Chapter 4244: The Third Move

Chang Tu studied Greater Sancte Awe Gate. “What kind of ability is that? It resembles your own, and yet it is different. Did you absorb another’s power?”

Awe Gate tightened her grip on Awecloud as she stared at Chang Tu. “Old man, there is still the third move.”

Chang Tu sighed in admiration. “Girl, I underestimated you, and I also underestimated your civilization. For you to reach this level... I can clearly see that the power in your body comes from the cultivation path of your civilization. You took the risk of testing it on yourself, and as an Immortal, stepped onto a second cultivation path. I respect that.

“But you absolutely cannot withstand my third move. Your death is certain. I advise you once more: leave.”

Chang Tian stared at Awe Gate with a complicated expression. “Xiao Zhi, go. Don’t worry, I will find a way to help this person learn it. Just leave first.”

Chang Tu shot the man a glare. “Do you treat me as deaf, saying such things in front of me?”

Awe Gate’s cold stare remained fixed on Chang Tu. “Old man, the third move.”

“Are you truly so eager to die?” Chang Tu barked.

Chang Tian turned to Lu Yin. “Junior, go back now. If you don’t, she is as good as dead.”

Lu Yin exhaled, glanced at Awe Gate, and then looked at Chang Tu. He took a step forward and appeared in front of Awe Gate. “Senior Chang Tu, you have been famous for ages. You were unrivaled across Aevum Inch before people like us had even been born. Attacking like this, doesn’t it count as bullying the weak?”

Awe Gate did not stop Lu Yin from speaking. In their human civilization, decisions had once been made by Greater Sancte Green Lotus, but they were currently made by Lu Yin.

Without realizing it, they had entrusted Lu Yin with guiding their entire civilization.

Chang Tu looked at Lu Yin. “Bullying the weak? It is only three moves. If I truly wished to bully you, none of you would still be alive.

“This is the Longevity Civilization. You trespassed my civilization, pressured my people, and even want to obtain my civilization’s innate gift, and yet you accuse me of bullying you? Is every human this despicable and shameless?”

Lu Yin slowly cupped his hands. “Your words are true, Senior. We were indeed discourteous at first, but we have never harbored any disrespect toward the Longevity Civilization.

“This junior has a presumptuous request: I beg you, Senior, on account of our youthful ignorance, to provide us with one chance. Allow for your third move to be taken by Senior Awe Gate together with this junior.”

Chang Tu was taken aback. “You intend to take it as well?”

Lu Yin replied, “We will take it together. On our own, neither of us can endure your third move, Senior, and yet we yearn to witness the Fourfold Blade Path and seek a bit of guidance from you, to learn what we are able. So, might you allow this junior to face your third move alongside her?”

Chang Tian shouted, “Junior, stop courting death! You dare to talk about taking Senior’s third move at your level? Just hurry up and get Xiao Zhi out of here!”

Awe Gate shot Chang Tian a cold look. “Be quiet.”

Chang Tian could only respond with a bitter smile.

Chang Tu was intently observing Lu Yin. “Junior, this third move could very well take your life.”

Lu Yin bowed. “Even so, I will die without regrets.”

Chang Tu sneered. “Very well. Then show us what sort of spine your human civilization has.”

“Senior, I also wish to take your third move,” Chang Tian interjected, nearly prompting Chang Tu to cut him down on the spot. “Out of the way, you fool! You can’t even tell which side you stand on! I’ll settle accounts with you later.”

Chang Tian smiled bitterly. “Senior, I beg you to show some mercy.”

“There’s no chance.” Chang Tu lifted his hand and casually brought his blade back down in a single slash.

At that instant, the void cracked, inch by inch. The blade had clearly already fallen, yet it also seemed as if it never had. Space itself was compressed into a larger blade, followed by even more space compressing into an even greater blade, the cycle continuing endlessly.

Although Chang Tu was not far from Lu Yin and the others, his slash felt as if it had condensed the void throughout the entire Aevum Inch into a single blade. The moment it descended, Lu Yin felt as though he was being cut out of the cosmos.

He felt as if he had been abandoned by the entire Aevum Inch.

