The Mirror Master

"Hurry up and fight! We can’t wait any longer!"

"Yeah, I’m waiting to go collect my winnings from the betting house."

People in the crowd began to shout impatiently.

Dou Kuan announced, "If you are both ready, you may begin at any time."

The words had barely left his mouth when Mo Shaohan prepared to speak, intending to taunt Lu Bai and offer him a few free moves.

But he saw Lu Bai’s eyes blaze as he charged forward, radiating killing intent!

Though they were separated by a hundred feet, Mo Shaohan could still feel the terrifying, complex aura emanating from Lu Bai. It was like a tiger descending a mountain, or perhaps an ancient beast, its ferocious energy surging to the heavens!

’He’s that strong?’

Mo Shaohan was inwardly shocked.

They hadn’t even exchanged blows, yet the sheer pressure Lu Bai exuded was already more terrifying than that of the Innate Martial Artist, Luo Mingzhao!

SWOOSH!

Mo Shaohan had no time to think. He hastily summoned his Middle Grade Flying Sword.

WHOOSH!

The blade shot through the air with incredible speed.

To the spectators, it was just a streak of white light hurtling across the Martial Arts Discussion Platform; the Flying Sword itself was impossible to see clearly.

Lu Bai rushed forward as the Flying Sword shot toward him.

They were on a collision course, closing the distance in an instant. A direct hit seemed unavoidable.

But just as the Flying Sword was about to pierce him, Lu Bai, still at a full sprint, twisted his body just slightly. He narrowly dodged the blade without breaking his stride, surging forward another twenty feet!

In the blink of an eye, Lu Bai had reached the center of the Martial Arts Discussion Platform.

From the center, Lu Bai could change his angle of attack at a moment’s notice, no matter where Mo Shaohan retreated.

"He actually dodged it!"

"This Lu Bai’s got something up his sleeve."

"Don’t get excited. He dodged the first sword, but can he dodge the second? No matter how fast his Body Technique is, can he outrun a Flying Sword?"

A ripple of excited murmurs went through the crowd.

"Hm?"

Seeing Lu Bai dodge his Flying Sword, Mo Shaohan frowned. With a flick of his fingers, he redirected the blade, sending it streaking toward Lu Bai’s back.

Lu Bai sensed the Flying Sword closing in from behind and hesitated for a fraction of a second.

He could have switched tactics right then, using Vajra Earth Splitting to instantly explode with terrifying speed and close the distance to Mo Shaohan.

But feeling the blade coming at him again, an idea sparked in Lu Bai’s mind. He ducked his head, bending low to once again evade the strike.

Lu Bai caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of his eye.

He could actually see the body of the Flying Sword itself!

’This weak?’

Lu Bai was puzzled.

When he fought Yun Luo, he couldn’t get close to her at all without using Vajra Earth Splitting and the Silent Shock Secret Technique.

Dodging Yun Luo’s Flying Sword had been more a matter of muscle memory, honed through countless practice duels.

If he had tried to rely on his five senses to track her Flying Sword, his body wouldn’t have been able to keep up, even if his eyes could see it.

But now, he could not only clearly see Mo Shaohan’s Flying Sword, but his body could also react in time to dodge.

From his perspective, Mo Shaohan’s Flying Sword was nearly half as fast as Yun Luo’s!

He felt that even without using any special moves or Secret Techniques, Mo Shaohan’s Flying Sword might not even be able to hit him if he just stood still and dodged.

’Why is there such a huge difference?’

Lu Bai couldn’t figure it out right away.

He had no way of knowing.

Yun Luo was from the Four Seas Pavilion. Even though she was only at the Eighth-Layer Qi Refining, she practiced only the most superior Cultivation Techniques.

Despite being only four or five years old, few cultivators of the same rank were her match.

Furthermore, when Yun Luo dueled with him, she had used a Top Grade Flying Sword.

And with the enhancement from her Wind Element Technique, her Flying Sword was even faster!

In comparison, Mo Shaohan’s Middle Grade Flying Sword seemed like a child’s toy to the current Lu Bai.

If not for the sharp edge of the blade, Lu Bai would have been tempted to simply reach out and snatch the Flying Sword from the air.

Mo Shaohan changed the Flying Sword’s trajectory again and again, but Lu Bai dodged all three strikes!

He began to panic. While controlling the Flying Sword with one hand, he tried to form a hand seal with the other to cast a Magic spell and slow Lu Bai down.

