Chapter 566: Divine Might of the Crimson Feather (3k)
“You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
The cloaked figure’s face had a mixed East-West appearance, and her delicate skin was as cold as ice. As Su Jiu slashed towards her waist, she promptly blocked the attack with her longbow.
“Clang!”
As the two collided, frost exploded. Disregarding the new gash on her waist, the cloaked figure gritted her teeth and used the momentum to create distance. She quickly nocked another arrow, shooting it forward without charging it.
“Caw.”
The arrow was shaped like a blue bird and even let out a bird cry. Its power was more fierce than the previous ice shards, but because it was released in haste, the energy contained within was only slightly higher than that of the ice shards.
“I gave you the hairband on your head. How can you turn your back on me after putting on pants?”
However, arrows released without charging naturally posed no threat to Su Jiu. He gripped his scythe with both hands, his arms slightly moving as he stirred the external qi around it.
“Appropriate verbal attacks are also a small buff. Use them, regardless of whether they’re effective!”
– Su Jiu’s Tip
“Bang bang!!”
The ice bird was instantly annihilated by the “Sacred Filth” aura emanating from the scythe. The moment it was destroyed, a light slash unhesitatingly shot towards the cloaked figure’s face.
“What do you mean, ‘putting on pants and denying recognition’? What nonsense are you spouting?!”
Upon hearing this, an imperceptible flush crept onto the cloaked figure’s face. This was happening in public, and what was this idiot talking about?
As she retorted, her movements didn’t slow at all. The arrow she had been holding in her right hand, like a short sword, drew a cold glint forward, blocking the slash.
“Lin, have you forgotten that night? Can you really bear to fight me again?”
Continuing to condense the external qi on his scythe, Su Jiu chuckled, a mysterious smile on his face, amplifying his voice towards her with external qi.
He had to wear her down before Lin revealed her true form. Every bit of her energy that was depleted would increase his chances of winning.
Because Lin had transformed into the Ice Sky Vulture form, his only chance of victory was to grab the central head with his Crimson Feather when she used her [Ice Sky and Snow Ground] skill.
“No way, they actually know each other?”
“And something unspeakable happened?”
“So this is an internal conflict. Tsk, are we part of their little play?”
Their conversation naturally reached the outside, and the audience and the clan elders all heard it clearly, their expressions varied.
The Second Elder’s face actually darkened a bit. However, seeing that the “Mercenary Lin” on the stage was still diligently completing her mission and fighting, he breathed a sigh of relief.
“You have no shame! That night, I had just eaten some…”
Hearing the discussions from the audience, Lin’s face turned red and pale, clearly angered. Based on her previous actions, she had thought her opponent was righteous, but she hadn’t expected him to resort to verbal attacks.
“Then surrender, and I’ll cook some more for you later.”
Amidst this feigned conversation, Su Jiu’s figure disappeared again, and his teasing voice reappeared behind her.
“Impossible…”
Sensing the airflow behind him, Lin’s expression changed slightly. She turned, but was half a beat too slow due to blood rushing back to her, forcing her to passively erect an energy shield.
“Bang!”
The energy shield shattered instantly. The scythe cut two wounds on Lin’s back, and the air pressure violently slammed her towards the arena. Su Jiu knew she wouldn’t die, so he didn’t hold back at all.
This match was much more important to her than an ordinary friend. The position of National Master could reduce casualties and also grant bloodline advancement.
“Boom!”
Along with a massive shockwave that formed on the ground, the plaza erupted in exclamations.
Although Su Jiu and Lin knew each other, seeing the mid-tier fighter who had previously dealt with the Snow Tiger like a dog being beaten down like this, it was impossible not to feel surprised.
On the judge’s bench, Director Naz, wearing a mascot costume, clutched a blue bead and stared at the smoke-filled arena, a flicker of astonishment in his eyes.
Empress Maria had instructed him to deliver the Dragon Rhythm, and she had anticipated that Su Jiu might not become the National Master. However, she was still willing to give the Dragon Rhythm, which represented the Western Dragon royal family, to her.
It seemed that Su Jiu might not be defeated so easily, and could even use this thing…
Thinking this, Naz couldn’t help but look down at the small cloth bag on his waist. A cold aura emanated from the bag, yet a square box could still be seen inside.
However, this item could not be given just by becoming the National Master. The requirement was to resolve the division before the special Dragon Rhythm could be given to this Blood Clan girl.
“However, judging by the Second Elder’s expression, the two on stage probably won’t decide the winner anytime soon, but at least the scales of victory are tipping towards this Blood Clan girl.”
Naz turned his head to glance at the Second Elder in the front row of the judge’s bench, whose expression was as dark as water. A faint smile crossed his face.
“Her strength is above mine. Is this the Golden Generation of today? In a few decades, Dragon Country might have another practitioner…”
From his position at Stanford University, the bald youth Ryan gazed at the dissipating light beams in the clash, his eyes filled with shock. He then looked at the stunned students and shook his head self-deprecatingly.
