Chapter 135: The Power of Darkness

This metallic superpower allowed the replication of metals with increasingly complex compositions as its energy level ascended, eventually achieving complete bodily metalization.

As long as Kroeyer touched any metal, his entire body could instantly adopt identical properties. Metals with denser molecular structures naturally possessed superior performance, though this drastically increased energy consumption.

The metal Kroeyer had transformed into now was a special alloy developed specifically for him by Dr. Hamilton. This alloy combined the properties of many metals, exhibiting excellent performance in both high and low-temperature environments.

Seeing this, Ding Han’s heart sank. He knew this burly man was extremely troublesome. He had encountered metallic superpowers before, but never one as formidable as Kroeyer’s.

Feeling the immense pressure radiating from the other man, Ding Han immediately channeled his full Zhenqi. A powerful aura burst forth from his body.

No words were exchanged. The two clashed instantly in front of the main entrance. Their figures flickered rapidly across the area as they fought at speeds too fast for ordinary people to follow.

The support Ding Han brought were all masters who had entered the Subtlety Realm. Many were already on the cusp of the Spirit Gathering Realm.

Taking just one more step forward would allow them to begin refining essence into qi, open their own Dantian, cultivate Zhenqi, and advance into the ranks of true master-level fighters.

Though this step was difficult, every selected member possessed this potential, highlighting Huaxia’s immense importance placed on this mission.

So many masters couldn’t possibly come from just one branch; they were gathered from branches nationwide. It was worth noting that Lu Shouyang, the highest-ranking officer in the Donghai branch, was only a relatively recent cultivator of Zhenqi himself.

When Lin Mu saw Lu Shouyang, his cultivated Zhenqi was still quite impure and chaotic, lacking any refinement.

Only masters at the pinnacle of the Subtlety Realm, with their senses pushed to the limit, could perceive the fluctuations of various energies. This was a prerequisite for dealing with Superpower Users.

Many superpowers were activated quite covertly, showing no outward signs to ordinary observers. But Subtlety Realm masters could keenly sense abnormalities through energy fluctuations.

While other members from both sides paired off against each other, Ding Han blurred into motion, colliding violently with Kroeyer. Both were power-type masters; there were no fancy maneuvers.

Fist met fist, impact against impact. Savage shockwaves blasted outward from their point of collision, forcing others nearby to scatter away.

Leaving aside superpowers affecting the physical body, while superpower energy could enhance the body, the degree of enhancement was limited. It couldn’t achieve the freakish level like Kroeyer, who almost turned entirely into iron.

Therefore, Superpower Users of lower energy levels, especially when facing masters of the Dragon Protection Corps who had entered the Subtlety Realm, didn’t hold a significant advantage.

Though the fighting was fierce, there were no casualties in the short term.

While the superpowers often yielded unexpected results in combat, the members of the Dragon Protection Corps were formidable themselves. Their rich combat experience meant they wouldn’t be easily defeated by strange or unorthodox tactics.

With Ding Han holding Kroeyer at bay, Jiang Chu led a team confronting Lawrence to the west.

“Heh, seeing is believing. The famed Dragon Protection Corps lives up to its reputation,” Lawrence said with a light chuckle, stepping forward to look at Jiang Chu.

“The Supernatural Ability Group is no less distinguished, long heard of. But the true extent of your strength remains to be seen?” Jiang Chu retorted. A series of popping sounds came from his body as Zhenqi was slowly mobilized from his Dantian, circulating through his Meridians.

“You’ll find out exactly how strong we are when we start fighting!”

Lawrence’s face darkened almost imperceptibly. His right hand twitched subtly, and immediately, Vivian, a female Superpower User standing behind him, stiffened. She opened her mouth, emitting a piercing, high-pitched shriek.

Terrifyingly, this sonic wave was controllable. It completely bypassed her companions, shaped into an arc and directed precisely towards the Dragon Protection Corps members opposite her.

This Superpower User was Vivian, also known by the alias Picasso. Her superpower was sound waves. Now a level three Superpower User, the frequencies she could emit approached Ultrasonic Waves.

Caught unprepared, several Corps members staggered violently, nearly collapsing. Despite their profound Martial Arts, few could strengthen their eardrums without the protection of Zhenqi.

Light flashed in Jiang Chu’s eyes. The muscles in his throat bulged suddenly. Zhenqi surged from his Dantian as he unleashed a mighty roar. A visible circular shockwave instantly expanded outwards from him.

