The Oriole Behind the Mantis (Part 6)
Ming Suwen used Shadow Clones to escape Shadow Lady’s attack. Even if Shadow Lady tried to sneak attack Ming Suwen, it would be extremely difficult because even Divine Realm adepts would struggle to tag her when she had mastered Shadow Clones.
Shadow Lady thereupon chopped behind her after being given the slip, timing it so that she’d catch the moment Ming Suwen appeared and before she could clone herself.
Executing “Empty Palms Extremities” with her sword, Ming Suwen torqued herself out of harm’s way for the reason that avoiding the cold internal energy Shadow Lady wielded was the wisest approach.
Momentum still sending her forward, Shadow Lady recalled her energy. The energy collected in Shadow Lady’s hand didn’t assume any fixed form. While her legs were always moving her forward – relative to her target – there was no pattern to her hand attack’s timing, and she could throw from any angle. This rendered the formless nature of Mount Daluo’s “Daluo Void” pointless. In essence, she overcame Ming Suwen’s power with technique. As a defensive fighter, Shadow Lady was one of kind; Hero Shenzhou would have his hands full trying to beat her in a technique contest. Nevertheless, just because a technique was without flaws, it didn’t mean its wielder was flawless.
Ming Suwen couldn’t keep using Daluo Void with her sword after a few exchanges, cueing Shadow Lady in to mount a relentless rush. As a result, Ming Suwen’s clones and Empty Palms’ counters crumbled.
Shadow Lady’s technical finesse was a powerful tool for her, but the real nightmare for her opponent was how fast she adapted to their strategy. Owing to this forte of hers, even Divine Realm adepts would be unable to keep up, forcing them to fall back on physical attributes. Once again, if your opponent was far more technically sound than you, you could only hope to be too fast and too strong for their techniques to work; you can’t defend or counter what you can’t keep up with.
Shadow Lady neither belittled her foes nor overestimated herself. Relying on brute force to win wasn’t a tactic she employed because she believed herself to be too good for her opponent. It was because it was the best strategy for the specific scenario.
Ming Suwen should’ve been extra cautious of Shadow Lady from the moment she acknowledged she wasn’t a match for Ming Feizhen. It, after all, was typical for someone to admit they were inferior to a Divine Realm warrior. If she was abreast of the fact that Shadow Lady’s strategy was formulated after her brief scrap with Hong Jiu, then she’d be regretting not ganging up on Shadow Lady with League of Assassins. If nothing else, at least she would’ve caught Shadow Lady once or twice instead of being frustrated by herself.
Irate, Ming Suwen countered with the resolve to go down with her opponent, thrusting straight for Shadow Lady’s face just as Ming Huayu would’ve done if he was in her shoes. Shadow Lady bobbed, then uppercutted the blade with a finger.
Ming Suwen left a trail of blood behind as she flew back involuntarily because Shadow Lady’s frigid qi nigh froze her meridians. This was Ming Suwen’s first experience with an internal injury.
Those familiar with Ming Suwen’s character figured she had some plan in mind from her conversation with Shadow Lady. By extension, they believed Shadow Lady wouldn’t have her way against the notorious demoness’ cunning ways. In reality, however, strategies wouldn’t have any value in the face of might that Shadow Lady possessed.
Shadow Lady chased Ming Suwen down to punctuate with a palm strike, giving Ming Suwen no breathing room. Just as Hong Jiu had trouble collecting qi after impact, Ming Suwen also faced the same obstacle, not to mention the cold internal energy’s inhibition. Unlike typical yin internal energy, the cold energy was closer to pure cold from ice, so it was difficult to counter it with yang internal energy. Thus, Ming Suwen’s only weapon was her sword.
Ming Suwen took up a defensive tactic to keep Shadow Lady out of range, but the latter was fast – very fast. Although Shadow Lady wasn’t so fast that Ming Suwen’s eyes couldn’t keep up, Shadow Lady had worked out Ming Suwen’s style after three exchanges, limiting Ming Suwen’s options. Before Ming Suwen couldn’t even make her move, Shadow Lady would already be prepared to dismantle Ming Suwen’s intended move. Seven techniques later, Shadow Lady was able to intercept Overarching Heaven three times. On Ming Suwen’s fourth attack, Shadow Lady flicked Ming Suwen’s lust crutch out of her hand.
“You started before I gave rang the bell. You’re cheating,” Ming Suwen complained.
“What do you want, then?”
“We should’ve taken twenty steps back each and then started after the signal to start was given. Have you no shame? Back off now, and we’ll restart.”
Shadow Lady lowered her head for a second. “Denied,” she declared as she clouted Ming Suwen flush on the torso, dropping the latter.
Every tool in Ming Suwen’s arsenal for winning against Divine Realm adepts had been neutralised. The anterior side of her white shirt had been dyed scarlet, and it had no time to dry out.
“The victor has been decided,” declared Shadow Lady.
In the distance, there was Hero Shenzhou. Close by, there was Ming Feizhen and League of Assassins. Shadow Lady never lost track of her aim – to reduce the number of able fighters, which was synonymous with harvesting the heads of Abels, Martial Paragon and Moyan Luohou to start.
Everyone who attempted to stop Shadow Lady from approaching Moyan Luohou ceased breathing for eternity; even Moyan Changping only lasted three exchanges prior to being put out of commission.
Moyan Luohou readied himself to kill his assailant. Shadow Lady, of course, didn’t dive in rashly when she knew he was still capable of inflicting mortal wounds in spite of his severe injuries. After all, he was in a different league to Hong Jiu and Ming Suwen. Against the latter two, Shadow Lady could pressure them. Against Moyan Luohou, she needed to bait him into attacking so that she could counter.
“Why don’t you honour your word?” Ming Suwen, appearance dishevelled, dragged herself to her feet to stop Shadow Lady with her voice. She wiped the blood by her mouth with her wrist, then cast her gaze up. “You beat me? Since when?”
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