“Don’t consider these monsters as rivals. Their stage has long since moved beyond their peers. Someone like this can even contend with the older generation…”
The mysterious mid-tier War God expert left him with no courage to challenge, yet this person, a Night Watcher from Dragon Country, had directly struck the opponent down.
“This is the Golden Generation of this century.”
…
Lin slowly stood up, tearing off her tattered black robe to reveal her original dress. Her slightly curved petite figure was outlined by the black dress, creating alluring curves.
“You are strong, even stronger than some War Gods, but I have a reason I cannot lose.”
She looked up at the petite figure suspended in mid-air. A cluster of flames appeared in her purple pupils, surprised that Su Jiu, a Battle King, had pushed her to this point. But if that was the case, then she couldn’t be blamed for fighting back…
“Caw!”
Lin stomped on the arena, and her petite figure shot into the sky. A deafening bird cry suddenly rang out, and a pair of black wings unfurled from her back. Then, she completely disappeared in a white light…
At the same time, the sky above suddenly darkened. A palpable oppressive aura spread inexplicably. The audience members were bewildered, wondering why the combatant had disappeared mid-fight.
However, those with sharp eyes noticed that many powerful individuals around them were looking up at the sky. Su Jiu on the stage also looked up, so they followed suit…
“Is that… that cloaked figure?!”
They saw the most terrifying sight of their lives: a three-headed ferocious vulture that blotted out the sun, looking down at the crowd with sharp eyes that seemed devoid of emotion. Its aura was chilling and oppressive, much stronger than its human form.
“Caw!”
In the sky, after a sharp bird cry, its massive wings flapped. Each of the three heads held a light purplish glow, as if charging up to bombard the arena.
Soon, Lin used her actions to show everyone below that she was now serious. Three purple lights, each ten feet wide, carrying an extremely fierce wind and snow power, descended like meteorites towards the arena.
“This should be the so-called Ice Sky and Snow Grounds, which Fen Shuangluan specifically warned me about…”
Staring intently at the purple frozen light that enveloped the heavens and earth, a crimson flame mark appeared between Su Jiu’s brows. His formerly silver hair turned gray, and a pair of rather illusory fiery wings appeared behind him…
He was also covered in light armor the same color as his mask. As the patterns on the armor were etched out, his aura reached its peak.
“Bang!”
Instead of retreating, he moved forward. His feet pushed off the air, and his figure flickered towards the sky. A feather, like an elf, circled around him, and his scythe, trailing orange-red flames, streaked through the air like a meteor.
“Rumble!”
The moment Su Jiu’s body disappeared, a bizarre purple beam descended from above and heavily struck the metallic arena.
Instantly, with a series of ‘crackling’ sounds, the entire arena in the plaza was frozen over, forming a half-meter thick layer of frost. The energy shield beside the arena also developed a thick layer of frost flowers, looking like it was about to shatter.
“Boom boom boom—”
The purple light missed its target, but the massive body in the sky continued to charge and bombard. The three purple rays swept wildly towards Su Jiu’s flickering figure, creating low sonic booms along the way. The sound of freezing air echoed throughout the heavens.
“Still a hundred meters…”
Sensing the light beams constantly pressing against him, Su Jiu paid them no mind. His speed increased, and with his scythe, he directly sliced through the closest purple frost ray. His flames dispersed the bone-chilling cold within the purple light.
“Thicken the energy shield!” Elder Shuangkong of the Great Clan, seeing the completely brittle energy shield, revealed a grave expression and waved his hand, shouting.
“Don’t worry, it can’t be broken by the power of a mid-tier War God.”
Hearing Shuangkong’s shout, the young boy in the alchemist’s attire smiled, holding a small compass in his hand.
Shuangkong frowned slightly. His gaze pierced through the obstacles, landing on the feathers surrounding Su Jiu, giving him a strange premonition…
He was only fifty meters away from the figure, and the purple rays were almost merging. Even Su Jiu, who had activated his third stage, was finding it difficult to endure.
He stared intently at the impact wave that surged like a tide. Then, he rotated his foot, changing his position. As he turned, the three merged rays shot straight towards the ground.
“Good opportunity!”
It was this turn that gave Su Jiu the chance to grab the central head with the feather. He flickered behind the three heads, his scythe hovering at his side, then suddenly grabbed the crimson flame feather next to him.
Just as she reached for it, the feather hovering around her body seemed to gain sentience, sticking directly to the back of Lin’s obsidian-feathered head. As it drew closer, Lin’s original form suddenly stiffened…
“Roar—”
A wave of scorching air rippled outwards from the feather. With the alternation of heat and cold, the energy shield developed spiderweb-like cracks. Then, a deafening roar suddenly sounded, and the cracks were shattered…
“Crack!”
The energy shield shattered completely like glass.
