The sudden binding force of the Clear Sky Formation wrapped around his body like countless invisible chains, causing Qian Daoliu's forward momentum to come to an abrupt halt as his speed plummeted! Facing the Soaring Strike that Tang Chen had unleashed in anger after breaking free from the restraints, a hint of gravity flashed in his golden eyes, yet he remained unflustered.
"Hah!"
Qian Daoliu let out a sharp shout, and the sixth soul ring behind him—that deep, black halo—suddenly flared! He did not choose to resist this long-accumulated hammer strike head-on; instead, he instantly gathered and condensed the power of his Angel Domain!
"Sixth Soul Skill, Angel Roar!"
It was not a sound wave attack, but an invisible shockwave formed by the fusion of pure sacred spiritual power and domain pressure, erupting explosively from his center! This impact did not target the physical body but struck directly at the soul, carrying the power of deterrence, purification, and dispelling!
"Hum—!"
The invisible ripples swept across the area, and the first to bear the brunt was the Clear Sky Formation on the ground! Under this pure spiritual and sacred impact, the black runes composed of soul power flickered and twisted violently, as if a giant boulder had been thrown into a calm lake; the formation's operation instantly became sluggish and chaotic! The heavy binding force imposed upon Qian Daoliu also diminished significantly!
At the same time, Tang Chen felt a scorching, majestic spiritual force pierce into his mind like a sharp awl, causing his gathered soul power and fighting spirit to waver for a split second! Although his will was tenacious and he was not truly deterred, this sudden mental interference still caused his determined-to-win hammer strike to suffer an imperceptible stagnation and deviation!
This was the fleeting opportunity!
Golden light exploded around Qian Daoliu as he forcibly broke free from the remaining restraints of the formation. His six wings flapped violently, and his figure retreated rapidly to the side like a ghost! At the same time, he did not retract the Sacred Sword in his hand; instead, he used the momentum of his retreat to carve a mysterious arc. The power of his fourth soul skill, Sacred Sword, had not fully dissipated, and it now transformed into a condensed golden arc. Rather than blocking, he skillfully struck the side of the Clear Sky Hammer's head—the point where its force was most ferocious but also the least flexible!
"Clang—!"
A piercing clash of metal rang out! The golden arc shattered, but Qian Daoliu successfully borrowed the force to accelerate his retreat, narrowly avoiding the core area of the Soaring Strike. The violent wind from the hammer brushed past the hem of his clothes, carving a deep trench into the ground behind him.
Tang Chen's must-obtain strike had ultimately fallen short, thanks to the combination of Qian Daoliu's calm mental counter-attack and exquisite footwork!
The two pulled away from each other, both panting as they stared intently at one another. Tang Chen's complexion was flushed; he had not expected his move to be countered in such a way. Although Qian Daoliu's breathing remained steady, the look of caution in his eyes deepened. He knew that if he hadn't reacted in time just now, he would have suffered a major loss.
After the thrilling exchange of offense and defense, both understood that conventional probing and techniques were no longer enough to determine the victor; it was time to give it their all.
Tang Chen took the initiative to erupt, no longer holding back as he pushed the Clear Sky Hammer Technique to its limit. His second, third, and fifth soul rings flashed alternately; the toughness of Clear Sky Body Protection, the ferocity of Whirlwind Dance, and the raw power of Earthquake Mountain were perfectly fused together. He no longer sought a one-hit victory but transformed into an unstoppable black storm, each hammer strike heavier and faster than the last, pouring down upon Qian Daoliu like a torrential rain! Every strike contained the power to split mountains and shatter rocks, forcing Qian Daoliu into the most direct and draining collision of strength!
This was Tang Chen's combat method: breaking finesse with raw power and suppressing others with sheer momentum!
Facing this torrent of pure strength and will, Qian Daoliu also became completely serious. His Angel Domain was fully opened, and the sacred light shone down, constantly weakening and purifying Tang Chen's offensive and momentum. The Angel Sacred Sword in his hand transformed into streaks of golden lightning, as he effortlessly utilized soul skills like Sacred Sword and Holy Spirit Slash. Sometimes he blocked head-on, sometimes he skillfully guided and deflected the force, and other times he used Holy Light Judgment for long-range suppression and interference. His combat style was elegant and efficient, like a god controlling the battlefield, always able to neutralize Tang Chen's most violent attacks at the lowest cost.
"Boom, boom, boom! Clang, clang, clang!"
On the wasteland, golden and black lights flashed, collided, and annihilated each other frantically! The deafening roars were continuous, and the violent energy shockwaves left the ground in a mess, filled with swirling dust.
The two fought from the ground into the air, and back from the air to the ground. Tang Chen's offensive was like a raging tsunami, never-ending; Qian Daoliu's defense and counter-attacks were like a pillar in the middle of a river, as steady as a mountain.
Over thirty rounds passed in the blink of an eye!
