Chapter Nineteen: The Dragonbone Sword

In an instant, the giant dragon’s form dissolved into nothingness, leaving only the echo of its roar lingering in the air. Rain Fan’s body lost its support, plummeting through the sky like an autumn leaf caught in a fierce gust. The speed was so great it stirred up a violent wind. With a sharp palm strike aimed at the ground, he tried to cushion the impact, but the force still jolted his body, kicking up dust as a thin crack split the earth beneath him.

At this critical moment, the dragon’s figure reappeared mysteriously behind him. Its crimson eyes radiated both cruelty and mockery. It opened its massive maw, and a dazzling, fiery orb gathered in its throat, blazing like a fallen sun, spewing forth with destructive might toward Rain Fan.

His body, like a kite with a severed string, was struck fiercely by the scorching fireball and instantly swallowed by a wave of flames. The fiery glow reflected on his clenched jaw, revealing an unyielding and resolute spirit.

He tumbled through the air several times before crashing heavily against the cold stone wall, sending dust and debris scattering. As he landed, Rain Fan barely managed to raise his upper body. His clothes were tattered, his skin scorched and blackened in many places, yet his eyes blazed defiantly with unwavering determination.

Raindrops mixed with sweat and blood slid down his resolute face, dripping onto the cracked ground below and splashing into tiny droplets—silent witnesses to his indomitable will. The dragon growled lowly as its enormous shadow once again loomed overhead. Yet, in this dire moment, Rain Fan slowly rose to his feet.

His gaze pierced through the rain and smoke, locking eyes with the dragon’s fiery red orbs. A rebellious smile curled at his lips, blood tracing a wild path from the corner of his mouth. Brushing the blood away, his eyes held a mixture of helplessness and defiance. “Damn, you’re really tough to deal with,” he muttered. Then, taking a deep breath, a faint light seemed to gather around him—the resonance of his lingering strength and unyielding spirit.

With a powerful push of his feet against the ground, stones scattered as he vaulted into the air, narrowly avoiding the dragon’s next coiled assault.

In midair, his hands moved swiftly through intricate seals, each motion vibrating the surrounding air as if summoning the purest force of heaven and earth. With a low shout, a blinding light burst forth from his palms, coalescing into a radiant longsword made of pure light.

He slowly raised the arm holding the luminous sword, its tip trembling lightly. Each quiver was accompanied by a subtle roar in the air, like the distant murmur of ancient war drums. Rain Fan’s eyes grew cold and sharp. Parting his thin lips, he uttered an ancient, mysterious syllable that seemed to transcend time and space, instantly activating every ice crystal in the air. They transformed into sharp ice blades, shooting swiftly toward the dragon.

The dragon’s form flickered like a phantom as it teleported behind Rain Fan. Its crimson eyes blazed with desperate madness. It opened its massive jaws, and this time, an even fiercer fireball—hot enough to melt steel—gathered in its throat. Fueled by a will to annihilate, it howled as it hurled the inferno toward Rain Fan’s back.

Anticipating this, Rain Fan remained still, his mind racing at lightning speed. With a flick of his wrist, the sword of light dissolved instantly into a flowing aura that circled his body like a loyal guardian. Then, lightly tapping its tip with his foot, he leapt gracefully—like walking on water—skillfully dodging the fireball that could have burned mountains and seas.

The massive dragon carved a dark trajectory through the air, moving with a speed that seemed to tear the very fabric of space. Its crimson eyes locked onto Rain Fan as the fireball, an apocalyptic blaze riding a storm of destruction, roared closer. Agile as ever, Rain Fan’s sword-light wove an impenetrable net around him. Using the momentum, he lightly tapped the sword with his toes and, like an arrow released from a bow, flipped with an incredible twist, aiming straight for the dragon’s vulnerable belly and back.

Time seemed to freeze in that instant. Rain Fan’s eyes fixed solely on his target. Letting out a fierce roar, the remaining power and indomitable will within him erupted completely. The sword, wrapped in dazzling light, sliced through the air with a piercing whistle, striking at the dragon’s most fragile neck. Wherever the blade passed, the air seemed torn asunder, leaving slender rifts in space—silent witnesses to the ferocity and resolve of the strike.

