Decaying Flame ascends to the platform with many thoughts in his mind. He frowns as he notices the constant arrival of disciples, all eager to watch the challenge. He knows that duels are welcomed, part of the belief of the Eternal Wind Sect, but at this moment, he is not in the mood.
Once he climbs the last step, he sees the woman causing all this.
“You?!”
He remembers her, she is the same huntress from that time. The woman who should be using each of those treasures, leveling up slowly and without having time to worry about the most important item he took from that place.
“But, how?”
This should not be possible. When they met in that cave, this woman had not yet reached level 400, but now she is at level 640? This makes no sense! It is impossible that she has reached him, a level 699 ranker!
Not unless she has faced life-and-death battles, obtaining resources that a solitary hunter could only imagine!
She does not answer his question, her eyes observe him very differently from how they used to. Without considering him a threat.
“I have come to retrieve what you stole from me.”
“Eh? An inner disciple stole something from a nameless huntress?”
Rumors can easily spread like the plague in this sect, so Decaying Flame is willing to eliminate them at the root. He opens his mouth, and at that moment, he remembers this woman's name.
“Serene Will...”
She blinks with surprise on her face, a sign he interprets as having guessed correctly. “I was the one who paved the way and only took one item from that place. How can I be a thief when I chose not to take any other treasures?”
The atmosphere among the disciples changes once again upon hearing the testimony of the other party, acknowledging that every problem has a different point of view.
Serene Will snorts, something unspoken is that he was the one who blocked the path, waiting for her to arrive with the key. But saying this now would make no sense. It would only be a waste of time when Decaying Flame is not willing to accept his mistakes.
Although the loss of the Archaic Ruin core was a hard blow for her, she is here for another reason. She cannot forgive this man for trying to kill Lawrence.
At that moment, Coldness Divine did not exist, there was no possibility of going back in time and avoiding his death. Just thinking about what would have happened if Lawrence had not escaped to the Inferior Plane, Serene Will would have gained freedom. But she would lose everything.
“Inner disciple, Decaying Flame.”
Her words bring back silence.
“I challenge you to a duel to the death.”
The expression on Decaying Flame's face is the worst, no matter how small the changes, only those who know him would know how angry he is.
“What do I gain by accepting your challenge? Few things can attract my attention, your death is not one of them. There must be another way to resolve all this, I beg you--”
“If my death does not satisfy you, I know something that will.”
At that moment, no one notices Serene Will's movement, but only Decaying Flame, who observed that place at the time, is the only one who does.
Serene Will gently caresses the ring on her left hand, her ring finger.
“Alright, I accept.”
“Eh? What happened? Why did the senior disciple accept after refusing?”
“Sound transmission? Did they talk in secret?”
Astonishment arises that the inner disciple has accepted a duel to the death with this woman. There must be a backstory between them, this is the only explanation for this situation to continue despite risking each other's lives.
He performs the moral act of removing a second storage ring and throwing it to Serene Will. She carefully evaluates its contents.
‘He still hasn't been able to refine the Archaic Ruin core. If even with the influence of the Eternal Wind Sect it's impossible, why does Lawrence feel attracted to it?’
She observes the core inside the storage ring and, after confirming it is in perfect condition, returns it to him.
“There is no need for a judge to rule on our actions. I know very well that you will keep your word, Serene Will, and you will know when to stop.”
“I wish I had the same confidence in you, Decaying Flame.”
He laughs and then hides his smile behind his hand. “I will, don't doubt it.”
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Decaying Flame, with his superior level, can afford certain luxuries despite the eyes of onlookers. His senses allow him to observe Serene Will's body without directing his eyes at her, delighting in the thought of making her his woman after this encounter, stealing her from another man and making her his own.
The talent of this woman is limited by the mere fact of being married. If she was able to reach this place despite it, what would happen if she had no limitation?
He delights in thinking how high Serene Will can reach and that such a woman belongs to him.
“Let's begin.”
He does not consider chivalry to be giving priority to the woman but treating her as an equal. This is why he is the first to attack.
From his storage ring, he retrieves different materials and throws them onto the battlefield. He then performs patterns at high speed with his hands, creating a magic formation in just seconds.
This time he has given her is considered his best show of sincerity. Because although he has been the first to attack, he does not do so by surprise.
“Show me that not only your level has increased.”
The magic formation activates, and a pillar emerges from the ground. Not only that, but in the distance, it is possible to see the manifestation of a second pillar!
Decaying Flame smiles without stopping his finger movements. ‘Four pillars should be enough. Pillar of deception, pillar of harmony, pillar of mandate, and pillar of ruin. No matter how high Serene Will's talent is, when all four arise, this duel will be over.’
While all this is happening, Serene Will remains in the same place, from start to finish not moving a single finger. She casually observes her surroundings, showing few emotions on her face.
