Sun Yunso stood firm, his sword still at the ready, his eyes locked intensely on Zhang Pojun, his face a mask of calm determination.
"...There's something I don't understand."
Zhang Pojun raised an eyebrow.
"Hm?"
"The two Seijinists I killed, before they died, they both asked the same, and here you are asking me the exact same thing."
Zhang Pojun's smile slowly widened.
"And?"
"I sensed only three."
Sun Yunso's voice remained steady.
"The first two died by my sword and the third is standing in front of me. So tell me. Who is this 'other Seijinist' that you're talking about?"
Zhang Pojun burst out laughing at Sun Yunso's question, clearly entertained by it.
"You look so lost, like you don't know what's even going on. It seems like you're not as aware of everything as you thought you were. There actually is a Seijinist here, and they have been with us the whole time. You just didn't notice them at all."
Sun Yunso was still confused but he was slowly getting more annoyed by the pointless chatter of Zhang Pojun. He simply raised his sword and stood in a stance, ready for combat.
Zhang Pojun witnessed this and was genuinely surprised.
"Why are you choosing to fight right now instead of searching for the other Seijinist?"
"There's no reason for me to respond to that question, because I don't care."
Another maniacal laughter came out from Zhang Pojun's mouth. This time he couldn't contain himself at all.
Accepting Sun Yunso's challenge he instructed the surviving bandits to keep an eye on the Lei siblings while he has his fun with Sun Yunso.
Zhang Pojun slowly lowered the broad sword that rested upon his shoulder. The grin on his face never disappeared.
He took one step forward.
"You think you're clever, don't you? Well, let's put your bravery to the test and see if you can back up your words with some real action. I'm more than happy to show you what I'm capable of, so bring it on!"
In that instant, Sun Yunso didn't say a word, and before anyone knew it, their swords had already clashed.
A violent shockwave rippled through the snowy ground as both men pushed against one another.
Neither gave an inch until they got separated.
Zhang Pojun immediately stepped back in.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sun Yunso's sword moved with a fluid motion, like water flowing effortlessly. Every step, every swing, was smooth and calculated, with no unnecessary energy spent. His cuts were sharp and precise, each one a perfect, clean strike.
Zhang Pojun's sword crashed down again.
Bang!
Sun Yunso caught the attack with the flat of his sword, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through his arms, making his sleeves flutter wildly. He didn't hesitate, swiftly twisting his wrist to deflect the massive blade, and in one swift motion, he counterattacked, thrusting his sword towards Zhang Pojun's chest with lightning speed. The movement was so fast, it was as if he had anticipated the attack all along, his reflexes honed to perfection. As the blade hurtled towards its target, the air seemed to vibrate with tension, the outcome hanging precariously in the balance.
Pojun laughed.
He moved his body just a little, so the attack barely missed his shoulder, and then he swung his arm in a wide, horizontal motion to strike back.
Sun Yunso ducked beneath it.
The sword came crashing down over his head, cutting through a few stray strands of dark hair that had fallen across his eyes.
He moved in close, dodging Zhang's attack, and countered with a swift stab, followed by another slash, finishing with a powerful rising cut.
Each attack flowed seamlessly into the next like a river carving through stone but Zhang Pojun blocked every one of them.
Their exchange became faster.
The surviving bandits stared with open mouths.
"I...I can't even follow them."
Lei Mei covered her mouth.
"They're...so fast..."
A crash sent sparks flying everywhere. Sun Yunso slid backwards, his body gliding several metres across the snowy ground before he finally managed to stop himself.
He charged forward once more, his sword slicing through the air in a swift arc, heading straight for Zhang Pojun's throat.
Zhang leaned away by the smallest margin.
"Excellent."
He came back with three hits in a row. Sun Yunso stopped the first one, changed the direction of the second, and just managed to get out of the way of the third.
Zhang's sword flashed through the air, its tip cutting across the sleeve of his dark robe.
A faint line had appeared on the fabric, and Sun Yunso couldn't help but notice it, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took a closer look.
"..."
The attack had been close, much closer than any before it.
Zhang smiled.
"You noticed?"
"The difference between us."
Another clash echoed.
Their swords locked once more. Zhang Pojun spoke quietly, only loud enough for Yunso to hear.
"You've trained beautifully."
"..."
"But training..."
He forced Yunso back with sheer strength.
"...isn't the same as surviving."
Sun Yunso slid backwards once again.
Watching from afar, Lei Shun's expression became serious.
"...He's losing."
