The wilderness of the Baruch Kingdom was teeming with people; it was the day of the duel.
Various forces, masters from different factions, and traveling experts from across the continent gathered around the open area, completely surrounding the designated dueling arena in the center. This was a scene rarely seen on the Yulan Continent for hundreds of years: a descendant of Dragonblood Warrior was fighting one-on-one against Eight-Winged Angel sent by the Radiant Church.
Linley stood at one end of the dueling arena, his Purple Blood Soft Sword held horizontally in front of him, with the banner of the Baruch Kingdom following behind him. He looked up at the entrance at the other end of the arena, waiting for the legendary being who instilled fear in the entire Radiant Church See to appear.
He didn't have to wait long.
A holy light swept in from a great distance. The holy light was so bright that it illuminated half the sky with a dazzling white light. The person at the very front emerged from the holy light. He was tall and his whole body was enveloped in holy radiance. Behind him were three pairs of wings, a total of eight wings, and the power of laws flowed on each wing.
Eight-Winged Angel. Lowgod.
It stood at the other end of the dueling arena, looking down. Its eyes held no joy or anger, only indifference towards all things; standing before it was merely a tiny insect that it could crush.
" Linley," the Eight-Winged Angel spoke, his voice hollow, "His Holiness the Pope, seeing how hard you've worked in your cultivation, is giving you a chance. If you surrender now and hand over the mine, I will spare you."
Linley gripped his longsword, remaining silent. He exhaled a long breath, channeling all the Wind-Earth Fusion techniques he had learned along the way into his sword.
"I don't know him." That's what he meant.
The Eight-Winged Angel was not surprised at all, nor did it try to persuade it further. With a gentle wave of its hand, holy light gathered in its palm, swirling in the air, capable of collapsing a mountain with a single strike.
"Then death is the only option."
As soon as he finished speaking, the holy light in the Eight-Winged Angel's hand transformed into a bright beam of light that shot towards Linley. It was incredibly fast; wherever the beam of light touched, the air was scorched and distorted, turning black, and the grass on the wilderness was instantly burned to ashes.
Linley didn't take the attack head-on. He shifted his feet to the side, and the speed of Wind-Earth Fusion with his body, making him like a leaf caught in the wind, barely gliding past the edge of the holy light. But as soon as his feet touched the ground, the second and third holy lights followed one after another, each one denser and faster than the last, as if they were going to plow through the entire dueling arena.
Linley was forced to dodge constantly, the aftershocks of the holy light scorching his clothes black, and his breathing became rapid. The attack of the Eight-Winged Angel was much greater than the Holy Light Impact caused by the Six-Winged Angel. Each strike contained the power of laws at the level of Lowgod. An ordinary Peak Saint Realm would be severely injured even if they survived a single blow.
"Is this all you've got in terms of dodging?" the Eight-Winged Angel said indifferently, suddenly withdrawing his hand, the holy light in his palm condensing once more. "Then you won't be able to dodge the next attack."
The holy light in his palm stopped radiating outwards and was completely withdrawn, transforming into a fist-sized orb of light that emitted a blinding white glow. The orb slowly began to rotate, distorting the surrounding air as if this attack required the utmost effort.
Linley's eyes widened instantly. He knew this move was dangerous; the Eight-Winged Angel intended to kill his opponent with a single blow, concentrating the power of Lowgod onto a single orb of light.
It was unavoidable and unstoppable.
Linley made a decision in the blink of an eye. Instead of retreating, he advanced and thrust his sword horizontally towards the orb of light. This was the Wind-Earth Fusion he had learned through seven days of arduous practice. The wind swirled on the blade, and the earth surged beneath. He did not guide them, but simply let them merge into the sword with this strike.
The sword thrust was devoid of power or sword energy; instead, it was a long, thick layer that could absorb a thousand pounds of force as it rippled along the blade. When the orb of light in the Eight-Winged Angel's hand came forward and encountered this long sword energy, it did not immediately explode. Instead, it was slowly enveloped by layers of wind and earth energy, dissipating its sharpness.
"Huh?" The Eight-Winged Angel frowned for the first time.
The orb of light struggled and trembled within Linley's sword energy, trying to break free from the long binding. But the ground beneath Linley's feet responded, and the surrounding wind swirled, layer upon layer of power rising upwards, slowly consuming the holy light that could destroy an entire wilderness.
By the time the orb of light dissipated into a white mist before landing on the sword tip, Linley's sword was already trembling slightly. A single strike had consumed most of his Battle-qi.
But he did not retreat. He looked up at the Eight-Winged Angel, his eyes calm, almost terrifying.
The Eight-Winged Angel rarely showed such a cold expression, and this time his words carried a hint of scrutiny, "Your swordsmanship is already quite refined. But you are ultimately just a Saint Realm. How many more times can you unleash this strike?"
Linley remained silent. Gripping his longsword, he advanced step by step toward the Eight-Winged Angel. He knew he couldn't win alone. But he also understood that the true purpose of this battle wasn't to defeat the angel.
Waiting... until the angel is forced to turn to the gods behind him for help.
The Eight-Winged Angel also sensed something was wrong. Watching the young man approach step by step, although it knew it had no chance of winning, it still refused to retreat, and a strange premonition suddenly arose in its heart. It no longer held back its strength, unfolded all eight wings, and its holy light surged, launching an attack on Linley with the force of thunder.
Just then--
On the other side of the dueling arena, an old man finally began to act.
Doehring.
When he emerged from behind Linley, he didn't exude any pressure. He simply stood quietly in the wilderness, like an ordinary old man. But the moment he appeared, the holy light emanating from the Eight-Winged Angel began to tremble violently and uncontrollably, as if it had encountered a colossus far more ancient and terrifying than itself.
" Eight-Winged Angel," Doehring said, his voice low but each word clear, "You have finally been thrust into the open by your master. You have lost this battle today."
The Eight-Winged Angel's eyes suddenly shrank, and for the first time, a look of panic appeared on its face. Holy light surged behind it, as if it wanted to leave the body and escape, but Doehring simply waved his hand, and an inexplicable force held it in place.
Doehring said calmly, "The god following you is about to appear. If he doesn't show himself soon, I'll take you down as an angel today."
The wilderness was utterly silent. The Eight-Winged Angel hovered in the air, its holy light flickering, as if it might collapse at any moment. Linley, holding a sword, stood behind Doehring, watching all this unfold before him, and finally, the breath he had been holding in his chest slowly escaped.