The woman reacted instantly.
Her sword snapped upward.
**CLANG!**
Lían's blade collided with hers.
The impact sent both weapons vibrating violently.
For a brief moment—
the two remained suspended above the lake.
The water beneath them churned.
The woman gritted her teeth.
*His strength...*
She had expected the attack to pierce through.
Instead—
she had barely managed to block it.
Lían's eyes narrowed.
He pushed harder.
The water beneath them suddenly surged upward.
A massive column of water rose beneath Lían's feet.
Using the force—
his body accelerated downward.
The woman's expression changed.
**BOOM!**
They slammed into the lake.
Water erupted in every direction.
For an instant—
the entire surface of the lake seemed to collapse beneath them.
Lían's body continued downward.
He immediately seized control of the surrounding water.
The lake surged.
Currents twisted around the woman.
One wrapped around her waist.
Another coiled around her arms.
Then—
the surrounding water compressed.
It engulfed her entire body.
Lían gritted his teeth.
His sword remained locked against hers.
He pushed downward with everything he had.
The woman's body was forced deeper into the lake.
Deeper.
Deeper still.
Her movements became increasingly restricted beneath the crushing water.
Lían's eyes remained fixed upon her.
"...For me to live..."
His grip tightened.
"...you need to die."
*Either my sword pierces through her...*
*Or she drowns.*
*Either way...*
*She dies here.*
His eyes suddenly widened.
A faint fluctuation appeared beside the woman.
Two small white blades materialized within the water.
They were almost directly beside him.
*...Damn it!*
At this distance—
there was no room to dodge.
The blades immediately shot toward him.
Lían reacted instinctively.
His spiritual energy surged.
The surrounding water responded.
**BOOM!**
A thick layer of water instantly gathered around his entire body.
It compressed into a dense cloak.
The first white blade struck.
**SHING!**
It pierced through the outer layer.
The water cloak violently rippled.
The second blade followed immediately.
**SHHK!**
It tore through another layer.
Lían's expression tightened.
The blades continued forward.
*Too close...*
He couldn't retreat.
If he released the woman—
she would escape.
If he stopped controlling the water—
the defensive cloak would weaken.
He clenched his teeth.
*Then I'll block them.*
The water around his body compressed even further.
Layer after layer gathered between him and the blades.
The white blades continued cutting through.
One layer.
Two.
Three.
The distance between them rapidly disappeared.
Lían's pupils contracted.
The first blade finally reached him.
**BOOM!**
The water cloak exploded outward.
The blade was deflected.
It passed beside his body.
The second blade followed.
Lían twisted his body at the last instant.
**SHHK!**
A thin line of blood appeared across his side.
Pain shot through him.
But—
he didn't retreat.
His gaze remained fixed on the woman beneath him.
His sword continued pressing downward.
The surrounding water surged again.
The woman's body was pushed deeper into the lake.
Her jade scales flickered across her body.
Layer after layer formed.
The pressure continued increasing.
Lían's breathing became heavy.
His spiritual energy rapidly circulated through his meridians.
*I can't let up.*
*If I give her even a moment...*
*I'll be the one who dies.*
The woman suddenly raised her sword.
Her eyes sharpened.
The jade scales across her body began glowing.
Lían's expression changed.
*She's still resisting...*
The water around them suddenly trembled violently.
Something was about to happen.
The jade scales around her body suddenly brightened.
A powerful surge of spiritual energy erupted from within her.
**BOOM!**
The surrounding water was blasted away.
Lían's body was forced backward.
His sword was knocked aside.
The woman immediately broke free from the remaining water restraints.
She twisted in the water and kicked off the lake floor.
Her body shot upward.
Lían's eyes narrowed.
*She's escaping!*
He immediately pursued.
The surrounding water responded to his will.
Currents surged beneath him.
His body accelerated.
The woman reached the surface.
She broke through the water.
**WHOOSH!**
Lían emerged immediately after her.
The woman spun around.
Her sword flashed.
Lían raised his own.
**CLANG!**
Their blades collided.
The impact sent ripples across the lake.
Neither gave ground.
The woman suddenly stepped forward.
Her sword shifted.
A white glow gathered along the blade.
Lían's eyes narrowed.
*That again...*
He immediately pulled his sword back.
The woman's glowing blade swept forward.
**SHING!**
Lían leaned backward.
The sword passed dangerously close to his chest.
A shallow cut appeared across his clothing.
He immediately counterattacked.
His sword swept toward her waist.
**CLANG!**
A jade scale appeared.
The blade struck it.
The scale cracked.
The woman retreated.
Lían didn't allow her to create distance.
He stepped onto a water platform.
Then another.
Then another.
His body moved across the lake at incredible speed.
The woman noticed.
*He's using the water beneath his feet...*
Lían swung.
A thin crescent of water tore toward her.
She raised her sword.
The white glow flashed.
**BOOM!**
The water slash split apart.
But—
that was exactly what Lían wanted.
His eyes narrowed.
The moment the water scattered—
Water Control seized every fragment.
Hundreds of droplets stopped in midair.
