Book 9, His Fame Shakes the World β Chapter 25, As Resilient as a Monolith
βSplash!β
Olivier fell from the skies, slamming down into the waters of the river and kicking up an enormous geyser of water.
βElder brother!β Blumer, who had been watching at the riverbank, roared loudly, while at the same time charging directly towards the location in the water where Olivier had fallen.
The millions of spectators were simply too numerous. Many of the people at the distant edges couldnβt even see Olivier and the Monolithic Sword Saint do battle. They could only overhear what the people in front were saying about what had just happened. Instantly, the millions of onlookers began to murmur.
The difference between the two was simply too enormous!
After all, Haydson continued to stand there, as though he hadnβt been injured at all.
βMaster Linley, Olivier lost?β Emperor Johann said questioningly to Linley, by his side.
βIt is still too early to come to any conclusion.β Linley was still staring up at the Monolithic Sword Saint, Haydson, who remained unmoving in mid-air. Linley said to himself, βI wonder what the results are for Haydson, after he took on that attack head on.β
The Monolithic Sword Saint, Haydson, was feeling extremely uncomfortable right now.
He was extremely confident in his defense. He had roamed the Yulan continent for centuries now, and had never discovered anyone whose defense was stronger than his. Indeed, the obsidian swordβs battle-qi attack just now hadnβt breached his defense in the slightest.
Howeverβ¦
When the obsidian sword had struck against his fist, a strange energy had easily penetrated past his vaunted defense and directly attacked his spirit, catching him off guard and stabbing viciously into his soul.
He felt dizzy, and his head hurt so much it threatened to split apart.
βWhat a Prodigy Sword Saint. Heβs even managed to develop a soul attack technique.β After a moment, Haydson regained his normal faculties. βA young fellow who isnβt even a half-century old was actually able to develop such a unique attack.β
Haydson had tasted this sort of attack long ago!
Soul attacks actually werenβt that unique.
For example, that βeldest discipleβ of the War God, Fain, which Linley had met, had caused Linley to nearly faint when his lightning technique struck Linley. It had taken Linley quite a while to recover. This, too, was a form of soul-based attack.
For example, the War God, who simply by speaking could cause someoneβs soul to shudder.
The basic principle underlying soul-based attacks was quite simple; it was using oneβs spiritual energy to form an attack, then use it against the opponentβs soul.
Simply put, it was a spiritual attack.
But although it was easy in theory, it was extremely difficult to do in practice. This was because spiritual energy, normally speaking, was very soft and malleable, like cotton. In order to do a spiritual attack, one had to transform the cotton into a sharp knife and use it to pierce the opponentβs soul.
Even most Saints were only able to, at most, broadcast their spiritual energy. To use it to attack? To transform cotton into a knife?
Difficult!
But although it was difficult, those top-level experts who had been meditating on the Elemental Laws for a long time were capable of reaching that level. Haydson had previously experienced this sort of soul-based attack.
βOlivierβs spiritual energy is not very strong. Most likely, it is only on the level of a magus of the eighth rank. If he had the spiritual energy of an Arch Magus of the ninth rank, I would most likely be badly injured. If it was on the level of a Grand Magus Saintβ¦β Haydson laughed calmly.
And then, Haydson looked down into the Channe River.
The Channe River had already regained its usual calm, but Olivier hadnβt reappeared yet.
βOlivier, it seems you wonβt come out until youβve finished repairing your arm.β Haydson laughed loudly, his voice shaking the heavens and reverberating throughout the land.
βRepairing his arm?β Linley frowned, feeling surprised.
βSplash!β
A waterspout suddenly erupted from the river, and a black blur instantly shot up into the sky, once more standing in mid-air and staring at Haydson. Olivierβs damaged, twisted right arm had already returned to its normal condition.
Olivier laughed coldly as he looked at Haydson. βRepairing an arm? Haydson, even if you wanted to do such a thing, you wouldnβt be able to.β
βLight-style elemental essence is indeed miraculous. Some top-grade light-style magi are able to heal even the most grievous of wounds in an instant. Howeverβ¦in terms of defense and attack, the Laws of Light are inferior to the Laws of the Earth.β Haydson said confidently.
The Laws of the Earth.
Linley, too, trained in the Laws of the Earth.