This slash was endlessly terrifying.

Lu Yin did not hesitate to release the Investiture of the Gods and unleash the Tri-Azure Sword Intent: Hidden Blade.

One strand after another of Tri-Azure Sword Intent streamed out, forming a long river of sword intent that slashed at Chang Tu. However, the countless strands of sword intent were extinguished the instant they drew near the descending blade. They were unable to even make contact.

Lu Yin continued, releasing all of the Tri-Azure Sword Intent that he had stored within his Investiture of the Gods, yet it lasted for only a fleeting moment.

His next move was Shan Barrens: Infinite Darkness. Endless darkness spread out, forming a flat plane that sought to erase the blade, only to be torn apart in a single stroke, unable to resist at all.

Lu Yin stepped back, his expression turning grave. Using Extremes Must Be Reversed, he curled his fingers into a fist, gathering all of his strength into a single punch.

His physical power was also ripped apart by the blade.

He raised a hand and unleashed a Willforce Wave. The more of the void that the blade destroyed, the stronger his Willforce Wave could become.

But this time, the Willforce Wave failed. Even the will that Lu Yin used was shredded by the blade.

No power could block this blade; it tore through everything.

Lu Yin retreated once more.

Powerless. He had not felt so helpless in a long time, not even when he had helped the Seven-Treasure Anuras fight against the Blacklight Civilization.

Huo and Chang Tu were two different kinds of beings: one had excelled at sealing, while the other pursued slaughter. Between the two, Lu Yin would rather face Huo than someone who had proved themself through slaughter, growing sharp without limit, someone with a power that felt capable of cutting through all things.

He could not use teleportation, as he needed to save it for the worst-case scenario.

He was also unable to use divine energy. Who knew if the Longevity Civilization had ever encountered Obscura before.

That left karma.

At this same moment, Chang Tu and Chang Tian were both staring at Lu Yin in astonishment.

The young man had unleashed one power after another to clash with the blade, and none of them had been simple powers.

Just the sword river formed from the Hidden Blades had caused Chang Tian’s heart to palpitate. He was certain that he could not easily withstand that river.

Also, that brute strength—how could he possess such immense physical power?

Not all powers could even qualify to approach Chang Tu’s blade. The sharp edge that he had unleashed was enough to cause ordinary powers to collapse before even taking shape.

Also, had Willforce appeared?

Chang Tu stared on in disbelief. Just how many different powers had this human brat cultivated? He had even trained in an intangible power like Willforce. If he were in his native megaverse rather than the Longevity Civilization’s, the boy might have been able to truly merge with the will of his megaverse, bringing that joke of the Aevum Inch into reality.

What surprised the old man the most was that Lu Yin had not been seriously injured or even killed the instant the blade had appeared. That alone was beyond exceptional.

Without being a powerful Immortal, it was impossible for a creature to even attempt to act against Chang Tu’s slash. This was the second step of the Fourfold Blade Path, and it was able to cut down Immortals who had experienced a direct breakthrough.

How could an Aberrant possibly reach such a level of power?

At best, Aberrants were supposed to barely be able to scrape by when confronting the most ordinary Immortal. Just how had this human child trained?

Beneath the blade, Lu Yin released his Karmic Dao, which spread outwards. An indescribable aura appeared throughout the sky of the universe.

Chang Tu and Chang Tian were both stunned. Karma?

Neither of them had considered the possibility that Lu Yin might have also cultivated karma. That was no ordinary energy.

Behind Lu Yin, Awe Gate held her breath, steadying herself.

Lu Yin was doing everything he could to weaken the falling blade. Naturally, it was utterly impossible to completely neutralize it, but if he could continue to shave away at its strength, they might actually be able to withstand Chang Tu’s third move. If Awe Gate were to face it alone, she would die without question.

Chang Tu’s strength was overwhelming.

Lu Yin was skilled at using karma to see the past or interfere with cultivators, but before the razor-sharp blade, his only option was a direct clash. He had no way to disturb Chang Tu through weaving karma.

