Despite all the swaggering by both sides, neither had made a move since then. Especially Grisla; he toed the line of an invisible fence, searching with his eyes as he analyzed the metaphorical no-man’s land. Since he hadn’t been immediately killed afterwards, it had to mean that there is a limited boundary. What he’s doing now is dancing around the circumference. Checking his feet. Checking his enemy. Ji Nan stood as he were; a paragon of patience he tried to be, but the anticipation of watching Grisla make the wrong step, take the wrong judgement and become scattered pieces over the stone made him look jittery on close observation.

Once upon a time, the very thought of daring to battle in such a place would have its transgressors face a fate worse than death; but that’s a story for another time.

Grisla raised his foot, and Ji Nan stared. His fingers were in preparation to deliver an edict from God. The foot captivated his attention. Grisla hovered over the boundary with it, searching for a safe spot, if his surmising was wrong—then he would die, and that would be the end of it. The period to his journey.

The boy couldn’t take another direct blow. He managed to mitigate the damage by allowing his extremities to take the full brunt of it, however that can only work for so long. And the extent of the damage, showed with the drips and drops that followed him.

He brought his foot down. Ji Nan’s grin widened like a carpet rollout. Fingers raising in slow motion, to tell Grisla he was wrong. That he made a mistake, just before the curtain falls. However—his boot froze.

It was if the spell had been cast on Ji Nan too. Grisla’s knotted and sweat-stained hair allowed a few breaks in the jungle for his eyes. Smiling happily at the man he’d swore he’d kill.

Grisla shook his head. Retrieved his foot, and the contestants returned to neutral.

S’long as I stay outside of his area, then there’s nothing he can do to me. Back in the Northern Wilderness, he’s had no direct abilities to damage me from afar. Not so long ago, other than that sneak attack he couldn’t get a direct blow on me either. If I guess correctly, he has nothing to challenge me if I stay away from him. But conversely… I’ve nothing on him, as well. I’ve burned through my knives, and, obviously there’s no use for a formation here. Even if I had the talismans left to do it.

Grisla looked around.

“Hello…? Anybody home, Grisla Orlith? This blood-feud is beginning to become dreadfully boring.” Ji Nan said, impatience evident.

Grisla took note of that and continued to ignore him as he rested in his thoughts. Strolling the circumference all the while. Looking down at his feet, and then up to Ji Nan brought a small grin to his face. It’s certain. He can’t do a thing to me out here. Explains why he’s persistent in trying to bait me. How pathetic, both of us are.

If I can’t defend against them, can’t avoid them… then…

A spark of an idea came.

There was a strong compulsion to kick himself. Or, just let Ji Nan kill him instead of convincing himself about this idea, which was crazy in and of itself. If Seri were to read his thoughts, she’d propose that their substitute candidate was in fact, a half-step beyond marginally insane. Was it spurred on from the time in Limbo, or did it so happen that he was always unhinged and there wasn’t any time to display it, till the events of this week? Should he think about a psychological analysis, it’d be dishonest to do it from his perspective.

A plan is better than no plan. Not like I can ditch either way.

Ji Nan made a face. “What’re you doing?” Underneath all this tension, his opponent decided it’d be the best use of his time to try out an exercise regimen. The boy stretched his legs, pulled his arms behind his head. But for what reason? He thought. “Surely, you’re not thinking of…”

“Yep.”

“You're joking! You’re fast. But even your speed can’t avoid the explosions! In the end, you’re still just a Solidification realm cultivator! Even some Houtian experts can’t avoid this!”

“Won’t know if I try, right?”

“But you did.”

Grisla shrugged, “Eh, second time’s the charm.”

Ji Nan felt as if his brain would rot continuing to converse with someone at such a level. “Fine. But I am… rather disappointed. Killing you has been the most fun I’ve felt in quite a while, despite you being an uppity insect and all.”

“Should I be flattered?”

“Feel whatever you can, for however much long you have to live. I insist.”

Grisla threw himself back into his sprinter’s stance again. “I’ll start carrying a notepad next time I leave home, some of these big bad threats are good material.”

Ji Nan raised his two fingers to Grisla. Anywhere else, Ji Nan would be looking like a general of many victories; with a personal sendoff for his armies to conquer another province. And Grisla, a beast that had to be tamed but no cage or wilds could hold him. Their standoff had reached its peak. This would be the decisive moment.

Grisla exhaled. It’s so strange… I should be afraid, and yet, there’s nothing inside me.