The equally powerful sonic impacts collided. An invisible ripple flashed through the air, and then the area fell silent again.

The skill Jiang Chu displayed was the famed Lion’s Roar Kung Fu. At its higher levels, a single mighty roar could shatter organs and kill. Though Jiang Chu hadn’t reached that pinnacle, his deep, resonant roar pushed against the air itself. Sound waves, no matter how strong, rely on air to propagate, and utilizing this principle, he instantly countered the opposing sonic superpower.

“Good! Good! Huaxia’s Martial Arts are truly miraculous, possessing such special methods capable of rivaling sound wave superpowers. It seems I underestimated you before,” Lawrence conceded. He hadn’t truly expected Vivian’s power alone to defeat the Corps members, but its swift nullification still surprised him.

No time for further thought. After this initial probe, the two groups immediately engaged in fervent battle. Jiang Chu, as team leader, naturally confronted Lawrence, who led the other side.

Watching Jiang Chu launch his powerfully imposing charge, Lawrence showed no sign of nervousness. He calmly undid the button on his sleeve cuff. His feet moved, and his body shot forward like a ghost.

The moment they clashed, both sensed the other’s immense strength. They shed any trace of arrogance and focused intensely on the fight.

Lawrence moved with ghost-like swiftness, his form slightly blurred as shimmering black mist enshrouded him. Unlike the rapid movement of Martial Arts masters that showed clear exertion, Lawrence seemed devoid of inertia.

Normally, swift motion requires powerful exertion against the ground; the greater the force applied, the faster one springs forward. But Lawrence defied this logic. He flitted around effortlessly with no visible exertion, shifting position with lightning speed.

Others might not perceive it, but having cultivated Zhenqi, Jiang Chu noticed the faint black mist swirling around Lawrence. It seemed to subtly erode and devour something in the air.

“Looks like you’ve caught on a little,” Lawrence gave a strange laugh, noticing Jiang Chu’s observation. “No surprise from a master. This is my superpower – The Power of Darkness!” He declared openly, unafraid of Jiang Chu gaining insights.

The applications of superpowers were wildly diverse. Even Superpower Users with identical superpowers used them vastly differently. It mirrored how Huaxia Masters who cultivated Zhenqi each favored unique, specialized techniques, not standardized Cultivation Techniques. Superpowers were the same; this Lawrence used his Darkness power in a novel way.

The dark mist fueled by this Alien Energy continuously devoured the surrounding air near him, drastically reducing motion resistance. The force exerted during movement was instantly absorbed by the mist upon dissipation and recycled back into his body. Externally, this resulted in zero disturbances. Combined, it created the ghost-like, silent flicker Jiang Chu witnessed.

Huaxia did possess Lightness Skills offering similar effects, like the legendary “Drizzling Step Over Ripples”. But that required formidable Zhenqi to drive. Ordinary Lightness Skills couldn’t match Lawrence’s movement technique.

Relying purely on muscular strength might achieve comparable speeds, but it couldn’t master the realm of silence.

Initially, Jiang Chu didn’t grasp the function of the black mist surrounding Lawrence. Yet, as their fight persisted, he slowly realized his Zhenqi was inexplicably depleting. Even without actively using it for attacks, the Zhenqi within his body was steadily diminishing. Like lightning, a thought struck him, and his gaze fixed sharply on the eerie black mist.

“Heh, figured it out, did you? Too late!” Lawrence sneered darkly, accelerating his ghosting movement.

But contrary to his expectations, Jiang Chu didn’t crumble quickly. He held his ground.

As time ticked by, a scowl crept across Lawrence’s face. His opponent’s endurance was far exceeding his estimations.

The Cultivation Techniques and Martial Arts of Huaxia brought about astonishing bodily transformations over time. This occurred subtly, almost imperceptibly, often even to the cultivator themselves. At later stages, masters gained immense physical strength, alongside dramatically heightened endurance and resilience. This was the incredible result of long-term absorption of Spiritual Energy from the atmosphere.

Superpower Users were fundamentally different. Their superpowers stemmed from innate talent, usable immediately upon manifestation. Though the Alien Energy within them could temporarily fortify their bodies, the duration was short-lived.

Once their Alien Energy reserves were depleted, they reverted entirely to normal human levels. Not only did their superpowers become unusable, even their enhanced physical strength vanished.

This was the hidden secret harbored by every Superpower User, a condition they desperately sought to avoid.