It wasn't that his sword fighting skills were bad. But Zhang Pojun had something that you can't learn from eight years of training alone. He had been in many battles where one wrong move could be fatal. This kind of experience is what made the difference, not his actual fighting ability.
Eight years of isolated training can teach you a lot, but it can't replace the experience of being in real battles, where every decision counts and mistakes can be deadly.
Sun Yunso quickly turned his wrist, changing the direction of Zhang Pojun's powerful sword. Then, in a flash, he moved to the side, getting behind his opponent where he couldn't be seen.
"...!"
A quick slash shot toward Zhang Pojun's ribs.
Zhang Pojun pivoted.
As they clashed, their blades scraped against each other, sending sparks flying into the snow, the sound echoing through the cold air.
"You nearly had me."
Sun Yunso didn't answer.
Instead, his mind raced.
'He's reading every attack...'
It's not like Zhang had a huge advantage when it came to speed or strength.
He simply knew how to react.
It seemed like Zhang had already seen them many times.
Sun Yunso suddenly changed his rhythm.
He didn't back down after their last encounter, instead, he moved closer to Zhang Pojun, right into his range. In a swift motion, his sword vanished beneath Pojun's guard, only to quickly reappear, slicing upward in a sharp, powerful arc.
"Moliu..."
Zhang Pojun looked at Sun Yunso and smiled.
"So, you're finally getting serious."
He slowly rolled his shoulders, the movement almost imperceptible, before carefully resting the sword on one shoulder, its weight a familiar comfort.
"I think it's time for me to stop holding back as well."
A dark aura began flowing from his body.
Lei Mei's eyes widened.
"W-What's happening...?"
The surviving bandits immediately began cheering.
"Boss is using it!"
"That kid's finished!"
"You've forced the boss to use his Seidan!"
Zhang Pojun slowly raised his sword. The aura wrapped itself around the blade.
A strange sound echoed.
The sword's edges started to grow sharp, jagged points, like the teeth of a fierce animal. It changed from a normal blade into something that looked really scary. Now it looked like the mouth of a predator, ready to attack and tear its victim apart. The points were so sharp they seemed to be waiting to strike, making the sword look like a deadly trap.
Lei Mei covered her mouth.
"His sword."
Sun Yunso couldn't actually see what was happening, but he could sense the change taking place.
The pressure surrounding Zhang Pojun had risen dramatically.
"His Seidan....increased.
'What changed?'
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through both of his eyes, catching him off guard. Without thinking, he raised his hands to his eyes, trying to ease the discomfort.
The familiar burning sensation returned.
Without another choice he slowly closed both eyes.
Zhang Pojun blinked.
"What's going on with you, have you lost your mind or something, why have you chosen to go blind all of a sudden?"
Sun Yunso lowered his hand.
"None of your business. Moliu..."
As soon as Sun Yunso spoke, the two men suddenly disappeared.
Clang!
Zhang Pojun struck first.
His monstrous blade came crashing down like the jaws of a wild beast, carrying enough force to shatter the earth beneath it. Sun Yunso twisted his body at the very last moment and the blade narrowly missed him.
It slammed onto the ground.
When the dust settled deep, jagged marks resembling enormous bite impressions had been carved into the earth where the blade had landed.
Lei Mei's face turned pale.
"...What kind of sword is that...?"
Zhang Pojun took a look at the ground that was all messed up and then he clicked his tongue.
"What a shame. "He said, lifting the weapon from the earth." My blade missed out on what would have been an excellent meal."
Sun Yunso remained silent.
Although he couldn't see the blade he could clearly hear the sound it produced and the pressure radiating from it.
That weapon it's dangerous.
Without another word, Zhang charged again.
He swung horizontally, then vertically and diagonally.
The blows were incredibly powerful, and Sun Yunso was constantly being pushed back by their sheer force.
He avoided the first, deflected and barely slipped.
The huge knife barely missed him, cutting through his sleeve like it was nothing, leaving it torn and shredded.
"...!"
Zhang grinned.
"Run all you like! My sword is starving!"
He raised the blade above his head.
"Let's see if you can dodge this one!"
As he swung it down with a loud roar, Sun Yunso stood still, exhaling slowly, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the intense action that had just unfolded.
"....Silent Current. "
Everything slowed.
Instead of meeting Zhang's overwhelming strength head-on. Sun Yunso's blade flowed around it.
Like water slipping past a boulder.
The huge blow was deflected just barely enough to avoid hitting its target.
Zhang's eyes widened.
"...What?"
As he struggled to regain his footing, a dark blur suddenly swept across him.
Slash!
