Chapter 174
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Chapter 174
The approaching cultivators slowed slightly after Elder Kseniya shot the black thorned arrow. She still continued to attack in regular intervals, and soon enough the targets were close enough for those with less extreme ranges to get involved. That included attacks returning from the other side, but the defensive formations were sufficient to negate most of the attacks. There were only a few arrows and the like, while various sorts of energy attacks primarily composed of fire or lightning were the most numerous. A few members of the order responded by blocking the most concerning attacks, letting the others fall apart on the forts defenses.
Behind them the execution was proceeding normally. It began with a list of crimes upon which the prisoners were convicted. The process had been rather thorough, and the list was rather lengthy- especially for Van Hassel. His glare might have had some power behind it if any of the convicts had access to natural energy, but they were little better than healthy humans in their current states.
Anton returned his gaze to the front, where people were just entering his range. The last couple of kilometers would only take the group a couple minutes to pass over- and that was because they were moving slowly for the sake of the weaker members, none of which were below late Spirit Building. All told, there were close to two hundred cultivators- a majority from the Heavenly Lion Sect, but Anton spotted groups of Flying Blood Cult members as well. It was unclear if they actually had some real stake in the outcome- perhaps they were hired to rescue Tonina- or if they just wanted to take part in combat. From what he knew about them, it could be either.
In addition to members of those sects, there were many who didnt match either. Most likely mercenaries who thought whatever rewards offered would be worth the risk. With the numbers they had it wasnt possible to match the Order but not everyone from the Order was present. They couldnt focus all of their power in one place and leave everywhere else defenseless, after all. Only five members at Life Transformation were present, about a quarter of their total, including Elder Kseniya and Grand Elder Matousek. The latter stood upon the walls of the small fort, a collection of light circling around him. Anton wasnt quite able to count with the way they shifted unpredictably, but there had to be eighty or ninety. Presumably one for each star of cultivation. Anton really wanted to see how they worked, but Matousek wasnt engaged in combat yet and he had to make himself useful.
With so many targets he wasnt sure who to pick but no one else seemed concerned about that. Some shot at the man leading the charge, a Life Transformation expert with an impressive aura. He was able to defend against everything lobbed at him, but repeated attacks should wear him down. Anton did see a small wound on his upper arm, perhaps where Elder Kseniyas arrow had struck and then been broken off. Pulling it out- with the thorns- would have ripped the wound open wider.
He scanned the crowd, seeing a face he recognized. Elder Lakatos, with the punching daggers. His heart twinged, mostly healed but not quite there yet. Then his eyes moved just to the right. The mans apprentice had come along, the same one that had almost led the Heavenly Lion Sect to attack before the elders arrived. He looked remarkably good, considering what happened to him. Of course Anton couldnt see a hole in his chest, but even if the man werent covered he presumed it wouldnt be visible except as a scar. He wondered how many medicinal pills were shoved down his throat to be prancing around already.
Previously there might have been some mercy for him. Hed acted vaguely reasonably, which was above what Anton expected of the Heavenly Lion Sect. But choosing to come along with the attack signed his sentence. Anton focused an arrow, making it as powerful as he was capable of. Knowing Elder Kseniya he could predict how she would act to some extent, and that guided his hand.
The arrow flew straight for the mans heart again, the dense energy of Fleeting Youth bolstering Antons normal reserves. Though he hadnt made it beyond the first tier of the technique, he was continuing to make strides forward with how he made use of the energy. It flew straight towards the man and was sliced out of the air. Of course.
But as Elder Lakatos blocked the attack at his apprentice, Kseniya had already launched several of her own- even before Antons arrow was flying. They followed unexpected curves, some seeming to have missed other targets and turning around to attack from behind. The movements Lakatos made to block the arrow brought him straight into the path of Kseniyas shots, which he only managed to dodge most of. One struck the elbow of his left arm, after which it hung limp. Anton continued to fire at the apprentice or any other targets he found openings for.
The executioners blade came down, chopping off Van Hassels head. Sand had a particularly strong reaction to that, which Anton caught out of the corner of his eye as he hastily backed away from the epicenter of the fighting towards the other side of the fort. He certainly didnt want to approach the execution grounds. The blade was slowly lifted as Van Hassels head rolled on the ground, and the executioner stepped forward towards Tonina, lifting the blade and swinging it down.
