After the wind and waves had settled.
Xueyu was rescued from the sea by Kirigakure's Anbu and brought aboard the ice-crystal warship.
He was gravely injured, his breathing weak and his face deathly pale. Suddenly, he coughed up a mouthful of blood and passed out.
Although Yechen's punch had not struck him directly, the power it unleashed had been staggering. His ninjutsu had been shattered, and the shock had injured his internal organs, leaving him unable to fight again.
The ice-crystal warship, which had been drifting on the sea, was now swiftly heading back.
Yechen remained where he was, showing no intention of pursuing it. A figure had appeared before him and was watching him with an icy gaze.
The man wore a black robe and a Kirigakure Anbu mask. Through the holes in the mask, a pair of golden eyes with slit pupils could be seen. His entire presence radiated coldness.
Whoosh!
Without wasting a word, the man darted forward in several flashes, closed in on Yechen, and swiftly drew the long sword from his back.
Swish!
A gleam of steel sliced through the air, the sword aimed straight at Yechen's throat.
Yechen stepped half a pace back, narrowly evading the killing blow.
Before Yechen could counterattack, the man followed up with a kick at his abdomen.
Yechen chose not to take it head-on. He leaped back again, avoiding the kick.
The next instant, a cold gleam flashed. Having just retreated, Yechen flicked his hand, and Hyōrinmaru appeared in his grasp. He used the Void Flash Evasion Technique to appear beside the Kirigakure Anbu Ninja and swung his ice blade.
Clang...!
The crisp ring of clashing weapons echoed through the air.
His opponent moved with extraordinary speed, turning his sword across his body to block the strike.
Boom...!
In