Chapter 174 Clash of Reverberation
Jiang Ruoxue, who had been smiling just moments ago, immediately wiped the smile from her face. After all, there was a world of difference between {an accidental touch} and {a deliberate caress}.
This man made her feel uncomfortable in ways she couldn’t quite articulate.
Qi Xia, sharp-eyed as ever, noticed the shift in the atmosphere between Doctor Zhao and Jiang Ruoxue. He exchanged a brief glance with Doctor Zhao, then gave a subtle nod before walking toward Ole Sun in front of him.
"Mate, I really don’t wanna hurt yer. Don’t yer think it’s worth reconsiderin’?"
"No." Qi Xia replied coldly, "Words won’t make a difference—let’s act on it."
Before Ole Sun could even react, Qi Xia had already closed the distance between them, his body leaning forward for momentum as he launched a punch.
Ole Sun was momentarily stunned, before instinctively swinging the stone club in his hand toward Qi Xia’s head.
Logically, anyone in this situation would have instinctively protected their head, for even if they managed to strike their opponent, they would undoubtedly suffer injury in return. But Qi Xia didn’t flinch. Instead, he braced himself and took the blow head-on, letting the club land squarely on the crown of his skull.
"Huh?" Before Ole Sun could even process the shock, a heavy blow landed squarely on his chin.
The punch was precise and powerful, and Ole Sun felt his vision blur as his balance instantly betrayed him. He slowly fell backward, landing on a stone.
The stone, almost as if it were placed there for him, cushioned his fall perfectly, making it feel like a seat.
Qi Xia furrowed his brows, sensing something unusual. The large stone had clearly been there all along, but upon further thought, it seemed impossible. This was the middle of the road—how could a massive stone be sitting here unnoticed by him until now?
In the next moment, the stone beneath Ole Sun began to shift abruptly, as though it were being eroded by termites. It slowly crumbled into sand. At the same time, Ole Sun finally collapsed.
Just as he was about to hit the ground, the sand condensed back into stone, only to dissolve again into sand mere moments later.
Seeing him finally fall, Doctor Zhao let out a long sigh of relief.
Qi Xia, however, felt a growing sense of disorientation, as if his mind was on the verge of slipping into confusion.
What in the world is going on...?
Battle of {Reverberation}?
Seeing Ole Sun crumple under Qi Xia's punch, Xiao Xiao's expression shifted. "Interesting..." She slowly stepped forward, her muscles glistening like gemstones beneath the blood-red sky. "Qi Xia, it seems you have some skills after all."
"I only recently acquired it," Qi Xia replied, casually shaking his right hand, though a bead of cold sweat had already traced its way down his forehead. "But, primarily, it's because your friend misjudged my capabilities."
He could feel it—a looming presence. Xiao Xiao was far more dangerous than he had anticipated. Her immense physical strength, coupled with the Reverberation {Adversity Shift}, made her an exceedingly perilous adversary. Any damage she sustained could potentially be redirected to another, and should he strike her, the one who would likely pay the price might very well be himself.
The question now was... how should he fight this?
Yet Xiao Xiao showed no hint of hesitation. Without a moment's pause, she surged forward, her fists tightly clenched and poised for impact.
Qi Xia's expression darkened as he swiftly reverted to his earlier approach, assuming a combat stance and swinging a punch toward her face. Yet, his speed proved no match for Xiao Xiao’s. In the split second he hesitated, she struck his chest with a punch so hard it felt like iron.
"Ugh!" Qi Xia was sent sprawling to the ground, the air knocked out of his lungs. For a full ten seconds, he struggled to breathe, the sensation nearly unbearable.
Faced with such a formidable bare-handed opponent, Doctor Zhao’s {Reverberation}, which relied on the manipulation of his surroundings, was rendered completely ineffective.
"Ole Sun, tie him up," Xiao Xiao commanded coldly. "He must become a part of {Judgment’s Domain}."
"Cough cough... Alright..." Ole Sun slowly rose to his feet, appearing undeterred by the earlier blow. "I didn’t expect this lad’s attack to be so sharp. Gonna ‘ave to be more careful next time."
As Ole Sun began to approach Qi Xia, rattan rope in hand, a deep voice suddenly cut through the tension. "F*ck, so unbridled..."
