Chapter 14: Victory

Words : 2220 Updated : Feb 18th, 2024

Bang! Struck in the face, Meldon staggered back from the powerful kick. Disciples watching below stared wide-eyed. The exchange on stage had been so quick that they hadn't even realized Meldon was hit until he stumbled back. "Frank, you're doomed!" Meldon's furious roar echoed from the stage. But just as he regained his footing, Frank was already charging toward him. "Damn it!" Meldon's face twisted fiercely as he struck out, sending a glowing handprint toward Frank. "Your attack is futile." Frank sneered. He dodged Meldon's strike, lunging forward like a raging tiger, and closed in on him instantly. "Being this close to me is your misfortune." A chilling voice filled the air as Frank's muscles tensed, and he unleashed a surge of power. His fist crashed into Meldon's chest. Pfft! Meldon spat out blood. Frank's punch was far more powerful than it appeared. "You... How could you…?" "How could I what?" Frank gave Meldon no chance to recover, closing in again. He moved like a fierce beast, his attacks unpredictable and relentless—sometimes like a tiger, sometimes like a vicious ape, a lion, or a wild wolf. He used his hands, feet, knees, and shoulders, turning every joint into a weapon. Meldon was forced to retreat under a barrage of punches, palm strikes, and kicks. "What... What kind of fighting style is this?" The disciples watching below were stunned, their understanding of combat completely overturned by Frank's actions. Where were the elegant mystical techniques? Where were the flashy techniques? There were none. Frank fought with raw, primitive hand-to-hand combat, and yet this basic style repeatedly overpowered Meldon. Ahh! The stage resounded with Meldon's enraged shouts. The once arrogant Meldon, who had carried himself with the lofty demeanor of a senior disciple, was now thoroughly humiliated. Despite his cultivation at the Peak 5th Level of Energy Condensation, he was overpowered by someone at the 1st Level of Energy Condensation. Awoo! With a wolf's howl, the noise below ceased. Meldon had activated his secret technique, and his fist was now enveloped by a spectral wolf's head, which howled as he struck. "Azure Wolf Fist!" The spectators' eyes lit up, recognizing the power of Meldon's technique. "I didn't expect the Head of the Earto Peak to teach this secret technique to Meldon." "Die!" Meldon's face twisted ferociously as he threw his fist forward. "Thunderbolt Palm!" Frank grumbled as he struck with his palm, lightning flickering between his fingers. His force was raw and unstoppable. Bang! The collision of fist and palm resounded with a loud bang. Pfft! With a spur of blood, Meldon staggered back. "How... How is this possible?" He gazed at Frank in disbelief, clearly feeling the fierce strength in Frank's palm, which was on par with his own. The Azure Wolf Fist, one of the rare secret techniques of Earto Peak, was known for its ferocity in battle. Meldon had defeated many outer sect disciples with it. So, he couldn't accept that he was overpowered by a probationary disciple at the 1st Level of Energy Condensation. "Is Frank truly only at the 1st Level of Energy Condensation?" Meldon mused. At that moment, not only Meldon but even the disciples below watching the battle were momentarily dazed. "This guy is exceptional," murmurs of amazement spread among the crowd below, their faces showing utter shock. "What? They're still fighting?" Outside the crowd, groups of people rushed over. The ones who had previously left were now returning upon hearing the fight was still unresolved, watching the fierce Frank with stunned expressions. But they had no idea just how deep Frank's potential was. In the past, at Sunrise Sect, he, who only had the 3rd Level of Energy Condensation, had fought demonic beasts and clashed with people at Human Origin Realm at the 4th Level of Energy Condensation. Countless battles had sharpened his combat skills far beyond Meldon's. Now, with a vast reservoir of Elixir Sea, true energy that wasn't inferior to Meldon's, a powerful physique from body refinement that surpassed Meldon's, and the fierce, close-combat style of the Beastly Rage, Meldon's defeat was inevitable from the start. Ahh! The stage was filled with Meldon's roars, but no matter how furious he became, Frank continued