Star Odyssey

Chapter 1041: Miserable Duel

Lan Si stood above the surface of Planet Fleabane’s sea as he looked up at Lu Yin with an arrogant expression. Truthfully, the Arbiter had not believed that Lu Yin would be able to force him to use his Vacuum Palm.

Fatesand disappeared from in front of Lan Si’s chest; he also possessed fatesand. Initially, he had believed that the combination of that and his One Hundred Fifty Stacks would be enough to defeat Lu Yin. Lan Si had not expected Lu Yin to be so hard to deal with. 

Lu Yin’s strength allowed the Arbiter to understand why Lu Yin had been willing to appear and participate in their appointed battle. Still, Lu Yin would inevitably taste defeat. 

Above the planet, countless eyes stared at Lu Yin, but they were unable to determine anything from his expression. Lu Yin did not appear to be discouraged or terrified, but neither was there any sign of excitement or overflowing battle intent that usually appeared when one faced a powerful foe. All anyone saw was his calm mien. 

Lu Yin stood high up in space as he gingerly moved his arms, which hurt quite badly. His bones had probably been broken. This was Lan Si’s Vacuum Palm, and the technique was much more complicated than merely being invisible. Each palm print contained over One Hundred Fifty Stacks; this was a battle technique that allowed a person to use the Overlaying Stacks Path to the extreme, and this was the strength that Lan Si had been hiding. 

It was no wonder why Lan Si had cultivated the Overlaying Stacks Path from beginning to end, as there was no need for him to cultivate anything else. His Vacuum Palm alone was enough for him to dominate the universe. An invisible palm imprint that could not be evaded even if one was capable of seeing rune lines. This attack could not be easily withstood by facing it head on, as one would need a monstrous defense to survive unscathed. This was an unexplainable battle technique.

Lu Yin raised a foot and tore through the void to return to Planet Fleabane, where he appeared a thousand meters away from Lan Si. 

“That’s a rather powerful battle technique. It’s no wonder why you’ve always been cultivating the Overlaying Stacks Path,” Lu Yin marveled. 

Lan Si glanced down at his right hand. “I coincidentally obtained this technique through a twist of fate. After obtaining it, I’ve never even thought of cultivating anything else, as this battle technique is innately suited for me.” 

Lu Yin solemnly stated, “It’s a simple and pure attack that is also unexplainable. It’s absolutely terrifying.” 

Lan Si stared at Lu Yin, incredulous. “You aren’t going to admit defeat?”

Lu Yin grabbed his arm. “I can still take it.”

Lan Si laughed. “My Vacuum Palm places no burden on my body, so don’t expect me to wear out first. How long can your nine lined battle force endure for?”

Lu Yin looked serious.

Lan Si stared into Lu Yin’s eyes. Suddenly, the Arbiter’s figure vanished, and Lu Yin’s pupils shrank as he checked his surroundings. Rune lines were rapidly descending at him from above.

Lu Yin felt his scalp go numb, and his fatesand appeared once again as nine lined battle force shrouded his entire body. There was a loud bang as, this time, his body was smashed beneath the ground. He pierced all the way through Planet Fleabane and was blasted back out into outer space on the other side as the planet began to shatter apart due to its core breaking apart. 

Blood could be seen at the corner of Lu Yin’s lips when he stood up in space. The fractures in his arm had become even more severe. Then, Lan Si suddenly reappeared directly behind Lu Yin as he unleashed yet another Vacuum Palm. 

Lu Yin was able to see the rune lines, but he could not evade this attack. If Lan Si’s Vacuum Palm appeared, then all he could do was try to endure the attack.

The Vacuum Palm was the best representation of Lan Si’s overwhelming mastery of the Overlaying Stacks Path, and it was also Lan Si’s most powerful attack. It was extremely difficult to defend against this attack, even for Lu Yin who had his fatesand alongside his nine lined battle force. Lu Yin was sent flying for a third time, and an intense pain erupted from his arms. Each time he was struck, his fatesand would be forced back into his body, and he believed that his nine lined battle force would not be able to last for much longer either. 

Lan Si did not speak at all, as he had already been extremely considerate towards Lu Yin. As Lu Yin flew away, another Vacuum Palm was shot out without any hesitation. 

A forcefield sprang up around Lu Yin’s body and formed the Towering Tree. This forcefield was able to protect the area around it, but the tree was still pierced through by Lan Si’s Vacuum Palm. Lu Yin was beaten back down onto Planet Fleabane yet again, and he landed with a crash.

