*Clang* *Clang* *Clang*

Paired sabers clashed with paired butterfly swords.

He Liling had all the right to call herself one of the best beginner Warrior Lords in the region, and Bai Qi acknowledged it as the single clash he planned looked like it would take longer than he thought.

Even with her path being one of a Soul cultivator, she had several-level prowess in both other parts, giving her an overall strength of a peak 5th level Warrior Lord, even with her aura reduced.

*Clang* *Clang* *Clang*

It was not enough to face a fresh Bai Qi, but as he was currently, he actually had to focus on all of his movements, less he wanted to suffer more wounds. Light as the latter may be, adding more strain and the consequent issues was nothing close to his current plan, not with another duel to follow, one against the most famous and strong Arena Master.

Bai Qi fought with swift, calculated movements, utilizing the longer reach of the sabers to negate any opening to his opponent. As for the [Princess], she, in turn, fought in a manner that could only be called beautiful. He Liling's butterfly swords had scarf-like, of the same spiritual material as her veil, clothes riding from the pommels, and every one of her swings made them float, dance, and flutter around her figure.

He Liling's thoughts since the beginning of the clash were calm, and she didn't feel stressed about the impending loss. She was strong, and that was a fact. Even without relying on her Soul, she was capable of standing her ground, sometimes even winning against most of the lower top 10 of the Earthen Lord Ranking Board. Yet, she was aware since the start that Bai Qi was more advanced in everything but Soul, at least so she thought until she actually gazed inside the latter.

But! Aware, prepared, or else, He Liling was still a cultivator, and she had her honor. Thus, while it may not change the result, she wasn't going to wait for the loss, not without at least doing her utmost, even if it carried no benefit but showing that she did.

As Bai Qi once again shoved her swords outside the range, He Liling took it as a cue to act. She had given up on a couple of similar ones before to try and glean how her opponent would respond. Now, detecting that Bai Qi started to move his left saber back, preparing to release a slash with it, as he had done previously, it was time for her to act.

A double slash, coming from two different directions but at the same altitude. Bai Qi had already seen He Liling do so before. It wasn't an attack that brought any threat, and a single saber would be enough for the block, but he had used both each time she repeated the pattern.

Feeling that He Liling was eyeing an opening or reading his following actions, Bai Qi repeated the same sideways slash with his left saber, the same as before.

*Swoosh*

He Liling spun around, moving towards her right, Bai Qi's left, while both of her swords aimed at his half-uncovered side.

*Swoosh*

Prepared for it and considering that the duel should conclude, Bai Qi glided to the side. He intended to open distance, avoid the attack, then use the opening his opponent would show to land a decisive hit.

***

With Bai Qi dodging her attack as if prepared for it, there was no other conclusion. But He Liling had far more to offer than a simple surprise attack. A torrent-like rush of qi entered her swords, and [The Blessing and Curse of the Veiled Goddess] responded by glowing in bright colors.

The scarfs extending from the pommels expanded, hiding most of the blade, and she let go of the swords as the cloth ends attached to her unseeable wrists. The scarves and radiance were a mere trick meant to distract the opponent, as the weapons' true range and capability took the enemy by surprise.

Aware that someone such as Bai Qi could have guessed that the clothes weren't only for decoration, He Liling added everything she could to the attack to distract him from following all she would do.

While she was at an aura disadvantage after failing her full-force assault on Bai Qi's Soul and couldn't use martial skills freely, even now, they remained equal only because he wanted it. So, if Bai Qi strengthened his aura, he could suppress her and any of her skills. Yet, there were other means of attack.

*Swoosh*

As she finished her spinning movement, He Liling's left leg abruptly rose, releasing a simple, filled to the utmost qi [Moon Blade], a simple spiritual technique, but still dangerous enough.

He Liling wouldn't risk gazing or interacting with Bai Qi's Soul again, especially without being at her peak shape, but her [Soul Whisper] could be used as a distraction as well, and so she did. "Don't fight." She voicelessly said under the veil's cover, sending a short, weak command, but one that, if not countered in earnest, would still affect Bai Qi's aura control.

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And in a true feat of multitasking, He Liling released a single, simple spell, [Ice Spear], one that nearly any low-level Sage would learn by himself.

***

As his senses caught on the mix He Liling was releasing against him, Bai Qi inadvertently grinned. In his current self, he found close combat and full-force clashes enjoyable as well, but Bai Qi had always loved the quick-paced, multitasking mid-range combat, where each side would continue until suddenly pouncing for a fatal strike or until a trump card was ready,

*Swoosh*

Bai Qi's right leg released a blade of qi, not a technique or skill, just a movement fast enough for his inner qi, with a light cover of aura, to shoot forwards.

