Tonglu said nothing, his expression indifferent.
Suddenly, sword light flashed.
The flying sword returned from beyond the Reef Maze, carrying water stains but no blood.
Liu S sui, who had been standing on a reef, had vanished.
Tonglu silently circulated his Sword Arts. The air before him distorted slightly, and the white foam beneath his feet suddenly vanished. He vanished with it.
With a faint hiss, a deep mark appeared on the reef where he had stood.
Azure seawater surged through the Reef Maze, waves churning, jets of water spraying from the crevices now and then. The briny smell was rather strong.
Tonglu and Liu S sui were hidden somewhere, preparing their next sword strikes.
At their current cultivation realms, it was already difficult to see each other's flying swords with the naked eye. Battle naturally became more perilous, often decided by a single strike.
During the Green Mountain Sword Trial, the sword duels between disciples of the various peaks had looked so spectacular, with relentless pursuits, because both sides knew each other too well, and because they were not fighting to the death.
But today's sword duel between Tonglu and Liu S sui would decide life and death in an instant.
Had their earlier strikes not missed, the white foam among the reefs would already have been stained red.
Time passed slowly. Seawater washed over the reefs with a roar, but neither man's figure appeared.
As sword cultivators, their first task was to conceal their whereabouts, just as Zhao Layue had when she killed Luo Huainan.
Beneath a certain reef, the light was dim, making it difficult to see. Moss and the remains of shellfish covered the rock walls.
Tonglu stood inside with his eyes closed, allowing seawater to fall on his face and body without any reaction. His