"What's happening?"
Jiang Yan was shaken until his head spun.
"It is a rhythm in the Ley Lines!" Morax spoke in a low, heavy voice as he carefully sensed the vibrations. As the God of Stone, he held authority over the element of Geo and understood the movements of the Ley Lines better than anyone.
"So, you're saying it's just an earthquake, right?" Jiang Yan managed to steady himself. He had thought it was something catastrophic, but it seemed it was only a tremor.
"No, it is more complex than that." Morax's expression grew solemn. "This place is not a Ley Line node. Based on a foundation of universal rationality, an earthquake should not be occurring here."
"So it's not a natural earthquake?" Jiang Yan mused for a moment. "Does that mean there's a battle between gods nearby?"
Morax shook his head, and Jiang Yan quickly dismissed the idea as well. The area was lush and verdant, with flourishing trees; it didn't look like a place where gods had been fighting.
"If there is no war between gods here, then there is only one possibility..." Morax looked down at the ground. "Some creature is disturbing the order of the Ley Lines."
"Back up a little."
Jiang Yan nodded and retreated. Morax raised his hand, and a protective shield manifested around them both.
"Planet Befall!"
The originally azure sky suddenly dimmed as a streak of golden light broke through the clouds. A massive meteor descended from the heavens, slamming violently into the earth.
Billows of dust swept in all directions, carried by a surging shockwave of grit and air. A massive crater appeared before them. In the center of the pit stood a colossal stone, trembling incessantly.
Both of them focused their gazes on the giant rock. Setting aside the fact that it had survived Morax's Planet Befall, the flowing radiance and shimmering colors emanating from its surface made it clear that this was no ordinary boulder.
The giant stone shook violently, appearing dazed as if it had been stunned by the meteor impact. Jiang Yan looked at the rock with curiosity, though he didn't dare approach blindly to investigate.
Morax stared intensely at the stone. He could actually feel a faint sense of pressure radiating from it. This was extraordinary, considering he was the God of Stone and possessed a natural dominance over all Geo-based matter.
This giant stone was anything but simple!
The trembling lasted a short while before subsiding. It seemed to perceive that Morax was the culprit who had destroyed its home. The ground suddenly began to vibrate even more fiercely, as if the giant stone were consumed by rage.
"Get back!" Morax shouted to Jiang Yan.
At that moment, the giant stone launched its attack. As if wielding divine powers, it took flight into the sky, becoming a falling star of rock that smashed down toward Morax with terrifying force.
"Dominus Lapidis!"
Morax spread his arms, expanding his shield to negate the impact of the collision.
"If you wish to fight, then so be it!" Morax growled. As a god, he had his pride; he would not let any creature provoke him so easily. The Vortex Vanquisher appeared in his hand as he charged the stone behind his shield.
Behind him, Jiang Yan clapped his hands together. Since Morax was under attack, he couldn't just stand by!
"Wood Style! Wood Dragon Technique!"
A roar erupted from beneath Jiang Yan's feet as a massive wooden dragon extended from the earth, lunging at the giant stone. The stone vibrated and moved with incredible speed. The wooden dragon clamped its jaws onto the rock, but the impact was so hard that several of the dragon's teeth shattered.
The giant stone, however, remained completely unscathed.
Jiang Yan was shocked. The wooden dragon was a product of his Wood Style, and its hardness surpassed that of steel. Yet, this stone had managed to snap its teeth!
The clash between the three of them caused the very heavens to change color. The shockwaves ripped through the clouds above like a blade. Countless thick wooden spikes erupted from the ground, working with extending vines to lash out at the rock.
In the sky, several stone spears accompanied another massive meteor as they rained down upon the giant stone. But the rock did not flinch. Lightning and fire surged around its body, pulverizing the incoming attacks in a chaotic display of elemental power.
"This thing can channel other energies too?!" Jiang Yan gasped. He felt an increasing sense of familiarity as he watched the stone fight.
"That is... energy from the Ley Lines!" Morax's face was grave, but a hint of excitement bubbled within him. It had been a long time since he had encountered an opponent that felt like an equal!
That was right this giant stone had reached the level of a god!
"Again!"
Morax swung his spear, and Jiang Yan clapped his hands again, his elemental power surging to its limit.
An unknown amount of time passed. The surrounding trees were completely leveled. The sun had traveled from the east to the west, showing just how long the contest had lasted.
Morax's shield had developed a faint crack at some point. The giant stone was also struggling; the radiant light on its surface had dimmed considerably.
As for Jiang Yan?
See that giant pit over there? He was lying right in it.
Midway through the battle, his internal elemental power had run dry, unable to sustain the drain of such a high-level engagement. He had only lasted that long thanks to a week of opening chests to strengthen his reserves.
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