WHEN Li Xu Min opened his eyes, everything was dark at first. Then he noticed the glowing blue crystals sticking out from the ceiling and walls, lighting up the space with a cold, flickering light. The air slled damp, and the ground under him was rough and uneven. He could hear the water dripping sowhere in the distance, the sound echoing strangely. It was then he realized he was in so kind of cave. Seeing those glowing cyrstal stalactites, a place quickly flashed in his mind.
Mooncrystal Caverns—an expansive underground labyrinth beneath Frostspire Mountain. But before Li Xu Min could fully process his surroundings, instinct took over as he sensed imminent danger. His body moved before his mind could catch up.
A blade sliced through the air where he'd stood monts before. He barely had ti to register the near-miss before sensing another threat. His rapier flashed up just as a katana ca down—the tallic shriek of their collision echoing through the cavern. When he looked up, YUN stood before him, those piercing purple eyes locked onto his.
By now, Li Xu Min had pieced together Team Yunyue's plan: isolate them, force one-on-one battles, and eliminate their aerial advantage. He didn't dislike this approach. In fact, he welcod it. Especially since he now stood opposite YUN. Fighting the other had been one of his personal objectives for this finals match after all.
Li Xu Min had no way of knowing how his teammates were doing in their own fights, but he refused to dwell on it. He trusted them completely. Because he had no doubt that they would give their absolute best against any opponent. Even if they lost, he would never bla them, because he knew they would fight with everything they had.
With that thought, he pushed all distractions aside. His only responsibility now was to focus entirely on his own battle. Sothing that he planned to do from the very start, anyway.
The collision of Li Xu Min's rapier and YUN's katana echoed in the cavern in a shower of sparks. The clash sent a jolt up Li Xu Min's arm, but he didn't back down. He pushed forward, twisting his wrist to redirect YUN's blade before lunging—his rapier gleaming with a golden light as he used [Radiant Thrust].
The strike shot forward like a beam, but YUN sidestepped, his own blade crackling with purple lightning as he countered. A jagged arc of violet energy ripped through the air, forcing Li Xu Min to roll aside. The lightning grazed his shoulder, leaving a searing numbness in its wake. Good thing his avatar's pain resistance was set at the lowest level.
Li Xu Min didn't pause. He dashed in again, this ti feinting left before pivoting and using [Shining Cross]—two intersecting slashes of light aid at YUN's torso. YUN blocked the first but barely dodged the second, the golden edge slicing a thin line across his sleeve. For a fraction of a second, Li Xu Min thought he had the advantage—until YUN's free hand snapped up, and a concentrated bolt of purple lightning erupted from his palm. Li Xu Min barely raised his rapier in ti, the [Luminous Parry] skill flaring to life as a golden barrier deflected the worst of the blast. Still, the force sent him skidding back, boots scraping against the uneven cave floor.
YUN pressed the attack, his movents precise and relentless. Every swing of his sword carried the threat of lightning—sotis a flicker, sotis a full surge—forcing Li Xu Min to stay on the defensive. But he wasn't just blocking; he was studying. YUN's style was fluid, almost effortless, but Li Xu Min noticed the slight delay after each heavy lightning skill, a split-second cooldown.
He waited for the next opening. When YUN unleashed another skill, a series of rapid slashes each charged with lightning, Li Xu Min activated [Blinding Step]. His body beca a streak of light, weaving between the attacks before retaliating with [Dawnbreaker Strike]. The rapier's tip blazed like a miniature sun as he aid for YUN's side. This ti, YUN couldn't dodge fully—the light seared across his ribs, drawing a soft hiss from the other.
But YUN recovered fast. His katana ca down in a devastating overhead slash, the purple lightning condensing into a single, brutal strike. Li Xu Min braced, crossing his rapier overhead, and [Luminous Parry] flared again. The impact drove him to one knee, the cave floor cracking under the force. His arms trembled, but he gritted his teeth and shoved back, breaking the deadlock.
They circled each other, breathing hard but eyes sharp. Li Xu Min's rapier glowed steadily, while YUN's sword pulsed with erratic purple energy. The stalactites above reflected their clash—gold and violet flashing like opposing stars in the dark.
Then YUN moved again. Li Xu Min matched him, strike for strike, light against lightning, neither gaining ground for more than a mont. A cut here, a burn there—both were wearing down, but neither showed any sign of yielding. The duel had beco a test of endurance as much as skill.
A bright grin spread across Li Xu Min's face despite it all. This—this relentless, evenly matched duel—was exactly the fight he'd hoped to have against YUN.
***
Scattered across Mooncrystal Caverns' twisting cave tunnels, the others clashed in their own battles.
In one particular area, one could see a beautiful angel who just dodged an attack in a less than graceful manner. Song Liuli almost cursed. She stumbled backward, her white robes fluttering as she barely avoided another attack.
Morganite didn't give her ti to recover. The other flicked her fingers, and a barrage of orbs materialized in the air, each one crackling with energy. They shot toward Song Liuli in quick succession, forcing her into a frantic sidestep. One orb grazed her sleeve, dissolving the fabric instantly where it touched.
Song Liuli hissed, gripping her staff tighter. As another volley of orbs flew her way, she planted her staff on the ground. A golden barrier erupted around her just in ti—the orbs detonated against it in bursts of violet light, shaking the shield but not breaking it.
As the barrier was still up, she took that ti to send a ssage to Duan Yu.
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