A tornado of blood suddenly fell from the sky, manifesting into a crimson figure. He clearly radiated the energy of the Flying Blood Cult, but Anton couldnt find any traces of a body. It felt like blood shaped into a womans form but without any flesh or bones or anything. But it also didnt feel like a simple projection of energy from somewhere else.
As the executioners blade almost touched Toninas neck, the bloody figure grabbed her and ripped apart the section of the execution platform holding her down. The woman once more turned into a tornado which began to carry Tonina up into the sky. Galli took advantage of Matouseks distraction to shove her aside, rushing towards the platform. A lions paw the size of the entire platform slammed down, targeting the platform and the executioner, though leaving the small section with Zvonko in between two spear-sized claws. It struck the platform, the ground shattering. Yet when the paw was lifted, the executioner still stood in place unfazed.
Really now, came a familiar voice. Is that all you have? The executioners blade was casually flung to slice off Zvonkos head as he raised his arms to the heavens. I was hoping to get a bit more, but this will have to do. One eye glinted through the slits in the hood as an overwhelming aura matched against that of the Heavenly Lion Sects guardian. A burning golden light shone around him.
Anton had felt that power once before. Hed met with Grand Elder Vandale on many occasions, of course, but the man kept his power extremely constrained. Hed only used it when the hunt went beyond all expected grounds and a nearby village was in danger, along with numerous disciples of the Order.
The air distorted as the sky went dark, except for myriad stars lighting everything. The stars began to rain down from the sky, the very first of them striking the tornado of blood. The tornado coalesced into a woman once more, several times larger. Her crossed arms blocked the meteor, but she was sent flying away- Tonina falling directly back towards the ground.
Another handful of stars crashed down towards Galli, and the rest were targeted at the strongest members of the Heavenly Lion Sect. Even when the stars collided with their targets, the aftereffects of the explosions didnt affect members of the Order.
Anton stood enraptured. It wasnt just a single volley this time, but a continuous rain. This was the peak of power that could be achieved in the world. Explosive attacks covering a wide range, yet controlled enough to not be indiscriminate. Instead of being intimidating, it was invigorating. Many of the others from the Order seemed to feel the same way, as the momentary disruption from Gallis presence was quickly overcome and people continued to fight.
The sleek lion of Galli and the tornado of blood from the unnamed figure had to continuously fend off attacks from Vandale while their own attacks were blocked by the golden ball of fire with Vandale at the center. The earth trembled and shook. Anton knew that no matter what the ultimate result of the battle, the balance of power would be shifting significantly, the world he was used to changing. He vowed to be a key combatant for the next similar event.
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Chapter 174
The approaching cultivators slowed slightly after Elder Kseniya shot the black thorned arrow. She still continued to attack in regular intervals, and soon enough the targets were close enough for those with less extreme ranges to get involved. That included attacks returning from the other side, but the defensive formations were sufficient to negate most of the attacks. There were only a few arrows and the like, while various sorts of energy attacks primarily composed of fire or lightning were the most numerous. A few members of the order responded by blocking the most concerning attacks, letting the others fall apart on the forts defenses.
Behind them the execution was proceeding normally. It began with a list of crimes upon which the prisoners were convicted. The process had been rather thorough, and the list was rather lengthy- especially for Van Hassel. His glare might have had some power behind it if any of the convicts had access to natural energy, but they were little better than healthy humans in their current states.
Anton returned his gaze to the front, where people were just entering his range. The last couple of kilometers would only take the group a couple minutes to pass over- and that was because they were moving slowly for the sake of the weaker members, none of which were below late Spirit Building. All told, there were close to two hundred cultivators- a majority from the Heavenly Lion Sect, but Anton spotted groups of Flying Blood Cult members as well. It was unclear if they actually had some real stake in the outcome- perhaps they were hired to rescue Tonina- or if they just wanted to take part in combat. From what he knew about them, it could be either.
