Chapter 1713. Fighting a Half Step!

Chapter 1713: Chapter 1713. Fighting a Half Step!

A chance to battle a Half-Step didn’t come daily. They were beings usually far above others, and even involving yourself with one was difficult, except for a passing connection. Therefore, Yasenia didn’t plan to hold back in the slightest.

For starters, Yasenia’s [Intent Domain] was not nearly strong enough to suppress or deeply influence a Half-Step. Therefore, if he wanted to stop her, the only gesture he needed was to unfold his domain.

Once that happened, Yasenia’s strength would plummet.

So, after Draheart in her shield form and the battle flag manifested, Dramel appeared behind Yasenia in her elegant pipa form. She also summoned Soluna.

However, summoning Soluna was going a step too far. The man glanced at the sudden beings that manifested with a faintly raised eyebrow. Clearly, Yasenia wanted to take advantage of the situation.

Jian Xinlin chuckled. "It’s good to be young and energetic."

The man also silently smiled. He didn’t feel bad about it. Yasenia was making the most of the situation. ’Since she wants to do it like that, I can’t let her have it that easily―What!?’

BOOM!

With a massive stomp, Yasenia unfurled [Pegasus Gallop] and shot forward at top speed. Her figure blurred forward, and even some Eighth Level Transcendents in the group failed to react.

As she closed the distance, her seductive blue dress transformed into a long, crystalline, celestial gown, and her body charged ahead, a battle flag leading the way.

"[Shattering The Heavens]!"

Tong Zhuo, the Half-Step, reacted as he increased his strength and summoned his sword to block.

BANGG!!

Yasenia’s monstrous strength took Tong Zhuo by surprise, and he was pushed back several steps, causing everyone to widen their eyes in stunned silence. Yasenia, though, was far from done.

She was just starting.

"[Ursa’s Grasp]!"

The gargantuan phantom of the starlit bear silently roared to the sky and sank into Yasenia’s body, increasing her physical strength further. The rest of the buffs exploded one after another, creating a consecutive aura burst.

Jian Xinlin’s eyes were full of wonder and awe. ’Heavens...’

"[Grand Cosmos Martial Art, Seventh Form: Astral Convergence]!"

Spinning her battle flag, Yasenia coordinated with Dramel and Soluna and manifested a giant moon-and-sun phantom with the spins of her battle flag and Soluna’s help. When Tong Zhuo charged forward, Yasenia swung her battle flag down as if bringing judgment to the world.

The flag fluttered with endless killing intent!

Yasenia roared. "BURST!"

The Sun and Moon phantoms crashed into each other as they merged with Yasenia’s strike. The resulting explosion was so powerful that, if Jian Xinlin and the other experts present hadn’t moved, it might’ve collapsed part of the sturdy entrance to the gorge.

Tong Zhuo met Yasenia’s and Soluna’s combined attack with an upward sword strike that created a strange melody within. "Break! [Radiant Crane Ascension]"

His figure was enveloped in a gorgeous white aura, and then the attacks collided.

BOOM!!!

The sky and earth shook for a moment, and from the explosion, Yasenia’s figure flew back, Draheart’s surface smoky from blocking the blast’s aftermath.

With an agile backward flip, Yasenia planted her feet and tail onto the ground, her body dragging back as her golden slit eyes never lost trace of Tong Zhuo, who was charging at her.

His figure flashed forward, Yasenia’s senses barely keeping up with him.

"[Tyrant Warlord Intent Domain]."

In an instant, Yasenia’s irises were smeared in red, her senses covering the entire zone as a single battlefield. Her instinct, strength, battle sense, and everything related to combat surged.

Without even turning her head, Yasenia dragged one foot in a half-moon motion, twisting her flexible waist and shifting Draheart toward her back.

BANG!

Using the momentum from the sword collision, Yasenia spun, her tail dragging behind her figure as she tried to counterattack with a long-range [Celestial Sunder]. Tong Zhuo dodged with ease, his figure far too fast.

What came next was an artistic exchange between the two.

"[Grand Cosmos Martial Art, Fourth Form: Cosmic Air]."

"[Radiant Crane Sword Melody Dance]."

Tong Zhuo used elegant moves to flash around Yasenia at incredible speed, his sword aiming for Yasenia’s blind spots whenever possible.

Meanwhile, Yasenia danced through the sword barrage, her shield, tail, and battle flag constantly clashing and returning attacks whenever she had even an instant of respite between his unending barrages.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Tong Zhuo’s eyes were full of appreciation and surprise. ’She is blocking all of this? Even a Level Nine Transcendence would have a hard time with it!’

Naturally, since this was a test, Tong Zhuo was not going 100% all out. That didn’t mean he was taking it easy. The strength he was showing was near the top without using [Intent Domain].

Jian Xinlin approached Tatyana’s group without even blinking. "Lady Tatyana, be honest with me... Is Lady Yasenia using a treasure to conceal her cultivation?"

Tatyana didn’t glance at Xinlin, her eyes focused on the absurd exchange of moves going on right in front of them. "She is not. Oh, Tong Zhuo made a mistake."

The second she heard that. Xinlin’s own energy surged, focusing everything she had in her senses and eyes.

Everything that happened next occurred in a fraction of a second.

