Han Li and "Senior Brother Lu" continuously channeled their magical power into the "Sword Talisman" and the "Azure Flood Dragon Banner." Every ounce of their being was devoted to controlling these artifacts in their clash, not daring to slacken or make the slightest error.
But in doing so, they also had no spare mental energy or magical power to employ other means to defeat their opponent. They both knew clearly that the moment one side let their guard down, their artifact would shatter and they would perish, with no chance of redemption.
Thus, under the dazzling display of the Azure Flood Dragon and the giant sword, Han Li and "Senior Brother Lu's" battle had ironically devolved into a war of attrition, seeing who would exhaust their magical power first.
When they both realized that the amount of remaining magical power was the key to this fight, they simultaneously resorted to replenishing their spiritual energy. Each produced a spirit stone, gripping it in their hand to replenish the loss of their own spiritual power.
However, Senior Brother Lu's was a low-grade wind-attribute spirit stone, while Han Li's was a mid-grade earth-attribute spirit stone. This discovery made Senior Brother Lu's face on the other side darken considerably, a mixture of shock and fury.
For a disciple at the Qi Refining stage like Han Li to possess a mid-grade spirit stone—something only cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage or above within the sect could obtain—was something he had never anticipated. Everyone knew that mid-grade spirit stones replenished spiritual energy far faster than low-grade ones. In this regard of replenishing power, he was at a significant disadvantage.
However, "Senior Brother Lu" quickly regained his composure. His magical power had always been far more profound than his opponent's. Even if the other's spirit stone replenished energy a bit faster, it certainly wouldn't last long. After all, this tiny amount of replenishment was utterly insignificant compared to the constant drain of magical power.
Thinking this, "Senior Brother Lu" calmed down once more, his focus sharpening.
But when Han Li's next move appeared before his eyes, Senior Brother Lu's expression changed again, this time with a hint of bewilderment and disbelief.
Han Li, right in front of "Senior Brother Lu," voluntarily dismissed the blue protective barrier around him, openly revealing his true form.
Even as clever as "Senior Brother Lu" was, he was completely baffled by the other's action, unable to fathom what Han Li was planning.
Did he not fear that a single wind blade would easily take his life?
Senior Brother Lu's thoughts raced through his mind. Without much hesitation, he decisively extended his left hand and made a gesture in the air, causing a faint green wind blade to begin forming.
But before "Senior Brother Lu" could fully condense the wind blade and hurl it, the giant sword tangled in a death struggle with the Azure Flood Dragon in the air suddenly surged with brilliant light. Seizing the moment his attention wavered to use the wind blade, it violently broke free from the Azure Flood Dragon and shot straight towards "Senior Brother Lu" himself.
This turn of events startled Senior Brother Lu considerably. If he insisted on forming and launching the wind blade, perhaps he could take Han Li's life, but under the slash of the giant sword, he would certainly perish as well. Both parties would meet mutual destruction.
Although there was still a wind wall before him that had not dissipated, since this giant sword could contend with the Azure Flood Dragon manifested from the Azure Flood Dragon Banner, this hurricane would undoubtedly be easily pierced by the giant sword. It would not be able to delay it for even a moment.
Such an outcome was definitely not what "Senior Brother Lu" wanted. He still had a great future and a bright prospects ahead. He was unwilling to be buried in this desolate wilderness alongside a nobody whose background he didn't even know.
Thinking this, he had no time to overthink. He hastily shook his left hand, dismissing the wind blade, then poured all his magical power into the Flood Dragon Banner, summoning the Azure Flood Dragon back.
The Azure Flood Dragon, truly worthy of being the spirit essence manifested from a wind-attribute magical artifact, under Senior Brother Lu's full exertion, intercepted Han Li's giant sword halfway, and the two clashed once more.
Seeing this, "Senior Brother Lu" let out a great sigh of relief, breaking into a cold sweat.
Thus, in the following time, Senior Brother Lu attempted several times to use other spells to ambush Han Li.
But each time, Han Li used the same method to forcefully repel him, leaving him with no way to deal with the undefended Han Li. This left "Senior Brother Lu" feeling immensely stifled, forced to rely on his deeper magical reserves to wear his opponent down bit by bit.
