Chapter 77 - Mua Lin x Sui Lin (2/2)
Being his sister and his twin, they were tuned in such a way that he could feel her intentions and the movement of her Shinsoo much better than anyone else.
Opposed to her, Sui Lin the cold looking woman in white was eyeing Despairing Blossom with a lot of deep thoughts. ”She is going to attack me with all her might and I can't use 'cage' a second time. I have to use an attack of my own to block her attack.”
With the quick strokes of an experienced writer, Sui Lin drew invisible lines in the air. A blue glow started shimmering along the paintbrush, accompanied by a peculiar crackling.
”Ice Scythe” she said softly, her paintbrush now being claimed by a thin layer of ice, the brush tip covered by a long curved ice blade.
Although it takes some time to describe, both weapons had completed their transformation in the time it takes a spark to fly off a stone.
Knowing fully well that this was the climax of the fight, the two fighters unleashed one of their most powerful attacks at the same time.
”Dance of the Flowers, Sunlight Petals!” shouted Mua Lin.
Sui Lin answered, ”Cold Star Ice Whistle!”
On the other side, the powerful ice scythe was cutting relentlessly the incoming petals, freezing the air with each swing and sending shards of transparent ice in a straight line, whistling like the blizzard in the trees.
Even the disciples watching, more than a few meters away from the platform had to cover their eyes and faces from the small snowstorm that was being unleashed in front of them.
Both attacks lasted the same amount of time and when they finally ended, cold mist was escaping both girls' lips.
”You... can't... escape” said Mua Lin in a hoarse voice. Facing her, Sui Lin was silent, her eyes expressing her complicated thoughts.
Mua Lin was the first to cough up blood as well as fall down on the ground. Sui Lin's pure white robes were now tainted by her blood in multiple places.
Despite the powerful Cold Star Ice Whistle, the assault of the Sunlight Petals had managed to come through on multiple occasions.
Falling on one knee, Sui Lin bowed once to the unconscious Mua Lin. The victory was hers but she knew how to respect a powerful opponent.
The crowd that had grown silent to watch the issue of the fight suddenly burst with enthusiasm, having watched one of the best fights their eyes ever laid upon.
Only one person wasn't sharing the global frenzy.
Mua Jin's fingers had dug ten bloody holes in his own arm, watching his sister using one of her most powerful moves while already injured and short of energy.
He had warned her not to do it, knowing full well what would happen if she didn't outpower her opponent. And yet it wasn't her fault. ”It's all because of YOU!” he shouted.
Eyes blinded with rage, Mua Jin's hand slapped his bag of holding, producing a large two-handed sword that was red in color.
Before anybody could realize, Mua Jin's Blood Blade tip was glowing with the yellow light of a star and he was pouncing on the exhausted and injured Sui Lin.
He was at the apex of his jump above the platform when a grey silhouette disappeared from the crowd on the opposite side, reappearing next to him.
”White Claw Dusk Cleaver” said the blurry figure in an imperceptible voice.
Before it could even form completely, Mua Jin's Cleaving Meteor was interrupted by Shin Sumi. In a split second, the ground underneath them turned completely black.
A white crescent moon rose from the darkness, swinging vertically towards Mua Jin. ”No, not a crescent moon. A white claw.” Mua Jin thought before the large object slammed against him.
The Blood Blade didn't last an instant against the massive claw coming out of the darkness that barely slowed before descending on Mua Jin's abdomen.
The haunting cry of despair that then escaped his lips froze everybody's heart, as the White Claw Dusk Cleaver ripped half of Mua Jin's midriff.
Only a split second had passed, not many observers aware of what had happened. One moment Sui Lin was the winner of her fight and Mua Jin was seeking revenge for his sister, the next he was screaming on the ground, half his side turning into a bloody mush at the feet of Bai Fulong, next to his sword in pieces.
”What was that attack?!” the onlookers asked themselves. ”Did you see anything?” ”No, Mua Jin jumped and then this guy blocked and destroyed him.” ”I've seen him before, he's Bai Fulong, number five of the Star-Sword Pavilion ranking!”
Shin Sumi stopped breathing for a moment. For once, she was completely depleted of energy. Only one attack from White Claw Dusk Cleaver and yet her entire body was left without an ounce of Shinsoo.
But what left her even more stumped was the result of her attack.
”Crap, have I killed him??! Oh no, this is bad, hang on Mua Jin!”
Keeping a straight face, Bai Fulong immediately took out a few medicinal herbs, products from Shin Sumi's own courtyard.
Applying the medicine the best she could, she called out for Shinsoo-Medicine Pavilion disciples.
The latter were always lurking around the various Star Arenas, looking for potential business to grow their names and make a few spirit stones out of others' fights. They were quick to react, taking care of both Mua Jin and Mua Lin.
When the panic of the scene died down, only a few people remained at the Third Star Arena. The truth was, as brutal as that had been, it was just a fight between cultivators. Now that the action was over, people were going back to their own cultivation.
”Bai Fulong, you... We've fought before.” Sui Lin addressed Bai Fulong, her expression returning to the coldness of ice.
”Yeah, you wiped the floor with me, Sister Sui,” Shin Sumi replied with a tired smile. It was unnecessary to precise the circ.u.mstances of the fight, though. The simple fact that Sui Lin knew Bai Fulong's name already meant he had left quite an impression on her.
”Why did you intervene just now? And what was that crescent moon... You know what? Forget it. We will see each other at the Cross Branch Arena.”
”Heh. Too cold for a single 'thank you for saving my life'. She sure seems lonely.” Shin Sumi looked at the white figure leaving the arena. It was time for her to leave too. Shin Sumi was exhausted and needed some time to meditate, replenish her energy and reflect on the technique from the Ghost Pavilion she had used for the first time.
”I didn't have enough time for anything else. White Claw Dusk Cleaver was my only option. I hope nobody caught on and that the Patriarch will never now...”
According to the white scroll it came with, White Claw Dusk Cleaver was a two-step technique. The reason why Shin Sumi had no choice but to use it was mainly because the technique allowed the caster to materialize instantly next to the target.
As long as it was within a few meters, Nuan's book ability had even informed her that she would be capable of traversing magical obstacles and Shinsoo barriers.
As for the second step of the technique... Shin Sumi had never experienced its destructive power before. She knew it ought to be strong, but this was completely out of what she had expected.
Reflecting on it back in the peace of her home, she was glad she hadn't killed Mua Jin by using a move she didn't completely understand yet. He was alive, the rest didn't matter.
Attacking an opponent that was already down, by surprise and for a simple ranking matter, like a coward. He had gotten what he deserved.
For the next two days, Shin Sumi hoped the entire time that the Ghost Pavilion would not catch on what she had done. Was using the White Claw Dusk Cleaver like revealing the existence of the Ghosts ?
She was right about to think she had gotten away with it when she entered her home after visiting Xiao Yue and she saw a piece of jade on her tea table.
The jade was shaped in a perfect square, and semblance of a formation could be seen on one surface. In one glance Shin Sumi knew what it was.
”An Imagery Stone!” She had learned a light transmitting formation herself, and the pattern on the jade seemed very similar. ”This is used to record a divine sense image. Who left it here?”
Despite asking that question, she knew it could only have been a ghost.
Sending her own divine sense into the jade, a bright image immediately appeared in her mind.