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“Yourdeceitweakensyou,”XianniangsaidasshewrappedherlongfingersaroundMulan’sneck.Mulan’sheartthuddedinherchest.Shewasweak,thatmuchwastrue.Still,shewouldn’tlettheotherwomanseeherfear.Shemetthewitch’seyesasthewomanwenton.“Youwouldbeafooofightme—evenatyourstrongest.”

Liftinghersword,Mulantriedtogoatthewitch.Butinresponse,Xianniangwrappedherhandaroundthebladeandloweredit.“Youwastemytime,”thewitchsaid,growingfrustrated.

Desperately,Mulantuggedathersword.Tohersurprise,thebladecameback,slicingthewitch’spalm.Asbloodbloomedonherhand,Xianniang’seyesfilledwithanger.“Whydoyounotlisten?”sheshouted.

Mulanscrambledbackward.Sheusedallherstrengthtokeeptheswordsteadyinfrontofher.Xianniangshruggedandthen,pullingadaggerfromherbe,threwitather.Mulantriedtoblockit,buttheforceofthedaggerwasgreat,andwhenitcontactedhersword,thedaggersentthebladeflyingfromherhand.Theswordtwirledthroughtheair,endoverend,beforelandingontheground,whereitskitteredacrossathincrustofcooledlavathatcoveredanearbylakelikeice.

PanicwashedoverMulan.Herfather’ssword!Shecouldn’tloseit.Notcaringthatshehadturnedherbacktothewitch,Mulanracedontothelavacrust.Likeice,itwasslipperierthanitappeared,andMulaninstantlyfell,theimpactcausingthesurfacetocrackaroundher.Sheknewtherewasnowayitwouldhold.Notforlong.Butshehadtogetthesword.Onherhandsandknees,sheinchedfartheroutontothecrustasallaroundhermorecracksbegantoappear.

Behindher,Xianniangsteppedontothecrackinglava,herownstepssolightthattheyleftnoimpressiononthethinlayerofashthatcoveredtheground.BlooddrippedfromthewoundMulanhadinflicted,dottingtheblackwithred.

Mulanreachedhersword.Withatriumphantcry,herfingersclosedaroundthehandleandshegottoherfeet.Turning,shesawthewitchwatchingher.“IamHuaJun.SoldierintheEmperor’sImp—”

Xiannianghadheardenough.“Iwarnedyou,HuaJun,”Xianniangsneered.“Youwilldiepretendingtobesomethingyou’renot.”Inaflashofsilver,Xianniangthrewanotherdagger.Itflewthroughtheair,strikingMulansquareinthechest.