Chapter 78: A Battle Of Bloodlines!

BANG!

The next moment, Ryan and Gareth collided violently, producing a terrifying boom that reverberated through the forest.

Sparks erupted at the point of impact, accompanied by a surge of scorching heat.

Dust and sand billowed into the air, while the surrounding leaves rustled violently from the shockwave.

"Origin Sea Convergence Realm Seventh Stage, and a Superior-Grade Origin Realm battle technique?! This Bloodline power bonus is actually this terrifying?!"

Feeling the violent force transmitted through the fire shield in his hand, Gareth’s expression changed slightly.

Caught off guard, he was forced backward, his calf sinking halfway into the muddy ground. ℯℯ𝑙.

He had never expected Ryan’s growth to be so astonishing.

Only after their collision had he finally used his Mental Awareness to accurately determine Ryan’s cultivation realm.

According to the latest intelligence, Ryan had reached the Origin Sea Convergence Realm Fifth Stage in an incredibly short period.

At the time, Gareth had been furious and found the information difficult to believe.

Although advancing one’s cultivation realm was relatively easier than evolving a Bloodline, that did not mean it was easy.

Many Bloodline Fighters became trapped at critical bottlenecks in their cultivation. Their meridians might already be saturated with Origin Energy, yet they could remain stuck at the same stage for years, unable to take another step forward.

Yet the intelligence regarding Ryan had barely circulated for a few days, and his cultivation had already advanced by another two stages.

Did this kid simply never encounter bottlenecks?

And that wasn’t even the most frightening part.

Ryan now possessed the strength of an Origin Sea Convergence Realm Seventh Stage cultivator while simultaneously mastering such a powerful close-combat battle technique.

On top of that, he possessed the potential for a Double Bloodline.

With the agility of the Spider Bloodline combined with the overwhelming physical enhancement of his C-Grade Top-Tier Enhancement-Type Bloodline, Ryan’s overall combat strength had already far surpassed that of ordinary Bloodline Fighters at the same rank.

Most frightening of all, Gareth knew exactly where Ryan had come from.

Not long ago, Ryan had merely been an ordinary commoner struggling to survive by scavenging garbage.

He had no powerful family backing him.

No ancient Bloodline heritage. No abundant cultivation resources.

Yet somehow, his strength had risen at an abnormal and almost ghostly speed, as though a monstrous talent had suddenly emerged from nowhere.

The more Gareth thought about it, the more dangerous Ryan seemed.

If Gareth hadn’t possessed the far-superior cultivation of the Origin Spirit Realm Peak and the Spirit Rank Low-Grade giant shield secret treasure in his hand, that earlier collision would have been enough to make even him suffer a hidden loss.

This secret treasure was called the Titan Giant Shield.

Its hardness was astonishing, and it possessed exceptional defensive and offensive capabilities.

As a collateral descendant of the Sterling Family, Gareth might have possessed more Origin Stones than ordinary cultivators, but obtaining such a rare and suitable Spirit Rank secret treasure was still extremely difficult.

He had spent a full 50,000 Low-Grade Origin Stones and owed numerous favors to powerful figures within the clan just to acquire it.

It was precisely the kind of powerful secret treasure that could make any Transformation-Type Bloodline Fighter with an ordinary physique drool with envy.

At this moment, Gareth had already made up his mind.

No matter what price he had to pay today, he absolutely could not allow Ryan to leave alive.

Fortunately, his current strength was still sufficient to suppress Ryan.

Otherwise, if he allowed this tiger to return to the mountains, the consequences would be endless.

Therefore, Ryan had to die here today.

He had to nip this threat in the bud before it could fully mature.

"Crimson flames?!"

Feeling the enormous recoil and scorching sensation that traveled through his elbow, Ryan’s expression changed slightly.

"The hardness of this secret treasure is actually this ridiculous..."

His gaze sharpened. "Spirit Rank Low Grade?"

The next instant, the phantom of the Overlord Body Battle Armor materialized around him, protecting his body.

Even so, the terrifying recoil still sent him flying backward.

Ryan hadn’t expected Gareth, despite possessing a Transformation-Type Bloodline, to have such powerful frontal striking strength.

A single collision had actually forced him back.

Normally, the greatest strengths of Transformation-Type Bloodline Fighters lay in their versatility.

They could assume various forms, alter their attack ranges, and employ unpredictable changes during battle.

Their physical strength, however, was generally inferior to that of Enhancement-Type Bloodline Fighters.

As a result, they often relied on powerful battle artifacts and secret treasures to compensate for their physical shortcomings.

Enhancement-Type Bloodlines were different.

They typically strengthened specific aspects of the body, and those with sufficiently high Bloodline grades could even withstand battle artifacts and secret treasures with their physical bodies alone.

Yet Gareth had completely overturned Ryan’s expectations.

With the Spirit Rank Low-Grade giant shield in his hands and those crimson flames enhancing its attack, Gareth had unleashed astonishing frontal power.

The hardness of the secret treasure was extraordinary.

Even Ryan’s Overlord Body, whose physical strength far surpassed that of Bloodlines of the same level, couldn’t break through it.

As for the crimson flames... Ryan couldn’t immediately determine their origin.

