676 First Slash

"Why aren't they fighting yet?"

"Half a day has already gone by, and they're still drinking… What are they doing?"

Happy and One Emperor continued to sit by the stone stage while facing each other. One of them poured wine for the other, and that person would drink it. It was as if they were old friends talking to each other, and they did not show any intention to enter a duel to the death, causing quite a number of the players who had come over with great curiosity to feel very gloomy, and they complained nonstop.

Every single time such voices rose in the crowd, someone else would immediately look at them with scorn.

"It's not as if they're here to put on a show."

"That's right. They didn't ask you to buy tickets to watch them fight either. This has always been a fight they agreed to in private, so what does it have to do with you? You're watching from the sidelines, and you're still making so much noise…"

The people who complained would fall silent when the others criticized them and continued to wait once they calmed their hearts.

*****

The voices in the crowd gradually turned silent. It was only then that Happy and One Emperor looked at each other and smiled.

"At the very least, there are some who have a sound mind in the crowd, or else, we wouldn't have our duel today."

"That's right, if too many people make noise on the side, I'd feel agitated. I wouldn't be able to hold back and want to commit mass murder."

"Since that's the case…" One Emperor spoke with a drawl when he said these words. His gaze on Happy's face gradually turned much sharper. "Let's not delay things much further. When I lost to you during the fight to accumulate points in Hero's Mountain Villa, I was a little reluctant to admit defeat. This time, I can fight to my heart's content against you."

"You didn't kill at Spirit Snake Island, and this time, you might not have the chance to."

Happy's tit-for-tat answer caused One Emperor to stand up with a laugh. "Come."

The two of them disappeared from the spot practically at the same time.

The group of people watching from the distance felt dazzled. The two players instantly appeared on a large empty space not too far away. They were less than sixty-five feet away from each other.

Silence fell among them.

Many eyes in the crowd lit up. Then, they noticed that neither of the fighters had taken the weapons from the stone stage.

The ancient divine weapon Heaven Crystal and the third-echelon high-grade divine weapon Seventh Sword were both in their original positions. They were right next to the pot of wine and wine cups and were not put away.

The eyes of many players began sparkling when they saw it from their positions in the crowd.

However, if they wanted to reach the stone stage by the cliff, they had to pass through the spot where Happy and One Emperor were about to fight.

This discovery made them feel as if a basin of cold water that chilled their bones had been poured over their heads, and it got rid of many people's restless thoughts.

But they still had great admiration for Happy and One Emperor's unruly and bold trust toward each other.

If it were anyone normal and they had something so important, they would definitely not let it leave their side. They would not put them in public and abandon them while they did something else.

"Aren't you going to use that weapon?"

Happy was surprised when One Emperor brought out the black longsword he used in the past, not Seventh Sword, which stood at the top of Divine Weapon Rank!

One Emperor laughed heartily. "That weapon is just a game item that I created on a whim. It's somewhat useful when I have to fight against many people, but if I have to fight against you, I find this weapon easier to use."

He stopped talking for a while as his gaze landed on Happy's Golden Gloves. "I refuse to believe that the clan master of Mu Clan does not have a better weapon as well."

"Hah. I'm the same as you. This is something that I've become used to, and if I suddenly change it, I'll find it hard to make best use of it."

Happy might have said that, but in truth, he just did not want to reveal the fourth-echelon Heavenly Silk King Ice Gloves, especially in front of so many people. Also, he needed to be close to his enemy if he wanted to Heavenly Silk King Ice Gloves go bring forth its effects. There were a lot of restraining factors to it, and the difference would not be big if he had or did not have that weapon.

"I heard that Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms will be stronger the further into the fight you are. My sword technique is different. It can bring forth its greatest damage at any moment I desire."

One Emperor caressed his sword gently, and his tone was stern.

Happy let his smile drop when he replied without batting an eyelid. "You specialize in fatal sword techniques, and your skills with the sword have reached transcendence… but I've learned a lot of martial arts, and you might not know all of them."

"If that's the case…"

One Emperor slowly lifted his black longsword and looked at Happy.

The hoarse scratching sound of the longsword against the sword sheath rose.

In an instant, the entire area outside the empty ground fell silent. The wind stopped moving, and the air became still. There was only the sound of One Emperor drawing his sword, and it was very clear.

A great pressure fell upon the crowd, and as the longsword was drawn, it gave everyone the feeling that a mighty weight fell against their heart.

It was incredibly heavy!

At the moment One Emperor drew his sword, a heat wave spread out of Happy's body and quickly swept outward.

Happy had his hands placed behind his back and stood with his back straight.

But his sleeves had started fluttering slightly.

Whoosh!

The heat wave stirred up a gust of hot wind over the silent ground.

With Happy as its center, the violent gust of wind swept out. The dew on the grass around them swiftly evaporated.

One Emperor noticed the change in temperature around him, and he immediately realized that the power he sent through the area seemed to be blocked by an incredibly tenacious force. When the power he brought forth reached an area thirty-two feet away from Happy, it could not advance any longer.

A light crease appeared between his eyebrows. For the first time ever, One Emperor showed a solemn expression in front of other players.

The people watching the fight held their breaths.

Even though the duo had yet to officially start fighting, their movements had already stirred up the onlookers' hearts. Everyone held their breaths as they focused their attention on the duo in the field. They did not blink, because they did not want to miss even a single scene.

Clang!

The longsword was drawn.

A clear sword whine rose into the air.

At the moment the sword tip left the sword sheath, it was as if a black sword glare shot out.

Whoosh!

All gazes turned to Happy.

A violent gust of wind swept out from his body. He moved minimally and remained in his original spot.

A barely audible sound rose, and the area fell silent again.

Quite a number of players in the crowd rubbed their eyes vigorously.

They were not mistaken.

One Emperor had one hand on his sword sheath while the other held his sword skyward. He stood on the ground quietly.

Happy remained in his original position.

It did not seem like the fight had already started.

But there were a few people in the crowd who managed to see the secret. They knew that a lightning fast exchange of blows had happened moments earlier.

However, because of the tense atmosphere between the duo, no one had the time or energy to explain to the people beside them. They did not want to miss out on the fight nor interrupt the fighters.

Happy's calm and collected expression made admiration come to One Emperor's face. It seemed like he had expected that to happen.

"This is the first time someone managed to avoid my sword slash so easily. But the next few slashes will not be as easy."

"I look forward to your seventh slash."

Even though Happy avoided the first slash, there was no hint of joy or relief on his face. He did not dare to relax or slack in the fight. He paid full attention to all the slight changes Nine Divine Yang Skill provided to him as feedback.

When One Emperor saw that Happy seemed intent to face his sword techniques head-on, a hint of surprise showed up on his face. 'Happy seems to have given up on his advantage in close-quarters combat. His hopes of winning will be lower then.'

But Happy knew very clearly that One Emperor's sword technique was too strong. It was only when he paid full attention and fought with everything that he had that he might be able to withstand One Emperor's seventh sword. He could not have his attention diverted during that time.