βHow can you possibly understand the subtle mysteries of the Laws of Light?β Olivier said calmly. βHaydson, donβt be over-confident. You didnβt enjoy the feeling of my sword attack just now, did you.β
Haydson frowned.
Even an extremely powerful soul, upon receiving a soul-based attack, would suffer some wounds.
βWith your soul damaged, will you be able to use 100% of your power?β Olivier drew his Lightshadow sword with his left hand.
He wielded his obsidian sword with his right hand, and his Lightshadow sword with his left.
βBut Iβm different. My arm was broken, but now it is healed. Iβm not impacted in the slightest.β Olivier dual-wielded his weapons, with a layer of dazzling white light covering his Lightshadow sword, while a layer of light-devouring cold black aura covered his obsidian sword.
Two diametrically opposite forces.
βI want to see how you will deal with these two totally opposite forces!β Olivierβs eyes flashed with a cold look, and then he instantly transformed into a blaze of white light, as radiant as the sun, while at the same time, an unremarkable series of black lights flashed amidst his radiance.
His speed suddenly increased to his utmost limit!
The skies were once again filled with over 108 Oliviers.
βClang!β Haydson, his face solemn, drew his earthen-colored heavy sword from his back.
βHahaβ¦youβve finally drawn your sword.β Olivierβs laughter shook the heavens. The countless spectators were all silent.
Tonight, the night sky was covered by thick clouds, giving the battlefield a very gloomy aura. The spectators below even had the feeling that those dark, thick clouds were so close to Olivier and Haydson that the two could touch the clouds just by raising their hands up.
βBoom!β βBoom!β
Terrifying sonic booms could be heard, as each time Olivier streaked through the sky at high speed, there would be an eardrum-rupturing sonic boom. The power of those sonic booms in the sky was so great that even those lit torches wavered, the flames pressing downwards from the pressure.
Gales of wind caused everyoneβs hair to begin to float upwards.
Countless people stared fixedly at this spectacle, hoping they could clearly see what was happening in the skies.
βClang!β βClang!β
Each time Olivierβs dual swords clashed against Haydsonβs earthen-colored heavy sword, those two light-style and darkness-style bursts of energy would strangely combine and attack together, seeking to break through Haydsonβs attack.
βI didnβt expect Olivier to have this sort of attack!β Watching the battle with his head raised, Linley sighed secretly.
He had to admit that Olivier was a genius. Light and Darkness were two diametrically opposed types of Elemental Laws, but Olivier not only was able to train in both at the same time, he was also able to use them together in a very perfect manner.
βHahaβ¦β
With each consecutive blow, Olivierβs loud laughter rang out. βHaydson, what, are you just going to defend? Can it be that your soul is so wounded that you canβt even attack?β
βBOOM!β
A terrifying thunderclap could suddenly be heard from the cloud-covered skies as an enormous bolt of lightning snaked down and struck the ground. A few seconds later, a torrential rain began to fall.
In the blink of an eye, the world was covered with rain.
βDamnit, why does it have to rain now?β The millions of spectators began to curse aloud. Most people had not brought any rain gear. With the rain suddenly descending upon them, they were transformed into a series of half-drowned chickens. However, these spectators continued to raise their heads high, staring at the duel in the skies.
But thanks to the torrential rain, they couldnβt even fully open their eyes as they stared upwards.
How miserable!
Many people were forced to take off their clothes and try to use their clothes to block some of the rain, so as to allow themselves to continue to stare upwards at this duel between absolute experts, which they might not have the chance to see again in a hundred years. But despite thisβ¦the thick, heavy rain prevented them from seeing much of the battle in the skies.
Right now, there were very few people who could clearly see what was going on in the skies.
Linley, of course, was one of them.
βMaster Linley, what is going on in the duel above?β Emperor Johann asked Linley urgently. The imperial clan was still quite comfortable, because as soon as the rain had started, many large umbrellas were immediately deployed above them.
Linley and the others all continued to sit comfortably dry under those umbrellas.
βYour Imperial Majesty, Haydson continues to defend, while Olivier is wildly attacking him. Howeverβ¦it seems Olivier is totally unable to harm Haydson.β Linley smiled.
