Four people were standing face to face on a carpet of ice as darkness silently crept over the lairing world of white, the breath of winter exhaled its cold uncaring winds over everyone on a now mostly empty long intersection stretching out in three directions.From the contorted hatred that filled the face of the scar face man to the extreme vigilance and focus of the trio who were in battle stance, the few people who happened to be passing quickly made their retreat far away fearing any accidental implication.
They could somehow sense the murderous intent enveloping the stand-off between those standing on the frozen road. Bustling sounds of wagons rattling and crunching through ice accompanied by the chinking sounds of bowls and pans as residents prepared dinner in the densely populated stone buildings created the ambient sounds of a district that never fully slept but the most prevalent sound here was the cackling of a madman.
The scar face man stood in the middle of the ice covered world with glee as if he was Boreas the winter god. He finally stopped that wretched low pitch imitation of laughing as he pointed an index finger at Hartley. "Boy, we meet again, our last encounter left a black stain in my heart, now I can finally dispel those demons. I will make you suffer unimaginable horrors while I take revenge for the destruction of my Fu clan" He spoke red eyed with spittle flying out into the cold air as the condensation of his breath created a fog due to the speed of his breathing. He inhaled deeply to calm his emotions and stood still, everything on the road was now quiet except for the weeping sounds of the frigid winter winds moving around and over the surrounding stone structures....
With an unworried expression Hartley replied "the last time you ran away like a stinking rat, the skin on your face must be thicker than a thunder bull, for you of all people to shamelessly stand here and talk in such a manner." A gust of wintry frigid wind blew over and ruffled Hartley's black hair, fluttering across his dark robes. "Leave now and live or stay here showing off and die," said Harley, who was only stalling for time so he could make a decision, he dared not commit to fighting with the scar face man and leave Ruo and Qin LI at the mercy of the two 3rd layer xiantians hiding in the stone building 100 meters to his right. His other concern was the dark arts user said to be the master of the one he had killed in the Cosmos regions, he could sense no further people with mal-intent but could not be sure.
"Good, Good, Good," with twisted rage the man repeated himself while giving the trio a death stare, though It was nothing compared to Zhi Ruo's, "The young should be overbearing, I admire that".... The man went into a speech as Hartley had expected, Hartley now whispered to Ruo with a loving look in his eyes unbefiting a battlefield "Ruo no matter what happens next, I need to you know I had no choice. I am not an evil person but I will sacrifice anything for your safety." Before she could respond Hartley turned to Qin Li and said "I need you to bring her 120 meters back the way we came in 0.9 seconds. Can you do it?" Qin li shook his head in puzzled affirmation.
Hartley was a 4th layer xiantian the last time he clashed with the scar face man, he hadn't used any of his skills overtly, the fact was that anyone who had seen Hartley's gravity field or time domain was now dead. So the scar face thought Hartley was just a very strong and skillful sword expert in the xiantian realm. He couldn't exactly measure Hartley's strength but that slash he had taken to the back told him all he needed to know. Scar face dedicated all his time to training his techniques and cultivating these past months, he was still a 5th layer xiantian but he had much more confidence this time around.
Hartley gave the signal, with a whoosh a green light wrapped around Qin Li's feet, small bits of snow swirled around him in a circular pattern, snow splattered in every direction with each step as he scooped up Zhi Ruo, blurred and moved back towards the restaurant they had just visited. The scar face man laughed in delight as he saw the desperate attempt of escape, he too gave a signal and two 3rd layer xiantians finally showed themselves in pursuit of Qin Li and Zhi Ruo. The scar face man was confident his subordinates would chase down and kill the two trying to escape within one breath.
He could not wait to see the heart break on Hartley's face and then he would put hartley out of his misery and avenge the Fu clan. His plan was coming together perfectly.
With eyes trained on the delighted scar face man, his eyes were glowing blue with concentration as he watched the two xiantians chase after Zhi Ruo and Qin Li. As soon as Qin Li and Zhi Ruo passed the threshold of a 120 meters with the 3rd layer xiantians within a tenth of a second from coming into contact with the fleeing duo. Hartley applied 40x gravity 100 meters around him...The downward pressure of mountains slapped down onto the surface of the earth like a natural disaster. The rumbling sounds of the densely packed stone buildings imploding into themselves with a boom reverberated through district 6. Hartley himself staggered and spat out a mouthful of blood, the chasing duo of xiantian experts fell flat to the ground with a loud crunch 20 meters from Zhi Ruo and Qin Li, white bones pierced through multiple positions on their legs painting the pure white snow scarlet, simultaneously ribs cracked like twigs, impaling them from within and punctured their lungs making breathing a laborious task, they wailed and squealed in pain begging the Holy Matriarch for forgiveness from this heavenly force as they were pushed down into the ground as flat as pancakes. The snow within this 100 meters radius packed down onto the earth 3 inches lower than the surroundings with spider web cracks crawling out in all direction to the edge of the gravity field.
