Chapter 353: I'll Give You Half

In the blink of an eye, Musi Fala appeared in front of Hong Xi, having moved so quickly that she couldn't even activate [The Elusive Moon] in time. Musi Fala sliced her raiment of fire apart, setting off a series of explosions as both of them were forced back.

The flowing red dress, cut and scarred, transformed into a short skirt instead, with flaming holes where there were still missing patches of fabric.

"What a troublesome soulshard!" Musi Fala frowned as he vanished once again from sight, but he wasn't able to approach Hong Xi so easily this time around. She had vanished almost at the same time he did.

They exchanged blows with their swords. Musi Fala managed to nick Hong Xi's thigh, reducing her mobility—but then a pair of leopard-print boots materialized over her feet.

"Another soulshard?" Musi Fala smirked. "It looks like you have quite a number of tricks up your sleeve. Were they all part of the Eclipse Sage's inheritance?"

He had thought that he would be able to deal with Hong Xi quickly, but she was growing more and more annoying by the second. Although Musi Fala hid his displeasure outwardly, he was internally quite annoyed.

"[Moon Seeker]!" Instead of responding, Hong Xi dodged Musi Fala's incoming attacks with agility and grace.

Unable to strike his target, Musi Fala frowned. The black flames on his body flared up. [Blackflame Sweep]!

The explosion from his sword strike filled up almost the entire warehouse. When the smoke cleared, it revealed the smoking, battered body of Hong Xi, but when he drew closer, he realized that it was nothing more than an illusion from [The Elusive Moon].

The blow that Musi Fala thought would surely hit Hong Xi had missed.

Where did she go??Musi Fala closed his eyes and flared his aura, barely noticing Hong Xi before she struck with her fists.

"[Fists of the Silent Sea: Tremor]!" Ripples of genetic energy collected on her fist, sliding down and stacking over her arm.

Musi Fala didn't have time to dodge the blow, and was forced to materialize an armor-type soulshard to defend against it, then counterattacked. "[Heavenfall]!"

The black sun fell from the skies, drowning the warehouse in a sea of black flame, one that struck even his own men. Musi Fala's eyes swept over the entire battlefield, then found Hong Xi tightly hugging her brother, protecting him with her own body. A large patch had been burned off her fiery dress, revealing her charred back.

"Fool!" Musi Fala called out. "To have suffered such grievous injury on your brother's account, especially when you're still facing me—foolish, far too foolish! Now, get up! I know you aren't dead yet!"

Hong Xi's stubbornness had caused Musi Fala to lose all his patience.

Hong Xi struggled up, sending what remained of her reserves of energy into her right fist, then flung it at Musi Fala.

"[Fists of the Silent Sea: Flash]!" She struck his chest point-blank, but he managed to summon an armor-type soulshard in time to block the blow. In the end, her paltry reserves weren't able to break through Musi Fala's defenses, and Hong Xi fell to the ground.

"Give up!"

Her body was battered, her reserves drained, her wounds serious. Nevertheless, by pure force of will, she forced herself up once more.

Musi Fala laughed coldly. "I don't know whether to admire or mock your ridiculous perseverance."

She made as if to punch him, but Musi Fala easily tripped her. Stepping on her chest, he announced, "Hand over [Eclipse]! This is the last chance I'm giving you."

"N-Never!"

Musi Fala put more force on her chest. "What did you say?"

Hong Xi repeated, "No matter what, I won't hand over [Eclipse] to the Musi clan!"

Musi Fala's foot roamed over her chest, up her neck, and against her face. "A stubborn girl, are you? Well, I'll have fun making you submit, then."

His sword stabbed into her thigh, but despite the immense pain, Hong Xi gritted her teeth and said nothing. Musi Fala wiggled his sword and forced fresh blood out of the wound.

"What a beautiful thigh! I might chop it off and add it to my collection—and perhaps your hand as well." With a careless flick of his sword, he sliced off her hand at the wrist. "What a pity for such a beautiful girl as you to lose a hand!"

Hong Xi shut her eyes in pain, but again she refused to cry out.

"To think I wanted to settle this matter like a gentleman… Very well. How about I remove one of your eyeballs next? Left or right? Or perhaps… there are quite a few men of the Musi clan waiting outside the warehouse, protecting the perimeter. They've been standing there for quite some time, and I would hate to have them do all that for nothing. How about I blind you, then chop off your four limbs, and then hand you over to them?"

"You bastard!" Hong Xiao scrambled up from behind his sister and rushed toward him, but he was sent sprawling by just a wave of Musi Fala's arm.

Hong Xi cried out, "Hong Xiao!"

Musi Fala turned back to Hong Xi. "It looks like you care very much for your brother. In that case, how about I blind him and chop off his limbs instead?"

"Wait!" Hong Xi cried out, seeing him going after her brother.

Musi Fala turned around. "Have you changed your mind?"

Hong Xiao yelled out, "Sister, ignore me! You can't give him [Eclipse], no matter what, or I won't forgive you even in death!"

Hong Xi's eyes teared up. "But you're the only remaining male descendant in the Hong line."

Musi Fala smirked, then raised his sword into the air. "I'm going to strike now!"

"Wait! I can, I can give you half of [Eclipse]!"