The pale golden runes sealed Lysander. He stood frozen like a puppet, his face locked in an expression of shock and stubborn defiance.
The scene tore through Elysium Celestial Palace like an arctic gale, seizing the unease that had begun building after Talmor’s defeat and freezing it into bone-chilling silence.
The men and women, who had been indulging in lust and pleasure, had long since collapsed to the ground. Even their trembling had stopped. Only the violent pounding of their terrified hearts broke the oppressive silence.
The wine pool no longer rippled, and the tangled bodies stopped moving. Even the decadent music had died mid-note. It was as if the entire palace was mourning for the two “immortals” who had fallen in succession.
Valindra was also known as the “Earth Goddess”. Only a roiling sea of shock remained in those captivating eyes, along with a trace of cold dread she refused to acknowledge. Talmor’s defeat could be chalked up to carelessness, to his elemental weakness being exploited.
But what about Lysander? His nearly immortal water elemental body and his myriad of unpredictable arts had been completely suppressed by that unheard-of soul-sealing technique.
Just how far did Dustin’s limits extend? Within that body that seemed ready to collapse at any moment, just how many terrifying methods were still hidden?
At that thought, a sense of wariness she had never felt before coiled around her heart like a poisonous vine.
The unshakeable composure Malthor had maintained finally cracked. His jaw clenched, and his eyes that looked down on all living beings now brimmed with a murderous intent that threatened to erupt.
The consecutive losses, especially Lysander’s defeat, went beyond a matter of pride. They were actively undermining the very foundation of their small group.
Malthor vowed to kill Dustin. That refined and peculiar power within him, his mastery of the laws of nature, and especially that strange sealing technique. Malthor had to either claim it or destroy it completely.
A suffocating pressure began to emanate from Malthor’s body, far more terrifying than before. It was like some primordial beast awakening from slumber. The white stone floor throughout the palace began to tremble, emitting strained groans as if it might shatter at any moment.
He slowly raised his hand, and a dark-gold glow began to gather at his fingertips, and the destructive energy was brewing.
“Malthor!”
Just as he was about to strike, Valindra suddenly spoke. Her voice had lost its honeyed softness, now carrying an unflinching resolve.
She stepped forward to block Malthor’s path. Her gaze was locked on Dustin below, who was leaning on his sword and gasping for breath, seemingly at the end of his rope.
“That kid has fought consecutive fierce battles. His true energy is depleted, and he’s already at his limit. If you step in yourself, it would give him undue credit and make us seem like we have no capable hands here,” she said, her voice laced with a carefully controlled calm.
She added, “Let me handle him instead. I want to see just how many tricks this sinking ship still has left to play. And I’ll show him that my name as the ‘Earth Goddess’ is not just an empty title.”
Her words were meant to maintain Malthor’s dignity, but they also hid her own ulterior motives.
Dustin had consecutively defeated Talmor and Lysander. If she could be the one to beat Dustin, she would not only reverse their losing streak but also demonstrate her strength. Her position within this small group would become even more secure.
Besides, she refused to believe a man running on fumes could pose a threat. Her powerful earth-element techniques excelled at overwhelming opponents through sheer force. They were perfect for dealing with someone exhausted like Dustin.
Malthor’s movements paused slightly. His cold gaze swept over Valindra, catching the insistence in her eyes and that barely perceptible competitive spirit.
He pondered for a moment. The terrifying pressure around him eased, and the dark-gold glow dissipated, signaling his unspoken permission for her to attack.
He also wanted to see whether Dustin could still perform miracles despite Valindra’s heavy, overwhelming earth-element techniques.
After seeing his approval, Valindra’s heart settled. She took a deep breath to suppress her wariness of that strange sealing technique Dustin had used earlier. Her breathtaking smile returned to her lips, though now it failed to reach her eyes, which were filled with lethal intent.
She moved forward with swaying grace, looking at Dustin from above the platform. Her voice remained soft and seductive, yet carried the oppressive feeling of an approaching storm
“Young man, you’re quite impressive for injuring my two seniors. But the game ends here. I don’t really enjoy violence, but if someone doesn’t know their place, I’ll have no choice but to let them… sleep eternally in my embrace.”
Before she finished speaking, she stomped her foot lightly on the white stone floor, and the entire Elysium Immortal Palace shook violently. It was unlike the earlier energy surge, but this time, it was a deep resonance from the earth itself.
From the center of her toe, a visible, earthen-yellow ripple spread rapidly outward like a wave. Wherever it passed, the incomparably hard stone floor that contained spiritual radiance rolled and surged up like soft sand.
Sharp stone spires and heavy earthen ramparts erupted instantaneously from the ground, surging from all sides to crush and impale Dustin.
The entire combat area instantly transformed into a wildly growing, continuously closing forest of rock. Additionally, a gravity field as heavy as mountains suddenly descended. It pressed down on him with the intention of crushing and pulverizing him.
With one strike, Valindra unleashed an earth vein upheaval of massive range that combined offense and defense, designed to overwhelm with brute force.
