"As you wish." A sudden earthy-yellow glow radiated from Lin Lei's body, instantly spreading outward to form a spherical space a full kilometer in diameter. It directly enveloped the Crimson Rock Lord within. This time, Lin Lei didn't unleash the full power of the Black Stone Space — he used only fifty percent of its strength!
But even at fifty percent, it gave the Crimson Rock Lord a start.
The Crimson Rock Lord's body sank slightly before he steadied himself in midair. He shot Lin Lei a surprised look. "Gravity space — what a bizarre gravity space!" Yet the Crimson Rock Lord still hovered motionlessly, speaking in a flat tone: "Gravity space, not bad. Bring on whatever attacks you've got! Once I make my move, you won't get another chance."
Confidence!
The Crimson Rock Lord had every right to be proud. Soul attacks? He feared them not at all. As for material attacks? As an Earth Law powerhouse, the Crimson Rock Lord was most confident in his physical offense. Both his soul and defense were formidable — that was the foundation of his arrogance.
Lin Lei cracked a grin, thinking to himself: "Enjoy your smugness now. In a little while, you'll regret it, but it'll be too late."
Hummm~~
Soul Power, centered on the "black stone" within his soul ocean, surged outward, rapidly sweeping toward the Crimson Rock Lord.
Soul Confusion!
"Hmm?" The corners of the Crimson Rock Lord's mouth curled into a smile as he thought, "Just as Ganmorei discovered — a formidable gravity space and soul interference. He does have some tricks. But against me…" Lin Lei had sequentially deployed the Black Stone Space and Soul Confusion, which had indeed lulled the Crimson Rock Lord into a false sense of security.
And right at that moment —
"Die." Lin Lei's killing intent erupted, and his body shot forward.
BOOM!
Like a spatial explosion, Lin Lei rocketed toward the Crimson Rock Lord like a bolt of lightning. In the process, his long robe exploded outward. Cyan-gold dragon scales instantly covered his entire body, vicious spikes jutted out, and a steel-hard dragon tail materialized behind him.
Instant Dragon Transformation!
"What!" The Crimson Rock Lord was still reeling from shock when his body abruptly lurched downward.
Black Stone Space — Maximum Gravity!
The gravitational pull of the Black Stone Space surged from fifty percent to a full hundred percent in an instant. This sudden escalation truly threw the Crimson Rock Lord off balance. Combined with Lin Lei's sudden dragon transformation, it left the Crimson Rock Lord in complete disbelief. Even a fool would have realized by now — this "Mr. Lei" had been hiding his true power all along! And he'd actually been arrogant enough to try recruiting the man as a subordinate!
"You're asking for it." The Crimson Rock Lord roared inwardly.
The Crimson Rock Lord's body swayed, and his shoulders spread outward like a crab's pincers. Strangely, the space around him trembled with a deep hum. The gravity of the Black Stone Space was warped around the Crimson Rock Lord's body, its power diminished. The Crimson Rock Lord glowered at Lin Lei with a cold expression. As Lin Lei charged in at blinding speed, the Crimson Rock Lord swung his right fist outward like a whip —
From negating the gravity's effect to launching a counterattack — the Crimson Rock Lord's reflexes were razor-sharp!
Tsss tsss!
"Hmm?" After throwing that punch, the Crimson Rock Lord's expression changed drastically.
Whoosh! A massive rift tore through space as though it were paper, and an invisible Shadowless Sword hurtled straight toward the Crimson Rock Lord's forehead. The Crimson Rock Lord opened his mouth and bellowed like a cornered beast, and a distinct earthy-yellow shockwave erupted from his throat, slamming directly into the shadowless blade.
"Truly?" Lin Lei was also stunned. "This Crimson Rock Lord is even more terrifying than I knew."
His sudden dragon transformation, the Black Stone Space surging to full power, and at the last instant, the appearance of the divine sword 'Shadowtrace' — especially since the Shadowless Sword, when deployed, left absolutely no trace at all. Under this sudden onslaught, one would barely notice the sword without paying the closest attention. Yet this Crimson Rock Lord was far too powerful.
When Lin Lei's Shadowtrace Sword neared the Crimson Rock Lord, he discovered that a peculiar "gravity field" had formed around the Lord's body.
"This gravity field — it's centered on his shoulders." Lin Lei couldn't comprehend the technique. The Crimson Rock Lord had vibrated his shoulders to create a special gravity field resembling a double-ring structure, with varying gravitational intensities in different zones. This too affected Lin Lei's strike.
But even so —
Lin Lei had been hiding far too much. With the dragon transformation, the Black Stone Space, and the Shadowless Sword erupting all at once, the Crimson Rock Lord simply couldn't react in time.
Pfft!
The Shadowtrace Sword was deflected slightly off course, but the Crimson Rock Lord's right shoulder swung inward like a wing, magnetically pulling at Lin Lei's blade. Lin Lei, however, unleashed his strongest attack with a cold smile. With a sickening puncture, the Shadowtrace Sword pierced clean through the Crimson Rock Lord's right chest, penetrating his lung.
Bam!
The Crimson Rock Lord, seething with rage, retaliated with a punch aimed at Lin Lei.
BOOM BOOM BOOM~~~ Space ruptured repeatedly, hurtling toward Lin Lei.
Whoosh! In his dragonized form, Lin Lei was lightning incarnate, instantly darting far out of range. The Crimson Rock Lord's eyes blazed purple as he glared at Lin Lei, coughing with each ragged breath. His lung had been pierced. Of course… it would heal completely before long.
"You — you hid yourself well!" The Crimson Rock Lord fixed Lin Lei with a piercing stare.
"Not particularly. I'd imagine the Lord has hidden trump cards of his own," Lin Lei replied coolly.
"Tell me your real name! Which elder of the Azure Dragon Clan are you? I've never heard of an elder called 'Lei' in the Azure Dragon Clan," the Crimson Rock Lord said through clenched teeth. At this point, having witnessed Lin Lei's dragon transformation, it would have been absurd not to figure out that he belonged to the Azure Dragon Clan.
Lin Lei's dark-gold eyes locked with the Crimson Rock Lord's violet gaze.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Lin Lei, elder of the Azure Dragon Clan!!!" Lin Lei declared in an icy voice.
Silence!
Over a hundred million divine beings watching from the Eastern Wastelands were utterly dumbfounded. In their hearts, they had known that a battle of this magnitude could potentially birth a new Netherworld Lord — but that was merely a slim possibility. Nearly everyone had assumed this clash would be the Crimson Rock Lord's showcase!
Perhaps that Mr. Lei would pull off a few surprises. But the vast majority had come to watch precisely because of the Crimson Rock Lord. And yet, the moment the battle began, they were stunned speechless.
In midair, his body blanketed in dragon scales, with vicious spikes adorning his knees, elbows, and back, and a dragon tail whipping behind him — the original Mr. Lei had transformed beyond recognition. And their Crimson Rock Lord, compared to before the fight, now bore a gaping hole in his chest and was drenched in blood.
A single exchange —