Benefit From The Tussle? . . .
Nan Tianxing found himself incapable of retaining the forcibly gathered spiritual qi in the air any longer. He descended with a sense of embarrassment, much like a kite whose string had been abruptly severed. As he landed, an unnerving stiffness overcame his body, rendering his attempts to move futile.
In a resounding "Boom!" Cha Eun Xiao also fell, landing in an undignified heap upon the floor. His bones and muscles bore the brunt of the impact, and it would be a considerable amount of time before he could muster the strength to rise from the ground.
Nan Tianxing lay mere inches away, his lifeless form sprawled across the floor, resembling a discarded husk. Within him, the icy grip of death's energy had been unleashed to its fullest extent.
It was the Demonic Blade Weapon!
Its devastating impact had come at a crucial juncture, effectively turning the tide of the battle.
Nan Tianxing's wounds ceased bleeding, transitioning to a sickly shade of purple cyan within mere seconds. His blood vessels congealed and began to freeze. In a matter of moments, over sixty percent of his blood vessels had ruptured.
He gazed at Cha Eun Xiao with a look of despair, reluctance, and disbelief in his eyes. It was inconceivable to him that the individual he had perceived as considerably weaker had managed to vanquish him.
A short while ago, Nan Tianxing had held the upper hand in this battle, seemingly in complete control.
Struggling to find his voice, he inquired with great difficulty, "What... What is that?"
Taking a deep breath, Cha Eun Xiao lowered himself to the floor, a hint of disdainful amusement gracing his countenance. Extending a finger, he retrieved a slender flying needle from within Nan Tianxing's chest.
It was a narrow, deadly implement.
One by one, he withdrew these needles, only to return them to their concealed resting places amidst his hair. The process continued, punctuated by the repetitive removal and replacement of these deadly instruments.
With the seventh needle in hand, he rolled up his sleeve, exposing his wrist. In an act of undeniable audacity, he peeled back a piece of fake skin, inserted the needle beneath, and then seamlessly restored the artificial skin to its original position. The entire process unfolded before Nan Tianxing's eyes without the slightest attempt at concealment, yet not a trace of imperfection marred the reattached fake skin on Cha Eun Xiao's wrist.
Once Cha Eun Xiao completed this intricate sequence of actions, he raised his gaze to meet Nan Tianxing's, delivering a composed utterance. "Do you comprehend now?"
Nan Tianxing was left utterly flabbergasted, grappling with disbelief, yet he managed a nod, whispering, "I understand..."
With that admission, Nan Tianxing's head slumped to the side, and his life ebbed away. The man who had once been hailed as the fierce star in the southern sky, an indomitable conqueror of realms, had met his demise at the hands of Cha Eun Xiao.
In those final moments, Nan Tianxing's visage had transitioned to a ghastly pallor, the hues of purple and cyan casting an eerie darkness upon his features. As he surrendered to the grasp of death, a sudden clarity enveloped his consciousness. He comprehended the circumstances surrounding his death with unwavering lucidity.
Nan Tianxing had come to realize that Feng Monarch had orchestrated a ruse from the outset, feigning madness and exhaustion in the early stages of their duel. The intention had been to lull Nan Tianxing into a false sense of security. The truth was, Cha Eun Xiao had been preparing for a grander scheme all along. His objective had been to deceive Nan Tianxing into underestimating the seriousness of the battle. The revelation came only at the eleventh hour when Cha Eun Xiao unveiled his true killing stroke.
And with that fateful stroke, Nan Tianxing met his end.
As he observed Cha Eun Xiao retrieving the needles from his lifeless body, placing them meticulously amidst his hair and wrist, Nan Tianxing finally understood the purpose behind that peculiar mid-air maneuver executed by his adversary. It had all been part of Cha Eun Xiao's meticulous plan, a gambit to unleash the decisive blow precisely when Nan Tianxing believed victory was certain.
Nan Tianxing couldn't help but feel that he did not deserve to meet his demise at Cha Eun Xiao's hands. Nevertheless, the unfolding of events was justifiable, for Cha Eun Xiao had harbored a grand design that far surpassed the superficial appearances of their battle.
"Actually, you remain somewhat oblivious to the entire affair," Cha Eun Xiao jeered, addressing the lifeless form of Nan Tianxing. He proceeded to retrieve the flying knives adorning the fallen body and concealed them within his hair.
Surveying the surroundings to ensure that no prying eyes bore witness to his actions, Cha Eun Xiao diligently retrieved the needles that had missed their intended targets. One by one, he returned them to their designated hiding places.
As he undertook the task of tidying up the aftermath of the skirmish, a wave of relief washed over Cha Eun Xiao. He relaxed his body, and suddenly, a sensation akin to his bones fracturing coursed through him. The weariness became overwhelming, making even the slightest movement seem unbearable.
Having emerged from the brink of crisis and relaxed, the consequences of the battle manifested within him. Energy was depleted, and an overwhelming drowsiness enveloped him. Despite having attained the second level during the combat, Cha Eun Xiao found little joy in the achievement. His Jing and Mai had suffered grievous damage, rendering the experience far from pleasurable.
Fortune had smiled upon Cha Eun Xiao at a pivotal juncture. In that critical moment, the power necessary for his breakthrough manifested, with the majority of it channeled towards his ascension. What remained, however, fortuitously lent its support to his ultimate strike. This stroke of providence secured his victory.
Without this reserve of power, he might have found himself incapable of executing that final strike, given the grave injuries he had sustained. There was a very real possibility that he would have lost consciousness mid-air, a dire predicament indeed.
"That was a narrow escape," Cha Eun Xiao muttered to himself, his mind on high alert. He made a concerted effort to stave off fatigue, channeling the spiritual qi within the Boundless Space to facilitate his recovery.
An impending auction loomed on the horizon, a commitment he couldn't afford to postpone. Rest and slumber, while the most efficient means of recuperation, were presently a luxury he could ill afford.
The mysterious egg had generously infused him with an abundance of spiritual qi from the world, reinvigorating his combat prowess. Yet, the egg's effusion of purple qi had been substantial, and a considerable reserve remained within the Boundless Space. Given the luxury of time, Cha Eun Xiao could undoubtedly mend his injuries and restore his vitality.
Just as he contemplated his circumstances, an unexpected visitor materialized, bearing a disconcerting grin. "The renowned Feng Monarch reveals himself as a formidable cultivator, capable of felling a master from the Starlight Sect. Their clash has, in the end, worked to my advantage... Hah, hah. Fortune truly smiles upon me with this unforeseen opportunity."
The man's laughter possessed an unsettling quality, akin to the eerie hoot of an owl.
Cha Eun Xiao closed his eyes momentarily, sighing inwardly. "The battle has inevitably drawn the attention of those who should have remained uninformed. I had intended to depart immediately, but my current condition leaves me too feeble to relocate."
He pondered the identity of the newcomer. During the heat of battle, his focus had been singularly dedicated to securing victory, leaving him oblivious to his surroundings. He had failed to detect the arrival of this unexpected guest.
Opening his eyes, he cast his gaze upon the figure—a man adorned in cyan robes, sporting a tall hat that unmistakably marked him as a member of the Sunlight Sect.