A deep gash suddenly appeared across his side, just below his ribs. Blood splattered everywhere, staining the ground a deep red. Zhang Pojun staggered back several steps. His free hand instinctively pressed against the wound. Warm blood seeped between his fingers.
The surviving bandits stared in disbelief.
"Boss..."
"He actually wounded the boss."
Zhang looked down at the blood staining his hand then a grin slowly spread across his face. Instead of anger he laughed.
"This is getting interesting."
He turned to face Sun Yunso, his eyes gleaming with fierce excitement.
"You've finally shown me a sword that's worthy of use to kill."
Sun Yunso's chest rose and fell with a slow, deliberate breath, but the ache in his eyes lingered, refusing to fade. His fingers instinctively tightened around the hilt of his sword, the familiar grip a comforting presence in his moment of turmoil.
'This has to end.'
"Moliu...."
A dark energy emanated from him, pooling around the sword like a shadow came to life, and the metal appeared to absorb it, growing darker by the second.
"...Blackened River."
Zhang Pojun's smile faded.
"...!"
Without another word, Sun Yunso swung.
The blade seemed pretty normal, just a simple black curve moving quietly across the field where the battle was happening.
Zhang Pojun's instincts screamed danger.
He quickly jumped out of the way, raising his rough sword to block the incoming blow. But his weapon broke into pieces right away. The top part flew high up into the air.
"...What?!"
The black slash continued forward without slowing.
It raced across the mountain pass before striking the cliff in the distance.
A loud noise boomed through the valley, it was so loud it felt like the ground was shaking. Then suddenly, the side of the mountain cracked open, like a big split in the earth. A huge chunk of rock started to move, slowly at first, and then it fell apart, crashing down into the valley below. This made a massive cloud of dust rise up into the air, blocking out the sun.
The dust just kept getting bigger and bigger, filling the whole valley with a thick, cloudy fog.
The surviving bandits stood frozen.
Lei Mei could only stare.
"A... mountain?"
Even Lei Shun's calm expression cracked slightly.
"Oh my.....gosh."
The dust swirled upwards, filling the air with a thick haze. Zhang Pojun gazed out at the mountain, its peak split in two, a stark division that seemed to echo the turmoil that surrounded him.
He threw his head back and laughed. His laughter echoed louder than the collapse itself.
"This is the real deal, a true showcase of Seidan expertise!"
As the last of his words faded away, a warm liquid suddenly splattered onto the ground. His laughter came to an abrupt halt and he turned his head to the left, his eyes scanning the area to see what had happened.
"...Hm?"
There was nothing there.
His left sleeve fluttered in the cold wind.
Thud.
Zhang Pojun's smile suddenly faded away as he stared at the spot where his left arm had been severed, now lying on the snow behind him.
The remaining bandits stared at their leader in horror.
"B-Boss!"
They didn't hesitate, rushing towards Zhang Pojun in a split second, trying to shield him from harm, but before they could even take a few steps, a faint flash of blue lightning suddenly streaked through the air.
It lasted only an instant.
"...?"
The outlaws stood frozen in place, and then, almost imperceptibly, thin trails of blood began to seep out across their bodies. It was as if time itself was slowing down, and one by one, each of the remaining outlaws crumpled to the ground, their lifeless forms sinking into the snow.
Zhang Pojun's eyes narrowed.
"...What?"
He slowly turned his head.
Lei Shun stood a few meters away, his face a picture of calmness. He still had one finger raised, as if frozen in time, his expression unwavering. Small flashes of blue light flickered around it, then vanished into thin air.
"So..."
Zhang Pojun smiled despite everything.
"It really was you."
Lei Shun lowered his hand.
"I had hoped to stay hidden."
"So you're the Seijinist he couldn't sense."
A laugh escaped Zhang Pojun's lips.
"Hahaha... I should've known."
His eyes shifted toward Sun Yunso.
"Looks like I underestimated both of you."
Sun Yunso didn't say a word, he just started walking towards Zhang Pojun. Zhang Pojun saw him coming and tried to lift what was left of his sword, but it was too late.
Shiiing.
Sun Yunso emerged from behind, his movements smooth as he slid his sword back into its scabbard, a calm expression on his face.
"May your soul descend into the deepest depths of hell."
Click.
The blade locked into place and for a single moment nothing happened.
Zhang Pojun's eyes widened.
"...Heh."
His head slowly detached from his body, separating from his neck in a gruesome manner. It rolled away, coming to rest on the ground after a few moments, finally stopping its macabre journey.
He stood there for just a moment, and then his body gave out, falling to the ground beside it.
The boss of the Black Fang Bandits had been killed.