Chapter 232: I Cannot Stand You


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    Liu Jin walks into Rainstorm City, and the city grows darker and colder in his wake.


    Lei Kong and Ten Zichun are with the soldiers outside. Soaring Feather has left to carry a message to the Brotherhood of Thunder. Considering the eagles speed, Leader Liu has surely read the letter by now and is panicking about it.


    There are more soldiers in the city than usual. None look like thezy, drunken fools City Lord Lei kept around his manor. From the quality of their Qi to their bearing, they arepletely different. Some have simr features to Lei Kong and the City Lord. They are probably members of the Lei n sent from Thunder de Fortress. They might even be the ones who killed the citizens of Drizzle Town.


    They are not Liu Jins concern right now. Even City Lord Lei matters little.


    Liu Jin understood who his real target should be the moment he got close to the city. He walks through the streets of Rainstorm City, and none dares stop him. Even the soldiers of the Lei n hide away from him. When Liu Jin enters one of the overly bright, alcohol-scented casinos, the people start fleeing the ce by the dozen.


    All but one.


    Han waits for him on the other side of a casino table. There is a roulette wheel still spinning there. Han waits until it stops to look up and wave at him.


    I was wondering how long itd take you to get here, Han says.


    You had the people of Drizzle Town killed.


    The lights in the room dim as Liu Jin speaks. Had his aura not already made everyone but him and Han flee the premises, someone would have fainted right there and then.


    I did, Han replies, not showing even an ounce of fear. I figured that would get your attention. City Lord Lei was not so sure. You have him convinced youre just a coward, but I knew better. You fought against me in the Eastern Port City Tournament despite knowing I was looking for an excuse to maim you. Cowardice has never been a w of yours.


    Liu Jin tilts his head slightly as he looks at Han.


    Thest time they met, Han had unsessfully tried to murder him. However, the Han that had easily been fought off by him and Lei Kong is not the same as the creature that sits before him. He is at ease with himself. Confident. Almost smug. He is even bringing up Eastern Port City, whereas the mere mention of his past would have annoyed him before.


    Curious.


    The Lei n broke you out. I already figured out that much,


    Correct, but if asked about it, they will deny it and say I broke out on my own. Han snorts. As if the general cared about something as stupid as usible deniability. Idiots, but they are useful idiots right now.


    Liu Jin frowns. His Qi thirsts for violence, yet he forces himself to take a seat in front of Han.


    If we fight and you win, the City Lord will be rid of me, leaving the Lei n free to go after Lei Kong, Liu Jin surmises. If we fight and you lose, the City Lord will say I started a brawl in his city and killed his people, leaving him no choice but to put me down. Is that the n?


    Correct, Han says, giving the wheel a spin. It is impossible for people like us to fight in a ce like this and not get others caught in it. Thats why you have been ring your aura so menacingly all this time, isnt it? Youre trying to scare away everyone in the city.


    Liu Jin nods. If the City Lords soldiers try to stop the people from fleeing, his men have orders to intervene. Thats why he left them in front of the city gates.


    Even if that works, it wont matter. The City Lord will im you went crazy regardless. Han snorts. Of course, that is only if you win. I have no intention of losing.


    I never imagined you would.


    Im supposed to tell you there are twenty members of the Lei n in the City Lords house right now, Han says. Theyre prepared to take your woman hostage the moment our fight starts. Should you win, they are the ones who will attack you.


    I am aware, Liu Jin says. I sensed them the moment I entered the city.


    Han hums. You do not care?


    I believe the Lei n will have twenty fewer members should they try anything. Mei is nowhere near as merciful or forgiving as I.


    I figured.


    The wheel stops spinning. Itnds on zero.


    Why are you here? Liu Jin asks. Why this?


    Hans face twists with rage. His aura res like jagged knives.


    You dare to ask that after wounding the very core of my very being?! He shouts. I am here to kill you! Once I do, once you no longer exist, the wound will be gone, and I will be a more perfect version of myself.


    I see. Liu Jins frown deepens. The logic behind Hans words is not wrong, yet So thats the answer you arrived at.


