Chapter 1448 (1/2)

“Then let the match begin!” The Order Ducis member announced with an extravagant gesture. The crowd began to cheer as the third match of the day began.

The cloaked Blackhand waved his arm and produced a dozen jet-black spikes that hovered in the air above him. With the thick cowl that hid all of his features and the meter-long needles above him, he was a sinister figure. Plus, the air was thick with his dense Mana and sharp piercing image. Richter rolled himself a few meters backward with heaving shoulders. Then he raised his head and regarded the Huangs with a steely gaze that demonstrated that he was just as determined to win as they were.

Huang Li’s image dragon roared and swam through the air to surround the stage. It wove through air currents and left its infinitely long body, binding the air tighter and tighter. But the closer to the two opponents his image went, the more resistance it encountered. Huang Li began to frown. There was something… strange about the energy they released. It seemed somehow to weaken his image innately, without needing to attack it.

But if it is only at this level, I can forcefully withstand it, Huang Li lowered his center of gravity and settled into a familiar fighting stance. His fingers tightened on the leather wrap of his wo dao.

Huang Shou appeared even more fearless, leaning on his cane as he walked confidently forward. “Grandson, give this old man the gift of freedom to warm up. It has been a while since I’ve gotten serious exercise.” Then he twisted his torso, starting a chain reaction of cracks up his spine as the vertebrae shifted from their settled position. The effect was quite impressive.

Still, Huang Li had no room for distractions. Blackhand gestured and the spikes above him shot forward. Huang Li pounced forward in response, blades of wind forming and smashing against the attacks as they neared Huang Shou’s position. But that same natural suppression in the energy was also present in the spikes; Li’s Skills were only half as effective as he expected at defending.

Narrowing his eyes, Huang Li blew through one-third of his Mana to produce a veritable storm of wind blades that chipped and sliced the spikes to nothing. They splintered and shattered. After the attacks were defeated, Blackhand just snorted and conjured twenty-four more gleaming spikes that floated in the air. He leaned forward, seeming confident in a direct conflict of numbers.

Huang Shou straightened and then twisted his torso in the other direction, once more creating a cascading series of cracks. Huang Li studied his opponents closely. Behind Blackhand, a large, sinister shadow was forming around Richter. Leathery tentacles covered in pulsing black veins seemed to rise from his shadow and grasp at the surrounding air.

Huang Li focused on Blackhand. Seize the initiative now. He gestured with his left hand, performing a grabbing motion, almost casually. The image that Huang Li had coincidentally witnessed last night was reproduced on a much smaller scale. His fingers stabbed like daggers toward his own palm. “Cloud-Slaying Claw.”

The attack ripped forward. The suppression of Zone 1’s energy affected it, but it still traveled cleanly across the intervening distance. Blackhand sent a black spike downward to intercept, but that spike and the ethereal claw attack passed by each other without any contact. The image of the claw was one that built a connection to a distant point. As long as the opponent just relied on their usual image and didn’t target the weaker image of the connection established, it was practically unblockable.

When the claw arrived and ripped open Blackhand’s robes in a spray of blood, Huang Li was already shooting forward. “Dragon’s Dance!”

Congratulations! Your Skill Dragon’s Dance (R) has grown to Level 229!

Although even Li was surprised by the effectiveness, he was not going to let this pass.

Blackhand’s nominal hand with wizened flesh and thick black veins rushed out, pressing against the wound on his shoulder. He took several steps backward, unleashing all of the gathered spikes like he was firing a machine gun. But with the boost of Dragon’s Dance, Huang Li only had to take three steps and he had avoided the spikes and arrived directly in front of Blackhand.

The flood dragon coiled around Huang Li’s body raised its head and regarded Blackhand coolly. Huang Li’s body accelerated forward and he brought his blade swiftly around. “Dragon’s Claw.”

Blackhand gestured sharply upward and a veil of black energy rushed up in front of him. Huang Li’s eyes narrowed imperceptibly. This Blackhand…

His foot spun on the ground and he was around the veil and behind his foe. Huang Li gritted his teeth and forcefully endured the physical backlash from the quick movement. Still, Blackhand had only partially twisted around in horror by the time Huang Li recovered and thrust his wodao into his opponent’s side.

With a twist of the blade and a kick, Huang Li sent Blackhand sprawling. More blood spurted out onto the arena ground....is not very good at close combat. He just relies on his high Mana and the suppression of his image...

Still, Blackhand spun mid-air as he fell and slapped his palm on the ground. The strike flipped him back to a standing position. At the same time, almost a hundred black spikes materialized above his hunched form and quickly accelerated to skewer Huang Li. Shaking his head, Huang Li wove amongst the spikes and relentlessly pursued his wounded foe.

Above the arena, his image continued to stir the wind.

Right as Huang Li was about to strike once more, he pivoted and leapt sideways several meters. A long, almost-rotting tentacle smashed downward in his previous position, striking with enough force that the Donnyton marble of the stage cracked.