Seeing her beautiful smile, I remember the time I spent with her. Even if she was impersonating another person, I enjoyed the time with her. We sparred, we went out and enjoyed our time, eating, talking... I really thought of her as my best friend. And her smile seemed real, I doubt that she is trying to lie me.
I tentatively approached her, Renxue's smile growing bigger. Then, I remembered all my other friends, the Emperor teammates, especially Lingling, Xiao Wu, Chenxiang, my family, all the times that they smiled at me. I always wanted to protect everyone, maybe the best way would be accepting Renxue's deal.
Suddenly, images of my clan's attack crossed my mind, all the people dying by Spirit Hall's hands. Maya receiving the attack that targetted me and sacrificing for us, her last word "Be happy".
It changed to Qinghe's reassured smile saying "Nothing to worry about". I didn't know what to do, Renxue had lied to me, I even gave her opportunities, she could have told me and even make sure that I didn't tell to anyone, but she decided to lie to me and thought of me as a fool when I always trusted her.
I slowly stopped and looked at Renxue's golden eyes "I would have undoubtedly accepted you if you were shown your true self before. However, you waited until you were exposed. I can't trust you" I sadly said.
Renxue's face formed to an angry one "You will regret this!"
Spirit Hall and Renxue's strength was unfathomable, only growing in the future. Even a 4vs1 was in her favor, how could a face her? At that moment, I remembered a beautiful girl of brown eyes, Mayi smiling with her arms opened "We are one! We are the strongest!".
"Hm!" I hummed (Yeah, even if you aren't here. I will continue to be the strongest). This time I looked with decided eyes at Renxue "I will defeat you!" I shouted as I stepped back towards my allies who had been a little surprised by Renxue's offer, but their eyes showed that they would also fight her.
Renxue's face turned cold exuding great dignity, not a single emotion could be seen from it "I would have preferred to do it with your own will, but it seems that I must force you" she looked down at me "Bai, the truth is that your sword power is negligible, even strong, it won't reach the level when it can face me. I am more interested in your other spirit. I will take you to Spirit Hall using force"
Suddenly, her domain that played low, started being actively used suppressing us again. This time, I extended my own intent around us, my intent the best protection against her purification.
"She is too strong, we will need to defeat her with a powerful attack" I deducted.
"Give me time" said Tang San "I have an attack but it required time, protect me until I am prepared" We all nodded. Tang San invoked his Clear Sky Hammer and started hitting the air, his angles were calculated and each hit carried the momentum of the previous one, becoming stronger.
"Useless" spatted Renxue "For you to try the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer against me. Even if my father fell under its might I won't let you finish it" A golden ring shined and at Renxue's hand appeared her Angelic Sword and she charged to us.
"We need to stop her!" I shouted.
"Close your eyes," said Chenxiang in low voice. She joined approached her hands, creating a ball of yellow light between both. Once charged, she shot it to Renxue.
Renxue seeing the attack coming, she didn't even try to evade "Light is useless against me!"
Just as the ball was about to hit Renxue "Self-created technique
Tang San had accumulated 23 hits.
Xiao Wu teleported to Renxue, her red ring shining brightly and a pink glow at her extremities.
Sensing the attack coming and without having recuperated her sight, one of Renxue golden rings shined, her body becoming transparent "<2nd skill: Angel Descent>" Even if her skill was mostly oriented to attack, going through defenses, it could also be used as a defense.
Unfortunately for her, Xiao Wu had a similar skill. Xiao Wu's red ring shined even brighter "<6th skill: Instant Kill Eight Stage Drop + Nullify>" her body turning a translucent pink shade. Nullify was a similar kind of ethereal form as the Angel Descent, making both of them cancel each other. Xiao Wu then punched at Renxue who even if she defended using her wings, she was already trapped by Xiao Wu's technique, eight attacks, each one with stunning effect.
