Splitting the Heave

“You were playing with his life! What shameful behavior!” Dongfang Mingyu chided. 

However, Shang Xia seemed completely unaffected by his accusation. “Wow, great master Dongfang, did you forget how I nearly died in your hands too?” 

Raising an eyebrow in shock, Dongfang Mingyu’s expression changed slightly and he snapped, “That’s a different case. We were sparing fair and square! I even withheld my divine sense from the battle and I suppressed my cultivation to the Martial Extremity Realm…” 

“Oh, since you’re so great, tell me if my cultivation is higher than the guy I just killed.” Shang Xia was too lazy to mention the fact that Dongfang Mingyu unsealed his cultivation base and forced him to the edge of death with his divine sense.

When it was a battle to the death, it didn’t matter how other people viewed it. As long as one could deal with their conscience, they could fight however they liked. 

Dongfang Mingyu fell silent, but his battle intent was starting to boil.

“That’s right! The two of us are enemies who won’t stop till the other party is dead anyway! There’s no need to talk about morality between us! We’ll just end it with a huge battle!” Shang Xia raised his swords and gestured towards Dongfang Mingyu. Even though his cultivation was lower, he seemed evenly matched with the man.

Dongfang Mingyu pulled out his sword and it seemed to light up the surroundings.

Shang Xia’s gaze remained on Dongfang Mingyu’s sword for a second longer before turning to look at the man himself. A strange look formed in his eyes. “I’m still a little curious. How did someone like you wander all the way out here? Shouldn’t you be well protected by the members of the Rose Party while you make your escape? Who gave you the courage to show your face here? Aren’t you afraid that you’ll be surrounded and killed?” 

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A soft chuckle left Dongfang Mingyu’s lips. “Hah… Aren’t you also someone who refuses to stick with your faction? Outer disciple of the Tongyou Institution, descendant of the Shang Clan… Shouldn’t you be hiding in fear of assassination?”

Clearly, Dongfang Mingyu did his research.

“Haha! Our Tongyou Institution is different from the Rose Party!” Shang Xia smiled.

“How so?” Dongfang Mingyu paused for a second before he continued, “Don’t think that you’re the only ones who know what sacrificing yourself means…” 

Shang Xia wanted to continue to mock the other party, but he discovered something off. The Jade Creek Sword in his hand created a dense layer of sword light as the Delicate Jade River Sword in his other hand carefully waited for an opportunity to strike.

A huge ray slammed into the dense sword light surrounding Shang Xia suddenly, and it threatened to tear it to pieces.

Forcing Shang Xia back slightly, the Jade Creek Sword bent at a scary angle.

However, his other sword wasn’t there for decoration. Like a sharp needle ready to strike, it stabbed out from behind the curtain of sword lights.

A clear hum rang through the skies as he struck Dongfang Mingyu’s Autumn Water Sword!

The giant sword light dissipated instantly as a shrill ringing filled the air. 

Retreating slightly, Shang Xia stabilized himself before dissipating the strange energy that invaded his sword.

“Twisting Twin Swords, light and heavy…” Dongfang Mingyu sighed. “Too bad I already comprehended my martial intent. Even if I obtain your sword art, I will only be able to extract a little bit for my own technique.” 

His hands didn’t remain idle as he was speaking. After forcing Shang Xia to take a few steps back, his sword continued to slash at Shang Xia’s blind spots. Sword light filled the air and turned the air white.

A solemn expression appeared on Shang Xia’s face as the qi in his sword transformed again. Rainbow-colored lights appeared on the blade’s surface and it threatened to tear the white sky apart. At the same time, his Jade River Sword disappeared into the shadow of the other sword.

In that instant, a ray of darkness tore through the skies as it shot towards Shang Xia with incredible speed.

The moment it appeared, a bent sword light appeared from an amazing angle and sliced the black light in two.

“Clang!” 

Shang Xia took another two steps back after that clash. However, the pure white sky shattered like panes of broken glass and Dongfang Mingyu’s surprised expression was quickly revealed behind it.

“It’s shocking how you managed to transform the Murong Family’s Triple Polarity Mystery Art… What’s more surprising is that you managed to cultivate it for real! Offense and defense, softness and strength. With the other pair of qi you displayed when fighting me for the first time, you should have already comprehended how to use three pairs of qi, right?” Dongfang Mingyu gasped and his gaze turned a little strange when he looked at Shang Xia.

“Who would have thought that you would be able to comprehend the path of light and darkness… I’m really interested in your martial intent now…” Shang Xia replied with his own evaluation.

“You’ll get the chance…” Dongfang Mingyu roared with laughter and he swung his sword at Shang Xia. “Now that I had a taste of your sword intents, you can go to hell now! They’re surprising, but there’s an end to every game…” 

As soon as the words left his lips, the world around them became dark. He turned into a solitary figure that stood in mid air as a terrifying pressure descended on everything around him.

That was the divine sense of a Martial Intent Realm expert! 

Shang Xia tried his best to suppress the fear in his heart from the difference in cultivation and he realized that he was in danger. In the blink of an eye, several rays of white light fused with the darkness. It seemed to symbolize hope in a desperate situation, but there was a deadly intent hidden behind it.

There was a small voice in Shang Xia’s heart that was hurrying him towards the streaks of white light. 

Hurry up! Let’s head for the light at the end of the tunnel! We’ll be free!

Shang Xia took a step forward unconsciously. As though the curtain of darkness was resonating with Shang Xia, it moved towards him too.

Watching the curtain of black drawing closer and closer, the streaks of white became extremely glaring. It started to speed up slightly as if it couldn’t wait to touch Shang Xia.

Just before both sides touched each other, several specks of light emerged from Shang Xia’s body. Those lights were pretty unique and each of them brought its own radiance. They spun quickly around Shang Xia and separated him from the veil of darkness. The voices in his mind also stopped.

Cracking sounds filled the air as the specks of light around Shang Xia were destroyed. However, they reformed quickly.

The ray of white was stopped firmly away from him, but it ground against Shang Xia’s defense desperately. 

When the exchange went on, the darkness around him started to crumble. Rays of warm sunlight entered, restoring the world to its original form. 

A massive sword formation was deployed in an instant, firmly wrapping itself around Shang Xia.

The rays of black and white sword lights were blocked off completely.

Outside the sword formation, a trace of fright formed on the originally confident Dongfang Mingyu.