"Ahhhhhh!" Zhao screamed as his severed arm fell to the ground.
Xiao laughed coldly, his eyes filled with mockery.
"Hahaha, pathetic Zhao. You should never have let your guard down," Xiao said as he slowly approached. 'This sword isn't normal, could it be Earth-grade?' he thought, glancing at the blade that had effortlessly severed Zhao's arm.
Xiao tightened his grip on the Infinity Edge, which still appeared as a rusty, unimpressive blade, now seemingly absorbing the blood from Zhao's wound.
Zhao's mind raced as he frantically channeled his qi around the stump of his arm to stop the bleeding. Knowing he was losing, he desperately raised his sword with his remaining hand, now fully aware that he was on the defensive.
Xiao, wasting no time, swung his sword at Zhao's neck.
Zhao barely stepped back in time to avoid the strike and began retreating. But Xiao was relentless, giving him no chance to make any desperate moves.
Zhao, understanding his situation, tried to use his higher cultivation pressure to slow Xiao down.
However, Xiao, who started using Time Acceleration in short burst, wanted to end the battle quickly. His qi was running low due to the ability's high consumption rate.
The pressure Zhao exerted barely affected Xiao, but it gave Zhao just enough time to retrieve a pill from his shirt pocket and swallow it.
The moment he took the pill, Zhao released a formidable aura.
Xiao, seeing this, knew he had to act fast. He swung his sword again, aiming for Zhao's other arm, determined to render him completely defenseless and activated the Time Acceleration for the quick burst in speed.
This time, when Xiao's sword struck, he felt resistance. Though he managed to make some progress, a sudden surge of pressure forced him to withdraw and step back.
'The pill must be raising his defense and overall strength to the next level. Right now, he must be halfway into the Foundation Establishment stage to defend against my strike', Xiao thought, curious about the pill's origins.
Zhao, now radiating powerful energy, roared in fury.
"Xiaoooooo!" Zhao screamed, his eyes burning with rage.
Sensing the danger, Xiao retreated, carefully reconsidering his approach.
'If he's using a pill to enhance his strength, there's got to be a huge aftereffect', Xiao thought, calculating that the pill's effects would likely last for about a minute before the consequences kicked in.
Adopting a defensive stance, Xiao raised his sword, bracing for the next attack.
Consumed by fury and no longer thinking clearly, Zhao charged at Xiao, his sword swinging wildly in every direction.
Xiao blocked the strikes, but the sheer force pushed him backward.
"Pathetic Zhao, resorting to demonic methods," Xiao taunted, trying to provoke him into making more mistakes.
"Xiaoooo!" Zhao shouted again, his rage unrelenting as he fought with more strength using one arm than he had with two. Yet, despite the pill's power, his clumsy movements due to the missing arm left gaps in his defense.
Xiao, protected by his Breeze Whisper Robe, maintained his advantage. The robe's slight agility boost allowed him to dodge more attacks and move faster.
If he had both arms in this state, I'd be in real danger, Xiao thought, staying calm and calculating.
After a minute of relentless attacks, Zhao realized he couldn't break through Xiao's defense. He began gathering his qi for one final strike.
As Zhao focused his energy, the ground around him trembled with power.
'The pill's effects are ending soon. I just need to be ready for his final attack', Xiao thought, tightening his grip on his sword. He knew that after this final attack, he would also be out of qi, drained by his final use of Time Acceleration.
With a roar, Zhao charged at Xiao.
"For my arm, I'll take your life, Xiao!" Zhao screamed as he swung his sword with the force of a mountain, the blow crashing down with immense power.
The strike was far beyond what a qi condensation cultivator should be capable of, and even the Breeze Whisper Robe couldn't protect Xiao from its full force. But with Zhao's rage came a flaw.
As Zhao's sword descended, Xiao sidestepped just enough and shifted his sword technique while using Time Acceleration. The moment Zhao's sword made contact, Xiao channeled a quick flow of qi through his own blade, deflecting the damage outward.
The force of the strike carved a massive crater beside Xiao.
'How could a qi condensation cultivator strike with such power?' Xiao thought, knowing that without his experience, he would have been killed.
Still, he saw an opportunity and couldn't resist taunting Zhao for nearly taking his life.
"Is that all you've got?" Xiao asked, his voice cold and calm. "You did all that, just to miss?"
Zhao, now feeling the backlash of the pill, collapsed to the ground, his body drained. It seems the pill had severe aftereffects, as it ended Zhao's intense rage and forced his mind to process everything that had just happened.
"No... no... This can't be happening to me. All that effort, all that struggle... for this?" Zhao muttered, on the verge of a mental breakdown.
"I'm not one to let someone suffer unnecessarily, but I need answers from you," Xiao said, his voice strong despite his exhaustion. He knew that his qi was entirely depleted and even a small strike could kill him if it got through his robe.
Xiao stepped forward, raising his sword toward Zhao's remaining arm, prepared to slice it off if he didn't get the information he sought.
"Tell me where you got that pill," Xiao demanded, looking down at Zhao, who was on the verge of passing out.
"..." Zhao remained silent, completely defeated, seemingly unwilling to speak.
Xiao, knowing he didn't have much time before people started getting suspicious, tried once more to get him to talk.
"I'll let you live if you give me the information I want," Xiao offered, attempting to reason with him.
"Really?" Zhao muttered, a faint glimmer of hope appearing on his face.
"Will you really let me live if I give you the information?" Zhao asked again, his mind clearly unstable.
'Ugh, that pill must've been incredibly strong for him to be acting like this and to trust me' Xiao thought, still curious about its origins.
"Yes, just answer my questions, and I promise I'll let you live. Start by telling me where you got the pill," Xiao pressed.