Chapter 36: Defying the Heavens
Chapter 36: Defying the Heavens
“The winner is Yu Qian!”
Yu Qian won very easily. His opponent was not even a pseudo-Heaven’s Pride. He didn’t use his full strength and won effortlessly.
“The fourth match: Xun Ye versus Li Yi.”
From some point on, this match between non-Heaven’s Prides became a highly anticipated, focal battle.
Perhaps, it was only because one of them was repeatedly looked down upon, yet always managed to create miracles.
Well, what about this time?
Anyway, no one was optimistic about him as always.
“Frost Demon’s Heart, are you ready?” You Qiushui asked meaningfully, her giggling making Gu Yanran very uncomfortable.
“And what about you, Elder You? Is your ‘Terracotta Warrior’ ready as well?” Gu Yanran refused to back down, though when she said this, she lacked some confidence.
“It seems you have quite some faith in that boy… Then, let’s all wait and see!” You Qiushui spoke politely, but in her heart, she mocked, “a dead duck’s mouth is hard.”
She was full of confidence in that “Deep Embrace of the Queen Mother of the West.”
Even a Spell Apprentice would find it very difficult to breach that defensive magical instrument, let alone a sickly half-step fourth-layer cultivator?
“Li Yi, if you surrender, I can let you leave with dignity.” Since becoming an Outer-Disciple, Xun Ye’s arrogance had returned to his body. He held his head high, practically looking at Li Yi with his nostrils, as if not doing so couldn’t highlight his nobility.
That face again!
“‘Deep Embrace of the Queen Mother of the West’ can be activated now… Oh, and also, don’t forget ‘Air Shield Technique’, ‘Ink Earth Wall’, and ‘Wooden Shield of Abundance’. If possible, please cast a few more layers.”
Li Yi said calmly, his tone sounded like advice and a reminder.
Pfft!
“Thanks for the advice,” Xun Ye couldn’t help but laugh, saying sarcastically, “Try getting past the Divine Radiance Shield first!”
“Alright, as you wish!”
Li Yi nodded and stopped talking.
He raised a hand, and Xun Ye’s face instantly turned a sickly grayish-black, subtly twisting!
A water bullet hovered in mid-air.
But could this thing really be called a water bullet? No one could say.
Its size was a full twice as large as an ordinary water bullet, its color like the deepest night sky, bottomless! Its shape was perfect and flawlessly round, and along its smooth curved edge, one could even see a slight distortion of the Void. An ominous aura occasionally leaked a wisp, making the surrounding blood energy recoil and shrink as if facing a formidable enemy.
“What kind of spell is this?” Xun Ye’s face darkened too, his voice dry as if he hadn’t drunk water for days.
“Water Bullet Spell? Don’t you recognize it?” Li Yi tilted his head, looking like it was the most natural thing.
Xun Ye almost cursed out loud. Could this thing be called a Water Bullet Spell? Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t a Water Bullet Spell!
“Elder Gu, that’s not very fair. Did you secretly give this kid some magical instrument?” You Qiushui’s face showed surprise and doubt. The moment that water bullet hovered, her Mage’s Intuition began to keen faintly, making her wary.
“Absolutely not!” Gu Yan shook his head, flatly denying it. “Didn’t you notice? There’s no Mana fluctuation around Li Yi’s body. Clearly, he’s relying on himself, or perhaps, a Bloodline Ability?”
“With such a lowly bloodline, how could he have a Bloodline Ability?” You Qiushui said bluntly.
“What’s going on? Did I misjudge?” Qin Yue frowned, starting to question his own judgment. Unorthodox methods could never reach such heights. Otherwise, everyone would take the crooked path.
“This spell actually contains a trace of an extremely faint Annihilation aura! Astonishing! Is his bloodline truly so mediocre?” Hua Lianxing couldn’t hold back, her voice somewhat distorted.
“Annihilation?”
Everyone knew You Qiushui had the strongest intuition and Hua Lianxing the sharpest perception. Their expressions changed dramatically.
The same spell, in the hands of Mages of different grades, had different power.
The most direct change came from metamagic effects.
From low-level Spell Proficiency and Spell Penetration, to high-level Empowered Spell and Maximized Spell, the power difference could be severalfold.
Additionally, many special effects could also enhance spells.
From low-level ones like “Heavy” and “Rending,” to advanced ones like “Corrosion” and “Annihilation,” and peak-level ones like “Doubling” and “Obliteration.” Most of these effects originated from Bloodline Abilities and Dao Transformation Armament, which was also one of the reasons both were so precious.
Li Yi’s gaze seemed slightly detached.
