wait and restore a bit of energy?
Many questions remained, even after the fighting resumed at a slower pace. A few blows were exchanged in a quick succession, both girls keeping from using big finishers for the time. It seemed like they were both running low on stamina after the last showdown.
After being in a stalemate for a while, it was Mua Lin who took the offensive position.
She raised Despairing Blossom with her right hand, chanting something unintelligible in a low voice. The pink sword suddenly started vibrating. The beautiful weapon transformed before Sui Lin's eyes.
Despairing Blossom was a needle-like sword, very thin and pointy, but now thorns were appearing along its sides and a small bulb at the tip was blowing and blooming.
Like a rose unfolding during spring time, the weapon now resembled a flower complete with sharp petals capable of slicing the air itself.
In Mua Lin's hand, the name of the sword fully reflected its existence.
”It is time to finish this, Sui Lin. You were a worthy opponent but this is your loss.”
Observing silently the fight, Mua Jin suddenly opened his eyes wide and tried to interrupt his twin sister. ”Lin'er, don't use that!! You can't be thinking of the Da-”
”Shut up, Jin'er! I've made up my mind!!”
Never had Mua Jin wanted to stop a fight this much in his life. Whatever Mua Lin was intent on doing seemed life threatening and yet Mua Jin knew it was too late.