Chapter 182: 182 Powerful Clash

Chapter 182: A Clash of Titans

Because the chosen battlefield lay beyond the castle walls, word of the impending duel between the Marquis and Earl Orson spread like wildfire, drawing professional knights, wealthy merchants, and commoners from Wushan City alike, all surging toward the abandoned pasture.

Just past noon, thousands had already congregated, and as the appointed hour drew closer, the crowd only swelled with every passing minute.

As subjects of the Wushan Domain, most had come simply to admire the majestic grace of their lord.

"There are so many people."

Roning arrived at the site accompanied by Blanche, McKen, Toru, Kabir, and Marvin. There was still half an hour before the duel was set to begin, yet the place was already a dense sea of humanity.

"The more, the better," Marvin said, his face betraying the gleeful anticipation of a spectator who loved a good spectacle. "Today, everyone will bear witness to the sheer might of the Lord of Wushan." He harbored a seemingly mystical faith in Rulance.

"Where will we watch from?" McKinney asked, standing on her tiptoes as she searched for a decent vantage point.

"Rest assured, Lady McKinney, we have already arranged a viewing area for everyone," Toru said, stepping forward to lead the way.

The guards had long since partitioned the crowd, clearing a path that led straight to a small crest where rows of chairs had been neatly arranged. This was the viewing section specially prepared by Wushan Castle for the nobility.

Around the perimeter of this small high ground stood a contingent of intermediate, advanced, and bronze knights, tasked with deflecting any shockwaves from the clash to ensure the watching nobles remained unharmed.

The group took their seats in order.

"Roning, are you nervous?" Blanche asked softly.

Roning shook his head. "Not nervous, but worried. After all, my grandfather is still nursing his injuries."

Blanche could sense that Roning was far more solemn today than he had been over the past two days, and his mood cast a heavy shadow over her own heart.

"I am so sorry. I didn't know Uncle Jesus would come here."

Hearing this, Roning offered Blanche a reassuring smile. "This has nothing to do with you. Even if you hadn't come, Jesus would likely have shown up anyway."

This confrontation was likely something Orson and Jesus had agreed upon long ago; it was bound to be brought to light sooner or later.

He turned his gaze toward the center of the pasture.

Orson stood there, waiting in silence. A massive greatsword was thrust into the ground beside him. Both man and blade appeared utterly still, yet they exerted an immense, suffocating pressure upon everyone present.

"What is taking Rulance so long?" Jesus, seated not far away, grumbled. "The sooner he gets here, the sooner we can begin."

"What is your hurry?" Wiggins replied in a low tone, though remembering Rulance's prior admonitions, he forced himself to swallow the rest of his words.

Time ticked steadily away.

A sudden gust of wind swept across the pasture, followed closely by the ecstatic roar of a magical beast. Amidst a storm of thunder and howling wind, a creature that resembled a horse yet was clearly something far fiercer came charging forward.

With a tremendous bound, it actually vaulted over a crowd of people spanning more than ten meters, landing with flawless precision in the middle of the pasture.

"It's the Thunder-Wind Steed!"

"I hasn't seen it in ages!"

"What a nostalgic sight!"

"Praise be to the Lord!"

Countless cries of admiration and gasps of awe rose and fell in waves.

Among the nobility, men like Marvin, Geer-man, and Kabir showed a glimmer of reminiscence in their eyes.

Years ago, when they were still young, watching Rulance ride atop the Thunder-Wind Steed felt like looking up at a peerless champion.

Those commoners who rarely had the privilege of seeing the Marquis erupted into roaring cheers.

They clapped their hands with all their might, finding that only a thunderous, earth-shattering applause could truly convey their deep reverence for their lord.

Rulance dismounted and casually removed the heavy coat Roning had gifted him, laying it across the back of the Thunder-Wind Steed.

He patted its head and muttered a few quiet words. The creature trotted toward the far edge of the pasture with a sullen gait, looking thoroughly displeased.

