Chapter 979: Cutting Off the Dark Tide
Chapter 979: Cutting Off the Dark Tide
As Chen Chuan approached, Dakota and the other two realized that their situation had been exposed. They exchanged glances, their faces filled with utmost vigilance, and instinctively spread out, scanning their surroundings.
According to their understanding, if someone had actively sought them out, it meant their original plan had been exposed, and the encirclement was likely well-prepared. Therefore, there might be more enemies lurking nearby, not just the one before them.
Ian, while searching, suddenly looked up and spotted Chao Ming circling and dancing in the air.
He reached out and grabbed a pebble from the air, and as it landed in his palm, a faint light flashed. He then raised his hand, aiming upwards, but just as he was about to throw the pebble, Dakota signaled him to stop.
He didn't act rashly, and during this delay, Chao Ming had flown even further. Ian looked around cautiously and asked, "Mr. Senpal, is there a problem?"
Dakota spoke in fluent Federation language, "All things have spirits, and killing should not be done without the need for hunting food."
Ian looked at him in surprise, finding it incomprehensible to hear such words in this context. However, the situation with fighters was complex due to the existence of oath bindings, which meant that anyone could be a fighter. Sometimes, what seemed natural to one person might be taboo to another.
Considering they still needed to fight together, Ian didn't want internal conflicts to arise. He didn't insist further, but he did remind them in Federation language with a Volro Peninsula accent, "That might be a combat creature set up by the other side."
"I know," Dakota replied, "but it hasn't reached the point of threatening us, so there's no need to waste energy."
He kept his eyes fixed on the approaching figure, "There's no one else around, just him. This person is not ordinary. We should focus our energy on him."
At this moment, Chen Chuan held the Snow Lord Saber and walked step by step, neither too fast nor too slow. The night breeze blew, causing his cloak to flutter, and his red scarf billowed in the wind. The jade mask he wore had a single red scar across his forehead.
With each step he took, a ripple formed on the sea's surface, perfectly aligned with his movement, and it continued to spread outwards, leaving a long trail behind him.
Initially, the three men didn't sense anything unusual, but as Chen Chuan drew closer, they felt a strong sense of oppression, causing their muscles to tense up involuntarily.
It wasn't that Chen Chuan was emitting a field or some sort of power, but rather, his footsteps, the rhythm of his body, and the confidence and composure honed through countless life-and-death battles combined to convey a very intuitive message.
Precisely because these three men were also experienced fighters, they could sense the danger emanating from Chen Chuan. For a moment, they were on high alert and reacted accordingly.
Kaze Shingen quickly grabbed the hilt of the long sword, letting one end drag on the ground. A pale blue spiritual flame appeared around his body, flickering in and out of existence, so subtle that even in the night, it was difficult to discern without careful observation.
Initially, he was just focused and alert, but as Chen Chuan drew closer, the sense of danger intensified. To counteract this pressure, he had no choice but to guide his external manifestation, and with a shift in his intention, his body transformed, instantly growing to a height of seven or eight meters.
At this moment, he had curved demon horns on his head, a hideous face like a demon mask, and his eyes emitted a chilling light that captivated the soul. The alienating tissue protruding from his body formed the armor of a foreign warrior, and the originally slender blade now seemed just the right size for him.
This was the "Heaven Ghost," a legendary figure from foreign lands. According to the legends, strong and evil people who refused to go to the underworld after death would continue to wreak havoc in the mortal world. The Heaven Ghost was a ghost-god sent by the Zen Temple to specifically search for and devour these wandering evil spirits.
On the other side, Ian crossed his arms and then slowly pushed one palm forward, forming a vertical hand blade, while the other hand pressed against the crook of his arm. His feet were slightly staggered, knees bent, and his center of gravity lowered.
His expression became solemn, and this posture carried a strong sense of religious ritual. As he did this, a transparent, gigantic human figure appeared behind him, but it wasn't his own image; instead, it was a Zen practitioner with a hand seal and lowered eyelids.
The New Chiuan Stream originated from the Zen Sect's branch, the Radiant Peace Temple, and even though it had become an independent lineage, it still retained traces of the old sect. The spiritual form behind him took on the appearance of a great Zen master, with strands of orange-red flame floating around it.
Dakota, however, didn't make any special moves. He took off his Stetson hat, knelt down, and recited a prayer before standing up again. He then reached behind his waist and drew out two battle axes, spinning them in his hands before holding them firmly.
