Calmly stepping into the arena, Lin Xiao’s gaze swept through the crowd, and the crowd’s eyes followed his sweep.
Finally, Lin Xiao gave an awkward smile, fixing his shifting gaze on Lei Kuang, and said lightly, “I really want to test how far you’ve cultivated your thunder power.”
“What did you say?” Lei Kuang was momentarily stunned, his face showing disbelief.
The others were also stunned, thinking they had misheard.
“I said, is there something wrong with your ears?” Lin Xiao responded calmly.
“You… very well!”
Confirming that Lin Xiao not only chose him but also dared to mock him, Lei Kuang immediately became furious.
He hadn’t chosen Lin Xiao earlier, merely to avoid using more tactics, just to save some effort, which was already giving Lin Xiao enough face. Yet, not only did Lin Xiao fail to appreciate it, he turned around and chose him.
Being chosen was, in itself, a kind of humiliation. For a new disciple to be so presumptuous was unthinkable.
The crowd was equally shocked. Why would Lin Xiao, of all people, choose Lei Kuang?
His strength had already been demonstrated. With his thunder bloodline, cultivating the Thunder Sword Technique, and wielding the even more powerful thunder hammer attack, even the formidable Luo Zhong had been defeated by Lei Kuang with a single hammer strike.
And they still hadn’t seen the limit of Lei Kuang’s power.
Choosing Luo Zhong would have been understandable, but to go straight for Lei Kuang was baffling.
Lin Xiao was strong, but they didn’t believe he had the strength to defeat Lei Kuang. Choosing Lei Kuang made them marvel, Lin Xiao was being overly confident this time.
“Thunder overcomes evil. I suggest you prepare to use other tactics. If you’re only relying on that skeleton hand, you have no chance.”
Though angry, Lei Kuang didn’t rush to act. As a disciple consistently ranked among the top three, he had immense confidence and valued his reputation.
A new disciple wasn’t worth him acting impulsively. Reminding Lin Xiao would also highlight his magnanimity.
“To deal with you, I naturally won’t use the skeleton hand.” Lin Xiao’s face remained calm, “I’ll let you have three moves.”
“What?” Lei Kuang was stunned again.
The crowd was equally shocked.
Lin Xiao was already at a disadvantage, yet he was letting Lei Kuang have three moves. Had he lost his mind?
And what shocked them even more was yet to come.
“Moreover, I won’t block, letting your thunder power strike my body,” Lin Xiao continued, adding.
“What? You won’t block and let my thunder power strike you?” Lei Kuang’s eyes widened sharply, thinking he had misheard.
“Correct,” Lin Xiao nodded seriously.
Hearing Lin Xiao’s words, the crowd nearly exploded in that instant, with waves of noisy voices rising.
“What? Letting Lei Kuang have three moves and allowing thunder power to strike him? Has he been kicked in the head by a donkey?”
“He withstood Zhu Jian’s three God-Slaying Arrows, proving his physical strength and power, but those arrows didn’t hit him. Now, letting thunder power, far stronger than Zhu Jian, strike him, how could he possibly endure it?”
“Mad, absolutely mad.”
“I think he’s too arrogant. Enduring three strikes of Lei Kuang’s thunder power, let alone surviving, he might not even keep his life.”
The entire square was filled with voices of shock, doubt, and even curses. Lin Xiao’s actions were utterly incomprehensible, or rather, outrageously arrogant.
Lei Kuang had defeated Luo Zhong, and the power he displayed was clear to everyone present. Even Luo Zhong’s Nameless Bell couldn’t defend against it, let alone a human body.
Moreover, it was thunder power, not only ferocious and powerful but also carrying burning and shocking force, something no human body could withstand.
This was simply asking for trouble. Forget enduring three strikes, surviving was questionable.
“I’ve seen people court death, but never like this!” Lei Kuang was also taken aback by Lin Xiao’s words.
Even Gu Xuanyuan or Xiahou Jing wouldn’t dare let him have three moves. Yet this mere newcomer dared to disregard him so blatantly, not only letting him have three moves but also allowing him to attack three times without defending or retaliating…
This was, simply put, the height of arrogance!
“Fine, since you’re asking for it, I’ll oblige!”
Lei Kuang was clearly enraged, his body radiating a wild, oppressive aura, his overwhelming presence sweeping in all directions, giving the faint sense of a volcano about to erupt.
In Lei Kuang’s hand, he gripped a long sword, a faint streak of lightning coursing through it. A violent fluctuation spread from the sword.
“Thunder Fury Slash!”
With one swing, Lei Kuang unleashed the first move of the Thunder Sword Technique. An explosive, ferocious force erupted in an instant, as if a thunderclap resounded. Seven or eight bolts of lightning burst from the sword, dazzling flashes carrying immense thunderous power, as if piercing through the void, shooting forward.
The crowd was astonished. The power of Lei Kuang’s strike was too terrifying. If it were them, forget standing there undefended, even using their strongest abilities, they’d likely be pierced through and burned to ash.
The disciples on Lin Xiao’s side, like Tianmen, grew solemn.
“Crackle!”
Under the crowd’s gaze, the powerful lightning bolts all struck Lin Xiao’s body.
“Crackle! Crackle!”
Black smoke rose from Lin Xiao’s body, his brown clothes pierced with seven or eight holes, the smell of burning spreading outward, faint sparks flickering and fading.
All eyes were fixed on Lin Xiao, but he stood motionless.
Seeing no reaction from Lin Xiao for a while, the crowd’s voices rose again.
“He hasn’t been pierced through completely, has he?”
“There’s a chance he’s fallen. If he died in one strike, that’d be a huge joke.”
“I bet he’ll collapse within three breaths!”
But in the next moment, a faint smile appeared on Lin Xiao’s face, and he spoke nonchalantly, “This thunder power is still a bit weak.”
“How is this possible?”
The youth who had just made the bet widened his eyes, his eyeballs nearly popping out, his face full of disbelief.
The others were equally stunned. Such powerful thunder power struck him, and Lin Xiao was completely unharmed?
Then, a wave of uproar rose again. Lin Xiao withstanding Lei Kuang’s thunderous force with his physical body was simply too shocking.
“How is this possible?” In the arena, Lei Kuang was also full of shock. He had thought one strike would burn Lin Xiao to a crisp, but this scene was beyond his expectations.
Lin Xiao had actually withstood his thunder attack.
This was the attribute power he prided himself on, yet it was blocked by someone using physical strength.
“I don’t believe you can keep enduring!” After a moment of shock, Lei Kuang grew fierce, his aura surging, faint thunder seeming to explode. This next strike was brimming with power.
