Until the bright light erupted.
Violent thunder roared from outer heavens, tearing through his self-imposed barrier, spreading madly, expanding into scorching thunder.
Descending from the sky!
The overlapping roars suddenly burst, blending with the booming thunder.
The samurai drew the sword.
Crossing a long distance, the fierce duel ended in an instant.
The Evil Ghost had already passed by the samurai.
Only a gush of blood erupted from Kusaki's chest.
The indestructible Pure Blade fell from his hand, piercing into the earth. Subsequently, the crimson torrent gushed out from the crack in his chest.
A minor misstep.
He hesitated for a moment.
The outcome was decided, life and death separated.
"I didn't expect that the one to finally come and take my life on behalf of the Li Jian family would be a Wild Samurai unworthy of even proclaiming his family name..."
Li Jian Jiu Jing turned his head, glanced at his fallen opponent, and sneered, "How ridiculous, Kusaki. Has no one ever told you—your swordsmanship is not worth mentioning."
He seemed to say something else.
But Kusaki could no longer hear clearly.
A familiar trance and exhaustion attacked once again, embracing him, trying to pull him into eternal darkness.
It seemed someone was shouting something loudly, but it was too distant, too vague.
He gently closed his eyes.
"Stand up, Kusaki!"
In the darkness, an austere and aged voice rang in his ears: "Get up, immediately! To what extent are you willing to disgrace yourself?"
Teacher!
In that moment, he finally remembered where he was.
Who he truly was.
"I am... Kiyoshi Kusaki!"
He opened his eyes, gazing at the rapidly darkening and collapsing Demon Realm world, staring at the enemy's back.
Using his last bit of strength, he propped himself up.
The shattered Soul let out a scream, with blood, once again climbing from the ground, even if he couldn't stand, still fumbling, searching for his weapon.
The duel was not yet over!
"Come on, Jiujing."
He said, "I am right here."
Jiujing's steps halted abruptly, and he slowly turned back.
On that fox-like face, the mocking smile gradually turned somber, angry, hideous.
"Truly a Dispersed Yin Soul..."
The Agleam Murder Demon grinned, turned around, his expression becoming ugly and insane: "This time, I will not forget the final step, Kusaki."
Stepping forward through the spreading blood, Li Jian Jiu Jing raised his Sword Blade.
Without rage, without any loss of control or negligence.
Rather, prepared for battle, with unwavering focus, going all out against this dying opponent, leaving no room for oversight or reversal, delivering the final end decisively.
Cutting off all suffering and troubles.
Even if Kusaki no longer had the strength to stand, even if he couldn't even see his own form clearly anymore.
The moment of the final brilliance had passed.
Now, Zaotou Shi's Pure Blade was stabbed into the pool of blood, and even his hand no longer held a sword. As if sensing his departure, the Pure Blade trembled, letting out a faint lament.
But Kusaki felt no pity.
Just as Jiujing said, his swordsmanship was never worth mentioning, nor worthy of such a Treasure Sword.
Even earlier, he had already known clearly.
"You are, Rotten wood."
This was the conclusion once given by the elder hailed as the Sword Saint, the most cruel truth, and the most painful result.
Countless times, that irritable elder scolded: "Why can't you learn to give up? Is repaying kindness only possible in one way in this world?"
"I want to follow in that master's footsteps... I want to be like that master."
Once, Kusaki knelt on the ground, bowing deeply, sincerely pleading: "Teacher, please forgive me—please, teach me!"
But in the elder's eyes, there was only pity and regret.
"Kiyoshi Kusaki, you lack Talent and the ability. Give up; no matter how hard you try, Sword Dao will not favor you." He said, "If you want to win, in swordsmanship and life, you can only choose one. Even so, does it matter?"
How should one describe that moment of ecstasy and peace?
As if one's lifelong wish had been fulfilled, all the hard work rewarded.
Look, this is not a dead end. How generous this world is, allowing even someone as dull as me to receive hope!
He cried tears of gratitude, bowing repeatedly: "It's so good... I can finally live up to that master's kindness and expectations..."
After a long silence, there was only a sigh of Pieta.
"Then, this is the last skill I can teach you as a teacher—how to relinquish your own life."
This was the elder's final teaching, everything that happened afterward, everything learned afterward, everything passed down afterward, already etched into his bones and spirit.
Day after day, year after year.
Twenty years of arduous practice and waiting, countless times of painful tears and incontinence, now, at this moment, finally reaped the reward.
In that moment, he lifted his eyes, staring at the nearby Jiujing.
Smiling.
From the broken shell, a radiant light soared into the sky.
The flame constrained for twenty years burst forth from the spirit.
A mighty phantom rose from his shattered form, revealing the terrifying majesty of the Immovable King, eyes burning with murderous flames, merging with his soul.
In the frozen time, the rushing flowing light contracted into a line, the will and determination within the forge transforming into steel. Reversing the boundaries of life and death, stirring the axis of heaven and earth, all phenomena shattering!
——Boundless Sea of Suffering·Liberation and Ease!
This is the once-in-a-lifetime, Drawing Sword!
Slash!