When the first pillar rises, Decaying Flame slows down the speed of his patterns and observes the changes in that woman. It doesn't take long for him to feel that something strange is happening.
‘The pillar of deception should be taking effect, but why does Serene Will not seem to be affected? Is she not being influenced by the illusions?’
Not only is she not affected, she directs her eyes at him and smiles. In a blink, Serene Will appears in front of him along with a field of swords under her feet.
“Hahaha, that's what I'm talking about! This duel wouldn't make sense otherwise!”
Decaying Flame laughs and changes the patterns performed by his hands. Just as she appears in front of him, a new magic formation is created, and from it emerges a gigantic hand, attempting to crush Serene Will between its fingers.
But then…
“Eh?”
Dozens of swords emerge from the ground and attack a point near the thumb, the formation is destroyed at that very moment.
Decaying Flame cannot accept what his eyes are seeing. ‘What…? Did she manage to discover its weakness in that fraction of a second?!’
Not only he, but all the disciples watching their duel are amazed by this. Although not all have seen Decaying Flame's previous fights, those who have know that this hand is not so simple to destroy, that it requires many efforts to achieve it!
Serene Will does not pursue him and raises her sword, pointing in his direction.
“That day he was in that place.”
Decaying Flame holds his breath, a certain memory returns to his mind.
“I cannot forgive you.”
He grits his teeth, and his expression changes completely. Because he tried to kill this woman's husband, she comes after his life! There is no chance of reconciliation!
“Serene Will, if I win, you must keep your word.”
She smiles as if she is having fun. “Ha! From the moment I came into this sect, I was willing to accept the consequences.”
The field of swords under her feet expands. She sees this change and feels a bit nostalgic because this was one of the main abilities of her previous Way, a Way she sacrificed in the Forbidden Area. She has managed to adapt it to her new way, but it will never show the same glory as in the past.
The swords emerge from the ground and mercilessly attack the weak points of the pillars. The first pillar loses its splendor, and the second pillar cannot support itself. Just like the gigantic hand, the magic formation of the pillars is destroyed very easily.
Decaying Flame can no longer keep his composure, his pride is being destroyed in front of all the disciples, this cannot continue!
“Yellow River.”
Only one material was needed, and this was the head of a horrific beast. At some point, he begins to hold his daggers, and the patterns are no longer hand gestures but cuts in the air. Different drawings form, giving meaning to the magic formation.
A river appears in the sky, its waters flowing to the east.
‘What is this?’
Nothing has happened yet, but Serene Will can perceive the danger this strange river represents. She immediately sends her swords to attack it and obtain more information with her innate ability, but what she finds darkens her gaze.
She frowns. "It can only be destroyed when the user dies."
“Don’t blame me, I always had good intentions.”
Initially, she doesn’t understand his words, but then she abruptly turns her body in the air. Immediately, three different weapons attack her previous position, each barely grazing her clothing by mere millimeters.
Serene Will is startled. 'There was no one behind me just a second ago!'
The owners of each weapon are three transparent specters, one of human appearance and the other two of beastly lineage. Before touching the ground, Serene Will commands her swords to attack different parts of their bodies.
The specters disappear without leaving anything behind, as if they had never existed.
“Your intuition is sharp, I admit it.”
Decaying Flame furrows his brow and a single thought is enough for dozens of specters to appear, surrounding Serene Will. She doesn’t take her eyes off him, but this is what makes him most uncomfortable.
'What the hell...' he can't believe what he's seeing.
The beautiful woman with a long black braid captivates the audience with her movements as she dodges each of the specters' attacks, as if the entire environment were within her grasp. No matter from which blind spot they attacked, she had already anticipated how to evade their strikes.
Serene Will sees herself in the third person and everything around her, she may not be able to read the specters' minds, but since consuming the Boundless Fruit, the requirements for mind-reading have decreased. In addition to level compression, as long as the hunter hasn’t proved his Way, she knows his intentions!
She knows what Decaying Flame is aiming for!
After getting accustomed to the continuous attack, she launches her counterattack.
“Impossible.”
The specters begin to disappear one by one, and that's not all.
“Sand?”
There isn't just a field of swords under her feet, at some point, the sword in her hand becomes surrounded by sand, sweeping away everything in its path. If the field of swords is an ability from her previous Way, this sand symbolizes one of the results of dividing the heaven.
“Those who have not forgotten their earthly desires cannot advance. And you, Decaying Flame, will never be able to witness what lies beyond the sky.”
“Serene Will, I recognize you. But everything has a limit!”
He quickly creates magic formations in front of him, but then, he disappears from the spot.
“You will pay for insulting me in front of all the disciples of my sect!”
He reappears just inches from Serene Will with a radical change in his stance.
He holds his daggers differently. This time, he is determined to face her with all his power, as the dagger user he is.
