The air was thick with the pungent scent of dust mixed with blood.
With every swing of Kai’s Heavy Sword, a sharp whistle pierced the air.
His Golden Battle Qi burned on the blade like literal flames.
His movements were steady yet swift.
Every strike aimed directly at Ling Xiya’s openings, only to shift skillfully at the final moment, avoiding any vital points that would have been fatal.
The pain in his heart was like a maggot in his bones.
The disciple who once shed sweat on the training grounds with eyes as clear as a stream had now become a puppet twisted by the forces of darkness.
Clang!
The deafening roar of clashing metal was ear-splitting.
Kai’s Heavy Sword collided violently with the Energy Short Blade that Ling Xiya had condensed, which flickered with a dim, eerie light.
A violent shockwave rippled outward, plowing deep furrows into the ground.
Ling Xiya was shaken by the massive force, retreating several steps as her arms went slightly numb.
However, her gaze only grew more fanatical, and a twisted smile even curled at the corners of her mouth.
“Teacher… your strength… is still so great…” Her voice carried a trace of sickly obsession.
“But for the sake of Master, I must… kill you!”
Before her voice even faded, her figure transformed into a ghostly shadow once more.
Her speed was even faster than before, leaving several afterimages in her wake.
She no longer bothered with parrying; instead, she poured all her strength into speed and offense.
Every move was ruthless, aimed directly at Kai’s vitals.
Her style of combat had completely abandoned the Orthodox Swordsmanship Kai had taught her.
It was filled with an aura of chaos and destruction, and every strike carried a madness that sought to drag her opponent down with her.
Kai’s expression grew solemn.
The sword in his hand danced into an impenetrable wall of golden light, blocking every strike of Ling Xiya’s torrential assault.
The relentless sounds of clashing echoed without pause as sparks flew in all directions.
He could clearly feel the corrupted Hero’s Power within Ling Xiya’s body.
Though it was violent and destructive, it remained incredibly powerful at its core.
If not for his vast experience and profound cultivation, he likely would have been defeated long ago.
“Luo Ling! Wake up! Look at me! I am your teacher!”
Kai attempted to wake her while parrying, his voice filled with agonizing grief.
However, his words were like wind past her ears, only serving to provoke her further.
“Shut up! You are not allowed to speak in that tone! Master said you are a hindrance, a piece of filth! Only death can purify you!”
Ling Xiya’s attacks became even more frenzied.
Her body even began to distort unnaturally, her bones letting out a tooth-aching creak.
Her power was still rising—a sign that she was burning her very life potential!
Kai’s heart sank.
He knew he couldn’t let this drag on any longer.
If they continued like this, even if he won, Ling Xiya would be completely drained of life, leaving no possibility of saving her.
He had to subdue her quickly.
Perhaps… there was still a sliver of hope.
“Xiya, forgive me!”
A look of resolution flashed in Kai’s eyes as the Golden Battle Qi on his body suddenly surged.
The sword let out a resonant cry, and the blade erupted with brilliant light, as if it were truly welcoming the dawn.
**EVIL-SLAYING SLASH!**
With a low shout, Kai brought the Heavy Sword down toward Ling Xiya, carrying an unparalleled aura of holiness.
This single strike condensed more than half of his strength.
The golden sword energy resembled a roaring dragon, tearing through the sky.
Everywhere it passed, the dark energy in the air hissed and sizzled, purified and dissolved.
Ling Xiya felt an unprecedented sense of crisis.
A flash of fear crossed her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by the fanaticism of sacrificing herself for her master.
She screamed, unleashing all the corrupted Hero’s Power within her without reservation, gathering it into a massive Black Shield in front of her.
Boom — !!!
The golden dragon slammed violently into the Black Shield, producing a thunderous roar that shook the entire area.
The space itself seemed to tremble.
The Black Shield cracked inch by inch, letting out a groan as it reached its limit before finally shattering!
The golden sword energy continued unabated, striking Ling Xiya heavily.
Pfft — !
Ling Xiya felt as if she had been hit by a massive weight.
She coughed up blood and flew backward like a broken kite, crashing heavily into the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.
The black aura around her dimmed significantly; she had clearly sustained a severe injury.
Kai panted, his hand gripping the sword trembling slightly.
He did not pursue her, as a pang of pity rose in his heart.
He walked slowly toward the fallen Ling Xiya, intending to check her injuries and try to use his own power to purify the corruption within her.
However, the moment Kai reached her and leaned over to help her up — a sudden change occurred!
Ling Xiya, who had appeared too injured to move, suddenly burst with a terrifying red light in her eyes! Her hand, which had been hanging limply, shot out like a venomous snake.
With lightning speed, she clamped onto Kai’s outstretched wrist!
Kai was startled.
‘This is bad,’ he thought.
He tried to pull his hand back, but he found that her grip was like an iron vice, unmoving!
Black energy surged wildly from Ling Xiya’s fingers, corroding Kai’s battle qi defense.
“Teacher… you were too careless…”
Ling Xiya slowly crawled up from the ground.
Her face showed no sign of pain, only a sickly joy at having completed her task.
“Master said that to deal with a soft-hearted person like you… I should use this method…”
“You!”
Kai glared at her, his other hand tightening around his sword as he prepared to cut her arm off.
But it was too late!
Ling Xiya let out a sharp, piercing hiss and violently twisted the hand she held!
Crack — !!!
A hair-raising sound of bone shattering rang out!
Kai felt a heart-wrenching pain radiate from his wrist, instantly sweeping through his entire body.
His entire right arm had been brutally torn off by Ling Xiya!
“Agh — !!!”
Even with Kai’s iron will, he could not help but let out a roar of agony.
Blood geysered from the stump, instantly staining half of his body red.
The intense pain caused his vision to darken, and his left hand involuntarily loosened, allowing the Heavy Sword to fall to the ground with a clatter.
Ling Xiya tossed aside the still-twitching severed arm, a satisfied and twisted smile on her face.
She reached out her tongue to lick the blood that had splashed onto the corner of her mouth, looking at Kai with fanatical eyes.
“Teacher, now that you’ve lost an arm, let’s see how you’ll protect…”