    You speak as if there could be another one! The knives around Han howl and cut into the table, spilling the tokens to the floor. Every day after <em>you let me go</em>, it hurt! When I walked. When I breathed. When I slept. It all <em>hurt</em>!


    Han stops and takes a deep breath. His aura rxes. The knives stop screeching.


    But when I think of ending you, it all bes better, Han says, his voice almost a hiss. I think clearly. I <em>see</em> clearly. I know once I kill you, Ill go beyond.


    There is an almost maddened zeal in Hans eyes. It focuses his anger and gives it a goal. A purpose.


    Do you want to know how Xiao Nan died?


    Liu Jins expression does not change, yet the air around him stills.


    What?


    You were always pathetically following him everywhere, Han says, reaching to pick the small white ball from roulette and crushing it. I figured you would be curious about how he died. You must have thought about it once or twice.


    Liu Jin says nothing. A table cracks next to them.


    The general once had three Heaven Realm cultivators at his side, all soldiers handpicked by him. One of them was the son of Lei Leji, the Lei ns leader. The night Eastern Port City fell, Xiao Nan fought all three and killed two. Well, what else can you expect from the prodigy of Eastern Port City? Han shrugs his shoulders, a mocking smirk on his face. But the third one, that one killed him. He tore him apart so savagely that there wasnt a body left to show the general. I think you already met him.


    One face appears in Liu Jins mind. He instantly knows the name Han is about to utter.


    Bright Sword, Han says. He leans in, putting his elbows on the table. Tell me, how does it feel knowing you were face to face with the person who killed Xiao Nan?


    Liu Jin takes a deep breath.


    His fist smashes into Hans face, shattering the room around them and sending Han flying into the wall. As he crashes into it, Han twists his body in midair, his leg drawing an arc that fires off a de of Qi toward Liu Jin. Just by taking shape, it breaks the entire casino in half, exposing them to the light of day as the ceiling cracks like an egg.


    Before the Qi de has cleared a single yard, Liu Jin and Han have already left the crumbling building. Hans attack carves a line all the way to the city wall, destroying dozens of streets and houses. The dust has not even finished clearing when Han fires off another de. The sound it makes as it disces the air is almost like a scream.


    Three gigantic snakes made of Qi rise and catch the Qi de with their fangs, squeezing and shattering it like ss.


    [Ground Contraction]


    Neither the dust nor the wreckage stop Liu Jin from knowing where Han is. His Qi screams far too loudly to go unnoticed. Liu Jin appears right in front of Han, the aura around his body morphing into the head of a snake, ready to bite down on Han.


    None of that!


    The ground breaks. Even the clouds above them are split in half as Hans Qi fires multiple furious knives, forcing Liu Jin to move back. Han and Liu Jin end up standing on opposite roofs of barely standing houses.


    I have to take him away from the city to stop people from getting caught in our crossfire, Han mocks him by pointing out his intentions. Did you really think Id let you get away with that a second time?


    Liu Jin does not answer. He merely keeps his gaze trained on Han, trying to figure out how to best approach this fight.


    You have done your best to scare away people, but what does that matter? Han shouts, spreading his arms to gesture at the devastation just a few techniques from him have caused. How many people who didnt run away do you think I killed just now? Even those who ran arent safe. Unless they can suddenly be ten miles away from this city, theyre all just coteral damage waiting to happen.


    Han smirks.


    And not just mine from my techniques but yours as well, right?


    His handes down.


    In a fraction of a second, Liu Jins Qi snakes rise up to catch and break the iing de. In that same fraction of a second, Han is already mere feet away from Liu Jin. He thrusts his hand like a spear at Liu Jins face. Liu Jin leans out of the way, but the slightest brush is enough to leave a deep cut on his cheek.


    Did you block instead of dodging because there were people in that direction? Han yells as he keeps attacking him. Every swing of his hand slices a different house. Each jab makes the air screech.


    Liu Jin does not reply. His aura takes the shape of dozens of snakes that seek to overwhelm Han.


    No poison this time?! Hans aura is like a hundred sharpened knives that stab every snake that gets close to him. He doesnt even seem to be doing it consciously. His aura is just reacting to the danger. Are you scared you wont be able to control how it spreads?


