Fierce Battle

Shen Qinghe did not respond.

Her figure flickered. Instead of retreating, she advanced, shooting upward like a streak of dark cyan light and slamming her palm against the True Qi sphere more than thirty feet across.

With a thunderous boom, the True Qi sphere exploded beneath her palm, turning into shattered waves of air that scattered in every direction, sending gravel and dust from the mountaintop spiraling into the sky.

Borrowing the explosive recoil, she spun in midair and had already closed to within thirty feet of Li Xiao.

Six Desires Heavenly Demon Qi coiled around her body as her fists and feet struck together, carrying an eerie ripple that shook the mind and spirit.

She had actually chosen close combat.

Li Xiao was briefly stunned, then a flash of excitement crossed his eyes.

He burst into laughter and, rather than retreating, flew forward to meet her.

Iron Wire Fist surged forth with fierce True Qi. The wind from his punch howled as it collided head-on with Shen Qinghe's palm force wreathed in Heavenly Demon Qi, producing a muffled explosion of air.

Their figures crossed, fists and palms alternating. In the span of only a few breaths, they had already exchanged several blows.

Iron Wire Fist was fierce and tyrannical, Azure Wave Palm dense and fluid as water, Flying Cloud Leg nimble and graceful. Li Xiao cycled through all three Cultivation Methods, his attacks and defenses flowing together in one seamless breath.

Meanwhile, Shen Qinghe's Six Desires Heavenly Demon Qi was strange and ever-changing. Every punch and palm carried a force that disturbed the mind; the slightest carelessness would allow those eerie ripples to burrow into one's consciousness.

But under the protection of that Eighth Turn Resentment Sword Qi, Li Xiao's mind was as steady as a boulder. The demonic