to overpower him. "It's over." With a loud shout, Frank leaped into the air, raising the mighty Heavenly Palace Sword above his head in a bold, unembellished move, ready to bring it down. Buzz! The massive Heavenly Palace Sword sliced through the air with a resonating hum. Seeing this, Meldon's face turned pale with fear as he hastily raised his golden sword to block, channeling all his true energy into it. Clang! Frank's strike landed heavily on the spirit sword. Bang! Meldon, who was standing just a moment before, was forced to his knees by the blow, even hearing the sound of his arm bones breaking. Pfft! Blood spurted from Meldon's mouth. An eerie silence ensued. The once boisterous crowd below now fell silent, leaving only the sound of breathing. They stared in stunned disbelief at the scene on stage. Meldon, who was at the 5th Level of Energy Condensation, had been forced to his knees by a single strike from a probationary disciple at the 1st Level of Energy Condensation. "You've lost." "No... this is impossible." Meldon roared in denial, his legs trembling as he tried to stand, but Frank's sword pressed him down firmly. "Your life ends here," Frank's cold voice rang. At that moment, everyone below seemed to awaken from a dream. The stakes were life itself. "Is... Is Frank really going to kill Meldon? He wouldn't, right? Meldon is a disciple of the Head of Earto Peak—if he strikes him down, Frank will die too!" "But judging by Frank's stance, it looks like he's going to go through with it!" "I'm a disciple of Earto Peak! How dare you kill me?" Meldon, still oblivious to his situation, looked up and shouted fiercely. To him, the wager on their lives was a joke. He had lost, but that didn't mean he had to surrender his life. After all, he had powerful backing. This was his bargaining chip for survival. "If you dare kill Meldon, our master will not... He won't let you off!" The Earto Peak's disciples who had come to support Meldon shouted angrily from below, but no one dared to step forward, intimidated by Frank's strength. "The terms of the wager were set. He must die." Frank's voice was cold. "Frank, it was just a sparring match. Show mercy where you can." A calm voice sounded. A female disciple in the crowd glanced at Frank. The disciple was truly beautiful, her eyes clear, her hair flowing like water, her white robes fluttering gracefully. She was like a lotus in bloom, captivating the eyes of every male disciple present. "Camille Scurr of Sunto Peak!" "She actually came. I didn't see her earlier." Frank turned and gazed at Camille. "If it were me who lost, would you still say the same?" "You have too much bloodlust. It will lead to no good end," Camille replied calmly, maintaining an air of superiority, as though pronouncing Frank's future path. "You are suggesting I spare him?" Frank's mouth curled in a cold smile, suppressing his anger from bursting forth. This anger wasn't only for Meldon, who had harmed Adolf and others, but also for Camille. She reminded him so much of Eleanora, with the same air of aloofness and that same false kindness disguised as compassion. "I only hope you will return to the right path and not be..." "Do you have a family?" Frank interrupted Camille's words, his bloodshot eyes fixed on her in a questioning gaze. Interrupted, Camille furrowed her brows, even more unsure why Frank would ask such a question. "If I hung up your family and beat them for a whole day and night, would you kill me?" Frank questioned, coldly smiling at Camille. "If you would, then spare me this hypocritical show of compassion." "You..." Camille's face darkened, an icy look overtaking her features. Even someone as composed as her could no longer maintain her calm, her chest heaving. As Sunto Peak's chief disciple and the top goddess of the Alps Sect, she had never been reprimanded like this, especially by a probationary disciple at the 1st Level of Energy Condensation. On stage, Frank turned his attention back to Meldon, raising his true energy-enveloped palm. If he struck, Meldon would surely die. But just then, a powerful aura swept across the stage, a figure with a dust brush appearing instantly. Upon closer inspection, this figure was none other than Hugo, the Head of Earto Peak.

Chapter 14: Victory

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