Chapter 23: Resting in the Small Town, Tang Chen vs. Qian Daoliu
On the edge of the Savage Beast Hills, there was a small town named "Shiquan Town," named after its sweet spring water that never ran dry throughout the four seasons. It had become an important supply point for passing Soul Masters and merchant caravans. The town was not large, and most of its buildings were made of solid limestone, carrying the rugged style characteristic of the Star Luo Empire.
When Yu Yuanchen, Tang Chen, and Qian Daoliu stepped into the small town, their bodies slightly exhausted but their spirits invigorated, they drew many gazes. Although they had cleaned themselves up a bit, their torn clothes, the lingering scent of blood, and the sharp Aura that was difficult to hide even when restrained all indicated that they were by no means ordinary Soul Masters.
The three of them found a relatively clean and spacious inn to stay in, immediately replenishing their exhausted water, food, and some basic healing medicines. Afterward, with great tacit understanding, they each requested a quiet room and began a half-month period of seclusion and recovery.
This half-month was crucial for the three of them, who had experienced the life-and-death tempering of the Savage Beast Hills.
Yu Yuanchen sat cross-legged in the quiet room, his mind sinking into his body. He first consolidated his recently broken-through Rank 54 Soul Power. The Soul Power surged through his broad and resilient Meridians, becoming even more thick and condensed than before. He carefully reflected on the thrilling battle with the Hellfire Kite, especially the mysterious feeling of extremely compressing the power of lightning to penetrate defenses with high-frequency vibrations and strike the internal organs directly when performing "Thunder Dragon Shattering Void." His understanding of this self-created Soul skills deepened, and he began to try reducing the startup time and performing it more smoothly while moving.
Furthermore, he began trying to fuse his Spiritual Power with the power of lightning and Soul Power using the method for synthesizing the Thunder God Power. Unfortunately, after countless attempts, it all failed once he lacked the help of a Soul Ring. He could only settle for the next best thing, fusing only his Spiritual Power with the power of lightning. After nearly a hundred attempts, he finally began to grasp a bit of the knack.
At the same time, he also constantly nurtured that Purple-Gold Scale, guiding the "Thunder God Power" to blend with his blood and Qi, subtly purifying his Bloodline and strengthening his physique.
In his own room, Tang Chen was engaging in a deeper level of communication with that heavy Clear Sky Hammer. Countless swings of the hammer in the Savage Beast Hills and hard clashes with powerful Soul Beasts had given him new insights into the use of power. He no longer blindly pursued ultimate ferocity and began to ponder how to better combine the weight and speed of the Clear Sky Hammer, and how to contain more clever variations and power-exertion techniques within those seemingly clumsy swings. His Soul Power also naturally reached Rank 63 during this period of accumulation, his Aura becoming more steady and heavy.
Qian Daoliu's quiet room seemed to be enveloped in a faint Holy Light. He was repairing the minor damage on his wings and purifying the slight ferocity and exhaustion accumulated in his body due to continuous combat. The Seraphim Spirit brought not only power but also an almost harsh requirement for the perfection of his own state. His Soul Power was already near the edge of a Breakthrough, and the accumulation from this experience allowed him to successfully advance to Rank 65. His divine Aura became increasingly pure and grand, and his mastery of the Angelic Domain also seemed to become a bit more harmonious.
Half a month passed quickly in dedicated Cultivation.
When the three of them gathered again in the inn's small courtyard, they could each feel the restrained yet even more formidable Aura on one another.
"Haha, it seems everyone hasn't been idle this half-month!" Tang Chen stretched his limbs, feeling the increased power within his body as his Battle Intent was the first to ignite. "Just Cultivating is so boring! How about it, brothers? What do you think of my previous proposal?" He looked at the two of them with burning eyes, full of expectation.
Half a month ago, Tang Chen had proposed that the three of them have a sparring match, but since they all needed to recover at the time, they decided to discuss it again in half a month.
Qian Daoliu elegantly brushed his sleeves, a trace of hard-to-detect fighting spirit igniting in his golden eyes. He smiled and nodded, saying, "As I wished."
A flash of interest also appeared in Yu Yuanchen's eyes. Fighting against peerless Geniuses of the same level was undoubtedly the best way to verify oneself and discover shortcomings. He nodded, "It should be so."
However, Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu glanced at each other and tacitly turned their gazes toward Yu Yuanchen.
