The arena echoed with cheers and boos as Jian Li and Liu walked toward the edges of the stage to prepare for battle.

Jian Li was not able to witness Liu's first fight on the stage but since they had fought the spirit beasts together, Jian Li had an idea about her capabilities.

She knew that she would need to watch closely as Liu could somehow turn into mist and reappear with a dangerous attack.

The two women stood on opposite sides, both staring intensely as their bodies flashed golden, healing their previous wounds.

As the healing light disappeared, Meng Liang spoke.

"Alright these two young ladies need no further introduction, it's now time to start!", the voice boomed.

They held onto their swords and readied themselves, their blades shimmering in the sun as they waited patiently.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew and Jian Li noticed Liu disappearing, followed by a blast of air as she appeared in midair with her both of her wooden swords aimed toward Jian Li.

Instantly, Jian Li leapt backwards to avoid her deadly blow as Liu flew over her.

"Let's get this started.", Liu said as her smile vanished from her face. Jian Li looked at Liu as she felt her heart skip a beat in surprise.

She was used to seeing Liu with a smile on her face no matter what, but this Liu had a mysterious look to her and she seemed dangerous, especially now with the strange mist emitting from her skin.

Liu vanished again as if by magic, reappearing right in front of Jian Li as the arena echoed with piercing screams and clapping from the crowds.

The spectators gasped in astonishment when Liu attacked, moving around like water, avoiding her blows easily as she blocked her sword strikes effortlessly.

She dodged every attack without any difficulty as Jian Li felt the sweat running down her face.

Liu's movements had an unusual flow. There was no fear in her expression, and her aura seemed calm as if everything in the world revolved around her.

Her movements had a gracefulness to them as if her entire existence flowed around her like water, never slowing, flowing freely and changing directions in a split second. It was almost as if she was dancing.

But one thing that Jian Li noticed was that Lou's strikes were not as powerful as Zhang Yi's. The way Liu fought seemed to lack some strength behind it.

Every time Jian Li tried to force her to trade blows with her, Liu always backed off and tried attacking from a different angle.

Everyone could clearly see that Jian Li was the one on her back foot, as the attacks coming at her from her enemy came faster and faster.

"I have to try it now. If there are no openings, I'll make one for myself.", Jian Li thought to herself.

With that thought in mind, Jian Li began focusing on the Jian Family Art of Refinement, readying to summon her other weapons just like she had done against Zhang Yi.

Sudden flashes of light appeared around them as the wooden weapons were summoned.

Liu reappeared right next to Jian Li and lunged with both her weapons at her neck. Liu didn't even glance at the summoned weapons as she moved forward to attack.

Jian Li summoned a wooden spear in her other hand as both of them were going to trade blows.

But in the middle of her attack, Liu moved backwards and vanished, leaving nothing but empty space where the spear would have hit.

Liu didn't give her a chance to take a breath as she appeared again right beside Jian Li, slashing her with both of her blades and pushing her away with the sheer strength behind the blow.

Liu disappeared once more as if she was trying to avoid Jian Li's slow strikes, appearing behind Jian Li.

The crowd roared as Liu landed another slash at Jian Li's back and sent her flying across the stage.

Liu was breathing heavily while looking at Jian Li, a cold glint in her eyes as she turned into mist again.

The audience gasped when Jian Li jumped backwards, barely evading the blade thrusting towards her chest.

"Faster!", Jian Li shouted as she struck Liu hard, causing her to lose balance and stumble back.

“You are not bad, but you are still too slow.”, Liu said as she looked at Jian Li.

She was slightly caught off guard by her lack of strength behind her spear.

He Yu's eyes narrowed as she watched Jian Li fight.

"Harder!", Jian Li swung again but the strike lacked speed as Liu vanished again, ready to strike her again.

Jian Li resummoned her sword as it shone with a silver light, channelling the Jian Family Art of Refinement and the True Sword Art together.

She had to be faster and strike harder.

Liu appeared right in front of Jian Li, her twin blades flashing as she slashed at Jian Li.

Just like earlier, Jian Li burst with sudden speed as her glowing wooden sword struck Liu.

Momentarily, Liu felt like she could parry her but something changed as the weight behind Jian Li’s wooden blade became unbearable.

Liu’s eyes widened in surprise as she couldn’t stop Jian Li’s strike from striking her shoulder.

The blow knocked Liu backward as her head smacked hard into the floor, causing blood to spurt out of her mouth.

"Damn, she's so strong!", Liu cried in pain as she sat up and looked at Jian Li with disbelief in her eyes. Her whole body hurt from her fall on the stage.

Jian Li’s blade fell out of her hands to the ground with a heavy thumb as she breathed heavily.

There was a noticeable crack in the place it fell.