The 38th step brought about a new, more intense ringing in Li Luo’s ears. This was as strong as the energy vortex got, and by gosh was it the wildest ride he had ever been on.
The mad roar was all around him, and he could feel himself being blown about like a leaf in the wind. It was hard to even concentrate.
This 38th step was insane.
The cuts on his skin widened and widened, flayed open by the energy vortex. He was starting to feel cold, and a little faint from the loss of blood.
Whoosh.
He took a deep breath to steady his mind, even when his body was being tossed about like a ragdoll. He could not afford to panic. He could not afford to back down.
He forced himself into the lotus position and moved his focus inwards.
Water resonance. Wood resonance.
Light resonance. Earth resonance.
Primaries.
Secondaries.
He struggled to master the flow, to pull what he needed and could use out of the black channel of raw, untapped power. He accomplished this by steadying himself with the endurance elements of water and wood.
If only he could hold on and sort the stray energies out, he could grow rapidly here.
If he could survive the energy vortex.
As time passed, Li Luo noticed that the energy membrane around him was starting to thin in places.
Once it broke, he would feel the full brunt of the energy vortex. He would die, no question about it.
“I guess my dual resonances started off too weak.”
A fifth and sixth-grade resonance couldn’t compare to a single ninth-grade.
In fact, if it wasn’t for the fact that he had an additional two bonus secondary resonances, he might not have held on for as long as he did.
Li Luo eyed the energy membrane on his body. Underneath it, his four resonant powers flowed in a thin sheen that almost looked like it was part of the membrane.
It wasn’t just about the quantity of energy he could store. More didn’t directly equal better.
He had to use it well, use it strategically.
Now was the time to play to his strengths and utilize the unique advantages of his dual resonances… take as much of it as he could wield. After all, it was actually Duke-level power, and he had barely scraped the top of this power.
He couldn’t hold his dual resonances together for long, and so he usually saved it as a final defense for crucial moments.
Still, if he could hold out until his breakthrough, the energy vortex’s effects would be diminished, and he might just survive.
Li Luo felt the two resonance seeds within him, shining as bright as stars even when he closed his eyes.
Almost there.
Shrrrk.
With a ripping sound, Li Luo felt the energy membrane around him start to tear.
He did not hesitate, casting it off.
Simultaneously, his two resonance seeds pulsed, sending a pure stream of water and wood resonant power. They mixed.
Dual resonances!
Hum!
Blue and green mixed into a glittering turquoise sheen that covered him, a defense that he had manufactured himself against the energy vortex.
Li Luo was frozen in place, fully concentrated on making sure this final defense did not fail.
Dual resonances was the domain of true Dukes, but Li Luo’s clutch move would hold him for a few moments together.
Hu hu!
The energy vortex was held at bay outside of his defenses. All the while Li Luo continued to absorb more and more worldly natural energy.
After a while, even his turquoise skin started fading, growing dimmer and dimmer.
The energy pressure threatened.
Li Luo smiled and relaxed.
The time had come. The cannon was loaded.
No longer did he suppress the breakthrough now. He let the power fully explode from his resonance seeds.
The second pattern formed very quickly, as if an invisible hand had run a well-inked brush across the surface of his seeds.
Pattern Genesis Tier, Second Pattern!
It wasn’t over. Li Luo had held it back for so long exactly because he wasn’t content with a singular breakthrough!
Even after the second pattern formed, the seeds still glowed with power. Wave after wave of resonant power rippled over the seeds’ surface, until the beginnings of a third pattern could be seen.
The mark grew clearer and clearer, but the seeds grew dimmer and dimmer. All their power was being exhausted here.
Li Luo stood up and folded his body into a complex stance. He also changed his breathing pattern.
12 Step Weave: Fourth Step, Inhale-Exhale.
This was the Duke-level energy cultivation art that he had won from the last ranking battle. In his cultivation so far, he had managed to master the basic steps.
This was the perfect time to call upon it.
He sucked in a titanic breath, as if he were a dragon ready to breathe fire.
“Gurgle!”
He sucked in a gigantic mouth of energy into his belly!
He repeated this four times!
With four giant gulps of energy, he supplemented his resonance seeds’ dwindling stores, and his third pattern formed with energy to spare.
Three full patterns now, bold and clear on the surface of his seeds.
Li Luo’s sweat stopped now. With this jump, the pressure of the vortex suddenly dwindled away from deadly to manageable.
A smile slowly spread across his lips.
He had done it.
Just like Jiang Qing’e, a double breakthrough!