General Stars of different types have different combat habits, determined by their type. Those habits are also why the weapons used by each broad class tend to be fairly consistent. Of course, that isn't absolute. A small number of people abandon the style they were born to and forge one of their own.

Chariot Rank fighters excel at charging in, and usually wield swords, sabers, and other bladed weapons. Lin Xinyan is Chariot Rank, and her choice of a spear was simply an adjustment to suit her own circumstances.

When she saw the spear in Shi Ji's hands, her heart gave a jolt. Long weapons like spears had always been the signature weapon of Soldier Tier fighters, so everyone who saw one naturally thought of Soldier Tier. It was an assumption that had gradually become ingrained.

But the thought came, and Lin Xinyan quickly dismissed it. The person before her was even stronger than she'd imagined. He was probably like her, and had simply chosen a spear as his weapon.

She didn't want to disturb Shi Ji, so she left first.

Facing the towering lizard before him, Shi Ji looked completely at ease. He brought out his weapon and casually rested it on his shoulder, then strolled toward the lizard, utterly relaxed.

Ge Sila was heading this way too, and the distance between them closed in a matter of moments.

Ge Sila stopped, but Shi Ji took a few more steps forward.

He looked up and smiled with confidence. “You really love freedom, don't you?”

The two sides were at each other's throats, yet Shi Ji asked the question in a perfectly calm voice.

Ge Sila bared its teeth in a grin. “Freedom is supreme.”

“Then do you know what true freedom is?”

“What?” Ge Sila didn't understand what Shi Ji was getting at.

“True freedom is disappearing from this world completely. You revere freedom so much, so I'll grant it to you. I wonder… are you ready?”

With that, he gave a cold laugh.

Ge Sila froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.

“Hahaha!! Hahaha!! You've got guts, kid. Don't think landing a hit on me just now makes you something special. This great one hasn't even used his full strength yet! Die!”

With a roar, Ge Sila's razor-sharp claws shot toward Shi Ji at an invisible speed. The movement was swift, without the slightest hesitation. The attack brought a gale with it, but the strike arrived first, and the wind followed.

The attack didn't hit the ground, nor did it kick up much sand.

“…” Ge Sila stared at what had happened, stunned.

It looked at the claw it had brought down—and saw that the small Shi Ji had caught it with one raised hand.

“What!?”

Forget how fast Shi Ji was. He'd caught that attack with one hand and hadn't even changed expression. He looked completely untroubled, utterly at ease. How was that possible…?

“You fool. Wasn't being alive good enough? You just had to have freedom. I'll give it to you right now.”

The moment he finished speaking, Shi Ji vanished. Ge Sila reacted quickly and turned its head—there was a person standing on its right shoulder. The person was smiling, a simple smile.

Ge Sila hadn't seen Shi Ji move. The next moment, Shi Ji was gone, and its right arm was falling away, red blood gushing from the wound. The pain hadn't even hit yet when it whipped around—and its left arm fell too.

!!!

The pain hit in full.

“Aagh!!! Aagh!!!”

Its screams rang out in every direction, echoing through the dense forest, across the seas, and up to the heavens.

The next second, the screams stopped. Shi Ji had cut off Ge Sila's head too.

The massive body crashed to the ground, kicking up a vast cloud of dust. And beyond the dust, all was quiet.

…