Chapter 245: Crippled?
With this in mind, the Nether Patriarch immediately put his plan to the test.
"Brat! Since you’re able to fight me to this extent, I’ll give you a chance to save yourself!"
"Bow and kowtow to me! Worship me as your master and patriarch! Join my Dark Nether Ancient Clan, and I’ll spare your life!" the Nether Patriarch declared self-righteously.
"Haaa? What are you blabbering on about? If you want to dream, at least go to sleep first!" Wei Chen shot back with his usual smugness before rushing forward once again, his Underworld Bone Claw brandished for battle.
This time, however, the avatar did not appear. He could no longer maintain it.
"Insolent!"
The Nether Patriarch roared and met Wei Chen’s claw with his fists and palms.
Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank!
The two clashed once more.
This time, it was a battle fought with pure skill and combat instinct, as neither of them possessed enough spiritual qi to fuel their more powerful techniques anymore.
Palm strikes and fist strikes met claw strikes. The sounds of impact rang out like metal colliding with blades. Flames and sparks erupted from both the friction and the clashing spiritual qi, flashing and exploding across the battlefield as the battle grew increasingly intense.
....
The exciting and intense battle was broadcast across the three provinces. As time passed and the high-speed exchanges continued, people everywhere debated the Dao and analyzed the movements of the two fighters. Many gambling houses even began taking bets on who would emerge victorious!
Strangely, however, none of the gambling houses within Thousand Treasure City opened betting pools for the fight. They knew the relationship between Mo Xingyao and Wei Chen. If they dared to use the life and death of their ruler’s fiancé as a source of gambling and entertainment, they might receive a personal visit from the Black Blade Corps and an invitation to enjoy some cold tea at the Thousand Treasure Pavilion’s interrogation department.
At this time, both Mo Xingyao and Dream Butterfly had nearly arrived at the border of the Vermilion Bird Province. They were traveling aboard one of the Thousand Treasure Pavilion’s fastest flying arks.
This type of flying ark had only a small crew compartment with bunk beds and no kitchen. Small and fast, it was designed specifically for the Pavilion’s messengers.
Neither Mo Xingyao nor Dream Butterfly had time to enjoy the scenery or food as they normally would. Mo Xingyao had brought only a forbidden artifact with her, hoping it would prove useful, while Dream Butterfly spent every moment cultivating, hoping that even the slightest increase in her cultivation could help her husband.
On Ximen Hao’s side, he was bogged down by restrictions and political obstacles. He could not mobilize the forces of his clan as he wished.
Thanks to Ximen Ren’s intervention, Ximen Hao could not even obtain approval to use a battleship. The only vessel available to him was his personal leisure flying ark.
Boom!
Inside his study, Ximen Hao slammed his palm into his desk in anger, causing it to explode into splintered wood and shattered pieces that scattered across the room.
"That damn Ximen Ren! This is too much! I want to go help my good brother, yet that damn son of a whore dares to muddy the waters!?" Ximen Hao roared in fury.
Butler Ma could only let out a sigh.
His young master was highly capable when it came to administration, but he was too blunt and disliked playing political games or exchanging empty pleasantries. That tendency had caused many problems over the years.
Many elders within the clan disliked his young master and seemed to support Ximen Ren instead.
Of course, part of the reason was that Ximen Ren appeared willing to turn a blind eye whenever those elders siphoned clan funds for themselves, while Ximen Hao would punish them severely.
As a result, his young master had accumulated a great many political enemies.
Ximen Hao watched the broadcast with a troubled heart. Of course, he had personal motives for wanting to go there, but that did not mean he wasn’t genuinely worried about his good brother’s safety.
....
At the Emerald River.
Fatigue had begun to take its toll on both sides. Their movements became sloppier and slower, while their reflexes needed more time to react to changes in movement and the shifting battlefield.
There were many instances where both Wei Chen and the Nether Patriarch missed opportunities or found themselves in difficult situations due to mistakes caused by their own exhaustion.
Their breathing grew ragged, and neither could hide their weakness anymore. Both sides appeared equally fatigued.
But to the Nether Patriarch, this was nothing short of a disgrace!
He had fought this youngling for three days and three nights. He could not launch a decisive attack because this brat never gave him the opportunity to use a move powerful enough to finish the fight, while this brat likewise could not break through the defenses of his Demonic Buddha Avatar.