The “Bearing the Stele” ability was tailor-made for the Black Tortoise lineage. This race had strong defense, naturally allowing them to slowly build up momentum, wait for the enemy to exhaust themselves, then unhurriedly deliver a crushing blow.
Normally, Li Yi wouldn’t have time to use this ability, but the Martial Display was different; he could prepare early.
However, there were conditions for building momentum.
Building momentum was a double-edged sword, placing enormous mental strain. The longer the time, the heavier the pressure.
Suppressing it for too long risked one’s own soul collapsing first. That was why it was named “Bearing the Stele.”
Li Yi’s pupils were vacant; his mental state was nearing its limit!
“Go!”
His finger extended, and the water bullet tore through the air, exploding forth, ripping at the Void!
Its profound black water transformed into a giant Ancient Alligator, shaking its head, swinging its tail, and baring its claws as if trying to destroy the heavens!
“So it was you?”
Catching a whiff of that violent aura, Xun Ye’s heart shuddered. That terrifying spiritual pressure was still fresh in his memory; even now, he felt lingering fear.
“This guy is a monster…”
With that thought, he abandoned all offensive means and focused solely on defense.
After activating the “Deep Embrace of the Queen Mother of the West,” he first summoned three Ink Earth Walls. Immediately after, four layers of Air Shield Technique enveloped him. Then, two Wooden Shields of Abundance condensed on his arms, one on each side. He had almost exhausted his Mana to construct an impregnable steel fortress!
This subconscious action saved his life!
Boom!
After several loud cracking sounds, the water bullet paused briefly. The Ink Earth Walls collapsed, falling apart.
Next were the nine Divine Radiance Shields derived from the “Deep Embrace of the Queen Mother of the West.”
These nine Divine Radiance Shields were condensed from divine power, with ancient patterns and engraved hymns to the gods, emanating endless divine majesty!
Originally arranged in a circle, the nine shields now linked into a straight line, standing upright as a barrier before him.
Thud!
After a tremendous crash, the first Divine Radiance Shield began to twist and deform. The great impact pushed Xun Ye backwards continuously, his feet scraping long marks on the ground.
In just a few breaths, the first Divine Radiance Shield shattered!
Then came the second, the third, the fourth…
By the ninth, Xun Ye had been pushed to the edge of the barrier. The “Deep Embrace of the Queen Mother of the West” on his chest emitted a bewildering light, followed by the sound of a woman’s mournful sigh as it cracked apart!
The Ancient Alligator’s momentum didn’t wane; it seemed to choose a target to devour!
Fear showed on Xun Ye’s face. The air shields outside his body were deeply indented into a huge arc in front, while behind, pressed against the barrier, they flattened.
It lasted only a moment before all four air shields collapsed simultaneously, like fragile bubbles!
“It’s over!”
Xun Ye’s face turned deathly pale. He raised the two Wooden Shields of Abundance before him, but in his heart, he knew these defenses were utterly useless.
At that moment, a pale golden giant hand, as if condensed from morning light, broke through the air.
A 1st-level spell—Mage Hand—under Gu Yan’s casting, actually took on a form several meters in size!
Whoosh!
This hand had a Spell Penetration effect. It passed through the barrier, grabbed Xun Ye, and soared into the sky.
The water bullet continued relentlessly forward, crashing into the Echo Barrier!
The upper part of the barrier began to collapse because the lower part was squeezed by a tremendous force, bulging outwards enormously!
Boom!
The water bullet burst apart. Profound black light rippled outwards along the barrier’s glowing curtain. The barrier’s surface first bubbled up in countless swellings, as if boiling, then multicolored lights flashed. A deafening explosion echoed in all directions.
Unprecedentedly, someone had actually shattered the Echo Barrier in a Martial Display!
Almost everyone present was struck speechless.
“The winner is Li Yi!”
The presiding Mage was the first to react, though his voice sounded somewhat hoarse and strained.
Under thousands of astonished gazes, Li Yi swayed slightly, as if about to fall, but he didn’t.
He just stood there quietly.
If Yan Zhao’s stance always carried an indomitable aura, his own erect posture seemed aloof, as if detached from the world.
Even if others look down on me, so what? I live for myself!
“Why did another formidable opponent appear?” Yu Qian’s expression was ugly. “I prepared methods targeting Zhangsun Shenji and Su Xuan’er, but now there’s another troublesome character! No, I must obtain that ‘Samsara Shroud’!”
“I… have already lost.” Su Xuan’er shook her head. She clearly knew that even if she went up, the only path was defeat. “Just who are you?”