The transformation was terrifying. The Berserk Shen Mo, radiating raw, unstable power, lunged forward. Ignoring finesse entirely, he punched out with his remaining left fist, the blow carrying significantly more force than before. Bai Yu instinctively raised his saber horizontally to parry.
BAM!
As the fist met the saber, the force was so enormous that Bai Yu felt his arms go numb. He was driven back five full steps, stumbling to maintain his footing. A metallic taste filled his mouth as blood trickled down from his lips – the sheer shockwave had caused internal damage despite the block.
"This power is insane... He's probably nearing Martial Master strength temporarily!" Bai Yu thought grimly. "I can't trade blows. I need to go all out with evasion and counters!"
He barely managed to twist away, evading the next wild punch by a hair's breadth, feeling the wind of the blow ruffle his hair. He raised his saber again, his stance becoming purely defensive and reactive.
For the next five attacks – brutal punches and clumsy but powerful kicks from the enraged Shen Mo – Bai Yu relied entirely on the River Reversal Counter. He didn't try to meet force with force, instead using the saber's angle and his Qi to deflect and redirect the berserk energy, sending Shen Mo stumbling slightly off balance each time. But the effort was immense. Each deflection sent jarring impacts up his arms, and the constant, precise Qi manipulation was draining him rapidly. His stamina and his Qi reserves were plummeting, nearing empty. Bai Yu was already panting heavily, sweat plastering his white hair to his forehead, and his muscles screamed from the strain.
He risked a fleeting glance towards the other battle. Elder Jian was now locked in combat with the final opponent – only the Late-Stage Martial Master remained alive, fighting desperately against the clearly superior Peak-Stage Elder Jian in a last, futile struggle.
That momentary glance cost Bai Yu. Shen Mo, seeing an opening, kicked out violently. The blow wasn't precise, but it was incredibly forceful. It connected squarely with Bai Yu's chest. A sickening bone-breaking noise was heard – likely several ribs fracturing – and the impact sent Bai Yu staggering back again, coughing out a large mouthful of blood.
Stars swam before Bai Yu's eyes. Shen Mo didn't hesitate, pressing his advantage instantly. He followed up with a vicious punch aimed directly at Bai Yu's head, intending to finish the fight.
Bai Yu was dizzy, his body battered and screaming in agony, seemingly on the verge of collapse. But exactly at this moment, facing imminent death, a strange clarity descended upon him. The world seemed to slow down. All distractions faded. His focus sharpened to an all-time high, every instinct honed by his near-death battle with Ao Tian's soul and the subsequent days of combat.
When Shen Mo's fist was mere inches from his face, Bai Yu moved. In a motion that defied his injuries, he twisted his body low, practically scraping the ground, letting the punch sail harmlessly over his head. Simultaneously, using the last dregs of his strength and Qi, he thrust upwards with his saber. The blade found its mark, piercing deep into Shen Mo's unprotected lower abdomen.
Bai Yu immediately yanked the saber free and scrambled back, taking five cautious steps back as he watched Shen Mo roar in pain, clutching his newly wounded stomach. Despite the fatal blow, the berserker pill still raged within him. With a furious snarl, Shen Mo grabbed the protruding hilt of Bai Yu's saber still embedded in him, pulled it out, ignored the gushing blood, and snapped the Mortal Grade blade in two with sheer, brute force.
Discarding the broken weapon, Shen Mo rushed blindly at Bai Yu again. But Bai Yu, anticipating the reckless charge, executed a desperate maneuver. As Shen Mo lunged, Bai Yu slipped low, sliding between Shen Mo's legs, narrowly avoiding the grab. As he came up behind Shen Mo, Bai Yu spotted Shen Mo's discarded Spirit Grade longsword lying nearby and quickly picked it up. It felt heavier and more potent than his own broken saber.
"Haha! What can you do now, trash?! Weaponless!" Shen Mo snarled, turning around slowly, blood dripping from his lips and his abdominal wound. The berserk energy was clearly starting to fade; the backlash of the forbidden pill was coming nearer.
But Bai Yu wasn't weaponless anymore. Gripping the unfamiliar longsword, he channeled the last vestiges of his Qi. Suddenly, he used the Flood Surge Advance, adapting the saber technique to the longsword. With aggressive footwork, he appeared right before the surprised Shen Mo and slashed out wildly four times in rapid succession with the Spirit Grade weapon.
Caught off guard and weakened, Shen Mo raised his remaining hand instinctively to block. The superior blade cut through his defense. The fifth attack severed his remaining hand at the wrist.
Bai Yu instinctively wanted to aim for Shen Mo's head for the final blow, but his Qi and stamina completely ran out. His vision swam, his legs gave out beneath him. Bai Yu fell heavily to the ground, his consciousness merely hanging on by a thread.
As he looked up through blurry eyes, he saw Shen Mo kneeling on the ground a few feet away. The berserk swelling was receding rapidly; his body shrank back towards its original size. Blood flooded out of his mouth, his abdominal wound, and the stumps of his two severed arms. His eyes, no longer bloodshot but filled with shock and disbelief, met Bai Yu's.
"Fuck..." With a final, choked curse, Shen Mo's body went limp, and he collapsed face-first onto the forest floor, dead.
"I... did it..." Bai Yu whispered, relief washing over him even as darkness encroached. His vision blurred completely.
Nearby, the other battle had also concluded. Elder Jian stood calmly, wiping a speck of blood from his sword before sheathing it. He had slain all three enemy Martial Masters, including the Late-Stage expert, though not without some effort. He turned just in time to see Bai Yu collapse.