Above The Sky
Chapter 280 - 280 266 You Thought It Was Electricity Beats Water But Actually It's Earth Beats Electricity!

280: Chapter 266: You Thought It Was Electricity Beats Water, But Actually It’s Earth Beats Electricity!

(6/10) 280: Chapter 266: You Thought It Was Electricity Beats Water, But Actually It’s Earth Beats Electricity!

(6/10) Although the restraint between Sublimators wasn’t like in a certain pet-raising game from Ian’s previous life, where electricity overpowers water, and the ground defeats electricity…

Patrick did indeed have special insight into dealing with Water Attribute Sublimators, and that was why he had always been calm and composed.

But the robust Earth Attribute Essence that Ian’s sword brought forth instantly threw him off— all the tactical preparations had to be overturned, and all the preparatory measures were instantaneously rendered useless.

He only had time to raise his sword.

But how could such a simple defense possibly block Ian, who had long been prepared?

The Heavy Abyss Iron Sword, though heavy, was as light as a twig in the young man’s hands.

It traced a constantly changing trajectory in mid-air, movements that ordinary people couldn’t even see as Ian coordinated his arms, waist, hips, and thighs and leveraged the force from the ground.

In just an instant, the rapier wrapped with lightning was parried, and the blunt heavy sword was about to crash onto Patrick’s shoulder, causing his muscles to tear and bones to fracture.

However, the golden-haired noble didn’t dodge or evade, and even took a step forward with his right foot, directly facing the strike— although the unexploded force still shattered Patrick’s right shoulder, it did not injure his spine as Ian had imagined.

At the same time, the pitch-black blood with blue-white lightning crawled onto the heavy sword, rapidly coiling towards Ian’s arm.

Although he had misjudged earlier, Patrick could see that the sword in Ian’s hand was the only weapon capable of threatening him; without it, relying solely on Sublimation Skills and fists, it was impossible for the First Energy Level to cause him fatal harm.

But Ian had already anticipated this situation.

He did not let go of the sword but instead softly chanted a tune, and instantly the black liquid in the Water Gun surged up, colliding with Patrick’s black blood.

Although the blood from Yisen Gard couldn’t directly hinder the blood Patrick controlled, it was enough to pause his offensive momentum.

Ian withdrew his sword, stepped back slightly, and then called upon the surrounding sand and stone to cover his body with a layer of fine and firm gravel.

At the same time, the injuries on Patrick’s body rapidly healed—bone shattering was not an issue for one of the Sun-eclipse Refining Dragon Bloodline; they just needed to stick in place for a moment.

They only needed blood to maintain their full combat strength.

This time, it was Patrick who initiated the attack.

His figure flashed, and a straightforward electric-like thrust aimed directly at Ian’s chest.

But the boy seemed to have foreknowledge, surprisingly managing to block the thrust with his sword in advance, startling the noble who had thought at the very least he would draw Ian’s blood— but his offensive didn’t stop there.

Relying on his far superior reaction ability and speed over Ian’s, he launched five rapid thrusts, targeting the throat, left shoulder, kidney, lower abdomen, and thigh.

This was the most classic dueling rapier style, a competitive technique commonly used among Nobles, but Patrick was clearly extremely proficient in it, turning decay into magic.

His attacks were so fast and so fierce, they were almost like a barrage of arrows in war.

Even Viscount Grant would be taken aback by this attack.

If it weren’t for the repression of the Aether Armament, a true physical battle would require him to pay a certain price to win.

But Ian’s swordsmanship was beyond magical, it was more like a miracle—

In just a moment, several exchanges of offense and defense had already been carried out.

Patrick thrust straight at the throat, while Ian blocked vertically; the nobleman used the force from the block to aim at the left shoulder, with Ian subtly retreating half a step to evade; as the man’s sword angled towards the kidney and lower abdomen, the youth, taking advantage of his retreat, slashed down with his sword, nearly smashing the improperly angled Mithril Rapier on the spot.

If Patrick hadn’t sensed something wrong and saved seventy percent of his strength on the fifth thrust, withdrawing his sword in time when he saw things weren’t going well, his Mithril dueling rapier would have indeed been bent or even broken by the heavy sword!

