The air split as Bain Lim's black sword cut through it. Son Jin, usually as cool as a ice, felt a cold sweat break out on his neck. To attempt to block a killing blow at that speed, no ordinary swordsman could do it.
"It is truly an honor," Son Jin whispered, his voice calm, "to meet the sword master of the Kaigone Forest. I had heard that the younger brother of the Demon was a ghost, but you seem very solid. Interesting."
Bain Lim did not give him the courtesy of a reply. He had eyes that were focused, narrow, and filled with silent rage to finish him. He grasped his black hilt and charged.
[Art of the Frozen End: Ice Swap]!
Son Jin's body seemed to shimmer, and his shape turned into a shell of frozen ice. Bain's blade shattered the statue, but he did not overextend. He turned almost immediately, his feet kicking grooves into the earth as Son Jin continued to use the same move, searching for an unguarded moment. And then, sword met sword.
The shockwave shattered the windows of the nearby building. Son Jin was a superior cultivator—a Zenith of the Rift Realm. But Bain Lim was fighting not only in a desperate manner but also with a ferocity and adaptability beyond logic. He was not just fighting; he was evolving with each strike.
"I didn't expect him to have this level of sword master's path. I have to kill him." Son Jin thought, as Bain Lim was a real challenge holding immense potential. Naturally, Son Jin wanted to kill him.
"Die, you basta*d!" Bain roared.
[Celestial Divine Sword Art: A Thousand Swords for the Demon]!
Bain swung once, but a thousand spectral blades appeared in the air around him, a hail of black steel descending to pin Son Jin into the ground. Son Jin's eyes narrowed.
[Art of the Frozen End: Blizzard's Wrath]!
A screaming maelstrom of ice shot upwards to destroy the blades, and rending the black swords into mere pieces. Yet, in the blindness of the storm, the black stripes of Bain's counterattack split the rising blizzard in two.
They stood, panting, looking at each other. Mid-level vs. Zenith. The gap existed all right, but the will to destroy equaled each other.
"Haha, you are such a troublesome. If you were in my clan you would be the only one to challenge me in the sword path. Tsk tsk. Pity you have to die by my hands today." Son Jin said.
"Hmph, you are so noisy for a brat." Bain Lim replied.
Then, suddenly a high-pitched scream cut through the conversation from across the other side of the training yard.
"H-help... leave me"
The massive hand of Bong Mel was constricting around Shiro's throat. The boy was turning a shade of blue as his tiny legs kicked about in the air.
"I love that sound," Bong Mel chuckled, "The sound of a genius brat realizing he's just meat. Come on let me hear more."
A disciple came limping due to broken legs in an attempt to save Shiro, but it turned out to be the his last attempt in his life. Bong Mel did not even bother to look in the disciple's direction. He launched a back kick with his legs that resulted in the disciple going flying like a rubber ball.
Shiro's vision was beginning to flicker, and the world was growing cold.
Suddenly, he couldn't feel Bong Mel's grip on his neck, or the pain. No more sound of the battle and screams.
Shiro was no longer in the courtyard. He had fallen into his own vast and silent space—his own Divine Space. It was a place with infinite darkness; but then, something...basically one thing appeared. Above him floated a gigantic purple eye staring at him that made Shiro tremble from top to bottom in fear. His knees and eyes shaking like he saw a monster of the ancient times.
Then suddenly from its eye came a purple light blinding Shiro.
In the real world, large amount of purple Shi shot out from Shiro's body. It wasn't just pushing out, it was consuming. Where the energy touched the hands of Bong Mel, his hands began to blacken instantly.
Y-YOU LITTLE SHIT!" Bong Mel screamed, his flesh rotting off his bones. He tossed the boy away in a panic.
Shiro landed on the ground, but he certainly didn't stay on it. He was moving with an inhuman speed. Before Bong Mel could even get up from his attack, Shiro struck his fist into the giant's stomach. A shockwave of violet Shi burst out of Bong Mel's back as he stumbled around in shock, coughing up thick, dark blood.
"I-Impossible. How did he get this strong?" Bong Mel murmured.
But as quickly as it had arrived, the Shi faded. Shiro fell to his knees; his eyes cleared back to their innocence . He breathed in ragged gasps, looking at his trembling hands, unaware of the horror which he had just unleashed.
In the high distance, the face of Son Jin turned pale. "That energy spike, I am sure its the Celestial Codex."
Zhan Lim, barely holding on to his consciousness, grasped Son Jin's ankle with his bloody hand. He gazed at his brother. "Save Shiro," he gasped weakly. "If they take him, the whole Murim's balance will be in danger."
Bain Lim did not hesitate to leave Zhan Lim, for him saving Shiro was more important. He called off his engagement with Son Jin and rushed towards the boy. Son Jin snarled and followed after him, but Zhan Lim fueled his own life essence to hold him back.
"Let go of me, you f*cking corpse!" Son Jin yelled, raining down blows on Zhan Lim. And Zhan Lim reaching his final moments.
Meanwhile, Bain arrived at Shiro just in time to see Bong Mel preparing his final, vengeful strike. Black blade in hand, Bain struck in one dancing gesture.
[Celestial Sword Divine Art: Sword's finest]
Head and shoulders separated so smooth and clean that Bong Mel was unaware he had been sliced.
"We have to go!" Bain grabbed Shiro, tucking him under his arm.
Son Jin was finally free and stood upright over the motionless body of Zhan Lim. His eyes were blazing with fury. "Elders! Sect Leaders! DO NOT LET THEM ESCAPE!"
A dozen master martial artists assembled, their collective Chi creating a massive, multicolored sphere of destruction. It was so powerful that it can destroy a whole mountain.
Bain Lim gazed at the rising sun like sphere of energy. He knew he couldn't run away from it. Trembling, he took a large black iron ring, an artifact pertaining to space, out from his robes.
"Shiro, listen to me," Bain said, his voice full of haste as he poured his Shi into the ring. The artifact expanded, opening a tear in space. "You must enter the portal. We can't afford to lose you."
"No! Father! Uncle, come with me! I don't want to leave" Shiro wailed, clutching the robes of Bain
"There is no choice! We can't come with you, the portal needs time to open all we could is stall enough time for you to escape. Don't worry we will be fine. " As Bain watched the approaching Chi ball. "Rebuild the clan, Shiro! Reach the heights we never achieved!"
The Ring opened the portal. It was violet and radiating some kind of ominous aura.
As for Bain Lim, he turned his back on the portal and his front on the approaching destruction. He held his sword high and put all his Rift Realm energy into blocking to buy some seconds for Shiro to enter.
"GO" Bain Lim cried.
With a heavy heart Bain Lim kicked Shiro backward into the swirling violet portal as Shiro was reluctant to go in.
As the tears flowed from Shiro's eyes, he saw the portal close. The last thing he saw was his uncle's smile and the enormous sphere of Chi exploding his uncle's sword as well as the sword-wielding man in a blinding light.
Then, Shiro saw only darkness covering the light.