Liu Ziyun vs. Aizen (2)
Aizen's reaction was equally astonishingly fast. His Zanpakuto blocked the fatal blow at the last second, and the two swords collided, sparking dazzling sparks. The enormous impact spread in all directions, blowing sand and dust into the air and cracking distant Stone Pillars.
The two figures moved swiftly through the void, their swords flashing and Reiatsu surging. Each collision shook the air, and each exchange made the cracks in the ground more dense. Their speed was astonishing, so fast that most people could only see blurry afterimages and hear the metallic clang of blades clashing.
Liu Ziyun's swordsmanship was fierce and violent, each strike carrying an unstoppable killing intent, each strike aiming to cleave Aizen in two. His attacks were without rules or patterns, only the purest, most primal, beast-like instincts.
That kind of swordsmanship is terrifying not because of its exquisite skill, but because of its unpredictability—you never know where his next strike will come from, at what angle, or with how much force.
Aizen's swordsmanship was completely different. Every strike of his was precise and elegant, each strike perfectly deflecting Liu Ziyun's attacks, and then launching a counterattack from the most unexpected angle. His swordsmanship was like his personality—calm, confident, and in control of everything.
Both of them began to show signs of injury.
Liu Ziyun's shoulder was slashed by Aizen's blade, and blood gushed out, blooming into red flowers in the void. His arm was cut with a deep wound, muscles rolled back, and white bone was visible. But his movements did not slow down at all; on the contrary, they became faster and more violent, as if pain was not a burden to him, but fuel.
Aizen also had wounds on his body. His chest was slashed by Liu Ziyun's blade, leaving a deep wound that stained his white robes with blood.
A long, bloody gash ran down his arm, the muscle torn and bleeding profusely. But his expression remained unchanged, still bearing that calm, confident smile, as if the wounds were on someone else, not him.
The battle continued, the wounds multiplied, and the Reiatsu dwindled.
Until--
Liu Ziyun cleaved Aizen's left shoulder with a single strike, the blade cutting across his chest and down to his waist. The cut was so deep it revealed bone, and blood gushed out, turning the surrounding air red.
Aizen staggered in mid-air, almost falling. But in that instant, multiple purple marks extended from his chest—the power of the Hōgyoku. These purple marks wriggled like living things, forcibly stitching up the deep, bone-revealing wound and stopping the gushing blood.
Aizen's Reiatsu dropped sharply after that strike; his breathing became rapid, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but he remained standing, still holding the sword, and still smiling.
"You've reached your limit," Liu Ziyun's voice carried a hint of cold laughter and mockery, "The limit for someone who is the Soul Reaper."
Aizen raised his head and looked at Liu Ziyun. A complex light flashed in his brown eyes—weariness, resentment, but more than anything, an almost stubborn confidence.
"Ah, that's true." His voice remained calm, but with a hint of hoarseness. "What, do you still have the confidence to beat me?"
Liu Ziyun sneered, his smile carrying a hint of disdain and provocation, "Why don't you try and see?"
He raised his hand, palm facing Aizen, and uttered the Release Phrase for the Kidō: "Bakudō #63 - Chain Binding."
Dozens of golden Reiatsu chains flew from his palms, dancing in the air as if they were alive, and wrapped around Aizen. Aizen tried to dodge, but his body had not fully recovered from the serious injury, and his movements were a moment too slow. The chains took advantage of the moment, wrapping around his arms, his legs, and his torso, binding him firmly.
Liu Ziyun gave him no chance to break free. "Bakudō #79 - Nine-Sun Binding."
Nine black Reiatsu curtains appeared simultaneously from all directions, enveloping Aizen. These curtains of Reiatsu were like nine walls, trapping him in a small space, unable to move or escape.
Then, Liu Ziyun raised his other hand, palm facing Aizen, and chanted the most powerful Kidō: "Hadō #91 - Senju Kōten Taihō".
Countless golden beams of light shot out from his palms, like the countless arms of the Thousand-Armed Guanyin, carrying an aura of annihilation, and hurtled towards Aizen. The beams were as dense as a torrential rain, each capable of destroying a building, and each carrying a determination to kill.
Boom!!
The beam of light struck Aizen, unleashing a deafening roar. Golden light illuminated the entire battlefield, and the shockwave spread outwards, whipping up dust and shattering distant Stone Pillars.
As the dust settled, Aizen slowly emerged from the smoke and grime.
His body was covered by a layer of white substance—the power of the Hōgyoku, a protective layer released by Aizen when he was on the verge of death. The white substance covered his entire body, like a pupa, protecting him from fatal damage. His expression remained that calm, confident smile, as if the world-destroying Kidō was nothing more than a breeze to him.
"It seems," he said, his voice laced with a mixture of mockery and smugness, "That your attack was ineffective."
Liu Ziyun shrugged indifferently, his smile unchanged, "Yeah, looks like we need to increase the intensity a bit."
He raised his hand, and a tiny white light condensed at his fingertips—the light was so faint as to be almost invisible, yet it caused Aizen's pupils to contract sharply.
"Hadō #4 - Byakurai".
A thin, white bolt of lightning shot from his fingertip, moving with astonishing speed and piercing Aizen's chest with pinpoint accuracy.
Aizen's body jolted violently, and a tiny hole appeared in the white protective layer under the impact of the lightning. Blood gushed from the hole, blooming into a shocking red flower on his white robe.
"Look," Liu Ziyun's voice held a hint of mockery, "All it takes is a little more effort."
Aizen looked down at the wound on his chest, then looked up at Liu Ziyun. A serious glint flashed in his brown eyes—not anger, not fear, but a reassessment of his opponent's strength.
"Oh," his voice held a hint of approval, "To be able to break through my body directly. That's impressive. Perfect, let's test—the extent of my evolution."
As soon as he finished speaking, his Reiatsu began to rise again. That power was stronger, more violent, and more unfathomable than before. The Hōgyoku pulsed in his chest, emitting an eerie purple light. That light seeped into his body and into his soul, pushing him to a higher level.
Liu Ziyun watched Aizen's Reiatsu rise steadily, a glint of excitement flashed in his eyes. He didn't stop him, didn't interrupt him, but simply stood there, waiting—waiting for Aizen to reach a new height, waiting for the battle to become even more intense.
He swung his sword— Flying Blade.
An invisible blade of Reiatsu flew out from the Life-Taker Tulu, moving with astonishing speed, aiming straight for Aizen's head.
Aizen's figure vanished at the last second, the Flying Blade grazing his cheek and leaving a shallow bloodstain on his face. The next instant, he appeared in front of Liu Ziyun, his Zanpakuto whistling sharply as it slashed down fiercely.
Liu Ziyun raised his sword to parry, and the two swords clashed again, sparking dazzling sparks.
"A test," Aizen's voice came from the other side of the blade, carrying a hint of composure and confidence, "Let's stop here."
His Reiatsu erupted once more, the power sweeping outwards like a tsunami, forcing Liu Ziyun to stagger back several steps. Liu Ziyun steadied himself, feeling Aizen -like Reiatsu, a trace of solemnity flashing in his eyes.
"Looks like your evolution has been successful again," his voice remained calm, but with a hint of seriousness. "However, I should be able to handle this level."
He also increased his Reiatsu. That power collided with Aizen's Reiatsu in the void, stirring up countless ripples of Reiatsu, like two giant stones thrown into a calm lake, creating towering waves.
Their figures collided once again.