Chapter 596: Chapter 596

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

A blue-black figure circled the altar and pounded it furiously! Fist followed fist, plain, without aesthetic, yet distilled to have purely one intent. Each strike seeked lethal perfection!

Piercing through at a single point was the most efficient and deadly method. The entire altar jolted at every punch, and the three Arcane Stone Tablets spun faster. Blue ice crystals exploded, causing a terrifying chill to coat the light pillar and form a frozen cylinder.

The moment the blue ice column formed, the second punch of Deep Ice Ultimate Fist shattered it into shards, but the absolute cold of that blow birthed another column. Thus the cycle repeated, accelerating the depletion and collapse of the altar's beam.

The chill was more extreme than the North Pole and carried intense aggression. Even the aftershocks from Deep Ice Ultimate Fist's impact on the pillar froze the land for thousands of meters.

The black mud, once moving like a mudslide, was quickly sheathed in thick ice crystals and solidified into hard ground. Because it froze so quickly, even the sense of surging motion was locked in place. It looked as though time had stopped.

Many dark creatures atop the mud were caught in the blast. They had only just unfurled their twisted bodies and bared ghastly faces. Some howled to the sky, some spread their wings, while others broke into a frantic sprint.

Regardless, when specks of blue ice crystals drifted down, they stiffened at once and became living ice sculptures.

"So cold, too cold..."

"It's seeping into my bones."

The humans near Florence were farther off and shielded by hordes of dark creatures, so they escaped the deadly shockwave. However, the cold still forced the surrounding air temperature to plummet. It fell below freezing, as though winter had returned.

Meanwhile, the Chief Mechanist flickered about the battlefield, cutting down the dark beasts before him.

"A second being who surpasses worldly limits!"

He turned toward the distance, eyes deep and worried. Only now did he fully grasp the terrifying crisis the Golem Sect's master had foretold. Even with two legendary Holy Fists emerging for humankind, they still could not completely avert what was coming.

If those two Holy Fists had not appeared, what would this disaster have looked like? Would there have not been a shred of hope? The thought alone was despairing...

Beside him, Shadow Hunter Jin flashed in and spoke in a low voice. "Chief Mechanist, the dark creatures attacking Florence have dropped sharply. Should we send some elites to support the pillar front?"

The Chief Mechanist rejected the proposal calmly. "Support? We would only add trouble! Don't send fodder. None of us here, myself included, are qualified to enter that battlefield."

Hadn’t their relief come precisely because Deep Ice Ultimate Fist's aftershocks from the altar had annihilated swathes of dark creatures? The monsters near Florence had been slain; if they went, they would meet the same fate. The aftershocks alone were strong enough to affect them. It was better stay back, do what they could, and not drag the heroes down. They had to be spectators and pin their hopes on Deep Ice Ultimate Fist and the Golem Sect's master.

After all, they were the only protagonists of this fight! If they were defeated, everything would be over.

Deep Ice Ultimate Fist struck like a meteor, crashing into the altar's beam. At last, the pale-gold pillar noticeably dimmed. Its outline shimmered and wavered.

High in the vault of heaven at the pillar's tip, the holy Gate of Heaven began to shake off the pillar's anchoring suction. Waves of invisible force rippled and the runes on the frame flowed like water.

A figure fell like a meteor from the farthest sky. He collided head-on with Deep Ice Ultimate Fist. A terrifying sonic wave howled, turning the air to semi-transparent mist. The blue-black figure was hurled sideways, smashing hard into the earth and carving a ten-kilometer furrow that steamed with frost.

By the altar, Xiadu's face was fearsomely dark. He turned slowly from the altar to the Gate of Heaven straining overhead, a grave expression on his face. The originally four Arcane Stone Tablets were only three, which already shortened the time limit.

Now, while he suppressed Cassius, Deep Ice Ultimate Fist had been battering the altar at full force. There was likely only a little energy left for anchoring. Time was tight.

Xiadu kicked off the ground, his whole body rising weightlessly. "Rise!!!"

He spread both hands and slowly lifted them toward the sky. The land answered with a shudder. The frozen expanse of black mud cracked and the mire roared forth again. It climbed and surged wildly.

The mud twisted, twined, and fused into another black mud giant. Its form resembled a towering mountain, but limbless and rounded like a black clay doll.

The giant stretched its demonic arms again to claw at the Gate of Heaven. Xiadu resolved to open the gate first. Once a third of his true body was freed, he could kill and torment those two pests later.

The main reason, of course, was that the gate's restraints were weakening. Further delay would only cause him to lose his chance. Thus, Xiadu had to try forcing the gate open, even if Deep Ice Ultimate Fist and Cassius buzzed around like flies to hinder him.

Fighting on two fronts seemed risky, yet he brimmed with confidence. Even with one hand battering the gate, seals binding his body, and foes all around, Xiadu remained invincible under heaven!

The black mud giant slammed a fist against the gate's surface. The vibration seemed to resound in every heart.

Xiadu's eyes flashed sharply. "It's close, it's close!"

These were signs that the Gate of Heaven was failing and could no longer cage his true body. All those troublesome clashes had not been in vain.

The black mud giant swung at the gate again. However, a blue-black figure suddenly flew out of the ground. An exquisitely condensed Will of the Fist descended upon the world.