Bai Qi countered the spell with a spell, his mind power condensing into a small fire arrow. As for the sudden foray into his Soul, Bai Qi barely felt it. Yet he chose to respond to it as well, while unprepared and without essence, a simulated [White Tiger] roar was enough to startle an unprepared cultivator,

***

*Swoosh* *Swoosh* *Boom* *Roar* *Shatter*

As their respective attacks connected, Bai Qi concentrated on He Liling's figure, half-hidden by the scarves of her blades.

And he was right to do so, as, without any warning, her two swords flew towards him.

*Swoosh* *Swoosh*

While Bai Qi easily dodged them, he felt he wasn't clear of danger. After all, an experienced cultivator couldn't rely on such a simple trick. And he was right. Right after flying past him, the swords turned and assaulted him again.

With the white cloth, seemingly growing and expanding without limit, started surrounding him as he dodged the wildly flying swords, Bai Qi considered the options. He had attempted to slash at the scarves, but they didn't oppose his blades. In turn, the white cloth, covered with qi and made of material clearly superior to the swords themselves, was only pushed away by Bai Qi's sabers.

***

Bai Qi had managed to counter all her distractions without batting an eye, yet He Liling found herself smiling under her veil .

[The Blessing and Curse of the Veiled Goddess], such was the name of the paired butterfly swords she revealed to everyone. Yet, the blades themselves weren't part of the original weapon, it being the two scarves. And they weren't just a Spirit-tier weapon, but an actual noble Earth-tier one, disguised to the best ability of a Half-Saint refiner to look like simple decorations.

Now, with all of the conditions prepared, He Liling muttered in a low voice, "Curse."

***

Feeling how he was losing connection to all of the aura outside the little, not bigger than three feet to each side, white cloth sphere-like world he was now in, Bai Qi felt like going back in time and giving himself a good kick.

It wasn't as if Bai Qi felt remorse or something similar. No, he merely believed that he acted inappropriately. Bai Qi's senses, and most of his mind, were directed to understand, learn, and break whatever He Liling was using and planned to use. And he did comprehend what he needed, as even his bodily aura cover started wavering, close to disappearing.

With the nature of the effect clear to him, Bai Qi didn't care to continue standing there. He had used [Counting steps towards Hell and Heaven] a couple of times during the combats on the stage, but Bai Qi was perfectly aware that neither He Liling nor anyone else would have understood it was a mere technique and bore no aura cost or need.

***

As He Liling felt her opponent weakening, she was preparing the killing blow. Deep inside, she doubted it would get her the win, but such thoughts, she quickly discarded, the desire to win against all odds surfacing in their place.

Regretfully for He Liling, [Curse] blocked all senses from outside, including hers, and so, she missed the moment that Bai Qi merely... left.

He Liling was a good, trained and experienced fighter, there was no doubt about that, and she immediately felt how Bai Qi's presence reappeared, but it was too late to do anything.

Without seeing or being aware of her movements outside the whitish sphere, Bai Qi appeared barely a foot from He Liling, his sabers poised to strike.

"Good fight." Bai Qi grinned as his eyes met hers, and his sabers, covered with his unused, until this point, saber intent, slashed at her.

He Liling would have wished to do something, but it was impossible. Her swords half stage away, her hands occupied controlling the scarves, she barely managed to invoke some of the aura she regained while Bai Qi's one weakened to use as a shield, but it was clearly not enough.

*Shatter*

Her aura shield was cleanly cut. And then it shattered under the saber intent accompanying the slash.

*Swoosh*

Two sabers flew towards her torso and neck, respectively, and stopped hardly a hairbreadth from her skin, having cut even through the overcoat of aura and qi that protected every cultivator.

"Wounding a beautiful woman would be a crime, wouldn't it?" Bai Qi laughed as He Liling looked into his eyes, surprised by the absolute control he showed, something far harder than it appeared.

"Bastard." She mumbled a curse under her breath, but in truth, she was hardly feeling like such. "You won." She continued in a calm voice, recalling her remaining qi and aura.

"Mmm, sorry about your veil." Bai Qi unexpectedly spoke up as she surrendered, and as she tried to understand what he meant, she found her veil hanging on Bai Qi's right saber's point.

***

Bai Qi thought as the slightly blushing and greatly fuming He Liling left the stage, Ye Bingwen proclaiming the end of this 9th combat.

Bai Qi doubted he would luck out again, so he forcefully removed every thought from his mind. And he closed his eyes, examining his state while the announcement sounded, "2nd rank of the Earthen Lord Ranking Board, Yi Clan's [Lightning Incarnate], the current strongest Beginner Warrior Lord of the Region, Yi Lei!"