Chapter 484: No Return
[V6C14 – Sorrow of a Silent Parting]
Nighteye frowned as her expression immediately turned dark.
Faras had always been pressuring Nighteye to partner with him and produce descendants with an even more powerful bloodline. Nighteye had joined the bloody battle in order to escape Faras’ harassment, but she hadn’t expected the latter to be so persistent as to chase after her into the war zone.
But why was he suddenly fighting with Zhao Jundu?
Zhao Jundu was finding the battle progressively easier as he pressured Faras into a miserable situation. Despite the latter’s superior speed, it was extremely difficult for him to escape the domain’s range. Moreover, the Blue Firmament, with its thousand-meter range, would be waiting for him even if he could. It was a big taboo to turn one’s back at such an enemy.
This was Zhao Jundu’s true formidable quality. Once he had locked down an enemy, even escaping was a difficult endeavor.
Faras was extremely depressed and couldn’t help but let out a long frustrated howl. “Dammit! I would’ve killed you countless times if not for this Iron Curtain!”
Zhao Jundu’s hands flickered with brilliance as the Blue River Edge left yet another wound on the enemy. He replied coldly, “You can talk about that after you leave this place alive. Despite being fairly weak, you’re still a primo. You won’t be allowed to leave this place alive.”
Faras flew into a rage. His rank was even higher than Twilight—an entire two levels above Zhao Jundu. However, he couldn’t exert his full power because of the Iron Curtain and was instead being beaten into a wretched state.
But he still possessed a count-grade physique and defense, and his movement arts and speed were also top-notch. He had never taken a square blow from the Blue Firmament since the beginning, and all he had received were minor injuries.
Zhao Jundu was in no hurry, either. He utilized the Omniscient Seal with superb skill, restricting Faras’s movements at every critical juncture and continuously adding injuries to his body. An accumulation of light injuries would gradually accumulate into a serious one. Zhao Jundu was clearly whittling away and killing him.
If one were to consider Zhao Jundu’s impression in the hearts’ of dark race experts as tyrannical, then the current battle was one of incomparable splendor.
Faras became more and more astonished as he fought on. He felt his body slowly growing heavier despite its powerful regenerative abilities. “Zhao Jundu, don’t go too far! We’ll just have to die together if you force me into a corner and make me attract Sky Demon’s will.”
Zhao Jundu sneered, “Go ahead and try. Drawing Sky Demon’s attention will only expedite your death.”
Faras became more hesitant instead after seeing Zhao Jundu’s attitude. Up until this point in the bloody battle, it wasn’t impossible to deal with Sky Demon’s will or even his avatar. By virtue of the lessons paid for with the lives of many experts, geniuses from every faction with excessive rank or combat strength—at least all those who dared enter the Iron Curtain—would possess methods to deceive or even resist Sky Demon’s will.
Some people were even confident in preserving their lives under the gaze of Sky Demon’s will, the only difference being the price they had to pay. For instance, William and Twilight also possessed such methods.
Although Faras also possessed a trick to resist Sky Demon’s will, he was already fairly injured at this moment. There was a good chance that he would be killed by an all-out attack from Zhao Jundu the moment Sky Demon’s will locked onto him.
What then? Zhao Jundu was known as the number one genius in the empire. Since he dared enter the Dark Nation alone under the Iron Curtain, how could he not have methods to protect himself from Sky Demon’s will? How otherwise would he dare launch such long-range assaults at every turn?
Numerous thoughts flashed through Faras’s heart during that split second, and he quickly lost the courage to draw out Sky Demon’s will or raise his combat strength.
Nighteye observed the entire scene from the distance and couldn’t help but curse, “Moron!”
A viscount inquired cautiously, “Your Majesty, should we…” He didn’t finish his words. According to reason, with the relationship between Nighteye and Faras, it was inexcusable for them to ignore his lethal plight. Moreover, it wasn’t advisable for the Monroe clan to offend the Sperger clan with their present circumstances.
But the opponent was, after all, the famous Zhao Jundu. It was up for debate whether this risk was worth taking.
Nighteye’s creased brows didn’t relax. “Where is his entourage?” With Faras’s status and temperament, he couldn’t have come alone to this region bordering the Zhao clan. Judging from the battle, it didn’t look like they were exterminated by Zhao Jundu, either. Could it be that he was hiding a way out?
The battle between Zhao Jundu and Faras was extremely intense—how could there be any room for hesitation? The eight streams of violet qi soared into the sky and locked Faras down for a split second. It was during that short moment that Zhao Jundu blasted him with the Blue Firmament. An azure brilliance struck Faras square in the back, producing a big hole therein.
Faras shrieked in misery as he was flung onto the distant ground. He was shocked out of his wits—he wanted to clamber up but fell back down whenever he tried. He was a vampire count and a primo, yet he could hardly climb back up after taking a full hit from the Blue Firmament.
Zhao Jundu wasn’t one to leave space for the enemy to catch his breath once he had gone in for the kill. Blue Firmament rose once again and began charging up to deal an additional fatal blow.
It was at this time that his heart was suddenly overcome with a feeling of danger. Zhao Jundu immediately abandoned the shot and stepped back.
A blazing blood-colored origin bullet flew through the air and brushed right past the tip of Zhao Jundu’s nose. If he were just a split second late in stepping back, this shot would’ve connected with his head.
