Lían's gaze suddenly shifted.
Beyond the trees—
something caught his attention.
Water.
Not droplets.
Not moisture clinging to leaves.
Not the thin layer of dew scattered across the grass.
A large concentration.
His eyes widened slightly.
*...A lake.*
He could sense it.
Not far away.
Beyond the forest.
A vast body of water quietly rested beneath the trees.
His expression changed.
*There's a lake nearby.*
The realization immediately changed his thoughts.
The water surrounding him was enough to fight.
But—
a lake was different.
With that much water...
His control would be completely different.
The woman noticed his sudden change in expression.
"What?"
Lían didn't answer.
His body immediately turned.
He stepped onto another water platform.
Then—
another.
His figure shot toward the direction of the lake.
The woman frowned.
"Running away?"
She immediately followed.
Wind gathered beneath her feet.
Her body accelerated through the air.
Lían glanced backward.
She was already catching up.
*She's fast.*
He turned forward again.
*I don't need to beat her here.*
*I only need to reach the lake.*
His senses stretched farther.
The presence of the water became clearer.
Closer.
Closer.
Then—
the trees suddenly thinned.
Lían's eyes widened.
A massive lake appeared beyond the forest.
Its surface reflected the endless sky.
Water stretched far into the distance.
A faint smile appeared on Lían's face.
*...There.*
His body descended.
His feet touched the surface.
The water rippled beneath him.
He didn't stop.
Instead—
his spiritual energy spread into the lake.
The enormous body of water immediately responded.
Behind him—
the woman arrived.
She landed upon a nearby branch.
Her sword remained raised.
Her gaze shifted toward the lake.
Then back toward Lían.
"...So that's why you ran."
Lían slowly turned around.
His sword lowered slightly.
The water beneath his feet remained calm.
His gaze stayed fixed upon the woman.
*...This is better.*
He could feel the enormous amount of water beneath him.
And with it—
the faint connection between his body and the lake.
*Master said that with the Aquatic Water Body...*
*I should be able to recover spiritual energy while surrounded by water.*
He had already begun sensing it.
The spiritual energy he had consumed during the battle was slowly returning.
Not instantly.
But steadily.
The lake itself seemed to be helping him recover.
*If I remain here...*
*I can continue fighting for much longer.*
His eyes narrowed.
*This is my territory now.*
Lían slowly lowered himself.
His feet disappeared beneath the surface.
Then—
his legs.
His waist.
His chest.
Until his entire body sank beneath the lake.
The surface quickly returned to calm.
Only a few ripples remained.
The woman stood upon the distant shore.
Her eyes narrowed.
She stared at the empty surface.
"...What is he doing?"
She didn't move.
She didn't attack.
Instead—
she waited.
The lake remained completely silent.
Beneath the surface—
Lían opened his eyes.
Water surrounded him in every direction.
Yet he felt no discomfort.
His breathing remained steady.
The spiritual energy within his body continued recovering.
*...Good.*
*It's working.*
He remained still.
Waiting.
*If she comes in...*
*I'll fight her here.*
His fingers tightened around his sword.
*But if she refuses to enter...*
His expression became thoughtful.
*Then I'll have to make her.*
There was another problem.
The time limit.
Every hour—
another opponent would appear.
If he wasted too much time here, he would eventually have to fight two opponents simultaneously.
*I can't let that happen.*
He slowly looked toward the surface.
The woman's figure remained visible through the water.
She hadn't moved.
*She's waiting for me to come out.*
Lían understood immediately.
Neither side wanted to give the other an advantage.
A brief silence passed.
Then—
Lían's eyes narrowed.
*If you won't come to me...*
*I'll have to lure you closer.*
Above the lake—
the woman continued staring at the water.
"...What exactly are you planning?"
She tightened her grip around her sword.
She still didn't enter.
The lake remained peaceful.
But beneath its surface—
Lían was already preparing his next move.
Suddenly—
the surface of the lake exploded.
**BOOM!**
Lían burst from the water directly beside her.
His sword swept upward.
**SHING!**
A thin line of water tore through the surrounding trees.