The woman froze.
Her gaze shifted.
*...Again?*
The droplets suddenly changed direction.
They surrounded her from every side.
Lían clenched his fist.
"Now."
**SHHHK!**
The droplets shot forward.
The woman immediately summoned jade scales.
One after another—
they appeared around her body.
**TING! TING! TING! TING!**
The droplets struck the scales.
Most were blocked.
But some slipped through the gaps.
Several tiny wounds appeared across her body.
The woman gritted her teeth.
She swung her sword.
A white arc tore through the surrounding droplets.
Then—
she vanished.
Lían's eyes widened.
*Where—?*
His senses suddenly detected movement behind him.
He turned.
Too late.
The woman appeared directly behind him.
Her glowing sword was already descending.
Lían's body reacted before his thoughts.
He dropped.
The sword passed over his head.
At the same time—
he slammed his palm against the surface of the lake.
The water beneath them erupted.
**BOOM!**
A column of water shot upward.
It struck the woman from below.
She was launched into the air.
Lían followed.
He stepped onto another water platform and pushed off.
His body shot upward after her.
The woman stabilized herself midair.
Her sword raised.
Lían's blade met hers.
**CLANG!**
Their weapons locked.
They stared at one another.
Neither spoke.
Then—
the woman suddenly smiled.
"...You're learning quickly."
Lían's breathing was heavy.
"...I don't have much choice."
Her smile faded.
Her spiritual energy surged once more.
The jade scales around her body began gathering together.
Not forming individually this time.
Instead—
they fused.
A dense jade armor slowly covered her body.
Lían's eyes narrowed.
*She's becoming stronger.*
The woman raised her sword.
"...Then let's see how much you've learned."
She disappeared.
Lían's pupils contracted.
The next instant—
a white blade appeared directly before his eyes.
---
The white blade stopped only inches from Lían's face.
His pupils contracted.
There was no time to block.
No time to retreat.
Instead—
Lían's body moved on instinct.
He twisted his waist.
**SHHK!**
The blade passed across his cheek.
A thin line of blood appeared.
At the same instant—
Lían's sword thrust forward.
The woman tilted her head.
His blade passed beside her neck.
She immediately countered.
Lían lowered his body.
Her sword swept over him.
He stepped forward.
Their shoulders nearly collided.
Lían's eyes sharpened.
*Too close.*
He released his sword with one hand.
His other palm struck the air.
The water beneath them suddenly surged upward.
A thin layer wrapped around the woman's ankle.
Her expression changed.
She looked down.
*Water?*
Lían pulled.
Her body lost balance for an instant.
That instant was enough.
Lían swung his sword.
**CLANG!**
She barely blocked.
The impact forced her backward.
Lían followed.
One step.
Two.
Three.
Each step created a water platform beneath his feet.
His movements became increasingly fluid.
He no longer needed to consciously think about where to place his feet.
The water responded naturally.
The woman swung.
Lían dodged.
She thrust.
He redirected the blade.
She attacked again.
He stepped onto a water platform and moved sideways through the air.
Her sword passed beneath him.
Lían twisted.
His sword descended.
**SHING!**
The woman raised her arm.
Jade scales appeared.
**CLANG!**
The blade struck.
A crack spread across the jade armor.
The woman retreated.
Lían's gaze remained fixed upon her.
*The scales are strong...*
*But they aren't indestructible.*
He raised his free hand.
The lake beneath them began moving.
The entire surface slowly rotated.
A massive whirlpool formed.
The woman's expression changed.
She looked down.
"...You're controlling the entire lake?"
Lían didn't answer.
His spiritual energy surged.
The whirlpool accelerated.
Water rose around them.
The woman's body was gradually pulled toward the center.
She immediately pushed spiritual energy into her feet.
The jade armor flashed.
Her body remained suspended.
Lían narrowed his eyes.
*She's resisting the current.*
The woman suddenly thrust her sword downward.
The white glow intensified.
**BOOM!**
The whirlpool was split apart.
A massive gap opened through the water.
The woman shot through it.
Straight toward Lían.
He immediately raised his sword.
**CLANG!**
The two blades collided.
The impact sent both of them flying apart.
Lían landed on the surface of the lake.
His feet slid backward.
He steadied himself.
The woman landed several meters away.
Both remained silent.
Then—
Lían noticed something.
The jade armor around her body had begun to crack.
Several sections were already damaged from their previous exchanges.
His gaze sharpened.
*I've been attacking the armor directly.*
*That's why I'm wasting so much energy.*
His eyes shifted toward the lake.
*But the water doesn't need to break the armor.*
A thought surfaced.
Lían slowly raised his sword.
The surrounding water began gathering.
Not around the blade.
Not around his body.
But—
beneath the woman.
The water suddenly surged upward.
The woman's eyes widened.
She immediately jumped.
But Lían had already anticipated it.
Several thin streams shot upward around her.
They twisted together.
Like chains.
The woman swung her sword.
**SHING!**
One stream was severed.
Another wrapped around her ankle.
She cut it apart.
Two more followed.