But although that was what he said, in his heart, Linley was wondering to himself, βEvery single one of Olivierβs attacks contains a spiritual attack component. What sort of shape is Haydson in, exactly?β
The torrential rain continued to fall.
Those countless torches had been extinguished by the rain long ago. Right now, only the illuminating spells of a few light-style magi provided a bit of illumination in the area.
βOlivier, are you finished attacking?β Haydson said calmly.
βWhat?!β Olivier was suddenly stunned.
Could it be that despite him having attacked for so long, he hadnβt been able to injure Haydson at all? His soul-based attack was his secret weapon.
Wielding both swords in his hands, Olivier stood in mid-air, staring at Haydson.
Haydson looked calmly at Olivier. βWhen I received your first soul-based attack, I was indeed injured, but afterwards, since I was prepared for them, your attacks werenβt able to harm me at all.β
βPrepared?β Olivier was stunned.
How would one defend against a soul-based attack? Even Olivier himself had no idea.
βOlivier, you must understand, although soul-based attacks are special, you arenβt the only one to use them. There have been quite a number of people in the history of the Yulan continent who have developed soul-based attacks, and I have tasted these attacks before as well. You are only a warrior, after all. Your spiritual energy is far too weak. Most likely, you are only at the level of a magus of the eighth rank. If you were at the ninth rankβ¦then perhaps I would be injured even if I prepared for your attacks. If that were the case my victory today wouldnβt be this easy.β
The Monolithic Sword Saint, Haydson, looked calmly at Olivier.
βWhat?!β Olivier found it difficult to accept this.
This was an unbelievably heavy blow to him!
βOlivier, you are already quite impressive, to have reached this level before even a half century of life.β Haydson gently stroked the earthen-colored heavy blade in his hands. βNow, prepare to receive my most powerful attack. Consider this my way of showing respect for your power. As to whether you will live or die, that will be up to heaven.β
Olivier felt that this was very laughable.
Whether he would live or die?β
βHaydson, donβt be too arrogant. If you have the ability to do so, then come and kill me. Enough talk.β Olivierβs body once more began to blaze with that brilliant white light, intermixed with that dark black light.
Half his body was covered with pure white light. The other half, pitch black.
βCome!β Olivierβs black and white hair flowed freely in the air. He radiated light in every direction, and the power of those two swords in his hands reached a crescendo as well.
Wielding his earthen-colored heavy sword in one hand, the Monolithic Sword Saint, Haydson, had a smile on his face.
βThis is my most powerful attack. The name of the attack isβ¦βWorldbreakerβ. If you are to die, I wish you to die with full knowledge of what killed you!β Haydson had already forgotten how many so-called geniuses had died to him.
Was Olivier the sixth, or the seventh?
He had forgotten.
But Haydson knew that if a genius were to die, then they would no longer be a genius.
βElder brother!β Blumer roared mightily into the skies. βBe careful!β Tears streamed down from Blumerβs eyes, but given the torrential rain, no one could tell if they were tears or just raindrops.
Although the torrential rain was thunderously loud, powerful experts were still able to clearly hear the words between these two combatants.
Hearing his younger brotherβs shout, ensconced in black and white light, the corner of Olivierβs lips actually tugged upwards, forming a perfect curve. Surrounded by black and white light, Olivier was very dazzling to the eye. To the below spectators, Olivier seemed to be a bright star shining in the night rain.
βBoom!β
Olivier suddenly moved, and a terrifying sonic boom could be heard as he transformed into a dazzling line of light which streaked towards the Monolithic Sword Saint, Haydson.
βHaaaaaaaaargh!β Haydson let out a loud yet calm shout.
The Lightshadow sword and the obsidian sword seemed to have merged together, and the dark light and the white light crackled and swirled together, as Olivier, his face fierce, viciously swung down both swords at close range for one final blowβ¦
But as Haydson swung his giant earthen sword towards him, it seemed to carry the power to shatter the entire world.
βBAAANG!β
A terrifying loud collision sound could be heard, as though the world itself had exploded. At the same time, a terrifying gust of hurricane-like wind blasted in every direction as the torrential rain fell down in sheets, carried by the force of that blast of wind.
βSplash!β A human figured covered with dim black and white light fell at high speed into the Channe Riverβ¦and on the surface of the Channe River, a large amount of a red colored liquid could be seen.