    The tip of Liu Jins ear is cut off. One of his sleeves is sliced. The injuries heal immediately, but it is telling that there are no such wounds on Hans body.


    Is that why you wont use lightning? Are you really so arrogant? Hans Qi surges violently, and Liu Jin sees he has no choice but to doge his next attack. The Qi de that follows tears through several streets.


    City Lord Lei, fool that he is, probably never realized how much damage theyd be doing to his city when he agreed to this n.


    If you userge attacks, you risk hurting others. If you try to run away, Ill chase after the people instead of you. You cannot fight me at a distance because you fear the coteral damage from my attacks. You cannot fight me at close range because then youre under the effect of my Dao. Hans grin grows as he lists off Liu Jins problems. Remember that?


    Liu Jin does not have the luxury to wince as one of Hans attacks slices his side. The cut is shallow, but it hurts.


    With every sh, the truth of Hans words bes clear. Hans attacks gradually get closer to their mark, while Liu Jins counterattacks be less and less effective. He can hold his own, but thats not nearly enough, and his efforts to limit the damage to the city only hamper him further. Liu Jin had hoped City Lord Lei would order his soldiers to interfere upon seeing the damage Han is causing, but it seems that wont happen, and Lei Kong and Ten are busy at the gates with the soldiers, helping the people escape.


    Its fine, Liu Jin tells himself. He ignores Hans taunts and his crazedughter. He ignores the pain and only focuses on the task at hand.


    He just needs one opening.


    Its over! Han yells as his leg is about toe down on his head. The Qi about to be unleashed will split the entire city block in half.


    Liu Jin does not dodge.


    He faces the attack head-on, creating a denseyer of Qi around himself, multiple snakesyered on top of another. Offense and defense sh, canceling each other out. For a moment, its just Liu Jin and Han before one another, Han still in midair.


    A needle appears between Liu Jins fingers. A thinyer of white poisonous Qi shines around it.


    He strikes.


    Han had only been half-right earlier. Liu Jin did refrain from more overt disys of poison out of fear of it spreading too far out. The level of poison required to hamper Han would also kill several lesser people.


    However, Liu Jin also refrained from more subtle disys of poison precisely for this moment. To lower Hans guard. Liu Jin has been building up poisonous Qi inside of him all this time, and now its all focused on a single needle. At this distance, in this position, Hans Dao cannot save him. Even a single graze will turn the tide in his favor.


    You arrogant ass!


    The air screeches. It is as if a picture were being torn in half. Liu Jins aim is suddenly off by a wide margin, and Hans leges down hard on his shoulder. Liu Jin winces as the earth cracks under him. He dashes away, but the damage is done. Blood, Liu Jins blood, drips to the ground. The wound on his shoulder is deep.


    I told you! Han roars at him. I am aware of it now! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! But I know I can do it! Did you think itd be the same as before?


    He is panting. Despite his words, whatever just happened took a toll on him.


    And yet


    Hans aura feels somehow sharper.


    You told me the world had made me an ugly thing! Well, look at you! Binding yourself to weak creatures you dont even know and hampering yourself for their benefit! Its unsightly! Do you understand? As long as Im myself and youre yourself, there is no way you can win against me!


    I cant stand you.


    That puts a stop to Han. For the first time, Liu Jin is ring at him.


    Logically, I know you have gone through much. Perhaps, you had no other choice but to be what you are. And yet, I see you, and I think what a waste it is for you to be the one that survived, Liu Jin says tonelessly, his aura simmering around him, working to heal his wounds. I see you, and all I see is a meaningless, hollow existence.


    Han spits to the side.


    Meaningless? You think you get to decide that?! Youre so arrogant its sickening! You cant stand me? Fine! I cant stand you either! The worlds full of people who cant stand each other! Han yells. His knives scream alongside him. Thats why we do this!


    The anger in Liu Jins fades, reced by a sad smile. That, too, onlysts for a moment.


    Only resolution remains.


    I know.


    The battle to death begins anew in the crumbling streets of Rainstorm City.


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