Clearly, Rulance had no intention of relying on the strength of a magical beast for this duel.

"My Lord, thank you for your guidance today," Orson said respectfully. "Sometimes I feel that time flies too quickly. I still remember an afternoon over thirty years ago, under a similar sky and before a similar crowd, but on that day, I lost to you."

Rulance chuckled softly. "Indeed, time does fly. But you must perform well today; do not lose to me a second time."

"Haha, I shall do my utmost!"

One was just turning seventy-six, while the other was seventy. They ought to have appeared similar in age.

Yet Orson stood tall and upright, looking like a man in his prime, while Rulance stooped slightly, looking every bit the elderly man.

The two exchanged no further words.

Though a brief silence fell over the center of the pasture, the atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive, to the point where even the spectators on the fringes became tense.

"Hah!"

"Hah!"

The two men cried out in unison. Orson gripped the greatsword planted in the earth, and a frigid aura emanated from him, making the surrounding air feel as though it had dropped dozens of degrees.

The knight's sword in Rulance's hand crackled with lightning, his momentum as fierce as a surging torrent.

They charged at each other simultaneously, their bounding combat aura whipping up a wild gale that blasted outward in all directions.

Their speed was incredible, so fast that Roning could see only afterimages.

A thunderous crash echoed.

The two longswords collided, and the clash of their respective combat auras unleashed an unparalleled shockwave.

The turf beneath their feet was instantly ripped away by the blast, sending soil and shredded grass swirling into the surrounding spectator stands along with the tempest.

"Quick, protect the noble lords!" Gallier shouted.

The knights guarding the perimeter of the stands unleashed their own combat auras, canceling out the brunt of the shockwave, yet grass, dirt, and wind still showered down upon the aristocrats.

While the nobles managed to avoid looking entirely disheveled, the commoners watching from the outer ring fared much worse. Beyond being coated in dust and debris, some were actually blown off their feet by the gale.

But no one cared about that; everyone was entirely transfixed by the sheer power of the strike.

"Meteor rank... how can it be this powerful?"

Roning's heart hammered with profound shock. This explosive display of strength completely surpassed his expectations.

From just a single blow, the mere aftereffects were this devastating.

“Uncle Ma Wen, can you block this move?” Luo Ning asked.

Viscount Ma Wen shook his head solemnly. “It seems Osun has truly ascended to the Meteor Level—otherwise, even a Gold Rank warrior could never match Lord Marquis on equal terms.”

“The moment a Gold Knight breaks through the ‘Fa Lun’ within the human body and ascends to Meteor Level, his explosive power surges beyond imagination!”

Kabir said, “Osun’s claim that we are no match for him wasn’t without merit.”

Luo Ning stared at the two figures in the arena. In the brief span of those few words, they had clashed over a dozen times—each collision unleashed deafening impacts and powerful shockwaves.

“Heavy Water Burst!”

Osun struck first, his sword slash summoning a colossal wave of water—so dense it felt like ten thousand jin of stone plummeting from the sky toward Rulans.

“Fire Flash!”

Rulans thrust his blade upward, and from its tip erupted a flame compressed to its absolute limit—like a dragon or serpent bursting from the sea. It cleaved the Heavy Water Burst cleanly in two, then, riding its residual force, shot straight toward Osun.

But the latter reacted with lightning speed, swinging his greatsword horizontally before him.

“Sssss!”

The residual force of the Fire Flash slammed into the blade’s surface, emitting a sound like welding sparks.

Though the impact hurled Osun backward, the longsword in his hand was clearly no ordinary weapon—it had perfectly absorbed the blow.

Meanwhile, the two halves of the shattered Heavy Water Burst veered off course and crashed heavily onto the ground nearby.

“Boom—rumble—!”

Dust erupted in a towering cloud; the earth trembled violently.

The chair Luo Ning sat on shook violently—anyone unaware might have thought an earthquake had struck.

“This… is the Meteor Level. True strength. To witness it today—I see now, it is truly terrifying.”

(End of Chapter)