Pei Jing closed his hand on the dragon-sinew wrap and drew the Astral Bone Blade. The point dipped until he set both heels and took the weight. Pale lines along the star iron marked the Flood Dragon’s spine. His own shed marrow held bone and iron together. He knew where each part gave under pressure because he had made it.
The Judge brought the halberd up. Beyond the crescent the light bent, just as it had above the empty ridge. The plain metal behind the edge still looked like metal. Pei Jing turned his cleaver so its spine could meet the shaft.
The disks behind the Judge reached one note. It stepped through a fold in the air. The crescent swept toward Pei Jing’s left shoulder.
