Chapter 463: Su Chen—Wins! |
"An alternative transformation..."
Su Chen actually knew that the prototypes of these three people came from Longevity, Great Heaven, and a guy from within Lingxiao, respectively.
"If I don't beat all three of these guys to death, Tong Zhuo won't lose. Not to be trifled with..." Su Chen didn't produce any intent of underestimating the enemy just because he had swept his way up here.
If the other party directly clashed with him head-on, he wouldn't be afraid. But this Tong Zhuo wasn't the Du Yunfei who was just defeated, nor was he the overwhelmingly confident Zhong Yue. He probably wouldn't clash head-on with him right from the start.
"With all eight Sky-Scars open, I can't hold on for too long. If these three guys don't clash head-on with me, it will be somewhat troublesome," Su Chen pondered inwardly.
"Forgive the offense," the tall and thin figure among them spoke in a deep voice.
Boom!
Before even a fraction of a second passed, that terrifying aura had already pierced through the void. The loud crash tearing the world apart and the sound of the void trembling exploded almost simultaneously.
A fist seal wreathed in vigorous aura headed straight for Su Chen's face.
But in the next instant, Su Chen's eyes shifted slightly. Sure enough, just before that tall and thin figure rushing toward his face could reach him, a black void hole suddenly surfaced before him, swallowing him entirely into it, and he actually surfaced from behind Su Chen.
Thump!
The surface of Su Chen's body had already turned blood-gold. That fist landed on his upper back, like a great bell exploding, and energy ripples swept out.
Although the strike hit, it achieved nothing. Before Su Chen could counterattack, the tall and thin figure was swallowed by the black void hole and appeared extremely far away.
Rolling hot currents rose within Su Chen's body; the Inexhaustible Titan had already taken effect.
He didn't use the Flash-Shadow Body to pursue, merely looking over from afar. This person's prototype was Chang Geming of Longevity, exactly the person currently ranked first on the Abyssal Hidden Star Ranking.
Based on external speculation, Tong Zhuo definitely couldn't perfectly mimic Chang Geming's strength; at the very least, he couldn't mimic that Longevity Root.
But he was also not to be trifled with. That strike just now almost caught up to Zhong Yue. The three Sky-Scars state found it somewhat hard to withstand, but the Immovable Vajra was too fierce. As long as it didn't reach the tolerance limit, it was equivalent to no damage.
His gaze fell on another profound figure elsewhere. It was precisely this person who had shifted Chang Geming away just now—Xu Yingshen of Great Heaven.
Only beneath Chang Geming, it was said that he had swallowed an unknown number of Nether Realm Creatures in his body, and his various abilities were infinitely strange.
"Physical-type abilities..." Tong Zhuo looked at that blood-colored figure. The other figure wearing a white robe released an astonishing energy fluctuation.
"Hum~"
Nine dragon phantoms of different colors were seen darting out from behind him, crisscrossing and covering all directions. As distinct as the Jing and Wei rivers yet mutually dependent, they spat out an energy torrent that instantly pierced through the void like divine light.
Only sizzling sounds were heard. Energy radiances of various colors intertwined, but they were all annihilated on the surface of Su Chen's blood-gold skin.
But those nine small dragons grew even stronger, and at this moment, they were already coiling in the firmament.
"This is an Azure Deity who has already advanced to Morning Star within Lingxiao—Sheng Moqian, specializing in elemental attacks." Su Chen stood tall amidst the energy torrent. The Inexhaustible Titan took effect, and hot currents continuously surged, but his body stung ceaselessly.
Tong Zhuo was worthy of being a complete Azure Deity. The gap between him and Zhong Yue and Du Yunfei was quite large. Just this Trinity Form was not something he could deal with by opening three Sky-Scars.
Bang!
Chang Geming attacked again. Upon getting close, he was swallowed by a black hole. Su Chen reacted in advance, turning around with a punch.
However, the other party had already been swallowed by the black hole again, appearing behind him. A fist like iron smashed into his shoulder.
Boom!
The world shook violently, and auras boiled.
"This guy wants to slowly tangle with me..." After a brief exchange, Su Chen realized the other party's thoughts.
These three people kept using long-range attack methods and didn't engage in close combat with him at all. That Xu Yingshen kept shifting Chang Geming, which was quite troublesome.
"He knows I have burst-type methods and wants to slowly squeeze them out."
Su Chen wasn't surprised either. After all, he had already fought eight people earlier. With everyone adding a word or two, they could piece together his rough abilities.
