That had been a considerably heavy blow.
When that strike came crashing down and Luo Zhen caught it with a palm covered in Adamantine Strength, the surrounding air exploded with a thunderous boom. The ground beneath Luo Zhen's feet shattered and caved in.
"Clack, clack...!"
The sharp blade rubbed violently between Luo Zhen's palms, sending sparks flying.
"Ah!"
Kyoko let out a small cry at the sudden attack.
"Tch!"
Kagami Reiji clicked his tongue.
"Hm?"
Luo Zhen's brows lifted slightly as he raised his eyes and looked ahead.
There stood a young man wearing an ordinary shirt and trousers. He was exceptionally tall and extremely thin, yet he held a long Japanese sword in his hand and was slashing it down at Luo Zhen.
"Huh?" Seeing Luo Zhen forcibly catch his strike, the young man first widened his eyes, then murmured incredulously, "He actually blocked Higekiri with his hand?"
----Higekiri.
That name was not unfamiliar to Luo Zhen—or, for that matter, to most people.
It was one of the two treasured swords forged during the Heian period and once belonging to the Minamoto Clan, a noble family that had received its surname from the ancient imperial family.
The treasure had a long history. During the Heian period, it was one of the two famous swords used to protect the realm by Minamoto no Mitsunaka, son of the renowned general and Sixth Grandson King Minamoto no Tsunemoto. It was paired with another famous sword, Hizamaru.
It was said that Minamoto no Mitsunaka, who wielded the two famous swords, was skilled at using one to attack an enemy's face and the other to attack the enemy's knees. Thus, they were respectively named Higekiri and Hizamaru.
Later, Minamoto no Mitsunaka passed the two famous swords on to his son—Minamoto no Yorimitsu.
Minamoto no