Su Mu could clearly see that when the light, seemingly weightless Nine-Curves Snake Sword fell into Purple Shirt’s hand, it exploded with such terrifying force—not only relying on the strength of the flesh, nor merely on power infusion, but because Purple Shirt’s swordsmanship had reached an extremely profound realm.

Though it couldn’t truly be called ’lifting light as heavy,’ such skill was already amazing enough.

"If I can master this realm, my strength will improve tremendously!"

In an instant, the dragon in Su Mu’s brow surged; his Soul Incarnation state was driven, and as Su Mu fought, he started his Inference, trying to imprint this sword move into lasting memory.

In that moment, Spiritual Light flared—in the terrifying pressure from his own Dragon-and-Phoenix Level Comprehension and Purple Shirt’s stunning sword, Su Mu entered a mysterious state.

In Su Mu’s eyes, Purple Shirt’s sword slowed down, but in the eyes of Black Mountain Army’s Thousand Man Commander and Wu Lie, it was still far too fast to track.

Clang, clang, clang!

In the blink of an eye, Purple Shirt had swung a dozen or so sword strikes; facing her sword, Su Mu had only one option.

Break it with force!

Boom, boom, boom-------------

Every clash of sword and spear erupted with deafening thunder; Su Mu abandoned useless defense and, activating Molten Fire Golden Body and Jade Bone, charged forward head-on, wielding his Red Flame Spear in wide, ferocious arcs.

Purple Shirt’s sword, on the other hand, moved so fast it was dizzying, displaying artistry of Mastery and Lifting Light as Heavy. With each collision, it was like two terrifying Demon Beasts smashing together.

The mountainside trembled—aftershocks of their power whipped up a howling gale, the stones beneath their feet shattering inch by inch, swirling upward in plumes several meters high.

And just then, deep within the camp, flames suddenly blazed, followed by a burst of chaos.

"Fire! Fire!"

Someone shouted from within; the chaos in their ears caused the two dueling figures to break apart as that sandstorm-like blast faded away.

Everyone stared, eyes wide. The battlefield was devastated, as if struck by an earthquake—cracked and sunken rock everywhere, a web of sword ravines scored across the edges.

Every sword technique from Purple Shirt was deadly. Not just Seventh-Grade Muscle-Enhancing Martial Artists—even one like Yuan Wuming, another of the Four Protectors, a mere Early-Sixth Grade Martial Artist, would be seriously wounded, or even killed outright, by a single stroke.

Yet these terrifying swords—dozens, a hundred, several hundred—fell upon Su Mu, leaving only shallow sword-marks on his body, unable to deal a fatal blow.

In this clash between swordsmanship and strength, the scales of victory tilted toward strength.

"Huff...huff-------"

Su Mu still stood proud in the field. Yet Purple Shirt’s chest now rose and fell violently, her once enchanting expression now twisted and weary, gasping like an ox.

Realizing Purple Shirt had ceased attack, the Spiritual Light in Su Mu’s eyes faded, a hint of unfinished desire on his face.

Purple Shirt caught this subtle change. Her eyes turned unprecedentedly grave and cold: all of it proved her opponent hadn’t used full strength, while she was near her limit.

The Taiping Dao Envoy before her was just too strong—like a mountain pressing, almost suffocating her.

"So powerful. This one has not only a formidable body, but also immense power and an extraordinary Spear Technique... almost no weakness. If I don’t use that sword, there’s not the slightest hope of killing him."

Waves rose within Purple Shirt’s heart. She’d intended to exhaust Su Mu’s power with sword after sword—she was, after all, a true Late-Sixth Grade Martial Artist. Activating her Sword Techniques, she could draw upon Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to offset some power loss, and a Sixth-Grade’s power recovered much faster than that of a Lower Three Grades Martial Artist.

But in reality, she found her own power more than half drained, while across from her, Su Mu’s seemed endless.

Purple Shirt took several deep, trembling breaths; her five fingers landed on another short-sword at her waist. This was the blade she’d nourished with Secret Technique for years—her final killer move, never to be used lightly!

If unsheathed, its Sword Qi would dissipate, and it would have to be reforged. Plus, it had only a strike or two in it; after using it, she’d be utterly exhausted, with great risks attached.

