Chapter 144: For the Glory of the Knights (III)
Wang Yuanyuan looked towards her doubtfully, saying: “…Ying’er, you know him?”
Chen Ying’er’s pretty face expressed loathing as she turned her head, “No, I don’t.”
In midair, Yang Wenzhao slowly raised the two swords at his sides as a gentle golden light expanded outwards. The unicorn’s body also began to radiate a golden color, and within a few moments, both lights combined to form a similar hue.
At this point in time, Yang Wenzhao’s body began to exude an atmosphere full of the light element, and an even denser holy aura. The golden glow below the unicorn’s hooves had also morphed to form a hexagram.
Both wings spreading out evenly, the Starlight Unicorn’s sparkling eyes did not hold the least bit of evil intent as its body glided downwards in the direction of the the golden horn mammoth’s forehead.
Boom——
On the golden horn mammoth’s side, a dense golden red flame instantly furled upwards; it seemed like a ball of golden red fire at first glance. Duan Yi slowly raised his sword and the golden red flame immediately leapt upwards, the fiery light at the sword’s tip extending a good thirty meters.
Seeing that his starlight unicorn was steadily drawing near, at a distance of around 150 meters left, Yang Wenzhao initiated his first attack.
It was a combination of [Light Thorn] with [Instant Blast Cross Cut]. A pair of golden swords simultaneously exploded with the magnitude of [Light Thorn], overlapping with [Instant Blast Cross Cut] as it sliced horizontally through the air towards Duan Yi, who was currently situated at the neck of the golden horn mammoth.
In the exact second that the [Light Thorn] was unleashed, the horn at the starlight unicorn’s forehead let loose two bright golden points that melded with the [Light Thorn]’s attack. Immediately, the [Light Thorn] underwent a qualitative change and the two gleaming blades glowed with resplendent starlight. It exuded a dense, holy aura and pressure that made this originally not so powerful attack totally evolve.
Duan Yi’s face grew solemn and the sword in his hand directly slashed out, golden red fire shaping into an enormous flaming blade and heavily clashing against the [Instant Blast Cross Cut].
Immediately, countless dazzling lights erupted in the air and scattered in all directions, and the Starlight Unicorn again arced back up into the air. At this time, Yang Wenzhao couldn’t help but think that if he had acquired the [Storing Power] skill that Long Haochen possessed, it would have gone better. He would’ve been more able to fully display the superiority of an Airborne Knight.
Therefore, Yang Wenzhao made a hidden determination that once this competition was over, he would definitely try to go learn this skill as his encouragement reward. Was [Storing Power] really so useless? Long Haochen had already used this skill to win numerous matches already. Furthermore, the greatest merit of [Storing Power] was that it could help a knight to unleash an attacking might which exceeded their level. After all, how could the attack that Long Haochen used before simply be an average fifth step attack? It had, at the very least, reached the offensive might of a Radiant Knight of the sixth step.
One in the air and one on the ground, both parties had already exchanged blows. People with a discerning eye would be able to tell who had suffered the greatest loss. The golden radiance surrounding the Starlight Unicorn’s body did not have any particular change. On the other hand, while Duan Yi had blocked the intersecting [Instant Blast Cross Cut], it was clear that the golden red flame surrounding the golden horned mammoth had dimmed, as if it had nearly been blown away by a fierce gale.
The starlight unicorn circled around the perimeter, and in midair, Yang Wenzhao’s pair of swords had already lit up again, a sacred white light bursting forth. It was the dense force of the skill [Holy Sword]. Furthermore, he condensed it on both of his swords.
At this moment, the might of the starlight unicorn was demonstrated even further. Rings and rings of hexagrams emitting a golden luster ascended from its body, and the speed at which Yang Wenzhao activated [Holy Sword] had already multiplied. As the Starlight Unicorn prepared to charge forward once again, his two swords had already begun emanating two bright white blades.
Something flickered in Duan Yi’s eyes, and oddly, although they watched as Yang Wenzhao prepared to glide down, Duan Yi didn’t make any further motions to activate a skill.
“I concede.” A deep, ambivalent voice, under the influence of spiritual energy, resounded throughout the whole stadium.
“Huh?” Yang Wenzhao looked on blankly, hastily directing the already prepared [Holy Sword] upwards as the starlight unicorn glided over the head of the golden horned mammoth. After circling around, it settled before Duan Yi.
“Brother Duan, you concede?” Yang Wenzhao stared at him in confusion. The two parties had only used their attacks probingly, and it could be said that the match hadn’t really truly begun.
Duan Yi’s expression clearly held signs of inner struggle, but he still walked towards Yang Wenzhao and nodded, “In terms of overall strength, I am confident that I am no weaker than you. At the same time, you possess the starlight unicorn which is able to hover and soar in the sky, and as such already possess an indomitable position. Perhaps under the circumstances that I expend all of my power, you most likely would also have to pay a hefty price. However, for me to win this match is too difficult. There’s not much of a disparity between our levels, but based on the fact that you’re a retribution knight that possesses the midair superiority with the starlight unicorn, I no longer hold any hope of winning. If you were from another temple, I would definitely take a risk and put forth my all, but we are both knights.”
Speaking up to this point, he halted momentarily, then declared in a deep voice: “For the glory of the knights.”
As he said this, Duan Yi lifted the shield in his left hand to cover the left side of his body, and the sword in his right hand raised horizontally to the front of the shield. It again moved to be placed against his left breast as he demonstrated the standard salute of a guardian knight.
The phrase: “For the glory of the knights” had already explained everything to Yang Wenzhao. His face immediately grew solemn as his expression displayed the utmost respect, and his two swords brandished horizontally across his chest. Then with flip of his wrists, he placed the handle of the sword in his right hand at his left breast, reciprocating with the standard salute of a retribution knight.