During the fierce battle, Tang Chen seized a brief gap in Qian Daoliu's breathing after a Holy Light Judgment to unleash his strongest combination attack once more! Whirlwind Dance led the way, disrupting the sacred light, and then he gathered all his power into a single point. The Soaring Strike, bolstered by Clear Sky Body Protection, descended like a falling star, slashing straight at Qian Daoliu! This hammer strike condensed all his essence, energy, and spirit at that moment, its power even surpassing any previous attempt!
Qian Daoliu's eyes sharpened; he knew the moment to decide the outcome had arrived. The fifth and sixth soul rings behind him lit up with blinding radiance simultaneously! Holy Light Judgment was launched again, but not at Tang Chen; instead, it struck the ground in front of him, exploding into a burst of intensely blinding sacred light while he used the recoil to soar rapidly into the sky! Immediately following this, Angel Roar was unleashed again, the invisible mental shockwave striking toward Tang Chen!
Tang Chen had been prepared; he focused his will, resisted the mental impact, and his offensive increased rather than diminished! The giant hammer tore through the sacred light, seemingly about to strike Qian Daoliu!
However, just before the hammer reached him, Qian Daoliu reached the peak of his ascent. He gripped his sword with both hands, pouring the power of his Angel Domain and his own soul power into the Angel Sacred Sword without reservation! The sacred sword instantly expanded, transforming into a giant light sword ten meters long, composed entirely of sacred energy! He did not use the name of any soul skill; this was simply his strongest strike, combining his own power with his domain—Man-Sword Unity, Angel Descends!
"Slash!"
Accompanied by a clear, sharp shout, the giant sacred light sword, carrying the supreme will to judge all things and purify the world, struck down against the black giant hammer rising into the sky!
This was the ultimate collision of pure power! It was a clash of belief and will!
"Rumble—!!!"
An explosion ten times more violent than any before echoed across the wilderness! The blinding light forced even Yu Yuanchen in the distance to squint slightly. The terrifying energy storm swept outward like a tsunami, scraping three feet off the ground, and dust billowed into the sky like a small mushroom cloud!
After a long while, the dust slowly dissipated.
At the center of the battlefield, a massive crater was clearly visible.
On the edge of the crater, Qian Daoliu hovered in the low air, his six wings glowing dimly. His breathing was rapid, the hand holding the Angel Sacred Sword trembled slightly, and his complexion bore an unnatural flush, clearly indicating a massive consumption of power. Yet, his posture remained upright; though the sacred light was weak, it had not been extinguished.
At the bottom of the crater, Tang Chen knelt on one knee, the Clear Sky Hammer deeply embedded in the ground to support his body. Blood hung from the corner of his mouth, his robes were tattered, and there were multiple burn marks from the sacred light on his body. His aura was withered, clearly having fallen into a disadvantage in that final collision. He tried to stand, but stumbled, ultimately relying on the Clear Sky Hammer to steady himself.
He looked up at Qian Daoliu in the air, his eyes devoid of resentment, filled only with burning fighting spirit and a hint of admiration. He grinned and said, "Good! That was intense! You won this time!"
Qian Daoliu slowly descended to the ground, dissipated his Martial Soul, and after regulating his breath slightly, his complexion returned to calm. He walked to the edge of the crater and extended a hand to Tang Chen, his tone sincere: "Brother Tang, you are too kind. If not for the advantage of my Martial Soul and domain, the outcome would have been uncertain. I admire your strength and will."
Tang Chen grabbed his hand, used the leverage to leap out of the crater, and heartily patted his shoulder: "A loss is a loss; you, Qian Daoliu, are truly formidable! But next time, I will definitely win it back!"
At this moment, Yu Yuanchen also walked over. Looking at the two, who were disheveled but still brimming with momentum, he praised sincerely: "Absolutely brilliant! Watching this battle today has been highly beneficial." He thought to himself, it seems Tang Chen will only be able to surpass Qian Daoliu once he reaches the peak of his cultivation and completes the transformation of his hammer technique after refining his own learnings. But that makes sense; the power of a God-Tier Martial Soul and the foundation of Martial Soul Hall are not comparable to the Clear Sky Hammer and the Clear Sky Sect before Tang Chen's rise.
Then, Yu Yuanchen looked at Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen with a smile and said: "Since you have just finished fighting, you should rest for a while before continuing."
Tang Chen also looked at Yu Yuanchen with burning eyes, full of anticipation, and did not refuse. Although he had lost to Qian Daoliu, his fighting spirit remained undiminished; he was very eager to see what kind of strength this Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon genius, who also possessed a domain and a monster-level soul ring configuration, could display.
Qian Daoliu felt the significant consumption of soul power in his body from the battle and nodded, "Very well, we shall fight again in half an hour."
The two then sat cross-legged to begin their rest.
There was no time to mourn the conclusion of the battle between the Clear Sky and the Angel; what was about to follow was a chaotic battle between the three supreme geniuses of the current era!
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan