Zhong Shenxiu swung his sword again, and the Light-Imperial Ninja Blade in his hand transformed into a pure golden stream of light.
He didn't use any Soul Skill, relying solely on his physical strength and swordsmanship to contend with the five-ring girl.
This was a deliberate suppression—he wanted to use this battle to hone his swordsmanship.
The girl's butterfly wings fully unfolded, golden patterns flowing across her pink and blue wings, and five Soul Ring flashing alternately.
The 108 blades of light from the Butterfly God Slash were not launched simultaneously, but rather in batches with a certain rhythm, echoing each other and layering upon each other to form a nearly impenetrable strangulation net.
Zhong Shenxiu spun around rapidly, his Light-Imperial Ninja Blade drawing arcs around him. Golden sword light collided with golden blades of light, producing a dense clang of metal against metal. His swordsmanship was sharp and concise, without any superfluous movements; each strike precisely hit the weak point of a blade of light, shattering it.
But there are just too many light blades.
Three beams of light, attacking from behind, pierced through the blade net and slashed fiercely at his back. The golden dragon scales on his Indestructible Dragon Body rippled, dissipating the force of the three attacks and leaving only three shallow white marks.
Zhong Shenxiu didn't even flinch, using the impact of the light blade to lunge forward, the tip of the blade aimed directly at the girl's throat.
The girl spun around, her butterfly wings folding into a shield, and the golden edge of the Wing Guillotine clashed head-on with the Light-Imperial Ninja Blade.
clang--!
With a deafening roar, the girl was thrown back three steps, but Zhong Shenxiu used the force to spring up, flipping in mid-air and slashing down with his sword. The blade flashed like a bolt of lightning, accompanied by the sound of wind being cut through it.
The girl looked up, waved her hands repeatedly, and the Light of the Butterfly God transformed into dozens of golden orbs that shot upwards.
Zhong Shenxiu maintained his sword stance, forcefully slashing into the cluster of light. Explosions erupted around him, golden light engulfing his figure. But the next moment, a sword light burst forth from the center of the explosions, slashing straight down.
The girl's pupils contracted slightly, and her butterfly wings closed again to block.
As the blades intersected, fine cracks appeared on the ground beneath the girl's feet.
Zhong Shenxiu landed and swung his sword horizontally again. The girl used the elasticity of the butterfly wings to float backward, while the golden edge of the Wing Guillotine drew an arc in front of her, blocking the pursuit route.
But Zhong Shenxiu did not pursue them.
He stood still, slowly exhaling a breath of stale air, his Light-Imperial Ninja Blade pointing diagonally at the ground, the golden light on the blade flickering erratically.
"Continue," he said calmly.
A barely perceptible flicker of emotion flashed in the girl's pinkish-blue eyes. She took a deep breath and moved again.
This time, her attack was even more ferocious.
Butterfly God Slash, Light of the Butterfly God, and Wing Guillotine —the three Soul Skill were used alternately, their transitions almost seamless. One hundred and eight light blades were sometimes unleashed simultaneously, sometimes in batches, and sometimes interspersed with a barrage of light orbs from the Light of the Butterfly God. Her figure moved with Gui Mei speed, propelled by the butterfly wings, launching attacks from all angles.
Zhong Shenxiu's knife moved even faster.
He no longer passively defended, but instead attacked. The light of the Light-Imperial Ninja Blade was almost continuous, weaving an impenetrable golden net around him. For every blade of light that slashed down, a sword light would meet it; for every ball of light that bombarded him, a sword light would cleave it in two.
His footsteps moved nimbly within a small space, his figure like a dragon walking on a knife's edge. Every move he made perfectly avoided the most fatal attacks, while those that could not be avoided were left to his Indestructible Dragon Body to withstand.
More and more white marks appeared on the dragon scales, but none of the attacks could truly harm him.
The girl's offensive began to show subtle flaws.
Zhong Shenxiu caught it.
His sword suddenly changed direction, switching from defense to offense. He cleaved the incoming light blade in two, then sprang up, charging straight at the girl's face.
The girl hastily closed her butterfly wings to block, but the power of this strike far exceeded that of the previous ones.
clang--!
She was so shocked that she stumbled back several steps, and the golden edges of her butterfly wings dimmed slightly.
Zhong Shenxiu gave her no chance to catch her breath. His blade moved incessantly, each strike faster and heavier than the last. Every strike landed precisely on the same spot on the butterfly's wing, sending golden sparks flying.
The girl gritted her teeth and forcefully activated her Soul Power. Golden light shone brightly on her butterfly wings, and the power of the Wing Guillotine suddenly increased, repelling Zhong Shenxiu.
But she was already exhausted.
Although the Soul Five-Ring Soul King possessed abundant Soul Power, such a high-intensity exchange of blows was consuming it rapidly every second. Meanwhile, her opponent, a Soul Elder of the Three Rings, seemed tireless, his sword strikes growing ever more ferocious.
Zhong Shenxiu would certainly get tired. But his Eternal Myriad Dragon Source Art constantly draws energy from heaven and earth to replenish himself, and his Indestructible Dragon Body grants him endurance far exceeding that of his peers. More importantly, his swordsmanship has improved rapidly in actual combat.
At first, he needed to focus all his energy on dealing with each blade of light.
Now, he can do the same thing with seven-tenths of his strength.
He is making progress, while his rivals are already on the decline.
The girl seemed to realize this as well. A resolute glint flashed in her eyes, and all five of her Soul Ring lit up simultaneously, unleashing all her Soul Power at that moment.
The golden patterns on the butterfly wings suddenly spread out, and the entire wing turned pure gold. One hundred and eight light blades condensed at the same time, but instead of being slashed out, they circled around her, forming a golden strangling vortex.
Fourth Soul Skill - Hexagram Array!
A light elemental array unfolded beneath her feet, golden light patterns spread, and a binding force enveloped Zhong Shenxiu.
At the same time, orbs of light from the Light of the Butterfly God continuously shot out from the vortex, and the light blades spun rapidly at the edge of the vortex, transforming the entire being into a mobile killing machine.
Zhong Shenxiu's eyes finally lit up.
This was the strongest blow of the entire battle.
He did not back down.
The golden light on the Light-Imperial Ninja Blade suddenly surged, and the blade hummed, as if responding to his fighting spirit. He gripped the sword with both hands, the blade pointing diagonally to the sky, his figure slightly lowered.
Then, he moved.
It wasn't about dodging or retreating, but about charging head-on into that golden vortex.
The binding force of the Hexagram Array pressed down on him, attempting to restrict his movements. However, the Indestructible Dragon Body shone with golden light, and something seemed to be surging beneath its scales, forcibly breaking through the binding force.
The light blades sliced through his dragon scales, producing a piercing screeching sound. The orb of Light of the Butterfly God exploded beside him, golden flames licking his body.
His dragon scales were cracking, and his skin was bleeding.
But his knife didn't stop.
Zhong Shenxiu's eyes had completely transformed into molten gold vertical pupils, unleashing the full power of the Radiant King Dragon. His sword aura reached its peak at this moment, the sword light like a dragon, piercing through the entire golden vortex.
The girl's pupils reflected the approaching glint of the blade.
She wanted to dodge, but the Hexagram Array was her own Soul Skill, and the center of the formation was actually the weakest point of restraint—this was designed to allow her to move freely within the formation. Now, this design had become her fatal weakness.
Zhong Shenxiu's knife was already within reach.
Her final act of resistance was to fold her butterfly wings, fully activating the golden edges of the Wing Guillotine to block in front of her.
But this cut was unlike any of the previous ones.
This strike was Zhong Shenxiu's first all-out attack in this battle.