Severed! (Second Update)

Even with Heightened Focus, the Warden's sword was still fast.

In a flash, the Black Flame-wreathed blade pierced layer after layer of darkness and sliced silently toward Xia Lun's ribs like a bolt of lightning!

Xia Lun drew back half a step and flicked his wrist upward. His blood-scented blade struck the weak part of his opponent's sword.

Clang!

As the metal rang, Xia Lun drove his foot into the ground. Force surged through him and connected with the force inside his opponent.

But the next instant, a muffled whoosh sounded as chilling Black Flame spread from the Warden's blade and swept toward Xia Lun!

An enchanted attack!

Xia Lun yanked his sword back and retreated. Before he could find his footing, the blade came down at his head, trailing icy fire. He caught it with his sword and gave ground another two steps, but in the next instant, the heavy lantern in the Warden's hand swung at his face like a meteor!

Even the hot wind stirred by the Black Flame was as bitter as ice. Xia Lun could feel icy grit rushing toward his face.

Bang! The lantern struck the granite wall, leaving cracks across it.

Fragments of stone rained down. Ice crystals mingled with Black Flame and smoldered in the dust.

The Warden's assault was as relentless as a downpour, smothering Xia Lun's chances to counterattack. Yet Xia Lun felt no panic. The fight had looked dangerous, but after failing to kill the Warden instantly, he had deliberately kept the clash from escalating.

After all, he wanted to use the Warden, whom Renee had described as extraordinarily powerful, to gauge the average level of combat strength in this world.

And that brief but fierce sword fight had indeed shown him what someone who had completed the Threefold