Escalation

*PAK*

A slap so crisp and clear that made Theron freeze on the spot.

One slap that resounded all over the half destroyed city. It brought all the chaos to a standstill.

Theron's face contorted after a moment of daze. He locked eyes with Ling Tian. His energy raged. He crushed the piece of staff in his hand and also tried to crush Ling Tian's hand that he was holding. He used all the force that he could muster and kicked Ling Tian on the knee.

Ling Tian tried to pull his arm back, but Theron wasn't planning on leaving it. So, he took the kick while he threw a punch of the face.

*BOOM*

Both of them connected at the same time. Ling Tian was kicked higher into the sky while Theron was smashed into the ground. But they didn't stay there for long. Not even for a tenth of a second.

*SWOOSH*

They went after each other once again.

This time, its Theron's turn to use Ling Tian's force against him as he captured the guy's collar and threw him over the shoulder into the ground. But while Ling Tian was falling, his finger nails gathered energy and turn into conjured up claws.

The claws dug straight through Theron's flesh making him bleed.

As Ling Tian fell to the ground, Theron followed up with an energy beam attack, which brushed past Ling Tian's stomach, creating a small gash.

He gained control over his body and shot himself up into the sky. Theron did the same and started punching down. The blows connected, dodged and blocked. It didn't matter what the outcome of each exchange was, what followed every exchange was destruction to the surroundings.

The city is being brought to the ruins like no other.

The battle also seemed restless and unending as they exchanged blows like they hated each other for ages.

It was also hard to understand who is gaining the upperhand. However, after some keen observation, people could see that Ling Tian is landing more clean hits. Sam tried to take in as much as he can, but he is unable to catch a proper glimpse at the exchange because of their speed.

Except for when one of them was throw into the ground or shot into the sky by the other, it was hard to get a grasp of what the situation of either of them is.

Theron seemed angrier and angrier as the fight went on, while Ling Tian appeared calmer and calmer.

As even more time passed, he managed to observe some other thing, Theron is being thrown away or knocked down a lot more compared to Ling Tian. Both of their energies are still at peak, and they didn't seem nowhere near the end of their stamina.

However, it does seem like things are going out of the hand.

Even if they can battle to the end of eternity, the city wouldn't be able to endure it. As Theron felt more and more cornered, he was being pushed back towards the Zeus academy. Ling Tian deliberately threw him in the direction.

All in the hopes of damaging the academy.

Even though he appeared calmer, he is furious with all the damage that Theron did to the Gambler academy.

That place is very dear to him and to see it in that state, made his blood boil.

He gritted his teeth and caught a hold of Theron's arm that came at him. He then threw him over once again, but this time, he didn't just drop him. Ling Tian fell along with him, punching him in the face as they fell to the ground.

This is the only time, people actually saw them at regular speed.

They are free falling without any additional force and they held each other as they brawled mid-air while reaching the ground.

*BAM* *CRASH*

The crash sent shockwaves to all the surroundings, the walls of the Zeus academy collapsed. When the dust settled, Ling Tian was sitting on the top as he threw punch after punch at Theron.

As Theron struggled and grappled, he managed to roll to the side, but he also tried to hold Ling Tian in a lock. The grappling continued and to Theron's ultimate surprise, he didn't even realize, when he ended up in it, but he was in a guillotine.

Ling Tian held his neck by one arm and started slamming his elbow into the back. As if he wanted to tear through the body forcefully.

Theron gritted his teeth and forced his way out of the lock. He held Ling Tian by the collar and the two of them once again exchanged blow after blow.

But Theron felt like he was losing.

He took more blows, he looked more damaged and it seemed like a lot more than his body was hurt in this fight.

He might have come across Ling Tian's name, but it was just fleeting to him. Ling Tian was good, but the rumors are not good enough to make him be remembered in some unfathomable light.

His reputation was on par with any decent cultivator that performed well in the battlefield. But Theron's reputation…

It is stuff of legends, the people he killed, the armies he destroyed, the massacres. People dream about watching him battle. He maintained that reputation for a reason and made sure that his image remaind flawless.

However, now, when facing Ling Tian, he stooped to become a brawler. Whenever he used an energy beam, Ling Tian conjured up some random weapon that destroyed everything. Whenever they are locked, Ling Tian managed to react a tad bit quicker and gained upper hand.

And as the time passed, he started taking more and more blows. His techniques are being countered and for the first time, he felt like he has met his match in hand to hand combat.

If anyone who knew of him and his reputation, saw him for the first time in this battle, they wouldn't believe a word of what that reputation stated of him. They would laugh and mock him.

His reputation and image that was built over thousands of dead bodies all drained just like that.

When he thought up to the point, he is stifling with rage. He couldn't control himself anymore.

"ARGHHHHH…."

He screamed, almost like a roar of an injured beast and the next moment a weird glow appeared from his body. It is different from the spiritual energy and Divine energy. Imagine white colored flouroscent particles dressed up with golden hue so faint that you could barely recognize it being there.

It is an energy that was so familiar yet distance for most of the people there.

Everyone, particularly, the elders grand elders and seniors had an expression of longing and astonishment at the same time.

While of course, the surroundings reacted a bit differently.

Theron was levitating just a couple of inches above the ground. It didn't seem deliberate. It didn't seem like he was consciously levitating. It is almost as if the earth is repelling him. The ground seemed like it was scared of accepting him in that state.

At the same time, a faint vacuum was created around Theron. Almost like a layer forming around his body. The air is refusing to touch him.

Theron's eyes glowed and he moved forward, the fabric of space is cracking. It is visual to the naked eye. The spatial rends are occurring around him and they spread bit by bit. Every living being that could even faintly sense it, felt a primal fear.

As if they are being suppressed as a species. As if it is their inherent nature to be afraid of Theron at the moment.

Except for Wharton and two other Deans, even the rest of the Deans didn't dare look straight at Theron for a moment and even to take a peek, they struggled. Some of the elders who are closer to him fainted on the spot with blood seeping out of their nostrils, ears, eyes and mouth.

Of course, not much to be said about the kids. It was a great thing that the Deans took the decision of guarding their first graders deep inside the core areas, or they would have died in vain.

But there is one man, who looked unfazed and unimpressed by this display. Ling Tian. He looked dead in the eyes of Theron. As if he is afraid that Theron would miss that unimpressed look and fearless gaze.

As if Theron would miss that condescension displayed in those eyes.

*SWOOSH*

He raised his hand and threw a jab. It appeared slow, but at the same time incomprehensibly fast. It tore the space in its path, creating small spatial turbulence which was immediately mended by the nature, but the force of the punch cannot be mistaken.

Ling Tian stood there and raised both of his hands to catch the fist using both his palms.

*BOOM*

The explosive sound this time, is different from anything anyone has ever heard before.