At this moment, Han Li, however, began pulling out from his storage pouch various small herbs, root clumps, and other items of different shapes, stuffing them non-stop into his mouth and chewing them vigorously, leaving Senior Brother Lu dumbfounded, unable to grasp what his opponent was scheming.
This inability to divine his opponent's intentions, leaving him completely in the dark, made Senior Brother Lu feel a growing sense of unease, a premonition of something bad. But being someone who cherished his own life too dearly, even if his scheming far surpassed that of ordinary people, he was, for the moment, at a loss for a plan.
As time ticked by bit by bit, Senior Brother Lu's heart grew heavier and heavier.
Finally, when the green glow of the Azure Flood Dragon began to fade, while the gray radiance of the giant sword remained as dazzling as ever, Senior Brother Lu could no longer contain the terror in his heart and screamed hoarsely:
"Impossible! My magical power is clearly far superior to yours! Even with a mid-grade spirit stone replenishing yours, it's impossible for you to still have power left! You should have exhausted your magic long before me!"
Watching the Azure Flood Dragon wobble precariously, "Senior Brother Lu's" shout was like the last bark of a mad dog fallen into a trap, filled with unwillingness.
And Han Li, seeing his plan being realized bit by bit, couldn't help but smile. But after hearing the other's words, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and the smile turned into a cold sneer.
He had no time to waste explaining everything to a man about to die. It was far more pressing to dispatch his opponent quickly. His own magical power was nearly depleted, after all. He had no intention of wasting breath on the other.
Thinking this, Han Li paid no heed to the other's question. With a mere point of his finger, the giant sword blazed with even greater light, grinding the Azure Flood Dragon down until it shrank bit by bit, until it was only about ten feet long, its green glow so faint it was nearly imperceptible.
"Senior Brother Lu" saw this and fell into utter despair. Following this, a desperate resolve rose within him, and a touch of madness gradually surfaced in his eyes.
Without a sound, he abruptly pulled back the last dregs of magical power remaining in the Azure Flood Dragon Banner, causing the banner to instantly revert to its original form, falling straight from the sky. Then, completely disregarding the giant sword slashing towards him, he used that power to swiftly condense a massive wind blade, which he hurled towards Han Li without the slightest hesitation.
Seeing this, Han Li felt a jolt of alarm. He hurriedly manipulated the giant sword to slash down towards his opponent's head at the same moment the other's wind blade was launched, then without even looking to see the result, he shot forward, already several yards away.
After several exchanges, Han Li knew all too well that the speed of the wind blade was truly astonishing. If he didn't use the "Smoke Cloud Steps" to dodge immediately, without any protection, he would genuinely risk being sliced in two before he could even react, which would truly be a death with eyes wide open.
The wind blade was indeed extremely fast. The moment Han Li shot away, it had already reached where he had stood. But with a sharp turn, it actually followed the direction of Han Li's escape, once again piercing towards him.
Han Li had no time to think. He pushed the "Smoke Cloud Steps" to their absolute limit, dodging left and right ceaselessly in that small area, so that he faintly projected several phantoms, leaving the wind blade chasing after him like a tail, yet unable to keep up with his sharp turns.
Han Li knew clearly that if he tried to flee in a straight line, he could never outrun the wind blade's swift slash. Only by using agile evasive techniques could he temporarily ensure his safety. This was precisely why he had dared to abandon defensive spells from the very beginning.
With a "squelch," the wind blade suddenly lost control, plunging straight into the earth, cutting a deep furrow in the soil before vanishing.
Han Li let out a long, deep breath, finally allowing the heart that had been lodged in his throat to settle. Using the lightness skill from the mortal world to evade a cultivator's magical attack was indeed a life-threatening endeavor.
Han Li plopped down onto the ground, then lifted his head to look towards the other side.
He saw that the wind wall had already vanished. "Senior Brother Lu," who had been hiding behind it, was now split in two, lying stiff and motionless there. Above the two halves of his corpse, the giant sword hovered, emanating a faint gray glow, though its light was exceedingly dim.