Chapter 721: Better Than a Paragon (1/2)
Chapter 721: Better Than a Paragon
Where Poseidon’s protogenia came in contact with Captus’ crimson power, it was either dispersed or devoured. Nothing could stop the spread of the terrifying red power.
How!
Disbelief was writ plain in Hua Li’s eyes. When did Lan Jue get so strong? Poseidon was a Paragon, and he a mere Adept! His powers had changed so drastically it was hard to fathom. It was restrained, profound, but also explosive.
Lan Jue’s pace suddenly increased. He swung Captus in seven consecutive slashes that were absent the precision and delicacy of before. The red blade lashed with the speed and ferocity of lightning, leaving in its wake seven jagged streamers of light. They were red and blue, and inside twinkled a mysterious power that made them look like patches of a starry night sky.
For Hua Li, it suddenly seemed like everything had gone dim. He felt surrounded and a moment later noticed those slashes had inexplicably appeared around him. They were on him before he could react, assailing him with tremendous pressure.
Seven-Star Hammer! Another of the Nine Hammers of Taiji!
Lan Jue’s sword, as an extension of himself, issued the doughty attack. Hua Li sensed reality around him threatening to collapse, swallowing his energy even before he had a chance to use it. The seven azure blue orbs of starry light closed in one him. Every one of them birthed a frightening surge of energy that he could feel in his very soul!
This guy!
Divine light sparkled in Hua Li’s eyes. His arm shot out abruptly, waving his trident through the air. Golden light gathered all around until it reached a critical mass, then surged out like a tsunami in all directions. An enormous figure appeared once more behind Hua Li – all the Poseidons of the past merged into one. With its appearance a sense of awe and fear pervaded.
Boom–! The ensuing blast was a chaos of red, blue and gold. Their collision covered the arena in a sea of tumultuous power.
Lan Qing, perhaps anticipating this, had appeared in the air overhead. His hands were pressing down and the image of Vairochana shimmered behind him. A waterfall of myriad colors suppressed the wild energies below from surging out of control. The arena had its own protections, but they’d seen how they could be overcome. Who knew what sort of tragedy this eruption would wreak on the planet if it were let loose.
The seething torrent of power continued for a full minute before finally abating. When the dust settled Chu Cheng peered into the aftermath. He saw Lan Jue standing firm with the shimmering red sword in hand. Hua Li was a short distance away, with tousled hair and sporting tattered clothes.
Both men were pale and drained, but it was clear Hua Li had come out the loser in their exchange.
Chu Cheng rubbed his eyes in disbelief, then blinked and looked harder. The scene remained the same. It’d been real, all of it – the truth was irrefutable.
Hua Li wasn’t any better. He swayed slightly on his feet, glaring at Lan Jue.
“Round two?” Lan Jue smirked. Once again he lifted the Banishing Blade, and in response a brilliant blue light appeared from his chest. It grew and spread as the sound of crashing waves filled the air. But they were not waves, it was a world of electricity.
Pure lightning element. The tide of power didn’t undulate or sizzle like lightning, instead calmly filling the space around him. Captus’ angry red light continued to paint the arena in its glow. Meanwhile, Lan Jue’s aura continued to rise.
All of Lan Jue’s power coalesced into his focused flow sword technique. Once galvanized it would be fierce as a thunderbolt, steady as a landslide, and potent as supernova.
Hua Li’s scowled and shouted. “Enough, no more! This is unfair!”
Lan Jue chuckled. Captus dissolved into red light and vanished. “It’s one on one, how is this unfair?”
Hua Li made no effort to hide his agitation. “There’s something you’re using that counteracts my protogenia. I could use none of the advantages of Paragon. My energy far outstrips yours but dissipated the moment it reaches you. Even if I was truly a Reflection of Heaven and Earth I couldn’t pierce your defense. How is this not cheating? His Majesty Jue Di must have given you something for you to be able to do this.”
“You guess wrong,” Lan Jue explained. “It’s nothing Jue Di gave me – it’s my own Discipline.” As he spoke he lifted his hand, revealing an orb of purple lightning rotating in his palm. All-Heaven Lightning.
After intense cultivation the inherently wild nature of All-Heaven lightning had been stripped. It was now calm and restrained. All the more frightening when it was unleashed.
The final clash of their exchange – Lan Jue’s Seven Star Hammer and All-Heaven Lightning – had nearly routed Hua Li’s Divine Rite-empowered protogenia. It frightening him, and forced him to employ the full breadth of his power and protogenia to defend himself. Even then he had only just managed. If Lan Jue had been a true Paragon, even that likely would have failed.
Hua Li stared at Lan Jue with a conflicted look. “It seems clear I won’t surpass you in my lifetime. If you’ve reached this level already, why delay your breakthrough?”