The two continued. Only the clash of weapons and the sound of footsteps rang through the Martial Arts Arena, while the night wind scattered their occasional muffled grunts along its edges.
Shen Fei's swordsmanship favored practical combat, with no fixed routines. Every strike targeted his opponent's openings, coming from tricky angles with steady force.
Xiao Ning'er's spear technique was more structured. Her transitions between attack and defense followed a clear pattern, and she kept the spearhead at mid-range, preventing Shen Fei from closing in easily.
After roughly half an hour, both had worked up a thin sheen of sweat. The spear shaft had swept across Shen Fei's left arm, leaving a red patch; the flat of his sword had struck Xiao Ning'er's right shoulder. Though it had not injured the bone, she could feel an ache whenever she swung her spear.
Neither stopped. The intervals in which they caught their breath grew shorter, and their attacks gradually quickened. Without Spiritual Power to bolster them, their stamina drained far faster than usual. Every move required them to engage the muscles throughout their bodies to maintain speed and force.
Around the forty-five-minute mark, Shen Fei seized an opportunity. Xiao Ning'er's thrust missed, and the spearhead stabbed into the ground. The gap as she withdrew it to defend lasted half a beat longer than usual.
Shen Fei turned sideways and slipped in, catching the spear shaft with his left hand while bringing his sword blade across the side of Xiao Ning'er's neck with his right.
Xiao Ning'er did not try to break free. Once he caught the shaft, her balance was compromised, and even if she forced herself to turn sideways, she could not reach his vital points. She paused for a breath, then released her right hand from the spear to concede.