Ba's body unconsciously started trembling under Hei Qi's presence, especially for his eyes. Black iris with a gold-red ring over them. Being looked by them, made Bai sensed as if he was completely opened to the enemy, escape being impossible.
Hei Qi lifted his black sword, swing it towards Bai. Bai's instinct ran like mad, Life Intent shot all over his body, his Life Core revolving madly supplying with the Life energy.
"Hg!" Bai clenched his teeth, all his body tensing up. Hei Qi's attack only provoked a cold air to pass through Bai's body, but this simple air had extinguished a great deal of Bai's Life Intent. If Bai hadn't put up his defense, he might have died there.
Hei Qi's eyes glinted "You can close the nodes with your Life Intent. I useless last struggle."
"What are you saying?" Bai asked clenching his teeth.
Even if Hei Qi's aura had completely changed becoming much more intimidating, the air around him seemed calmer like if everything was in his control "Of course you don't know about. Let me explain what are we, the 'Dragon' Swordmasters."
Under Bai's fearful eyes, Hei Qi calmly sat over his throne "We are a little different than other spirit beasts. We cultivate one sword art, that will define our future. Once we have a great grasp of the concept, we finally evolve becoming 100.000 years old beasts. The Dragon part becomes our carcass while our core is our sword concept. We became pure sword concepts, not much different than sword souls, protected by our carcasses to avoid dispersing us all over the world, becoming a simple part of the world's concept. At the same time, our armor doesn't let our power flow, diminishing it greatly"
"Once we are able to control completely our concept, we can discard our armor and show our true strength" Hei Qi explained "As you must already experiment, my concept is Death. Death is one of the most powerful concepts, however, it came with a great price. My attainment is so great in it that even I am affected by it. Discarding my armor will mean my death."
"It's even worse for me. My comprehension had become some powerful than even my own armor couldn't resist" Hei Qi caressed one sword over his throne "This is were the Sword God Fragments helped me. Collecting them and incorporating them into my armor, let me improve it and being able to keep up with my evergrowing power. I spent hundreds of thousands of years collecting them."
"So that was the reason for your invincibility" Reasoned Bai "The Steel Dump had all your swords collected during these years. You had transformed into your own armor. Your strength doesn't reside in the number of swords, instead, it's about being able to unleash all your progress inside the Steel Dump that keeps you alive acting like the armor."
"Correct" Hei Qi clapped "Other Death Areas of Star Duo Forest had a treasure core in them, however, my Steel Dump's core is myself. All reinforced by countless swords. Do you know the best? Once I kill you and absorb your body, I would be able to forge the Sword God's Body. With it, I will never need to worry about my armor again. I would be able to assimilate myself with the Steel Dump, being able to keep it always with me and unleashing any moment that I want, being able to always use my full power. The world will fall under me! Hahaha!" Hei Qi started laughing.
"In all of this, what about the nodes that you said before?" Bai asked without letting his guard down.
"Oh, the nodes? They are how my comprehension manifested" Hei Qi touched his eyes "As I look all around, I could see the Death of all, it doesn't matter life or animated objects, everything has a Death in them, being focused over his Death Node. Cutting the node would mean the death of it. It's not a physical attack so there's no possible defense from it"
Hei Qi stopped a moment "Except for a greater Death comprehension, annulling my attack, overcoming it, or Life comprehension. Your case is the second one as your Death Intent falls too low to face me. Overcharging your Death Nodes with Life Intent, making them disappear. Of course, you'll need to use a great deal of energy while my expense is minimum" Hei Qi grinned "How much could you last? It would be an entertaining game to find it out."
Hei Qi clenched his black sword and stood up from his throne, his eyes locked at Bai.
"Why did you explain all of this to me?" Seeing Hei Qi finally reacted, Bai said his last question.
"For my own diversion" Hei Qi answered "Everyone knows that death is there, waiting for its moment to take lives. Knowing it, it doesn't change the outcome at all, you can't escape from Death. Show me your useless struggle becoming despair, knowing that you won't be able to do anything against me."
Bai pointed his left sword towards Hei Qi "I will kill you!" 17 spirit rings appeared all over Bai "Crunch!" He ate his Oreos focusing on Mayi, an ant armor appearing over his body. His spirit rings shined, Bai's attributes shooting towards his peak as a multicolored aura surrounded him.
"<5th skill: Sword Rain>!" Countless swords manifested around Bai, each one full charged with a powerful intent over it, everyone shooting towards Hei Qi.
Hei Qi slowly walked towards Bai "Thinking that numbers can help you stopping death" without even stopping, Hei Qi swung his sword upwards. The sword cut over the air.
"Crack!" Bai turned his head with a shocked expression, his 5th spirit ring shattered and dispersed. Following it, all the invoked swords dispersing before reaching Hei Qi "Unfortunately for you, I can simply kill the technique."
