The woman reacted instantly.
Her sword snapped upward.
**CLANG!**
Lían's blade collided with hers.
The impact sent both weapons vibrating violently.
For a brief moment—
the two remained suspended above the lake.
The water beneath them churned.
The woman gritted her teeth.
*His strength...*
She had expected the attack to pierce through.
Instead—
she had barely managed to block it.
Lían's eyes narrowed.
He pushed harder.
The water beneath them suddenly surged upward.
A massive column of water rose beneath Lían's feet.
Using the force—
his body accelerated downward.
The woman's expression changed.
**BOOM!**
They slammed into the lake.
Water erupted in every direction.
For an instant—
the entire surface of the lake seemed to collapse beneath them.
Lían's body continued downward.
He immediately seized control of the surrounding water.
The lake surged.
Currents twisted around the woman.
One wrapped around her waist.
Another coiled around her arms.
Then—
the surrounding water compressed.
It engulfed her entire body.
Lían gritted his teeth.
His sword remained locked against hers.
He pushed downward with everything he had.
The woman's body was forced deeper into the lake.
Deeper.
Deeper still.
Her movements became increasingly restricted beneath the crushing water.
Lían's eyes remained fixed upon her.
"...For me to live..."
His grip tightened.
"...you need to die."
*Either my sword pierces through her...*
*Or she drowns.*
*Either way...*
*She dies here.*
His eyes suddenly widened.
A faint fluctuation appeared beside the woman.
Two small white blades materialized within the water.
They were almost directly beside him.
*...Damn it!*
At this distance—
there was no room to dodge.
The blades immediately shot toward him.
Lían reacted instinctively.
His spiritual energy surged.
The surrounding water responded.
**BOOM!**
A thick layer of water instantly gathered around his entire body.
It compressed into a dense cloak.
The first white blade struck.
**SHING!**
It pierced through the outer layer.
The water cloak violently rippled.
The second blade followed immediately.
**SHHK!**
It tore through another layer.
Lían's expression tightened.
The blades continued forward.
*Too close...*
He couldn't retreat.
If he released the woman—
she would escape.
If he stopped controlling the water—
the defensive cloak would weaken.
He clenched his teeth.
*Then I'll block them.*
The water around his body compressed even further.
Layer after layer gathered between him and the blades.
The white blades continued cutting through.
One layer.
Two.
Three.
The distance between them rapidly disappeared.
Lían's pupils contracted.
The first blade finally reached him.
**BOOM!**
The water cloak exploded outward.
The blade was deflected.
It passed beside his body.
The second blade followed.
Lían twisted his body at the last instant.
**SHHK!**
A thin line of blood appeared across his side.
Pain shot through him.
But—
he didn't retreat.
His gaze remained fixed on the woman beneath him.
His sword continued pressing downward.
The surrounding water surged again.
The woman's body was pushed deeper into the lake.
Her jade scales flickered across her body.
Layer after layer formed.
The pressure continued increasing.
Lían's breathing became heavy.
His spiritual energy rapidly circulated through his meridians.
*I can't let up.*
*If I give her even a moment...*
*I'll be the one who dies.*
The woman suddenly raised her sword.
Her eyes sharpened.
The jade scales across her body began glowing.
Lían's expression changed.
*She's still resisting...*
The water around them suddenly trembled violently.
Something was about to happen.
The jade scales around her body suddenly brightened.
A powerful surge of spiritual energy erupted from within her.
**BOOM!**
The surrounding water was blasted away.
Lían's body was forced backward.
His sword was knocked aside.
The woman immediately broke free from the remaining water restraints.
She twisted in the water and kicked off the lake floor.
Her body shot upward.
Lían's eyes narrowed.
*She's escaping!*
He immediately pursued.
The surrounding water responded to his will.
Currents surged beneath him.
His body accelerated.
The woman reached the surface.
She broke through the water.
**WHOOSH!**
Lían emerged immediately after her.
The woman spun around.
Her sword flashed.
Lían raised his own.
**CLANG!**
Their blades collided.
The impact sent ripples across the lake.
Neither gave ground.
The woman suddenly stepped forward.
Her sword shifted.
A white glow gathered along the blade.
Lían's eyes narrowed.
*That again...*
He immediately pulled his sword back.
The woman's glowing blade swept forward.
**SHING!**
Lían leaned backward.
The sword passed dangerously close to his chest.
A shallow cut appeared across his clothing.
He immediately counterattacked.
His sword swept toward her waist.
**CLANG!**
A jade scale appeared.
The blade struck it.
The scale cracked.
The woman retreated.
Lían didn't allow her to create distance.
He stepped onto a water platform.
Then another.
Then another.
His body moved across the lake at incredible speed.
The woman noticed.
*He's using the water beneath his feet...*
Lían swung.
A thin crescent of water tore toward her.
She raised her sword.
The white glow flashed.
**BOOM!**
The water slash split apart.
But—
that was exactly what Lían wanted.
His eyes narrowed.
The moment the water scattered—
Water control seized every fragment.
Hundreds of droplets stopped in midair.
The woman froze.
Her gaze shifted.
*...Again?*
The droplets suddenly changed direction.
They surrounded her from every side.
Lían clenched his fist.
"Now."
**SHHHK!**
The droplets shot forward.
The woman immediately summoned jade scales.
One after another—
they appeared around her body.
**TING! TING! TING! TING!**
The droplets struck the scales.
Most were blocked.
But some slipped through the gaps.
Several tiny wounds appeared across her body.
The woman gritted her teeth.
She swung her sword.
A white arc tore through the surrounding droplets.
Then—
she vanished.
Lían's eyes widened.
*Where—?*
His senses suddenly detected movement behind him.
He turned.
Too late.
The woman appeared directly behind him.
Her glowing sword was already descending.
Lían's body reacted before his thoughts.
He dropped.
The sword passed over his head.
At the same time—
he slammed his palm against the surface of the lake.
The water beneath them erupted.
**BOOM!**
A column of water shot upward.
It struck the woman from below.
She was launched into the air.
Lían followed.
He stepped onto another water platform and pushed off.
His body shot upward after her.
The woman stabilized herself midair.
Her sword raised.
Lían's blade met hers.
**CLANG!**
Their weapons locked.
They stared at one another.
Neither spoke.
Then—
the woman suddenly smiled.
"...You're learning quickly."
Lían's breathing was heavy.
"...I don't have much choice."
Her smile faded.
Her spiritual energy surged once more.
The jade scales around her body began gathering together.
Not forming individually this time.
Instead—
they fused.
A dense jade armor slowly covered her body.
Lían's eyes narrowed.
*She's becoming stronger.*
The woman raised her sword.
"...Then let's see how much you've learned."
She disappeared.
Lían's pupils contracted.
The next instant—
a white blade appeared directly before his eyes.