the air around Eli began to tremble faintly, and energy converged in an instant.
Beneath his feet, a strange energy pattern gradually emerged:
A circle rapidly forms, with the pattern inside composed of the ultimate contrast of black and white.
A black arc and a white arc joined end to end, spinning and overlapping to create a visual effect of endless pursuit.
Black concealed within white, white contained within black; the two colors intermingled yet remained distinctly defined.
Encircling the pattern were eight intricate and mysterious lines, revolving like ancient star orbits.
The pattern exuded an indescribable depth and majesty, as if proclaiming the truth of the universe and the balance of all things.
And Eli stood at the center of the pattern, like a deity commanding heaven and earth.
At this moment, Langdon''s body was still in free fall, and for the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.
He realized the mortal danger he was in; the aura Eli emanated was lethal.
Although his body was in free fall, Langdon had no intention of being captured without a struggle.
He quickly summoned his transcendent energy, attempting to alter his falling trajectory and propel himself sideways to create distance from Eli.
However, at that very moment, his movement suddenly froze as an invisible force surged toward him like an ocean tide from all directions.
Eli''s spiritual power engulfed Langdon like a tidal wave—its strength was not only immense but also felt like a world-shaking release after a long accumulation.
Langdon''s pupils contracted slightly as he stared at Eli in disbelief.
In their previous clashes, Eli had always remained on the defensive in the mental domain, rarely launching an offensive attack.
He struggled to break free, but the mental restraints were as solid as steel, unshakable no matter how hard he tried.
His body, still in free fall, plummeted straight toward Eli''s position.
Eli’s eyes closed briefly, then suddenly snapped open as an overwhelming aura erupted from him.
His legs seemed deeply rooted in the earth, while his raised hands appeared to support the entire world.
A faint tremor echoed in the air, as if the entire space was holding its breath for this moment.
As Langdon''s body fell within Eli’s attack range, Eli instantly activated “Bullet Time.”
Time seemed infinitely slowed; every minute movement and every ripple of energy from Langdon became vividly clear.
In contrast, Eli’s movements were fluid like water and swift as the wind.
The First Palm: The Prelude of Shattering!
Eli’s right palm rose like a shooting star, striking toward Langdon’s chest with precision.
“Bang!”
The crisp sound echoed through the air. This palm did not feel violent but carried a rhythmic elegance.
Langdon’s chest jolted as energy rippled outward like waves, causing an invisible shockwave to spread through the air.
The Second Palm: Ripple of Depth!
Next, his left palm swirled and carved through the air in an arc, landing squarely on Langdon’s abdomen.
“Slap!”
The strike bent Langdon’s body mid-air, as though he were being guided by a force both gentle and irresistible.
The Third Palm: The Rhythm of the Waves!
The force gathered by the palm surged like ocean waves, with black and white energies advancing in alternating rhythm, carrying a sense of natural growth.
The palm wind pierced through Langdon''s right ribs, with energy spreading swiftly like ripples in water, causing his entire body to tremble.
The Fourth to Tenth Palms: Rising Fury of the Waves!
Each subsequent palm carried boundless strength and cadence.
Every strike landed on a different point—his shoulders, waist, and legs—all with pinpoint accuracy.
The energy in the air grew increasingly turbulent, as though a storm was brewing.
The Eleventh to Fiftieth Palms: Tempestuous Storm!
Eli’s hands transformed into a flurry of afterimages, his movements fluid and seamless.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
With each strike, a low sonic boom echoed through the air, as if the drums of heaven and earth were playing a symphony for this battle.
With each impact, ripples of energy spread through the air. Droplets of water were shaken from the ground, scattering like countless crystalline bullets.
Even the walls cracked under the pressure, fine dust and debris falling slowly, filling the scene with dynamic tension.
The Fifty-First to Ninetieth Palm: The Intertwining of Black and White!
The energy patterns on the ground emerged in harmonious symmetry, with black and white chasing each other in a profound, rhythmic dance.
Eli''s movements were filled with a natural rhythm, no longer relying on singular bursts of force but resembling the cycle of the four seasons, carrying an endless sense of recurrence.
With each palm, gentle ripples spread through the air, like water disturbed by the lightest touch.
Langdon’s body twisted mid-air like a leaf, lifted and flipped by the palm strikes.
Each time he began to fall, another palm would catch him with a force that was both soft and unyielding.
The black and white energy lines spiraled across the ground into the shape of twin fish, faintly radiating a light of tranquility and boundless vitality.
The Ninety-First to One Hundred and Eighth Palm: The Echo of Nature!
Eli''s movements gradually slowed, each rise and fall of his palms resembling the sunrise and sunset, with every strike embodying the imagery of the alternation of all things.
Each strike now resonated like a natural echo, filled with deep rhythm, as though speaking to an ancient law of the universe.
Black and white energies swirled around him, like two great rivers of history intertwining to weave a profound and majestic tapestry of historical grandeur.
Langdon''s body trembled under the succession of palm strikes, at times soaring into the air, at times flipping over, yet always guided by the palm wind, unable to break free from this fate-like restraint.
“Boom—!”