Renxue was shot forward by Xiao Wu's punch, flying over the ground. Xiao Wu teleported under her, with an already prepared kick. She kicked at Renxue's back throwing her upwards. Then, Xiao Wu made 5 rapid-fire teleported kicks, using Renxue as a football's ball, making her float still stunned at the sky prepared for Xiao Wu last hit.
Xiao Wu teleported above Renxue and lifted her right leg, that shined with a bright pink glow. A yellow ring shined "<1st skill: Waist Bow>" improving forward her strength. Xiao Wu shot towards Renxue, her right leg kicking Renxue's unprotected stomach without Renxue's defense due to the previous hits. The kick was so strong that even a shock wave was created when it hit, shot Renxue like a cannon, crashing to the ground, cracking it and forming a crater, dust flying around.
Tang San was at his 46th hit. Xiao Wu returned to our side breathing loudly, it was clear that using her 100.000 years old ring at full power had expent a deal to her, her spirit energy running out.
"Shing!" a cut dispersed all the debris and dust showing Renxue standing in the crater previously created. She had some injuries over her body, but nothing life-threatening. Even now, golden aura was surrounding her, continuously healing herself. Her eyes were completely healed now.
"For you to injure me!" Renxue said trembling "How you dare dirty rabbit!?" she shouted angrily as she charged sword at hand. She landed her right foot at the ground, make a twirl, stopping but keeping her momentum and thrust her sword at us. One of her golden rings shined "<6th skill: Angelic Punishement>" a golden angel being shot to us.
This time was completely different than before. Even if it was the same technique, Renxue seemed to have great control over it and was able to focus all the might of the skill in one place. Even if the area wouldn't be as wide as the other, its power was several times greater. Even at this time, she didn't lose her cool, her attack targetting Tang San, forcing us to defend.
I thrust my sword forward "
"crack" Another layer was destroyed, the golden angel continued forward without lowering its might, golden energy surrounding hit attacking all my barrier's surface. "crack" and another layer broke like glass. If this continued, I won't last long.
After a pink glow, Xiao Wu had teleported in front of my layer, her purple ring shining "<4th skill: Paragon Golde Body>". Even with her technique that made her immune to any damage, she could only stop part of the attack, its aftermath still crashing my barrier. Nevertheless, it was a great help, reducing my stress.
After 3 seconds Xiao Wu's technique was around to finish, so she teleported back at me. Renxue's attack crashed with all her power at my barrier, without a doubt a little weaker. "crack, crack, crack" 3 more layers were destroyed in barrier's shards, only leaving one. The attack was much weaker, a little more and would stop. I focused my aura on my sword "crack!" the attack broke the last layer.
Focusing my aura at my sword, the broken shards of the barrier were absorbed by my sword. Using the damage absorbed by the barrier, I empowered my Retaliation, coating my sword in it and creating a permanent pseudo-Sword Heart "
Tang San was at his 62nd hit.
Before I could even sigh in relief, I sensed an attack from my right side. Renxue wasn't wasting her time, while I was stopping the attack she approached to. Renxue's leg started shined and she kicked my right side. I was unable to cope with her attack, only being able to focus Protection Intent over my right arm, trying to block her attack.
"BOOM!" Renxue used her first skill, her kick exploding. The explosion destroyed my protection, broke my arm's bones and I was shot 30 meters away, crashing multiple times to the ground.
"Bai!" shouted Chenxiang "You would pay" a black ring shined "<7th skill: Needle-Tailed Flash Avatar>!" feathers cover her body, a bird's peak replaced her mouth. She became a white-translucent bird, with a slender body and wide wings.
Chenxiang charged to Renxue and started hitting her. With Renxue's immunity to light, Chenxiang's attacks were lacking power, similar to her clan pure speed strength. However, her speed had increased two-folds, making difficult to catch, even if she was unable to damage Renxue, she was at least bothering her, forcing her to stop.
"This fly!" Renxue shouted angrily. She lifted her left arm and opened her palm "
Tang San was at his 72nd hit.