The waves surged on the sea's surface, and in just a moment, Chen Chuan stepped onto the shore. He didn't stop there but continued walking towards the three men, maintaining his original posture and rhythm without a single change.
This posture further set off alarm bells in the minds of the trio, and as he blatantly stepped into their personal space, Ian, who was at the forefront, took the initiative.
With a loud shout, he stood still, his expression becoming even more devout. The spiritual form outside his body suddenly leaned forward, and in an instant, a gigantic palm pressed down towards the front.
At this moment, the originally illusory palm became as dense and lustrous as jade, its patterns clearly visible, and the edges were adorned with faint golden flames.
Chen Chuan looked up, neither dodging nor using the Snow Lord Saber he held. Instead, he met the attack with a fist, and as he did so, a ball of platinum light collided with the enormous palm.
In the midst of the dark night, the impact of their collision illuminated the area, making it momentarily bright.
Ian had put a lot of force into this punch, and the advantage of his external form was that even if it was slightly damaged, it wouldn't endanger his main body. Moreover, its attacking power was even greater than his main body's, so he could use it without hesitation.
If his opponent showed any signs of negligence in their response, he would follow up with subsequent attacks. If the opponent's strength exceeded his expectations, he believed the two behind him wouldn't just stand by, as their interests were aligned.
But the moment their fists and palms connected, he realized something was amiss. The spiritual flame on the palm was rapidly dissolving, which usually meant that the opponent's strength was far beyond his own, perhaps even an entire level above him.
He didn't have time to ponder this further and immediately prepared to receive the incoming force. Indeed, as the spiritual flame on the palm was consumed, a powerful force rushed towards him.
His external arm became ethereal under this impact, as if it would shatter and collapse at any moment. However, the spiritual flame from other parts of his external form flowed and replenished it, forming a series of defensive chains that continuously dissipated and neutralized the force.
The New Chiuan Stream's techniques emphasized the variation of light and heavy movements, focusing on solid defense and continuous offense. If one part was broken, it didn't mean everything would collapse. Even if the opponent's strength was several times his own, he had a way to deal with it.
But before this powerful force could dissipate completely, another force rushed towards him, even more fierce than the previous one.
In the midst of this intense battle, Ian, an experienced fighter, remained calm. He was well-versed in various force techniques and had a countermeasure for each. He formed a peculiar hand seal with his main body, and the incoming force was strangely pulled and dispersed throughout his spiritual form, while the subsequent spiritual flame continued to surge, resisting the opponent's assault.
However, another force suddenly rushed in, even stronger than before.
His eyes widened. Was this the Third Segment Force? No, this was... something else!
He felt a continuous influx of power from his opponent, and the spiritual flame surged like a mighty ocean tide, wave after wave.
Chen Chuan was using the same technique that Taru had employed, but instead of using a staff to connect the Second Segment Force, creating an uninterrupted force, he utilized the Vast Sky Style to achieve a similar effect, generating an even more powerful force.
However, the manifestation of this technique was a straightforward punch!
In an instant, the spiritual flame on Ian's Zen Avatar rapidly weakened. First, cracks appeared on the palm that touched his fist, then these cracks spread up his arm, and the giant spiritual form became unstable. Finally, it seemed to be unable to withstand the pressure any longer, expanding outward for a moment before exploding with a bang and dissipating into mist.
The destruction of his external form also affected Ian's main body, causing a brief stagnation as it was an extension of himself. Moreover, the loss of a large amount of spiritual flame left him momentarily frozen.
In the next instant, Chen Chuan's reflection appeared in Ian's eyes, as he had already rushed to his front. Chen Chuan's fist was tightly clenched, emitting a surging platinum flame. At this moment, he was about to strike Ian.
However, Ian's body was momentarily rigid, and he couldn't move, even as he desperately tried to gather his spiritual flame. There simply wasn't enough time.
Chen Chuan's charge was devoid of any technique, relying solely on speed, combat awareness, and a clear judgment of the situation.
Just as his fist was about to strike Ian's face, a saber light flashed from the side, slicing towards him! Chen Chuan showed no sign of changing his attack, and just as the saber was about to cut him, a red scarf around his neck fluttered, and a red-robed woman wearing a veil suddenly appeared in mid-air, her Snow Lord Saber intercepting the incoming saber light!
...
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(End of Chapter)
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