However, the ring kept spinning forward. Victor double-fed it qi, and it turned brighter and sharper, switching mid-spin from orange to white-blue.
The taste of hot metal filled Victor's mouth.
"Qinghuo," he muttered to himself, modulating the spiral tighter, "don't embarrass me."
The ring scythed through two more lances, bounced once out of the way and spun for Pheon's chest.
The light cultivator responded by splitting into four refractions.
Each was a perfect copy that imitated his every move.
Victor didn't aim at any of them. He flicked two fingers.
Invisible qi shifted the spiral just enough to slide it sideways by five feet at the last instant.
It carved a path through the refraction layer and found Pheon's real shoulder, causing blood to spray everywhere.
The man's breath jolted out of him as his illusions hiccupped and popped. His palm flew to the wound as he stumbled while light spitting sparks swam between his fingers.
