Just the One to Test My Blade On

Lu Li looked behind Scar.

Sanhua and Jinhsi were slowly approaching.

The ice crystals from moments earlier had come from Sanhua's resonance ability.

Jinhsi raised one hand. A golden light flashed, and she slowly floated into the air.

At the same time, an enormous sea-blue dragon appeared out of thin air, throwing its head back with a roar that carried an awe-inspiring force.

The next second, the illusory dragon conjured five smaller dragons, which charged ferociously at Scar!

"Heh, so it was a trap."

Scar's lips curled into a disdainful smile.

The card in his hand erupted into roaring flames, melting every last ice crystal on his body in the blink of an eye!

Then he turned around and crushed the incoming dragons one by one with astonishing speed and strength.

But it wasn't over yet.

Just then, Jinhsi conjured another group of small dragons, which bound Scar's entire body like iron chains.

"Interesting... You don't seriously think this is enough to hold me, do you?"

Scar sneered, his voice brimming with contempt and confidence.

He brought his hands together and exerted a sudden burst of force, unleashing a powerful surge of energy from his body!

In an instant, all the Dragon Shackles binding him were dispelled.

The resulting shock wave knocked everyone in front of him several meters back.

A Piao held both arms in front of herself to withstand the pressure of the shock wave.

A red dome of light slowly rose around Scar. It looked as though he was about to use his spatial ability to teleport away again.

"Don't even think about escaping."

No sooner had she spoken than she noticed Lu Li had somehow appeared silently behind Scar.

A Piao, who had been about to charge forward, suddenly gave a faint smile.

Scar was just about to say something when he felt a hand settle on his shoulder.

The voice he least wanted to hear rang out:

"Come on, man. Ignoring me while you're talking is one thing, but you're going to ignore me in a fight too?"

Scar gritted his teeth. "Tch..."

He really had been careless. He had focused all his attention on the Magistrate and completely overlooked this guy...

He spun around, gripping a card tightly as he struck at Lu Li's neck.

But Lu Li was already prepared, and the Yamato in his hand flashed into motion.

"Just the one to test my blade on!"

The Yamato sliced through the card in Scar's hand as easily as cutting hair.

Then Scar suddenly sensed an aura of extreme danger.

It felt even more intense than when he had faced the Magistrate moments earlier.

His pupils contracted sharply. Though he hadn't seen Lu Li attack, his keen senses and extensive combat experience prompted him to leave his position in an instant.

A moment later, a storm of savage Blade Blossoms erupted where he had been standing, shredding the air there and destroying the surrounding dome of light, leaving Scar unable to teleport away.

"Don't let him escape!"

At Lu Li's sharp command, the Echo inside his Terminal leaped out on its own and attacked Scar.

Scar was furious. Ever since his appearance in Qichi Village, he had been in control of the situation almost the entire time.

He fixed Lu Li with a vicious glare. It was all because of this seemingly flippant man...

Scar was ready to unleash his full strength. He had decided to make Lu Li pay. He would destroy this place completely!

But just then, he noticed Lu Li suddenly sheath his sword, muttering something under his breath.

He heard Lu Li's murmur.

"Red Skies, Shadowless!"

In the next instant, Lu Li vanished from Scar's sight like a phantom.

Scar's face twisted viciously. He tried with all his might to dodge, only to discover that he couldn't evade this lethal strike.

But he didn't simply resign himself to his fate. Several fiery-red cards appeared in his hands, and he slammed them down against the ground.

With a thunderous crash, he easily shattered the smooth floor into countless fragments.

At the same time, a powerful burst of force drove back the Echo charging toward him.

Then roaring flames suddenly engulfed his entire body, seeming to form an impenetrable shield.

A moment later, one incomparably fierce slash after another appeared before everyone's eyes with overwhelming force.

The slashes carried a heart-stopping aura, every stroke filled with boundless killing intent.

Blood-red blade light surged like a raging tide, engulfing Scar in an instant.

The others didn't even have time to see what had happened. All they could see was a sea of crimson.

By the time they came to their senses, Lu Li was already standing quietly behind Scar.

He slowly sheathed the long blade in his hand, his expression blank and his demeanor utterly composed.

Only then did the final dazzling streak of blade light gradually fade, revealing Scar.

They looked closely and saw Scar on both knees, his hands braced against the ground as his body trembled violently.

His face was as pale as paper, utterly drained of color. Fresh blood kept spilling from the corners of his mouth as he gasped for breath.

Meanwhile, the system's voice sounded in Lu Li's mind.

[Ding! Achievement unlocked: Interrupted Casting]

[Reward obtained: Blood Blade Technique increased by one level.]

Sanhua reacted quickly, stepping forward and securing Scar's hands with specially made shackles.

After taking a moment to recover, Scar forced himself to his feet and spoke weakly:

"So you knew I was following you all along, Rover."

"You always have helpers who understand you without a word, and no matter how many I remove, there's always another."

"You teamed up with the Magistrate beforehand. I'm a little hurt."

Scar turned his head and stared hard at Lu Li. "And then there's this guy..."

"He really makes me curious... Just what rock did he crawl out from under...?"

"With someone like him protecting you, hehe... I suppose I can rest easy..."

Magistrate Jinhsi stepped forward and asked with concern, "Are you both all right?"

A Piao shook her head, while Lu Li beside her neither moved nor spoke.

It wasn't that he didn't want to speak. He was simply far too weak right now.

The Yamato's skill, Judgment Cut, was an ability of the sword itself and put little strain on Lu Li.

Red Skies: Shadowless, on the other hand, was a burst skill that drained Lu Li immensely. With his current abilities, a single use was already his limit. He might need several days to recover before he could use it again.

Though Red Skies: Shadowless was incredibly powerful, Scar's combat experience truly was exceptional, and he had made the best possible decision.

Otherwise, he might have met his death.

A Piao noticed the slight trembling of Lu Li's shoulders. Smiling, she walked behind him, placed both hands on his shoulders, and gently kneaded them.