A Card In Hand

Chapter 34: This Cannot Be!

Boom!

A thunderous explosion, louder than lightning, erupted from the Obsidian Platform.

Accompanied by a shockwave of blinding brightness, it swept through the entire mini-world like an unstoppable force, causing the new trainees watching the match to cower together.

A few were even thrown dozens of meters away by the gusts of the shockwave, landing in disarray.

The assistant referees, gathered in the preparation area, remained unmoved.

They collectively resisted the residual effects of the shockwave.

Their ears, however, buzzed with temporary deafness.

Thick smoke billowed from the Obsidian Platform, curling continuously into the air.

Fortunately, a restoration rule within the mini-world quickly returned chaos to order, otherwise the tumultuous source energy might have taken days to settle.

Time passed.

After what seemed an eternity, the storm caused by the chaotic source energy calmed, and the smoke slowly cleared to reveal the platform.

To everyone’s astonishment, Li Ao, who should have been reduced to ashes, was still standing intact opposite Prince Jinxi.

On the platform around Li Ao, dozens of horrific gashes appeared, sheared off by the force of energy, a ghastly sight.

The normally unshakeable Obsidian Platform now bore severe signs of damage, indicating the terrifying power of Prince Jinxi’s Mammoth’s Rage punch.

What was eerie was that Li Ao, who should have been obliterated, remained completely unharmed.

Li Ao stood on the scarred platform.

Calm-faced.

One hand.

Extended forward.

As if catching the dreadful energy beam of Prince Jinxi’s Mammoth’s Rage with one hand was the most normal occurrence in the world.

“Impossible!”

Prince Jinxi’s eyes lost focus, unable to believe this outcome.

He had set a trap perfectly, and the opponent had walked right into it.

Despite having a full advantage and launching his strongest attack, Mammoth’s Rage – Thunderous Momentum, his opponent had caught it single-handedly.

How could this be possible?

Lei Bao’s eyes were wide with shock.

Was this the Li Ao he knew?

Impossible!

Absolutely impossible!

This person could not possibly be a minor relative from the Iron Clan’s branch in Silverlight City!

How could a rookie, who had only contracted a Black Iron Stone Bear, possibly catch Prince Jinxi’s Mammoth’s Rage punch single-handedly? It was utterly impossible!

Supervisors Dou Guang and Chang Chi were so shocked they jumped up.

What was going on?

Wasn’t Li Ao just a rookie who excelled in combat skills?

“He has deceived us!”

Cang Yue was dumbfounded, never expecting Li Ao to be this powerful.

“Yes,” Tie Zheng swallowed hard, now feeling a mixture of shock and joy, unsure of what to say.

Fuxi had turned into a puppet.

Completely stupefied.

Utterly unresponsive.

Huo Mei couldn’t help but rub her eyes.

Seeing that Li Ao was still on the platform, she rubbed her eyes again, still disbelieving the scene before her.

Ling Long hugged Yue Sha tightly, who dared not look up, and screamed with jubilation, “Ah, that big liar didn’t die! He caught Prince Jinxi’s Mammoth’s Rage with one hand, how awesome! The big liar still had tricks up his sleeve, haha, I won! I won!”

Three old men in the robes of the temple whispered in a corner.

“Was his glove just conjured by the war beast?”

“He was indeed barehanded.”

“A weapon, then?”

“It must be a weapon transformed by the war beast, shaped into armor now.”

“Interesting little fellow. If this is his own strategy, then we came for a good reason.”

“Just watch, this young one is quite wary, let’s not rush!”

“Ha ha!”

Above the arena, there was a swift flash of golden light.

Prince Jinxi’s Light-Feathered Golden Eagle screeched piercingly.

Hearing the eagle’s cry, the stupefied Prince Jinxi snapped out of his shock. Using the Silver Moon boots for a void jump, he retreated a hundred meters, creating a safe distance to respond to Li Ao.

Meanwhile, on the platform, the war beasts under Prince Jinxi’s mental command attacked Li Ao.

A four-armed Silver Golem raised its massive fist and smashed it down.

Boom!

The platform shook as if an earthquake had struck.

The shattered afterimage of Li Ao slowly faded.

His real body had already advanced thirty meters forward.

The rushing Mammoth lifted its front legs high, aiming a crushing stomp at Li Ao’s head.

Boom…

The Obsidian Platform shook violently, but alas, it missed its target.

Whoosh!

Li Ao’s real body continued to advance, this time closing fifty meters towards the frenziedly accumulating light orbs around Prince Jinxi, increasing his speed even more.

The pressure from Li Ao’s approach threw Prince Jinxi into turmoil, and although momentarily brought to his senses by the Golden Eagle, he quickly lost his composure again, his eyes filled with red rage. Overwhelmed by anger, he gathered the Mammoth’s Rage into a light orb again under the ancient mammoth’s roaring image, and swung his fist with a destructive force towards the continually advancing Li Ao.

“You little insect, I will exterminate you!” Prince Jinxi viciously hurled his fist, loaded with the power of Mammoth’s Rage, towards Li Ao’s head.

Li Ao’s expression was unusually calm.

He remained silent.

Only when the fist was about to smash into his face did he stretch out his right hand.

He caught Prince Jinxi’s oncoming fist firmly in the palm of his hand…

Below Li Ao’s feet and behind him, the Obsidian Platform shattered, a shockwave radiating out from the two of them at high speed, tearing through the space of the small world.

Suspended rocks in mid-air.

Once again struck by the impact.

Sand flew and stones scattered.

After a long while.

When everything calmed down.

People saw that Prince Jinxi’s fist was still held in Li Ao’s hand, his struggles as futile as an ant shaking a tree.
Not only had Prince Jinxi failed to bring down his opponent with Mammoth’s Rage, even freeing himself had become a luxury.

Just how powerful was this Li Ao that Prince Jinxi didn’t even have a chance to struggle in front of him?

“This is impossible!”

Prince Jinxi was going mad, he had never imagined such an outcome.

Unable to break free.

Prince Jinxi furiously swung his other fist, crashing it toward Li Ao’s face like a meteor.

Li Ao suddenly swung his arm and lifted Prince Jinxi.

Then slammed him heavily onto the Obsidian Platform.

Thud!

The incredibly hard Obsidian Platform cracked.

Prince Jinxi, lying on the platform, twisted his face in agony.

Li Ao looked down from above at Prince Jinxi, and before the Four-armed Silver Golem and the Mammoth could come to the rescue, Li Ao reached out with both hands, grabbed the trembling Prince Jinxi, and kneed him hard on the bridge of his nose.

The image of a white dragon behind Prince Jinxi let out a mournful cry, shattering like a mirror hit by a strong force.

Prince Jinxi’s Dragon Scale Armor also emitted a terrifying cracking sound, and countless scales exploded off it.

In terms of defense against strikes, the royal treasure Dragon Scale Armor was second to none.

Unfortunately, it still had a limit to its endurance.

Once exceeded, it would consume its own energy to protect its master from one final blow, then break apart.

Li Ao let go, and the twisted-faced Prince Jinxi fell to his knees in front of him, utterly unable to stand.

The Light-Feathered Golden Eagle’s spears of light and the previously pursuing twin blade waves were effortlessly deflected by Li Ao, having no effect whatsoever.

Under the watchful eyes of all, Li Ao slightly moved his ankle.

Then.

With a swift motion.

He kicked ferociously at Prince Jinxi’s chest.

Boom!

Prince Jinxi was instantly sent flying, skimming the platform like an arrow, trailing a long mark on the hard Obsidian Platform.

In the sky.

Numerous fragments of dragon scales splattered, filling the air.