In addition to members of those sects, there were many who didnt match either. Most likely mercenaries who thought whatever rewards offered would be worth the risk. With the numbers they had it wasnt possible to match the Order but not everyone from the Order was present. They couldnt focus all of their power in one place and leave everywhere else defenseless, after all. Only five members at Life Transformation were present, about a quarter of their total, including Elder Kseniya and Grand Elder Matousek. The latter stood upon the walls of the small fort, a collection of light circling around him. Anton wasnt quite able to count with the way they shifted unpredictably, but there had to be eighty or ninety. Presumably one for each star of cultivation. Anton really wanted to see how they worked, but Matousek wasnt engaged in combat yet and he had to make himself useful.
With so many targets he wasnt sure who to pick but no one else seemed concerned about that. Some shot at the man leading the charge, a Life Transformation expert with an impressive aura. He was able to defend against everything lobbed at him, but repeated attacks should wear him down. Anton did see a small wound on his upper arm, perhaps where Elder Kseniyas arrow had struck and then been broken off. Pulling it out- with the thorns- would have ripped the wound open wider.
He scanned the crowd, seeing a face he recognized. Elder Lakatos, with the punching daggers. His heart twinged, mostly healed but not quite there yet. Then his eyes moved just to the right. The mans apprentice had come along, the same one that had almost led the Heavenly Lion Sect to attack before the elders arrived. He looked remarkably good, considering what happened to him. Of course Anton couldnt see a hole in his chest, but even if the man werent covered he presumed it wouldnt be visible except as a scar. He wondered how many medicinal pills were shoved down his throat to be prancing around already.
Previously there might have been some mercy for him. Hed acted vaguely reasonably, which was above what Anton expected of the Heavenly Lion Sect. But choosing to come along with the attack signed his sentence. Anton focused an arrow, making it as powerful as he was capable of. Knowing Elder Kseniya he could predict how she would act to some extent, and that guided his hand.
The arrow flew straight for the mans heart again, the dense energy of Fleeting Youth bolstering Antons normal reserves. Though he hadnt made it beyond the first tier of the technique, he was continuing to make strides forward with how he made use of the energy. It flew straight towards the man and was sliced out of the air. Of course.
But as Elder Lakatos blocked the attack at his apprentice, Kseniya had already launched several of her own- even before Antons arrow was flying. They followed unexpected curves, some seeming to have missed other targets and turning around to attack from behind. The movements Lakatos made to block the arrow brought him straight into the path of Kseniyas shots, which he only managed to dodge most of. One struck the elbow of his left arm, after which it hung limp. Anton continued to fire at the apprentice or any other targets he found openings for.
The executioners blade came down, chopping off Van Hassels head. Sand had a particularly strong reaction to that, which Anton caught out of the corner of his eye as he hastily backed away from the epicenter of the fighting towards the other side of the fort. He certainly didnt want to approach the execution grounds. The blade was slowly lifted as Van Hassels head rolled on the ground, and the executioner stepped forward towards Tonina, lifting the blade and swinging it down.
A tornado of blood suddenly fell from the sky, manifesting into a crimson figure. He clearly radiated the energy of the Flying Blood Cult, but Anton couldnt find any traces of a body. It felt like blood shaped into a womans form but without any flesh or bones or anything. But it also didnt feel like a simple projection of energy from somewhere else.
As the executioners blade almost touched Toninas neck, the bloody figure grabbed her and ripped apart the section of the execution platform holding her down. The woman once more turned into a tornado which began to carry Tonina up into the sky. Galli took advantage of Matouseks distraction to shove her aside, rushing towards the platform. A lions paw the size of the entire platform slammed down, targeting the platform and the executioner, though leaving the small section with Zvonko in between two spear-sized claws. It struck the platform, the ground shattering. Yet when the paw was lifted, the executioner still stood in place unfazed.
Really now, came a familiar voice. Is that all you have? The executioners blade was casually flung to slice off Zvonkos head as he raised his arms to the heavens. I was hoping to get a bit more, but this will have to do. One eye glinted through the slits in the hood as an overwhelming aura matched against that of the Heavenly Lion Sects guardian. A burning golden light shone around him.
