The living mercury possesses only three abilities.
The first is an extraordinarily strong resistance to magical energy, achieved through some unknown method by the Alchemy City, rendering even the Holy Knight's Sacred Slash unable to inflict significant damage. The second is its devouring talent, inherited from the slime species, though in its liquid mercury form, it only consumes metal.
The final ability is a gift bestowed by Amberxiu, one that required considerable resources and effort, granted from the soul level — Transmutation.
The living mercury is but an infant in this regard, still unskilled with this talent, only able to mimic.
Thus, the living mercury transformed into a humanoid form, resembling the Holy Knight's appearance by about seventy to eighty percent, though the details were blurred, much like a candle partially melted.
But regardless of its craftsmanship, the imitation of the Holy Knight's recent movement was remarkably vivid.
The living mercury swung its Sacred Slash. Though lacking the holy light power, the heavy mercury delivered a powerful impact, causing the Holy Knight to stagger back two steps as he raised his longsword to block.
Seizing the opportunity, the living mercury continued its assault, yet it could only repeat the same move.
Sword raised, slashing, as swift as thunder.
However, the Holy Knight was no longer forced back by the same move. With a deft twist of his blade, he parried with the flat of his sword, negating the living mercury's strike, then using the momentum to spin his longsword deeply into the living mercury's head.
The blade cleaved through the mercury's head, splitting it in two. If it were a human, such a wound would be fatal. But for the living mercury, this was likely no more than a surface wound.
The mercury solution squirmed, healing, even entombing the Holy Knight's sword within the mercury head. Then the living mercury, mimicking the action, spun its own mercury longsword and struck at the Holy Knight's head. Yet, just as the blade was about to land, a layer of platinum light appeared on the Holy Knight's helmet.
The Guardian Light, a power unique to the Holy Knight, is a shield forged through devout faith, capable of withstanding various forms of damage.
When the mercury sword clashed with the Guardian Light, it slid off as if slipping, while the living mercury itself lost balance.
The Holy Knight seized the opportunity, launching into a dazzling series of sword moves, cutting the living mercury into pieces, shattering its humanoid form.
In a single exchange, the living mercury was utterly defeated, crushed in terms of swordsmanship.
However, as the Holy Knight drew back his longsword and caught his breath, the deformed living mercury quickly recovered, and once again, it executed the same set of moves.
Amberxiu watched with satisfaction.
The soul of this living mercury had been carefully crafted by him. The Transmutation ability must be paired with a strong imitative learning capacity to work effectively. The living mercury's perfect imitation of the Holy Knight's sword techniques after only one glance proved that Amberxiu's efforts had not been in vain.
But despite the living mercury's impressive mimicry, it could never compare to the Holy Knight in terms of swordsmanship.
Each Holy Knight's combat skills are honed through years of rigorous training. Though this particular Holy Knight lacked adventurous experience, his swordsmanship was undoubtedly at the master level.
Swordlight flickered, and the two longswords collided incessantly. Though the moves were the same, the Holy Knight was always able to evade the living mercury's blade, landing strikes of his own.
Even with identical techniques, subtle differences in force, angle, and transitions turned the battle into a one-sided affair. Had it not been for the living mercury's slime-like ability to freely split and recombine its body, it would likely have been torn apart long ago.
The Holy Knight also recognized the living mercury's weakness: this monster could only mimic, incapable of discerning feints from genuine attacks, unable to chain techniques or deceive with misdirection.
Thus, the Holy Knight no longer rushed, refraining from using other skills, treating the living mercury simply as a target for sword practice.
It wasn't arrogance; he understood that his opponent was not just this creature before him, but also the lich hidden beyond the prison walls.
The Holy Knight's strength was not infinite. If he exhausted his holy light energy dealing with this monster, how would he face the lich?
Therefore, while he could still suppress the living mercury, he restrained himself, using his swordplay to deplete its energy. He doubted that this creature could regenerate indefinitely, nor that it could fight at high intensity without exhausting itself.
The Holy Knight's strategy proved correct. Every time the living mercury healed or transformed, it consumed energy drawn from the metals it devoured. There would eventually be a limit to this energy supply.
At this rate, the newborn living mercury was unlikely to outlast the Holy Knight, a battle-hardened warrior, and would be reduced to an inert state before its opponent's stamina ran out.
Amberxiu couldn't help but admire the reputation of the Holy Knights. The Holy Kingdom of Lian was truly as formidable as its title suggested.
But if it lost this way, how would he continue his business?
The memory crystal was recording the video, and editing it afterward would be troublesome.
Therefore, Amberxiu could no longer remain a mere spectator. He called through the iron door, "Foolish child, you don't have to maintain a humanoid form. Why limit yourself to just one sword? You don't only have two hands! Let your imagination run wild. Learning your enemy's techniques doesn't mean you have to mimic them exactly!"
Upon hearing this, the living mercury, which had been healing its severed head, suddenly paused. The two halves of its head stretched and elongated, transforming into two slender swords, which it thrust toward the Holy Knight.
The sword technique was nearly identical to the Holy Knight's, but with both blades coming from opposite angles, it disrupted the Holy Knight's rhythm, forcing him to react hurriedly.
Though he managed to block the dual sword attack and counter with a powerful strike of the sword hilt, knocking the living mercury's chest inward, this was the Holy Knight's final struggle.
With Amberxiu's prompt, the living mercury immediately abandoned its restrictions.
In humanoid form, it could not compete with the Holy Knight's swordsmanship, but what if it were not in humanoid form?
Slimes have no inherent shape limitations; why fight in a posture it was not suited for?
The living mercury's body twisted and wriggled as multiple arms and longswords sprouted, spinning like windmills, charging toward the Holy Knight.
The Holy Knight now felt as though he were being surrounded by several colleagues. While the swordplay followed a similar style, he could discern the direction of each strike, the problem was... there were just so many swords!
End of Chapter