Honkai: Kaslana's Way of Survival

Besides...

"Don't worry about me. Do you remember what I told you?" Kaino carried Li Sushang into the carriage parked nearby, then bent down and whispered, "If I really can't beat him, I'll run."

"Uh, well..."

Li Sushang's face reddened slightly, and she awkwardly shifted her body as her eyes darted about.

"You already healed my injuries. I can move by myself."

Kaino froze for a moment, then suddenly realized that as well. Somewhat embarrassed, he straightened up and casually turned to walk toward Ma Fei Ma.

"Haha, such serious injuries healed so quickly. You Raiken Ghost really are interesting."

When Ma Fei Ma saw Kaino return after settling Li Sushang down, his brows rose and joy practically spilled from his face. His mouth stretched into a grin, like a tiger spotting prey and preparing to pounce.

"Indeed. But what a shame—I can't heal scars on someone else's face. Oh, perhaps you don't care much about that?"

Seeing that Ma Fei Ma's expression remained unchanged, Kaino realized that his mockery had been ineffective.

That made sense. Li Sushang had said the man wandered around picking fights whenever he had nothing better to do. If he truly cared, he would not have acted so recklessly and left himself with a face full of scars.

"Then forget it. I was thinking that even if you don't care, there should always be girls who do, right? You're already so old—don't tell me you're still single, or that the person you like doesn't..."

Kaino shut up.

Watching Ma Fei Ma stare at him with bulging veins, as though he had struck a sore spot, Kaino was slightly surprised before breaking into a smile.

He really hit the mark?

That felt good.

He had not forgotten that bastard's earlier insult.

When it came to verbal sparring, a Kaslana would not easily admit defeat to anyone.

He had only recalled Ma Fei Ma's earlier comment about Seventh Junior Sister, who already had children, giving the Xuanyuan Sword to her child. That had made him wonder whether the man might still be a bachelor, so he casually tested the waters. He had not expected to hit so precisely.

The other man's face was nearly turning purple.

"Raiken... that was a bit too vicious."

Li Sushang had already climbed up in the carriage and leaned against the cushion, watching the two confront each other so she could intervene at any time. She could not help swallowing as she muttered under her breath.

If she remembered correctly, hadn't her Sixth Martial Uncle married Eldest Martial Uncle?

Ma Fei Ma took a deep breath and calmed himself. Then, without waiting for Kaino to prepare, he stomped hard while gripping Xuanyuan.

He opened with Transforming Sword: Flying Falcon, then shifted into Opening Sword: Mountain Collapse. Though the invisible greatsword could not be seen, the wind it kicked up alone showed just how overwhelmingly powerful the strike was.

Kaino remained unruffled. He raised the Xuanyuan Sword and began using Guarding Sword: Strong Bamboo.

It was a move Li Sushang had used when sparring with Old Eagle. Though no one had explained or taught it to Kaino, with the Herrscher of Reason's analytical abilities, he had already roughly deduced both the path of Honkai energy circulation and the techniques for exerting force.

Even a Kaslana with exceptional athletic talent could not claim that understanding something with the mind meant the body would understand it as well. But wasn't there a target right in front of him?

Both he and Ma Fei Ma wielded Xuanyuan Swords. Though his understanding of sword forms was inferior to the other man's, Kaino's monstrous strength was more than enough to overcome technique with brute force.

As for his use of Honkai energy?

Kaino admitted that the Tai Xu Sword Form was indeed exquisitely profound. Even though he had not fully analyzed its methods, its efficiency in using Honkai energy far exceeded his original methods and remained entirely within his limits.

And as for a battle of endurance...

Although his opponent could rapidly draw Honkai energy from the outside world, Kaino, who could directly draw Honkai energy from Imaginary Space, truly had no fear of wearing him down.

Most importantly, if his opponent was Ma Fei Ma—the man who had just looked ready to kill them all—then Kaino could fight without restraint and feel no psychological burden no matter how badly he beat him.

In nearly five years since arriving in this unfamiliar place, Kaino had yet to encounter an enemy capable of forcing him to go all out.

Tai Xu Sword God? Fake ### The longer Ma Fei Ma fought, the more alarmed he became. His initial fury gradually cooled, transforming entirely into disbelief.

At first, he saw that although this Raiken Ghost possessed an enormous amount of True Qi, far surpassing that of ordinary people, he had no idea how to circulate it through his meridians. Not only would that waste vast amounts of True Qi, it would also greatly increase the risk of qi deviation.

Furthermore, while the other man's physique was decent by martial world standards, it could not compare to his own. His breathing was also chaotic and disordered, showing no trace that he had practiced martial arts.

Therefore, although he had witnessed Kaino's remarkable healing ability, Ma Fei Ma had initially not considered this young Raiken Ghost particularly strong. When he saw Kaino assume the Tai Xu Guard Sword Form, he had nearly laughed aloud.

He admitted that the other man's movements and True Qi circulation barely counted as standard. But Guard Sword Form should not be used against Opening Sword: Mountain Collapse.

Against such a heavy, powerful strike, one either broke it with an even swifter attack or evaded it through nimble movement. Standing still to block it was simply the worst possible choice.

And the Guard Sword Form the other man used was full of so many openings that they could not even be counted. Liu (n four)

The next moment, sword met sword. Kaino, the defender, remained completely unmoved, while Ma Fei Ma, the attacker, was jolted back a step.

What was going on?

He hurriedly used Guard Sword Form to parry Kaino's immediate counterattack, all while examining Kaino's body from every angle, his mind filled with disbelief.

The other man's physique clearly looked weaker than his, so why was he so strong?

And not only that...

