Chapter 1069: Waiting for Death
Bam!
An earth-shaking explosion sounded when the two powers collided, though it hardly showed anything spectacular.
That was because in that instant, the shockwave got burned to nothing by the black flames. Next was the sword wave's turn, starting at the edge, burned away.
In no time at all, the flames ate a third of the attack and were still going strong until there was hardly anything left of the sword wave.
[How is this possible?]
Baili Jingtian gapped, sweat trickling down his brow. Zhuo Fan has many more aces, with the black thunderflame even countering his sword energy, one that had an even greater power.
He could not see that the thunderflame was backed by the Divine Eye of the Void's 2nd stage, a move that broke any barriers, the strongest attack of this move set, only made deadlier with the fire.
The Sundering Sword Art could be as strong as it wanted, but since he was not a Sword King, he could do nothing in the face of these devouring flames.
Baili Jingtian rushed to make signs to strengthen the sword wave even as it was failing in the confrontation.
The thunderflame was invincible, smashing through the rest of the attack and reaching his chest. The imminent danger made the proximity of an early death much more pronounced.
Baili Jingtian wanted to fall back, but it was too late. In panic, his hand flashed and a silvery sword appeared.
Bang!
With a loud boom, the clash resulted in actually stopping the black beam of flame, saving him.
Baili Jingtian grinned and looked smug, "He-he-he, I found your black fire's weakness. It might be amazing, but it's nowhere near able to destroy everything in the world. This Permafrost sword of mine isn't up to the level of the five divine swords, but it is a 12th grade spiritual weapon, housing a spirit from a ten miles deep icy pond, turning it into a weapon just below a divine sword. No matter how creepy your black flame is, it won't reach me. Without this ace of yours, you can do nothing either, ha-ha-ha..."
Everyone jerked and turned to Zhuo Fan.
His brow shook, squinting, "A spiritual weapon with a spirit is a sacred weapon, but unless it's of the 6th grade, it still won't stop the apocalyptic thunderflame."
Zhuo Fan smirked.
Baili Jingtian's face twitched.
[He still has a way out of this mess?]
He only shouted back there to taunt Zhuo Fan, to get the guy to take out more of his cards. But the reaction only baffled him.
[Is it dismay or an insidious plot?]
Zhuo Fan soon answered him, not through dismay or some scheme, since none were needed. He showed that the rare 12th grade spiritual weapon would prove a dashed hope in saving him.
Sharp cracking sound echoed that caught Baili Jingtian's undivided attention. He watched, frozen, as his glittering poker, sported black cracks.
Black flames erupted from them and crawled all over it like maggots.
Sss~
Baili Jingtian's eyes shook and gasped from horror. The life line he depended on was shaken hard.
[The sword...]
Boom!
The precious 12th grade spiritual weapon was blown into useless bits. While the thunderflame was like a bloodthirsty animal, eating everything,
The flame turned into a snake, shooting for Baili Jingtian with the promise of a cruel death.
Baili Jingtian's legs turned to jelly, his face a mask of disbelief and shock. His 12th grade spiritual weapon barely fended off the thunderflame's savagery.
[What the hell that thing even is? It's monstrous!]
Baili Jingtian wailed on the inside, but with the thunderflame closing in fast, he flung his head to the side to let the fire pass, looking like a whipped dog.
It was an action most unbefitting of the crown prince of the Sword Star Empire.
But life was always more precious than how others saw him.
Seeing the black thunderflame fly away, Baili Jingtian was sweating buckets as he gasped, the fear was still palpable from his brush with death.
But at least he came out on top, and alive!
Baili Jingtian only took one of Zhuo Fan's moves and already was keenly aware how deadly he was.
He almost died back there.
Looking down at Zhuo Fan, Baili Jingtian turned heavy. He found none of the bragging from before, realizing how close he was to dying.
Should he try and slip away? Ha-ha, he believed that the moment he turned his back, another thunderflame would come and he'd die for sure. He was focusing all his energy on the problem and didn't have the time to be distracted with some empty threats.
Zhuo Fan was like a reaper, never taking him out of his sight. The slightest mistake would be his grave.
Since escape was out and fighting didn't help, what then?
Stall!
Baili Jingtian was a crown prince through and through, sharp and educated. In this dangerous situation, against such an abomination, waiting was the best choice.
He just had to dodge anything Zhuo Fan threw at him, that should be enough to keep him alive. As for escaping, he could not, lest he presented his open back.
He needed to wait for any of the Sword Kings to come and he'd win!
Bali Jingtian cautiously looked at Zhuo Fan, unmoving.
[Damn that witch Bali Yuyu, sending fake information. You call that a Soul Harmony Stage level? Curses, not even a Genesis Stage expert is as dangerous as this freak.]
[That damn broad got all the princes killed!]
Bali Yuyu had indeed stated the truth, since she only saw Zhuo Fan fight Murong Xue that one time, when he let her.
She had no way of knowing his true strength.
Zhuo Fan paused, seeing him just standing there. His eyes flashed with realization and chuckled.
Baili Jingtian was confused.
[Why isn't he attacking? It only works better for me, so why is he waiting as well?]
[He doesn't care about a Sword King coming over? He's only going to get himself killed wasting time.]
Baili Jingtian was mystified, standing there dumbly. The people below noticed the situation and pointed at him with mocking smiles.
[Look at the fool, he's frozen stiff!]
Baili Jingtian's eye twitched, feeling the disdain on his skin, but move he did not. He just stared the devil in the eye as always.
[What do bugs know? This is tactic, tactic! All methods are fair so long as they bring me victory, that's why stalling is the best choice!]
[Humph, uncultured swine!]
Though it was obvious this crown prince's ingenious tactic did not go noticed by the common folk, the jeering continued.
Even the unmoving Zhuo, like himself, was chuckling and shaking his head.
The crown prince was utterly confused. He'd get why the bugs were stupid but why would he act the same...
"Ah!"
He suddenly cried out, still confused, but now in serious pain. Looking back, he was shocked at what he saw, "H-how can..."
Sss~
The black thunderflame was burning the pristine hand of the grand crown prince, working its way up his shoulder.
The audience laughed harder than ever, in ridicule. Ouyang Changqing was the loudest, looking for the perfect moment to cut him down a peg, "It turns out the strongest disciple in the lands, the great Crown Prince of Sword Star Empire is nothing but a moron. He didn't even notice his sleeve was burning, only when his hand caught on fire. It's definitely part of the sharp instincts of the best of the best, ha-ha-ha..."
"I heard many say of waiting for death, but only now I get what they meant, ha-ha-ha..." Zhuo Fan's patronizing was far more savage, attacking the crown prince at his worst moment...