Barnes watched Yun Feiyang unhurriedly unwrap the tattered cloth from his wooden sword, a sneer on his lips.
The magma blade he had drawn from his chest rested across his side, its molten patterns flowing slowly.
A faint bubbling rose from it, and its scorching blade intent warped the space within three feet.
Yun Feiyang finally removed the last strip of cloth.
The wooden sword was revealed.
Gray-brown from end to end, with coarse grain and not even a sharpened edge, it looked less like a sword than a piece of wood carved into the shape of one.
Yet the instant Yun Feiyang gripped it, something happened.
The chains of law above the entire arena gave a faint hum in unison, as though answering some ancient, pure summons.
"Last time, I lost to you by half a move. This time, I'm taking your life."
Holding the wooden sword, Yun Feiyang slowly raised his head and fixed his calm gaze on Barnes in the distance.
"My life?"
"Last time, you lost to me by half a move. This time, you'll lose your life."
Their gazes locked. The air was thick with the promise of violence.
"Come and fight!"
Barnes struck first. His blade intent condensed into a crimson crescent that swept across the center of the arena.
Space along its path split like thin ice, leaving two cut surfaces smooth as mirrors.
The crescent was terrifyingly fast. Almost as soon as it left his blade, it reached Yun Feiyang.
"Come on!"
Yun Feiyang raised his sword to block.
The instant the wooden sword met the crescent, he turned his wrist slightly, and a supple stream of azure Sword Intent surged from the blade.
Like flowing water, the Sword Intent wrapped around the crescent's edge and drew it aside.
That gentle motion