Chapter 740: The Confrontation
Chapter 740: The Confrontation
Euseios Hross observed the creatures as enlarged versions of the Exploding Lemurs from earlier, but there were significantly more of them, all heading towards him.
Xu Chan, who had discarded his clothing, suddenly appeared before Hross with a flicker, his fist glowing faintly as he struck out.
Xu Chan knew that even though these Winged Lemurs posed a threat to Hross, it was impossible for them to take down this man solely with their numbers. However, with Xu Chan distracting them, it was a different story.
Xu Chan had already applied an odor-blocking medication to his body, and the lemurs, being intelligent, recognized that he was also targeting their common enemy. They refrained from attacking him when they saw him engaging their hated foe.
As Xu Chan struck, he was surprised to find that Hross's fist moved with astonishing speed, reaching him first despite Xu Chan's initiative. He felt a pressure approaching even from a distance.
Xu Chan quickly assessed the situation, considering Hross's height and arm length; the punch would undoubtedly land on his body first. With his own maneuverability, Xu Chan slightly adjusted his waist and back, meeting Hross's fist head-on.
Their fists clashed in mid-air, the faint glows on their knuckles merging and dissipating. However, it was evident that Hross's fist still retained a hint of its glow, and as they were about to make contact, Xu Chan sidestepped, evading the blow.
From the clash of forces, Xu Chan could sense Hross's incredibly resilient body, a powerhouse with immense strength beneath the surface, and a psychic sense even more profound than his own. Under these circumstances, Xu Chan knew he couldn't afford a direct confrontation.
In a life-or-death battle, success lies in utilizing one's strengths and exploiting the opponent's weaknesses. It's a matter of practical combat skills, and the seemingly stronger opponent doesn't always guarantee victory.
Hross, noticing Xu Chan's evasion, twisted his tall frame and raised a hand to protect his face. With the other hand, he unleashed a series of punches, each accompanied by deafening explosions that shook the eardrums and caused the surrounding stones and water to ripple. Xu Chan dodged left and right, ducking and weaving, avoiding every strike without once making contact with Hross.
As the distance between them momentarily widened, Xu Chan seized the opportunity, pushing out with a burst of force. A loud bang echoed as their energies clashed in mid-air, and Xu Chan, riding the shockwave, seemed to tear open the very fabric of space.
Hross, preparing to strike again, was suddenly interrupted by a strange cry from above. A dark shadow plummeted towards him, but he didn't even glance at it, casually grabbing and flinging it to the ground, where it exploded into a mess of feathers. This action, however, disrupted his attack rhythm.
Xu Chan had retreated to a safe distance, and with a swift motion, he drew a flexible longsword from his waist, its blade shimmering with a faint light. He pointed the tip towards Hross's neck, a subtle glow flickering at the sword's tip.
Hross had a short sword at his waist, but he didn't seem inclined to use it. Instead, he raised his arm to block, and a glow emanated from the blocking arm as it met the sword's tip. The two lights merged and quickly dissipated, and Hross's arm vibrated with a bang, causing the longsword to recoil due to its resilience.
Unexpectedly, the concentrated heart force at the sword's tip penetrated Hross's body, affecting the strained anomaly tissue and causing his arm to go numb, rendering it temporarily useless.
Hross, taken aback, stared at Xu Chan. The ability to concentrate psychic power on a weapon, and with such subtlety, required either an abundance of psychic energy or exceptional control. Xu Chan, it seemed, possessed the latter.
Hross, standing above Xu Chan, remarked, "I must reassess my evaluation of you, Mr. Xu. But this is not a fair contest; your defeat is inevitable."
Xu Chan realized that even the fine sword couldn't penetrate Hross's skin, understanding that this opponent would be a tough challenge. Perhaps with the medication, he could have matched Hross, but he had used that dose to lure the lemur's offspring.
Xu Chan assessed that even with the medication, he could, at best, match Hross's current strength. Hross's mastery of psychic power was undeniably deeper and heavier intensity.
Furthermore, Xu Chan's experience told him that his opponent might not have unleashed his true power yet. Even with the swarming, aggressive lemurs, the odds of victory remained slim. It would be wiser to seek an opportunity to retreat.
When Xu Chan saw the relic in the guide's hands, he surmised that it was likely given to the guide by his teammates, and he understood the potential motives behind this action. However, he couldn't rely solely on the enemy's internal conflict; if an opportunity arose, he would seize it.
Moreover, Xu Chan had captured the lemur's offspring, and if he didn't use it as a bargaining chip, he would bear the consequences. The situation had reached a critical point, like an arrow drawn and ready to fly.
