With the Blade

Chapter 301: Chapter 252: One Who Finds Joy in Battle

With an ordinary person’s physical fitness, at most they can sustain fighting for a quarter of an hour before becoming utterly exhausted.

After all, combat is not exercise; even a slight mistake can lead to death. Fighting requires extreme focus and intense use of the body. An average person can barely endure a quarter of an hour, which is the limit, while some well-trained individuals might last longer, but even that endurance is ultimately limited.

In the end, real combat is actually just a matter of an instant. As the blade sweeps past, it’s life or death. One must fully unleash all their spirit and will, all their skills and experience, within that single moment to bring forth the power sufficient to kill.

Yet now, the battle in Dengzhou City has lasted for a full two hours.

Every breath is extreme killing intent; every moment is an end and death. If an ordinary master were to step in, even using Evil Qi, they would probably be slain instantly.

However, amidst these terrifying moves flying everywhere, those two figures seemed perfectly at ease.

Their steps between the sharp blades were so agile. Even the slightest misstep would result in cuts and bruises, with blinding red and the gleam of blades intertwined, momentarily forming a beautiful spinning wheel of light.

"Impressive..."

Watching the left arm hanging on his chest with several wounds deep enough to see bone, Du Chengfeng couldn’t help but voice his admiration.

"You’re still able to continue."

"...Why haven’t you died yet?"

In Pengren Wuzhao, with muscles and fascia torn in multiple places throughout his body, he barely managed to control his own form.

"Why haven’t you died? Why haven’t you died yet?"

"Because I can’t die yet."

The blazing blade rose once more as Du Chengfeng gave his answer through his actions.

Yes, he couldn’t die yet. Even though he was all alone, life and death actually didn’t matter much to him, and after going through so many experiences, his views on life and death had long since changed—dying in battle was nothing he couldn’t accept. After all, as long as there is fighting, there will be death; as long as the fight continues, even he will eventually meet his end.

If he didn’t want to die, he simply wouldn’t have come. He could have just hidden away like a rabbit, living out the rest of his half-life.

But he still came; he still chose to battle.

Was it for revenge? To avenge the attack on Li the Carpenter? Maybe that could be an excuse, but he knew himself well enough to know it wasn’t really the case—in fact, before he came, he didn’t even know Pengren Wuzhao was the attacker on Li the Carpenter, so naturally, there was no question of revenge.

So, was it to eliminate harm, or was it to put to rest a once adversarial enemy?

It seemed to be, but it also seemed not to be.

Of course, right now, it truly wasn’t any of those things.

He understood Pengren Wuzhao’s confusion, just as his own heart jumped when he saw the long staff—after all, it was he who saved Li the Carpenter with his own hands, using Pengren techniques, manipulating the power of belief to bring Li the Carpenter back to life when he should have died.

Yet when that Deadly Weapon struck his shoulder, he still felt Li the Carpenter’s will.

That Deadly Weapon was Li the Carpenter, the wooden figure was also Li the Carpenter, so who was the real Li the Carpenter?

Du Chengfeng was also puzzled; he didn’t know either.

But in his current situation, he didn’t need to know.

After all, fighting felt so joyful.

"So, this is who I am."

At this moment, Du Chengfeng had an unprecedented clarity about himself.

Indeed, he once only wanted a peaceful life, all he wanted was a small courtyard, and then he could have a dog or two cats, plant a couple of trees in the courtyard, one date tree, and another date tree... Yet as he gradually walked this path, he would long for battle, he would want to face off against mighty foes, and even knowing danger lay ahead, he would actively walk towards it and confront it.

Before, he thought these two paths were divergent, that peace and danger could not coexist; these two lifestyles couldn’t simultaneously exist, and whichever he chose meant distancing himself from the other.

But now, he understood.

There’s no conflict between these two lifestyles.

He could fully enjoy the peace of a tranquil life and also bravely face those unknown tempestuous waves, just like simple meals and lavish feasts, who says these two cannot be served together on the table?

So, there’s no need for excessive thought, no need to deny anything.

Just enjoy, enjoy this rare jubilation.

"Boom—"

The blazing blade and the gray-black large blade decorated with a mystical bird clashed fiercely, fighting with sheer chaos; the Bladeless Sword and the Brass Magic Sword intertwined with the dancing steel feathers all around, locked in an inseparable struggle, while the retractable spear-like snake burst from the ground, only to be deftly parried by the blood-stained long staff, but Du Chengfeng’s only remaining right fist had already slammed into that staff-wielding hand.

"Bang!"

The heavy punch struck down, shattering three fingers of Pengren Wuzhao’s hand on impact, with the long staff entirely uncontrollable, falling to the ground.

Yet Pengren Wuzhao didn’t intend to pick it up, instead, he swung his fist towards the nearby Du Chengfeng.

"Come!"

Bang!

Both fists landed on each other’s heads; such hammer-like blows could shatter stone and split mountains.

But as seasoned warriors, they easily dissipated the force and then swung even heavier punches.

"Continue!"

Amongst the intertwining blades, their heavy punches flew in every direction, with no moves, no skills left, only the most primitive, most violent fight to the death.

To them, the body was also a weapon, the most primal, yet also the most barbaric weapon.

"It’s a pity I’m not using my own body."

Raising his fist again, Pengren Wuzhao sighed with regret.

But the heavy punch that was supposed to come down only described an arc, brushing past Du Chengfeng’s chest.

It was clear that even a common Jianghu Swordsman, no matter how much martial arts they practiced, couldn’t withstand being used like this by Pengren Wuzhao.

"...Nothing to pity."

Du Chengfeng forced a smile.

His punch did not land either.

The massive blood loss from all the wounds on his body had long since severely drained his strength, at this point he didn’t even have the energy to lift his arm.

"But fortunately, I’m a bit stronger than you."

Lying on the ground, Du Chengfeng looked at Pengren Wuzhao who was also lying down and suddenly laughed.

"I am not fighting alone."

Saying so, a cloaked wooden figure appeared behind him.

That wooden figure tightly gripped the staff with the dried heart impaled upon it.