This wasn’t the first time he’s had such an experience. Back in the Wilderness, and a little bit years ago when Xinrei and he were equals.

Little did Grisla know, his successive battles, sitting on the trapeze between life and death; had delivered unto him a mindset many young cultivators do not access until later in their years, after wading through an eventful encounter that decides their fate, much like now for him. But he was baptized long before any of them and, a subset may never stand within those gates.

Before cultivators, there were mortals. Who trained like the cultivators of today did, in varying intensities for their specializations. The strong, swift, cunning, and intelligent all worked what they had to deliver results from their training, in a sense, they were the original cultivators. Skilled fighters and duelists had to reach an outlook where, if death may find them, then like it be as fated. But, until that day—their focus is in the battle. Nothing may misdirect that.

Before battle instinct, a mindset must be achieved.

Both children had long passed that checkpoint. To be a dragon amongst sheep—it is required.

Grisla made his move. His foot crossed the threshold, and before either of them took a breath. Ji Nan—his fingers—swiped his paintbrush down an invisible canvas. Light bloomed from below the would-be victim. Ji Nan wouldn’t hold out in reserve any longer, as he beamed a smile in knowing that it is over. Victory is a guarantee.

However, Grisla Orlith nearly dove for the floor; hands sprawled out beneath him, he looked as if he were trying to forfeit the battle and beg for forgiveness. As they both are aware that is not the case. A grey aura flashed to his hands. But the light was coming, the light was coming, and the reaper had never looked so bright.

“Goodbye,” Ji Nan said.

…And then, it dimmed. Till it died.

Grisla was still there, looking as if he’d been beaten, tortured, and beaten again for good measure but still there. But a smile not unlike Ji Nan’s came over him.

“What?!” Ji Nan tried again, his fingers stabbed space to activate the talisman beneath Grisla, “I don’t believe it…”

“Believe it,” he winked, “and bask in my greatness. Now… die?”

His sprint restarted, unbroken by the sudden shift in momentum. With his speed, and Ji Nan’s stationary tact it would be but two breaths to close the distance. Something that cannot—will not—be tolerated, by Ji Nan.

“Grisla!” Ji Nan swiped his fingers. “Just go away already!”

The scene repeated itself, and as before, Grisla touched the floor. “Not yet.” The grey killed the light, and he pushed on.

“I don’t understand! How?”

Ji Nan, being the experienced warrior that he is, wasn’t in need of a third reminder of a failing plan. Immediately abandoning the formation and drawing his Soul Projected hammer in defense from the sudden assault.

Grisla blinked. There it is.

While charging at him, he prepared a fist. In comparison to any of Grisla’s earlier battles, techniques and attacking preferences, this one was an oddity. The fist was low, hanging back as if scared to approach when ready. As he rapidly increased in speed, there was no mistake—he intended to finish this in one blow; it almost looked like the boy was trying to run through his opponent than anything else. Using ‘Steps of the Alpha’ in conjunction with this… theoretical fist will leave him empty. Climbing off the trapeze only to end up back at the same crossroad.

In spite of their mutually shared hatred, their battle sense and judgement aligned similarly. Ji Nan’s muscles bulged through his vest, veins at the precipice to bursting. He too, intended to end it all with one strike.

Grisla screamed. Ji Nan screamed. Their war cries carrying throughout all passageways in their vicinity; spreading out and reaching depths and abysses unexplored to date. In some chambers it would be as if the battle has been reenacted; voices captured so perfectly. Allowing anyone, to replay and estimate the outcome of such a fight.

A bloody fist collided with a hammer of great power.

It was anticlimactic.

At the moment of impact, there wasn’t an overwhelming victor. Instead, to the dumbstruck Ji Nan—the world stopped making sense that day.

Grisla’s fist touched the Soul Projection. It imitated steel in many ways, but it’s not. When they collided—a victor was decided without its owner’s will. The unstoppable force had met the immoveable object. But, in a flipping of sense and reason, it was defeated. The hammer dissipated upon contact. Ji Nan’s eyes wanted to fall out of their sockets. It intensified, because after his hammer had vanished Grisla’s fist had not lost an ounce of power. In fact, his fist's contact with the hammer was so brief it was as if they never touched at all. So, with that gone all there was to block this attack would be Ji Nan’s body itself. The shock rattled his thinking, he couldn’t muster up a defense in time.

In the end, a payload of Juva and Grisla’s hate slammed into Ji Nan's chest, sending him to darkness.