Anton had felt that power once before. Hed met with Grand Elder Vandale on many occasions, of course, but the man kept his power extremely constrained. Hed only used it when the hunt went beyond all expected grounds and a nearby village was in danger, along with numerous disciples of the Order.
The air distorted as the sky went dark, except for myriad stars lighting everything. The stars began to rain down from the sky, the very first of them striking the tornado of blood. The tornado coalesced into a woman once more, several times larger. Her crossed arms blocked the meteor, but she was sent flying away- Tonina falling directly back towards the ground.
Another handful of stars crashed down towards Galli, and the rest were targeted at the strongest members of the Heavenly Lion Sect. Even when the stars collided with their targets, the aftereffects of the explosions didnt affect members of the Order.
Anton stood enraptured. It wasnt just a single volley this time, but a continuous rain. This was the peak of power that could be achieved in the world. Explosive attacks covering a wide range, yet controlled enough to not be indiscriminate. Instead of being intimidating, it was invigorating. Many of the others from the Order seemed to feel the same way, as the momentary disruption from Gallis presence was quickly overcome and people continued to fight.
The sleek lion of Galli and the tornado of blood from the unnamed figure had to continuously fend off attacks from Vandale while their own attacks were blocked by the golden ball of fire with Vandale at the center. The earth trembled and shook. Anton knew that no matter what the ultimate result of the battle, the balance of power would be shifting significantly, the world he was used to changing. He vowed to be a key combatant for the next similar event.
Chapter 174The approaching cultivators slowed slightly after Elder Kseniya shot the black thorned arrow. She still continued to attack in regular intervals, and soon enough the targets were close enough for those with less extreme ranges to get involved. That included attacks returning from the other side, but the defensive formations were sufficient to negate most of the attacks. There were only a few arrows and the like, while various sorts of energy attacks primarily composed of fire or lightning were the most numerous. A few members of the order responded by blocking the most concerning attacks, letting the others fall apart on the forts defenses.Behind them the execution was proceeding normally. It began with a list of crimes upon which the prisoners were convicted. The process had been rather thorough, and the list was rather lengthy- especially for Van Hassel. His glare might have had some power behind it if any of the convicts had access to natural energy, but they were little better than healthy humans in their current states.Anton returned his gaze to the front, where people were just entering his range. The last couple of kilometers would only take the group a couple minutes to pass over- and that was because they were moving slowly for the sake of the weaker members, none of which were below late Spirit Building. All told, there were close to two hundred cultivators- a majority from the Heavenly Lion Sect, but Anton spotted groups of Flying Blood Cult members as well. It was unclear if they actually had some real stake in the outcome- perhaps they were hired to rescue Tonina- or if they just wanted to take part in combat. From what he knew about them, it could be either.In addition to members of those sects, there were many who didnt match either. Most likely mercenaries who thought whatever rewards offered would be worth the risk. With the numbers they had it wasnt possible to match the Order but not everyone from the Order was present. They couldnt focus all of their power in one place and leave everywhere else defenseless, after all. Only five members at Life Transformation were present, about a quarter of their total, including Elder Kseniya and Grand Elder Matousek. The latter stood upon the walls of the small fort, a collection of light circling around him. Anton wasnt quite able to count with the way they shifted unpredictably, but there had to be eighty or ninety. Presumably one for each star of cultivation. Anton really wanted to see how they worked, but Matousek wasnt engaged in combat yet and he had to make himself useful.With so many targets he wasnt sure who to pick but no one else seemed concerned about that. Some shot at the man leading the charge, a Life Transformation expert with an impressive aura. He was able to defend against everything lobbed at him, but repeated attacks should wear him down. Anton did see a small wound on his upper arm, perhaps where Elder Kseniyas arrow had struck and then been broken off. Pulling it out- with the thorns- would have ripped the wound open wider.He scanned the crowd, seeing a face he recognized. Elder Lakatos, with the punching daggers. His heart twinged, mostly healed but not quite there yet. Then his eyes moved just to the right. The mans apprentice had come along, the same one that had almost led the Heavenly Lion Sect to attack before the elders arrived. He looked