Suddenly, the ground quaked.
RUMBLE!
The puppet vanished from its spot, leaving only a ripple in the air where it once stood.
BANG!
In the blink of an eye, the puppet appeared before Dao Wei, its massive blade slicing downward with the force of a collapsing mountain.
CLANG!
The Dragon Saber met the strike with a resounding clash, the force reverberating through Dao Wei's body. Sparks flew as the impact sent him skidding backward, his feet carving grooves into the obsidian ground. His hands trembled violently, the sheer force of the puppet's attack leaving his arms numb.
"That was close," Dao Wei thought, his breathing heavy. "What the heck—it's precise, calculated. This isn't an ordinary puppet. It's as if a true Sword Saint is controlling it."
He steadied himself, his gaze locked onto the puppet.
But there was no time to recover.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The puppet lunged forward, relentless in its assault. Its blade moved like a blur, each strike faster and more ferocious than the last. Dao Wei's saber danced to meet the onslaught, their clashes igniting a storm of sparks. The air around them rippled with each exchange, distorting under the sheer pressure of their battle.
Their movements became a blur of light and shadow, impossible to follow with the naked eye. Every strike left shallow craters in the ground, and the walls of the level trembled as if protesting the violence.
Dao Wei's body screamed in protest as he parried blow after blow, his internal energy circulating at its peak to keep up. "I can't hold back. If I hesitate for even a moment, this stupid thing will kill me!"
Suddenly, the puppet leapt into the air, its blade glowing with an ominous crimson light. It swung its weapon in a wide arc, leaving behind a glowing trail that formed a perfect circle. As the circle solidified, intricate runes began to pulse within it, radiating a suffocating energy.
Dao Wei's eyes widened as dozens of ethereal swords emerged from the circle, their edges shimmering with a deadly gleam. The sheer pressure of the manifestation made his knees buckle slightly.
"Damn it!" Dao Wei muttered, his grip on the Dragon Saber tightening. "This momentum… it's almost the same as a Sword Saint's."
The ethereal swords hovered for a moment, their tips aimed directly at Dao Wei before surging forward like a torrential storm.
Dao Wei's mind raced. "I have no choice but to go all out!"
He took a deep breath, his Qi surging as he raised his saber. Drawing a circle of his own in the air, he channeled the Flowing Mirage Sword Art. A white, radiant circle formed before him, its surface rippling like water as swords of light emerged from it one by one.
"Break!" Dao Wei roared, and the white swords shot forward to meet the incoming torrent of ethereal blades.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The two forces collided midair, each clash erupting in a burst of light and sound. The entire level quaked violently cracking spider-webbing across the ground. It was as if the heavens themselves were clashing, each strike carrying the weight of destruction.
The force of the battle sent Dao Wei stumbling back, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth. His chest heaved as he fought to stabilize his Qi.
"Damn it," Dao Wei thought, wiping the blood from his lips. "This thing isn't just a puppet. Its techniques are deliberate as if they've been honed over centuries. Every move feels like it's meant to kill."
The puppet landed on the ground with a thundering crash, its glowing eyes fixed on Dao Wei. Despite the intense exchange, it showed no sign of damage or exhaustion.
Dao Wei gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand upright. His body ached, and his Qi reserves were depleting rapidly, but his resolve burned brighter than ever.
"No way I'm falling back now," Dao Wei thought, his gaze hardening. "If I can't even defeat this puppet, I have no right to call myself a swordsman."
The puppet raised its blade, preparing for another attack.
Dao Wei clenched the Dragon Saber, channeling the last of his energy into the blade. Its surface glowed faintly, a testament to his dwindling reserves.
"I'll have to end this in one strike," Dao Wei muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing.
The puppet charged, its blade descending with the force of a mountain.
Dao Wei roared, his body surging with adrenaline as he launched himself forward to meet the attack.
BOOM!
The clash sent shockwaves rippling through the level, the force of their strikes obliterating the ground beneath them.