"Then I'll take another step and go along with his thoughts." Su Chen's eyes shifted slightly, opening two more Sky-Scars. Five Sky-Scars opened simultaneously, reaching the second level of God-Ascension, obtaining a 40% boost, equivalent to opening seven Sky-Scars.
Vitality that almost turned substantial rolled out. Although Limit Break directly elevated his tier by one, the boost it brought was far inferior to the Sky-Scars. Now it was basically only used by him to elevate his base physical stamina, in coordination with the Doppelganger.
"What a strong physique!" Tong Zhuo's heart shook slightly. "This is what he relied on to defeat Zhong Yue and Du Yunfei. It's almost no less than some Morning Stars."
"Luckily I waited for Du Yunfei's reminder. Otherwise, if I clashed head-on with him, I would probably suffer a huge loss, but now..." Tong Zhuo pondered inwardly, relaxing quite a bit.
To deal with someone possessing this kind of burst-type professional ability, the response strategy was to force him into a situation where he had to use his burst ability, and then avoid head-on combat.
Once the duration of the ability passed, he naturally could only choose to admit defeat.
Chang Geming launched the main attack from the front, but didn't face him directly. Sheng Moqian used long-range attacks, and Xu Yingshen was only used to shift the two, avoiding them being beaten to a pulp.
The earth shook violently and cracked open, and the void trembled. Berserk energy fluctuations accompanied terrifying lights of collision, sweeping and surging.
After tangling for another while, Su Chen's expression was indifferent. Even with the coordination of the Inexhaustible Titan, the burden of having five Sky-Scars open simultaneously made it very difficult for him to achieve a balance between consumption and recovery.
If this continued to drain him, he would be drained dry sooner or later, but he still hadn't used the Flash-Shadow Body or opened eight Sky-Scars.
He must beat the Trinity Form to death for Tong Zhuo to be considered defeated. Once he exposed his trump card prematurely, even if he knocked out one of them, it would be very troublesome if the other two blindly fled.
"The most troublesome one is that Xu Yingshen; he has quite a few methods of concealment and escape." Su Chen's eyes narrowed, occasionally glancing at that profound figure.
.........
"Formidable physical body, extreme burst..."
Outside the Martial Proof Hall, Qi You and the others finally understood. "So it's this type of profession. If fighting head-on, it is indeed very difficult to fight."
He cast his gaze toward Du Yunfei, guessing, "Were you annoyed in your heart because you lost to Zhong Yue and then were challenged by Su Chen, so you didn't tangle with him seriously?"
Du Yunfei looked up at Su Chen, who was under the siege of the three bodies. He always felt it was somewhat strange. His vitality was indeed thick, and his destructive power was indeed extraordinary, but it always felt different from when he battled him.
But separated by the screen, it was also difficult for him to distinguish life auras and such. Hearing Qi You's words, he responded in a muffled voice: "That's right, my state of mind wasn't very good at the time... I had no thought of fighting a bitter battle."
"Mhm." Qi You nodded. "If you were more careful, perhaps you wouldn't have lost."
Jiang Yue's eyes flickered. Du Yunfei's mindset exploded because he lost to Zhong Yue.
Zhong Yue probably became arrogant in his heart because he won against Du Yunfei.
Tong Zhuo was rather smart, waiting until Du Yunfei came out and informed him of Su Chen's information before going in.
The expressions of the other several Morning Stars eased quite a bit. Su Chen's advantage lay in the fact that no one knew his background. This kind of burst indeed could catch people unprepared.
And these people on the leaderboard had all been researched thoroughly. The degree of information transparency was completely unequal.
"If we wait until Su Chen is thoroughly researched, he shouldn't be able to reach the level of second place; he should be around fifth." Qi You speculated. Although it was still tongue-tying, it was better than now.
"I guess he himself should also know this, which is why he specifically picked this time, not giving others the opportunity to research him, and swept his way through in one fell swoop. He is a smart person," Qi You became increasingly moved.
Even if Su Chen was challenged down later and returned to his rightful ranking, that would be later. The shock caused today would not be erased.
"So he's a physical-type professional, seems to excel in extreme bursts." The crowd below discussed spiritedly. Some people could barely see the battle situation clearly, while those who couldn't listened to their discussions and filled in the blanks themselves.
"Hiss—to actually be able to fight a bitter battle with the Trinity Form, no wonder he could reach second."
"Tong Zhuo is still formidable. He's clearly stalling for time, fundamentally not clashing head-on with Su Chen, waiting for the other party's burst time to pass."
