Chapter 680: Alternative Heaven’s Punishment
Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
After knocking away the electromagnetic longsword, Lou Cheng used techniques from the Cosmic Universe Style to form scorching red, faint purple, light blue, gold, and dazzling white fireb.a.l.l.s. He cannon blasted them one after another at Taoist Wuguang.
Lou Cheng conserved three fireb.a.l.l.s to rotate around him like satellites, as if he possessed some mythical, supernatural ability.
Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Lou Cheng shot his multi-colored missiles like a cannon, forcing Taoist Wuguang to dodge his attacks.
The longsword regained its spirituality, moving freely and gracefully around Lou Cheng, attempting to cut, hack, slash, pare, pierce, smear, flick, or crush him in whatever way it could. If Lou Cheng got distracted dealing with Taoist Wuguang and let his guard down, the longsword could easily disrupt his Five Flames or even kill him.
However, although Lou Cheng looked off into the distance, he kept his mind close.
Taking note of the objects around Taoist Wuguang, he reflected his surroundings and didn’t let his guard slip even a bit. Whenever the electromagnetic longsword targeted a fireball, he launched that fireball out first.
The longsword attacks didn’t bother him at all. He relied entirely on his intuition for danger. At the most critical points, he moved his hands according to instinct, wearing a layer of ice gloves to hit the body of the longsword directly and send it flying away.
This battle was maintained for some time. Neither Lou Cheng nor Taoist Wuguang could find a quick way to break this deadlock exchange. All they could do was endure and wait for other opportunities to arise.
For Lou Cheng, this was great. He had not forgotten that his goal was to exhaust the other party as much as possible, which was how the current situation was playing out.
Taoist Wuguang’s movements got quicker and quicker. Each step brought with it howling wind as the mountain peak was shrouded in a low humming sound. Clouds gathered and the skies became as dark as lead.
These were the signs of an extreme thunderstorm. Silvery blue and white lightning gathered and jumped between the ominous clouds, emitting an aura of impending destruction.
Bam! As Taoist Wuguang strode out, sparks of fire shot from his back. The dark clouds in the skies expanded, shrouding everything in gray.
He’s was the kind of person to not look back at the explosions. Keeping his movements small, he pressed his palm and directed the longsword to slash through the darkness towards his opponent.
Lou Cheng sensed it coming and swung his arm out. A clear, crystal-like material encased his fist, surrounded by chilling air.
Bam! Lou Cheng’s punch collided with the edge of the sword, blasting with cold air as it struck.
Then a dazzling light shot out from the air. Thick white lightning illuminated the area.
It flickered dangerously like a beast waving its claws. It seemed to be attracted to the longsword as it headed directly towards it.
The lightning speed was beyond what one could handle. When it appeared, it exceeded Lou Cheng’s reaction time to sense danger and hit its target accurately. The longsword shone with blinding rays. With a loud crack, the sword crushed his enemy’s ice crystal gloves.
The Heavenly Lightning was directed by the sword!
At that moment, the sound of thunder erupted, resonating throughout the area and shocking everyone to silence.
Zzzt zzzt zzzt. The lingering electric current in the longsword rushed into Lou Cheng’s fist, causing his skin blacken rapidly and his left arm to shake violently, which quickly spread to his entire body. Although Lou Cheng wanted to move, he seemed to be stuck in place.
After getting past the initial phase of numbness, Lou Cheng barely held on. He gathered his remaining force, retracted his breathing and blood flow, concentrated his mind and power into his diaphragm, and pulled his left hand back with all his might to break the connection.
However, Taoist Wuguang had already closed the distance between them. He held the hilt of his sword firmly in his right hand and raised it up before hacking down again. Another bolt of lightning struck at the same time.
After being flushed with Heavenly Lightning, Taoist Wuguang seemed to temporarily lose the ability to control his sword.
Bam! Lou Cheng exploded his Dan qi and expanded his muscles. At the speed of lightning, his fist ejected the lightning that had invaded his body. He re-formed a thick layer of ice over his fist.
Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Taoist Wuguang’s swordplay quickened with each move. Every strike attracted the Heavenly Lightning which increased the might of his attack to an incredible level.
His swordplay was practical, lacking any elegant flourishes. However, it had a magical feeling that made it seem like part of the lightning itself. Though lightning was a natural occurence in the world, this lightning seemed especially unique, as if it operated under the laws of magic.
After all nine calamities had fallen, there was no longer a gap between the sword and the lightning; they resonated perfectly with each other. Although Lou Cheng had expended all of his energy in defense, and even used the momentum to raise the temperature to a suffocating h.e.l.l, he still found it hard to break through and sustain himself.
Pa la! The light from the sword expanded rapidly, transformed into a straight bolt of lightning, and hacked onto the guard Lou Cheng had formed with his arms. His ice wall shattered upon contact and Lou Cheng’s body began fuming and twitching. His legs went numb and he flew back uncontrollably.
Lou Cheng didn’t care anymore. He threw the last three fireb.a.l.l.s rotating around him, and the purple, red, and golden lights instantly intertwined.
