149: Trial of War

He paused, then spoke each word with deliberate emphasis:

"It is inclusion, and it is Fusion."

"Using Chaos as the foundation, it incorporates all Laws into one."

"No matter how great your strength is, it is but a part of Chaos."

"How... can you contend with Chaos itself?"

As his voice fell.

Boom!!!

The hundred-zhang-tall Strength Puppet exploded with a roar, turning into a sky full of rubble!

The rubble flew through the air, yet it did not scatter; instead, it began to converge toward a single point!

Ultimately, it condensed into a thumb-sized, dark-gold crystal that radiated terrifying fluctuations of strength!

A Law of Strength Crystal!

"Challenger..."

The ancient voice sounded again, but this time, it was less mechanical and more... appreciative.

"You have passed the Trial of Strength."

"Not only did you break strength with strength, but you also realized another Realm of strength."

"This crystal contains a trace of the Law of Strength Origin. After refining it, your Physical Body strength will increase significantly, and you will gain a preliminary mastery of the Law of Strength."

The crystal slowly floated in front of Lin Fan.

Lin Fan reached out and took it. Feeling the surging fluctuations of strength within, a smile played across his lips.

"Thanks."

He put away the crystal and looked toward the second gateway—

The gateway of "Combat."

"Next is the Trial of Combat, right?"

"Let me see..."

"What exactly is this so-called 'Combat'?"

He took a step forward and walked toward the second gateway.

[Ding! Passed the Trial of Strength, realized the true essence of strength, prestige value +15,000!]

[Obtained Law of Strength Crystal x1!]

[Current prestige value: 239,070 points!]

...

The Trial of Combat space.

Unlike the Chaos Void Realm of the Trial of Strength, this was an... ancient battlefield.

Tattered banners were planted in the scorched earth, and rust-covered weapons lay scattered everywhere. The air was thick with a bloody scent and a murderous Aura so dense it wouldn't dissipate.

The sky was dark red, as if it had been soaked in blood for tens of millions of years.

Countless white bones could be seen everywhere on the ground—some human, some from alien races, and many from strange races Lin Fan had never seen before.

And at this moment.

In the center of this ancient battlefield stood a person.

A figure wearing tattered armor, holding a broken halberd, and covered in blood, yet still standing with a straight back.

The figure had its back to Lin Fan, but the Battle Intent it radiated was like a tangible blade, slicing through the surrounding space.

"Latecomer..."

A raspy voice sounded, as if it hadn't spoken for tens of millions of years.

"I am... the War Soul."

"This place is one of the ancient battlefields where myriad races fought during the Primeval Era."

"I have waited here... for thirty-seven million years."

"To obtain my master's essence blood, you must pass three trials."

"The first trial, Strength, you have already passed."

"The second trial, Combat..."

The War Soul slowly turned around, revealing a face ravaged by the fires of war beyond recognition, yet still as resolute as iron.

In his eyes burned an inextinguishable fire of combat.

"It is simple."

"Fight... me."

"Win, and you pass."

"Lose, and you... die."

As his voice fell.

Buzz!!!

Terrifying Battle Intent soared into the sky, actually condensing behind the War Soul into a thousand-zhang-tall phantom of an ancient God of War holding a giant axe!

The God of War phantom roared to the heavens, its Battle Intent sweeping across the entire ancient battlefield like a tsunami!

Lin Fan felt his blood boiling; a surge of Battle Intent from the depths of his Soul was forcibly ignited!

"Battle Intent Resonance?!"

Lin Fan's pupils constricted.

This War Soul could actually trigger the Battle Intent within his body?!

"Correct."

The War Soul seemed to see through his thoughts and said raspily:

"My combat is not a struggle of brute force."

"It is... a contest of Battle Intent, a struggle of will."

"If your Battle Intent is insufficient and your will is not firm..."

"You will be defeated before the fight even begins."

He raised the broken halberd in his hand and pointed it at Lin Fan.

"Come."

"Let me see if you, a junior of the later generations..."

"Have the... qualification to fight me!"

Boom!!!

The broken halberd slashed down!

There was no Protective Aura, no Law, only Battle Intent... pure to the extreme!