One knew one's own circumstances best. Tai Xu Sword Qi was indeed immensely powerful and profoundly mysterious, but its consumption of True Qi was also absolutely substantial. If the Sword Heart Sutra could not draw True Qi from the outside world, disciples of the Tai Xu Sect would never be able to fight prolonged battles.

But what about this man?

Ma Fei Ma observed with Sword Heart. When Kaino used the Tai Xu Sword Form, he had indeed consumed True Qi. Yet now, the amount of True Qi within him was once again exactly the same as at the start.

But Ma Fei Ma was certain that Kaino had not drawn even a trace of True Qi from the outside world.

This was really bizarre...

After blocking Kaino's attack once more, Ma Fei Ma retreated to open up some distance, narrowing his eyes as he studied Kaino.

Could his True Qi really appear out of thin air?

And besides...

Ma Fei Ma examined Kaino's stance again.

Though the sword form was still somewhat unpolished, it was already comparable to someone who had practiced for several months. But how many exchanges had they even had?

Ma Fei Ma could not help being astonished by Kaino's learning speed. The Tai Xu Sword Form might be easy to pick up but difficult to master, yet no matter how gifted someone was, they should not have learned it this quickly.

It was like watching someone use addition, then hearing an explanation of subtraction, skipping the entire process of deduction, and immediately writing out the multiplication table.

If Kaino had not already mastered the Tai Xu Sword Form and merely been concealing his skill, then this kind of talent was simply monstrous—something that should not exist among ordinary people.

At that thought, Ma Fei Ma grinned, his fighting spirit rising even higher.

Now this was more like it.

Fighting a monster like this was what made things interesting!

"Again!"

Ma Fei Ma shouted and unleashed Opening Sword: Rock Break, charging straight at Kaino.

Who said I wanted to go again?

Kaino used Opening Sword: Chaotic Thunder to force Ma Fei Ma back, then rolled his eyes.

Over the course of their fight, he had already completely analyzed and memorized all twenty-one forms of the Tai Xu Sword Form.

It was not as though he could not keep letting the other man feed him moves to improve his proficiency with the Tai Xu Sword Form, but could he not do that with Li Sushang, her master, or even the immortal Chi Yuan later on?

Did he really have to stand here under the blazing sun in the Desert practicing with this guy?

"No need to continue. Let's settle life and death with the next move."

Kaino gently planted the Xuanyuan Sword into the ground, rubbed his wrist, and called out to Ma Fei Ma.

"You're not using your sword?"

Ma Fei Ma frowned tightly at those words and asked in a low voice.

"No. I'm still not used to it. My wrist is already sore."

"Without that sword, you can't beat me."

"I said I'm not using it. Why are you being so damn long-winded?"

After loosening up, Kaino let out a breath. Then he raised his right hand before his chest, palm up and fingers loosely curled, as though he were grasping something.

"What kind of trick are you playing?"

Ma Fei Ma frowned, his expression grave as he stared at Kaino's raised right hand. After their earlier exchanges, he no longer dared to underestimate Kaino in the slightest.

Especially when Kaino started doing things he could not understand.

"Ahem. Watch carefully."

Seeing that Ma Fei Ma's attention had focused on his hand rather than rushing to attack, Kaino smiled faintly.

This was exactly how it should be.

Then Kaino clenched his fingers, and streams of icy mist rose from his right palm, slowly climbing and stretching upward.

In the end, the icy mist twisted and changed shape, finally becoming a hazy phantom of a sword.

Seeing Ma Fei Ma frozen in place across from him, Kaino curled his lips into a smile.

"With formless qi, transform it into a tangible sword."

Softly reciting the words Li Sushang had used when introducing the Tai Xu Sword God, Kaino slowly raised his right hand from before his chest until it passed over his head.

Icy mist spread continuously from Kaino's right hand, circling around him as it rose higher and higher. Eventually, the mist filled a massive cylindrical space five meters in radius and ten meters tall.

Kaino turned his right hand slightly, and the icy mist rolled once more, ultimately forming a gigantic Xuanyuan Sword over ten meters tall.

The Xuanyuan Sword's tip pointed upward, straight toward the heavens. Looking from below, it carried the imposing aura of wanting to split the sky apart and pierce through the firmament.

And when the sword took shape, a fierce whirlwind suddenly formed around its blade, elevating that imposing presence to an even greater height.

Ma Fei Ma's expression went completely blank. His eyes widened unconsciously, and his mouth fell open on its own. At this moment, there was nothing in his heart but shock.

Because he knew exactly what Kaino held in his hand.

Just as Kaino had said, formless qi transformed into a tangible sword. If that was not the strongest divine art in the martial world, then what was?

And since it was that divine art, what was so strange about being shocked upon witnessing it with one's own eyes?

But Ma Fei Ma felt more than shock.

Once the shock faded, what remained was joy.

It was excitement.

It was joy, fulfillment.

It was anticipation, longing, and satisfaction.

It was... battle intent boiling over.

"Monster..."

Ma Fei Ma was himself an expert at manipulating light. So he dared to swear that the enormous sword of ice and mist before him, with its overwhelming aura, was absolutely no illusion—it truly, tangibly existed before his eyes.

Battle intent woven from a jumble of emotions surged through his heart.

Before this sword, victory or defeat no longer mattered.

Before this sword, life or death no longer mattered.

Take this sword...

At this moment, this was the only thought left in Ma Fei Ma's heart.

"Great Void—"

Kaino stared at Ma Fei Ma, then fiercely swung down his raised right hand. At the same time, the massive sword pointed toward the sky came crashing down.

"Sword God!"

"Haaah!"

Ma Fei Ma seized Xuanyuan and charged fiercely toward the descending greatsword.

Then, firelight flashed.

Supreme Freedom, Cheng Lingshuang

Under the setting sun, it was still that same carriage, except a blood-red steed had been harnessed alongside the original two horses.