And now, in terms of skill and technique, this brat seemed to be his equal!
He glanced at the other two patriarchs who were watching the battle. He could clearly see the mocking looks in their eyes.
If this duel had taken place without any witnesses, he would have already ordered his subordinates to charge this brat while he used the opportunity to recover!
But that was not the case.
He had no choice but to fight this brat fairly!
And judging by the signals in the eyes of those two patriarchs, the situation was not looking good for him. If he could not finish off this brat soon and do so with his own strength, his prestige would suffer greatly, and those two would start thinking that his Dark Nether Ancient Clan was easy to bully!
Clank! Bam!
Wei Chen’s claw strike was slightly too weak and was deflected by the Nether Patriarch’s fist.
Wei Chen gritted his teeth. His wrist had gone numb, and his arm could not return to a defensive position in time.
This is it!
An opening!
The Nether Patriarch spotted the wide opening and the exhaustion written all over this damned brat’s face. His focus immediately locked onto the exposed area around Wei Chen’s dantian.
"Hmph! You asked for this yourself! Let’s see if your precious Underworld Palace will still accept you after you’ve become a cripple!"
The Nether Patriarch roared as a malicious smile spread across his face. His palm strike shot forward and struck Wei Chen’s dantian squarely.
Boooom!
Suddenly, the broadcast cut off!
...
"No! Husband!"
"No! Lord Husband!"
Inside the high-speed flying ark, both Mo Xingyao and Dream Butterfly were alarmed. They were only a few minutes away from the area!
Ximen Hao was also startled. He gritted his teeth and turned toward Butler Ma.
"Butler Ma! Take all of the tonics, elixirs, and miracle medicines from my personal vault! And prepare a high-speed flying ark! We’re going to the Emerald River right now!"
"Yes, Young Master!"
Butler Ma bowed and immediately rushed toward Ximen Hao’s personal vault.
...
On the battlefield, blood poured from Wei Chen’s mouth. His head hung low, and his hair draped over his face as though he were a puppet whose strings had been cut.
"Hahahahaha! Bear witness! This is what happens to those who dare oppose me!" the Nether Patriarch laughed loudly, his hand still embedded in Wei Chen’s dantian.
"Your precious young master is now a cripple. He’ll... Huh!?"
He paused as he tried to pull his hand back.
Then...
"What!?"
An overwhelming suction force began draining all of his remaining spiritual qi. It was like a great dam whose floodgates had been thrown wide open. Spiritual qi poured uncontrollably from his meridians, while the qi within his dantian slipped entirely beyond his control.
His meridians felt frozen as the mysterious pulling force overwhelmed everything.
"What... what’s happening? Why can’t I!?"
Other than his mouth, he could not move an inch.
The spiritual qi within his dantian rapidly dwindled. Soon, it began affecting his cultivation base itself as the pulling force started eroding the very foundation of his cultivation.
At this rate, his cultivation would...
"You two! Help! Pull me out of here!" he immediately shouted toward the other two patriarchs.
"What? Our esteemed Big Brother Patriarch can’t even pull his hand out of a brat’s dantian?" one patriarch said mockingly. "Perhaps you’ve struck some kind of armor. I remember there are artifacts that drain spiritual qi from attackers to repair damage to their wearers. But to think you can’t even pull your hand free... what a disappointment."
"That’s right. And he dares call himself Big Brother, hah!" the other patriarch chimed in.
The two seemed in no hurry, deliberately dragging their feet.
This was a perfect opportunity to kick the arrogant Nether Patriarch while he was down.
"What do you want!? Tell me!" the Nether Patriarch demanded through gritted teeth, already preparing to be extorted.
The two patriarchs exchanged glances and began whispering among themselves about what price to demand, all while intentionally wasting more time.
"Hurry! If I survive this, I’ll make sure to drag both of you down with me!"
Hearing the ultimatum, the two patriarchs no longer dared to delay.
There was a saying: a starving camel is still larger than a horse.
They did not dare push the Dark Nether Ancient Clan too far.
"We want half of your spirit stone mine," one of the patriarchs stated.
"Fine! I swear upon my name that I’ll give it to you! Now help me!"