Above Planet Fleabane, everyone in both the Innerverse and Outerverse who were watching felt a chill run down their spines. This was too horrifying an ability, and Lu Yin simply had no means of retaliating. Lu Yin had revealed a strength that could be considered unrivaled, but he was fighting against Lan Si, who was an unexplainable existence. 

The Yu Secret Art was simply unable to divert Vacuum Palm, and Lu Yin was not even able to dodge the attack, much less try to divert it. Whenever he saw Vacuum Palm appear, it meant that he would have to passively endure it.

In the Great Yu Empire, countless people clenched their fists and felt so nervous that they could hardly breathe.

Wendy Yushan was also in the crowd above Planet Fleabane. Her fingers were pale; just what was Lan Si doing? None of them could tell what was going on; all they could see was that Lu Yin was being beaten like a punching bag without any way to retaliate.

At this time, even the other Arbiters in the Innerverse were watching seriously. Lan Si’s hidden battle technique was simply too terrifying, and it could even perfectly showcase the strength of his Overlaying Stacks Path. His speed was also impeccable—even Lu Yin, who possessed a defensive secret technique, was unable to dodge Lan Si’s attack. The other Arbiters would be no different. 

On the shattered remnants of Planet Fleabane, Lu Yin spat out a mouthful of blood. His left arm was already crippled from trying to block the Vacuum Palm, so he moved it in front of himself. At this time, he could not feel anything from his left arm at all. This was the price that he had to pay just for… observation. 

There was another explosion as another Vacuum Palm landed on him. At this moment, Lan Si looked like a celestial being.

Lu Yin raised his left arm once more. His physical body was being torn apart, and scarlet blood flowed down the exposed bone before dripping onto his clothes. 

Lan Si looked down. “Still not admitting defeat? How many more attacks can you take? I do have to say that you’ve shocked me. There aren’t that many even among the Ten Arbiters who can take this many of my attacks.” 

Lu Yin suddenly grinned, and blood flowed from his mouth. “The surprise is behind you.”

His forcefield reformed into the Towering Tree, and it shrank down until it was small enough to stand in front of Lu Yin and block the path before him. Lu Yin also closed his eyes at this moment.

Lan Si was bewildered. “Since you’re not admitting defeat, then don’t blame me.”

His hand fell once more, using the Vacuum Palm once more.

Lu Yin’s eyes remained tightly closed as the Vacuum Palm pierced through his domain, and at that instant, Lu Yin’s eyes opened wide as his left arm moved to protect the rest of his body. His nine lined battle force emerged to strengthen his defenses along with his fatesand. At the same time, he struck out with his right hand: One Hundred Stacks, Spacerender Palm. 

Boom!

Lu Yin’s entire body was sent flying underground, and he once again pierced through Planet Fleabane and shot out into space. However, this time, Lan Si was similarly struck by Lu Yin’s Spacerender Palm, which caught the Arbiter off guard and similarly threw him into space. 

An intense explosion erupted on Planet Fleabane, and flames filled the sky as both Lu Yin and Lan Si tumbled into outer space on the opposite sides of the planet. 

Lan Si was overwhelmed; had Lu Yin noticed it?

The Vacuum Palm put no strain on Lan Si’s body, which meant that, in theory, as long as his physical strength was sufficient, he could use the technique without limit. However, each time he used the Vacuum Palm, there would be a single moment where his body stiffened. This was because of the momentum transfer that occurred whenever such a tremendous force was unleashed, and it was unavoidable unless Lan Si’s physical strength increased by about fivefold. Otherwise, this momentum transfer would always cause him to pause for a moment.

Also, even if the Arbiter’s physical strength increased by fivefold, the strength of his Vacuum Palm would increase at a similar rate, which meant that the momentum transfer’s pause would still exist unless he decreased the strength of the attack by fivefold. Only then would he be able to avoid the momentary freezing effect. However, if he did that, the Vacuum Palm would be too weak, and there would be no reason to even use it. 

The pause caused by the momentum transfer was the Vacuum Palm’s greatest weakness, but it also was not really a weakness. From what Lan Si knew, practically no one within the same generation could endure that many Vacuum Palms, so just who would be able to discover this tiny detail of the technique? 

However, Lu Yin’s physical strength was too formidable, and he had forcibly endured Lan Si’s Vacuum Palm multiple times. As a result, he had been able to use his domain to discover the technique’s weakness despite how badly he had been injured by the attacks.

Lu Yin panted heavily as he stared through Planet Fleabane. He had been struck by the Vacuum Palm multiple times, but he had finally discovered it. There was no such thing as a perfect battle technique, and the stronger the battle technique was, the greater the likelihood of it containing a fatal flaw was. This momentary freezing was Lan Si’s fatal flaw.

