Chapter 720: Lan Jue vs. Poseidon (1/2)

Chapter 720: Lan Jue vs. Poseidon

“Ah, then it’s fine.” Hua Li trotted after Lan Jue.

Chu Cheng moseyed over to Lan Qing’s side. “So how long you think Lan Jue will last?”

Lan Qing fixed him with a long, uncomfortable look. “What makes you think it won’t be the other way around?”

“Ah? Hey big guy, since when did you become such a favoritist? It’s not like you.” Chu Cheng was honestly surprised.

Lan Qing placidly responded. “If it were you instead of Lan Jue it would absolutely be a loss. Not a chance. Lan Jue isn’t a Paragon, he’s better.”

Lan Qing had come to understand Lan Jue’s strength, little by little, over the last few days. He had displayed an incredible talent, and even without the Banishing Blades he would be an exceptional fighter – no normal peak-ranked Adept.

Lan Jue stood in the center of the arena, watching Hua Li approach with calm expression.

Hua Li stopped a few yards away. Where he stepped the floor seemed to ripple like the surface of a lake. As he looked at his opponent, surprise twinkled in the Paragon’s eyes.

His surprise came from how Lan Jue interacted with the environment Somehow he was both a part and separate, like an immortal surveying the lands of humans – and just as arrogant.

That arrogance wasn’t in his look or posture. Instead, it poured from him like an invisible wind. He was separate from everything because he was superior to it. It surrounded him with a palpable sense of danger.

“Begin.” Lan Jue nodded at Hua Li.

His opponent smirked and waggled a finger at him. Hua Li made no attempt to hide the contempt in his gaze.

Further discussion was pointless, so Lan Jue made his move. In a blink he appeared in front of Hua Li driving his palm toward his chest.

Hua Li watched him come, standing with his hands clasped at the small of his back like a haughty lord. Just as it seemed Lan Jue’s palm strike would land, the area before Poseidon ripples with a pale blue light.

Everything took on an aqua hue, and the fighters found themselves in something like an underwater world. It filled everyone with a strange and fantastical sensation.

Lan Jue felt like he’d been caught in a quagmire. His arm – in fact his whole body felt sluggish. The pull of dark undercurrents tugged at him.

A strange scene followed. Lan Jue slowly curled his outstretched hand into a fist and hammered it forward.

His entire body was enveloped in a hazy black and white aureole. Tides of yin-yang energy dispersed the dark currents and caused the world of blue before his fist to ripple.

Hua Li’s eyes widened as he watched. Lan Jue’s fist became a shimmering resplendent cobalt as it smashed into the Paragon’s protective shield.

Surprises continued, for the rippled of protogenic power that surrounded them were dispersed like water cast from a basin. All of a sudden it was like gravity returned and everything around Poseidon came splashing down. Lan Jue pressed ahead in his attack.

For a moment Hua Li was stunned. What he felt in that punch filled him with fear. However he was a Paragon, with a Paragon’s speed. The moment Lan Jue broke his defenses Hua Li became a beam of blue light and vanished. Lan Jue’s fist tore through thin air.

Hua Li reappeared ten meters away, far enough – he thought – to avoid Lan Jue’s attack. But just as he was getting comfortable the world of water around him rippled and bolts of crackling lightning appeared all around. As they struck him he felt the power penetrate down into his bones. Numbness crept into his limbs and through his trunk. The vast cache of energy at his command evaporated like snow in a bonfire.

What was this power? He was a Paragon but somehow his energy had been dispersed. It was inconceivable.

Lan Jue never stopped. When his punching arm extended as far as it would go his index finger shot out. A burst of sapphire power surged out, flat at the front like a set hammer.

Nine Taiji Hammers!

Hua Li was numb from head to toe. Dodging was impossible.

All at once Hua Li unleashed his true strength. Swells of elemental power undulated around them, and a grand figure appeared from nowhere before him. A beam of metallic blue light erupted force and crashed into the sapphire hammer.

Poof! Lan Jue’s Taiji hammer was gone, but so was the metallic beam.