The Karmic Dao descended where it transformed into gigantic arms that linked together to form a ring. At that moment, the universe was illuminated with the light of karma, and all darkness was banished. A layer of sacred domain spread across the swamp, replacing all that could be replaced beneath the sky. It gathered to form a single finger that pointed at the blade: Thousand Faces of Karma, Karmic Heavenwheel.

Even Chang Tian was bathed in the glow of karma as he stared on in shock.

This man was clearly not an Immortal, so how could he be so powerful?

Chang Tu stared at the finger rising to meet his blade. That finger had stopped the descending edge, forcing the second step of the Fourfold Blade Path to pause. The Karmic Dao seemed to turn the universe itself around to oppose the attack. The blade was continuously being weakened. Lu Yin stared upwards, knowing full well that his Karmic Heavenwheel could not completely block this slash.

As expected, the karmic arms shattered at the same time. Lu Yin immediately withdrew his Karmic Dao. The blade resumed its descent, and he retreated step by step.

“Let me handle this,” Awe Gate offered.

Lu Yin answered in a low voice, “This still isn’t enough.”

As he spoke, the surface of his body withered: Extremes Must Be Reversed. It had become capable of allowing him to endure the pressure of thirty-five rifts from Awe Gate. While that was still not enough for Lu Yin to neutralize the blade, any bit of power that he could shave off was worthwhile.

Unfortunately, he was not able to use everything he was capable of.

The blade continuously crept closer. Every step back that Lu Yin took caused the void beneath his feet to shatter. His body withered and recovered in cycles, repeating over and over.

Chang Tu and the others watched in disbelief. What kind of ability was he using now?

The old man had never imagined that an Aberrant could withstand the second of his Fourfold Blade Path to such a degree. By all rights, the boy should have been completely torn apart long ago, as should that girl.

With a low growl, Lu Yin unleashed all of the power that Extremes Must Be Reversed had gathered, compressing it to the limit before throwing a punch. The impact caused the blade to shudder, and Chang Tian’s pupils shrank. The brat was no longer merely restraining the blade; he had genuinely shaken it. He had actually shaken Chang Tu’s slash.

Awe Gate stepped forward from Lu Yin’s side. Heartrift power fell as gates appeared and spun around Awecloud. She used the Nirvana Tree Path to release her strongest strike: Cloud Manifestation.

Awecloud thrust out past Lu Yin’s side to meet the blade. Lu Yin fell behind her while releasing his consciousness, merging it with both Immortal matter and Lifeforce to use the Heaven and Earth Lock.

There was a thunderous crash as the blade shattered. At the same time, Awecloud cracked. The fissures ran down the spear, inch by inch as the blade of void shattered. Awe Gate stood her ground, allowing the broken blade to slice across her body, opening bleeding wounds everywhere. She clenched the shaft of her broken spear, panting for breath as she stubbornly continued staring at Chang Tu. Ultimately, his third move had been taken.

Even though Awe Gate had only succeeded with Lu Yin’s assistance, that had been with Chang Tu’s consent.

The universe fell silent. Chang Tu let out a breath as he looked at Awe Gate and Lu Yin. His third move had actually been withstood, and most of the work had been done by the human boy. How could an Aberrant possess such combat power?

Chang Tian glanced at Awe Gate with concern in his eyes. “Xiao Zhi, are you all right?”

There was blood at the corners of Awe Gate’s lips. She was still staring at Chang Tu, though her expression had shifted from her earlier determination and stubbornness to open satisfaction.

Seeing it, Chang Tu grew annoyed. What was with that look from the wretched girl?

“Old man, your three moves are done. How about it?” Awe Gate’s voice sounded relaxed and even delighted.

Chang Tu nodded and gave a snort. “If not for that boy weakening the blade, you could never have taken that third attack.”

Awe Gate sneered. “You agreed to it. What? Are you thinking of going back on your word?”

Chang Tu chuckled. “Go back on what, exactly?”

“Go back on-” Awe Gate abruptly cut off. Right, what would he even be going back on?

Lu Yin was left speechless. How had the whole ‘taking three moves’ thing even been brought up? There had never been any actual wager. They had taken the attacks for nothing.

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