He proclaimed in a loud voice: “For the glory of the knights.”
The respect Yang Wenzhao demonstrated towards Duan Yi was very sincere. Without a doubt, Duan Yi’s concession did not signify that he did not possess strength. It’s just that he had pondered upon his chances of winning and decided accordingly to give this opportunity to Yang Wenzhao, who was a bit stronger than him. It wasn’t that he didn’t try either, but out of consideration for the latter matches. If both sides ended up greatly injured, then that would mean that the Knight Temple would have lost one knight capable of contending for the top four spots.
After attacking probingly, Duan Yi’s decision to concede was made in order to preserve Yang Wenzhao’s battle strength. Adding the fact that Long Haochen had already qualified, even if two knights drew each other for a match in the round to decide the top four, as long as there were no mishaps, it was possible for the Knight Temple to occupy two of the top three places. After all, the strength of the assassin that entered the top four with difficulty was closer to the bottom of the tier.
Yang Wenzhao reflected on himself. If it had been him under the same circumstances, it probably would’ve been extremely difficult for him to make such a large concession and to make the same decision as Duan Yi.
The phrase they both shouted, “For the glory of the knights,” had already explained why the match had concluded so quickly. Yang Wenzhao had purposely shouted particularly loudly in order to tell the surrounding people that Duan Yi definitely wasn’t any worse than him.
On the platform, Han Qian faintly nodded his head, his face expressing satisfaction. As for the heads of the other temples, they were all silent as their eyes expressed an uncontained amount of envy. Yang Wenzhao and Duan Yi, one sky and one earth. The magnificence which these two youthful knights displayed involuntarily made it as if they were actually seeing the future.
Not to mention there was an even younger one, Long Haochen. These three people would definitely become the cornerstones of the Knight Temple in the future. At least in this generation, the status of the Knight Temple as the chief of the Six Great Temples could not be swayed among the heads of the Temples.
Each individual recalled their mount and equipment. Looking at each other in understanding, Yang Wenzhao and Duan Yi both returned to the resting area.
“Cai’er, always be careful.” Long Haochen repeatedly urged her. Cai’er faintly nodded. Her bamboo cane tapped the floor, and amidst du, du, du sounds, she slowly entered the arena.
The final round to decide the top four, Cai’er versus Huang Yi.
Huang Yi’s face was bitter as he slowly entered the field. What mages and priests feared the most were assassins, not to mention that the opponent he was about to face was an extremely powerful existence. No matter who it was, no one had ever seen the bottom line of Cai’er. In other words, she had never fully revealed her true power. However, Huang Yi naturally wouldn’t concede like Duan Yi. One always had to take a chance and see what would happen.
“Cai’er from the Assassin Temple versus Huang Yi from the Mage Temple. Due to the vocations of both parties, the distance will be extended to forty meters. Get ready.”
In a match of an assassin versus mage, there naturally wouldn’t be any preferential treatment such as the elevation of stelae, but instead, an extension of distance.
Huang Yi tightly gripped his short magic staff a bit nervously. After trying his utmost to make his breathing a bit more even and balanced, he had already promptly made preparations to utter incantations.
“Match start.”
The words which the referee called out hit Huang Yi as if opening a gate. Under the immense pressure Cai’er brought him, he completely revealed all of his potential.
In one breath, he began to chant incantations and summoned his Earth Elemental Fairy.
What came out next was the joint chant of the two of them. Urgingly chanting uninterruptedly and in alternation with the Earth Elemental Fairy, with a speed almost overtaking that of the previous control-summoner.
Cai’er also got in the move, and with her bamboo cane hitting the ground, her body seemed to have turned into a cloud floating in the air, directly charging toward Huang Yi’s direction. Every ten meters she swept past, her bamboo cane hit the ground once again to borrow force from it, increasing her speed even further.
Yellow light soared in the sky, and immediately following, a huge stone fell from it.
What all spectators saw to their astonishment was that this [Falling Stones] technique wasn’t aiming at Cai’er, but bumped against the floor at her side.
“Boom.”
A loud sound resounded on the ground, as Huang Yi as well as his Earth Elemental Fairy kept chanting, just as before, but without letting out any sound.
Soundless chant? This was actually a high ranked technique; to the Mage Temple, it was not something as simple as a secret technique. Clearly, it was Huang Yi’s last trump card.
Simultaneously as he completed his soundless chant, he silently moved on the side.
Too nasty! This guy was taking advantage of the fact Cai’er had the handicap of being blind. From the lounge, Long Haochen felt very angry about this action.
Naturally, after these huge rocks fell on the ground, with boom sounds, Cai’er’s charging speed forward suddenly decreased, as she seemed a bit at a loss, before charging once again without break, directly heading under these huge rocks.
Having just seen Cai’er’s charging speed, Huang Yi revealed a helpless look. Seemingly, she only needed three more seconds to be able to arrive to his side. Under such circumstances, he was left without choice. If he let Cai’er approach closely enough, there would be no opportunity left for him.
Feeling apologetic deep inside, he kept chanting jointly with the Earth Elemental Fairy at an increased pace. Just like when he defeated Wang Yuanyuan, he only used the [Earth Waves], to keep himself in an invincible position. Who wouldn’t want to enter the top three! If he could win this battle, he would be very likely to enter the top three, seeing that all he would have left to do would be to win against the assassin who sustained extreme wounds during his previous match.
Seeing Cai’er who was heading right toward the huge rocks, he kept chanting very prudently, not exuding any sort of sounds. Then, a yellow halo took shape on his staff, and after a dozen of breath’s time, the [Earth Wave] technique was completed.