The protective formation went dark.
Xuan Mei noticed immediately.
Orion did not.
He was still lying against the pillows, one hand loosely intertwined with hers.
His Essence had been drained nearly dry.
Bandages covered his chest.
His breathing had finally settled into something resembling normal.
Xuan Mei’s silver eyes shifted toward the window.
Nothing moved.
Moonlight spilled through the paper screen.
The medical pavilion remained quiet.
Too quiet.
Her fingers tightened around Orion’s.
He noticed.
“What?”
Xuan Mei stood.
“Stay here.”
Orion frowned.
“That phrase has never preceded anything good.”
She did not smile.
Both swords left their sheaths.
That was enough.
Orion’s expression changed.
“Xuan Mei?”
Her spiritual sense expanded.
Nothing.
No attendants.
No tournament physicians.
No guards.
The medical pavilion had been occupied minutes ago.
Now—
Nothing.
Xuan Mei stepped between Orion and the door.
“Someone disabled the formation.”
Orion pushed himself upright.
Pain crossed his face.
“Could it have failed?”
“No.”
A voice came from outside.
“Correct.”
Xuan Mei moved.
The wall exploded.
Wood, stone, and shattered formation fragments flew inward.
Moonlight flashed.
Her swords crossed.
CLANG!
A gray sword stopped centimeters from her throat.
Xuan Mei’s silver eyes met almost colorless ones.
Gu Yan.
The Silent River Sword.
Seventh Stage Meridian Foundation.
He had entered without sound.
Without killing intent.
Without even a ripple of Essence until the instant he struck.
Xuan Mei’s second blade moved.
Gu Yan vanished.
The sword passed through empty air.
He reappeared five meters away.
Orion stared.
“You.”
Gu Yan looked toward him.
“Orion Atlas.”
His tone contained no hatred.
No anger.
That somehow made it worse.
Xuan Mei shifted.
Both swords angled between them.
“What are you doing here?”
Gu Yan’s eyes returned to her.
“You know.”
“No.”
“I do.”
He raised his sword.
“I’m killing him.”
Orion stared.
“Well.”
He glanced at Xuan Mei.
“Points for honesty.” This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
“Orion.”
“Right.
Serious.”
Gu Yan disappeared.
This time—
Xuan Mei was ready.
Silver Essence erupted.
Her first sword struck his.
Her second cut toward his ribs.
Gu Yan rotated.
Steel screamed.
Three exchanges happened before Orion could follow one.
Moonlight filled the room.
Gu Yan’s gray Essence flowed like water.
Xuan Mei’s silver sword-light crossed it.
Wind Resonant Sword Art—Crescent Gale.
A crescent of compressed wind and moon Essence tore through the pavilion.
Gu Yan’s robe split.
A thin cut appeared across his cheek.
He touched it.
Looked at the blood.
Then toward Xuan Mei.
“Good.”
Xuan Mei’s expression remained cold.
“You sound surprised.”
“No.”
Gu Yan’s spiritual pressure rose.
The room groaned.
Orion’s chest tightened.
Seventh Stage Meridian Foundation.
He had watched Gu Yan fight.
He had known the man was strong.
Knowing and feeling were different.
This pressure alone was heavier than anything Orion had encountered in the tournament.
Xuan Mei’s aura rose in response.
Fifth Stage Meridian Foundation.
Silver light spread through her hair.
The air cooled.
A pale crescent appeared briefly behind her.
For the first time—
Orion saw the Pure Moon Sacred Physique fully awaken.
Her silver eyes became luminous.
Tiny moonlit markings appeared along her wrists.
The spiritual pressure crushing Orion disappeared as Xuan Mei’s aura enveloped him.
“Stay behind me.”
Gu Yan moved.
Xuan Mei met him.
The pavilion vanished beneath sword-light.
⸻
Orion had never seen Xuan Mei truly fight.
Training did not count.
Her tournament matches barely counted.
Even when she’d defeated opponents effortlessly, she had been restrained.
Now—
She was terrifying.
Her two swords moved independently.
One defended.
One attacked.
Then they switched.
Again.
Again.
No hesitation.
No pause.
Wind wrapped around her feet.
Moonwind Step.
Xuan Mei vanished.
Silver light appeared above Gu Yan.
Both swords descended.
He crossed his blade.
BOOM!
The floor collapsed.
Gu Yan dropped into the room below.
Xuan Mei followed.
Orion staggered toward the opening.
He looked down.
Furniture exploded.
Walls disappeared.
The medical pavilion’s suppression formations flickered uselessly.
Gu Yan struck.
Xuan Mei twisted.
His sword sliced through a strand of silver hair.
Her left blade pierced his shoulder.
Blood sprayed.
The watching Orion’s eyes widened.
She could hurt him.
Gu Yan’s expression finally changed.
He struck her with his free hand.
Xuan Mei crossed both swords.
The impact launched her through three wooden pillars.
“Xuan Mei!”
Orion moved.
Pain ripped across his chest.
He nearly fell.
Below—
Silver light erupted.
The rubble exploded outward.
Xuan Mei stood.
Blood ran from the corner of her mouth.
Her robes had torn across one shoulder.
But her swords remained steady.
“Stay there!”
Orion stopped.
Every instinct in him rebelled.
But what exactly was he going to do?
First Stage Essence Gathering.
Nearly empty dantian.
Already injured.
Against Seventh Stage Meridian Foundation.
Orion hated the answer.
Nothing useful.
Gu Yan attacked again.
Xuan Mei blocked.
A river appeared.
Not real water.
Sword Essence.
Gray spiritual force flowed through the pavilion like a silent current.
Nine Rivers Sword Pavilion—Silent River Severing Art.
Xuan Mei’s eyes sharpened.
Her swords crossed.
The moon behind her brightened.
Twin Moon Reflection.
Two silver sword arcs became four.
Four became eight.
Eight met the river.
The pavilion shook.
Explosions rippled through the night.
Somewhere beyond the damaged formation—
Alarms should have been sounding.
None did.
Gu Yan had isolated the entire structure.
Xuan Mei realized it too.
Her right hand left one sword for half a heartbeat.
A small silver talisman appeared between her fingers.
Gu Yan’s eyes changed.
He attacked.
Xuan Mei threw it upward.
A gray sword arc intercepted.
The talisman shattered.
Nothing happened.
Gu Yan smiled faintly.
“Your communication formations are sealed.”
Xuan Mei looked toward the floating silver fragments.
Then—
One fragment flashed.
Gu Yan froze.
Far above the Concordant Peaks—
A streak of moonlight disappeared into the night.
Xuan Mei smiled.
“So was that one.”
For the first time—
Gu Yan looked angry.