The Battle Intent transformed into a blade, tearing through the sky!

This strike seemed simple, but it contained the endless Battle Intent and murderous will accumulated by the War Soul over thirty-seven million years of warfare!

A common Martial Artist facing this strike would likely have their Battle Intent collapse instantly and their Divine Soul extinguished!

But Lin Fan...

He smiled.

He laughed wantonly and arrogantly.

"Battle Intent?"

"Will?"

"What a coincidence..."

He slowly raised his right hand, and within his palm, the Primal Sword Intent condensed once more.

"I don't have much of anything else."

"But..."

"My bones are hard, my temper is stubborn, and as for Battle Intent... I've never lacked it!"

"You want to fight?"

"Then..."

"Fight!!!"

Boom!!!!

The Battle Intent within Lin Fan's body erupted, and a phantom similarly condensed behind him!

It was not a God of War.

It was... an Asura phantom, treading upon a Divine Elephant, holding a broken sword, and looking down disdainfully upon the world!

The Asura phantom roared to the sky, its Battle Intent piercing the clouds, actually standing its ground against the War Soul's God of War phantom without falling into a disadvantage!

"Oh?"

A flicker of surprise flashed in the War Soul's eyes.

"Asura Battle Intent? And... it seems to be fused with the power of a Divine Elephant, the sharpness of the Dao of the Sword, and the Aura of Chaos..."

"Interesting."

"Your Battle Intent is varied but not chaotic, broad yet pure."

"It seems... you have experienced many life-and-death struggles."

Lin Fan grinned.

"Not many, just... crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood a few dozen times."

"Compared to your thirty-seven million years of combat, I'm still far off."

"However..."

He gripped the Primal Sword Intent, the fires of combat burning fiercely in his eyes.

"Beating you is enough."

As his voice fell.

The Asura phantom moved!

Treading upon the Divine Elephant, it took a step forward, and the broken sword in its hand slashed down fiercely toward the God of War phantom!

At the same time, Lin Fan's actual body moved as well.

His figure flickered, appearing instantly at the War Soul's side, the Primal Sword Intent piercing toward the center of the Soul's back!

"Well come!"

The War Soul laughed loudly, sweeping his broken halberd and actually blocking both the Asura phantom's broken sword and Lin Fan's physical attack simultaneously!

Clang!!!!

The sound of clashing metal echoed through the ancient battlefield!

The two separated upon contact but instantly collided again!

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!...

In just three breaths, the two had exchanged hundreds of moves!

There were no dazzling Martial Skills, no complex Laws.

There was only the purest collision of Battle Intent, the confrontation of wills, and a life-and-death struggle!

With every collision, Lin Fan would spit out a mouthful of blood, and another bone-deep wound would appear on his body.

But the War Soul was not having it easy either.

Dozens more sword marks were added to his tattered armor, and his arm holding the halberd was trembling slightly.

"Satisfying!"

The fires of combat in the War Soul's eyes grew even more intense.

"It has been a long time... since I've encountered an opponent who could fight me to this extent!"

"Kid, you are very good!"

"But... it's not enough!"

He violently forced Lin Fan back with a halberd strike, gripped the halberd with both hands, and roared to the heavens:

"Combat Profound Truth—Ten Thousand Battles Without Defeat!"

Boom!!!!

The God of War phantom behind him exploded, turning into countless streams of Battle Intent light that merged into his body!

The War Soul's Aura instantly tripled!

Ancient blood-colored patterns emerged on the tattered armor, and a raging fire of combat ignited on the broken halberd!

"This strike..."

The War Soul slowly raised the broken halberd, the tip pointing at Lin Fan.

"Is the strongest strike I have condensed from thirty-seven million years of warfare and billions of battles."

"If you can withstand it..."

"I will consider you to have passed the Trial of Combat."

Lin Fan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked at the overwhelming Aura of the War Soul, a trace of solemnity flashing in his eyes.

This strike...

It had already touched the Origin of the 'Law of Combat'!

Its power... had likely reached the Peak Martial Emperor level, or perhaps even... touched the threshold of a Martial Venerable!

In his current state, taking it head-on... would mean certain death.

But...

"If I can't take it head-on, then..."