"Sigh, he's the first place after all, yet he still uses this kind of trick."
"What's wrong with using this kind of trick? You're supposed to utilize what you excel at and avoid the other party's strong points. Knowing the other party excels at bursts and still clashing head-on, isn't that an idiot?"
"......"
.........
"Now!"
Amidst the energy torrent, Su Chen tossed and turned, dodging. During this period, he also attempted surprise attacks, but these figures had numerous methods and could easily evade.
However, right at the instant when the figure of Chang Geming coming in for a surprise kill was swallowed by the black hole again, Su Chen's figure dissipated like mist.
In the battle with Tong Zhuo, he used the Flash-Shadow Body for the first time.
Because of adjusting his position multiple times, the place where Su Chen was located was extremely close to Xu Yingshen to begin with.
His body disappeared, and in the next instant, he appeared beside Xu Yingshen, his eyes sharp, his vitality surging to the heavens. A punch shaking the world landed straight on Xu Yingshen's head.
Bang!
Su Chen's surprise attack was extremely fast. Tong Zhuo was startled and completely couldn't react. This body explosively shattered.
The other two bodies simultaneously froze, their faces sinking, their facial muscles twitching, but they couldn't help but feel shocked in their hearts. The Trinity Form shared the same body and mind; if one was shattered, the other two would naturally sense it.
But his combat experience was so rich; in a fraction of a second, he pulled an extremely far distance away.
"This person actually still hid a speed-type top-tier Holy Class..." Tong Zhuo gritted his teeth secretly. This was the importance of information. If he had known in advance, he definitely wouldn't have let the other party destroy one of the three bodies so easily.
The Flash-Shadow Body is exposed... Su Chen's heart stirred slightly, suddenly releasing five Sky-Scars, transforming into four Sky-Scars. From a 40% boost to 20%, his aura instantly plummeted quite a bit.
"This is his limit..." Tong Zhuo, as the opponent, could naturally clearly feel the change in Su Chen's aura.
"To be able to sustain this burst state for up to five minutes, and he hasn't truly exhausted his stamina yet..."
He no longer had the slightest thought of looking down on Su Chen. The other party's instantaneous burst of speed just now had startled him too. If he didn't have the Trinity Form, he would have been defeated by that strike.
"Fortunately, Xu Yingshen was annihilated. If this guy can still hold on, I can only temporarily flee, which is somewhat unseemly."
Thinking that the outside world was still observing the battle, thoughts drifted in Tong Zhuo's heart. "Having one of the three bodies destroyed has already lost face. If I wait until he is completely exhausted to clean up the battlefield, I'm afraid it will invite even more criticism."
This was the predicament of the first place. Winning imperfectly, incompletely, and not thoroughly was a problem.
"The body of Xu Yingshen cannot be wasted..." Tong Zhuo looked at Su Chen, who was panting heavily. "Since that's the case..."
"This..." Su Chen was quite surprised. He saw the collapsed Xu Yingshen before his eyes turn into streaks of black light, instantly traversing space, actually merging into the other two bodies.
"This dead body seems to have strengthened the other two bodies." Su Chen didn't act rashly, because this was an ability Tong Zhuo had never used before.
If these two guys obtained Xu Yingshen's abilities, I'm afraid it would be even more troublesome.
At the same time, a scroll painting of clouds and mist unfolded behind the other two figures. Palaces seemed to be undulating within it, wrapping them up.
"The power of a Cultivation Method?" He looked at the cloud and mist picture behind the other party and thought of the Lingxiao Creation Refining Method.
This Cultivation Method was the core of the Upper Three Heavens, and its specific might was still vague and obscure to this day.
Quickly, that cloud and mist picture scroll gradually restrained itself. The two figures disappeared, and only one figure remained in the arena. It was not Tong Zhuo's main body. Its figure was not tall, just like an ordinary person, exuding divine light all over, its aura terrifying.
"Junior Brother... to be able to reach here has already made Lingxiao look at you with new eyes." That voice spoke, like a great bell and chime, layer upon layer.
"Merged into one?" A sharp gleam flashed across the bottom of Su Chen's eyes. He shaved off another Sky-Scar, leaving only three Sky-Scars' blessing. What manifested outwardly was an even weaker aura.
"Then let me see Senior Brother Tong Zhuo's might." Su Chen's figure seemed tottering, and his face was somewhat pale.
