Su Ming looked at Aether, who looked as if he were about to explode, and a sense of delight welled up in his heart.
He really did love that lookthe way Aether was green with envy but could do absolutely nothing about it.
Su Ming truly wanted to say, "I'm sorry for stealing your sister's heart," but the line was just too petty. Even he couldn't bring himself to be that much of a jerk.
Opposite him, Aether's face was dark as he demanded, "You bastard... what exactly is your relationship with Lumine?"
"Relationship?" Su Ming thought for a moment before answering, "It hasn't happened... yet."
"You!" Aether raised his longsword, pointing it directly at Su Ming's face. His hands trembled with such rage that even the blade he held was visibly shaking.
Aether took several deep breaths, barely managing to calm himself, and said coldly, "It seems I'll have to teach you a lesson before you'll tell the truth."
"Oh? Does my dear brother-in-law want to spar? Fine by me. I'm happy to oblige."
Su Ming smiled as he condensed an ice sword. At the same time, several flying swords manifested by his side, arranging themselves into a sword formation behind him.
These swords weren't simply frozen together using the raw freezing power of Parvati; they were created using the Edge of Taixuan.
"As expected, after learning the Edge of Taixuan, the energy consumption for condensing weapons has dropped significantly."
"That crude method I used before really was a waste of energy."
"Back then, it was like using twelve parts of effort to barely produce eight parts of power."
"But now, it's like using three parts of effort to achieve ten parts of power."
"It makes sense. Using the Edge of Taixuan doesn't rely solely on the energy within my body; I can also draw upon the free elemental energy in the air."
Feeling the state of his internal reserves, Su Ming nodded in satisfaction. This reward was definitely worth it.
Just as the battle was about to erupt, Aether unexpectedly sheathed his sword. "Hmph. If it weren't for the fact that killing you would break Lumine's heart, I would end you today."
"Let's see if you can survive the resentment of an Ancient God."
With that, an Abyss Portal appeared behind Aether, and he began to step inside.
"You think you can just leave? No one talks that much trash in front of me and just walks awaynot even my brother-in-law."
Su Ming let out a cold laugh. His extreme cold manifested instantly into a blizzard, spreading to Aether's feet in the blink of an eye.
But he was a step too late.
The only thing Su Ming ended up freezing was a mass of empty air.
Looking at the ten-meter-high ice pillars that had erupted from the ground, Su Ming sighed. He finally knew where the variable was.
No, he should have realized it sooner.
Whether it was at the Wangshu Inn or in that deserted village, Xiao had warned him that the Abyss Order was making a move. He just hadn't paid it enough attention.
Suddenly, a wave of worry washed over him.
If even Aether, the Prince of the Abyss Order, was here, did that mean the Order's main force was nearby?
"Oh no, Xiao!"
"No matter how strong he is, even he can't fight a whole army alone!"
"Damn it!"
Realizing Xiao was in trouble, Su Ming didn't delay. He kicked off the ground, soaring into the air and racing toward the direction where he had first sensed the anomaly.
On the other side of the portal, Aether returned to his base and looked at his heel with lingering fear. It had been frozen by an ink-black frost.
If his reflexes hadn't been fast enough, more than just his heel would have been encased in ice.
Fortunately, he was strong enough. With a sharp stomp, the ink-black ice shattered and fell away. However, a bone-chilling cold remained, lingering around his heel like a persistent curse that refused to dissipate.
...
"Cloud Retainer, hold on!"
Madame Pingor rather, Ping, as she was nowjoined the fray. She immediately thrust her spear, parrying the strike Xiao had aimed at Cloud Retainer.
The block looked successful, but the impact nearly split the webbing of her thumb.
She wasn't like the other Adepti. She had been secluded in the mortal world for a thousand years, and her combat skills had long since grown rusty.
Though she had taken disciples and passed on her spear techniques, the killing intent and battlefield intuition she once possessed while fighting alongside Rex Lapis had been diluted by centuries of peaceful daily life.
Ping, no longer in her prime, was naturally no match for Xiao, who was currently three times stronger due to his "blackened" state. Simply being able to deflect that blow for Cloud Retainer was a feat in itself.
"Thank you. Watch yourself."
"I will."
Through the silent understanding of old friends, they didn't need words. Together, they launched an attack on Xiao.
On the other side, Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper had regained their footing and joined the pincer movement.
Yet even in a four-on-one situation, the tide didn't turn in their favor. Instead, Liyue Harbor, the site of their battlefield, had been reduced to ruins.
A third of the largest merchant port on the continent was now nothing but rubble.
Watching from the Jade Chamber, Keqing was both heartbroken and anxious. If it weren't for the fact that Ningguang had left to handle a more "critical matter," leaving her to guard the Jade Chamber, Keqing would have already led a squad down to help.
Even though she knew mortals were useless in a fight of this level, she couldn't help but feel desperate.
The harbor was the lifeblood of Liyue; nothing could be allowed to go wrong!
For a moment, the situation seemed controlled. Although it was unclear how long it would take to decide the winner, the Adepti had at least managed to contain the battlefield, preventing it from spreading beyond the initial area.
This was the only good news Keqing had received.
But as the saying goes, extreme joy often leads to sorrow.
Just as the battle seemed to stabilize, a sudden change occurred.
The last shred of sanity Xiao had been desperately clinging to finally collapsed. He surrendered completely, becoming a beast that knew only destruction and slaughter.
With madness came a frantic, reckless style of combat.
Xiao, who previously knew how to dodge, began trading blow for blow, ignoring his own injuries. The Adepti, who still cared for their old comrade and were unwilling to use lethal force, were the ones to suffer.
They were forced back repeatedly, and injuries began to appear on their bodies. Soon, the pincer formation they had maintained showed a fatal opening.
With enough space to maneuver, Xiao showed no mercy. He lunged directly at Cloud Retainer, the closest target.
Cloud Retainer managed to block a few strikes, but Xiao caught a lapse in her defense. His Primordial Jade Winged-Spear tore through her guard, thrusting straight toward her heart.
This time, the three other Adepti were too far away to intervene.
Just as everyone thought it was over, an all-consuming frost swept across the field.
The tip of the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear, along with the berserk Xiao who held it, was frozen solidfixed in place a mere three inches from Cloud Retainer's chest.
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