Enraged by that decisive blow, the dragon’s massive form swelled, its scales bursting with brilliant light. Then, much to everyone’s astonishment, the colossal body gradually shrank, transforming into a humanoid figure—a warrior clad in black battle robes embroidered with intricate dragon patterns. He wielded a massive sword carved from dragon bone, its blade shimmering with eerie blue light, exuding a chilling aura. Most shocking of all, his head was absent, replaced by a swirling mass of dark purple mist, as if harboring boundless rage and power.

He stepped upon the void, each step accompanied by ripples of dragon-ring energy that seemed tangible, encircling him like ancient, mysterious totems capable of swallowing all light. With every heavy footfall, the very space trembled, suffused with oppressive pressure.

Rain Fan’s pupils contracted sharply, his heart overwhelmed with awe and disbelief. He murmured, “Damn, is this… an immortal descending from the heavens?” The humanoid dragon warrior’s every step appeared to tread on invisible stairs, the surrounding dragon-ring energy growing ever denser, as if ancient totems had come alive, their eerie glow distorting the surrounding space. With a gentle swing of his dragon bone sword, ripples spread through the air as though even space itself was cleaved by the blade. Rain Fan felt an unprecedented sense of oppression, as if the entire world trembled, and he, a mere speck of dust, was on the verge of being crushed beneath this overwhelming force.

Drawing a deep breath, Rain Fan suppressed the storm of terror and reverence within. He bent forward slowly, placing his right hand lightly over his left chest, performing an ancient and solemn warrior’s salute. Rainwater trickled down his soaked hair, dripping onto the cracked ground with soft, resolute sounds. His voice was low and sincere, cutting through the rain and wind, echoing beneath the sky heavy with dragon breath.

“Senior, we know each other not through battle alone. If I, Rain Fan, have offended you, I humbly ask for your forgiveness. To spare a life is to cherish a life. Though warriors strive for victory, we also honor life. This fight today is born of necessity; I hope you will impart some wisdom rather than force us into a life-and-death struggle.”

His gaze locked tightly onto the warrior who trod the void, surrounded by swirling dragon rings. Fear surged within him like a tidal wave, making his legs tremble uncontrollably, as if even standing was a luxury. Raindrops and sweat blurred his vision, yet from the depths of his soul, he felt a trembling resonance.

Clenching his teeth, Rain Fan stole a glance at the immortal before him, thinking bitterly, “Is this it? Didn’t expect the opponent to be so strong. Looks like my worthless life is about to end in this broken tower.”

The immortal’s form paused. The invisible staircase seemed to materialize and slowly extended to the ground. Each step caused subtle spatial distortions as he descended. The dragon-ring aura surrounding him gradually withdrew but remained awe-inspiring. His dark purple eyes, visible through the mist, were deep and complex, as if they could pierce the soul. With a gentle gesture, the dragon bone sword transformed into a streak of light, silently vanishing into the void behind him. The lingering chill in the air sent shivers down one’s spine.

“Those who have seen me are dead,” the immortal’s voice was low and long, imbued with an authority that brooked no denial. Each word seemed to echo from ancient times, shaking Rain Fan’s very spirit. His towering figure stood resolute in the rain, like an insurmountable mountain, pressing down so heavily that Rain Fan struggled to breathe.

“Why don’t I kill you?” The immortal’s voice reverberated through the rain, tinged with a subtle hint of puzzlement. He stepped forward slowly, each stride seeming to transcend the bounds of time and space, causing the surrounding air to tremble. Rain Fan looked up, locking eyes with those dark purple depths, feeling an inexplicable surge of courage.

His chest heaving violently, Rain Fan took a deep breath and forced his voice to sound resolute. “Perhaps it is because there remains a trace of mercy in your heart. In this chaotic age, warriors clash often for survival and belief alone. Though I, Rain Fan, am unworthy, I know to revere heaven and earth and respect life. If you are willing to teach me, I will dedicate my lifetime of knowledge to learning from your superior skills, seeking to advance my martial path rather than engage in senseless mortal combat.”