"The Protective Talisman!"

Seeing this, Jiao Wei cursed his disciple’s foolishness under his breath and shouted the reminder aloud.

Casting a Magic spell would take one or two full breaths—there was no time for that.

The correct move was to activate a Protective Talisman first, securing an invulnerable position, and *then* cast a Magic spell to coordinate with the Flying Sword. That was the path to victory.

A Talisman versus a Magic spell—the order of use might seem like a small detail, but the difference in outcome was night and day!

"Hey, no coaching!"

When Luo Ben saw a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator stand up to coach his student while Lu Bai had the upper hand, his blood boiled. Forgetting Jiao Wei’s status completely, he roared, "What the fuck, can’t you stand to lose?!"

"Right, right!"

Mo Shaohan snapped out of his daze, slapped his Storage Pouch, and hastily drew out a Protective Talisman.

"Too late."

Lu Bai’s voice echoed by his ear like a phantom.

SHIING!

The Cyan Cloud Sword left its sheath.

Mo Shaohan’s heart clenched. He subconsciously looked up.

A cold light flashed before his eyes!

SQUELCH!

A searing pain shot through Mo Shaohan’s wrist. He tried to activate the Talisman with his Magical Power, but nothing happened.

He glanced down out of the corner of his eye.

He saw a severed hand, still clutching the Talisman, fall to the Sword Discussion Platform in a spray of blood.

That was...

"AHH!"

Mo Shaohan let out a horrific scream. Blood gushed from his severed wrist as he stumbled back. He abandoned control of his Flying Sword and slapped his Storage Pouch with his remaining right hand, trying to pull out another Protective Talisman.

SQUELCH!

Lu Bai struck again.

Blood sprayed as a right hand was flung high into the air, tumbling end over end!

On the Martial Arts Discussion Platform and below, in the nearby streets, alleys, taverns, and inns, everyone who witnessed this was left dumbfounded, their faces masks of pure shock.

The tables had turned in the blink of an eye!

The fight had only officially begun a few breaths ago.

And Lu Bai had already severed both of Mo Shaohan’s hands!

Lu Bai had used nothing but the most basic Body Technique and Swordsmanship. He had simply charged forward, dodged a few times, and with two swift strikes, severed both of Mo Shaohan’s hands!

"Stop!"

Jiao Wei shot to his feet, bellowing.

Lu Bai acted as if he hadn’t heard. He strode forward, grabbed Mo Shaohan by the hair, and raised his sword for the killing blow.

Just then, he felt an intense wave of danger!

A sharp, prickling sensation stabbed the back of his neck!

His three days of dueling with Yun Luo had taught him what this meant: he was being targeted by a Flying Sword.

And this one was far faster than Mo Shaohan’s!

The Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator had intervened!

With no time to think, Lu Bai swung his sword in a backhanded block and threw himself into a roll!

CLANG!

The Cyan Cloud Sword met the streak of white light with a shower of sparks.

In that instant, the Cyan Cloud Sword snapped in two.

But Lu Bai used the force of that fleeting impact to propel himself behind Mo Shaohan.

He grabbed Mo Shaohan’s long hair with his left hand, yanking him up, and pressed the jagged edge of his Broken Sword to Mo Shaohan’s throat with his right!

The slightest pressure would be enough to slit his throat!

"AAAAAH!"

Mo Shaohan flailed his bloody stumps, his entire body lifted off the ground by his hair. It felt as if his scalp were about to be ripped from his skull!

Jiao Wei’s strike had missed, and now his disciple was in Lu Bai’s clutches.

"Lu Bai, you dare!"

Jiao Wei was now in a bind, unable to attack without endangering his own disciple. His eyes were practically bursting from their sockets as he roared.

"Young Hero Lu, stay your hand!"

Dou Kuan also shot to his feet.

"Heh heh!"

Lu Bai shot Jiao Wei a provocative grin. Then, holding the Broken Sword, he viciously sliced inward!

SQUELCH!

Mo Shaohan was decapitated.

Before the eyes of the stunned crowd, Lu Bai lopped off Mo Shaohan’s head with a single slash!

THUD.

The headless corpse collapsed to the ground, motionless.

Now, Lu Bai stood with the dripping head in his left hand and the Broken Sword in his right. A few drops of blood spattered his fair face as he stared down Jiao Wei, his gaze as sharp as a sword, his killing intent surging to the heavens!

On the Martial Arts Discussion Platform and below, a dead silence fell.