Everyone froze, startled, their eyes darting to the source of the voice. They saw a towering man—standing at 1.9 meters—striding towards them with purpose, followed closely by two women.
Qi Xia, still sprawled on the ground, shifted his gaze with difficulty and a wave of relief washed over him.
‘Zhang Shan, Auntie Tong...and Yun Yao?’
"F*ck, what are you three doing? Want to kidnap {Passage to Heaven}’s people?" Zhang Shan’s voice was as cold as ice as he slowly approached Xiao Xiao. His body was covered in blood, likely from some brutal game he had just emerged from.
Xiao Xiao’s eyes flickered with tension as she realized the situation had shifted against her. The last time she saw this man, he hadn’t possessed a {Reverberation}, yet he had killed a bear with his bare hands.
Zhang Shan studied her for a moment, his gaze lingering on her muscular frame, before a faint smile crept across his face. "Very beautiful muscles... but not put to good use huh?"
Under the pressure of Zhang Shan's imposing presence, Xiao Xiao found herself unable to utter a single word.
Yun Yao, standing off to the side, couldn't help but notice a familiar face—but, to be honest, she wasn’t eager to see it.
"Hi, Yun Yao," Jiang Ruoxue greeted with a smile, waving in a somewhat playful manner.
"Don’t {Hi} me," Yun Yao snapped, turning her gaze away coldly. "I don’t want to talk to my ex." Her voice carried a sharp edge. "What’s the plan here? Kidnapping people isn’t exactly {Judgment’s Domain}’s style."
Doctor Zhao, having helped Qi Xia to his feet, slowly maneuvered toward Zhang Shan and the others.
"Child, are you alright?" Auntie Tong stepped forward, offering her support to Qi Xia.
"I’m fine," Qi Xia replied, dismissing her worry with a wave of his hand.
Jiang Ruoxue’s smile remained, her gaze fixed on Yun Yao with an almost teasing gleam. "{Kidnapping people} isn’t our {Judgment’s Domain} style? Then tell me, what is our style?"
"Shut it," Yun Yao replied coldly, her displeasure evident as she glared at Jiang Ruoxue. "You heartless scum-of-a-woman... I don’t want to speak with you."
"Haha!" Jiang Ruoxue chuckled, clearly amused by Yun Yao’s sharpness. "Xiao Yun, you’re still so cute. If I’d known you’d be , I wouldn’t have dumped you."
"Please. Get it straight, I dumped you after I knew your identity." Yun Yao cast a cold glance at the three before her. "I advise you to stop while you still can. If the six of us truly come to blows, you should be well aware of the consequences."
Ole Sun nudged Xiao Xiao from behind, his voice low as he whispered, “Who’s that big fella ova there? ‘Ave we crossed paths before?”
"Yes..." Xiao Xiao whispered back. "If he gains his {Reverberation} this time, we’re probably done for."
"Are all three of 'em {Reverberatees}?" Ole Sun continued to ask.
"Yes, they are experts among experts." Xiao Xiao replied softly, her gaze flickering as she took a measured step back. The situation was undeniably perilous, yet her resolve remained unshaken—she wasn’t ready to let go of Qi Xia just yet.
Auntie Tong’s smile softened, her tone gentle yet firm. "Children, you have clearly been blessed by {Mother God}, so why waste such a gift on wrongdoings?"
"Wrongdoings?" Xiao Xiao sneered. "Why is it that everything you do is justified, while we’re the ones in the wrong?"
Zhang Shan gave a dismissive wave, his patience thinning. "Just get lost." His voice grew colder. "I won’t hold today’s events against you. But if I catch wind of you trying to kidnap anyone again, lǎozǐ won’t be so forgiving."
Seeing Zhang Shan’s demeanor, Xiao Xiao paused, a flicker of doubt crossing her mind. If this man had truly gained his {Reverberation}, why was he being so polite?
Could it be that he was bluffing?
But bluffing can also be a tactic, and one must never underestimate it.
"Zhang Shan..." Xiao Xiao called out. "How about we make a bet?"
Zhang Shan and Yun Yao exchanged a brief glance before responding, "What do you have in mind?"
"We are {Judgment's Domain}, so we can’t simply give up ." Xiao Xiao said, "But we truly want Qi Xia to join us. How about a bet to settle this?"
"I know of a {Terrestrial}-grade game where we can truly battle it out. How about we settle this in the game?"