Fall

Allen wielded the Dragon Slaying Halberd, his eyes bloodshot as he parried and blocked. He held nothing back now, his two-meter halberd a blur of dark light, unstoppable as he charged. The charging cavalry couldn't even slow him down.

Xiulunte leaped from his warhorse, pouring golden Battle Qi into his sword. With wide, sweeping strikes, he cut down everyone in his path, whether they were his own cavalry blocking him or Undead Skeletons attacking him. Xiulunte showed no mercy, cleaving friend and foe alike to the ground.

The two finally broke through the layers of obstruction and stood facing each other.

Xiulunte's heart was complex. Fate had placed two people who were nothing alike on opposing sides, making them enemies who would fight to the death. He had nothing in common with Allen. He had carved out his own bloody path with his sword, becoming a feared commander of the Papal Legion. He knew he was alone. Despite his high position, he had no one who truly understood him; his only friend, perhaps, was slaughter.

Furthermore, his future path would not change; it would continue to be paved with countless corpses, until one day, he too would become a pile of bones. Perhaps another person would then step on his remains and continue to spread the Holy Father's light.

Yet, this young man before him, barely older than himself, a noble mocked by all, a foolish lord from a top noble family, had become his most serious threat, more dangerous than any other foreign race.

A good family background, a carefree life, countless people protecting him openly and secretly, living in seclusion without needing to scheme against or guard against anyone, not involved in any power struggles, so free.

Xiulunte had meticulously studied all the details of the day the Wolf Cavalry attacked Outpost County. He knew clearly that this useless Baron had stepped forward to protect Dina and the people of Outpost County. In a life-or-death situation, he had received a blessing from a god of another world, and his strength had surged. Unfortunately, the god who blessed him was an Alien God, not the Holy Father. This was also his tragedy, dooming him to become a major concern for the Holy See and ensuring he could not find a place on the Saint Cassis Continent.

Now, Xiulunte felt a hint of jealousy towards Allen.

A father with immense influence in the Kingdom of Locke, an undead Archmage serving as his Butler, and so many hidden experts protecting him and fighting for him.

Perhaps this was fate playing games. The Overgod might have intended for Xiulunte to destroy a Child of Chaos with infinite potential.

Perhaps, in the Overgod's eyes, the Saint Cassis Continent was its private domain, and it would not allow any outsider, any "non-local," to cause trouble on its territory.

Xiulunte cast aside the complex emotions swirling in his mind and thrust his sword towards Allen's forehead.

This was not their first battle. Back at the General Affairs Hall in Outpost County, under Dina's suppression of the Titan Bloodline, Xiulunte's strength was less than a tenth of its usual power without Battle Qi support, allowing Allen to gain the upper hand.

However, although Dina was now trapped in the Old Castle and unable to suppress Xiulunte, Allen had also gained the power of Dragon Power, and now held a sharp weapon.

They both knew that today was a fight to the death, with no room for mercy or pity. Even if Xiulunte fell, even if he broke through Outpost County, there were still countless soldiers of the Earth Dragon Legion outside.

Xiulunte was eager to kill Allen because his time was running out. The Grand Duke of the Kingdom of Locke was already leading his forces to arrive.

Allen was eager to kill Xiulunte for the same reason: his time was also running out. Only by killing Xiulunte on the spot could he have a chance to lead the people from the Old Castle and break through to escape.

Xiulunte's sword was ordinary, its significance more symbolic than practical. However, when infused with Battle Qi, the gleaming golden sword could injure even without direct contact, its covering of Battle Qi alone capable of harming someone.

Allen had no Battle Qi and could not cast magic. Relying on brute strength and countless combat experiences, he attacked relentlessly, almost abandoning defense and blocking.

He dodged Xiulunte's attack by tilting his head, but his shoulder was grazed by the Battle Qi on the sword. Simultaneously, Allen's Dragon Slaying Halberd struck Xiulunte's left arm.

Both men staggered back. Blood gushed from Allen's shoulder like a spring, while Xiulunte's left arm swelled significantly, the steel bracer completely deformed.

Allen kicked away a cavalryman attempting a sneak attack and charged forward again, his nearly two-meter Dragon Slaying Halberd sweeping out horizontally.

Xiulunte let out a sinister laugh, and the golden Battle Qi covering his body slowly turned blood-red. A faint scent of blood permeated the air.

"Holy.Punish!" Xiulunte roared, and the blood-red Battle Qi slashed towards Allen like waves. At the same time, Xiulunte grunted again, "Holy.Destroy," and a cross adorned with skulls appeared out of nowhere, hurtling towards Allen.

Allen's muscles tensed instantly. Back when Xiulunte's Battle Qi was suppressed in the General Affairs Hall, he had used these two divine arts. If Sakre hadn't taken the blow for him back then, Allen would likely be buried by now.

The red sword energy and the giant cross in the air did not attack in a straight line. As Allen dodged, the sword energy and the cross seemed to have a will of their own, like maggots clinging to bone. No matter how he dodged, he couldn't shake them off.