Tong Zhuo rushed forward, his sword coated with the radiance of his attack and the elegance of his movements. As he stepped forward and Yasenia moved her shield to meet him, his foot moved fluidly, like a dancer’s.

With a swift twirl, he slipped around Yasenia’s shield toward the side without weapons, dragging his sword in a horizontal motion. To his surprise, Yasenia didn’t rush to block. Her red-colored irises were fixed on him, unblinking, with the pupils thinned to lines.

’What is she planning... The other one!’

Soluna had been silently waiting exactly for this moment. The Nascent Celestial Spirit used her spiritual body to appear silently behind Tong Zhuo, her hands extended forward. "[Myriad Worlds Celestial Twilight: Celestial Star Cannon]."

He barely managed to raise a defense before it struck him squarely in the back.

BOOM!!!

A skill developed by observing Yasenia’s own energy core burst forth with the strength to blast open holes in a star. The impact was brutal, even for Tong Zhuo’s sturdy body.

The man, a Half-Step, was thrown forward without control, slamming against the cliff like a meteor.

BANG!

Yasenia and Soluna quickly moved and shifted positions, facing the cliff with utterly terrifying concentration and battle lust on their faces.

Tong Zhuo walked out slowly of the dust cloud, his previously indifferent face now carrying a faint smile. "Incredible. I believe this is enough for now. You managed to land a strike on me. If I had been a Level Nine or below cultivator, that would’ve been incredibly damaging or even fatal. You two are sublime."

Yasenia and Soluna exhaled like one entity, their auras slowly merging together and soothing each other. With each coordinated breath, their pumping cores calmed down, and soon, the red receded and returned to golden.

Soluna raised her hands toward Yasenia. "Hehe! I hit him!"

Yasenia stored her weapons away and laughed, hugging Soluna and giving her a light kiss on the lips. "Good job, dear. That was perfectly timed."

Soluna giggled. "I am one with you. Of course it is perfectly timed~. That was fun, Mister! See you later!"

Soluna then sank into Yasenia’s dantian, her favorite spot.

Yasenia felt someone grab her hand, and looking sideways, she noticed Cecile standing by her side and smiling faintly at her. Her peerless facial features lit up very slightly, like winter colors giving way to spring. "Good fight."

Yasenia interlocked her fingers. "Thank you, Sweetheart."

Tong Zhuo reached out before her, arms crossed. "So, it was not a lie that you do indeed prefer women."

His face was not judgmental, just curious. Unlike clans, sects were not that hell-bent on descendants. Of course, it was important, as every cultivator wanted to leave a legacy behind.

Still, it wasn’t nearly as strict as high noble society.

Yasenia glanced at him and bowed with respect. "Thank you very much, Lord Tong. It was a tremendously valuable experience for me."

Tong Zhuo nodded. "Good. Also, avoid bowing like that. It’s better to do a fist salute."

Yasenia tilted her head, and Tong Zhuo pointed down with his eyes. "You have two very problematic characteristics that cause your sincere bows to look slightly insincere."

Jian Xinlin smacked his arm. "Zhuo, are you really saying that to the child? So what if they are big? Look how beautiful they are."

Tong Zhuo blinked and asked, his eyebrow raised. "Oh? Is your silent heart finally singing its first melody?"

Xinlin decided to ignore him, while Yasenia and the other girls were quite surprised.

At first glance, Tong Zhuo seemed like an aloof, indifferent man. So, his current attitude was quite odd. Xinlin sighed. "Don’t bother with him. He is like this with people he really likes. Truly, for someone known as the aloof, fluttering golden crane, you are sometimes like a mischievous sparrow."

Tong Zhuo chuckled. "Either way, back to the point. I agree with Yasenia’s suggestion. I feel that her group could give our below Half-Steps a good fight..."

He didn’t say more than that because they were, after all, his sect members. Xinlin nodded as well. "I really underestimated you, Lady Yasenia. Your clan is very welcome to come along with us. You’ll be of tremendous help. If there are treasures to share, we will do so according to contribution. Of course, even if there is only a single treasure, we promise to compensate the Dravory Family once we return."

Yasenia gave Tong Zhuo a playful glance and then bowed toward Xinlin. "Thank you very much, Sect Leader Xinlin. We, the Dravory Family, will do our best."

Xinlin glanced down a few times at the very bouncy, very jiggly, and very large puddings. "...Zhuo might’ve been right."

With everything settled, they all prepared to enter the mountain and search for treasures.

***

Meanwhile, at another entrance toward the same location, two large groups of Divines and Demons encountered each other. While the seniors talked about not fighting straight away, two juniors were talking with each other.

Jaxon placed his giant hammer on his shoulder and grinned. "Oh. Look who it is. Nice to see you, Isla."

Isla glanced at him coldly, her wings fluttering lightly. "To meet you here... It truly is my bad luck."

Jaxon laughed. "Be prepared when you eventually lose to me." Looking at her, he grinned. "You are becoming more and more beautiful. Truly without compare."

Isla, this time, answered with a faint smirk, surprising Jaxon. "That might not be the case. There is a dragon whose beauty is beyond words."

Jaxon paused and snorted. "Probably an exaggeration."

Far away, Yasenia cutely sneezed, blinking. ’Hm? Is there someone talking about me?’