Qian Daoliu said, "Brother Yu, you are the youngest, and your cultivation is also a bit lower. Why don't Brother Tang and I fight a match first? Consider it a warm-up for our sparring with you later, how about it?" His tone was gentle, and his reasoning was quite sound.
Tang Chen also grinned and said, "That's right, Brother Yuanchen, you observe from the side first. I've been holding it in for half a month, let us brothers enjoy ourselves first." Although he was straightforward, he also saw that Yu Yuanchen was indeed a few years younger than them and his Soul Power Rank was lower. Letting him observe a match first would also make it relatively fairer.
Yu Yuanchen naturally had no objection. He was also happy to first observe a duel between top Soul Emperors.
A few miles outside the town, there was an open gravel field, which was an excellent place for sparring.
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky orange-red, adding a bit of desolation and chill to this wasteland.
Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu stood fifty meters apart, while Yu Yuanchen retreated to a distance of a hundred meters to watch.
"Brother Tang, please." Qian Daoliu nodded slightly, the six wings behind him quietly spreading as a holy Aura began to permeate the air.
"Then I won't be polite!" Tang Chen laughed loudly, and the Soul Power on his body erupted. Two yellow, two purple, and two black—six Soul Rings circled upward. The Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his hand, and a terrifying Aura as heavy as a mountain, wanting to break through everything, instantly locked onto Qian Daoliu!
Tang Chen was the first to launch an attack! He knew well that Qian Daoliu had a flight advantage, so he had to close the distance. With a sudden stomp of his foot, the ground cracked, and his figure shot out like a cannonball. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand delivered a straightforward downward strike without any frills! It was precisely the First Spirit Ability—Heaven-Piercing Strike! Although it was the most basic Soul skills, under Tang Chen's terrifying strength and Soul Power enhancement, this hammer strike seemed capable of splitting mountains, carrying a shrill whistling sound as it went straight for Qian Daoliu's face!
Qian Daoliu's expression remained unchanged. The first Soul Ring behind him shone, and the Angelic Sacred Sword appeared in his hand. The blade condensed Holy Light as he used the First Spirit Ability—Angelic Assault! He did not meet it head-on; instead, his body tilted slightly, and the Sacred Sword flicked diagonally, precisely hitting the side of the Clear Sky Hammer where its force was weakest. At the same time, he used the force to drift backward, his six wings vibrating, instantly pulling ten meters away. The holy Aura collided with the overbearing power of the Clear Sky Hammer, producing a muffled explosion.
Tang Chen's strike missed, but he didn't stop for a moment. The third Soul Ring on his body lit up—Whirlwind Dance! His entire being seemed to turn into a black whirlwind, the Clear Sky Hammer dancing like a wheel, carrying a violent Aura that could strangle everything as he pursued Qian Daoliu, blocking his space to evade!
Qian Daoliu's eyes narrowed, knowing he couldn't just keep evading. The second Soul Ring on his body flashed, and a soft yet resilient golden light shield appeared in front of him—the Second Spirit Ability, Angelic Guard! At the same time, he brandished the Sacred Sword in his hand, using the Third Spirit Ability—Holy Spirit Slash! Several condensed golden sword lights slashed out like crescents, not aimed at Tang Chen's body, but precisely cutting toward the nodes where the power of the Whirlwind Dance flowed!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The golden sword lights and the black whirlwind constantly collided and annihilated each other! The light shield of the Angelic Guard rippled violently under the impact of the Clear Sky Hammer's aftershocks, yet it stubbornly remained unbroken. Relying on his exquisite sword skills and powerful defense, Qian Daoliu forcefully blocked Tang Chen's wave of violent continuous attacks!
Seeing that a strong attack was difficult to take effect quickly, a sharp glint flashed in Tang Chen's eyes. The second Soul Ring on his body suddenly lit up—Clear Sky Body Guard! A layer of solid dark light covered his entire body and the Clear Sky Hammer, and his defensive power and strength instantly surged! He condensed all his power and delivered an extremely concise Fifth Spirit Ability—Mountain Quake! With this hammer strike, the power, speed, and Aura all climbed to a new height. Before the hammer even arrived, that terrifying pressure had already caused the ground to sink slightly!
Qian Daoliu felt the power of this hammer strike and knew that the Angelic Guard alone would be difficult to completely withstand. He no longer held back and gave a clear shout: "Angelic Domain, open!"
