Xiao Xuan set the greatsword upright before him again, its spine resting against his left shoulder.
His breathing remained as steady as ever. The expenditure of that sword strike and kick seemed hardly worth mentioning to him.
"Forget it. But you were right—I used a light sword thirty thousand years ago."
He lowered his gaze to the greatsword in his hand, as wide as a door panel.
"Later, I switched to a heavy one."
"Each one got heavier."
"This one is the heaviest one I've ever wielded."
"So heavy no one else can lift it. Only I can."
"Heavy swords are good."
Yan Wuji nodded, his expression carrying a serious sort of agreement.
"When a heavy sword smashes someone, you don't have to worry about whether it hits accurately. As long as it hits, they shatter."
"It can also keep the things in your heart pinned down."
"I'm coming."
With that, he clenched both hands into fists and brought them together before his chest. The fire patterns over his fists abruptly flared to their utmost brilliance.
Those fire patterns spread from his fists to his forearms, upper arms, and shoulders, until they covered most of his upper body.
The surging flames around him changed from scarlet to golden white, their temperature abruptly soaring to nearly twice what it had been.
"My punch doesn't have that many fancy tricks either."
He bent his knees slightly and lowered his body by half an inch, like a fierce beast lowering its center of gravity before pouncing on prey.
"When I throw it, there is only one punch."
"But that punch contains everything from a lifetime of cultivating the Blazing Flame Great Dao."
"You'd better catch it."
"Then you'll be the first person to withstand a punch from me at full strength."
He shot