"Fuck!" Bai jumped backward trying to create distance when his ant's antennas twitched. Bai eyes open widely, lighting covered his right leg as he kicked the air at the same time focusing Life Intent over his back.
"Crack" Behind Bai, the ground cracked, crumbling into nothingness only leaving an abysm behind Bai. Even having evaded in the last moment, Bai's Life Intent and energy had been consumed, stopping the aftermath of the attack.
"I like to see struggles, but I don't enjoy seeing my prey running away" Hei Qi said with a cold voice slowly approaching Bai, his sword was down indicating that he had made another attack.
Cold sweat started falling from Bai's neck. Hei Qi was simply too powerful. Bai didn't doubt that being able to unleash all his strength, Hei Qi would be the strongest being under god. However, it wasn't like Hei Qi would be able to face a god like Renxue. God's divinity was immortal, Bai doubted that Hei Qi could do anything to such gods. The existence of gods, attack and defense, surpassing his own Death comprehension. However, this didn't help Bai. He needed to kill the one in front of him to be able to become a god.
Bai revolved his cores at maximum, all the spirit rings shining brightly. "
Hei Qi grinned "Continue struggling!" He swung his sword, his eyes and sword glinting with a black light.
(Mayi, be ready!)
The sword cut over Bai's attack, 'killing' it, instantly dispersing it. Hei Qi tilted his sword and quickly stabbed forward three times in the air.
[Take my strength, big brother!] Mayi shouted inside Bai's mind space, her body shining as she was bursting herself, giving her energy to Bai.
"Crack!" "Crack!" "Crack!" Three spirit rings of Bai cracked and dispersed by Hei Qi's attack "Hahaha! Useless!" Hei Qi said stepped forward only for his face to twist in shock and fright.
A giant sword over 100 meters had formed over Bai's hands. It was white and green, trees grew all over the blade making it seem like it contained a full forest in it. The Life energy from it was incredible.
"Thanks for the advice. I will overcharge you with Life" Bai clenched the sword "Take this!", swinging it towards Hei Qi "
As Hei Qi saw the sword fell over him, he could sense the great Life energy from it, Death Nodes disappearing at its trail, even threatening his own existence.
"Bastard!" Hei Qi stepped forward, the ground cracking under his feet. He swung his sword forward with a great black aura. He disappeared from his position and appeared next to Bai. Before Bai's attack could completely affect him, Hei Qi had 'killed' the distance between them. Even a concept as the distance could be killed under his sword.
Before the shocked face of Bai, Hei Qi thrust his sword, piercing Bai's forehead.
[Sorry, big brother!] Mayi said crying, despaired tears falling at her cheeks. Her body and energy being killed by Hei Qi, disappearing from Bai's mind space.
"Boom!" Bai's Divine Soul couldn't keep without Mayi finishing her sacrifice, uncontrollably exploding filling all the space with thick Life energy,
"Bastard!" Hei Qi shouted furiously. He twisted his hip, kicking Bai's stomach, shooting Bai 100 meters away, crashing to the ground while vomiting blood.
"How gross is this" Hei Qi swung several times his sword all over the place. The Life energy was quickly dispersed, disappearing as if never existed before. Then, Hei Qi walked towards Bai with a deadly glint in his eyes.
Bai felt pain all over his body, having to keep his mental strength to avoid his own cells to die. His body was incredibly weak due to the backslash of the technique. He didn't expect to Hei Qi being able to avoid the attack, targetting Mayi. Bai had tried to take advantage of Hei Qi underestimating him, but it finished with Hei Qi overwhelming strength. Bai knew that he was only alive because Hei Qi wanted, Hei Qi being capable of killing him instead of Mayi.
"You make me furious. It's time for your punishment." As Hei Qi walked, he continuously slashed all over. "Crack!" "Crack!" Bai's all spirit rings cracked and dispersing, his energy greatly diminishing with it.
Bai stood up invoking his swords. Hei Qi slashed at Bai. His attack seemed to ignore every of Bai defenses, even blocking his sword, wounds surged all over Bai's body. Bai could only focus his Life energy to barely avoid death, but his energy was starting to lack. Hei Qi was simply playing with him
Hei Qi swung his sword. Bai lifted his swords trying to stop it. However, this time, Hei Qi's sword sliced over Bai's sword, slashing over Bai's body.
"Ahhhh!" Bai shouted in pain, a great pain surged from his eyes as his sight was lost. His eyes had died, disappearing leaving only blood leaking from their holes.
Bai couldn't see anything, he could only sense Death all around "AHHHH!" Hei Qi continued playing with him, the wounds over Bai increased, enjoying Bai's pain.
After 10 minutes, Bai was barely standing with the help of his swords. His face reflected pain and fright "I'm getting bored" Hei Qi said "Let's finish this farce" Hei Qi lifted his sword emitting a powerful Death Intent. His eyes glinted, seeing all of Bai's Death Nodes. He targetted one of the primary ones over his forehead.
"Die!" Hei Qi's sword fell over Bai.