Radiant golden light suddenly spread out with him at the center, instantly enveloping a radius of thirty meters! Holy hymns rang out as holy pressure descended! Within this Domain, all of Qian Daoliu's attributes were amplified, while Tang Chen felt as if he had fallen into a quagmire, his speed, strength, and even Soul Power operation all being suppressed to a certain extent!
"Break for me!"
Tang Chen roared, the light of the Clear Sky Body Guard shining brightly as he pushed through the suppression of the Angelic Domain. That hammer strike, which condensed his entire body's strength, still smashed down without looking back!
Qian Daoliu's eyes were sharp, and the fourth Soul Ring behind him shone—Holy Sword! The Angelic Sacred Sword in his hand instantly radiated ten thousand beams of light, transforming into a massive golden light sword. Carrying the intent of purification and judgment, it boldly met the Clear Sky Hammer!
"Dong—!!!"
It was as if a great bell had been struck! A deafening roar accompanied by an explosion of blinding golden and black light erupted! A terrifying energy shockwave spread out in a ring, lifting and shattering all the gravel on the ground!
Tang Chen's body shook violently as he retreated seven steps in a row, each step leaving a deep footprint on the ground, his hands holding the hammer feeling slightly numb. Qian Daoliu used the force of the collision to drift backward, his wings vibrating rapidly to dissipate the force, his face also turning slightly pale for a moment.
This first direct collision of Domains actually ended in a draw! Relying on the terrifying power enhanced by the Clear Sky Body Guard, Tang Chen had forcefully withstood the suppression of the Angelic Domain and fought Qian Daoliu's Holy Sword to a standstill!
However, Qian Daoliu's attack did not stop. Just as Tang Chen's old strength was exhausted and his new strength had not yet been generated, while his body was retreating to adjust, the Fifth Spirit Ability lit up behind him—Holy Light Judgment!
An incredibly condensed golden pillar of light, seemingly composed of pure holy energy, descended upon Tang Chen's head like a divine judgment, ignoring the short distance between them! This strike was astonishingly fast and carried a strong locking Aura!
Tang Chen's pupils constricted. In the moment of crisis, his battle instinct erupted! He forcibly twisted his body, holding the Clear Sky Hammer horizontally over his head, pushing the light of the Clear Sky Body Guard to its limit!
"Boom!"
The Holy Light Judgment slammed hard onto the Clear Sky Hammer! Golden holy flames and black Soul Power clashed and annihilated each other frantically! The ground beneath Tang Chen's feet suddenly exploded into a shallow pit. He was pressed down by this immense force until he was half-kneeling on the ground, a trace of blood overflowing from the corner of his mouth, and the light of the Clear Sky Body Guard also became extremely dim.
Qian Daoliu seized this rare advantage. With a flap of his six wings, his figure moved like lightning, instantly closing the distance. The Holy Sword in his hand condensed once more, stabbing straight toward Tang Chen's wide-open chest! The offensive was as smooth as flowing water, showing no mercy!
Watching the battle, Yu Yuanchen's eyes narrowed, inwardly praising Qian Daoliu's seasoned grasp of combat opportunities.
However, just as Qian Daoliu's Sacred Sword was about to reach his body, a sudden change occurred!
Tang Chen, half-kneeling on the ground, showed no panic in his eyes. Instead, a flash of ruthlessness from a successful scheme passed through them! That pitch-black sixth Soul Ring on his body suddenly erupted with deep black light at this moment!
"Sixth Spirit Ability, Haotian Formation!"
With his low growl, a strange circular Formation composed of countless fine black runes instantly appeared on the ground with himself as the center! Within the range of the Formation, gravity seemed to suddenly increase several times, and the air became incredibly viscous! A powerful force of binding and suppression suddenly acted upon Qian Daoliu, who had rushed into the range of the Formation!
Qian Daoliu's forward momentum came to a sudden halt, as if he had fallen into an invisible quagmire, his speed dropping sharply!
"I've got you!" Tang Chen roared. Ignoring the churning blood and Qi in his body, he forced himself up. Carrying the violent power that had broken free from the binding, he performed Mountain Quake once more. Taking advantage of the excellent opportunity while Qian Daoliu was bound by the Formation and his movements were restricted, he smashed the hammer back toward Qian Daoliu!
The situation reversed in an instant!
The roles of offense and defense had switched; it was now Qian Daoliu's turn to face Tang Chen's long-premeditated fatal counterattack!