Chapter 271

Kuchiki Senya walked forward, gripping the steel wire, and smiled at the ghost-faced monk, his body rigid from the constriction: "Uncle Ghostface, how's it feeling? Still comfortable?"

The ghost-faced monk winced in pain: "Apollo, let go! Or I'll kill you!"

Kuchiki Senya chuckled: "Uncle Ghostface, if you hadn't reminded me, I'd have forgotten—you're the one who started all this. How dare you challenge me like this? If I don't twist your head off, I'd be dishonoring you."

Saying this, Kuchiki Senya yanked the ghost-faced monk upright, then gripped the long blade with both hands, raised it high, and brought it down with full force!

The ghost-faced monk tried to dodge, but his hands were bound by the rope—he couldn't channel any power, even if he wanted to!

Clang!

The blade came down; the ghost-faced monk's ears rang, and he nearly fainted!

Half his skull was split open by Kuchiki Senya's strike, blood gushing wildly!

Under these conditions, he couldn't even defend himself, let alone counterattack!

Kuchiki Senya dragged him back up from the ground and kicked him hard!

Then, the ghost-faced monk's knees slammed heavily onto the ground, and he felt a crunching sound coming from his hip bones!

Clearly, Kuchiki Senya had just crushed his hip bones outright!

The ghost-faced monk screamed in agony!

Li Li Youran stood beside him, watching, her gaze cold: "Kuchiki Senya, leave him to me."

She crossed her twin blades, executed a flawless Swallow Return, and the long blade slid free from its scabbard!

Shhh!

A blinding slash of blade-light flashed before Kuchiki Senya's eyes!

In that moment, the colors of heaven and earth seemed to dim!

Beneath the blade-light, all was white!

On the ghost-faced monk's chest appeared a grotesque, deep wound!

This wound sliced clean through his entire upper body, splitting him in two!

Kuchiki Senya stared at the sight, utterly stunned, his eyes nearly popping out!

"Sister Youran…" he stammered, "is this… is this a new sword technique you learned? How could it be this powerful?"

Li Li Youran's cheeks flushed slightly as she explained: "I just practiced it a moment ago—I never expected such power."

Hearing this, Kuchiki Senya took several deep breaths: "You mean your Swallow Return hasn't even reached the realm of the peak yet?"

He knew that most martial arts carried bottlenecks and breakthrough moments—but he never imagined Li Li Youran had already shattered her limit after using the Swallow Return just twice!

It completely overturned his understanding!

Li Li Youran nodded, then sheathed her blade: "It's my first time testing it—I didn't know how strong it would be."

Kuchiki Senya glanced at the severed piece of clothing and pants and said: "The Japanese are going to hate you."

"Let them hate me," Li Li Youran replied, turning her gaze toward the distant village. "Better than losing a national treasure."

The sunset was now sinking low, its glow bathing Li Li Youran in golden light, lending her skin a hazy, exquisite beauty—the very beauty Kuchiki Senya most admired.

He couldn't help recalling the day he first met Li Li Youran in Ninghai, then said: "Sister Youran, if I hadn't met you first, I might've tried to court you."

It was a bold joke indeed.