Chapter 112: Entering the Final Stage (III) (1/2)
Chapter 112: Entering the Final Stage (III)
“Because the stadium is unsuitable to assassins’ performances, four pillars that can conceal them will be erected, to guarantee the competition will be fair.”
What wasn’t known was that a particular mechanism was used to form one thick pillar after another’ they came out from the ground instantly, sending out crunching noises. They finally stopped expanding after growing 15 meters high. The presence of these four pillars that needed two people to fully encircle them was very advantageous to assassins. If not for them, in this wide and flat stadium, they had no way to display the most of their speed, dodging abilities, and concealment.
The small Xing Xuan moved his eyes, looking at Long Hao Chen with a cautious look. He was inwardly complaining, Why am I his first opponent? Please let someone else switch with me, at least to let me see the reaction of big sister #1. Let’s forget about it, and have a probing match.
“Match begins!”
Along with the referee’s loud voice, Xing Xuan didn’t move back; his silhouette instantly twinkled before disappearing behind a pillar. To an outstanding assassin, the most important thing was to never let the opponent find out his definite location.
Long Hao Chen stood there, without following him. A golden fog raised around him, revolving around his body, and twinkling, while emitting a gentle luster. It was precisely [Storing Power].
Within the third group, he was the only knight. As a result, his opponent didn’t know at all what his fighting style was. This [Storing Power] was not a commonly used skill, so even within the Knight Temple, a lot of people didn’t know it, let alone people coming from other Temples. Except for the mage bearing #2 and the female warrior bearing an enormous shield, the other people were at a loss, not understanding what Long Hao Chen was doing.
At the moment Long Hao Chen used [Storing Power], he moved to some extent. The Radiant Shield in his left hand was covering his chest while the Light Sword in his right hand was inclined parallelly to the ground. With one foot forward and the second one backwards, he took the stance that would give him the best reaction time.
Xing Xuan was concealed behind a pillar. After having rapidly moved away, he watched Long Hao Chen’s movements.
He didn’t recognize the skill [Storing Power], but the assassins’ perception was very high. He could clearly feel that Long Hao Chen was becoming more and more dangerous at an astonishing speed. Certainly, the ability he was using was one that was the more powerful the longer it lasted.
It was very unlikely for weaklings to be able to enter the final stage. Xing Xuan immediately shifted his thoughts away from big sister #1, and immediately responded using his battle instinct.
As his figure twinkled, he had already leaped to the sky, arriving next to a pillar located on the left side of Long Hao Chen’s back. As he jumped, a membrane made of leather appeared on both of his arms. This was special equipment belonging to assassins, called Defensive Wing that enabled him to glide at a short distance. It could also be used to parry the opponent’s attacks, and was one of the favorite pieces of equipment used by assassins below the sixth step.
[Holding Back Breath]. This skill was a required course for assassins. Xing Xuan was currently just like a tree leaf, and didn’t let out any sound as he fell on the ground. He approached Long Hao Chen from the back, not only rapidly, but also without causing the slightest vibration in the air.
Long Hao Chen had kept his original defensive posture all along, as he used [Storing Power]. The gold-yellow-colored fog surrounding him seemed to become more and more intimidating.
Xing Xuan was extremely fast; in the blink of an eye, he was already at Long Hao Chen’s back, about to attack. Two pitch-black daggers appeared: one in each of his hands. His left hand aimed straight for Long Hao Chen’s back, while his right hand aimed for his neck.
Naturally, if Long Hao Chen didn’t react, he wouldn’t really slay him. It was after all a match, not a death-or-life combat.
In a split second, as Xing Xuan was about to attack, Long Hao Chen moved.
He rapidly stepped half a step forward with his right foot, only half a step, and immediately, his shoulder flashed as he turned towards his left side. Meanwhile, his right foot served as a fulcrum for his body to swiftly turn around, facing Xing Xuan who was previously at his back.
Xing Xuan’s swipe naturally had no effect, and his dagger which was stabbing toward Long Hao Chen’s back happened to graze his armor, producing a spark on it, without hitting his body.
[Shield Charge], Long Hao Chen’s center of gravity wasn’t the slightest unsteady as he issued out this skill. The Radiant Shield simply sparkled intensely, as a halo of rich light instantly expanded forward, turning into an immense shield with a height of two meters, directly bumping into Xing Xuan.
Fifth step!
In a split second, Xing Xuan figured out Long Hao Chen’s cultivation level through the formidable power of his [Shield Charge]. There could only be a single explanation, that Long Hao Chen was at the fifth step. He could not think of anything else, as his body instantly curled up, emitting spiritual energy as his two daggers darted forward at light speed, instantly stabbing against the Radiant Shield.
With a Peng sound, Xing Xuan was sent out flying. Because Long Hao Chen’s cultivation had already officially broken through the boundary of the fifth step, this [Shield Charge] made of liquid spiritual energy wasn’t something Xing Xuan could possibly manage to block, even without the addition of the effects of [Storing Power]. His body was sent flying just like it was victim of an explosion.
But an assassin also had some strong points; in a short span, after falling victim to this intense charge, Xing Xuan seized the opportunity to leap away, making use of the astonishing impulse. At least, he didn’t sustain any heavy injury.
[Assault], a skill of knight of the fifth step.