"Since my Cultivation Method harmonized, this is my first time utilizing it. Forgive the offense." Tong Zhuo cast his gaze down, an expanse of indifference in his eyes. A dragon's roar rang out high and clear, and nine dragons coiled beside him, then condensed into one. He seemed to transform his body into a dragon, vividly lifelike.
"Boom!"
His figure swayed, and the scales tore out streaks of void rifts. The dragon body went straight for Su Chen. The other party was seen raising his hand, seemingly still wanting to counterattack, but it looked somewhat soft and weak.
Tong Zhuo wasn't surprised in the slightest. This was how physical-type professions fighting with extreme bursts were; once the strong period passed, they could only allow themselves to be slaughtered.
But in the next instant, Tong Zhuo's heart leaped in shock, his pupils contracting. He saw the seemingly dispirited Su Chen's eyes suddenly look over, and an unimaginable tide of vitality erupted from his body.
His aura defied the heavens. In merely a fraction of a second, it far surpassed what he had just considered the "peak of his burst"!
All eight Sky-Scars opened simultaneously, coupled with a 60% boost, almost equivalent to the blessing of thirteen Sky-Scars!
"Not good!" Tong Zhuo was terrified in his heart. He had been played. This guy fighting in that state just now was to make him think that was the other party's peak.
And then waiting for the opportunity, seeking the strongest collision, this now was the other party's true extreme burst!
With no time to think more, he subconsciously wanted to withdraw, but what Su Chen was waiting for was right now. How could he give him the chance?
In the next moment, Tong Zhuo could only see a heavy punch descend upon his body!
......
"How did they merge into one?" Wei Zhenghong couldn't help but ask.
Jiang Ce was also very bewildered. "What's this situation? I've never seen this before."
"The situation doesn't look too good." Shen Yi'an's brows furrowed tightly.
"What a pity, he failed to truly pierce through ten in a row." There was no lack of people sighing. Su Chen's aura was dispirited, while Tong Zhuo's three-in-one aura was flourishing. Who would win and who would lose was clear at a glance.
Some people were also speechless. "Tong Zhuo is an 8th-Tier Azure Deity at full power after all, only one step away from advancing to Morning Star. For Su Chen to knock out one of his bodies is already very terrifying. Exactly what are you guys feeling pity for?"
"True. At his age, there's no need to be in such a hurry either."
Wei Zhenghong and Shen Yi'an exchanged a glance and couldn't help laughing.
True, this Lingxiao was a top-tier pillar of the Abyssal Domain after all. Su Chen sweeping through invincible opponents the moment he arrived would be way too outrageous. Being able to fight to second place had already far exceeded their estimates.
The holographic screen had already become an expanse of dazzling brilliance, but most people had already shifted their gazes away, believing the victory was decided.
"The Lingxiao Creation Refining Method has no fixed form. To actually be able to merge the Trinity Form into one." Jiang Yue's brows furrowed tightly, staring at the holographic screen. This kind of merging was clearly not Tong Zhuo's everyday state.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly; the foundation of the Upper Three Heavens was truly thick.
Qi You secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Su Chen fighting his way up step by step from tenth just now indeed brought very heavy pressure, even making him feel somewhat apprehensive.
"Fortunately, Tong Zhuo can be considered..." He looked at the screen, waiting for the final result.
But his heart suddenly palpitated, his pupils contracting, as if seeing something inconceivable.
The other Morning Stars who were originally chatting with each other were the same, their expressions changing drastically one after another.
They saw clearly that the dispirited Su Chen actually erupted with a terrifying vitality far more resplendent and dazzling than just now. That Tong Zhuo, who originally carried the brilliant general trend, was actually blasted through like crushing dry weeds and smashing rotten wood.
Du Yunfei's eyelids twitched, and he couldn't help but shout, "Right, this is right!"
This was his feeling back then. The Su Chen tangling with the Trinity Form just now was completely wrong; he was hiding!
"Holy shit, who won!?"
The professionals who had long shifted their gazes away were still discussing, but hearing waves of unimaginable sounds rising and falling in succession, they couldn't help but look up, all seemingly struck by lightning, their scalps going numb.
Only to see on the holographic screen, a few words impressively surfaced—[Su Chen—Wins!]
"He won, he won! Uncle Su won!" Little Jiang Fan said excitedly.
"Su Chen... Wins!?"
Jiang Ce raised his head, his face full of confusion. Wasn't Su Chen tottering? How did he win?
Wei Zhenghong and Shen Yi'an also hadn't reacted, dumb as wooden chickens.
The entirety of the surroundings of the Martial Proof Hall plunged into a deathly silence.