"Unexpected, but it won't matter much," the Sword God sneered. Two broken ribs might slow him down, and his palm tingled numbly from the shock.

His situation was undeniably perilous.

"Heh~ Still big talk, mad dog!" Yeping said coldly.

She accelerated instantly, kicking straight for Zhao Jiansheng's heart. Her bat wings flapped wildly behind her, forcing her speed down to minimize recovery time after the attack.

The Sword God crouched sharply. A gust of wind swept over his head.

"Hmph!" Zhao Jiansheng grunted lowly, pain flaring in his ribcage.

"Die!" The kick missed. Her bat wings flapped even more frantically, stabilizing her body. She stomped down with another kick toward Zhao Jiansheng's head from above.

"Boom!" The park erupted with a deafening crash. The floor shattered, sending up a cloud of lime dust.

From the white mist, a black shadow spun out rapidly. It plunged into the hard stone slab, wobbling slightly—it was the Sword God's Black Sword.

At the same time, a black figure burst out from the mist...

It was Sword God Zhao Jiansheng. His initial composure was gone; his smile vanished. His clean black Zhongshan suit was covered in lime dust, making him look utterly disheveled.

His sword had flown from his hand. His palm bled from the shock, and his thumb was dislocated.

"Not good~ Two broken ribs. Next time, I might not dodge," Zhao Jiansheng muttered, eyeing his beloved sword embedded in the ground. He twisted his thumb back with a "crack," pain making him frown.

"You're dead~" Yeping said with a playful smirk, half-opening her eyes at him.

"Heh~ Not necessarily!" Yeping stood on the path he needed to retrieve his Black Sword. He couldn't rely on it for defense anymore. He unbuttoned his Zhongshan suit to ease his chest.

"Still talking tough? Let's see what you'll use to block my fist!" As she spoke, the bat wings on her back flapped even more fiercely.

The next instant, her figure vanished without a sound.

"What!" Zhao Jiansheng exclaimed. This speed... impossible to catch with the naked eye!

"Let's see how you dodge this time!" Yeping's voice came from behind him.

She slammed a fist down at the back of Zhao Jiansheng's head—a killing blow!

"Heh~ I've been waiting for this!" Zhao Jiansheng spun around instantly, stepping back.

But those steps couldn't fully get him out of danger; they only bought him two extra seconds.

Two seconds were enough. I, Zhao Jiansheng, won't be pushed around forever!

I am the Sword God!

"Iai strike!" he roared. His black clothes billowed in the wind as he drew another soft sword from his waist!

The sound of shattering wind!

A flash of silver sword light shot straight at the blue-marked fist!

This time, the white sword didn't dodge or change course. It clashed head-on with the supposedly invincible blue-marked fist!

The result was unexpected!

"Ah!" Yeping screamed. The moment she touched the silver light, she was repelled. She bit her lip, glaring fiercely at Zhao Jiansheng—specifically at the silver sword in his hand!

A smoking sword wound appeared on her right hand, burning like fire. It couldn't heal itself, and blood flowed freely!

The mighty Nightingale Clan member was truly injured!

"Silver sword!" Yeping growled lowly, clutching the wound. Blue light flickered, but it only stopped the burn from spreading; it couldn't even stop the bleeding.

Zhao Jiansheng flicked the blood off his silver sword.

"It seems you've only evolved mutations to solve attack recovery time, but you can't completely erase your Nightingale origins as vampire descendants and your weaknesses," Zhao Jiansheng said, regaining his original smile. His half-open eyes narrowed into slits as he looked at Yeping.

"You!" Yeping roared.

"Did you really think I'd come unprepared? Against the Nightingale Clan of strength, even a half-grown member can't be taken lightly."

"Monster, I'll punish you now!" The Sword God suddenly relaxed his whole body, closed his eyes. His tense killing intent vanished instantly. He gripped the silver sword tightly with both hands!

The finishing blow is coming! Yeping thought.

The vanished killing intent exploded back a second later, stronger than before. It transformed into a sword light rushing straight at Yeping's face!

