At that moment, seeing Robert fall completely into a disadvantage after just one exchange, the spectators all changed expression.
Among them, most citizens of the Byron Empire wore broad smiles, and a few even began cheering without restraint.
In contrast, the people of the Beni Empire looked far more unpleasant.
On Red Rock Ridge, Robert rolled close to the ground once again. After narrowly dodging Leian's attack in a miserable state, his eyes turned bloodshot, as if they were about to spit fire.
At this moment, amid his shock and fury, he was also filled with regret. He regretted being so overconfident earlier. If he had used all his methods from the start, he would never have ended up in such an embarrassing situation.
The only fortunate thing was that it was not too late. The scales of victory were still tilted in his favor.
At this thought, Robert's lips moved faster and faster. Just as Leian's third sword thrust toward him, suddenly—
"Buzz—"
Centered on Leian, a hundred-meter radius was suddenly covered in an earthen-yellow glow. From afar, the yellow light flickered as a peculiar fluctuation instantly spread outward.
Leian's heart tightened. He felt an astonishing force of attraction rising from beneath the ground. Under its pull, his flesh, blood, and even his internal organs seemed to sink, and his sword movement involuntarily stalled.
"This is earth-element magic—Gravity Spell!"
Gravity Spell was a fifth-level earth-element spell. By controlling the flow of Earth Elements, it adjusted the gravitational force within a certain range. Moreover, the strength of that gravity could continuously increase with a mage's realm.
At the sixth level, gravity doubled. At the seventh, it quadrupled. At the eighth, it increased eightfold. At the ninth, it increased sixteenfold!
"This guy is actually a mage too!"
Leian narrowed his eyes, and the corner of his mouth twitched twice uncontrollably. Robert had truly exceeded his expectations.
Dual cultivation of magic and martial arts—wasn't that the template reserved for protagonists?
Moreover, judging from the gravity pressing down on him, this man's magic cultivation had likewise reached the realm of a ninth-level Archmage.
This talent was nowhere near comparable to Linley's, but on the Youquan Continent, it was still exceedingly rare.
After all, even Leian himself had cultivated spiritual power since childhood, yet his spiritual power was only at the peak of the eighth level.
On the other side, Robert wore a savage expression. When he had silently chanted the spell earlier, he had been waiting for this very moment.
As an earth-element mage, he knew better than anyone how formidable Gravity Spell was.
For an ordinary person, carrying goods twice their own weight was not particularly difficult. But under double gravity, the heart might very well fail to withstand the strain, causing instant death.
That was because the muscles on the surface of the body could be trained, while internal organs like the heart and lungs were difficult to cultivate. Even when strengthened with battle qi, their improvement was far inferior to that of the outer muscles.
Therefore, in Robert's view, even if Leian was a ninth-level powerhouse, after suddenly being struck by "sixteenfold gravity," his movements would definitely be affected, even if his internal organs could withstand it.
And that was his opportunity!
At that instant, when Leian's movements stalled under the Gravity Spell, Robert swung his saber without mercy. The broad blade swept upward, its tip like a bolt of lightning as it shot straight toward Leian's chest.
When experts fought, victory and defeat were often decided in an instant.
Seeing that Leian was about to be disemboweled, Robert finally revealed a bloodthirsty, delighted smile.
At the critical moment, Leian suddenly seemed divinely aided. With a kick of his feet, his chest brushing the blade's edge, he actually slid back along the ground several meters at the last instant.
"Impossible!"
His confident strike had failed to achieve anything, and Robert's expression immediately turned exceedingly ugly.
Ever since the fight began, Leian had repeatedly exceeded his expectations. Though it had not shaken his will, he could not help but feel a trace of irritation.
Leian's face was cold, with not the slightest hint of pride in his expression.
It had truly been dangerous just now. If he had not practiced swordsmanship underwater before and developed a keen sensitivity to gravity, and if he had not fused with the magic crystal core, strengthening his body inside and out, he might not have adapted to that immense gravity in time and avoided the fatal blow.
However, although his body had adapted to the gravity, his speed would still be affected while the Gravity Spell remained. Without his speed advantage, winning the next exchange would not be so easy.
Just as Leian was deep in thought, Robert sneered.
"Leian, I really did underestimate you. You managed to dodge even that. But under my Gravity Spell, let's see how fast you can still be!"
As he spoke, he forcefully kicked off the ground. His entire body streaked toward Leian with an afterimage, and the moment he closed in, his saber came crashing down from above.
Under the Gravity Spell, Leian no longer considered winning through speed. Facing this saber strike filled with immense force, his expression remained unchanged as he thought:
Isn't it just a direct clash? Why would someone cultivating Destruction Battle Qi be afraid to retreat?
"Hmph!"
With a cold snort, Leian swung his longsword and met the attack without hesitation.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Saber and sword collided again and again, producing dull booms as visible shockwaves scattered in every direction.
With their realms being similar, the two were evenly matched for the moment.
At the same time, the surrounding mountains erupted into commotion. The instant Robert used Gravity Spell, the crowd seemed to explode into an uproar.
"What is that yellow light?"
At that moment, many people voiced the doubts in their hearts.
"It seems to be earth-element magic."