Zhao Jundu glanced back to see Nighteye’s figure gradually appear a thousand meters away and was fast approaching. She was holding an enormous black sniper rifle decorated with dark-golden patterns.
Nighteye’s movements seemed slow, but every step took her dozens of meters forward. The numerous Monroe viscounts behind her were running with all their might but were left farther and farther behind.
After taking several steps forward, the sniper rifle in her hand flashed with a sanguineous light. It was yet another silent shot.
Zhao Jundu took one step to the side, effectively evading this shot. However, his expression was fairly serious. He had never been in this situation even when fighting against Faras.
If not for Nighteye’s shot, he simply wouldn’t have sensed her existence. Moreover, the sniper rifle in her hand was clearly extraordinary—its might was tremendous, yet it was completely silent. Such an enemy was extremely dangerous on the battlefield.
Zhao Jundu had just taken half a step when his origin power seemed to boil up, and it felt as though something had exploded in his brain. He was assaulted by an excruciating pain! Zhao Jundu’s vision went dark, and for a split second, all he could see was the pair of blood-red eyes far off in the distance.
Eye Ability!
The juncture of life or death drew out the abilities he had gained through blood and flames. He didn’t panic at all. Violet heavenly flames ignited within his eyes as his origin power was circulated to the extreme. The violet qi around him transitioned into a faint azure hue which momentarily isolated him from Nighteye’s gaze and suppressed the boiling origin power in one go.
At the same time, he raised Blue River Edge in front of his body. Only a loud sound was heard before the blade’s splendor was restrained, and the blood-colored bullet landed right upon it.
Zhao Jundu’s entire body shook as he took several steps back, a streak of blood seeping out of the corner of his mouth. He gazed intently at Nighteye and said with a frosty voice, “Another primo. Very well, you will stay too!”
Astonishment flashed across Nighteye’s pupils. She hadn’t expected the combined attack from her sniper rifle and eye ability to be blocked by Zhao Jundu. Since his fight with Faras, Zhao Jundu hadn’t revealed the slightest of openings. His combat techniques were virtually perfect and flawless.
Zhao Jundu had just finished speaking when he charged straight at Nighteye, but he didn’t forget to fire at Faras along the way.
Faras, who had been flung to the ground a while ago, had just caught his breath. He was actually extremely vigilant. He never let down his guard despite seeing Nighteye snipe Zhao Jundu. Now that an origin bullet was flying toward him, he let out a loud cry and rolled away with all his might. Even so, he was struck by the shockwave and, once again, sent flying into the distance.
Zhao Jundu sped up abruptly and drew a jade green brilliance through the air with the Blue River Edge. A crescent-shaped radiance flew straight toward Nighteye! The latter made no attempt to evade. She tossed the sniper rifle to one side and drew her blade—at the same time, Zhao Jundu’s image was reflected within her eyes!
Zhao Jundu let out a muffled groan as he arrived before Nighteye with azure qi surging all over his body. The eight streams of azure qi condensed into pillars which descended through the air and locked her in place. Despite being further empowered, the Omniscient seal wasn’t able to maintain an advantage. Ferocious beasts formed of blood energy rampaged through the domain, continuously smashing the azure pillars apart. However, the qi would condense anew immediately after being destroyed.
The two clashed fiercely for a short moment before pulling apart to confront one another from afar. Up until this point, the viscounts from the Monroe clan hadn’t yet arrived at the battlefield—this went to show just how swift the exchange was.
Zhao Jundu slung the Blue Firmament behind him and rubbed a finger along his Blue River Edge. Countless streaks of azure light condensed upon the blade and began expanding. Soon, the weapon transformed into a two-meter sword.
The frosty baleful intent upon the formed blade was almost tangible, almost as if it had received the sacrifice of a thousand lives.
Zhao Jundu held the sword in both hands and fixed his gaze upon it. When he glanced back at Nighteye, the violet heavenly flames in his eyes had already been extinguished, replaced by emotionless darkness as lightless as the abyss.
He said with an indifferent voice, “Though both primos, you’re too powerful. If I don’t kill you today, there’s no telling how many humans will die in your hands.”
Zhao Jundu’s blade pressed down slowly and pointed at Nighteye from the distance. Origin power surged around his body as his soaring azure qi pierced through the firmament. Even the Iron Curtain had to give way ever so slightly.
The momentum of this strike startled the heavens and caused the earth to weep. It was a fatal blow in one strike.
In the distance, Faras had just managed to sit up from the ground when he saw Zhao Jundu’s sword stance. His expression turned even uglier than when he received an injury. He had just realized that Zhao Jundu had beaten him half to death without even deploying his full power. Although the Iron Curtain had played a part in this, the disparity in strength between them was simply too obvious.
Nighteye calmed down and gazed fixedly at Zhao Jundu.
The latter could clearly see his figure reflected in her eyes, but he couldn’t sense the slightest trace of danger. That was true danger—a danger even he couldn’t sense.
This strengthened Zhao Jundu’s resolution to kill Nighteye, so much so that he could even let the wounded Faras be for now.
Zhao Jundu’s combat skills were perfect and brilliant, however, Nighteye’s eye abilities didn’t need any openings. Perhaps it could be said that she was able to produce an opening in anyone; it was even more dangerous than powerful divine weapons. If even he came so close to being trapped, how would others fare when they encountered her?
As such, Zhao Jundu decided to utilize his secret arts and put all of his power behind a single blow.
This sword strike was called No Return—the stricken shall live, while the remainder shall fall.