Clang—

It was only after the entire sequence of attack and defense ended that the clear ringing of the two swords clashing echoed around the Sacrificial Ground.

The spilled lightning and the gradually dissipating Earth Essence collided, and though the former was slightly more dominant, the latter was clearly not much damaged.

“What on earth are you?”

Looking forward uncertainly, Patrick took a half-step backward, assuming a defensive stance—he hadn’t suffered much, and his five-blade assault had even forced Ian to retreat three steps, seemingly unsteady.

But he was no fool to be deceived by such simple tactics…

Ian might have indeed retreated from his strike but maintained a flawless sword stance throughout, akin to an impenetrable iron ball.

He had already employed the techniques of swift swordsmanship and yet failed to break through.

What shocked Patrick even more was the level of Ian’s sword art…

His own decade-plus years of sword practice wasn’t higher than that of a youngster whose age might not even exceed the time he had been practicing?

Such a high talent and still a mere appraiser?

He should have just joined a Knight Order directly.

Within five years, he would have been selected into the Knight Order of Inspectorate as a reserve!

—As long as Patrick couldn’t discern any flaws in Ian’s technique, no amount of attempts to attack would be fruitful.

This was the answer Patrick arrived at.

But as for flaws, they did not exist for a Prophet.

At this moment, Ian’s eyes shimmered with a glow, and above his head, a tiny fairy butterfly perched, watching the excitement.

It was precisely by leveraging the Little Fairy’s temporary divination and tactical decision-making, combined with his swordsmanship that was already close to master level, that Ian felt confident in fending off Patrick’s offensive.

However, there was an awkward issue.

Regarding The Unyielding Fortress system…

against an opponent of the same level, it would be manageable.

Ian’s ordinary attacks, fortified with dual core enhancement and dual inheritance, could probably match others using Sublimation Skills.

But in a tier challenge like this, even with Fairy Wings and Wave Singer’s acceleration, Ian doubted he could keep up with Patrick’s speed.

He couldn’t really inflict fatal damage on his opponent; at best, like at the beginning, he could catch Patrick off guard and exhaust some of his stamina.

But he wasn’t worried.

Because time was on his side.

“Huff.”

Taking a deep breath, Ian felt the abundant Origin Quality flowing from the Ancient Dragon Heart Core within him.

A pale golden halo emanated from his chest, spreading to his lungs, organs, arms, and lower body, creating a sense of resilience that began to manifest on the surface of his skin, making the young man’s body seem like some kind of jade, or perhaps a type of metal.

Today, Ian could likely withstand the five strikes from Patrick without suffering severe damage.

This was the power of The Strongest Guardian True Form.

Although such a state of Sand Armor was incredibly draining, the young man had been accumulating energy reserves for four years.

He had reserves far superior to the First Energy Level, and certainly incomparable to the Second Energy Level.

In front of him, opponents like Patrick at this level weren’t qualified to wage a war of attrition against him.

And Patrick, too, was fully alert, considering his next course of action.

The two faced off, adjusting their states, preparing to engage in the next exchange.

However, a battle that was unlikely to have an outcome to begin with ultimately ended abruptly due to unexpected interruptions.

Boom, boom, boom—

The man-made river encircling the Sacrificial Ground suddenly churned into turbulence, and from the depths of the river downstream, a tumultuous roar approached from far to near.

Also, a rather familiar scream.

“Ahhhhhh—hurry, hurry, that big guy behind is catching up!”

Hearing this voice, both Ian and Patrick’s eyes widened in surprise, and they even instinctively looked at each other, both equally shocked.

It wasn’t long before their silent astonishment was shattered.

Because a pirate with dark green hair was yelling and screaming as he lay on the back of a corpulent Ironclad Shark, and Shasha was racing through the man-made river like lightning, advancing rapidly!

“Speed up, speed up!

Damn, is this the limit?!”

Following them, a huge mass of Water Attribute Essence brought an unexpected surprise to the two!

“The Tenglan Giant Eel?!”

“The Totem Master of the Natives?!”

Ian and Patrick both exclaimed in surprise, and the massive eel, at this moment, silent as a high-speed train, piloted the water flow through the barely accommodating riverway, heading straight ahead…

Utterly disregarding any obstacles in its path!