Su Luo took the initiative this time, swinging his sword down with tremendous force, the sheer pressure of the blade rushing straight toward Lin Xuan.
He couldn’t afford to hold back.
Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed as he stomped his right foot into the ground, his own sword flashing upward in a swift arc to meet Su Luo’s strike head-on.
Yet, Su Luo proved superior. Sensing the disadvantage, Lin Xuan hastily retreated, minimizing the damage.
Su Luo pressed his advantage, while Lin Xuan defended cautiously.
But in Su Luo’s eyes, his defenses were full of openings.
For the first time, Lin Xuan felt utterly powerless—as if nothing he did mattered, like sinking deeper into a swamp the more he struggled.
But how could he just surrender?
He plunged his sword into the ground, his entire body enveloped in spiritual energy, his fists blazing like roaring flames.
Charging at Su Luo, he unleashed a relentless barrage of punches.
Yet Su Luo effortlessly parried every strike with a single-handed grip on his sword. Even though Lin Xuan’s fists were far more refined than his swordsmanship, it made no difference.
Su Luo always stayed one step ahead.
**"Gale Pride Dragon Fist!"**
A sudden whirlwind erupted behind Lin Xuan, propelling him forward at blinding speed. Clenching his fists together, a phantom dragon’s roar erupted from them, crashing toward Su Luo.
Su Luo merely took a deep breath—then let out a deafening shout. The shockwave obliterated the dragon’s spectral form mid-flight.
But Lin Xuan’s assault wasn’t over. Before he realized it, he had closed the distance, launching an uppercut.
*Got him!*
Yet his fist met no resistance.
**"How disappointing."**
Su Luo’s blade sliced into Lin Xuan once more before he leaped back, putting distance between them. **"It’s about time we ended this."**
Gathering his spiritual energy, Su Luo winced as his wounds flared up, coughing twice. But when he raised his head again, his entire aura had transformed.
Lin Xuan’s right hand trembled violently. His left hand clamped down on it, forcing himself to steady.
*Stay calm. Focus.*
**"Eyes of Insight."**
He concentrated all his attention into his vision. When Su Luo attacked, he would react.
True enough, Su Luo’s movements became clearer, allowing Lin Xuan to enter a state of hyper-awareness. If he could see it, he could counter.
And Su Luo was injured—even if his attacks were fiercer now, Lin Xuan could barely hold on.
*I can do this. Just hold out. At least land one hit before I go down.*
But then—Su Luo’s sword vanished from his sight. The next moment, the blade was already piercing through his chest.
Lin Xuan couldn’t comprehend it. *Why couldn’t I see it?*
**"Feel the fear. This is the reality of your weakness."**
Su Luo yanked the sword free and kicked Lin Xuan away, then slowly dragged his blade toward him.
He wanted Lin Xuan to savor the terror.
With each deliberate step, Su Luo intensified his killing intent to its peak.
Lin Xuan couldn’t even breathe.
*I’m going to die. Die. Die. DIE—*
The thought consumed him entirely.
Su Luo’s acting was flawless—Lin Xuan truly believed he would kill him.
And then, Su Luo struck.
**"Goodbye."**
The threat of death hurled Lin Xuan into a flashback—a moment of invincibility, where time stood still.
When the memories faded, an explosive power erupted from his body.
**"I can still... fight!"**
At the brink of death, Lin Xuan had broken through.
**BOOM!**
A shockwave blasted outward, but Su Luo had already retreated, unharmed.
Lin Xuan slowly rose, savoring the overwhelming strength of his newfound breakthrough.
This time, victory wasn’t impossible.
His eyes hardened with confidence as he strategized, calculating how to defeat Su Luo.
But Su Luo wasn’t interested. His goal achieved, he rolled back, feigning fury and frustration.
**"Damn you, Lin Xuan! Next time, I’ll kill you for sure!"**
With that, Su Luo fled—swift, decisive, leaving no room for Lin Xuan to even speak.
Now, all that remained was Lin Xuan, arm outstretched, staring at empty air where Su Luo had vanished.
A cold wind blew past.
Lin Xuan’s mind short-circuited.
*Wait—I just got beaten half to death, finally powered up, and now you’re leaving?*
*That stab was for nothing? That beating was just free damage?*
He stood there, utterly lost in the wind.
---
**Emperor Heaven Sect.**
**"The Heavenly Demon Sect… how bold."**
Di Haoran surveyed the damage to his sect. Had he arrived any later, the losses would’ve been far worse.
The Left Envoy hadn’t expected Di Haoran’s sudden return, but he maintained his composure. **"Sect Leader Di, long time no see. We brought you a gift."**
**"Then stay. Permanently."**
Di Haoran struck without hesitation.
The Left Envoy met him head-on—but within mere exchanges, Di Haoran’s blade cleaved him in two.
Yet Di Haoran showed no satisfaction. **"A clone…"**
Indeed, this was merely the Left Envoy’s doppelgänger.
With the mission concluded, the Left Envoy issued the retreat order. The Heavenly Demon Sect’s forces scattered, each escaping on their own.
Di Haoran intercepted the North End Demon Lord, communicating via encrypted speech. **"Why wasn’t there any intel this time?"**
**"The Left Envoy only announced the mission last minute. He’s grown suspicious of me—it’s been hard to operate lately."**
**"What else do you know?"**
**"Nothing concrete. The Left Envoy plans on the fly. But… the Heavenly Demon Sect will soon attack…"**
The North End Demon Lord rattled off a few random locations—fabricated. If he later sent men to raid those places, they’d become "verified" intelligence.
Di Haoran had asked, after all. Might as well prove his worth.
But Di Haoran was unimpressed. The intel was clearly useless.
*You call yourself one of the Four Great Heavenly Demons? Even ordinary spies bring better information.*
Still, he couldn’t scold him. The man had sacrificed much for this infiltration.
Discreetly, Di Haoran passed him a storage ring before they exchanged a few more blows for appearances. The North End Demon Lord then fled smoothly.
The Heavenly Demon Sect had come fast and left faster.
Yet Di Haoran wasn’t letting them off so easily. He pursued, intent on crippling them.
The recapture of the Northern Sky Gate was imminent—he couldn’t afford their interference now.
But the Heavenly Demon Sect wasn’t to be underestimated.
Despite his strength, the Left Envoy and Right Envoy intercepted him at a critical moment, buying time for the others to escape before vanishing themselves.
In the end, Di Haoran had only managed to wound the Heavenly Demon Sect—not crush it.