Did I... lose?
Conqueror's Haki, unleashed at full power!
A powerful will, almost tangible, erupted from his body.
That will soared into the sky, tearing a hole in the dark clouds overhead.
Blood-red lightning danced wildly between his fists.
Endless blue-white lightning bolts converged wildly towards his fist at that moment.
The will of Conqueror's Haki, the destruction of electricity, and the hardening of Armament Haki —these three powers were perfectly fused together on his fist.
The light condensed, transforming into a cross-shaped starburst.
The starlight was dazzling and radiated a terrifying aura that sent chills down one's spine. Wherever it passed, the air was torn apart, emitting a piercing, mournful sound.
Long Chiyu's pupils suddenly contracted.
He felt threatened by death.
The threat was so clear, so real, that it felt as if he would be completely swallowed up at any moment.
He tried to break free, but Bai Yushan's hand gripped his wrist tightly, making it impossible for him to move.
He could only watch helplessly as the cross-shaped starlight grew larger and larger before his eyes.
Die!
Bai Yushan unleashed a powerful punch.
A cross-shaped beam of light tore through the air and slammed down towards Long Chiyu's waist and abdomen!
"Boom--!!!!"
A burst of blood-red light erupted instantly.
Long Chiyu's body flew backward like a kite with a broken string.
His lower body shattered completely under that punch, turning into a cloud of blood mist.
Blood fell like raindrops.
"Bang!"
Long Chiyu's upper body slammed heavily onto the ground dozens of feet away, rolling several times before finally coming to a stop.
His Mountain and River Sword fell not far away and broke into several pieces.
His Battle Armor had shattered completely, turning into specks of light that dissipated into the air.
Long Chiyu lay on the ground, his mind blank.
He wanted to stand up.
His body instinctively wanted to exert force.
But his legs did not respond at all.
He lowered his head slightly.
Then he saw it.
Below my waist and abdomen, there was nothing there.
Fresh blood was gushing from the clean wound, staining the soil beneath him dark red.
His lower body was gone.
At this moment, he is no different from someone cut in half at the waist.
The chill of death slowly rose from his limbs and bones.
Blood kept gushing from his mouth.
"Cough cough... cough cough cough..."
He coughed violently, and with each cough, a large amount of fresh blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
Did I... lose?
His voice was intermittent and so faint as to be almost inaudible.
A flicker of resentment, a hint of regret, and a touch of... relief flashed in his eyes.
He risked everything, unleashing his strongest power.
But he still lost.
They lost to this boy who was only ten years old.
Footsteps slowly began to sound.
Bai Yushan walked step by step towards him.
He was naked.
The battle between the two was so intense that the terrifying sword energy and lightning tore his clothes to shreds, causing them to dissipate completely into the air.
He stood naked in front of Long Chiyu.
His body was as perfect as a statue of a god.
Standing at 1.8 meters tall, with a slender and upright posture, and smooth yet powerful muscle lines, he has not an ounce of excess fat.
His pale skin was covered with crisscrossing wounds, some fresh, some old, each telling a story of the battles he had fought.
Blue-white electricity still slowly coursed around him, crackling softly.
His chest rose and fell slightly, and his breathing was still somewhat heavy.
But his eyes had already regained their clarity.
The frenzied crimson, like the receding tide, completely dissipated.
He lowered his head, looked at Long Chiyu lying on the ground, and said nothing.
Long Chiyu looked up at him.
As he lay dying, there was no hatred or murderous intent in his eyes.
He simply stared at Bai Yushan, at this perfect body forged by lightning and blood.
Then, he suddenly spoke.
"That's really strong."
His voice was very soft, and a faint smile even appeared on his face.
Bai Yushan was stunned for a moment.
He clearly hadn't expected that Long Chiyu would utter such a sentence before his death.
He scratched his head, unsure how to respond, and could only say casually, "You're not bad either."
His tone was serious, without a trace of sarcasm.
Long Chiyu is indeed very strong.
This was the strongest opponent he had ever encountered.
If he hadn't unleashed all his power at the last moment, he might be the one lying on the ground right now.
Upon hearing his words, Long Chiyu's lips curled up slightly.
He didn't look at Bai Yushan again.
He slowly withdrew his gaze and looked up at the sky above.
With the dense forest no longer providing cover, the sky was completely visible.
The dark clouds have dispersed.
Golden sunlight shone through the clouds, falling on the earth and onto his face.
Warm and bright.
"Stop lying."
He said softly.
As soon as he finished speaking, the light in his eyes completely disappeared.
A faint smile remained on his face.
It was as if he was just asleep.
Long Chiyu is a promising young talent of the younger generation of the Sun Moon Long Clan.
His talent was second only to his cousin, Long Tianwu, the Second War God in the War God Temple.
He had a bright future ahead of him; he could have grown into one of the strongest figures on the continent; he could have protected the land he loved so deeply.
But on this day, Long Chiyu perished.
On the shores of the South Sea, the moment you leave the Star Dou Great Forest, you can see an endless blue sky.
Nestled amidst mountains and forests, bordering the sea.
After passing through the last dense grove of trees, the view suddenly opened up.
A salty, briny sea breeze swept over me. The wind was strong and moist, and as it blew against my skin, it helped to dispel some of the fatigue from my long journey.
As far as the eye can see, there is an endless sea.
The sea was a deep blue, shimmering in the sunlight, stretching all the way to the horizon, where it met the equally blue sky. Layer upon layer of waves surged in from afar, crashing against the rocks on the shore, sending sprays several meters high and creating a deafening roar.
Seagulls circled in the sky, emitting clear cries. Sometimes they would swoop down, skim across the sea, snatch a small silver fish, and then flap their wings and disappear into the blue sky and white clouds.
Bai Yushan and Bi Ji traveled south along the edge of the forest, finally arriving at the shore of the South Sea.
They found a sheltered cliff by the sea and settled down there for the time being.
The cliff stands on the coast, dozens of feet high, its entire body a dark blue-black, made of hard rock. The cliff face is covered with dense lines of varying depths, crisscrossing and recording the traces of time.
For thousands of years, the waves have been relentlessly crashing against the cliffs day after day, Sun Moon month.
At high tide, the surging waves crash heavily against the cliff face, eroding and peeling away the most vulnerable rocks bit by bit. At low tide, the seawater slowly seeps into the cliff face through the cracks, flowing between the rocks and gradually widening those tiny fissures.