Effort finally bore fruit; my chance cracked open like a seam in storm clouds.

On the brink of being swept away by Luo Lin’s storm, a strange ribbon of light pierced through her body.

Her motion stalled; her face tightened like it was caught in an unseen net.

Looks like Lingxiao and Lingsaki’s spell landed—sharper than I’d dared hope.

As their big brother, losing would be disgrace, grit on my tongue and fire in my chest.

I’ve fought till my bones hum; this is the golden moment I bled for.

I will—absolutely, absolutely—knock the bell from Luo Lin’s hand and pass the Divine Refinement Realm.

“Extreme Sword—Wild Dance of Heavenly Bloom!”

My free hand snatched a sword formed from Sword Aura, drifting like a pale crescent.

Twin blades flashed as I carved at Luo Lin; each strike at full speed, fatigue biting like frost.

I thought I’d finish within five cuts.

But on my third, her eyes cleared like a wind-swept lake.

She spun the Heavenly Lance and counted off every parry, bead for bead.

She was still slower, though, as if spell-threads clung to her limbs like dew.

I still have a shot; my technique’s speed edges hers by a hair’s breadth.

Somewhere, a single petal will slip through.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

In the boundless Divine Refinement Realm, blade and lance rang like crystal bells in a canyon.

I was naïve; her speed dipped, but her guard stayed watertight, seamless as lacquered steel.

Wild Dance of Heavenly Bloom was near spent; one last cut, and I’d be an empty gourd.

No way around it—bet everything and let the arrow fly.

For the final cut, I scissored both swords at her right hand like a hawk stooping on prey.

Speed burst past my own measure, two currents merging to race downhill.

So that’s a hidden effect—two blades surging the same way stack speed.

I made this by accident; the principle stays mist to me.

Clang!!

She blocked, as expected, but it was enough; we were within half a meter, heat and breath mingling.

I rode the leftover momentum and lunged forward, a wave shouldering up the shore.

“What…?”

She blinked, baffled by my move, a small ripple in her calm.

I wrapped her up and shoved her right wrist with the last ember in me.

The bell, already wobbling, shook loose like fruit shaken from a branch and fell.

Ting-ling—

A single bell slipped off the cord and kissed the ground, its clear ring a heaven-made song to my ears.

I did it. With every ounce and my sisters’ help, I cleared this layer’s condition.

My chest flooded; tears pricked like warm rain.

A moment later.

“How long do you plan to keep hugging me?”

Her slightly impatient voice brushed my ear like a dragonfly’s wing.

I snapped back—turns out I’m clamped around Luo Lin.

She’s willow-slim, hard to believe that soft frame houses storm-force.

Her scent is clean, a fresh note like tea in the wind.

What am I thinking—focus, idiot!