The flaming sword drew closer, the heat scorching the air around Nie Yong, making it hard to breathe. His body refused to move, his mind frozen as he stared at his impending death.
"Sorry, mother..." Nie Yong thought bitterly, his fingers loosening around his dagger. "I was given another opportunity to live, and yet I wasted it trying to play the hero."
There was no point in struggling. He had exhausted all his strength, and even his divine powers couldn't save him now. The scarred man was simply too strong. This was the end—
Slash!
The sharp sound of metal slicing through flesh rang through the forest.
Nie Yong braced for pain—
But it never came.
Instead, he heard a choked gasp.
"Aghh!"
The scarred man's body stiffened, his one eye wide in shock. Blood gushed from his mouth as he staggered, his blazing sword faltering mid-swing.
Nie Yong's gaze snapped downward.
A sword had pierced straight through the scarred man's stomach, its gleaming blade coated in fresh crimson.
"Y-you… you bitch!" the man snarled, his voice trembling with fury and disbelief.
Nie Yong, still dazed, forced himself to move, shifting slightly to see past the wounded man. His breath hitched.
Behind him, gripping the sword with trembling hands, stood He Yue—the very girl he was supposed to save, saved him instead!
Nie Yong barely had time to process what had happened before He Yue let out a furious scream.
"Die, you disgusting pig!"
Her voice was raw with hatred as she tightened her grip on the sword, pushing it deeper into the scarred man's flesh with all the strength she could muster. Her hands trembled, but her resolve was unshaken. She had never fought before, had never taken a life—but in this moment, she didn't hesitate.
The scarred man let out a strangled grunt, his legs buckling slightly. Blood gushed from his wound, staining the ground beneath them.
Nie Yong's eyes widened. She's actually trying to kill him!
But before the sword could plunge any deeper—
Boom!
A sudden eruption of scorching Yang Qi burst from the scarred man's body, a wave of blistering heat surging outward like a wildfire.
"Gah!" He Yue cried out as the force blasted her off her feet.
Her small frame was sent flying through the air, crashing violently into a tree trunk with a sickening thud. A pained gasp escaped her lips as she slumped to the ground, her body trembling from the impact.
Nie Yong's heart pounded.
"Shit!"
The scarred man let out a furious roar, his aura flaring with murderous intent. Even with the sword still embedded in his abdomen, he refused to go down. His single eye burned with pure rage as he turned toward He Yue, the heat around him distorting the air.
"You fucking bitch! I'll fucking kill you!"
His heavy steps cracked the dirt beneath him, his towering figure closing in on He Yue with terrifying speed.
Nie Yong felt a chill crawl up his spine.
Move…
He gritted his teeth.
MOVE, DAMN IT!
Nie Yong clenched his fists, his entire body screaming in pain, but he forced himself to move. He Yue was going to die if he didn't do something.
I can't let her die… Not after she saved me!
Mustering every last bit of strength he had left, he focused on his martial skill, pushing his Qi to its limits.
"Phantom Gale Wrath: Phantom Breeze Step!"
A chilling wind swirled around him as his figure blurred, vanishing like a ghost. The next moment—
Whoosh!
He reappeared right next to the sprinting scarred man, moving so fast it was as if he had teleported.
"What—?!" The scarred man's eye barely had time to widen before—
Bam!
Nie Yong's foot slammed into his face with a powerful kick, his movement so swift that the scarred man didn't even have time to react. Blood and spit flew from the man's mouth as his head snapped back violently, his body staggering from the sudden impact.
But Nie Yong wasn't done yet.
His eyes gleamed with deadly focus as he gathered the last of his strength.
"Phantom Gale Wrath: Ghostwind Edge!"
A howling gust of ghostly wind swirled around his leg, coiling like a spectral blade. The Yin Qi wrapped around his limb, turning his very kick into a sword.
The scarred man, still dazed from the first strike, barely had time to react—
Shing!
Nie Yong's leg swung through the air like a sharpened blade, cutting through the scarred man's neck in one clean motion.
For a moment, silence filled the forest.
Then—
Thud!
The scarred man's headless body collapsed to the ground with a dull thump.
His severed head landed a few feet away, rolling slightly before coming to a stop—his single eye still wide open in shock.
Nie Yong staggered, panting heavily, sweat and blood dripping from his body. His vision swayed, exhaustion creeping up on him.
But despite that, he forced himself to stay standing.
As Nie Yong struggled to catch his breath, a familiar sound echoed in his mind.
[Ding!]
A translucent screen appeared before his eyes.
[Would you like to copy Fang Mo's abilities?]
Nie Yong's exhaustion was momentarily overwhelmed by excitement.
"Yes!" he shouted without hesitation, the pain in his body completely ignored.
[Copying...]
His heart pounded with anticipation.
Then—
[You have acquired the Martial Skill, Scorching Arts!]
[You have acquired the secret art, Yang Heart Secret Art!]
Nie Yong grinned, feeling a new power settle within him. His body was completely drained, his vision swimming, but he couldn't help but feel ecstatic.
"Yeah... I'm so..." His voice was weak, barely above a whisper.
His eyelids grew heavy. His body swayed.
[The secret arts, True Yang Secret Art and Yang Heart Secret Art, are compatible. Does the host wish to merge them?]
The words appeared before him, but Nie Yong's mind was already fading into darkness.
With the last shred of his willpower, he muttered a single word.
"Yes..."
And then—
[The merge has been successful!]
Nie Yong's world faded to black.
To be continued...
***
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I've made this fight longer and, in my opinion, it's better. Tell me if you all liked it!
Hope y'all a great day!