Chapter 42 - Foundation Realm Was Cheating
Victor moved once.
Jace hit the wall.
Twice.
Maya’s barrier shattered.
Three times.
Eli barely saw the strike before Mr. Zhou blocked it.
Foundation Realm was not simply “stronger Qi Gathering.”
It was a different category.
Victor could project qi outside his body with precision.
He formed blades from empty air.
Mr. Zhou fought him evenly for several exchanges, but Eli noticed something.
The old man was protecting them.
Holding back.
Victor noticed too.
“Still playing teacher?”
Mr. Zhou smiled.
“Still playing rich man?”
Their collision shattered windows across the floor.
Eli moved toward the resonator.
Victor saw him.
A qi blade crossed the room.
Lucas jumped in front of it.
The blade cut his shoulder.
Eli caught him.
“You okay?”
Lucas gritted his teeth.
“Do not make me regret character development.”
Eli laughed despite himself.
The resonator pulsed.
His fragment tried to leave again.
This time, Eli used the storage ring.
The Nine Vein Ring opened fully.
A hidden function appeared.
[ENERGY REDIRECTION ARRAY]
“That’s why Lucas wanted it,” Elias said.
Eli understood.
The ring could reroute the resonator’s energy.
But only if he got close.
Victor stood between him and the device.
The system offered a quest.
[BREAK THROUGH TO QI GATHERING IX DURING COMBAT.]
Eli stared.
“Can I decline?”
May you like
[NO.]
