I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1786 - 219: Finite, Infinite

Chapter 1786: Chapter 219: Finite, Infinite

Moreover, Lu Zhongyan’s mind was currently in turmoil, overwhelmed with despair. How could he withstand the dominating assault of the Royal Intent?

Cao Lie was brimming with confidence, already planning how to assign tasks to Tang Luo once he won this ten-year wager.

But the moment the Royal Intent invaded the Sea of Consciousness, Cao Lie couldn’t help but feel a bit baffled.

He even wondered if he had come to the wrong place. Could such an unyielding resolve really belong to that limp, pitiful wreck just moments ago?

As the dominant Royal Intent forcefully entered the Sea of Consciousness, it felt as though it had plunged into a quagmire. Under these circumstances, it wasn’t just difficult to obliterate or erase Lu Zhongyan’s self-awareness—it was a challenge merely to advance or retreat.

Helpless, Cao Lie could only intensify the output of the Royal Intent, causing the surrounding wooden tables and chairs to disintegrate in the overflow of psychic power. Even the bronze clocks and vessels emitted creaking sounds as they twisted and contorted.

Yet whether it was due to the distance or a weakening of the Royal Intent—or perhaps a combination of both—

Despite Cao Lie’s increased output of mental strength, the Intent within the Sea of Consciousness remained sluggish. Meanwhile, the panic-stricken Dragon Beast transitioned from frozen terror to clumsy retaliation.

By all accounts, Lu Zhongyan’s temperament should have ensured that his willpower was feeble at best. Yet it was inexplicable how someone like him could exhibit such a vehement self-awareness.

Feelings of defiance, humiliation, failure, and rage transformed into a potent force, pressing against and shoving the Royal Intent, attempting to drive out this invading presence.

But a weakling remains a weakling. Even with immense strength, they don’t know how to wield it. Cao Lie’s will clung to the Sea of Consciousness like a maggot burrowing into bone, refusing to loosen its grip no matter the assault.

He simply waited, experienced and patient like a seasoned hunter, ready to strike when the prey’s mind grew frantic and impulsive.

Though he couldn’t fathom where Lu Zhongyan had acquired such overwhelming psychic strength, Cao Lie was convinced victory would ultimately be his.

Minute by minute, time ticked away. To outsiders, the larger and smaller Dragon Beasts appeared to remain stationary, unaware of the perilous battle unfolding.

In this battlefield of self-awareness, Lu Zhongyan gradually began to achieve clarity.

Perhaps his willpower wasn’t so weak after all? Perhaps Cao Lie wasn’t as invincible as he seemed?

Lu Zhongyan’s consciousness achieved an unprecedented clarity—a clarity that allowed him to recognize he was still human and not a Dragon Beast; he possessed humanity and wasn’t merely a plaything to be manipulated.

Though the Royal Intent’s intrusion initially filled him with panic and fear, the subsequent performance was far from terrifying. In fact, it seemed hollow and pretentious.

His mortal enemy was right here before him, within the Sea of Consciousness. This might be the only chance in his life to resist!

Biting, clashing, entangling—Lu Zhongyan, who didn’t know how to focus and condense his will, could only rely on instinct, letting his emotions control his resolve to vent his fury.

He unleashed every shred of his energy to make his adversary feel even the slightest pain.

Though small and insignificant, he resolved to give his all—fight to the death!

Instead of waiting for an opportunity for exhaustion and imbalance, Cao Lie was faced with an endless, surging wave of willpower. This unstoppable force continuously weakened the Royal Intent within the Sea of Consciousness, even causing the resonating imprint to flicker on and off as though short-circuiting.

Lu Zhongyan’s stubborn resistance provoked Cao Lie’s ire, prompting the spirit imprint carved into the Dragon Soul to glow, channeling Spiritual Energy to assault the Sea of Consciousness.

With the Royal Intent unable to erase Lu Zhongyan’s self-awareness, the King of Luyang decisively chose physical methods. So long as the end result was the obliteration of his will, the means mattered little.

However, just as the impact of the imprint reached Lu Zhongyan’s neck, some force intercepted it. In that instant, another wave of willpower surged forth, and Cao Lie’s Royal Intent was utterly shattered.

"This wager, you’ve lost, sir."

Almost simultaneously with the expulsion of the Royal Intent from the Sea of Consciousness, Tang Luo calmly spoke to the massive Dragon Beast beside him.

"Interesting. Truly interesting!"

Cao Lie, now devoid of Royal Intent, showed no disappointment. His violet eyes locked onto Tang Luo’s gaze as he said, "The more I see, the more I wish to collaborate with you. Joined forces, you and I could reshape Xiehe in less than ten years!"

"Such drastic upheavals would be unbearable for billions of living souls."

Tang Luo responded indifferently, "Farewell, sir. I won’t be seeing you off."

"You’ve won this wager, but I have a feeling we’ll meet again very soon."

Extending a red tongue to lick the corner of his lips, Cao Lie withdrew the Royal Intent from Fu Yuanshan. As the spirit imprint dissolved, the immense Primary Qi accumulated within the Dragon Beast’s body dispersed like a hurricane, blowing the spectators into disarray.

Meanwhile, Lu Zhongyan felt his soul grow lighter, as if an unseen shackle had been removed, and the nightmare entangling him cast away.

The ecstatic Dragon Beast bounded over to Tang Luo, bowing down in worship with all four limbs and performing ceremonial kowtows.

"Rise."

Tang Luo spoke calmly, "You’re the one who held fast to your sense of self. The Academy merely gave you a nudge."

"No!"

Lu Zhongyan shook his head. "If not for the headmaster, I would have been doomed this time. This kindness is as deep as the ocean. Lu Zhongyan has no way of repaying it but pledges to defend the Academy’s boundaries for a lifetime."

"You’re a clever one."

Tang Luo chuckled, then shook his head. "Guarding the Academy is up to you, but there’s one thing you’ve got wrong. The primary force resisting the Royal Intent’s attempt to erase your awareness wasn’t from me—it came from you."

"How could that be..."

Lu Zhongyan was somewhat startled. "How could a student achieve something like that?"

"Of course, humans have their limits. True impossibilities remain beyond reach, no matter how much they burn themselves out."

Tang Luo’s tone was light. "But the vast majority of supposed impossibilities are simply self-imposed constraints. The idea that humanity and self-awareness will inevitably be corrupted by beastly instincts? That self-will surely won’t survive the Royal Intent’s assault? These can serve as excuses for giving up, but they’re by no means immutable truths."

"Remember the courage you displayed when you fought against the Royal Intent with unwavering determination—never giving up, never backing down. That, more so than my assistance, is the true source of your strength."

With those words, the man with fluttering robes disappeared into the wind, leaving Lu Zhongyan standing stunned, lost in thought.

Yet it was clear the ones most impacted weren’t the seemingly dazed Dragon Beasts but the group of disciples who had witnessed the entire scene.

"Hit me!"

"Whack!"

With a heavy slap, the fiery mark on his face assured the young man he wasn’t dreaming. Still, he turned to the person beside him, half in disbelief. "Did you just see what happened?"

"I saw..."

The disciple who had handed out the slap looked down at his tingling palm, his expression blank. "The headmaster’s realm... seems... very high..."

"Whack!"

With his face red, the first disciple retaliated with a backhanded slap. Roaring, he said, "Are you an idiot? This isn’t about the realm, damn it! This is the work of the Human King! Do you understand? A Human King—the Martial Arts Monarch of humanity!"