Chen Tian never expected his sneak attack to fail. He had anticipated this possibility and immediately changed his move, launching a series of kicks with his left leg. Long Motian swung his fists, and they collided with Chen Tian's left leg, sending ripples of air outward. Chen Tian spun his right leg, then brought his left leg down, his right leg aimed at Long Motian's neck. Long Motian’s left arm formed a claw and grabbed Chen Tian’s right leg. But Chen Tian would not let him succeed, knowing exactly what Long Motian intended.
He began to spin madly, his entire body transforming into a drill. Long Motian blocked with both arms, his figure retreating. Chen Tian’s drill pushed forward. Long Motian gritted his teeth and endured, channeling all his strength into his feet. Just as he was about to kick, Chen Tian vanished. The kick landed empty. Chen Tian had long calculated this outcome. With his footing lost, Long Motian staggered a few times. His Black Silver Axe stood upright in the void, as if planted in the ground, his figure stabilizing in an instant.
A longsword materialized in Chen Tian’s hand, and a sword-wing grew from his back, unfurling like feathers. “Kill!” Long Motian roared, charging straight at Chen Tian. His Black Silver Axe swung with immense power, as if cleaving the heavens and earth, or the primordial chaos. This was Long Motian’s all-out strike. A sliver of crisis emerged deep within Chen Tian, but only a sliver. He gripped his sword tightly, channeling his power. With his full strength, he swung the sword. The sword blade met the Black Silver Axe, and shockwaves spread, causing the surrounding temporal energy to dissipate.
Both Chen Tian and Long Motian increased their power. With a resounding explosion, both were thrown back hundreds of meters. Chen Tian's sword broke, but it had no effect on him. He channeled his power into the sword, and the broken section regrew. On Long Motian's side, cracks appeared on the axe's surface. Seeing these cracks pained Long Motian immensely. This weapon was his life-bound artifact, and after so many battles, it was the first time it had been damaged. Repairing it would be troublesome. He couldn't help but marvel at Chen Tian's sword. Although it was an energy construct, its strength was no less than his Black Silver Axe.
Long Motian was deeply curious about Chen Tian's secrets, but he had no way to uncover them. Chen Tian had to die by his hand. Such a monstrous genius, once provoked, meant an unending conflict. He had to be eliminated before he could fully mature.
Long Motian gripped the axe handle and pulled it downward with his right hand, extending the handle. The axe’s overall form changed, shrinking. It rose to its highest point, and the axe head merged completely with the handle behind it, transforming into a long saber in Long Motian’s hand. Chen Tian was quite astonished. A weapon's second form, this was truly impressive!
The Black Silver Saber was Long Motian’s weapon’s second form, one he rarely used. The Black Silver Axe's damage and cracks forced him to switch to the saber. The Black Silver Saber retained the axe’s density and size, but its overall strength and power were four to five times greater, with triple the hardness. He brandished the Black Silver Saber and roared in anger, “Kid, you damaged my weapon! I will tear your soul apart piece by piece, then reassemble it, and torture you.”
A smirk played on Chen Tian’s lips. All of this was somewhat unexpected. He hadn’t anticipated a weapon's second form. Images flashed through his mind. After all, unexpected events and variables were uncertain factors. Chen Tian simply recalculated.
His sword transformed into a spear, shimmering with nine-colored energy. Its body was adorned with dragon scales, and dragon and phoenix figures intertwined. Two primal energies were imbued within its patterns. With the spear and saber in hand, Chen Tian faced Long Motian. Seeing Chen Tian change weapons, Long Motian sneered, “You think switching weapons can suppress me? The saber is my main weapon. I don’t believe you can master a spear as well.”
He flickered and vanished. The saber sliced past Chen Tian’s eyes. Chen Tian raised his arm, the tip of his spear catching the saber. Chen Tian flung his arm back, the saber and spear sliding against each other, sparks flying. The saber was dragged along by the spear. Chen Tian flung the saber aside and thrust his spear forward repeatedly, its tip imbued with sharpness. Long Motian’s saber reacted, sweeping horizontally from a raised position. His entire body rotated 180 degrees, and the massive saber blade deflected the spearhead.
Chen Tian steadied his arm. The impact had caused his arm to vibrate, but he managed to maintain his grip. Losing his weapon would have been dangerous.
Long Motian deflected Chen Tian's spear, raised his saber, and simultaneously spun his hands, darting left and right, creating countless illusions. Each phantom seemed like the real Long Motian. Chen Tian sensed the world around him but couldn’t discern the true body.
Countless clones of Chen Tian appeared behind him, engaging the phantoms with their spears. Chen Tian’s true body searched for Long Motian’s original form, but his senses indicated all the Long Motian’s were fighting. Where was the original?
Chen Tian closed his eyes. His spirit stirred, and “Absolute Evasion” activated. He stood still. A beam of light pierced through the back of his head. Long Motian stared in bewilderment. What was happening? He was standing still, yet his attack had passed through without causing damage. He couldn’t believe it. What kind of technique was this?