Yeping was startled inwardly. She pushed off with her foot, instantly moving five meters away. The killing intent sword light struck where she had been, dissipating into a light mist.

"Huh?!" She was surprised again. No damage?

"Scared, monster?" Zhao Jiansheng's voice came from his original position. He hadn't moved an inch.

"Damn it!" Yeping spun around quickly. She'd been tricked—a feint sword strike!

"Naive... too late..."

"Despair Three Strikes!"

Yeping turned back to see three white sword lights rushing at her face. Though her bat wings flapped wildly, she couldn't dodge anymore.

Her thigh, left shoulder, and right arm were instantly slashed. All three wounds smoked, blood flowing freely!

"Does it hurt?" After the sword lights, Zhao Jiansheng's voice came from behind her.

"Ahhh!" Yeping screamed. Judging his position by sound, she turned and punched! But the punch missed. She saw Zhao Jiansheng crouching, and instead, he slashed at her heel.

This strike was clever, cutting her Achilles tendon directly. Pain shot through Yeping's foot; she couldn't exert force. Her leg gave way, and she half-kneeled on the ground.

"The game is almost over~" the Sword God said.

"Huff... huff..." Yeping half-kneeled, glaring at him. She didn't speak, but indeed felt powerless to turn the tide.

That silver sword was too effective against her.

"End it." The Sword God said. Becoming one with his sword, a white sword light shot straight at Yeping's chest.

Yeping couldn't dodge; she could only slightly avoid the fatal point.

The silver sword missed her chest but pierced her abdomen directly, carrying her whole body flying and pinning her to the park wall!

"Cough... cough! Damn it!" She spat out blood suddenly. Her eyes were full of unwillingness, glaring angrily at the Sword God. She didn't beg for mercy. This was a dead end; she had completely lost this fight.

Moreover, she might lose her life. The silver sword piercing her abdomen was like a seal, rendering her completely unable to resist or move. She could only wait for death.

To think I, a Nightingale, would end up like this... Only Xian'er and Dad are left in our Nightingale Clan. Could the Nightingales really go extinct?

"..." Zhao Jiansheng didn't press the attack. He didn't pull out the sword either. Instead, he released the silver soft sword, leaving Yeping pinned to the wall.

He walked back to pick up his black soft sword.

"Didn't you say this Black Sword can't hurt you?" he asked.

"This sword has been with me for a long time... Today, I'll use it to take your life~" he said.

"Heh~" Yeping chuckled bitterly. So he doesn't want me to die easily. This silver sword immobilizes me, and I can't even touch silver with my hands~

"How many cuts do you think this Black Sword needs to chop off your head?"

After saying that, he swung at Yeping's neck.

I ran for a while, just leaving the park. Suddenly, I remembered: Didn't I have Sister Xi Wan's phone number? Why run to the Shadowless Abode myself when I could just call!

"Hello, Sister Xi Wan!" I shouted into the phone.

"Hm? Xiaobai? What's up?"

"Yeping and I are under attack near your park!"

"What? Who is it?"

"An Outsider! Don't waste time! Sister Xi Wan, call for help quickly. That guy called Sword God is strong; I'm afraid Yeping can't hold on!"

"Okay, I'll call people right away! I'll be there soon. Be careful yourselves!" After saying that, Sister Xi Wan hung up immediately.

After hanging up, I leaned against the roadside wall and sat down weakly. Annoyed, I scratched my hair with my hand.

What should I do now? Am I going to run away again? Leave Yeping to fight alone? Do I need a woman to protect me again? I swore I don't need anyone's protection!

No!

I suddenly understood. I stood up abruptly and ran back towards the park.

At the park corner! I saw that bastard Zhao Jiansheng swinging a sword at Yeping's neck!

"Zhao Jiansheng!" A roar came from behind the Sword God!

"Hm?" The Sword God was startled. He turned to see a familiar figure charging at him, a black shadow thrusting straight at him!

Zhao Jiansheng quickly retracted his move, blocking my Spider Spikes with his black soft sword!

Taking advantage of his distraction, I landed a fierce right hook on his face, knocking him back several steps!

"How dare you hit my woman?!" I roared at him.