Then—
the entire lake moved.
A massive wave rose behind her.
Lían's eyes hardened.
"Got you."
The wave crashed forward.
**BOOOOOOM!**
The woman disappeared beneath the water.
Lían immediately followed.
His body dove into the lake.
His senses spread through the surrounding water.
He could feel her through the water.
Her movement.
Her spiritual energy.
Her position.
Everything.
*There.*
Lían thrust his sword forward.
The water around the blade compressed.
A thin layer formed along its edge.
Then—
he accelerated.
The woman sensed him.
Her sword snapped toward him.
**CLANG!**
Their blades collided beneath the water.
The force sent ripples through the lake.
Lían's eyes remained focused.
The woman pushed harder.
Lían pushed back.
Then—
he felt something beneath his feet.
The lake floor.
An idea immediately entered his mind.
*If I can control the water...*
*Then I don't have to fight her directly.*
His spiritual energy surged.
The entire lake floor trembled.
The woman suddenly felt the water beneath her change.
Her expression shifted.
The ground beneath her began rising.
At the same time—
water wrapped around her legs.
Then her waist.
Then her arms.
She struggled violently.
Lían clenched his teeth.
*Hold her.*
*Just hold her for one moment.*
The jade armor brightened.
The woman began breaking free.
Lían's eyes sharpened.
One moment was all he needed.
His sword moved.
The water around the blade compressed into an extremely thin edge.
Then—
he thrust forward.
**SHHK!**
The blade pierced through the cracked jade armor.
The woman's eyes widened.
Blood spread through the water.
Lían's expression remained tense.
He pulled his sword free.
The woman slowly looked down.
Then—
her body began fading.
Lían remained motionless.
A few seconds later—
the entire lake became silent.
The woman disappeared completely.
Lían stood alone beneath the surface.
He slowly exhaled.
*...I won.*
Then—
the system-like voice echoed through the endless world.
**[First opponent eliminated.]**
**[Time elapsed: 47 minutes.]**
**[Next opponent will appear after the designated interval.]**
The endless lake gradually became calm.
Lían remained beneath the surface.
His sword hung loosely in his hand.
For several breaths—
he simply stared ahead.
Then—
his thoughts slowly returned to the voice he had just heard.
*...Forty-seven minutes.*
He glanced upward.
*So much time has already passed.*
It didn't feel that long.
The battle had seemed to move from one moment to the next.
An attack.
A dodge.
Another attack.
The lake changing beneath them.
And then—
victory.
Lían slowly exhaled.
*...Everything happened so quickly.*
His gaze lowered toward his body.
The spiritual energy within his meridians was still circulating.
A faint current of water continuously flowed around him.
*In the end...*
*I won because I had the advantage of the environment.*
The woman had been powerful.
Her sword techniques.
Her speed.
Those strange jade scales.
Even the white sword technique that could cut through his water cloak.
If they had continued fighting without the lake—
he wasn't certain he could have won.
But here—
the situation was different.
*She had to constantly spend spiritual energy maintaining her defenses.*
*Every time I forced her to defend...*
*Every time she broke through my water techniques...*
*She consumed more energy.*
Lían slowly clenched his hand.
*And I...*
His gaze shifted toward the surrounding water.
*I could recover mine.*
The Aquatic Water Body had made the difference.
As long as he remained within a sufficient amount of water—
the surrounding elemental energy continuously replenished what he consumed.
He had felt it throughout the battle.
Every time his spiritual energy declined—
the water around him quietly supplied more.
Not instantly.
Not without limit.
But enough to keep him fighting.
Lían's eyes gradually became more focused.
*That's not the only thing.*
He remembered the beginning of the battle.
How awkwardly he had controlled the water.
How much effort it had required.
Compared to now—
the difference was obvious.
*I've become much more familiar with it.*
His fingers moved slightly.
The surrounding water immediately responded.
A thin current wrapped around his wrist.
It moved naturally.
Almost as though it were an extension of his body.
*Before, I needed to deliberately guide every movement.*
*Now...*
*I can feel the water before I even move.*
He slowly released his hand.
The current dispersed.
*The battle itself was another form of training.*
His expression became serious.
*But I can't waste this advantage.*
He remembered the system's words.
**[Next opponent will appear after the designated interval.]**
Lían's eyes narrowed.
*There's another one coming.*
He didn't know what would appear next.
Nor how strong it would be.
The previous opponent had already pushed him to the limit.
The next could be stronger.
And possess an ability he had never encountered before.
He immediately sheathed his sword.
Then—
he sat cross-legged beneath the water.
His breathing gradually slowed.
The Water Control Art began circulating through his meridians.
The surrounding water quietly gathered around him.
Spiritual energy flowed into his body.
One breath.
Then another.
His depleted energy slowly recovered.
*Forty-seven minutes...*
His eyes closed.
*I need to make every second count.*
*Before the next opponent arrives...*
*I need to be ready.*
The endless lake became completely silent.
Only the faint movement of water remained.
Lían continued cultivating.
Waiting.
Recovering.
Preparing for the next battle.