Clang!
Sparks erupted in the night as Nie Yong instinctively raised the dagger he had plucked from Guao Xi's fallen form, intercepting the scarred man's massive sword.
His arms trembled from the sheer force behind the blow, his feet sliding back against the rough dirt. The impact sent a numbing shock up his arms, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to let the blade push him down.
The scarred man's single eye widened in brief surprise before a grin stretched across his lips.
"Hah! You actually stopped it?"
Nie Yong smirked, ignoring the burning sensation in his hands. "What, you thought I'd just stand there and let you split me in two?"
The scarred man pushed harder, his brute strength pressing down on Nie Yong like a mountain. "No, but I expected you to last less than a second."
Nie Yong felt his grip slipping. Fuck! I can't win against him! He's too strong! He's at the 3rd Initial Element Stage while my combat power is only at the 1st Initial Element Stage!
Why did I rush to fight them before at least analyzing their cultivation realm? Fuck me and my stupid hero syndrome—
His thoughts were abruptly cut short.
"What are you thinking so deeply about, young man?" The scarred man sneered, his single eye gleaming with amusement. "You think you have the leisure of daydreaming while fighting me?"
His sword rose high once more, the heavy blade gleaming under the moonlight.
Shit!
Nie Yong's body tensed as the sword came crashing down toward him like a falling meteor.
What do I do now?!
He couldn't win with just a dagger against a sword—that was a battle of raw strength, and he was already at a disadvantage!
If only he could use Ghostly Yin Fang right now…
But he had no Yin Qi!
And then—
His eyes widened.
Wait! The Unyielding Golden Skeleton's Yin Qi! I can use that!
There was no time to hesitate.
Nie Yong's focus sharpened as he willed the Yin Qi within him to surge forward, directing it toward the dagger in his grip.
The small blade hummed—its surface suddenly shrouded in a deep purple, chilling aura.
The surrounding air dropped in temperature, a sharp, deathly cold washing over the clearing.
Just as the greatsword came bearing down upon him—
Clang!
Nie Yong slashed upward, meeting the strike head-on.
This time, the impact didn't shake his arms as violently. The pressure was still there, but he could resist it!
His dagger, now enveloped in Ghostly Yin Fang's chilling energy, didn't just block the sword—it ate away at its force, sending a wave of freezing Yin energy up the blade toward the scarred man's hands.
The scarred man's single eye narrowed.
"Oh? You can use our gang's signature martial skill? Now that's interesting…"
The scarred man let out a deep, booming laugh, his voice full of mockery.
"Hah! Too bad for you that I'm a Yang cultivator!" he taunted, the warmth of his aura intensifying around him. The previously chilling energy that clung to Nie Yong's dagger seemed to evaporate as the scarred man pushed back with his own force, scorching the air and dispelling the ghostly Yin Qi.
Nie Yong gritted his teeth as the heat pressed against him, his dagger feeling lighter, less effective. He barely had time to register what was happening when the scarred man brought his other fist up, infused with Yang Qi.
"Scorching Arts: Ignition Fist!"
A violent punch exploded toward Nie Yong's stomach. The impact was like a furnace, and before Nie Yong could even react, he was sent flying backward. His body hit the trunk of a tree with a sickening thud, the force knocking the air out of him.
"Fuck!" Nie Yong gasped, struggling to sit up as pain coursed through his body. "He's way too strong! That's what you get for playing the hero, dumbass—"
He was suddenly interrupted by a system notification that popped up in front of his eyes, its words glowing with an odd sense of urgency.
[The Swirling Wind Palm and the Ghostly Yin Fang have been found to be compatible. Would you like to merge them?]
Nie Yong blinked, his mind racing. What the hell was this? The system could even merge martial skills together? Nie Yong wanted to explode in excitement, but had not the time to do so—he needed to get out of this situation first. His gaze flicked back to the scarred man, who was advancing, confidence radiating from every step.
Without thinking further, Nie Yong gritted his teeth and made his decision. "Yes!"
The system's response was immediate.
[System merging...]
[The merge has been successfull!]
[The martial skill, Phantom Gale Wrath, has been successfully created!]
Nie Yong felt the knowledge of the martial skill flood into his consciousness. He could feel the unique combination of wind and Yin energy forming an entirely new technique—one that would make use of both the swirling gusts of wind and the biting, freezing energy of the Ghostly Yin Fang.
[The host's combat power has risen to the 2nd Initial Element Stage!]
Nie Yong's eyes gleamed with newfound confidence.
"Hehehe..." His voice was low and contemplative, still tinged with a quiet thrill, but his senses remained sharp. His power had increased, but he knew that the opponent in front of him was still stronger than him.
The scarred man furrowed his brow, watching as Nie Yong slowly pushed himself back onto his feet, his strange laugh catching him off guard.
"What's up with this young man? Why is he laughing?" the scarred man muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "Does he enjoy pain? Is he a masochist?" The irony of the thought made him pause, but he quickly returned his focus to the battle at hand.
Nie Yong took a deep breath, gripping his dagger tightly. Then, he activated the Phantom Gale Wrath.
"Phantom Gale Wrath: Ghostwind Edge!"
Immediately, a ghostly wind swirled around the blade, carrying traces of eerie, flickering Yin Qi. Wisps of cold mist coiled around the weapon like restless phantoms, their presence chilling yet swift. Thewind and Yin energy intertwined, forming a deadly, ever-moving aura that clung to the dagger like a living force.
Nie Yong smirked slightly, though his stance remained cautious. He locked eyes with the scarred man.
Nie Yong clenched his teeth, forcing himself to move. "I won't go down without a fight!" he shouted, lunging toward the scarred man with all the speed he could muster.
The scarred man laughed, clearly entertained. "Oh, oh… I'm starting to like you, kid! Why don't you join our Phantom Blood Gang?"
Nie Yong smirked as he closed the distance. "Thanks..." He swung his dagger, the ghostly wind howling around it. "But I'm not interested!"
Clang!
The scarred man parried, but his expression flickered as his sword trembled slightly upon impact. This ghostly wind wrapping his dagger is quite something, huh?
"Tsk." The scarred man's grin sharpened. "It's really a shame... I'll have to kill you then!"
With an explosive burst of Yang Qi, he forcefully deflected Nie Yong's attack, pushing him off balance. Nie Yong's feet stumbled against the dirt, and before he could regain his footing—
"Scorching Arts: Flame Infusion!"
The scarred man infused his sword with blazing Yang energy, the metal glowing with an intense heat. The air around it distorted from the sheer temperature, and in the next instant—
He slashed.
Nie Yong's pupils shrank as the fiery blade came hurtling toward him.
"Fuck! I'm gonna get killed at this rate! What do I do now?"
To be continued...
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Guys, I know... I am making this fight too long, but hey, it's new content right? I always felt like Nie Yong had won this fight too easily so I decided to change it.
Hope y'all a good day!