"Take it head-on!" Allen swung the Dragon Slaying Halberd towards the cross in the air, attempting to knock it away. To his surprise, upon contact, the giant cross possessed immense power. Even with the addition of Dragon Power, the Dragon Slaying Halberd couldn't block or deflect it. Instead, it exerted an irresistible downward force, pressing the halberd down. Allen's heart sank. The heavy downward pressure prevented him from dodging, like an incredibly heavy shackle.

With no other choice, Allen switched to holding the Dragon Slaying Halberd with both hands, trying to resist the downward pressure of the colossal cross.

Like Mount Tai pressing down, Allen's breathing grew heavy.

When it rains, it pours. Two flaming saw blades flew towards him. Allen hooked a dead cavalryman's foot with his toe and kicked the body out. The red sword energy also surged forward, slicing the body in half before continuing its momentum unabated.

With the flaming saw blades and the red sword energy less than three meters away from Allen, a ghostly figure rushed forward.

With a flick of his wrist, two Haftless Broken Blades, wrapped in Battle Qi, struck and sent the flaming saw blades flying. Diao Ling shouted, "Second Young Master, dodge! Holy.Punish is a binding shackle among divine arts; it can only hold one person."

With that, Diao Ling kicked Allen in the chest.

Allen hadn't even understood what she meant. With both hands holding the Dragon Slaying Halberd, he couldn't block, and he couldn't dodge. He could only watch as Diao Ling kicked him squarely in the chest.

The pressure on the Dragon Slaying Halberd and his hands vanished. Sitting on the ground, Allen's face turned ashen with shock. The colossal cross had been caught by Diao Ling's fair hands.

Diao Ling's face was contorted in pain. With great effort, she forced a pained smile towards Allen.

Allen, getting back on his feet, charged forward, holding the Dragon Slaying Halberd horizontally in front of Diao Ling. Just then, the blood-red sword energy arrived.

The wave-like sword energy was almost tangible. Allen held the Dragon Slaying Halberd horizontally, retreating step by step, his body trembling slightly.

"Move aside, Second Young Master," Diao Ling's sigh came from behind Allen's head.

Allen ignored her, pushing the Dragon Slaying Halberd forward with both hands to resist the blood-red sword energy, the nauseating smell of blood washing over him.

At this moment, Diao Ling was already kneeling on the ground, as if about to be crushed by the giant cross. Gritting her teeth, she whispered, "Move aside, Second Young Master. I've seen this divine art before. My father died under these two divine arts. Holy.Destroy acts as a shackle to trap the enemy, and Holy.Punish destroys the enemy. They attract each other; it's impossible to resist."

"I don't believe it!" Allen roared, using all his strength. However, the red sword energy still pushed him towards Diao Ling behind him.

"Second Young Master, I've always wanted to tell you something, though you probably don't remember. After the border guards of Outpost County brought me back from the Savage Beast Forest to the Royal City, the first time I saw you, you were only five years old. It was you who had the Grand Duke buy me from the slave merchant, saying you liked my black hair. At that time, you also changed my destiny. Thank you."

After speaking, a few tears welled up in Diao Ling's large, peach-blossom eyes. Unable to withstand the immense force of the cross above her any longer, her slender legs gave way, and she knelt on the ground.

Allen finally recalled a vague scene from his assimilated memories.

A small figure with beautiful black hair, looking at him helplessly.

"Second Young Master, you still haven't told me if my chin is too pointed," Diao Ling said, knowing Allen wouldn't move aside. She sighed softly, filled with helplessness.

The sigh from this woman, whom he had only just met, struck Allen's heart like a knife.

As the red sword energy drew closer and closer to the giant cross, like magnets, the sword energy's power grew stronger, and Allen's Dragon Slaying Halberd began to bend.

A warrior clad in shining armor swung a sword at Allen's back.

A spray of blood erupted, and Allen stumbled, nearly falling to the ground. He almost lost his grip on the Dragon Slaying Halberd. At this moment, Allen and Diao Ling were only an arm's length apart.

As the red sword energy and the cross grew closer, a strong figure rushed over, his broad, solid shoulders knocking Allen away.

Allen, who had fallen to the ground, quickly turned his head, only to see two faces he would never forget in this lifetime.

A beautiful, yet tragic smile played on Diao Ling's lips. Even kneeling on the ground, her enchanting face remained alluring.

The Rock Hammer, pierced through by the red sword energy, still wore its simple, foolish expression, as if saying, "Second Young Master, isn't the weapon I forged good?"

With a "bang," the blood-red Battle Qi finally collided with the giant cross. Between them stood a frail, slender figure and a bald, burly man.

Countless drops of blood rained down into the air. The divine arts "Holy.Destroy" and "Holy.Punish" unleashed their power like a storm, tearing apart everything around them.

Xiulunte, who had forcibly overdrawn his Battle Qi, coughed up a trace of blood and panted heavily. "As expected, he's lucky to be alive!"

Allen stared blankly at the now empty battlefield. The two figures had long since vanished, as if they had dissipated into the wind.

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