Split Zone No.13

“I understand that, and this is why I can’t run away. Since you’ve decided to go on your own path, it shouldn’t matter to you whether I live or die.”

As I gave a bitter smile, the warmth under my feet suddenly turned to a boiling heat. The source of the heat came from somewhere between Li Qing and Feng Zhu. They were still staring at each other, and nobody moved even though Li Qing had her halberd in hand and Feng Zhu’s kasaya was whipping fiercely in the strong air currents.

We were about to be barbecued with that heat. It was getting unbearable, and seeing my brows knit, Piercer dashed over to lift me into the air.

Though I could feel some sort of movement in my split symbol, I couldn’t feel an ounce of MF in me at all. It was lucky that Piercer was here to help.

Nie Zun and Jie Pa were levitating in the air. They would have felt that impending sense of destruction brought about by the heated ground too.

Jie Pa adjusted his glasses as he said, “My body is healed and it can regenerate itself now. I can be your shield if you’re hurt in any way, Miss Ah Shen.”

I did not respond.

Du Yue and Jiao S were already in the thick of battle. They had leapt into the air when the heat wave reached them.

Even without any sort of support in the air, Du Yue was able to maintain that same strength and power.

Jiao S seemed to be more agile in the air as well. Fighting in the air was her forte, and she had always seemed to enjoy it. She appeared in mid-air the very first time I met her, and she used that same air current technique as Gaoqin Jiuye the second time we met. She was able to use those air currents as a power booster.

I could tell Jiao S was enjoying this fight as the white fog continued surging in those huge, passionate eyes.

The girls that Li Qing favored – whether it was me, Li Wen, the deceased You Ji, or Jiao S – we were all similar to Li Qing in some way. We turned into a somewhat different person during battle.

Jiao S moved at lightning speed as she waved her weapon in the air, her huge sword reflecting bouts of light.

Though she was without a weapon, Du Yue was able to use her legs to parry the attacks from Jiao S’s sword in mid-air. She looked calm and collected; it was the face of someone who had tons of experience in battles.

It seemed like no one was gaining the upper hand in the fight, but I knew we’d end up being on the losing end if the battle was prolonged.

After promising Li Qing that she wouldn’t interfere in her battle, Li Wen was simply watching the fights from the sidelines, yawning from time to time.

Even when the ground started heating up, she picked up the ends of her dress lazily and floated up into the air as if she could not be bothered about any of the fights that were currently happening around her.

Looking at Du Yue’s attacks, I turned to Piercer and said, “Bring me over there to help Jiao S out.”

Piercer nodded as she linked arms with me and flew towards where Du Yue and Jiao S were.

“Hold onto me,” I said as I grabbed Piercer’s hand, while my other hand received the purple whip she had with her. I struck at Du Yue with the whip.

Du Yue sensed the attack very quickly and she flipped to catch my whip on her legs. I pulled the whip back towards me as I signaled to Jiao S with a look. Jiao S understood me immediately as she charged forwards with her gigantic sword, aiming for Du Yue’s remaining arm.

There wasn’t any hint of hesitation in her actions. In the Split Zone, you’d just end up hurt if you acted like I did, hesitating before doing anything.

If nothing went wrong, Du Yue would be losing her other arm, and if Jie Pa could work with us and activate a sealing technique on her, she’d be rendered immobile temporarily.

I shivered slightly at Du Yue’s frigid gaze. But before she made any counter-attack, Jiao S’s sword was blocked by another sword.

That sword was very slim, and a narrow ray of bright light was produced as it was swung.

It was Li Wen’s Li Xi Sword.

I didn’t know when Li Wen had joined in on the action, but she looked like she was enjoying all the chaos. The Li Xi Sword was in her hand and Jiao S was forced to retreat a couple of steps with that move.

Jiao S stared at Li Wen as her black hair flew in the air. “I still remember that time when you used that Li Xi Sword to trample on me. I guess today would be the very day that I take my revenge.”

Jiao S swung her huge sword at Li Wen, forcing Li Wen to back away several steps, ending up right opposite me.

The wind ruffled her long hair and pale yellow dress as she smiled without emotion. “I’ll play with you guys since Li Qing doesn’t want my help. Li Qing wouldn’t mind it, whoever I helped, as long as I don’t let you get taken away by any of the others.”

Li Wen spoke audibly, and I believed that Li Qing, who was still in her face-off with Feng Zhu, could hear everything.

Even so, Li Qing did not look over at us.

With a hand on my purple whip and Piercer holding my other hand, I pointed at Li Wen. “We don’t need your help either. Since you’ve chosen to help Du Yue, why not go all the way with it? Jiao S and I can make a clean break with you today. Two against two, no one is shortchanging anyone here.”

Du Yue glanced at Li Wen. Though she didn’t look elated that Li Wen chose to be on her side, she wasn’t complaining either.

I felt heat emanating from the red skull ring on my right hand, but I couldn’t feel any MF even when I tried harnessing that power from her.

It would be embarrassing if I couldn’t show any of my abilities after talking so big. I let go of Piercer to raise my left hand in an attempt to summon Scorpion Ray.

Piercer spoke close to my ear, “Do you remember that I’ve told you this before? Your friend Jiao S has a seal on her, and that seal restricts most of her power.”

I nodded. “Yes, you mentioned it briefly once, but the topic was changed to Du Yue’s ability shortly after. You didn’t really explain it.”

Before Piercer could answer, Du Yue was already charging towards Jiao S.

Li Wen’s lips lifted in a smile as she moved her right hand, aiming for Jiao S with the Li Xi Sword.

Piercer stopped me as I wanted to rush over. “Listen to me first. Trust Jiao S for just a couple of minutes. She’d be able to hold her own even if it’s one against two.”

“Say it quickly then!” I was anxious even after hearing Piercer’s words.

“The seal on Jiao S is no simple seal. It isn’t a tiny one and it isn’t one of those large seals that we usually see either. That seal is a twisted one, and it’s on every joint and blood vessel; framing the entire body with it. The seal restricts most of her power, and it suppresses certain things from within her, things that I can’t fully sense.

“Anyway, as a spirit of consciousness, I can only see the layer under her body’s physical shell. I can see every single point from that seal, and it’s trapping her entirely. She can’t reach her full potential with that.”