Chapter 498: One Blade

The blade that condensed a lifetime of cultivation broke into two halves in mid-air.

The Japanese pirate leader's eyes were dazed for a moment.

He couldn't understand the scene he saw in that instant.

The blade... broke?

But the blade tip was still moving forward according to inertia, and no counter-shock force came from the hilt indicating it had struck a hard object; this "Iai" move was still continuing to slash without the slightest delay.

But that finger just stood there, unmoving, passing through the blade tip like a phantom. And the playfulness and ease in those eyes, as if watching a child clamoring, also remained unchanged.

Was it an illusion?

The next instant, the Japanese pirate leader knew the answer.

The blade body slashed to the apex of the semicircle, and the arm retracted, but only the hilt and half the blade body were retracted with the arm.

*Shing! *

The half-blade tip flew out in a straight line, but it happened to be stuck beside Wu Zhi's ear, disappearing into the wall.

"Ah!"

The next instant, Wu Zhi's scream came late, waking the Japanese pirate leader from his astonishment.

"!!!"

*Swish! *

The half-blade body instinctively returned to the scabbard; he poured all his strength into his arm, his muscles suddenly bulging, squeezing the air out of his sleeves and making a *bang* sound.

" *Zettai ni shinjirarenai* (I don't believe it)!"

He raised his bloodshot eyes and looked at the tall figure in front of him.

The front flap was a white inner garment, and the lower body was the same white inner garment, as if he had just come down from the bed, his left hand tucked into his bosom, his right hand raised a finger casually, full of openings all over his body.

But those pitch-black pupils seemed to gradually blend with the bear-skin cloak he was wearing, turning into the entire pitch-black night sky and shrouding down. And he was like an insect hissing at the night sky, even if he exhausted his essence and blood, he couldn't escape the shroud of this night sky.

In a trance, the Japanese pirate leader seemed to have returned to when he first practiced martial arts, and opposite him was his master, whose back he could never see no matter how hard he tried.

He had also been defeated in such despair before.

But at that time, after defeating him, his master walked in front of him, squatted down, and said to him.

"Ikki-kun, what I want to teach you today is to admit your own weakness and admit the other's strength."

"What is swordsmanship?"

"Swordsmanship is not a skill for the strong to abuse the weak, but a means for the weak to resist the strong. You might run into an opponent so strong that you despair one day; I hope you remember the trick to defeating the strong."

His master placed his hand on his shoulder.

The gentleness in his tone vanished, and the clanging killing intent condensed into a hammer, wedging his resolute words into his mind.

"If you are weaker than others, concentrate your power!"

"If you can't catch up to others, squeeze your power dry!"

"Abandon your soul, abandon your life, abandon your blood! Squeeze your physical strength dry, hollow out your flesh and blood, and dedicate everything you have to the sword in your hand! You don't need a breath; one sword is enough!"

"Refine your essence and spirit, and cross this extreme instant!!!"

The memory dissipated suddenly.

" *Shine* (Die)!"

Hoki-ryu secret technique—Iai!

The only remaining half-blade tip suddenly popped out of the scabbard; the moment he swung this blade, blood pumped out of his eyes, the muscles in his arm snapped one by one, and his bones emitted a mournful sound of almost breaking!

He couldn't tell if he was swinging the blade or if the blade was pulling his arm.

But he could be certain that he had swung everything he had.

Life, future, essence and blood, all dedicated! In exchange for this peak-of-perfection blade! A blade faster and more lethal than his strongest self!

There was no sorrow or joy in his eyes, because he knew this blade would allow him to defeat an impossible enemy. Even if he died of internal injuries after swinging this blade, it was the best ending for a martial artist like him.

His line of sight barely caught up with the blade tip.

The blade tip approached his neck instantly.

Time seemed to stand still.

In this extreme instant, the tall man smiled.

"Your voice is loud enough, but unfortunately—"

He extended that hand again, curled his index finger, twisted the tip of his index finger with his thumb, and faced the blade tip.

The moment it made contact with the blade tip.

His thumb relaxed, and his index finger flicked out.

"Unfortunately, still pitifully weak."

*Snap. *

*Whoosh*—

The last half of the blade body was flicked into pieces, countless blade fragments flew backward, instantly filling the Japanese pirate leader's entire field of vision. ===== CHAPTER 499 =====