He had no relevant information about them in his memories.

However, they didn’t appear to possess any particularly strange abilities. Their main characteristic seemed to be their overwhelming offensive power.

Judging from their color, they clearly weren’t the Sterling Family’s first-form Family Heritage Bloodline, Crimson Fox True Flame.

Instead, they were likely the result of a rare mutated fire-attribute Bloodline.

Its power seemed to be only slightly inferior to Crimson Fox True Flame, especially in terms of destructive force.

Various pieces of information rapidly flashed through Ryan’s mind.

[Crimson Fox True Flame: C-Grade Excellent, Transformation-Type Bloodline.]

[Legend has it that this Bloodline originated from the ancient Crimson Fox.]

[Those who possess this Bloodline can transform the Origin Energy within their bodies into crimson flames to attack enemies. The flames possess an astonishingly high temperature.]

[Crimson Fox True Flame can smelt artifacts and treasures, possessing a powerful dissolving and burning effect against all artifacts and treasures. Under its assault, ordinary artifacts and treasures can be easily incinerated.]

[Passive Ability: Restricts and grants immunity against poison attacks of the same level while greatly increasing physical strength.]

The information flashed through Ryan’s mind in an instant.

At the same time, he gritted his teeth and adjusted his movements while still being thrown backward.

Two strands of Spider Silk shot from his hands simultaneously.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The strand from his left hand shot toward Jake, who was lying helplessly on the ground.

The strand from his right hand shot toward a thick ancient tree behind him.

Ryan intended to use the recoil from the collision to change direction and rescue Jake in one smooth motion.

"Hmph. Trying to run?" Gareth’s eyes flashed coldly. "It won’t be that easy!"

He abruptly raised his right hand. "Profound Rank Low-Grade Battle Technique—Fireball Art!"

As his voice fell, two fist-sized crimson fireballs rapidly condensed above his palm.

The flames twisted violently, radiating scorching heat.

With a flick of his finger, both fireballs shot toward Ryan’s Spider Silk.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The fireballs were astonishingly fast.

Almost at the exact moment the two strands of Spider Silk were about to reach Jake and the ancient tree, the fireballs struck them.

PUFF! PUFF!

The two strands of Spider Silk were instantly burned through, releasing the acrid smell of something being scorched.

"Damn it!"

Ryan’s expression darkened.

Both of his backup plans had been destroyed in an instant.

Still flying backward, he suddenly extended his right arm toward the ground.

BOOM!

His palm struck the earth.

Using the force, Ryan performed two consecutive backflips, gradually dispersing the remaining recoil from the earlier collision.

He landed steadily on the ground.

"Hmph, Ryan!"

Gareth stared at him, his eyes burning with hatred.

"Since you dared to deliver yourself to my doorstep, then next year today will be your death anniversary!"

His voice was filled with killing intent.

At once, yellow Origin Energy surged through his body.

Blazing crimson flames erupted around him, pouring outward like a waterfall of fire.

The terrifying aura resembled an erupting volcano, making Gareth appear extremely intimidating.

"Ryan!"

"You not only killed Wesley, but also slaughtered so many of the Sterling Family’s guards!"

"I will tear you into ten thousand pieces today!"

At that moment, Owen finally realized that Ryan had retreated toward the rear.

His expression instantly turned cold.

With the two remaining black-clad guards following behind him, he charged toward Ryan.

Gareth, meanwhile, remained standing before Ryan, his body enveloped in raging crimson flames.

However, he had no intention of killing Jake immediately.

To Gareth, Jake was nothing more than an insignificant tool.

An ant.

Killing him now would serve no purpose.

In fact, it might even be counterproductive.

If Jake died, Ryan would have nothing left to worry about. He might abandon the fight entirely and focus on escaping.

With Ryan’s strange ability to utilize Spider Silk and the surrounding terrain, there was a real possibility that he could escape.

Therefore, Gareth intended to keep Jake alive.

As long as Ryan’s weakness remained in his hands, Ryan would hesitate.

And as long as Ryan hesitated, he would not dare to escape recklessly.

Ryan slowly steadied himself. His expression gradually returned to calm.

He looked at Gareth in front of him, then shifted his gaze toward Owen and the two remaining black-clad guards.

His eyes were deep and cold.

Thoughts raced through his mind. He needed to find a way to divert everyone’s attention and rescue Jake first.

Gareth’s crimson flame Bloodline was extremely strange.

Judging from its power, it should also be a C-Grade Excellent Bloodline.

On top of that, Gareth possessed the overwhelming cultivation of the Origin Spirit Realm Peak.

His arsenal of high-level secret treasures and battle techniques would certainly not be small either.

He was undoubtedly a formidable opponent.

Ryan narrowed his eyes.

Unless he used the Devouring World Art to unleash its terrifying power, it would be difficult for him to gain any advantage in a direct confrontation.

And using it immediately wasn’t the best option.

He couldn’t afford to fight Gareth head-on.

First, he needed to eliminate Owen and the remaining two black-clad guards.

Then, once the pressure was reduced, he could find an opportunity to rescue Jake.

Only after that would he have a chance to deal with Gareth.