Within Absolute Evasion, Chen Tian appeared to be standing still, but he had actually left his position seconds before taking damage and then returned. Absolute Evasion, as its name suggested, was absolute evasion, but it had two methods.
One was like an extreme dodge, and the other was like this: the attack passed through the body. It appeared the original was stationary, but in reality, the evasion was so fast it created an illusion.
Chen Tian thrust his spear, which transformed into a nine-colored beam of light, shooting directly at Long Motian. Long Motian blocked it with his saber. The spearhead and blade collided, and Chen Tian swung horizontally, sending a figure flying. As Long Motian regained his balance, Chen Tian’s sword-wings shot out from his back, and countless swords entangled Long Motian, attacking from all directions.
Long Motian’s Black Silver Saber ignited with black flames. A roar echoed from within the saber. The flame-covered blade possessed even more terrifying power. As countless swords attacked Long Motian, he simply waved his saber, unleashing a blade energy that shattered all the swords.
Chen Tian seized the opportunity, appearing behind Long Motian, and smashed down with his spear. Yes, smashed. Once a technique is mastered, all techniques can be mastered, and the same applied to weapons. Any weapon could be used to attack in a certain way. For instance, who said a shield could only defend? Couldn’t a shield be thrown? Couldn’t it be used to smash someone?
Weapons are inanimate; people are alive. The spear was smashed down. Long Motian horizontally placed his saber above his head. With a *ding*, the spear bent, demonstrating the immense force of the blow.
Chen Tian vanished and reappeared dozens of meters behind Long Motian, attacking with a sweeping motion of his spear. By the time Long Motian reacted, the spearhead was already close to his face. Long Motian instantly transformed his saber back into an axe and brought it down. Chen Tian retreated.
Long Motian expressed that he had never heard of a spear being used for smashing or sweeping attacks. Typical spear techniques involved thrusting, poking, lifting, and swinging, but this human was smashing and sweeping. Wasn't smashing a technique for bludgeoning weapons? And wasn't sweeping a technique for axe-type weapons?
Furthermore, didn't these attack methods hinder his offense? Didn't he feel awkward?
He was utterly speechless.
Chen Tian spoke calmly, "Do you want to continue? You are no match for me."
Chen Tian was full of confidence. After all, his "Battle to the Strongest" buff had reached its peak, and his strength now surpassed Long Motian’s. He had been toying with him earlier.
Long Motian arrogantly declared, "Surrender? Impossible! Do you think I don’t know you? You must have used a secret technique to boost your aura to this level, right? I have one too. Dragon Demon God Transformation, Ninth Transformation!"
Behind Long Motian, an evil dragon phantom appeared, roaring dragon cries from its body. Chen Tian took a step forward, and the sound waves of Long Motian's dragon roar reverberated within the surrounding barrier. Long Motian’s aura continuously escalated, reaching the same level as Chen Tian’s.
Chen Tian touched his forehead, muttering impatiently, “Troublesome. Another evenly matched situation.”
Originally, Chen Tian, with his "Battle to the Strongest" buff at its maximum, could have easily suppressed Long Motian. Who knew Long Motian also possessed martial arts that enhanced his strength? This was a miscalculation. Long Motian's aura was now on par with his. This would be a difficult fight. When would a normal battle end?
Dragon Demon God Transformation, each transformation doubled his strength. The Ninth Transformation increased his strength tenfold. However, this technique consumed the evil dragon's origin and bloodline. It was damaging to Long Motian. Lacking origin and bloodline would lead to a period of weakness, especially since there were few treasures to replenish them. Even in the Sacred God Realm, they couldn't be found. They were of the evil dragon race. Only by killing fellow kin and consuming their origin and bloodline could they recover.
If Long Motian’s bloodline and origin weren't so powerful, the Ninth Transformation would have already caused him to collapse. Powerful techniques came at a price. In essence, "The more powerful the strength, the greater the price paid. Power does not appear out of thin air."
Long Motian laughed maniacally, "Kid, what now? Do you still think you can kill me?"
"Yes, though it's an even match now, it doesn't mean I can't win."
"I'd like to see how you kill me."
Chen Tian watched Long Motian’s self-assured demeanor and almost felt like laughing. He had calculated this scenario, but he hadn't expected the opponent's strength boost to be so potent. He simply had to recalculate.
The result of the recalculation would not change. Chen Tian would still be the victor. The trajectory of the entire battle was within Chen Tian's calculations. From the beginning of the fight until now, the scenes Chen Tian had calculated had unfolded step by step. Only half the scenes remained. Barring any surprises, Chen Tian would be the victor, slaying Long Motian.
There was a surprise. Hadn’t Chen Tian said there would be?
A clash of auras. Chen Tian and Long Motian stared intently at each other, their killing intent surging. The shockwaves generated by their colliding killing intent spread outward. Just the collision of their killing intent produced such powerful fluctuations, let alone when they themselves clashed.