The Red-Haired Demon Blade was acting unusually tonight.
Unlike last time, he didn't attack Xu Taiping immediately but instead scrutinized him carefully.
Finally, his gaze fell on the Severing Water blade at Xu Taiping's waist.
"So, this is what you've prepared for tonight over the past month?"
The Red-Haired Demon Blade glanced at the Severing Water blade and then sneered at Xu Taiping.
Clearly, the Red-Haired Demon Blade misunderstood, thinking Xu Taiping intended to use Duan Tianya's Severing Water blade against him, not knowing that Xu Taiping couldn't even draw the blade.
Xu Taiping remained noncommittal.
There was no need to expose his weakness. Even if he couldn't draw the Severing Water blade, it could still serve as a deterrent.
"A few days ago, the one who suppressed my blade's power was the owner of this blade, right?"
Mentioning the Severing Water blade, the Red-Haired Demon Blade uncharacteristically didn't get angry but instead patiently asked Xu Taiping.
"Yes, his name is Duan Tianya, a blade cultivator," Xu Taiping nodded.
"Duan Tianya, never heard of him. Or maybe I just don't remember," the Red-Haired Demon Blade shook his head.
"However, his blade's power had a certain charm. If you can bring him to spar with me, I might consider letting you live a bit longer."
He then looked at Xu Taiping again.
As he spoke, the usually murky eyes of the Red-Haired Demon Blade brightened slightly.
"Duan Tianya has already passed away," Xu Taiping shook his head.
"Passed away, huh."
Upon hearing this, the Red-Haired Demon Blade looked melancholic.
"Yes, he's gone."
Xu Taiping nodded earnestly.
"He passed his blade on to you?"
The Red-Haired Demon Blade looked again at the Severing Water blade at Xu Taiping's waist.
"And his blade manual."
Xu Taiping nodded and added.
"You're not worthy."
The Red-Haired Demon Blade coldly stared at Xu Taiping.
Upon hearing that Duan Tianya had died, the slight warmth in his eyes vanished, returning to their initial coldness.
"But Duan Lao thought I was worthy."
Xu Taiping's composure wasn't shaken by the Red-Haired Demon Blade's denial.
As he spoke, he placed his hand on the hilt of his blade, sensing the familiar killing intent from the Red-Haired Demon Blade.
"I said, you are not worthy!"
After enunciating "you are not worthy" word by word, the Red-Haired Demon Blade's figure suddenly turned into a blur.
"Boom!" A blade light slashed down, nearly grazing Xu Taiping's face.
"Whoosh!" Having anticipated the Red-Haired Demon Blade's killing intent, Xu Taiping dodged at the last moment.
Even so, he paid the price of an arm.
As he dodged the strike, he swiftly drew the Spring Tiger saber from his waist, pivoted on one foot, and raised the saber, merging his blade's power with the saber's momentum.
"Too slow!"
Just as Xu Taiping raised his saber, the Red-Haired Demon Blade had already turned, his long blade sweeping horizontally without warning.
"Boom!…"
As the Red-Haired Demon Blade's blade swept out, an invisible force seemed to press down on his blade's power.
Though it was only a brief moment, it was enough for Xu Taiping to slash with his Spring Tiger saber.
"Zhi!——" With a piercing sound like a cicada's cry, a blade shadow, thin as a cicada's wing but two to ten meters wide and over thirty meters long, slashed towards the Red-Haired Demon Blade.
Having broken free from the Cicada's Cry blade's power, the Red-Haired Demon Blade didn't dodge or use his blade realm's power but instead met the attack head-on.
A blade shadow, entirely black like a massive rock, collided with the thin blade shadow of the Cicada's Cry.
"Boom!" In the explosive clash, Xu Taiping was forced back by a powerful recoil, the bones in his body cracking.
"Ugh!" After finally stabilizing himself, he couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.
The Red-Haired Demon Blade, however, remained unmoved.
But now, his gaze towards Xu Taiping was filled with surprise and confusion.
As Xu Taiping coughed violently, he looked down at his chest, seeing a thin wound slashed across it.
Though shallow, it was indeed a wound.
More importantly, to block Xu Taiping's strike, the Red-Haired Demon Blade had for the first time used his life-bound weapon, a long-handled straight blade with a rough, rock-like blade—"Evil Come."
"This is Duan Tianya's blade technique."
The Red-Haired Demon Blade plunged the menacing, evil-spirited blade, Evil Come, into the ground, then looked at Xu Taiping expressionlessly.
"Yes," Xu Taiping nodded, wiping the blood from his mouth, then raised the Spring Tiger saber again.
"One month?" the Red-Haired Demon Blade asked again.
"Yes," Xu Taiping began to circle the Red-Haired Demon Blade with his saber.
"One more strike. If you can force me to use Evil Come, I will restore your body. If not, I will make you wish you were dead, then restore your body."
As he spoke, the Red-Haired Demon Blade put away the large blade and switched to an ordinary ring-hilted saber.
At the same time, he used his blade realm's power to instantly heal Xu Taiping's injuries.
Feeling the pain disappear, Xu Taiping's lips curled slightly.
"As I guessed, the Demonic Severing Blade has piqued his interest. This is a good start."
With this thought, he raised the Spring Tiger saber, his body flying forward with a roar, and once again slashed at the Red-Haired Demon Blade with the Cicada's Cry.