CHAPTER 617: THE BATTLE THAT DETERMINED THE FUTURE

DOOONG!

A thunderous bang resounded as the two attacks collided. The impact was felt across the world, creating tsunamis that surged toward the surrounding regions of the Barisan continent. A spatial rift also tore open—its size rivaling that of the continent itself. Fortunately, their clash took place high in the sky.

A devastating spatial storm followed, sucking in everything near the rift. Amid this chaos, the spear and Aldrian’s attack actually canceled each other out. Tarius, watching this, was truly shocked. Even though he had struck with killing intent, a mere mortal had managed to block his attack.

Although he was only using his avatar and not his full strength, he was still many times more powerful than anyone this heaven could produce. He possessed comprehension and power that no being in this lowest heaven could compare to. So how?

Another mind-blowing thing was that the man could control the heavenly tribulation. How on earth could he do that?! A mortal, controlling heavenly might? That was something only divine beings could attempt, and even then, not without consequences.

There was no record in history of any mortal ever controlling heavenly lightning.

After the attack, Tarius tried to see the fate and identity of the red-haired man. But shockingly, it was as if something was blocking his technique. As a divine being, he could observe or investigate mortals with ease. He could see their past, their future—their everything.

But when he looked into Aldrian, he saw nothing. Only darkness. As if there was nothing there to see.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" he roared as he prepared another attack. Three spears formed in front of the eye, and the flow of the world’s energy began to shift. Tarius pushed himself further, absorbing the world’s energy to forge the three spears, each requiring immense power.

But before he could finish creating them, the second lightning strike had already descended—and Aldrian used it to launch another attack.

Aldrian unleashed Slash of Vanguard once more, but this time it was far more powerful. The lightning strike that empowered it was stronger than the last. Tarius grew furious. He had not yet completed shaping the three spears, which carried power far beyond his previous attack.

In a surge of frustration, he instantly launched the unfinished spears toward Aldrian. Once again, the two attacks met in midair.

DAAANG!

Another booming sound echoed across the world, this time causing even greater destruction than the previous clash. The spatial rift from earlier had not yet closed, and now, with the second impact, it grew even larger.

The spatial storm intensified, and the clash could be seen from the farthest corners of the world. Its effect rippled outward, disturbing the weather across the world. Rain and violent winds suddenly erupted in distant regions, entirely without warning.

At the point of impact, beyond the raging spatial storm, a strange lightning storm had formed, one that was not being pulled into the void. Strands of lightning spread in all directions, carrying enough power to kill any living being. But fortunately, they touched nothing, as they were high above, far from the world below.

Of the three spears launched by Tarius, only two were destroyed, one managed to break through Aldrian’s attack. The two had shattered Aldrian’s Slash of Vanguard, and the third spear flew straight toward him.

Aldrian shifted into another stance as he watched the incoming spear. He also noticed that Tarius was already preparing another attack, not even waiting for the first one to land. It seemed Tarius intended to bombard him with rapid strikes, planning to overwhelm him.

Aldrian focused on the last spear first. He unleashed Slash of Vanguard twice in quick succession through his avatar. The slashes struck the incoming spear directly—

DAAANG!

Another deafening bang rang out, and because the clash happened much closer to the surface, its impact was far more destructive to those near the Barisan continent.

Whooosh!!!!

"Uwakh!"

"Akh!"

A violent wind swept through the surrounding region, repelling every cultivator near the Barisan continent. All the flying fortresses were pushed back, and some even began to fall, unable to withstand the force of the impact. High-ranking cultivators struggled to stabilize themselves, bracing against the shockwave until the winds finally calmed.

The leaders of each faction turned their eyes back to the battle, one that had long surpassed their understanding and power. Ever since the eye had begun to act, they realized it was searching for someone. And now, from the continent, a single figure had appeared, someone with the power to stand against an immortal.

They didn’t understand the full circumstances, but all they could do was hope. Hope that whoever inside that giant avatar which was visible even from their place, could defeat the eye.

Anything was better than letting something tied to the devils win this battle.

The third heavenly lightning strike came down, and at the same time, Tarius launched another spears attack. Aldrian’s two consecutive slashes had already succeeded in destroying the previous spear, and now he received another bolt of lightning, one even stronger than before.

Tarius sent another three spears, each far more powerful than the last. He had more time to forge them, and their strength reflected it.

