Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Dying with Eyes Open
Duan Jinghong’s greed was as fervent as a blaze; his Spirit Root was damaged and he could no longer cultivate, leading to years of a dispirited will, delving into the mortal world to enjoy the wondrous taste of power.
However, when midnight dreams revisited, he would feel regret, pondering what realm he might have reached by now if his Spirit Root were not damaged.
Putting aside other things, as one’s realm increases, so does their lifespan – something that no amount of money or power can replace.
Therefore, when he discovered that Luo Chen possessed a Spirit Root, his heart surged with excitement, and he immediately took him as an apprentice, nurturing him with great care, intending to send Luo Chen to the White Cloud Sect to obtain divine medicine that could heal his Spirit Root.
Now, his ambitions had grown even larger.
The legacy Shi Hao had received was very likely to surpass even the White Cloud Sect.
This spiraled his greed and also sealed his lips.
Once he plundered Shi Hao’s treasure, he would kill everyone to silence them, then head to distant lands, only returning after he had mastered divine skills.
He believed that within the inheritance of a peerless powerhouse there ought to be a method to heal the Spirit Root.
And so, he came to kill, his eyes reddened with fervor.
Shi Hao and Duan Jinghong clashed, and under the terrifying force, Duan Jinghong was immediately sent flying backward, which confirmed to Shi Hao that although the enemy could “summon” flames, this did not enhance his strength.
Nevertheless, he felt the scorching pain in his hands; even with the protection of forceful energy, it couldn’t completely isolate the might of the flames.
The strength of forceful energy lay in dissolving physical attacks; however, its effect was considerably less effective against such Elemental Attacks.
Shi Hao charged forward with the speed of an arrow, his fists pounding explosively.
Bang bang bang, his punches rained down like a storm, relentlessly battering.
“You old bastard, so old yet lack any sense of dignity, bullying others with your power!”
“Aren’t you just a Martial Venerable?”
“So what, I’m going to burst you open in front of everyone!”
“Let’s see you order people around now, let’s see your arrogance!”
“You want to kill me? I’ll send you on your way!”
Shi Hao fought more and more ferociously; his body was covered in numerous burns, and even though the Flame Power was fierce, he didn’t care, consumed by battle fervor, intent only on killing.
Duan Jinghong was terrified. How could there be such a monstrous person?
If this continued, although it was very likely that Duan Jinghong would be beaten to death by Shi Hao, Shi Hao would also be burnt to death.
A lose-lose outcome, perishing together – what was the point?
Although he was greedy, he also cherished his life, and the idea of retreat sprouted within him.
“Kid, if we keep this up, we’ll only both die. Stop, let’s call it off!” he took the initiative to back down.
This was unbelievable to the onlookers; a Martial Venerable voluntarily ceasing battle?
But then considering Shi Hao’s formidable strength, stopping was indeed the best choice; otherwise, like Duan Jinghong said, they would perish together.
“You old coot, are you afraid?” Shi Hao ignored him completely, swinging his fists, unleashing his terrifying power to its fullest.
“You little bastard, are you an idiot?” Duan Jinghong was on the brink of exploding in rage. It wasn’t that he was afraid of Shi Hao but that he didn’t want both of them to die.
However, with Shi Hao’s fierce and unyielding punches, how could he stand down? It was fight to the death or be beaten to a pulp.
He didn’t want to die, and of course, neither did Shi Hao.
But why did he insist on fighting?
First, it was his pride that egged him on; if you can kill or maim me, then I’m determined to take you down.
Secondly, he had a strategy in mind, though he wasn’t yet sure if it would work.
When Duan Jinghong launched another Flame Palm towards him, Shi Hao let out a long howl, and the Nine Revolutions Sky-Plundering Scripture began to circulate.
“Nine Revolutions Sky-Plundering” means that one can plunder energy from Heaven and Earth, so why not from people as well?
Shi Hao’s Soul Tentacles spread out, and he “saw” an entirely new scene.
—Duan Jinghong was also extending his Soul Tentacles, drawing energy from his surroundings, but unlike the Nine Revolutions Sky-Plundering Scripture, which takes whatever energy is available, he was very specific in his targets.
At the first turn of the Nine Revolutions Sky-Plundering Scripture, Shi Hao forcibly snatched away that energy.
As Duan Jinghong’s palm struck halfway, a bizarre scene occurred; the flames burning on his hand suddenly extinguished.
Duan Jinghong’s face was a picture of confusion. What happened?
Boom, with just one blow, he was sent flying by Shi Hao, spitting out blood continuously under the impact of nearly three million pounds of force, feeling several bones breaking inside him.
How is that possible?
His mind raced; somehow, his connection with the Fire Element had been interrupted, causing his Flame Palm to extinguish all at once.
But how could this happen?
He still had more than half of his Soul Power left; it wasn’t even close to being depleted.
The surrounding crowd was also baffled. What just happened?
“Pfft, old man, why’d your fire go out? Do you need to refuel before you can fight again?” the fatty laughed out loud from the side.
You think this flame is fueled by oil?
“Hahaha!” Suddenly, many people burst into laughter. They knew the fatty was just joking, and his humor at a moment of such a high-stakes duel indicated that he had a big heart and an even bigger nerve.
Duan Jinghong was both enraged and furious. Of course, he wanted to kill the fatty, but with a strong enemy right in front of him, how could he be distracted?
More importantly, he was shocked as to why he had suddenly lost communication with the Fire Element, and this unknown invoked fear within him.
But before he had time to think it over, Shi Hao attacked again.
Boom, Duan Jinghong’s hands vibrated once more, reigniting the flame.
Shi Hao did not use the Nine Revolutions Sky-Plundering Scripture again, because his Soul Force had not fully recovered, and he could only use it three more times at most.
Therefore, if he were to use it again, he had to make sure it was a fatal blow.
Moreover, the previous encounter made him realize that Duan Jinghong could manipulate Flame Power because he had drawn on some type of energy from the world around him.
What if he could do it too?
Shi Hao extended his Soul Tentacles, and instantly, the world presented itself to him in a different aspect.
He “saw” Duan Jinghong once again establish a connection with a certain energy in the world around him, with the power of the soul acting as a bridge between them.
Differentiating the type of energy the opponent was communicating with, he likewise used his Soul Tentacles to capture it. However, this time he did not use the Nine Revolutions Sky-Plundering Scripture to plunder it, but rather used the Soul Force as a bridge, adhering it to the surface of his fist.
As the energies converged, once they reached a certain threshold, boom, a flame ignited on Shi Hao’s fist.
Even the fire was larger than the flames on Duan Jinghong’s hands, almost the size of a washbowl.
Under such a strike, Duan Jinghong had not expected it at all. Not only was he sent flying with the blow, but the terrifying Flame Power burned half his face severely, practically cooking his brain.
You’re too crafty, having the ability to use Elemental Power, clearly at the Soul Nurturing realm, yet you deliberately fooled me, pretending to be clueless. Then, at such a critical moment, you coldly took me down.
“Scammer, scammer, scammer…” His eyes were wide open in anger. Dammit, dying with his eyes wide open, truly dying with his eyes wide open.