The giant's other arm turned into a whip, lashing and colliding with the incoming figure. It knocked him flying once more, gouging the earth anew as he went.

There was no helping it. Though Deep Ice Ultimate Fist had returned his Will to the real world by special means, he still had foes in the World of Calamity. Thus his displayed power, though at Holy Fist level, barely cleared the threshold. A common Holy Fist was not overwhelmingly strong. The strongest among the humans present was still Cassius, who had only recently become a Dominator Fist.

Deep Ice Ultimate Fist smashed through the ground and was blasted far away. Only after a long while did he neutralize the force and rise from a deep crater. Yet as soon as he surfaced, he spotted the inter-world passage nearby. And with it, a Dark Ultimate Form bearing ten mouths.

It was the Weeping Demon, a grotesque amalgamation. It was a jet-black humanoid covered in a seemingly fragile yet tough surface like grainy wood. Ten grim faces jutted from its torso. Each mouth gaped wide, revealing serrated fangs and a pitch-black gullet. Faint yet deadly sound waves emanated from its mouth like ceaseless sobs. The ground cracked and the air quivered at its advance.

Xiadu's voice descended from the distant zenith like a supreme command. "Stop him."

The Weeping Demon paused. Its ten faces glanced skyward hesitantly, but in the end it obeyed. It swung to face Deep Ice Ultimate Fist.

The ten abyssal mouths locked on the frost-covered figure from every angle. Then, ten visible, half-transparent sonic columns howled out and overlapped, completely trapping Deep Ice Ultimate Fist!

In the sky, the black mud giant swung its fist once more. The Gate of Heaven trembled with a groan as a crack seemed to appear!

Inside, Xiadu's true body answered, going berserk and ramming endlessly against the gate.

Xiadu's eyes blazed; his Qi surged higher and more terrifying than ever. "Continue... continue... not enough, not enough yet!"

He stared at the gate, then suddenly turned and punched a spot on the ground. The black mud giant mirrored the move.

Its fist smashed the earth and pinned a figure beneath. It was Cassius, who had seized the chance to recover. He had meant to strike when the opportunity arose and ruin Xiadu's plan, but Xiadu was no fool. After a small setback, he had grown cautious.

The black mud giant, bearing Xiadu's dreadful strength, scourged Cassius with wild blows like a raging waterfall from the heavens.

For the moment, no matter how Cassius tried, he could not break free. Cracks formed for nearly a hundred kilometers around the impacts. Soil gushed from the ravines and fell again as black rain.

Xiadu slowly turned, guiding the black mud giant to swing another arm. "No one can stop me. No one!!!"

The Gate of Heaven quaked and the crack was now plain to see. Golden holy light bloomed as the gate's opening seemed unstoppable.

In Florence, people watched in silence with clenched fists, gritted teeth, and eyes fixed. Harsh breaths rose and fell, heavy with fatigue and helplessness.

At the inter-world passage, Deep Ice Ultimate Fist was trapped inside the massive sonic pillars. An icy scythe appeared in his hands as he hacked wildly, sending out huge cleaving echoes. He could still protect himself, but breaking out was hard. The Weeping Demon's full power was no easy thing to shatter.

Near the altar, Cassius knelt on one knee with a straight spine, both fists shielding his crown. Scarlet Qi flared like burning wings.

Cassius's eyes were blood-red as he repeated the name in his heart.

He had still fallen slightly short. No, he had fallen very short. His rise to Dominator Fist had been too recent. The home-field advantage and Unity of Heart and Fist still could not stem the tide. He could only inflict some wounds and collect some interest.

At that moment, Cassius craved power as never before. Every cell screamed as every shred of Will-imbued Qi boiled.

I want power, I want power, I want power!

Dong! ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel·fiɾe·net

The black mud giant smashed its fist against the Gate of Heaven once more. The opening could no longer be stopped, as the Gate of Heaven ever so slowly swung open.

Above the giant's head, ten thousand meters high among the clouds, Xiadu spread his arms like a human crucifix. His whole body bathed in sacred platinum light, seeming like a god.

Suddenly, at the passage, faintly visible on the World of Calamity's far side, an elder clad wholly in white light appeared.

It was White Bird Holy Fist!

Six mountainous silhouettes, all Dark Ultimate Forms, loomed around his diminutive form! Their number had doubled, as they were drawn in by the commotion. White Bird Holy Fist stood alone as a human barrier. Furthermore, he was still bearing the effect of the double curse.

At the passage in the World of Calamity, White Bird Holy Fist sensed the Gate of Heaven about to be forced open. In that moment, he erupted and a terrifying white bird phantom blasted all six Dark Ultimate Forms away.

An instant later, he soared toward the passage. He seemed ready to burst into the real world!

Yet another vast phantom descended, blocking his path. With the Lightless Night empowering them, some Dark Ultimate Forms were unstoppable even for Holy Fists fighting for their lives.

White Bird and the Dark Ultimate Forms collided and separated. White Bird Holy Fist was ultimately halted, unable to breach into reality.

Suddenly, in the real world, Cassius, pinned by the black mud giant, let out a fierce roar. His surging Will raced to White Bird Holy Fist.

"Do you remember the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance I mentioned in the Qi world? Xiadu is about to open the gate completely... Let me stop him! Lend me your power. Yours, Blood Vulture's, and Sonic Snake's! I want to try awakening that weapon!"