Each time he used his Vacuum Palm, he would be unable to mount any sort of defense for a moment, such as using his fatesand. The Arbiter’s body would completely freeze during that moment, and this freezing would ultimately spell his doom. 

Now, everything depended on their resilience and who could endure the most punishment.

The Great Yu Empire was suddenly thrust into high spirits as the countless people in the Outerverse who were supporting Lu Yin began to cheer. Lan Si had been struck, which meant that the one-sided beating was over. Lu Yin could retaliate now. 

Lu Yin spread out his domain, and his gaze trembled. Then, he shot back towards Planet Fleabane.

Lan Si similarly charged towards the planet.

The two collided at the planet’s core, where Lan Si used his Vacuum Palm while Lu Yin shouted and used Night Advent. Darkness covered Lan Si’s vision, and he paused for a moment before continuing to unleash his Vacuum Palm. However, this attack was delayed by a single moment due to Lu Yin’s Night Advent. During this time, Lu Yin was still able to see, and his pupils transformed into runes as he quickly weakened Lan Si’s palm attack. The approaching Vacuum Palm’s rune lines shot out, but this time, Lu Yin waved a hand and activated the Yu Secret Art. The Vacuum Palm was diverted. 

This was the first time that Lu Yin had managed to successfully divert a Vacuum Palm, and he also took advantage of Lan Si’s body freezing up due to the momentum transfer to appear right in front of the Arbiter, where Lu Yin pressed his hand against his opponent. “One Hundred Stacks, Six Hundredfold Shockwave Palm.”

There was another thump as more shockwaves blasted Planet Fleabane apart. Lan Si spat out a mouthful of blood, and his body was thrown back into outer space.

Countless people were recording this battle, as they had thought that Lu Yin would be the one flying away, or perhaps that both sides would suffer injuries. However, nobody had imagined that the only one sent flying by this exchange would be Lan Si.

Lan Si’s body had forcibly endured Lu Yin’s attack, but there was still an indent on the Arbiter’s chest, and it looked like a palm imprint.

Lu Yin hurriedly gave chase, as Lan Si could not retaliate at this moment. Although Lan Si’s body was tough enough to use One Hundred Fifty Stacks, if he received an attack during an unprepared moment, he would still be injured. Even if the Arbiter’s body was more robust, his organs would not be able to withstand such a blow, and he would end up losing.

Night Advent, Yu Secret Art, Truesight, his nine lined battle force, domain, and Overlaying Stacks Path—Lu Yin had used everything that he was capable of, all for just this moment.

All for a moment to decide the victor.

In outer space, Lu Yin suddenly appeared behind Lan Si, and star energy converged over Lu Yin’s right hand. “Twin Suns.”

The burning suns illuminated the entire region, and countless grew afraid.

At this moment, even the people from Mt. Stacks Dojo who held absolute confidence in Lan Si were stunned. How was this possible? Had their young master actually been injured?

Lu Yin’s Twin Suns consumed all of the remaining star energy in Lu Yin’s body before shooting towards Lan Si. Lu Yin did not believe that Lan Si was capable of blocking such an attack at this moment. 

Lan Si truly did not block the attack. Instead, he unleashed his own attacks.

Despite being bombarded by Lu Yin’s Twin Suns, Lan Si did not actually seem to be injured, and he used his Vacuum Palm once again. 

This time, Lu Yin was unable to anticipate Lan Si’s attack, but fortunately, he had already unleashed Twin Suns, and they clashed with the Vacuum Palm that had been released just like the first time. 

Space rippled, and the fluctuations spread out in all directions, tearing through the void.

The spectators above Planet Fleabane retreated yet again, and even some hidden Enlighters among the crowd were overwhelmed.

They had all watched as Lan Si had been severely injured by Lu Yin, and logically, the Arbiter’s body should have reached the limit, preventing him from retaliating this quickly. Even if his thoughts were still clear, his body should not be able to respond. Despite that, he had still retaliated with a Vacuum Palm. 

No matter whether it was offense or defense, Lan Si left everyone feeling perplexed.

Lu Yin was similarly unable to understand how Lan Si had recovered so quickly; his rune lines had clearly weakened by a great deal, which was proof that Lu Yin’s attack had left the Arbiter severely injured. Just how had he been able to retaliate so quickly?

Planet Fleabane shattered. It was not too far from being completely destroyed now.

Lan Si panted heavily and looked down at the palm imprint that had sunk deep into his body. This was the mark that Lu Yin had left on Lan Si’s body, and it was the Arbiter’s most severe injury to date.

Lu Yin’s left arm seemed to only be connected to his body by bone, his body had been torn apart, and his blood was drying. He looked the more miserable of the two.