Chapter 134: Understanding Aura (II)
“In a few days.”
“Understood.”
“Chen Jian and Wu Chao have recovered from their injuries and have been absorbing energy over the past couple of days. I don’t know if they’ve made the crossover or become Sunderers, but they stand a high chance of breaking through,” Liu Yan remarked.
Those two had also received their largest distributions of mysterious power ever. If they didn’t ascend to the supernatural domain, then they had hopes of becoming Sunderers. As both Chen Jian and Wu Chao had absorbed some jade sword energy, their physiques were much enhanced.
After their process was complete, everyone’s strength would have increased as a whole.
“That will be for the best!” Li Hao smiled. If everyone became a Darkmoon or Sunderer, then the entire team would’ve completed a full round of breakthroughs. They might all be useful in the field to come.
......
After he left the box behind, Li Hao exchanged a few more words with Liu Yan, then went off to find Liu Long. Today, the branch director was going to pay an official visit to Yuan Shuo, the first of Silver City. Liu Long himself was the most senior executive of Silver City’s supernatural agency, so this kind of visit was necessary.
......
At 9am sharp, Li Hao drove Liu Long to the Veteris Institute. The car weaved to and fro along the way, causing headaches in those keeping an eye on the young man. Li Hao’s driving skills made it extremely hard to follow him! It was impossible to determine which direction he would drive next!
Thankfully, some people knew the destination. Apparently Liu Long was going to officially call on Yuan Shuo today. Both of them were martial masters, but very rarely met each other before. It was sad that Liu Long and Yuan Shuo shared an obscure past, that the two used to be estranged.
Some were eager for a show to start and for the two to erupt into a fight. That would be just their wishful thinking.
Both parties worked for the Night Watchers now. Although Yuan Shuo had successfully broken through, he shouldn’t clash with Liu Long. This visit was supposed to be preparation for the ribbon-cutting ceremony in two days’ time.
......
The Veteris Institute.
Liu Long didn’t notify the Institute beforehand or arrive with great fanfare, he was just here to call upon Yuan Shuo. While they had other goals in mind, Liu Long was still gravely solemn in the car. He didn’t pay attention to how Li Hao was driving the vehicle and was silent for the entire ride.
“Chief, there’s no need to be so nervous,” Li Hao placated as he drove. “My teacher is very easy to talk to...”
Liu Long flicked a wordless glance at him. It wasn’t his first time seeing the professor—the two had met many times before. But an official visit? This might be the second. The first had been when his father brought him in hopes of Yuan Shuo accepting him as a disciple. The drawbacks of the family’s Nine Forged Force were too numerous; Yuan Shuo’s Five Styles was a notable method that nourished the body.
His father had hoped that Liu Long could join Yuan Shuo’s discipline. The former had almost been ready to retire as his arms were gravely injured to the point in which he couldn’t wield a spear at full strength.
It was then that Liu Long roared and stomped his foot, splitting the earth. Layers of force exploded from his arms and traveled down his body. His trench coat split around his arms, revealing blood-splattered limbs!
Indeed, they were usually covered in blood and went unnoticed since they were frequently inside a trench coat.
Liu Long’s arms rippled like the waves, but a large amount of blood seeped out each time they moved. His arms could not endure the strain! The Nine Forged Force method was too strong and the director’s constitution too weak in comparison.
Thrice Forged... Four... Five... When he reached seven layers, his muscles trembled seven times and blood shot out with a bang!
Disappointment dawned on Liu Long’s face. He couldn’t hold on! He couldn’t sustain eight or nine layers. He was theoretically capable of it, but his body didn’t permit him to fully deploy the true strength of the Nine Forged Force. He was also a few meters away from Yuan Shuo and loathe to give up like this.
You thought I was too dumb to be your disciple and now I still can’t come near you even at my level of mastery. Is my family’s heritage method really so much more inferior to your Five Styles??
“Hup!” he grunted. Eight layers of internal force!
Crack!
It wasn’t his blood vessels, but his bones that seemed to be faltering. Tendons bulged on his arm—no, that was a blood vessel devoid of liquid. Liu Long forced Eight Forged into existence!
He split apart Yuan Shuo’s aura with a punch and continued forward.
Li Hao was beet red. He took a step forward as well, but the aura was growing stronger and stronger. He fully sensed the difference between Dominator and Sunderer—they could not be mentioned in the same breath!
He was only experiencing a tiny bit of aura that Liu Long wasn’t blocking, but it was enough to make him feel like he was going to split apart! Thankfully, his physique was incredibly durable. There was no sign of blood oozing out of him. It was more psychological pressure than anything.
“Humph!” he grunted and ceased operating the Breathing Method of the Five Styles. He switched to the Nine Forged Force instead—one layer, two layers, three layers!
Thrice Forged!
Li Hao concentrated the internal force on his legs instead of his hands. He broke the tiles when he stomped down and took a step forward. Damn the feeling was sweet!
“Do you wish to keep trying?” came Yuan Shuo’s voice. “Your hands will be crippled after nine layers!”
Liu Long halted, unwillingness shining out of his eyes. He clenched his bloody hands tight as he looked at Yuan Shuo. Did he dare try nine layers?
He didn’t!
It wasn’t that he was afraid of the pain, death, or being crippled. It was that he’d just established a Night Watcher branch. If he lost his battle strength so quickly, he would let down quite a few people.
“Hmph!” The snort was a mixture of defiance, anger, and frustration! Liu Long clenched his jaw tight and remained where he was. What kind of emotions should he bring to bear against the guy in front of him?
Yuan Shuo!