Duan Liuyun also noticed the changes in Liu Buli.
Besides his appearance, the spiritual energy radiating from him had also surged dramatically compared to before.
It was a manifold increase.
Duan Liuyun realized with chilling clarity that if this growth were allowed to continue, the outcome of who would live and who would die was no longer certain.
His expression turned grave. Without further hesitation, Duan Liuyun launched an attack on Liu Buli. However, this time was different from before. A move that should have instantly killed his opponent proved utterly ineffective.
Liu Buli simply shifted to the side, evading the attack. He then raised his long sword, took a deep breath, and let the flames engulf its blade. With a sweep of his arm, he began the dance-like offense he typically employed against enemies.
If his previous dances had been like waltzes in the inferno, possessing a gentle beauty despite being lethal moves, then his current attack was a frenzied dance, a desperate struggle burning with life and soul.
This attack truly frightened Duan Liuyun.
He held his breath and focused, engaging Liu Buli in a serious battle. He completely abandoned the Grand Elder, and as a consequence, Liu Buli's first strike enveloped the old man in flames, reducing him to a charred piece of charcoal with a wail of agony.
To let him die so easily… a fitting end, perhaps.
Liu Buli thought, but he had no time to dwell on it. He could clearly feel his life force draining away with the burning flames. He couldn't last much longer, and within this limited time, he had to kill Duan Liuyun to ensure Lu Wuming's complete safety.
Flames surged into the sky, painting the azure heavens a fiery orange-red. Liu Buli poured all his strength into the fight, adopting a stance that seemed to court mutual destruction. He finally gained the upper hand in the battle.
The previously relaxed expression on Duan Liuyun's face was now etched with panic. With his rhythm disrupted, his wounds began to multiply.
Seeing his right arm about to be severed by Liu Buli's sword, Duan Liuyun's eyes widened. He instinctively thrust out his left arm to block.
With a crack, blood splattered.
His severed arm fell to the ground. Duan Liuyun's eyes bulged, the fury within them intensifying. He gritted his teeth and snarled, "Liu Buli, you are dead!"
"Yes, I am dead," Liu Buli replied with a smile. His expression remained unnervingly calm as he flicked the blood from his sword. He narrowed his eyes and said, "But have you considered that if I die, you won't live either?"
Duan Liuyun stared coldly at Liu Buli, enunciating each word, "I will live, and you will undoubtedly die. I lost my left arm; you are losing your right. There is a fundamental difference between us. Only you will die, and only you alone."
The moment his words fell, both men attacked simultaneously.
Duan Liuyun was right. Liu Buli himself knew that even with the aid of the medicinal pill promoting wound healing, his nearly severed right arm would still be a significant hindrance. Furthermore, Duan Liuyun had been targeting his right arm repeatedly, effectively rendering it useless.
Wielding his sword with his left hand, even if his techniques could still be executed normally, it was ultimately inferior to Duan Liuyun's right-handed prowess.
Flames blazed in Liu Buli's eyes as he continued his assault with a desperate ferocity.
After a few more exchanges, Duan Liuyun took a sword to the abdomen, while Liu Buli sustained no fewer injuries.
He took a sword to the chest, blood gushing out.
He tried to stand firm, but his body swayed uncontrollably. He looked as if he had been pulled from a pool of blood, his entire being a blinding crimson.
Darkness swam before his left eye, while his right eye was reduced to a bloody haze. He could feel that his right eyeball had likely been pierced by Duan Liuyun's sword. Fortunately, the effects of the pill mitigated the worst of the pain.
Liu Buli knew his end was near.
He had intended to help Lu Wuming eliminate this most troublesome opponent. How could it be that before the enemy fell, he himself was reaching his limit?
Liu Buli gritted his teeth, contemplating if he had one more strike left.
He wanted Lu Wuming to live in the sunlight.
He wanted to eliminate everyone who coveted Lu Wuming.
He had planned it all, but…
Duan Liuyun's maniacal laughter echoed before him, tinged with a hoarse madness. He said, "Liu Buli, I don't know what madness has possessed you. But I admit, you are a worthy opponent. If you were willing to cooperate with me, I would have been quite pleased. Unfortunately, you are to die here today. However, you die at my hands, so you should be proud."
As his words ended, he raised his long sword once more.
Without hesitation, he brought the sword down. This time, Liu Buli lacked even the strength to resist.
The outcome was sealed.
A triumphant grin spread across Duan Liuyun's face.
But before the sword could land on Liu Buli, a deafening clang rang out. A boy, considerably shorter than him, raised his hand, his claws transformed into sharp blades, and blocked his strike.
The boy's eyes were wide, filled with tears of blood. He gritted his teeth, and from the sheer exertion, blood seeped from the corners of his mouth.
He had underestimated Liu Buli's speed and overestimated his own.
Arriving at this scene and seeing the blood-drenched, immobile Liu Buli, Lu Wuming felt, for the first time, as if his world had collapsed.
Having blocked Duan Liuyun's sword, he didn't immediately attack. Instead, he took a step back and embraced Liu Buli, who finally succumbed to his injuries and collapsed to his knees.
His strength had increased considerably, and with the support of his ghostly energy, he could now lift his master.
His stature was also growing, and with a little more effort, he would reach the ideal appearance his master favored.
He was trying, he truly had been trying all along.
He only wished for his master to stay by his side. This was his sole desire, so why must someone try to snatch away his only wish?
Ghostly energy surged from Lu Wuming, and a black mist enveloped him and Liu Buli completely.
Duan Liuyun watched all this, but his eyebrows merely rose, seemingly unconcerned by Lu Wuming. He let out a light chuckle and said cheerfully, "I was originally planning to find you after killing Liu Buli, but I didn't expect you to come to me. It saves me a trip. How thoughtful of you?"