remarkably good, considering what happened to him. Of course Anton couldnt see a hole in his chest, but even if the man werent covered he presumed it wouldnt be visible except as a scar. He wondered how many medicinal pills were shoved down his throat to be prancing around already.Previously there might have been some mercy for him. Hed acted vaguely reasonably, which was above what Anton expected of the Heavenly Lion Sect. But choosing to come along with the attack signed his sentence. Anton focused an arrow, making it as powerful as he was capable of. Knowing Elder Kseniya he could predict how she would act to some extent, and that guided his hand.The arrow flew straight for the mans heart again, the dense energy of Fleeting Youth bolstering Antons normal reserves. Though he hadnt made it beyond the first tier of the technique, he was continuing to make strides forward with how he made use of the energy. It flew straight towards the man and was sliced out of the air. Of course.But as Elder Lakatos blocked the attack at his apprentice, Kseniya had already launched several of her own- even before Antons arrow was flying. They followed unexpected curves, some seeming to have missed other targets and turning around to attack from behind. The movements Lakatos made to block the arrow brought him straight into the path of Kseniyas shots, which he only managed to dodge most of. One struck the elbow of his left arm, after which it hung limp. Anton continued to fire at the apprentice or any other targets he found openings for.The executioners blade came down, chopping off Van Hassels head. Sand had a particularly strong reaction to that, which Anton caught out of the corner of his eye as he hastily backed away from the epicenter of the fighting towards the other side of the fort. He certainly didnt want to approach the execution grounds. The blade was slowly lifted as Van Hassels head rolled on the ground, and the executioner stepped forward towards Tonina, lifting the blade and swinging it down.A tornado of blood suddenly fell from the sky, manifesting into a crimson figure. He clearly radiated the energy of the Flying Blood Cult, but Anton couldnt find any traces of a body. It felt like blood shaped into a womans form but without any flesh or bones or anything. But it also didnt feel like a simple projection of energy from somewhere else.As the executioners blade almost touched Toninas neck, the bloody figure grabbed her and ripped apart the section of the execution platform holding her down. The woman once more turned into a tornado which began to carry Tonina up into the sky. Galli took advantage of Matouseks distraction to shove her aside, rushing towards the platform. A lions paw the size of the entire platform slammed down, targeting the platform and the executioner, though leaving the small section with Zvonko in between two spear-sized claws. It struck the platform, the ground shattering. Yet when the paw was lifted, the executioner still stood in place unfazed.Really now, came a familiar voice. Is that all you have? The executioners blade was casually flung to slice off Zvonkos head as he raised his arms to the heavens. I was hoping to get a bit more, but this will have to do. One eye glinted through the slits in the hood as an overwhelming aura matched against that of the Heavenly Lion Sects guardian. A burning golden light shone around him.Anton had felt that power once before. Hed met with Grand Elder Vandale on many occasions, of course, but the man kept his power extremely constrained. Hed only used it when the hunt went beyond all expected grounds and a nearby village was in danger, along with numerous disciples of the Order.The air distorted as the sky went dark, except for myriad stars lighting everything. The stars began to rain down from the sky, the very first of them striking the tornado of blood. The tornado coalesced into a woman once more, several times larger. Her crossed arms blocked the meteor, but she was sent flying away- Tonina falling directly back towards the ground. Another handful of stars crashed down towards Galli, and the rest were targeted at the strongest members of the Heavenly Lion Sect. Even when the stars collided with their targets, the aftereffects of the explosions didnt affect members of the Order.Anton stood enraptured. It wasnt just a single volley this time, but a continuous rain. This was the peak of power that could be achieved in the world. Explosive attacks covering a wide range, yet controlled enough to not be indiscriminate. Instead of being intimidating, it was invigorating. Many of the others from the Order seemed to feel the same way, as the momentary disruption from Gallis presence was quickly overcome and people continued to fight. The sleek lion of Galli and the tornado of blood from the unnamed figure had to continuously fend off attacks from Vandale while their own attacks were blocked by the golden ball of fire with Vandale at the center. The earth trembled and shook. Anton knew that no matter what the ultimate result of the battle, the balance of power would be shifting significantly, the world he was used to changing. He vowed to be a key combatant for the next similar event.
