Chapter 106: Entering the Divine Rankings of the Six Harmonies

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Have you decided how you want to die?

When Suzuki heard Liuhé say this, if it had been before, he would have certainly mocked Liuhé’s arrogance. But now was different. In his eyes, Liuhé standing opposite him was almost equal in both presence and strength to Suzuki himself, the sect master of their style.

Observing the aura radiating from Liuhé, Suzuki finally grew serious.

“Do you know how fast a sword can be?”

Liuhé lightly flicked the long sword in his hand, and immediately a humming sound resonated from the blade. Hearing such cryptic words from Liuhé, Suzuki frowned involuntarily.

“Have you ever seen the fastest blade?” Suzuki countered, his palm already resting on the handle of the knife at his waist.

“It is said that the two-sword style’s draw technique is as fast as lightning. A master can slice water as they draw. Fine, you pride yourself on the fastest blade, and I pride myself on the fastest sword. Today, we shall settle once and for all who is truly faster.” Liuhé’s eyes narrowed as he said coldly.

“Very well, let me see just how fast your so-called fastest sword really is!” Suzuki gripped his knife handle tightly, his feet slightly leaning forward, subtly twisting on the ground.

Even Yagyu Mamoru, who had stepped aside to watch, furrowed his brows, his eyes fixed intently on the impending battle between the two.

At that moment, Liuhé’s gaze suddenly sharpened, and his figure dashed toward Suzuki. Seeing this, Suzuki also gripped his long knife tightly and charged forward.

In the blink of an eye, the two collided. Between them flashed two dazzling sword lights as their forms brushed past each other. Both then stopped in a half-bent stance.

Having separated, Liuhé raised his long sword high, while Suzuki kept both hands firmly on his knife’s handle. Both stood motionless, as if frozen in time, neither stepping forward.

Yagyu Mamoru was puzzled by their situation. At the instant of their clash, he only saw a blur and then they separated, failing to notice their subsequent postures.

A gentle breeze stirred. Half-bent, Liuhé suddenly planted his sword into the ground and knelt on one knee. From the fingertips gripping the sword, drops of crimson blood slowly fell. Seeing this, Yagyu Mamoru’s face brightened with joy — Liuhé was wounded, which must mean Suzuki had won.

Just as Yagyu Mamoru was about to approach, Suzuki suddenly stood upright and turned to face Liuhé, his expression calm as he said, “Truly the fastest sword, I yield.”

With those words, Suzuki’s body suddenly toppled backward, striking the ground with a heavy thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.

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Yagyu Mamoru was shocked and immediately flashed to Suzuki’s side. Seeing him up close, his eyes widened in disbelief.

Suzuki’s chest bore a long gash, running diagonally from his waist up to his shoulder. In his hand was only a knife handle; the blade was gone. A stream of dark red blood flowed steadily from his chest, quickly staining the ground.

The two-sword style sect master, Suzuki, had died just like that—in a fair and just duel.

Yagyu Mamoru turned to Liuhé in disbelief, murmuring, “Such... such a fast sword!”

Liuhé slowly stood and faced Yagyu Mamoru. Though wounded in the exchange, these injuries were trivial to a veteran like him who had fought countless battles.

Seeing Liuhé’s cold gaze fixed on him, Yagyu Mamoru’s expression grew grave. A newcomer to the Divine Ranking with such strength forced him to abandon all disdain.

Liuhé slowly raised his long sword, the tip pointing directly at Yagyu Mamoru. Then, with light steps, he approached. With every step, his imposing aura intensified. Yagyu Mamoru’s right hand reached for the long knife at his waist, drawing it swiftly and pointing it at Liuhé.

“You’ve only just entered the Divine Ranking. How can your combat power be so formidable?” Yagyu Mamoru asked seriously.

Liuhé only smiled faintly at Yagyu Mamoru’s question, then planted his feet firmly, replying, “Even if I hadn’t entered the Divine Ranking, at my prime, none of you so-called sect masters could match me. Now that I have entered the Divine Ranking, unless it’s those so-called divine officials who can claim to be my equal, the rest of you simply cannot!”

Hearing Liuhé’s arrogant words, Yagyu Mamoru’s heart tightened. Clenching his knife harder, he shouted, “Kill!”

In an instant, Yagyu Mamoru vanished from his spot. After flickering several times, he appeared before Liuhé and swung his long knife down fiercely.

Seeing the incoming blade, Liuhé remained calm. He flicked his wrist and swung his sword out; the blade clashed with the knife, producing a sharp, grating sound.

Then, Liuhé spun around. Before Yagyu Mamoru could react, Liuhé thrust his sword toward Yagyu Mamoru’s chest. Just as the sword tip was about to pierce through, Yagyu Mamoru’s figure mysteriously vanished.

“Huh?” Liuhé murmured in surprise at Yagyu Mamoru’s disappearance but was not shocked. As the sect master of the Yagyu Half-Moon style, Yagyu Mamoru must have his own tricks.

At that moment, a fierce aura suddenly surged from Liuhé’s outstretched hand. Alarmed, Liuhé spun around to see Yagyu Mamoru behind him, his long knife swinging wildly, sending a barrage of blade shadows swarming toward Liuhé.

“This must be your Yagyu Half-Moon style’s ultimate technique—the Phantom Blade Method.”

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Having just turned, Liuhé was instantly surrounded by countless shadowy blade images. Yet, a faint smile played on his lips, seemingly disregarding the surrounding onslaught.

Liuhé lightly flicked the sword’s blade again, which hummed. Calmly, he said, “I recall my elder once told me: falsehoods cannot become reality! Even if you unleash thousands of blade shadows, the true killing move is but one. So, ignore the shadows; I need only kill you.”

With that, Liuhé’s eyes sharpened as a powerful aura burst forth. His refined energy surged into the sword, which immediately emitted a dazzling radiance.

“Sword Technique! Fallen Kill!”

With a fierce yell, Liuhé leapt forward, gripping the sword with both hands and slashing violently toward Yagyu Mamoru’s position. A sword shadow laced with raging energy erupted from the blade, striking before Yagyu Mamoru.

Boom!

A violent explosion echoed, sand and stones flying, thick smoke billowing. Following that was a piercing scream of agony.

Liuhé’s sword shadow struck Yagyu Mamoru like lightning. Though Yagyu Mamoru mounted a formidable defense, he underestimated Liuhé’s technique. The violent sword shadow pierced through his protective aura upon contact.

The fierce sword energy slammed into Yagyu Mamoru, sending him flying heavily backward. As he was hurled away, the myriad blade shadows around him dissipated into the air.

Yagyu Mamoru crashed violently into a massive rock, shattering it into pieces. He lay there motionless like a dead dog.

Liuhé’s figure descended slowly and approached Yagyu Mamoru. His eyes were icy and merciless. Upon reaching Yagyu Mamoru, Liuhé raised his sword and with a crushing sound, drove the blade through Yagyu Mamoru’s chest. Blood sprayed forth in torrents.

Yagyu Mamoru’s wide eyes stared at Liuhé. His lips trembled, but no words escaped. His head tilted, and he ceased moving entirely.

The top ten sect masters, Yagyu Mamoru, master of the Yagyu Half-Moon style, and Suzuki, master of the two-sword style, were both dead!