722 Destination—Pluto (2/2)
We can't continue the fight here… Grim determination flashed across Wang Baole's eyes. He knew that continuing the fight here might result in collateral damage inflicted on Mars. Any one of their attacks could be disastrous for the planet. At the same time… while Mars was a huge planet, when compared to the entire Solar System… it still wasn't the place where he could unleash his full power.
I have to leave this place! Wang Baole didn't hesitate as he watched the vines around him charge at him. He placed the Lantern Oar on the Dark Sampan, the sound of both artifacts coming into contact resonating in the air once more. Then, a string of complicated Dark Sect spells came out of Wang Baole's mouth!
As soon as the spells were spoken, the State Preceptor's face appeared on his Dark Robe, and the figure of the little boy drifted out from the Lantern Oar. There was a fearsome look on the boy's face, it was lined with fury and violence. He screamed, and the lamp on the Lantern Oar suddenly cracked!
The Dark Fire inside the lamp surged out. The flames spread out, greater in number compared to the Dark Fires housed inside Wang Baole's body. He was sacrificing the Lantern Oar in order to unleash the power of the Dark Fire once again!
Black flames flowed out of the broken lamp, surrounded Wang Baole, then surged outward in the blink of an eye. It was like the eruption of a volcano, black fire that clashed with the surrounding vines.
Thunder rumbled in the skies. The vines might be resilient, but Wang Baole had paid a heavy price for this second attack of Dark Fire. The vines weren't its match. Most of them turned into dust in an instant, though the Dark Fire also suffered a hit in the collision. As a result, it wasn't a match for Daoist You Ran's punch. In the next instant, it scattered to the winds like autumn leaves. Daoist You Ran's fist smashed through the sea of Dark Fire and headed straight for Wang Baole.
Just as his fist was about to land on Wang Baole, the State Preceptor howled. The Dark Robe ballooned into an incredible size, surrounding Wang Baole like a protective barrier. Daoist You Ran's destructive punch landed on the robe.
Thunderous booms reverberated in the air, and the Dark Robe shattered into multiple pieces. The State Preceptor's face grew blurry, and Wang Baole himself spat out a mouthful of blood. Then, the blow pushed the Dark Sampan under his feet… it dashed out of the sea of fire in the next moment, shot out of the wall of vines surrounding him, and reappeared… in the distant starlit skies.
It didn't stop there, it continued to head for the stars.
”Trying to escape?” Daoist You Ran narrowed his eyes. He didn't pull back his right fist, and instead, the fist suddenly stretched out in an impossible manner, moving towards Wang Baole as if in pursuit!
His fingers stretched rapidly as well. It was a disturbing sight to behold. Wang Baole had experienced numerous fights since he had first embarked on his journey of cultivation. He was battle-worn and experienced. He didn't even spare a glance for what was going on behind him. A resolute light glimmered in his eyes.
”Lantern Oar, I promise that I'll remake you again one day in the future!” The little boy hovered above the ruined Lantern Oar, on the verge of tears. He could only nod in reply. As he turned back and stared at the giant hand pursuing him, a flash of murderous grudge appeared in his eyes. He started chanting a curse in step with Wang Baole's intentions. Then, Wang Baole released the Lantern Oar. The little boy's soul returned to the artifact, and the Lantern Oar swung itself around and charged at Daoist You Ran's giant hand!
Waves of self-destructive power surged from the Lantern Oar, growing in strength until they reached their peak. Then, in the next instant, the oar exploded. The explosion transformed into an invisible barrier that stopped Daoist You Ran's giant hand in its tracks!
Despite Daoist You Ran's desire to continue the pursuit, he wasn't given a choice to do so. No matter how damaged the Lantern Oar was, it was still a Divine Armament of superior grade. Its timely and region-specific self-destruction forced the powerful Daoist You Ran into retreating so as to evade the attack!
Explosive booms thundered in the air, and Daoist You Ran was successfully held back by the explosion. Wang Baole spat out a mouthful of blood as the Dark Sampan unleashed its full force and sped away into the distant cosmos. There was a fierce glint in Wang Baole's eyes. He knew that he wasn't Daoist You Ran's match at the moment. The only way to turn the tides of this fight might be to receive a boost of power from the largest planet in the Solar System. There was also something else… the summoning call from Pluto!
He was making a gamble. He was betting on his importance to Zi Yue, betting that it surpassed the importance of the Federation. He might not have been confident of his odds prior to his battle with Zi Yue, but after absorbing the power of her finger, he now felt a certain measure of confidence in his judgment.
He was also betting on Zi Yue's nature. Someone who was so selfish and focused on her own self-interests wouldn't think of trying to threaten him with the survival of a civilization, as that would be the ultimate childish act in her eyes.