Splash! Roar!
The serene, bubbling brook had been stirred up by the intense fight.
Li Luo skated backwards on the water, his bow of blue silver sending Skystream Arrows at Duze Beixuan in a relentless stream, keeping him at bay.
But Li Luo was starting to feel uneasy. His opponent was being too passive.
That didn't make sense, unless he was charging up something terrifying.
Just then, Duze Beixuan gave a loud grunt of exertion, and Li Luo felt his strength surge forth.
"Kun Rising!" he roared.
Shoosh!
The Skystream Arrow vanished. Li Luo blinked. It was gone!
And Duze Beixuan had vanished as well.
Peng!
An earsplitting boom sounded from his side, and he saw a battleaxe hurtling towards him like an angry dragon. It shot towards him with incredible strength, locked in on Li Luo's weak point.
Li Luo was given a huge fright, and he hastily parried with his bow.
Ding!
This one was enough to wound Li Luo. His shoulders were aching from the impact, and he was flung backwards.
"His speed, strength, and defenses have increased again?" Li Luo said to himself, shaken. Duze Beixuan had outdone himself yet again.
Still reeling, a figure dashed towards him fast enough to split the waters of the creek.
Another cold glint of battleaxe came for him.
Li Luo hurriedly parried it again, but this time even a few blocks were enough to wear him out. He was sent flying again, this time landing in the woods.
Duze Beixuan appeared in front of him, dragging his heavy battleaxe. He looked like an unstoppable juggernaut.
He was staring at the woods, his battleaxe dragging along the ground.
"Li Luo, are we done with the monkey tricks? Time to end it? I was just playing with you. You think a Lower Clear like you can match an Upper Flowering like me?
"My resonance grade is higher. My resonant power is greater. How are you gonna compete?"
He taunted Li Luo, walking into the forest. He looked at Li Luo, who was under a tree, with snake-like eyes. "Done running, rat?"
He lifted the battleaxe lazily, pointing it at Li Luo and gathering his resonant power.
"Let's end it, then."
Li Luo rubbed his numb shoulder gingerly as he grinned. "You think you’re cool? The slow walk and the big talk? Maybe you think it makes you look like a hero.
"I think it's very foolish.
"You see, with all that time you've bought me, I've almost finished building your coffin already."
"Still trying to act tough?" Duze Beixuan said acidly.
He took one powerful step forward, his battleaxe coming up in a dangerous arc toward Li Luo.
Li Luo remained where he was, not moving an inch.
The battleaxe grew larger and larger in his eyes.
When it was a mere few feet from his face, the tree behind Li Luo suddenly shook. With a flash of green light, thick tree vines suddenly sprouted, coiling around the battleaxe like pythons. It could not move.
"Wood resonance?
"Who else is interfering in our battle?" Duze Beixuan shouted, shocked at the sudden development.
Li Luo grinned. "Who else is here but you and me?"
Duze Beixuan stared at him with narrow eyes. "What are you talking about? Are you trying to tell me the wood resonance was you? You're obviously a water resonance user, idiot. You can't possibly evoke a wood resonance!"
Li Luo chortled. "Didn't you ask me how I was going to deal with you? Let me show you something really cool."
He smashed his hands together, and both his resonant palaces flared to life. Two different resonant powers burst out of his body.
Blue resonant power, languid as the wave.
Green resonant power, vital and alive.
The two elements mixed all around Li Luo's body. There was no disharmony between the two.
Duze Beixuan's eyes grew wide as saucers.
Li Luo's mocking voice came at him.
"Water resonance, mine.
"Wood resonance, also mine.
"Sorry, but there's nothing wrong with your eyes. I am indeed... the legendary double resonant palace cultivator!"
......
Whoosh!
The revelation did not just stun Duze Beixuan, but also everyone else within Newcomers' Hall.
Many were on their feet, staring at the youth on the screen.
Double resonance?!
Could he have been that one-in-a-million who had managed to open their second resonant palace when he broke through to the Resonant Master Stage?!
How incredibly rare was that?!
Although everyone knew that there was a fraction of a chance that a second resonant palace would appear with the breakthrough, the chances were astronomically low. It was about as rare as Jiang Qing'e's ninth-grade light resonance!
And now they had seen the miracle actually happen!
Forget the grade of Li Luo's second resonance, just its existence alone was enough to mark him as special.
He would have an advantage that no one else could access. Double resonance power—the domain of Duke experts!
Although with his strength, his mastery might only call forth puny versions of both resonances, but it was still extremely beneficial.
The crowd was busy reevaluating him. When they first heard that the son of Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan was mediocre, they all secretly felt comforted. Those two were too brilliant, and they even had the ninth-grade light resonance user Jiang Qing'e in the house. The ordinary Li Luo seemed fairer.
But now they realized that they had celebrated too early.
Li Luo did not have a high-grade resonance, but the rare double resonance was enough to make up for the difference.
"Water resonance? Wood resonance?! He has both?" Duze Honglian was staring at the screen with a mix of horror and disbelief.
"I don't believe it!" she shouted angrily. How could House Luolan be so blessed? They weren't going to stop at a ninth-grade light resonance with Jiang Qing'e? Now a dual resonance young lord to boot?!
"Wow, dual resonances! That's awesome!" Yan Lingqing squealed, clapping her hands in delight. She turned to hug Jiang Qing'e in celebration. "You knew already? That's why you sat there calm like a fisherman!"
Jiang Qing'e smiled back. "He is of the bloodline of the House Lords. How could he ever be mediocre?"
On the highest spectator platform.
Vice Principal Su Xin had been watching quietly up till now, and now clear surprise was showing on her face.
"Dual resonances... A rare sight indeed," she said.
The First Princess inclined her head as well, also surprised. "Congratulations, Vice Principal. I see that the Astral Sage College is about to produce another rare talent."
Vice Principal Su Xin smiled. "Dual resonances are certainly rare. But this talent does not guarantee one's performance in the future. Everything still depends on his nature and transformations."
"Still... potential indeed. The Astral Sage College will definitely show him favor and attention."
The First Princess understood that the Astral Sage College's love of talent had taken a fancy to Li Luo's dual resonances. Vice Principal Su Xin's words meant that Li Luo would be saved much unnecessary trouble and prejudice in the future.
Her red, phoenix eyes turned back to watch the handsome youth with his dual resonances.
Although House Luolan had lost two Duke stage experts, their progeny and disciple were glowing with the same light.
Perhaps in time they would indeed raise House Luolan up from the ashes, blazing again in its former glory.