The woman tilted her body.
The attack passed beside her.
But Lían didn't waste time.
He followed immediately—
another slash descended from above.
This time—
she didn't dodge.
**CLANG!**
A translucent jade scale instantly appeared before her.
The sword struck it.
The scale trembled.
But held.
At the same moment—
her sword was already moving.
Lían's eyes narrowed.
He immediately stepped backward.
A thin platform of water formed beneath his feet.
He pushed against it.
His body shot backward.
Several spheres of water rapidly gathered around him.
The woman watched.
Her expression changed slightly.
"...Alright."
Three small white blades suddenly materialized beside her.
They hovered for only an instant.
Then—
**SHING! SHING! SHING!**
All three shot forward.
Lían's eyes widened.
He immediately retreated.
His sword swept through the air.
The water spheres moved with him.
The first white blade pierced through one.
**BOOM!**
The sphere exploded.
The second blade tore through another.
The third narrowly missed Lían's shoulder.
He twisted sideways.
The blade passed within inches of his body before disappearing into the lake behind him.
*...What is this?*
*How many techniques does she have?*
His eyes narrowed.
The woman raised her sword.
The three white blades changed direction.
Lían's gaze sharpened.
*She's controlling them.*
He immediately raised his arm.
The woman noticed.
"What are you—"
Her expression suddenly changed.
She sensed something.
Behind her—
the shattered fragments of the water spheres had not disappeared.
They had gathered.
Quietly.
Silently.
Every fragment of water had been pulled together.
Compressed.
Forming a single sphere.
The woman turned.
Her pupils contracted.
*...When did that—?!*
**BOOM!**
The sphere shot forward.
Jade scales instantly layered across her back.
One.
Two.
Three.
The water sphere slammed into them.
**CRACK!**
The first layer shattered.
The second cracked.
The third held—
barely.
But the sphere itself exploded.
Water scattered in every direction.
The woman exhaled sharply.
Then—
her eyes widened.
The scattered fragments didn't fall.
They moved.
Every droplet became a tiny projectile.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
All aimed directly at her.
*...!*
She swung her sword.
But there were too many.
**SHHK! SHHK! SHHK!**
Tiny wounds appeared across her arms.
Her shoulder.
Her side.
Her legs.
Blood stained her clothing.
The remaining water fragments fell harmlessly into the lake.
Lían stood upon the water several dozen meters away.
His sword remained raised.
His eyes stayed fixed upon her.
The woman slowly looked down at the wounds across her body.
Then—
she smiled.
"...Good."
She raised her gaze.
"I didn't expect that."
Her sword tightened in her grip.
"I'll repay you in kind."
Lían's expression remained calm.
"...You'll have to wait."
The woman frowned.
"I'm not finished yet."
Her eyes shifted.
Something moved beside Lían.
A thin strand of water extended from his arm.
It flowed naturally into the lake.
The woman stared.
"...What?"
Lían pulled.
**WHOOSH!**
Her body suddenly lurched forward.
Her feet left the ground.
She was dragged toward the lake.
Her eyes widened.
*...A rope?*
Then—
she noticed it.
The thin strand had been connected to her leg.
*When did he—?!*
Her sword flashed.
**SHING!**
The connection was severed.
She immediately twisted her body backward.
But—
the lake beneath her erupted.
**BOOM!**
Several streams of water shot upward.
They twisted together like enormous serpents.
One wrapped around her ankle.
Another around her waist.
Another around her arm.
They pulled.
Her body was dragged downward.
"...No!"
She swung her sword.
**SHHK!**
One water tendril was severed.
Another wrapped around her.
She cut through it.
A third surged upward.
She severed that one as well.
But—
there were too many.
The entire lake had become Lían's weapon.
Her body continued descending.
Then—
a shadow appeared above her.
Her eyes widened.
Lían was already there.
He had launched himself upward using a platform of water.
Now—
he was descending directly toward her.
His sword pointed downward.
His entire body aligned behind the thrust.
His eyes remained focused.
*Got you.*
The blade descended.
**SHING!**
Straight toward her.