When the One Hundred and Eighth Palm fell, the entire space fell silent for a brief moment before a deep resonance exploded, like a bell tolling across heaven and earth.
Langdon’s body crashed to the ground with the weight of a collapsing mountain, sending countless droplets of water into the air.
The energy pattern on the ground faded into a final glimmer of light and disappeared, with the black and white traces resembling ripples on a lake before it calms, gradually returning to silence.
Eli slowly withdrew his palms and let out a long breath.
The surrounding energy began to settle, and his figure stood still like a lone pine—resilient yet unassuming.
At this moment, Langdon lay quietly on the ground, his body slightly curled, with one arm resting naturally at his side.
His breathing was steady and deep, the muscles on his face completely relaxed, and his brows slightly unfurrowed.
His expression was so peaceful, like someone who, after an exhausting journey, had finally fallen into a restful sleep.
The relentless strikes had served as a purification, stripping away the layers of madness, bloodlust, and cruelty, until they finally dispersed into the heavens and earth.
Eli was certain that Langdon would not suffer any aftereffects from this outburst.
Yet no one knew whether Langdon would lose control again.
At this moment, Eli felt a deep exhaustion wash over him.
His physical condition was still fairly good; it was just that his breathing had become noticeably heavy.
These heavy breaths were different from before. Previously, they were just an act to fool Allen and Ethan, but this time, they were real.
His mental domain felt as if it had been completely hollowed out, with every thought becoming sluggish and heavy.
A deeper level of exhaustion came from his soul, an indescribable sense of fatigue.
That exhaustion brought an overwhelming drowsiness, and for a moment, he even wanted to collapse to the ground and sleep.
But he knew this place was far from safe; resting here would be far too dangerous.
Just then, Eli''s brow twitched slightly as he thought he sensed a faint breeze, subtle and nearly imperceptible.
His instincts gave no response, leading him to believe it was nothing more than a hallucination caused by his exhaustion.
Eli’s gaze swept the area, eventually landing on a heavily worn metal baseball bat.
It was a weapon he had used earlier, one that had seen countless life-and-death battles.
Now it was stained with blood and scarred from wear, yet it still emanated a cold, unyielding gleam.
He walked over, picked up the bat, knowing that in this environment, it was still the most reliable weapon.
Eli then approached Langdon, hoisting the sleeping Langdon onto his shoulder.
The weight caused his shoulder to sink slightly, but such a burden was nothing to him; his steps remained steady.
But if another berserk Langdon were to emerge, even someone as formidable as Eli would be helpless to deal with it.
The deep sewer echoed with his footsteps. After two turns, he saw Alan and Ethan not far ahead.
The two were leaning against the wall, on high alert. In the dim yellow light, the fire axe in Alan''s hand gleamed coldly.
When they saw Eli''s figure, the tension on their faces eased slightly.
“Eli!”
Alan couldn’t help but speak, his voice carrying a trace of suppressed excitement.
Ethan didn’t say anything, but his expression softened noticeably.
He looked at Eli with a complicated gaze, then nodded, as if expressing some unspoken gratitude.
Eli steadied his breathing, adjusted Langdon slightly on his shoulder, and quickened his pace. Within seconds, he had reached the two men.
Alan’s eyes immediately fell on Langdon, his tone filled with concern and a faint hint of unease.
“How’s Langdon?”
“Asleep. He’s fine.”
Eli’s voice was short and calm. He then scanned the surroundings, his sharp gaze sweeping across the dark sewer.
“This place isn’t safe. We need to leave as soon as possible,” he said.
Alan and Ethan nodded without hesitation. They knew this was no place to talk.
Although they hadn’t witnessed the battle, they had heard the sounds of it.
The commotion had been significant and could very well attract some ratmen, so they needed to leave immediately.
“You lead, we’ll follow,” Alan said softly, gripping the fire axe tightly as he resumed his alert stance.
Ethan adjusted his position slightly, moving to Alan’s other side.
The two instinctively formed a protective formation, standing guard around Eli and Langdon.
Without any further words, the three set off immediately.
Eli walked in the lead, his heightened perception and intuition allowing him to pinpoint enemies, even those beyond his field of vision.
The path ahead was filled with patrolling ratmen, their numbers significant and not to be underestimated.
“Follow me closely and keep quiet,” Eli instructed in a low voice.
Though Eli didn’t explain the reasons, Alan and Ethan already trusted him completely and didn’t ask questions.
Eli focused his mind, activating an invisible Transcendent Field.
The field spread out like ripples of water, gently enveloping everything around them.
The smells in the air were quickly neutralized, erasing any trace of their presence;
Footsteps were mysteriously absorbed, with even the faint sound of soles brushing water vanishing completely;
Mental fluctuations were suppressed to the point of being nearly undetectable, as if the group had melted into the silent darkness.
Eli moved cautiously through the passages, carefully checking each bend in advance.
Only after confirming the path was safe did he motion for Alan and Ethan to follow.
The group maintained a calm yet swift pace, leaving no openings for their enemies.
They avoided several highly dangerous patrol points, leaving the unseen foes far behind as they continued their steady advance.