Three days later, in a special plane of the Virtual Universe, Gulanxiu and Barto stood facing each other.
Barto said coldly, "Gulanxiu! If you want the location of the Axe Secret Realm, then defeat me. You'll have to step over my body!"
Gulanxiu chuckled. "Since you chose a Virtual Battle, the outcome was already decided. I imagine you know that, too, so what's the point of saying all this?"
Gulanxiu's words made Barto feel as if he'd been insulted. He cursed, "Drop dead!"
With that, he charged at Gulanxiu, spear in hand.
Feeling the sharpness of the countless spear shadows filling the air, Gulanxiu smiled faintly. "Now this is more like it."
He swung the Blood God Axe in his hand, holding it before himself!
With a clang, Barto's figure flew backward. Clearly, he'd suffered a heavy loss in their clash of strength.
But Barto didn't panic. While still in midair, he forced himself to turn and steady his body, then charged at Gulanxiu again.
This time, Barto had learned his lesson. Knowing he was no match for Gulanxiu in strength, he circled around him, his spear carrying a sharp World Force as he thrust at Gulanxiu from all sorts of inconceivable angles.
The Blood God Axe in Gulanxiu's hands flashed up and down, steadily blocking every one of Barto's strikes and sending him flying again and again.
Barto's expression changed. Before the fight, he'd known he would probably lose, so he hadn't been especially bothered by being at a disadvantage.
But once they were actually fighting, he realized just how difficult it was to shake Gulanxiu.
Though his attacks seemed relentless, every thrust was solidly blocked by Gulanxiu. His World Force was also weaker than Gulanxiu's, and he was being firmly suppressed.
If his spear was like a Flood