Pillar of Yita

However, these wild and unfounded thoughts flashed through his mind only briefly. After listening to his description, Baihua realized that the person who had been locking horns with him was not from the Blood Oath Alliance, but from the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team.

”No wonder,” Baihua said, speaking more than usual, ”if it had been someone from the Blood Oath Alliance, I should have reached the top of the Pyramid by now.”

He breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed that he had been particularly concerned about his own misjudgment, although he did not express it verbally. Now that he understood that it wasn’t due to a miscalculation of the Blood Oath Alliance’s strength, but rather because the other party had concealed their identity, naturally, the burden in his heart was lifted.

”It seems that you don’t care whether Rain Listener is dead or alive,” Fang Hong suddenly asked, ”Grant told me he doesn’t know you—did you not tell the truth earlier, and why are you trying to stop the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team from casting spells?”

”It’s simple,” Baihua glanced at him and answered, ”I need to participate in the trial, so I have to give these guys a hand.”

Fang Hong was suspicious, always feeling that this person was shrouded in mystery, and also found him too similar to Miya. He couldn’t help but ask another question, ”Then do you know how to destroy Ritual Magic?”

Baihua looked at him with a bit of surprise, a trace of self-evident understanding flashing in his silver eyes, as if to say, wasn’t it obvious that by dismantling the Spire Crystal that would do the trick?

Seeing this, Fang Hong clearly understood what the other person was thinking. Shaking his head, he stepped past and replied, ”If you smash the Spire Crystal, you’re effectively releasing the spell inside prematurely, essentially setting off a tactical-level Magic around yourself. Of course, you might achieve your goal, but don’t drag me into your funeral.”

”How did you know that?” Baihua couldn’t help but follow and ask.

”That’s basic Crystal craftsman Knowledge,” Fang Hong replied, ”but you are the Supreme One, and our fields are different. It’s normal for you not to know, so that’s why I asked. Now it seems, it’s good that I did.”

As they conversed, they also quickly approached the top of the Pyramid.

At that moment, the members of the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team who had been dispersed earlier due to Fang Hong’s actions had finally regrouped. They first cut off the duo’s retreat from behind and then another group came around from the back of the Pyramid, blocking their way forward.

The disparity between the craftsman Master and the Supreme One’s professions became glaringly evident—Fang Hong had previously been darting about between the Pyramids, and the Blood Oath Alliance folks couldn’t lay a finger on him, which looked very chic, but that was actually a stroke of luck.

For Fang Hong, however, it was an inevitability within the happenstance; he well knew that this maneuver would catch the Blood Oath Alliance off guard, and opponents tend to be overwhelmed when first encountering such Skills.

This domain was entirely new to the Blood Oath Alliance, but not for Fang Hong; these were routines he had experimented with countless times before, and he was fully aware of how his opponents would react.

However, once the opponent became familiar with such techniques, they often proved to be less effective. Not to mention, if the Blood Oath Alliance’s Rangers could at least predict his flight path, they could shoot him full of holes mid-air like Hedgehogs.

Of course, this is just like the relationship between the spear and the shield; as spears continue to be updated and upgraded, so do shields.

Aside from this Skill, Fang Hong’s strength had not really changed much.

Consequently, the moment he landed, the difference between him and Baihua appeared. First and foremost was the difference in Speed; the Supreme One, a profession inclined more towards Combat, invested more experience in Combat Skills, naturally surpassing the artisan Master in physical Attribute strength. Hence, even though Fang Hong set off a step ahead of Baihua, he soon fell far behind.

Once he fell behind, he naturally became the main target of the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team’s Attack from behind, while Fang Hong sensed the location of his Sword Bearer, inwardly groaning.

In fact, where he had initially placed his Sword Bearer wasn’t far from his intended landing spot, but he never expected Baihua to suddenly pull him up—and although this place was safer, it had also increased the distance between him and his two Walker III models.

Now, unable to rely on his Combat-oriented Flexible Constructs, he had no choice but to prepare his Rocket Fist. Any member of the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team who dared to rush him would receive his generous punch, sending them flying.

Unfortunately, this technique was only useful against those around his own Level; it unleashed with great Burst Strength, dealing astonishing damage, but usually could only move in a straight line. After several members of the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team were sent flying by his punches, the rest quickly adapted to his Attack pattern, and after that, it was no longer so easy for Fang Hong to achieve such knockout blows with a single punch.

Whether it was the Iron Guard’s Great Shield or the Nightingale’s agile evasion, they could easily dodge his first punch. Enemies that could be finished with a single punch before often took two or three punches now, and after Fang Hong used a trick similar to a boomerang to take down a few more, he found that even these sneaky moves were no longer effective.

The members of the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team were already of a higher level than him, and once they saw through his tricks, Fang Hong started to feel uncomfortable. More importantly, between offense and defense, the enemy had quickly closed in on him.

Fang Hong couldn’t help but look back. He was just about to cry out for the Legendary Summoner for help—Save me!

But as soon as he turned, he almost blacked out, because that ungrateful jerk didn’t bother with him at all, walking far ahead alone, leaving only a dashing white silhouette behind him.

A string of explicit complaints nearly burst from Fang Hong’s mouth, thinking that this guy was really too inconsiderate, especially when he had clearly saved his life.

But as the saying goes, where there’s a will, there’s a way. There were a few ’Fire Giants’ left, and throwing out a few more could easily break the encirclement. However, Fang Hong hesitated. He had already consumed enough resources in this battle and still needed to participate in a trial. He had planned to save the remaining Fire Giants and Clockwork Fairy for that.

But his hand had just touched the cold shell of the Clockwork Fairy when he suddenly heard a low shout from behind: ”Duck!”

Fang Hong’s reflexes were quick, and ducking his head, he felt a whoosh of air behind his head as something swept past with a strong gust. He immediately realized it was Baihua’s Chain Blade. With a loud crash, the Chain Blade cleared a large space among the crowd, sending members of the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team tumbling down from the pyramid.

”Catch!” Baihua’s indifferent voice came again.

Fang Hong instantly understood the other’s intention. His hand shot out with his Rocket Fist, which he deftly caught as it swept over his head with the Chain Blade. Mirroring the move, he pulled backward, hoisting Fang Hong up.

However, it was clear that the other person did it on purpose, intentionally retracting the blade early, making Fang Hong land unsteadily, nearly crashing headfirst into the steps.

He looked up at the other with annoyance, only to be surprised to find that the other had already taken care of the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team members blocking the way. The extremely handsome young man stood amongst the bodies now turning into white specks of light, wielding a three-foot longsword, making the scene look exquisitely beautiful.

But the other didn’t speak, merely extending a hand to pull him up from the ground.

Then he asked coldly, ”Can you disrupt Ritual Magic?”

Fang Hong looked up at the peak of the pyramid and nodded.

”Fine,” Baihua replied, ”follow me.”

”Wait a moment.”

As the two were about to move forward, a flapping of wings suddenly came from mid-air. Fang Hong turned his head only to discover that Miss Atira had finally arrived on the battlefield. Holding a spear and flapping her wings, she landed between the two and said:

”Be careful, there’s an ambush up there.”

”An ambush?”

Both of them were taken aback.

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