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The scar face man wobbled taking slow steps in a zig zag pattern wide eyed, scared and confused, he managed to activate his stone skin which cracked like a real rock leaving blood trickling down all over his body soaking his red robe as his feet sank down deep into the snow. Hartley himself who had a 3rd layer xiantian physical body had a hard time moving through 40x gravity the wind was expelled from his lungs as he struggled to catch his breath. With the two chasing xiantians disabled Hartley released his gravity field took a deep breath and shot towards the scar face man leaving a life-like after image in his place. The scar face man too recovered his breathing, stomped down his right leg and a column of earth with small specks of snow spilling off the sides rose up 5meters high and 2 meters thick, it formed into a fist and smashed towards Hartley whistling through the air. Hartley was caught unaware, crossed his arm in a x, took the hit to his chest and went tumbling across the ground revealing the brown color of the road as he mowed through the snow.
A crescent moon started to creep low in the sky highlighting the silhouette of destruction. It was like an earthquake measuring ten on the richtor scale had hit the hundred meters around Hartley, cracked roads and dusty rubble was all one could see in the populated flattened vicinity. Waves of screams from dying civilians who resided on the premises of the surrounding stone buildings could be heard half amile away, it was a chorus of agony which sent chills down the spine of anyone who heard it. The vivid fright on Qin Li's face as he stood 20 meters away from the destruction could not be hidden. "What would Hartley not sacrifice for this woman?" Even himself? Qin Li had to ask internally. Zhi Ruo had heard about men through out the long history of the Aldora continent who had wanton disregard for human lives. This couldn't be Hartley, could it? She held her head down as sparkling tears ran down her cheeks under the dull moonlight. It was her fault, if she had not been in danger Hartley wouldn't have...she couldn't bare thinking of it. The survivors of the man-made disaster were crying in sadness as they dug through the debris with bare bloody hands trying to save trapped loved ones.
Blood flooded into the lungs of the two unknown 3rd layer xiantians laying in agony wallowing around in their own blood like pigs in mud as they slowly drowned in it, now and then coughing up mouthfuls of the red liquid with gurgling sounds. As their eyes scanned the devastated landscape washed in dull moonlight. Regret! that was the prominent feeling in their hearts. What had they gotten themselves into? This opponent was Thanotos himself. "The God Death."
Hartley didn't even notice the loud ,chaotic, panicked and grieving screams which wailed out like a siren in district 6. he had put all his feelings in a box and was only left with his instincts and pragmatism, of course he wouldn't murder civilians for kicks but when Zhi Ruo was faced with life threatening danger all thoughts of holdng back went out the window.
Hartley bounced back to his feet as quickly as a yellow striped leopard, now with both arms and legs transformed into a dull blue with roiling tendrils of steam rising upwards, a red short sword in his left hand and a long silver sword in his right hand appeared. "Advanced state of focus" Hartley murmured within his heart, all the specks of snow which were dashed out in all direction from Hartley's landing now moved eight times slower as they fell back down to earth in super slow-motion. Hartley moved again leaving multiple after images
The scar face man was geniunely scared for his life now, with bulging eyes he almost shit himself when he saw the multiple life like images of Hartley approaching at light speed. His battle hammer appeared in his hands as he stomped down his left onto the floor, this time 2 columns of earth raised, the bottom stayed attached to the ground the top of the columns formed massive fist one punched from the left and the other from the right with scar face man in middle, hammer at the ready. The two fist landed in the cluster of after images and detonated the snow covered floor with a loud boom sending earth snow and rocks flying everywhere under the dull moonlight. It was a good move, it would have defeated most but Hartley was not most.
He came flying through the screen of dust and snow from the left of the opponent, swiping a reverse strike with his short red blade in his left hand from low right to high left. The scar face man gritted his teeth, roared and swung his hammer powerfully down from overhead in a straight line. As the hammer head came down and connected with the blade, it made a loud clang drowning out the miserable cries of the injured civilians. Hartley punched his red blade forward to divert the opponent's weapon and in doing so the red blade cracked and wobbled with a whirring sound. Hartley took half a step to his right lining himself up fully with the overhead strike, then unleashing a swift strike from middle to high right. The stone skinned man's hand holding onto the out of control wobbling hammer disintegrated into nothing sending the hammer flying end over end into the rubble of one of the stone structures, the structure exploded into fine dust ending the wailing and moaning coming from the injured occupant underneath it.
The scar face man stumbled back in shock looking at his right arm missing from the shoulder down. Hartley gave him no quarter as he brought his silver blade now turned to a solid blue with steam roiling and writhing upwards, down with an overhead strike onto the man's left shoulder.
His whole upper body exploded down to the waist like a training boulder, blood flew everywhere as the bottom half of his mutilated corpse dropped to the snow staining everything red. Hartley circled around his victim to observe the blood splotched mess and admired his morbidly gruesome work in satisfaction....