Teacher by day, Farmer by passion - Chapter 245

Chapter 245: Divine Combat [4]
Soul force flared across the field as Shan Yifeng threw his hand into the air.

“Spirit Sovereign Wolf!”

A thunderous howl tore through the battlefield as a massive, silver-furred wolf descended like a divine beast.

Its crimson eyes gleamed with ancient wisdom, and each step it took rippled with crushing spiritual pressure.

Awooooo!

The ground trembled and the winds shifted.

Giyo tightened his grip on his spear, eyes flicking toward the new arrival.

Now it was two against one.

But Giyo didn’t even flinch.

Instead, a calm fire ignited deeper in his gaze. Not of fear but only resolve.

The silver-furred Ancient Wolf let out a roar that shook the heavens, then lunged like a flash of lightning.

BOOM!

Giyo twisted his spear just in time to deflect its snapping jaws but the impact still sent him skidding backward, his boots carving deep trenches into the ground.

Before he could recover, Midas was already there charging with his fists.

CRACK!

A golden punch slammed into Giyo’s ribs, sending shockwaves through the air.

His armor sparked under the blow, and he grunted, barely managing to pivot and redirect the momentum.

He spun, lashing out with his spear in a wide arc only for the wolf to intercept again, slamming a paw the size of a shield down from above.

Giyo caught it with both hands, muscles straining, teeth clenched.

“Still not enough,” he snarled.

But even he was starting to feel it.

Two-on-one.

And both opponents were relentless.

Midas moved in again, fists blazing with dragon soul force. Each strike was heavy, precise, aimed to kill.

The Ancient Wolf struck from the flanks, not letting up.

It was like being caught between a divine hammer and a beast’s fury.

Yet even now—

Giyo’s eyes burned brighter.

A cut bled down his temple. His armor was cracked. His breath shallow.

But his grip never faltered.

The battlefield trembled as the Spirit Sovereign Wolf let out a guttural snarl and leapt again, jaws glowing with celestial energy as it tore through space itself.

SWOOSH!

Its fangs narrowly missed Giyo’s throat, but a blast of wind from the strike shaved a trench into the ground behind him.

Midas Touch raised his hand, his voice calm yet thunderous:

“Obsidian Impact.”

He slammed his palm into the ground.

BOOM!

A geyser of black crystal pillars erupted beneath Giyo’s feet, exploding upward like volcanic spikes.

Giyo flipped midair, spear spinning as he deflected one, two, three, before a fourth pillar clipped his leg, knocking him off-balance.

But there was no time to recover.

Midas’s body shimmered blue as he launched into the sky.

“Azure Sky Fall.”

From above, Midas plummeted like a comet, both fists wreathed in spiraling azure energy, crashing toward Giyo like a divine executioner.

CRAAAAAASH!

The explosion rocked the battlefield.

Dust. Wind. Light.

Everything vanished in the shockwave.

Even the Sovereign Wolf had to leap back, growling as debris scattered like meteors.

For a moment, everything was silent.

But then a movement was seen.

Through the smoke, a silhouette stood. Bloodied, but upright.

Giyo.

A deep cut ran across his shoulder. His left gauntlet was cracked.

But his grip on the spear remained solid.

He lifted his head, eyes burning brighter than ever.

“…You’re both strong,” he rasped, spitting blood, “but I’m not backing down.”

He took a stance again.

And grinned.

“Let’s keep this going.”

Meanwhle:

Ace dodged to the side, a gleaming feather blade just missing his cheek as Bifeng soared past in a shriek of wind.

SWOOSH!

The wind exploded behind him, slicing through trees and stone alike.

Too close, Ace thought, flipping midair.

He landed lightly on a shattered pillar just as Little Aoki thundered past below, leaping at the skyborn predator with a roar that shook the heavens.

Suddenly—

DING!

A string of golden notifications flashed across Ace’s vision like searing embers:

[Your disciple has successfully raised a beast to the unique Rank.]

Ace blinked, eyes narrowing. “Wait, what?”

[Reward: Two Minor Realms granted.]

A pulse of golden force erupted in his dantian. He staggered, catching himself just as Bifeng wheeled back for another dive.

[Synchronizing with user…]

Ace whipped his head upward.

Bifeng dived in.

It’s feathers became blades.

While the sky screamed.

Ace lifted his palm, “rootbind!”, and sent tendrils of roots mist snapping upward.

They caught Bifeng’s wing mid-dive, jerking its path off course.

[Synchronization complete.]

Ace grunted as a wave of force hit him from within, his body lighting up with golden cracks like porcelain about to shatter.

[Host will be forcibly promoted to Legend Rank.]

He stumbled to one knee, the ground splintering beneath him from the internal pressure. His spirit sea surged like a boiling ocean.

“Damn it, not now…” Ace growled, veins glowing faintly under his skin.

[Warning: Incoming Tribulations. Brace for impact.]

Above, the thunder boomed.

Clouds rolled in out of nothingness, dark and electric, spiraling into a vortex directly above him.

Arcs of gold lightning danced across the sky like divine serpents.

Little Aoki skidded to a stop beside him, growling warily at the growing storm.

His eyes flicked between Ace and the sky, recognizing the signs.

Ace slowly stood, his body radiating heat and pressure.

His black robes whipped around him as the storm wind gathered.

He cracked his neck once, expression turning grim.

“Little Aoki,” he said, eyes now blazing gold, “stall the bird.”

The giant bear nodded once and launched upward with terrifying force, intercepting Bifeng mid-air in a violent collision of claw and feather.

Ace exhaled as a deafening crack split the sky above.

His tribulation had begun.

He looked up, wiped blood from his lip, and made a sinister smile.

His gaze then locked onto Bifeng, still tangled mid-air with Little Aoki.

Sparks danced across his skin, the pressure in his core building, agony wrapped in potential.

If I could time it right…

Ace’s eyes narrowed, pupils turning into slits of burning gold.

That damn bird could take the hit instead.

Bifeng was spirit-based, wind-born, and overloaded with qi a perfect conductor.

If the tribulation’s lightning struck while Bifeng was airborne and full of spirit energy…

It would be annihilated.

“Aoki—get clear at the last second,” Ace whispered, more to himself than anyone else. “Make the damn bird swallow heaven’s wrath.”

Above, the storm howled.

An arc of lightning coiled in the clouds.

Ace raised one hand slowly, calling soul force to his fingertips like a beacon.

“Come on, birdbrain,” he muttered. “Come for me…”

Bifeng shrieked in rage, tearing free of Aoki’s grip with bloody wings.

Its eyes locked onto Ace, drawn by the surging tribulation energy in his body like a moth to flame.

Ace grinned.

“Bite the wrong flame, see how it tastes.”

Just as Bifeng dived, a bolt split the sky, this time aimed straight at Ace.

He didn’t move.

Not until the last heartbeat.

“Now!”

He ducked and rolled aside and Bifeng flew directly into the path of the heavenly lightning.

CRACK BOOOOOM!!

The bolt struck its body mid-screech, engulfing it in holy fire and divine judgment.

Feathers combusted.

Spirit threads screamed.

The skies lit gold.

Ace shielded his eyes as the shockwave blasted over the battlefield, destroying the building they were in.

When he looked up again, smoke was still rising from Bifeng’s charred body as it spiraled downward, its wings twitching uncontrollably.