Now that he realized this path was blocked, he wouldn't stubbornly persist here. With a flourish of his arm, he seemed to sheathe his sword at his waist, then turned and sprinted forward, instantly creating some distance.
He Luos saw him retreat and immediately gave chase. But before he could take a step, more lemurs had already arrived. These creatures stared at him with bloodshot eyes. Some hovered and screeched overhead, while others leaped towards him.
However, as soon as they landed on him, they were instantly killed by the strength of his punches. They slid off his body, but more lemurs kept rushing in, and after witnessing the fate of their companions, they quickly learned their lesson. Instead of clinging to him, they used their claws and teeth to tear and scratch at him, mainly focusing on his face.
He Luos had previously tried a mental assault, but it had no effect. It was as if his power dissipated or vanished upon contact.
Left with no other choice, he resorted to physical attacks. With a wave of his hand, he seemed to tear through the air, instantly shredding the creatures. Where his hand passed, you could even see the shredded flesh and the slashes it left behind. But the lemurs fearlessly charged towards him, hindering his movements. Their piercing screeches constantly assaulted his senses.
After tearing apart several more of these creatures, he looked up to observe their flight path, the distance, and the location of each impact. He quickly identified a gap in their formation and, in the next instant, his body swayed, and he darted through the intersecting spaces at incredible speed, breaking free from the encirclement and closing in on Xu Chan's rear.
Just as he was about to strike, Xu Chan, who was running, suddenly turned around. His longsword swung out, and the tip of the blade, accompanied by a sharp sound, rushed towards He Luos' face.
He Luos, seeing a faint glow on the sword tip, focused his gaze forward. With no time to block, he quickly lowered his head, and a flash of light appeared on his forehead, colliding with the sword tip. The faint light on the sword was swiftly dispelled, and the subsequent Heart Force and Psychic Power merged, ensuring his body's momentum remained largely unaffected. After taking two steps, he reached Xu Chan's front and clenched his fist, ready to strike. A booming sound accompanied the punch as it landed, causing the air in front of him to explode.
Xu Chan, seeing that he had already entered the inner circle of his sword, simply released his grip. Facing the incoming fist, he calmly extended his palm and pushed, dispelling the faint light on his hand. The Heart Force collided, and the sound of bones cracking and flesh tearing immediately followed.
At this moment, He Luos struck with his other hand, which also glowed faintly. Although injured, Xu Chan remained composed, quickly raising his other hand to block the punch.
As the faint light between their fists dissipated, it became apparent that Xu Chan had retained more Psychic Power. This time, when they clashed, He Luos's punch momentarily stalled, and the Psychic Power shook his arm, causing a series of cracking sounds.
An energy wave exploded between them, pushing both men back.
He Luos was surprised. He had evenly distributed his Psychic Power between his two hands, but Xu Chan had used this to his advantage, concentrating his power to be weaker in the front and stronger in the rear. Despite his injuries, Xu Chan managed to strike back.
He Luos hadn't encountered an opponent like this in a long time—someone weaker than him yet able to hold their own in battle.
But the more skilled such opponents were, the more he couldn't afford to let them go. Who knew what trouble they might cause later? If he could just hold them off for a few more minutes, his teammates would arrive, and they could capture their target.
Just as he was about to make his move, he felt a sense of danger. He reached out, and with a bang, he grabbed a wooden spear, which instantly broke into several pieces in his grip. For a moment, he almost failed to grasp it.
Surprised by the power, he looked up and saw a wide-winged bird. A figure that had been lying on it flipped over, performed a somersault, and then gracefully landed on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
As the man straightened up, it was clear he was tall and muscular, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His eyebrows were sharp, and he wore a sleeveless training suit, revealing well-defined arm muscles and skin that radiated a vibrant vitality. Although he appeared shorter than He Luos, his presence was formidable, especially as He Luos sensed a danger emanating from him.
Qi Qianyang glanced at Xu Chan and then fixed his gaze on He Luos. Finally, his eyes fell on the relic in He Luos's hand. "It seems I arrived just in time. The relic is here."
Before his words had even finished, Qi Qianyang suddenly appeared in front of He Luos. Their eyes met, and Qi Qianyang's gaze locked onto He Luos's shrinking pupils. A slight smile curved his lips, and then, with a thunderous boom, He Luos flew straight back and crashed into a pile of rocks, sending up a cloud of dust.
Qi Qianyang now held the orb, which he deftly tossed up and down in his palm.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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