612 The Final Silence

A battle between two warriors at such a high level was about claiming natural energy. By then, Li Zhedao had dominated the energy flow from all directions, turning the very air into Patroclus' deadliest enemy.

The immortals were shocked by the development as dread gripped their hearts. If Patroclus couldn't overcome this human warrior, no one could.

Although both Patroclus' soul energy and physical condition had surpassed Li Zhedao, once the Einherjar had found the divine path, he was no longer a human.

At least at this very moment, he was not a human, since only a god could use the divine power. 

As the energy was concentrated in the cyclone, the airflow started to gain some substance. After a few seconds, a spinning white ball appeared in the air. Its surface was suffused with a milky white brightness. This was a murder machine netted using natural elements. 

Regardless of how long Patroclus' soul energy could last, this spinning ball would not stop until it had completed Li Zhedao's bidding.

Li Zhedao had a grim look in his eyes. The attack he unleashed came with a hefty price, and it could only be used once every so often. However, Li Zhedao conceded that there was no better time to use it than now.

If he could kill Patroclus, he'd be able to meet his ancestors in the underworld with pride and dignity.

Everyone lived for a reason regardless of what other people thought of it, even if the reason was a lie. After all, how many people could really tell a lie from the truth of their lives?

As pressure mounted on Patroclus, his soul energy ebbed away. Without the support of the natural energy, Patroclus would not last long under such an overbearing attack.

The Blade of Vayu had already pierced through the glowing ball and thrust at Patroclus. 

Clank!

KOM!

Rays of silver light lanced upward, threatening to pierce the clouds. As the silvery lance and the Blade of Vayu collided, the lance multiplied itself as if a lotus flower was blooming, each petal a shiny, sharp tip of a lance. Before the smear of silver congealed into one single solid lance, the lotus petals suddenly shot forward at Li Zhedao, who was forced to take a few steps back.

"Einherjar Li, we have just started," Patroclus said with a wry smile. However, he staggered slightly as if the impact had thrown him off balance.

While Li Zhedao marveled at Patroclus's resilience, he wagered that Patroclus would fall to the ground with one more blow of the divine strike. 

He squeezed the blade and started the divine attack again. Patroclus was unfazed by the second attack as he spoke with a relaxed voice, "As the divine lord, I have an ability that I seldom use. I can copy any moves that land on me, even if it is a divine strike."

KOM!

With that, Patroclus executed the exact same move as an even brighter white glob appeared in front of him. It was even hungrier for power than the one across the field. As it devoured the natural energies around him, it created ripples of deadly energy waves. Many golden dark ones who were caught off guard by their leader's sudden move were sliced into pieces. 

As the two warriors battled for the control of natural energy, they created a huge anomaly in the balance of energy. Massive storm clouds generated thunderclaps above the battlefield, the clouds roiling angrily as they were lighted up by flashes of lightning. It seemed that the world was going to end in a violent clash, in which a new balance of energy would be created.

KOM!

A violent explosion arose; Li Zhedao and Patroclus remained where they were, but both of them were injured. However, unlike Li Zhedao, whose injuries were permanent, Patroclus' wounds healed in an instant.

Li Zhedao started to sense the urgency of the situation. He reckoned that he had to do away with Patroclus soon before he got weakened further. 

Li Zhedao could feel it in him that the injuries were draining his vitality away. He needed to act now.

Another gale came up along with a roar. Li Zhedao pointed his blade at the roiling clouds as lighting slithered down and sent a pulse of energy into the blade. Patroclus simply watched as if he was enjoying a wonderful show.

"This is the ultimate coup de grace of the tactics of Vayu, isn't it? It's a sacrifice, a suicide. It's beautiful, but ineffective nonetheless." Patroclus muttered to himself. Meanwhile, he commanded his Zerg army to pull as further back as possible.

The wind felt sharp against the skin even outside the center of the storm; inside, it would carve an immortal's flesh off like a knife slicing through butter. However, Patroclus was unharmed by the deadly current, increasing his soul energy slowly and steadily.

Li Zhedao's hair were standing upright, the tip swaying left and right at the behest of the wind. The blade of Vayu glowed more intensely, and same did the Einherjar's body. He felt the power rising in him, filling up his body and spilling out of his mouth, eyes, and ears. He slowly merged his body with pure energy in order to deliver the final strike. Humanity's fate rested on it; he could not fail.

Li Shiming watched the world undo itself from far away. There were no more storm clouds, no more sky, or land; everything was cast inside a murky ball of energy where lightning conspired with soul energy to smite the world within into oblivion.

It was hard for Li Shiming to accept the fact that Patroclus was able to withstand the divine power.

As bright lights poured out of Li Zhedao, his body was quickly engulfed by it. The deluge of deadly energy gained some speed as it devoured anything within its reach. Even the most powerful dark ones were reduced into ashes without even uttering a cry.

A ray of light—more intense than its glowing backdrop—formed where Li Zhedao was standing and launched at Patroclus. The center of the storm moved with it, claiming lives as its tendrils of death grounded hither and thither. When the light reached Patroclus, it seemed to him as if the world had become the storm, and it was coming at him.

Patroclus jabbed his lance forward at the center of the storm.

KOM!

The impact deprived the world of its meaning; the sky and the earth bore no more substance than feelings and memories, while space and time both groaned at the clash of gods. 

After a long time, some surviving immortals dragged himself to their feet. The world had returned, but not all the living things in it. The angry dark clouds had become overcast; it rained like tears of the gods. 

Both Patroclus and Li Zhedao still stood unmoved. 

Li Zhedao reached out a hand, trying to catch the rain. But, the droplets fell straight through. The Einherjar smiled at this. "Right or wrong, only time may tell," he heard himself mutter.

The wind came up without the command of the Einherjar. Li Zhedao's body flickered and then drifted away with the wind as it turned into ghostly clouds of dust.

Rain fell on Patroclus and formed a trickle on his face, washing away the steak of tears. Eyes closed, Patroclus heaved a sigh; he had finally found his key to the divine path: perfection.

Miles away, Li Shiming spat out a mouthful of blood. He knew his father had failed because he could no longer sense his power in the wind. The new lord of House Li threw his head back and shouted, "Patroclus, I will make you pay!"

…

The news about the death of Einherjar Li Zhedao quickly spread across the battlefield, taking the wind out of the earth resistance's sails. Who would be able to protect them and guide them now?

When the news reached Mars, its huge negative impact on the soldiers' mind quickly trumped the joy of the recent success. 

If even Einherjar Li Zhedao could not handle Patroclus, who could?

Desperation and despair slowly crept back into the minds of the soldiers. After Lie Jintian heard about the news, he left his command office and hiked to a secluded mountaintop to reflect on Li Zhedao's death. No one knew Li Zhedao better than him and Einherjar Andres. They used to be close friends, but then two of them had left him. Suddenly, Lie Jintian felt old.

News about the development on earth quickly reached the dark lord. When the messenger came to deliver the news, Moye was watching a recording of Wang Tong's fight with Harmon. The news agitated him; Patroclus' power was growing by the day while his campaign got stuck because of one person: Wang Tong. 

"He is not that powerful," Moye said contemptuously.

"My lord, I think Wang Tong had held back his power. He is considered a god among humans. I think you will have to finish him yourself." Harmon said. 

"Very well, let's wait here for him to come then!" Moye announced.

Meanwhile, Battle Wolf took a break after they had successfully infiltrated into the central area. When they heard about the death of Li Zhedao, they were gripped by a fit of dismay. What was the use of defeating the dark lord if they couldn't handle Patroclus? Were they simply doing Patroclus a favor?