Renxue flapped her wings, charging again towards Tang San. Xiao Wu interposed in her way, Xiao Wu waited at Renxue to approach. Xiao Wu's black ring shined "<5th skill: Soft Boned Lock>" her hair extended and tried to block completely at Renxue, if effective she would be able to stop her until she ran out of spirit power.
74th hit.
Renxue's golden ring shined, she became translucent passing through Xiao Wu, ignoring her who was too tired to use her 6th skill, Nullity, again.
75th hit.
Renxue continued approaching Tang San, now without any obstacle between both.
76th hit.
Renxue finally reached Tang San. She invoked her Angelic Sword skill and slashed at him "Die!"
77th hit.
Tang San without stopping his momentum, started using his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, his figure trembled and started moving erratically, making it difficult to know where he going to move, evading Renxue 's slash back-stepping. Renxue's attack leaving a scorched trail at the ground.
78th hit.
As Renxue was about to charge again a wall of Blue-silver vines grew between them. Tang San, as normally, was unable to use both spirits at the same time, this wall was previously created thanks to his 6th skill, boosting simple blue-silver grass and create a trap that would react when he stepped back. Of course, this was only a strengthen Blue-Silver Grass, very weak compared with Tang San's Emperor Grass.
Renxue seeing the wall, ignored it completely, due to her Angelic Descent being active. This was a clear error and the cause of her not reaching Tang San on time, as she crashed to the wall rebound in it as the wall was covered by a weak Protection Intent infused by me that wouldn't have resisted a single assault but against her ethereal form, it was enough.
79th hit.
"Shit!" she sliced easily through the grass wall.
80th hit. Tang San had complete all his hits, completely prepared for the last one. His momentum was so great that a gravity field was created around him, it was enough to even negate Renxue's domain.
Seeing Tang San's momentum, Renxue's jumped up flapping her wings, trying to fly away from him. Tang San jumped at her, activating his right leg spirit bone that permitted him to fly.
"81!
Renxue sensed herself being pulled by the gravity of the Clear Sky Hammer making impossible to evade it. She clenched her sword "What about your technique. I will crush it!" a golden ring shined "<6th skill: Heavenly Slash>" her wings converged in her sword incrementing her strength, now at her avatar state, the power being a lot more than before.
Sword and Hammer clashed, sparks flying at their collision that seemed to no have a clear winner, each side trying to push the other.
"Take all the damage that you imparted" I was flying over both, my wings extended at my back. After Renxue's attacked me, I already prepared for this, keeping all the healing of all the fight, focusing on one attack "
Renxue faced against both incredibly powerful attacks started despairing, her face showing her fear "I don't want to lose" she said in low voice. "I won't lose!" she shouted her eyes glowing with a strange glow. Suddenly, Renxue started shining even brighter and the air turned golden. Different from her domain, this time the air gained solidity, even denser than water.
It wasn't only that, I could sense being affected by it, losing the energy stored at my attack weakening it. On Tang San's side, it was even worst. He was completely affected by it, his own Deathgod Domain being purified, his spirit bone withdrawing and his attack completely stopping, himself falling to the ground.
Renxue at a speed greater than before twisted her body, turning to me swinging her sword at me. Both swords clashed, both techniques breaking. She abandoned her sword that dissipated in golden lights and extended her right hand her palm opened. Her right hand touched my face, catching my head. She then shot towards the ground while dragging me by my head, crashing me to the ground, dragging me over 30 meters.
Finally, stopping she lifted me at her eyes weight, seeing my body completely bloody, wounds everywhere, I was unable to make any movement.
"It's true that a worth rival is the best to push your strength. Thanks to you, in this battle I evolved. My own domain evolved, not only affecting my surroundings but now bending them under my will. My Angelic Domain becoming Angelic Truth" she explained with a difficult face, that was a mix of happiness and fury "I already gave you many opportunities, consider my debt paid" she said releasing me who felt to the ground like a lifeless doll "I will let you live. Wait until I finish your companions" she said looking down at me. Then she turned to Tang San and the other and dashed toward them.
Seeing her going away, I closed my eyes, my conscience fading away.