As the heavenly lightning struck Aldrian, he took his stance. He pointed the Sword of the End toward the incoming spears. His avatar mirrored the movement, and a split second later—

The Pillar of Heaven’s Judgment.

Shiiing!

A massive golden pillar shot forth from the avatar’s blade. The blinding light radiated across the sky as the pillar met the three incoming spears head-on.

A booming sound erupted at the point of impact, followed by a blinding light. When the onlookers could finally see through it, they saw Aldrian’s Pillar of Heaven’s Judgment beginning to be pushed back by the three spears.

But as time passed, the spears began to lose momentum. The golden pillar showed no sign of stopping.

A few seconds later, the spears were destroyed.

Seeing his attack fail, Tarius immediately raised his defense, canceling the preparation for his next strike. A transparent red shield wall formed in front of the eye.

DOOONG!

The golden pillar struck the shield directly, collapsing the surrounding space, but the shield held firm. Tarius braced himself as the golden light continued to pour against him, showing no sign of stopping even after several seconds.

He was furious. He could not understand how a mortal could do this, or how that man’s energy seemed endless, like a reservoir that had no limit.

The fourth heavenly lightning strike came down, and Aldrian immediately halted his technique to receive it. This lightning strike nearly reached the power of an immortal’s strike, and there were still three more to come.

Aldrian unleashed a continuous series of slashes toward Tarius, forcing him to maintain his defensive techniques. Tarius grew increasingly frustrated. Being pushed into a defensive position by a mortal was unbearable. His pride felt trampled, and at last, he decided to take a risk.

He knew there was only one window of opportunity, those brief moments when the heavenly lightning struck and Aldrian had to pause his attack. That was the opening he had to exploit.

He endured the fourth strike, waiting. When the fifth heavenly lightning finally descended, Aldrian paused once more to receive it.

The red eye glowed menacingly as Tarius seized the moment. He activated his anathema laws and cast a powerful curse toward Aldrian. The malignant energy struck, and Aldrian was visibly disturbed.

"Now!"

Tarius attacked with a simple lightning beam. Even in its simplicity, the beam was enough to kill anyone affected by his anathema laws, as they would be unable to defend themselves.

But before the lightning beam could reach Aldrian—

Slash!

A sword strike cut through the beam, splitting it in two. The lightning veered off course and struck opposite sides near the Barisan continent.

Boom!

The impact triggered a massive tsunami, but fortunately, it could not reach the Barisan continent. Aldrian’s domain still protected it. The cultivators from outside the Barisan continent had already moved farther away, unwilling to be caught in the crossfire. The earlier impact had served as a lesson for them.

Tarius, completely unprepared for the counterattack, was shocked. Aldrian showed no sign of being affected by the curse!

He tried to cancel his lightning beam, but it was already too late.

The slash had already reached the eye.

Slash! Crash!

"Argghh!"

A roar of agony echoed as the slash actually struck the eye. The attack caused part of the eye to crumble, followed by a sound like shattering glass. In the damaged area, a dark void was revealed, and from within it, a strange black liquid began to drip.

The black liquid fell toward the continent, but was blocked by Aldrian’s domain barrier. Each time it touched the barrier, a sharp psst could be heard, the liquid had corrosive properties.

However, the barrier held firm. It remained unaffected, and the liquid failed to penetrate it.

When they saw that Aldrian could actually wound a god, the people on the continent erupted into cheers. They had been holding their breath, unable to do anything but watch. A battle of this scale was far beyond their power to interfere in.

Many clasped their hands in prayer, placing all their hope and faith in Aldrian’s victory.

"MORTAL!!!" Tarius roared as he felt pain.

Because of the mortal’s attack, he had been wounded by a mortal!

"I WILL DESTROY THIS WORLD!"

Suddenly, as if he had gone mad, a violent energy vortex swirled into existence once more. Tarius no longer cared for defense. He had decided to unleash his most powerful attack. A massive sword began to materialize in front of the eye.

Aldrian, sensing Tarius’s shift in focus, grew extremely solemn. He could feel it, Tarius was putting everything into this one attack.

He looked up at the sky as the sixth heavenly lightning descended. This time, he did not move. He allowed the heavenly lightning to strike the Sword of the End and flow into him.

If Tarius intended to use his strongest attack, then he would be prepared as well.

Aldrian took a deep breath and closed his eyes.