The Martial Unity

The aftermath of the battle felt hazy.

Like a blur.

Not a single one of them was in their wits.

They were lost.

Lost in the memories of their battle.

The Blood Goddess had been the most shocked by the battle that she had beheld with her own two eyes. Evading attacks that were in an entirely different dimension of speed and power. Unleashing an attack that was so astronomically powerful that it ravaged a Martial Sage where he stood, vanquishing him on the spot.

Chills crawled across her skin as she realized how utterly delusional she had been when she attacked Rui in the Blood Sect. She realized that Amare had not been protecting Rui from the Blood Goddess.

She had been protecting the Blood Goddess from Rui.

He was a force unlike anything she had ever seen in her entire life.

There were peak Masters.

There were peak peak Masters.

And then there was Rui.

“…It seems you won’t be returning to the Blood Sect after all,” Blood Lord Vrukshus remarked as he pulled his blood-red hood on.

“…You’re letting me go?” Blood Goddess’ eyes widened.

“That was the deal.”

“…I thought you were going to take me regardless of the outcome with some excuse,” she turned to him with a suspicious glare.

“That was my intention, but…” his eyes grew profound as they fixed upon the unconscious Dawnbringer, still standing on his feet. “…This battle has changed my mind.”

He had decided that crossing Rui was something he absolutely could not afford to do. He knew that the moment the Dawnbringer broke into the Sage Realm, there was no force, barring the Transcendents, that would be able to oppose him for long anymore. When that happened, he didn’t want to be that guy who would be crushed first to be taught a lesson to the entire world. Not even the Blood Goddess was worth that.

“Stay safe, do not compromise your womb or your eggs.” He warned her, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Not even the Blood Goddess was worth that.

“Stay safe, do not compromise your womb or your eggs.” He warned her, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

He left her in a maelstrom of thoughts and emotions that she struggled to process.

Perhaps the only one who wasn’t shocked silent was Sage Sariawar.

Her gaze grew reverent while her expression was filled with devotion to the Godling who had fought the most magnificent battle that she had ever beheld in her entire life. The miracles that he had performed in the fight constituted the most sublime experiences in her entire life. “You truly are the Antithesis, Lord Virodhabhasa,” a blissful smile emerged on her face.

Sage Nathen simply heaved a sigh as he grew lost in his own reverie of thoughts.

“He was holding back against me.”

Not just by a little.

But by an absolutely enormous degree. The realization stung his pride and self-esteem. He could accept that Rui was stronger; after all, he had defeated the Sage in their battle in the Virodhabhasa Theocracy. But he was truly stunned when he realized just how much stronger he was.

Of course, he knew very well of Rui’s previous battles with Sages, but he had still assumed that the Sages were holding back because of Rui’s powerful political protection.

But having witnessed this battle himself, he knew for a fact that the Martial Sage was not holding back. In fact, not only was he not holding back, he was going absolutely all-out with a ferocious bloodlust.

Sage Nathen didn’t think he could draw Sage Sekiei in a battle, which stung his pride even more. “No wonder the Theocracy is worshipping as the Antithesis.”

He wasn’t the only one who was blown away by the outcome of the battle.

Sage Himari was still frozen stiff even as she watched the Heaven Sect medical teams tending to the severely injured Martial Artists. In the past two years, she had trained hard after her battle with the Dawnbringer.

She had gained a profoundly deep sense of confidence upon entering the Sage Realm, which had been cracked in her battle with Dawnbringer. She had experienced deep shame that the only reason that she had won was because of stamina. She had trained hard in the past two years and had reached a level of power that gave her the confidence that she would win that fight with greater dominance.

And now, after witnessing the battle he fought today, she was simply frozen stiff as a chilling realization dawned on her. ‘I don’t think I can win.’

That was truly shocking to her. As someone who had entered the Sage Realm only a few years ago, she still had untapped potential within the Sage Realm, which meant that her growth rate should have been higher.

Rui’s growth rate should have theoretically stalled by virtue of long having hit the peak of the Master Realm.

And yet, he had grown enormously since their battle.

His ability to combat Sages seemed to have grown more stable and less volatile and risky, and his ability to threaten had also risen greatly.

She was truly shocked by how much stronger he had gotten.

The Terrampager’s expression was hardened with grave severity as he simply remained in place like a statue.

He, too, had made a similar realization.

Rui had come just a step or two away from actually defeating him in their battle. And the growth he had made since then was significant. A nauseating realization dawned on him as he wasn’t sure if he would be able to draw victory if they fought another time. The two of them came here expect to reaffirm their growth relative to his and heave a sigh of relief and certainty knowing that they would win even better had they fought a second time. And yet, that was not case.

The exact opposite had happened.

The Terrampager’s expression grew uglier as he realized that if it was difficult to convince people of his side of the story, it was almost impossible after this battle. Not a single person would have any doubt that Rui had the power to defeat a Martial Sage.