"It's Gravity Spell! Robert actually cultivates magic as well!"
"Another dual cultivator of magic and martial arts?"
While everyone was still discussing Gravity Spell, a silvery-white radiance suddenly spread from Robert's body. The white light resembled a suit of metal armor, instantly wrapping Robert from head to toe.
"That is—Earth Guardian Saint Armor!"
There was no shortage of experts and knowledgeable people among the audience.
"Platinum Saint Armor, a ninth-level spell. Robert is a ninth-level Archmage!"
"He really is a dual cultivator of magic and martial arts. How old is Robert again?"
"I heard he's over a hundred."
"Th-this... another genius?"
Under normal circumstances, someone on the warrior path who reached the ninth level before the age of forty could be called a genius. Magic was different, as spiritual power had no shortcuts in cultivation. Generally, anyone who could reach the realm of a ninth-level Archmage before eighty was also considered a genius.
Although Robert was already one hundred and seven years old, he had reached the ninth level in both magic and martial arts. If considered separately, he truly could be called a genius.
Once that conclusion was reached, everyone looked at one another, unsure of what to say for a time.
Who could have imagined that Robert actually cultivated both magic and martial arts?
At this moment, even though the people of the Byron Empire stood on Leian's side, it was no longer appropriate for them to belittle Robert.
As for the experts of the Beni Empire, they had shed their earlier embarrassment. They all held their heads high, calling him Mister Robert one moment and Lord Robert the next, their words brimming with pride.
On Red Rock Ridge, Leian looked at the Platinum Saint Armor covering Robert's body and knew that ordinary attacks were already ineffective. If he wanted to win, he could only use the trace of Destruction Profundity he had comprehended yesterday.
At this thought, he also felt fortunate.
If he had not gained an initial grasp of the Destruction Rule yesterday, then unless he transformed into a magical beast today, victory would have been basically impossible.
With that thought, Leian decisively used the trace of Destruction Profundity he had comprehended. The purplish-black glow surrounding his sword blade suddenly surged.
Seeing this, Robert thought Leian could no longer hold back and was preparing to risk his life. He could not help but sneer inwardly, then immediately circulated his battle qi and charged forward.
However, the result of this clash completely exceeded Robert's expectations.
Crack!
Amid a strange sound, at the point where saber and sword collided, a finger-length section of the blade strangely turned into powder and scattered through the air.
Robert's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. His saber had been forged from several precious ores. Let alone a ninth-level warrior like Leian, even Saint Realm experts would find it extremely difficult to damage.
How was this possible?
Leian paid no attention to Robert's reaction. As the saber snapped, his longsword was no longer obstructed. He immediately twisted his wrist, and the black sword blade stabbed toward Robert's chest with an unstoppable momentum.
Robert's expression changed drastically. Without another word, he retreated at top speed. Though he wore the Platinum Saint Armor, he was no fool. Even his precious saber could not withstand Leian's sword; how could the Platinum Saint Armor possibly be effective?
But how could his retreat be faster than that thrust? He had barely taken half a step back when the sword tip was already pressed against his chest.
Bang!
With a soft sound, a palm-sized patch of Platinum Saint Armor where the sword struck instantly turned to powder.
Just as the longsword was about to pierce through Robert's heart without further obstruction, a powerful pressure suddenly descended from high above. Affected by it, Leian's arm involuntarily sank, and the sword that had been aimed at Robert's heart only pierced through his abdomen.
"Saint Realm expert!"
This was not the first time Leian had experienced such pressure. He swiftly pulled out his sword, retreating as he looked up into the sky.
Several hundred meters above the mountaintop, a yellow figure was silently hovering in the air at some unknown point.
"Who are you?"
Leian felt not the slightest respect for this unfamiliar Saint Realm expert who had stopped him from killing Robert, and he asked in an icy tone.
Of course, in the past, even if he had been unhappy inwardly, he would not have acted with such an attitude. But now that he possessed the Goddess Token, he did not believe the other party would dare attack him without justification.
The facts proved Leian right. The unfamiliar Saint Realm expert did not attack because of it. After studying Leian for a while, he suddenly said:
"My name is Cavila. Spare Robert's life, and I will owe you a favor."
Upon hearing the name "Cavila," Leian had only one thought: Just as expected!
On the Youquan Continent, Robert was not the only person to cultivate both magic and martial arts. Before him, there had been another renowned powerhouse who cultivated both—Cavila, the Magic-Martial Sword Saint!
After Cavila, there had been quite a few people on the Youquan Continent who attempted dual cultivation of magic and martial arts, but very few had persevered to the end. When Robert used his ninth-level magic, Leian had guessed that he likely had some connection to the Magic-Martial Sword Saint.
The facts proved that he had not guessed wrong. And judging by Cavila's act of saving Robert, their relationship was clearly not shallow. They might even be master and disciple.
A Saint Realm expert was asking in exchange for a favor. Although Leian was displeased, it was not appropriate for him to refuse.
Besides, Robert was already severely injured and completely incapable of resisting. Leian also disdained killing someone who had no ability to fight back.
Still, he had no interest in Cavila's favor.
At this thought, he sheathed his longsword, gave a light snort, and turned toward the foot of the mountain.
Before you continue