As the dust settled, Dao Wei coughed violently, blood splattering the ground. His vision blurred, and his legs threatened to give out. Yet, he stood firm, his gaze locked on the puppet.
It was still standing, its glowing eyes unyielding.
"Damn it…" Dao Wei muttered, his knees buckling. "This thing is not dead?"
The puppet's blade rose once more, its energy surging for the final blow.
The air crackled with tension as Dao Wei and the sword puppet stood at a distance, the ground between them scorched and riddled with cracks. Waves of energy rolled off the two combatants, distorting the atmosphere like heat from a raging inferno. Dao Wei's grip tightened on the Dragon Saber, his knuckles white as he studied his opponent.
The sword puppet, with its humanoid frame and glowing red eyes, adjusted its stance. Its movements were mechanical yet eerily fluid, and it exuded an aura of deadly precision. Without warning, the puppet's blade glowed a faint silver, moving in intricate patterns as it performed a series of advanced sword techniques.
Dao Wei steadied himself, his chest heaving from the exertion of his last clash with the sword puppet. Its movements were growing sharper, and more fluid, as if the puppet were evolving with every exchange.
Rumble!
Suddenly the puppet flew back several meters, its crimson eyes gleaming with an eerie intelligence. Then it began to perform a series of intricate sword techniques, its blade whirling in perfect arcs, each move emanating a cold, killing intent.
The ground quaked beneath them as the puppet launched forward, its sword flashing in an unending storm of strikes.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In an instant, the battle reignited.
Dao Wei lunged forward, meeting the puppet midair as their swords clashed once again. The two combatants flickered in and out of existence, appearing and reappearing across the battlefield as if teleporting. Their strikes were so swift and powerful that each collision sent shockwaves through the level, tearing chunks of stone from the walls and scattering them like leaves in a storm.
The molten lava pools nearby bubbled violently from the sheer intensity of their fight. Blades of wind from their clashes carved deep gashes into the obsidian ground, the terrain transforming into a chaotic warzone.
Sweat poured down Dao Wei's face as he narrowly dodged a lethal slash aimed at his throat. His breathing was ragged, and his Qi reserves were rapidly depleting.
"If it continues like this," Dao Wei thought, gritting his teeth as he parried another attack, "I'm going to run out of energy before I can finish this thing."
With a powerful thrust of his blade, he forced the puppet back, seizing the opportunity to create some distance between them. Dao Wei flew backward, landing several meters away. His chest rose and fell as he took deep breaths, trying to steady his trembling hands.
"I can't keep matching it blow for blow. It's time to end this."
The puppet, undeterred, paused momentarily, its crimson eyes glowing ominously.
Dao Wei clenched his jaw. "I won't let this thing beat me."
Summoning his will, he closed his eyes for a brief moment, centering his thoughts, Dao Wei extended his free hand, A surge of energy erupted from within him as his Sword Avatar materialized behind him. Towering and ethereal, the avatar stood like an emperor of blades, its presence imposing and almost divine. Emerged like an emperor descending from the heavens. Its form radiated authority, its translucent golden features exuding a power that made the very air tremble.
At this moment, the Sword Avatar seemed different—more refined, more commanding. Dao Wei could feel it teetering on the edge of the Heart-Sword Union, a state where man and blade became indistinguishable—the pinnacle of sword mastery.
"Let's see how you handle this then," Dao Wei muttered, his voice low but filled with determination.
He raised the Dragon Saber, drawing an arc in the air.
The Sword Avatar mirrored his movements precisely, its massive ethereal blade glowing with raw power. The motion sent ripples of energy into the sky, forming a swirling vortex of golden light above them.
Rumble!
Above them, a swirling vortex formed in the sky, its center glowing with an intense golden light. The vortex churned violently, pulling in energy from the surroundings as Dao Wei infused his intent into it.
"Sword Intent Fusion," Dao Wei declared, his voice steady and commanding.