Seeing the icicles streaking toward them, Kanoru barked, "Protect yourselves or escape back to the city and ask for help!"
He could tell—the old man was a higher-rank warlock, someone he couldn't defeat alone. It would take five warriors of his strength to challenge someone of that level.
Asuna and Gu Mingzhu, though in the same cultivation realm, were only half as strong as him. If they stayed, they would become a burden, forcing Kanoru to split his focus. He would constantly worry for their safety, making it harder to concentrate on the fight—risking injury or worse fully.
Forcing his tone, he snapped, "Go!"
Without waiting for their response, he charged toward the icicles, slashing apart those threatening to pierce his body. His sword shattered the frozen shards, and he pressed forward toward the old man.
Kanoru knew he couldn't win a spell battle against a warlock, even of the same realm. But the old man was a full realm higher.
His only chance of survival was to stay close, forcing the old man into close combat, and preventing him from freely casting spells.
He leaped toward the branch where the old man stood, sword aimed for a strike—but a spiked ice barrier suddenly appeared before him.
Kanoru barely managed to pull back, but jagged ice sliced into his leg.
The barrier vanished, and the old man summoned a large pool of water overhead. In an instant, the pool morphed into a massive water snake that lunged at Kanoru.
Kanoru dodged and, realizing he had no chance of closing the distance, switched tactics. Harnessing the wind, he unleashed a flurry of razor-sharp wind blades to counter the snake's strikes.
Asuna watched the colossal serpent twist and strike at Kanoru, who darted nimbly around it, sending out wind blades to hold it back.
Her eyes flicked to the old man's purple-glazed eyes—emotionless and detached.
She noticed something.
The old man wasn't paying attention to them.
His focus was solely on Kanoru.
But why?
Kanoru had no enemies of such power. There was no reason a higher-rank warlock would come after him.
She didn't recognize the old man, either.
But none of it mattered.
If they didn't do something, Kanoru would be defeated and killed.
She knew she couldn't join the fight—she would only slow Kanoru down, making him even more vulnerable.
There was only one way to help.
"Let's go and ask for help!" Asuna shouted.
Without waiting for Gu Mingzhu's reply, she grabbed her hand and sprinted toward Ren County City.
Kanoru, noticing Asuna and Gu Mingzhu escaping, sighed in relief.
Without wasting a second, he channeled chakra into his new sword. The red blade began to glow brightly, the heat radiating from it warping the air around him.
With a powerful swing, flames merged with his wind blades, creating a blazing tempest that slashed into the water snake, evaporating large sections of it.
He pressed the attack, relentlessly unleashing fire-infused wind blades. In less than a minute, the entire water snake evaporated into nothingness.
Before he could catch his breath, the old man's staff glowed blue, and a larger water pool formed overhead. From it, three massive water snakes emerged, their bodies surging toward Kanoru with terrifying speed.
Kanoru cursed under his breath.
The old man wasn't trying to kill him outright—he was draining him, forcing Kanoru to expend his chakra against the relentless onslaught. Once exhausted, the old man would likely kill or capture him.
Kanoru's eyes narrowed.
Both options were unacceptable.
He had to hold on—long enough for Asuna to bring reinforcements.
But they were at least an hour away from Ren County City.
Which meant he had to survive for two hours—alone.
Steeling himself, he faced the incoming snakes.
He pulled the surrounding winds toward him, the air swirling violently as his sword blazed hotter, fully transforming into a flaming blade. With each swing, he sent out fierce flame blades, cleaving into the watery serpents.
As he fought, he felt something shift.
The heat radiating from his sword didn't just lash outward—it lingered in the air, warping it further, making the atmosphere suffocatingly hot.
Kanoru suddenly realized—he was starting to comprehend nature-heat.
It was something he hadn't attempted before, as the blistering desert heat during his time in the Desert Kingdom made it impossible to sense the subtleties of the nature-heating process.
Moreover, this method was chakra-intensive, draining him too quickly to practice effectively.
But now, with no other choice, Kanoru was forced to push through, fighting with everything he had while simultaneously comprehending nature-heat.
If he could generate high-temperature winds with his chakra, he might be able to burn through the water snakes faster and increase his chances of holding on against the old man's relentless attacks.
The three massive water snakes surged toward him, their forms twisting violently through the air.
Kanoru gritted his teeth, his sword blazing as he slashed through the first serpent. Flame-infused wind blades tore into the creature's watery body, evaporating huge sections of it.
But before he could react, the second snake struck from his left.
He spun, slashing upward, bisecting it with a fiery arc.
The third snake came immediately after, its maw wide open, aiming to engulf him whole.
Kanoru lunged forward, driving his flaming sword into its face. The serpent exploded into steam, but before the vapor could clear, the old man's staff flared again.
A new wave of water snakes burst forth—larger and faster.
Kanoru's muscles ached, his breaths were ragged, and his chakra reserves were dwindling.
Still, he refused to back down.
He drew more of the surrounding winds toward him, pulling them into his sword. The blade's fire intensified, blazing so hot that the ground beneath his feet began to crack.
The water snakes charged again.
He swung furiously, blasting flame blades into their bodies. The impact vaporized chunks of them, but the relentless creatures kept reforming, regenerating from the water pool overhead.
The old man's purple-glazed eyes remained impassive, cold, and emotionless, his staff moving with terrifying precision.
Water snakes kept coming—faster, thicker, stronger.
Kanoru's chakra dwindled further. His limbs felt heavy, and his sword swings slowed.
Yet, despite the growing fatigue, something was changing.
The heat radiating from his sword grew denser, more concentrated.
The winds he pulled in became hotter—scorching.
Without realizing it, he was shaping the surrounding air with his chakra, turning it into a high-temperature wind that enhanced the lethality of his flame blades.
With a desperate swing, he unleashed a scorching gust—so hot that the grass in its path instantly withered and the water snakes evaporated entirely upon impact.
For a fleeting moment, he felt the power surge through him.
He had done it—he could now generate high-temperature winds with his chakra.
But it was too late.
His chakra was nearly depleted.
His legs wobbled, his arms ached, and his sword felt heavier than ever.
The old man's eyes narrowed, sensing Kanoru's faltering strength.
With a cold smirk, he raised his staff once more.
A massive tidal wave formed above him, ready to crash down.
Kanoru's vision blurred. His chest heaved with exhaustion.
He knew he couldn't hold on any longer.
His eyes hardened.
If he was going to die, he would die fighting.
He tightened his grip on his sword and resolved to make his final stand, prepared to risk his life against the old man.
But just as he was about to charge—
A streak of blue light flashed through the air.
From the direction of Ren County City, an Ice Arrow tore through the sky with blinding speed, heading straight for the old man.
The old man's eyes widened slightly.
At the last moment, he summoned a thick ice barrier around himself.
But it was futile.
The Ice Arrow pierced through the barrier as if it were paper.
The old man twisted sharply, but the arrow grazed his side, tearing through his left arm.
With a sickening crack, the limb was severed, blood spraying into the air.
The old man let out a pained grunt, his expression twisting in shock as he stumbled backward.
Kanoru's eyes snapped toward the direction of the arrow's origin.
Riding toward him on horseback was a beautiful woman with long, flowing silver hair and a frosty expression.
Her eyes were cold and piercing, and in her hand, she held a silver bow radiating a chilling aura.
It was Bai Yue's mother.
Kanoru's knees buckled in relief.
The sight of her approaching made his body finally give in.
With a soft sigh, he collapsed onto his back, the weight of exhaustion crushing him.
But this time, he didn't resist.
He was safe.