Rumble!
The giant fire and exaggerated smoke forced Taoist Wuguang to dodge and retract his sword in defense. However, Lou Cheng didn’t have time to catch his breath. The moment he landed on the ground, his legs wobbled and his whole body went numb. He staggered forward as his aura dulled and his breathing became weak. Clearly, his injuries from the lightning strike were grave, and he couldn’t even execute a Force Concentration at that moment.
Yan Zheke and the others watching the match bit their lips and gasped.
Seeing this, Taoist Wuguang rotated his feet, recovered from the lingering shockwave of the explosion, and pounced towards his opponent, longsword in hand. Electric snakes circulated through his sword and his body.
Lou Cheng quickly stabilized himself. He straightened his back and threw out his punches like a dragon in the sea.
Extreme darkness surrounded him with dots of Fire Force embedded in it like the countless stars in the night skies. As they filled the darkness, an ominous feeling of danger emanated.
Lou Cheng’s unique roots skill, Cosmic Universe!
His previous weakness was in fact only half-true and half-pretence. Using the secret arts of Cultivation, he had masked his true condition to make his body seem weak and paralyzed in order to lure Taoist Wuguang into his trap.
This was one of the methods he had prepared before the match. It was his way of turning the tables when he was completely overwhelmed. If he hadn’t prepared it specially for the sect leader of the Shangqing Sect, he may have forgotten about it.
Bam! Lou Cheng threw a punch and the darkness flooded outwards. Taoist Wuguang was completely shrouded in it. Although the electricity emitted by his body and sword destroyed the layers of ice, they gradually grew weaker in the chill and eventually dissipated.
Swoosh swoosh swoos.h.!.+ Stars flew towards his enemy one after another in rapid succession.
They destroyed the Crystal Coffin blasting Taoist Wuguang.
When the last layer of ice was loosened, Taoist Wuguang suddenly threw down his longsword. A lightning bolt shot out from both hands, one purple and the other blue. Following which, lightning rays rotated rapidly and the colors mixed as they collided.
Silently, the light from the stars was robbed by darkness, leaving only a black, sperical object. Hidden within it was lightning that sucked in everything before exploding outwards.
The eighth move of the Thunder Sect, Yin-Yang Reversal, Darkness Devourer.
Rumble! Light and fire shot out. Lou Cheng, who had been preparing for another strike, had no choice but to twist his waist and generate strong winds.
Even so, he felt a burning pain where the reversal had grazed him.
The storm seemed to be subsiding and the figure of Taoist Wuguang appeared once again. The hairpin keeping his hair in a bun had broken, and his black and grey hair fell down in a mess. The sleeves over both of his hands had disappeared, revealing thick, strong arms that were clearly unusual for someone of his age. Nonetheless, they were b.l.o.o.d.y with multiple wounds.
The rest of his body was covered in cracks and burns. Some of the wounds were so deep that you could see the white bones beneath. He was no longer that “ordinary” person he’d been before, but now appeared wretched.
As his aura plunged rapidly, he raised his finger and made the remaining ominous clouds in the skies collapse. Bolts of lightning struck down according to the setup of the home ground, as though he was ploughing the earth.
Rumble! Rumble! Amidst the lightning forest, Lou Cheng endured his injuries as he reacted. Sometimes he twisted with amazing footwork to avoid them, while at other times he struck at the electric snakes with his punches.
Just as he was about to endure another wave of attacks, he felt an intuition for danger. Without thinking, he took a step diagonally and smashed his forearm to the side.
Bam! His arm, which was covered in ice wall, struck the electric sword as he sent it flying back.
Unknowingly, Taoist Wuguang’s longsword had started flying again and was almost successful in its ambus.h.!.+
Despite executing his attack and the fact that the Heavenly Lightning clouds had dissipated, Lou Cheng felt no joy. Instead, he felt a stronger sense of danger.
Pa! He ignited the remaining Emperor Yan force in his body and s.h.i.+fted to his side. Taoist Wuguang’s figure had appeared rapidly behind him without attracting anyone’s attention.
Seeing that he had avoided him at the last minute, Taoist Wuguang’s maintained his poker face. He flipped his palm as though he had prepared for this and faced it towards the skies. A purple symbol flickered in his eyes.
Just as Lou Cheng was slowing down from the propulsion, he saw something flash suddenly past. Purple lightning formed above his head before striking down majestically.
After making several dodges, he could barely move his head in time to avoid the purple lightning. His shoulder was still hit directly.
Pa!
He was shrouded in the penetrating light. The next moment, he felt every inch of his bones as he was paralyzed in that spot, shaking uncontrollably.
The first move of Thunder Sect, Alternative Heaven’s Punishment!
Swoos.h.!.+ Taoist Wuguang wiggled his finger and the electromagnetic longsword accelerated one again. It moved faster and faster until it shot out like a cannon. It stopped suddenly right between Lou Cheng’s eyebrows.
Lou Cheng only managed to breathe when the scene was over. All he could do was resign to his fate.
The referee raised his right hand and announced loudly,
“Taoist Wuguang wins the third round!”