If she drew this short sword but could not kill her foe, it would be courting certain death.

In that instant, Purple Shirt’s long hair whipped wildly in a windless frenzy, an unparalleled aura of brilliance emanating from her—like a sword about to leave its scabbard, if not victorious, then perishing together!

Su Mu, being a blade and sword master himself, instantly understood—Purple Shirt was truly going for broke.

"I have been taught... In that case, let’s decide victory with one move!"

On the field, feeling the power still left in his body, Su Mu spoke calmly, waiting for Purple Shirt to strike.

Purple Shirt did not understand Su Mu’s ’I have been taught,’ but in her alluring eyes flashed a gleam of admiration—a warrior’s respect for another strong warrior.

The next moment.

Purple Shirt’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit unified—her breathing and heartbeat seemed to merge with the short sword in her hand!

Clang!

The short sword scraped the scabbard, releasing a bright, proud sword cry.

A piercing screech split from the scabbard, unleashed Sword Qi cutting a web of sword ravines in the ground within three meters, stone shards flying, and even Wu Lie—with all his power raised in defense—had blood streak his face in an instant.

That condensed Sword Qi was like the frozen waters of Canglan River split the long night—so dazzling it hurt the eyes.

Screeech-----!

But the next instant, a higher, shriller sparrow’s cry overwhelmed the sword cry.

Profound Demon Five Transformations: Fire Sparrow Transformation.

Molten Fire Golden Body.

Jade Bone State.

In Su Mu’s Jiao Tendons, after Four-Times Yijin, the Fire Sparrow Force erupted completely.

Su Mu took a long breath—then, on his exhale, swept his spear out in a flash.

"What...what is this?!"

Purple Shirt’s pupils contracted violently. She’d grown up among the dead, her sword her only reliable companion for years.

If given a choice, Yi Er didn’t even like, even hated swords; but her life rested on a blade—in such an environment, with a frail constitution, Purple Shirt cultivated a swordsmanship unlike any other.

So she instantly recognized it—this spear move from Su Mu was clearly the very killing technique she herself had just used, which she’d only recently grasped after a lifetime of sword cultivation.

The opponent had learned it simply by fighting her—such Comprehension was simply monstrous!

"So that’s it."

Purple Shirt suddenly understood Su Mu’s earlier ’I have been taught.’

Whoosh!

The over three-hundred-jin Red Flame Spear, enhanced by Lifting Light as Heavy—its first impression wasn’t sharpness, but an overwhelming heaviness.

The sky rang with a strained wail, as if a mountain were crashing down.

One force smashes ten skills.

When the two powers collided, brilliant sword light shattered instantly—their colliding shockwaves pounded the earth, shaking mountains and ground!

At the brink of life and death, Purple Shirt had no choice but to slash again—yet managed only to grasp another fleeting moment of life.

As the sword light ripped, and the short sword shattered, Purple Shirt also heard a sharper tearing—the sound, she knew, of her flesh torn by the spear tip, her bones being pierced!

With consecutive smashes, Su Mu’s Red Flame Spear broke through both of Purple Shirt’s swords, then, with unstoppable momentum, pierced her chest, the spear’s light pulverizing her heart in an instant.

In her final moments, shock overwhelmed Purple Shirt’s face—so deep it made her forget the pain of her shattered heart.

"Cough, cough..."

Blood welled from her lips, staining her Purple Robes crimson.

"To die by your spear, Purple Shirt is utterly convinced...but the Celestial King will never lose. I’ll wait for you below."

She spoke calmly, without malice—as though she’d expected this day. The slayer is always slain in turn;

Finally, with just a tilt of the head, the renowned Purple Shirt—second only to one in the Black Mountain Army, famed across the Three Counties—moved no more.

The head of the Black Mountain Rebel Army’s Four Protectors, the Purple Robe Snake King, thus fell!

After killing Purple Shirt, Su Mu touched the ground with his spear, gently lowering her corpse—his pupils narrowing suddenly.

Following his gaze, beneath Purple Shirt’s rent clothes, on her scarred back, was a blood-red tattoo.

"Yi...Er?"